Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Comforter

When things happen I don't understand, when life seems so wrong, I have found that there is one place I find comfort. This may sound straneg but I find comfort in old hymns. There are several that God really uses to speak to me through. I thought I'd share them.

It Is Well With My Soul

"When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.


Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul."

This hymn was written after several traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of his only son in 1871, shortly followed by the great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer). Then in 1873, he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the S.S. Ville Du Havre, but sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with another ship, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the telegram, "Saved Alone." Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, the captain stopped the boat where his daughters had died, and when asked to say a word for all who had died, he sang this song.

You Raise Me Up

"When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

You raise me up... To more than I can be."

When I listen or sing these songs, they act as a statement. A statement of faith. That no matter what life brings, no matter what I must endure, no matter how wrong life seems at times, ...It is still well with my soul and God will raise me up to rise above it.

Thank You Jesus.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Omnia Dicta Fortiora Si Dicta Latina

Vae perdo de glorium Latina
Qui melior antiquus de lingua
Vae perdo de senex morium
Revertus per ante oblivio
Perditio omnia

Woe, the loss of glorious Latin
That superior language of the ancients
Woe, the loss of the old ways
Let us return before forgetfulness
Destroys all

As a linguist, the thought of a language dying is horrible, and the thought of one resurrecting is exciting beyond all reason. That is why I am so excited about the reemergence of Latin. And now it's never been easier to learn it, either.

Here are some great online resources:

http://www.learnlangs.com/latin/

http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/showcase/phillipslatindrills17.html

http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/latin/wheelock/

Bona Fortura!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

This is geting scary...

When I first began this story, it was a direct affront to my main series. It was meant to be a stand alone, single story, written wthout any connections to any other stories. It was suppose to be a one shot, one book, one story non-series tale.

And yet...

It has evolved. It is alive. It is a force I can't stop anymore. As I begin to explore the places in my world, such as Glassiere, or Einri, or the Wreath Confederacy, there is just too much information to put in one small volume. And so it has expanded.

I now have:

Books:
*The Secret Scroll (tentative title of my main story) 13/40 finished
*The Sea Scroll (The Tale of Einri the Navigator, kind of like a prequel) idea stage
*The Last Scroll (An Apocolypse Tale, kind of like a sequel) idea stage

Suplimentary Material:
*The Song of the Sage (Song/Poem related to the Order of the Apothecary)done!!!
*The Voyage of the Fearless (Ballad related to the Sea Scroll)done!!!
*The Lament of Brandur and Perlise (Epic Poem related to the Sea Scroll and Carolman)5/15 done
*The Saga of Sviegmund Trolldeath (Saga related to the Isle of Sylvania)done!!!
*The Tale of Thorbard the Wide Mouthed (Story related to the Isle of Sylvania)done!!!
*How the Sea was Tamed (Folktale related to Boat Kings/Sylvania)done!!!
*Tale of Two Dragons (Legend of Rho Ghul Empire)done!!!
*The Ancient Scroll (Tells of creation of the world) 3/4th done
*Geneology of the House of Hestia done!!!
*Geneology of Alexandrian Nobility done!!!
*Geneology of the House of Gwaylen done!!!
*Geneology of the House of (New)Firplice done!!!
*Geneology of the House of Alba 2/5 done
*List of High Kings of Tara 1/5 done
*Map of Encircled Lands (all the lands in my story) 3/10 done


As you can see, as much as I had wanted this story to be non-mythopoeic, it had become so. Well, maybe I will just burn all the supplimentary material and never write the prequal (set 400 years before the story) or the sequal (set 200 years after). After all, I'm still the author and I make the decisions when it comes to my books! Erm, I mean book! Singular!

...

...

Well, maybe I'll sleep on it. -__-

Saturday, July 26, 2008

You are good, all the time. And all the time...

Today I found some old Lakewood church music. All I can say is "awesome!" I can't believe how good these songs were/are. Right now I'm listening to "You Are Good" and it's so simple and yet it seems the simple truths are the hardest to comprehend.

Chorus:
"We worship You,
Halleluja! Halleluja!
We worship You,
For who You are!"

Bridge:

"You are good, all the time.
And all the time, You are good."


Stop!

Stop what your doing. Stop what your thinking, listening to, who your talking with, what ever it is that might draw your attention elsewhere.

Now. Say this out loud:

"God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good."

Think about what that means.

"God is good." In our world, when things go wrong, people do stupid things, we do stupd things, life seems stupid and the world/culture/country seems full of evil its nice to be able to say, and mean it, and know it's true. God is good.

"All the time!" So you've probably skipped ahead to this part already and figured out that it's not only amazing that God is good, but that he stays good forever. The other great thing about this simple truth is that He doesn't change.

If He is good. If He in His goodness wants to pour out blessings on my lfe, or keep them from me because He knows I'm better off without them. If He loves me with his loving kindness and has nothing but my best in mind. If nothing can touch me but by Him allowing it. If nothing can come against me that He won't give me victory over. If He will always love me. If He will always forgive me. If He is good, then nothing else matters anymore, as long as I keep my eyes on Him.

Because, not only is my Father/Councilor/Friend/Comforter/Healer/Lover-God good, but He is good ALL THE TIME.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Chapter 13 version 2

So this is actually more like version five, but it's the second one you're being exposed to so we'll just call it version two. When I first wrote this chapter, I had a schedual. Literally everything was just about fitting the right amount of information in the right amount of space so that I finshed in under 15 pages. Then I realized that it made everything unnatural, stiff, and took away from Ivan's most important aspect, the humor that serrounds him. On the other hand, this chapter was also ment to show the slightly deeper aspect to Ivan, not just his funny side. So,I think thats what made it so difficult. Here's version two, let me know which one you prefer. I tried to clear up any places that I had thought was unclear before. Enjoy.


Chapter 13

Chaos reigned over the school of Einri the Navigator. People ran everywhere and teachers and professors were trying in vain to direct the flow of students into the main building. In the thrashing maul of bodies there were eight heads, covered in dark seaman’s cloaks that walked in the shadows. Each carried a large burlap bag across his shoulder. They hurried out the side gate and down the stone steps. When they reached the layer of white columns a large wave slammed against the structure, washing through the columns as it passed through the hollow area. The figures all clung to pillars as the storm sucked the water back to the oceanic depths. They continued down to the docks.

“Where’s the ship Wick?”

“O’er there!” he called above the whistling wind in his rustic accent.

There, illuminated by the lighting in the clouds, was a small wooden craft only about 20 paces from bow to stern. It had a single, tall mast with a white sail that had been trimmed all the way. On the deck was a cabin that didn’t look that big. All eight members of the Cuttlefish Crew looked at one another, and then decided to place their lives in Wicks hands as they climbed aboard.

Ivan was the last on. He pulled the anchor up with Dare and Coniglio. Dale was at the helm already and Wick and Tal had mounted the mast to unfurl the sails. Jack and Edric had taken the supplies beneath the deck to the ship’s small larder, then had gone with charts and instruments in hand to the cabin. Before closing the door, Edric called.

“Mr. Dare, if you please, get us away from the school before we’re smashed to pieces!”

Ivan took his queue from Dare, who had so suddenly changed into a first mate that he acted as if he had done it all his life. Ivan summoned Boreas on his piccolo and called out to the wind to blow them west of the school. The wind blew and filed their sails, and everything looked good, then suddenly Boreas was gone, the sail swung around, knocking the wind out of Wick, and the boat came to a slow halt.

“What’s the matter Ivan?” Called Edric from the cabin.

‘There are other winds here. Boreas is being overtaken! We’ll have to wait till we’re clear of the ring of clouds before I can summon him again!”

Lightning flashed across the sky. The whole crew had grabbed oars and were trying to direct the ship away from the school. Dale, the helmsman, was covered in icey water and sweat. His hands had gone numb and his body was shaking as he tried to direct the careening vessel. In the cabin, Edric sat with a swaying lantern, scanning a map closely, reading current charts, trying to figure out a way to escape the clutches of the storm.

As Ivan was pulling on an oar, Dare came up and gave him a gruff nod towards the cabin. Ivan walked over, trying hard to keep himself balanced as the ships surface rose and fell at steep angles. The little ship went up dark green mountains and fell into the chasming valleys of the sea. As Ivan walked his mind went back to earlier that night.

The tapestry. The room. The imp. The crash of glass. The sound of alarm as the school awoke. The crowds all assembling on the green as per the emergency drills. The impish figure grabbing the Seaking’s trident off the roof. Ivan’s arm was nearly ripped out of his socket by the fierce gust the blew the door open for him.

“Ivan. Good, here come help me.” Said Edric, shoving a map under Ivan’s nose, “You’re the cartographer. We need a current that will speed us out of the bay as fast as possible.”

“We want to go west, right?” Said Ivan knowing the answer.

“That’s where the trident was thrown, yes.” Edric said. “Ivan. Don’t blame yourself so. Anyone of us could have been tricked by the imp into releasing him. What matters now is to get that trident back, before Madam Tethys returns from her trip.”

“Right.” Ivan said as he pulled his goggles on and began searching the maps carefully.

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It took the crew of eight until noon to clear the storm surrounding the school. When they were finally out in the open turquoise water, the waves now gone and the sky cloudless, they all slumped down on the deck, exhausted. Tal came up from bellow deck with a bowl of yellow porridge for everyone. They ate the warm, bland food with ravenous hunger.

“Alright crew.” Said Edric as he walked down from the cabin to the deck. “We’re sailing west. We should reach the shore of Insular, the great western island, by sunset. If we’re lucky, the trident will be somewhere near there.”

For the rest of the day, the group of boys figured out how to sail. The going was slow especially since Ivan couldn’t summon Boreas. First they gave too much canvas, then too little, each time causing the sail to fly one way or the other, knocking someone overboard.

Ivan was in his cabin, listening as he peered over charts and maps with sexton and compass. He measured the angle of the sun and the horizon. As he was working his mind raced feverishly. He knew he had messed up big time. He needed to redeem himself. And hopefully not make a bigger mess in the process.

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As the sun dipped into the ocean, color dissolving into the waves, the shore of Insular was finally spotted by Tal up in the crow’s nest. They continued edging closer to the island as the day transformed into night with a vivid display of color. As they drifted up to the sandy beach, the bottom scrapping as it went along; they spotted a light on the beach. Sitting by the fire was a dark figure. Edric, Jack, and Dare went to ask him about the trident.

“So, what did he say?” Asked Ivan excitedly on their return.

“Well, the good news is, he saw it.” Everyone cheered and threw hats up in the air. “The bad news is, he saw it flying over the island. He says it may have landed on the other half of Insular.”

The cheer died into a groan. The ship lowered its anchor for the night, and the figures on board all gathered the burlap bags they had originally brought with them. After following Jack and Edric’s examples, they soon had transformed their bags into hammocks. The waxing moon illuminated the quiet scene as Coniglio’s twitching foot tapped the deck and Ivan’s snore echoed across the waves.

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The next morning Ivan awoke to the sound of splashing and laughing. Sitting up from where he had fallen out of his hammock the previous night before, he peered over the railing. Almost everyone was swimming in the cool, refreshing water. He found Dare to the side, looking down on the rest of the crew. Ivan decided to try and get him to speak.

“So, Dare is it?” Ivan asked as he stepped next to him and looked down at the figures bellow.

Dare said nothing.

“So, Edric told me you’re in Chief Office training. How’s that going for ya?”

Still no answer.

“Come on! You have to talk to me! Just one word! You can’t stay silent forever! I will get a word out of you yet!”

But Dare just stayed up there watching the other boys, or more specifically Edric. In fact, now that Ivan was really paying attention, he realized that Dare was only following one person with his frown. Did he have some sort of grudge against Edric, Ivan wondered.

“Well, maybe if you won’t talk to me, you’ll talk to…Edric.” He said the name, looking for a response, but received none.

“What’s wrong with you! Talk already!” and surprisingly Dare did, in a rough, gravely voice.

“Milord! Shark!” He said and leapt down into the water.

The other boys were out of the water right away. The water boiled and churned as it began turning red. Edric looked wide eyed at the churning water, holding his breath. After a few moments, the fin came up, and beneath it was the dark head of hair. With a heave Dare threw the slain animal, five times any of their length, on the deck. Sticking out of its head was a large knife, or at least the handle of a very large knife.

“Dare, are you alright?” Edric asked as he helped him up the ship.

“I’m fine, only a minor bite.” But Ivan saw the ring of evenly spaced holes running from his shoulder, across his chest, and back up his arm that were beginning to bleed.

“No, you’re not. We need to get you in the cabin.” Edric said.

“But milord. I promised the Duke I would not leave your side.”

“I don’t care what you promised my father. You’re going. If it means you’ll stay there, I’ll not leave your bedside until you can follow me around again.”

“Very well milord.” Dare said, trying to staunch the blood with his shirt he had torn off.

Soon the rest of the crew had carried Dare into the cabin, knocked aside all of the maps and charts and laid him on the table. Jack came in looking pale faced. He knew he was the only one who had taken medical officer training. He had with him the contents of his burlap bag. He brought out a pair of probes and began looking at the different holes. The rest of the crew was order to set sail around the island, following the coast.

“N-now. Let’s see.” Jack mumbled as Ivan dabbed sweat from his head. “It looks like everything is fine. No i-internal bleeding. No damaged o-organs. Um...”

“What?” Asked Dare in his gruff voice.

“There is a, um, tooth, that has gotten lodged in one of the, uh, wounds. I’ll have to take it out, b-before it gets infected.”

A few hours later, Edric emerged beaming, followed by a grumbling Dare with a shark tooth hanging around his neck over his bandaged shoulder. Ivan washed Jack’s equipment while Jack was leaning out of the porthole, saying goodbye to his lunch. Afterward Jack must have felt a bit better; he was back to his old, conceited self.

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“Ship’s Log
2nd Day after departure from Einri
Today the first mate Dare saved the crew from a shark attack. Tal is drying the meat as we speak. Says it will last for a long time and taste just like tuna. We sailed around the first half of the island of Insular, which is much larger than I thought. The island is actually split in half by a long narrow bay, so narrow you could build a bridge across it. We met some local fishing people. They weren’t very friendly, but when we explained we were searching for the golden flying star, they motioned over theirs heads and across the horizon. They seemed to be saying that the trident isn’t even on Insular. It looks like we’ll have to sail further on. Tonight though, we will anchor in the outlet of the narrow bay.”

Ivan closed the log book and looked out his window. A bobbing shape in the water caught his eyes. He quickly doused his candle and crawled back to the deck. There he crouched next to Dale and Wick and watched the small fishing coracles in the water t at were nearing the ship. Ivan looked up at the mast. He could just barely see the silhouettes of Tal and Dare up on the cross beam. He looked over and saw the nod from Edric. Just as they had thought, the fishermen from before had liked their pretty boat too much.

Standing up he gave a sharp whistle on his piccolo and just as boarding hooks from the fishermen clamored on the side of the ship, the two on top of the mast jumped down, bringing the sail with them and trimming it quickly. Then the wind filled the sail so suddenly that the ship lurched away, the ropes being torn out of the hands of the people in the fishing boats. Still following the coast, Jack and Edric rolled up the rope and boarding hooks and stowed them below. Then half of the crew went to bed, while the other half stayed up and sailed the ship. And so they traded throughout the night.

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“Ship’s Log
3rd Day after departure from Einri
Today has been horrible. We are stuck in the doldrums; we don’t even have a breeze. I still have not been able to summon Boreas. He seems to dislike these strange waters. That or we have come out of the domain of the north wind and are now in the domain of the west wind. I might try calling this new wind. According to the maps we are looking for a small island known as Glassiere. At this rate we’ll reach it next fall. We need wind!”

Ivan sat outside, feeling the warm sun bake his pale chest. He and the crew were lying about, waiting for the wind to kick up. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten his music book at school. He flicked a crumb of bread into the water and waited. His eyes grew heavy and slowly he drifted off to sleep.

He was standing in the secret passage of the Library of Castle Alexander. Next to him Klaus was peering through the crack at the two figures that were talking inside. Ivan already knew what they were going to say, but then he saw Klaus point at something. Acorss the room was a brass shield that Ivan had missed before. But then Ivan saw it. The face of the oterh person reflected in the shield.

His eyes snapped open as he sat up. He had only been asleep for a second or two but it had felt like hours. He couldn’t remember what he had dreamed about, but then he felt something tickle his face. He jumped up as he realized what it was.

“A breeze!” he yelled.

“Oh, goody!” Jack called sarcastically, “Now all I need is a cool drink and some shade and I’ll be able to tan all day.”

Ivan ignored him and held up his piccolo. He listened and as the breeze blew across the openings a tune could barely be heard on the thick oppressive silence. Then Ivan waited and the breeze was gone. He placed the piccolo to his lips and played the tune he had just heard.

Nothing happened.

Then suddenly a fierce gust hit the side of the ship like a hurricane, tilting the ship precariously to the side. The vessel soon righted itself and rocked gently back and forth in the water. Everyone got up and looked around, then pointed at Ivan’s head calling out.

“You have another arrow on your forehead. This one is pointing to the left!”

Ivan called the breeze again and this time as it thrummed the ropes and billowed the sail it made a strange unearthly, breezey sound. Ivan listened again closely.

“Zephyr? Is that your name?”

It was like the wind was laughing and clapping and jumping up and down at Ivan’s cleverness as it spun and soared through the ropes and around people. Then it filled the sail as it pushed the boat towards the west. There was a chorus of cheers for Zephyr, which seemed to encourage the happy wind to blow even harder. They sailed for the rest of the day and into the night. It was nearly sunrise when the Island of Glassiere and the town of Harborton was sighted.

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As they were came closer to Harborton, the golden grassed island came into view. All over the island, leaves were heralding the advent of fall in a brilliant display of red, orange, yellow, and brown. Harborton, while called a city was more like a large fishing town. Many small thatch houses, painted white and border in dark wood with the same golden grass for roofs lined the brick roads the crisscrossed the area.

The docks were nothing more than six piers jutting into the blue ocean. After tying their ship, they paid the dock master and signed their names in the dock books. Then they walked onto dry land and were immediately assaulted by the smell of drying fish and wood smoke.

“Alright, Tal, you take a couple of guys and go gather water and fresh supplies. That shark is starting to get old and tough.” Edric said.

“Sure! I’ll go and do all the work while you guys lie around and do nothing!” Tal said indignantly.

“No.” Jack said rolling his eyes, “While you guys are doing that, we’ll be trying to see if anyone has seen the trident.”

Soon the boys had gone their separate ways. Tal, Lio, Wick, and a grumbling Jack wondered through the busy and crowded market place looking for supplies. Edric, Ivan, Dare, and Dale split up and began questioning people about the trident.

The day wore on and after many arguments, a few broken chairs, and a bag full of money, the suppliers led by Tal had finally gathered everything on Tal’s list. Jack grimaced as he peaked into the bags. More shark meat. Great, he thought.

In the mean time, the other boys weren’t having any luck at all. Not a single person would talk to them. After a while they did meet up with an old blind beggar whose lips were looser. Ivan felt sheepish after asking him if he had seen the shooting star, but luckily he only smiled and told them why no one would speak to them. It was because they were foreigners, and people on Glassiere didn’t trust foreigners.

Feeling ready to give up, the boys spotted a crowd of people standing around something and acting strangely. They walked over and as they were about to question some people about the star, they saw what everyone was staring at.

“…and using those dark arts, I, Nanook the Magnificent will transform my assistant, May, into a cat!”

The crowd gasped as the strange masked man with the bushy beard kept speaking. The boys all forgot what they were doing as they watched with eager anticipation. The girl in the faded clown costume, with freckles and fiery red hair in pigtails, cartwheeled forward.

“Presto, pesto, garlic sauce-o. transform-o into a cat-o!”

There was a large cloud of purple smoke and a bright flash. The next moment a cat stood where the girl had been a few minutes ago. The crowd was shocked, then after recovering themselves, broke out in cheering and clapping. Nanook bowed thrice and then extended his top hat for money. The sound of coins jingling and people talking excitedly snapped the boys out of their trance.

From the corner of the building, Ivan caught a quick glimpse of a red pigtail disappearing behind a building. He decided that maybe Nanook would talk to them, even if it took some money to get him started. He grabbed a piece of silver and started up a conversation as he held it over the hat.

“Mr. Nanook. That was truly amazing.” The coin still in his hand.

“Why thank you kind young sir!” Nanook said, not even looking at Ivan as his eyes stayed don the piece of silver. “Why, I learned that trick myself from an elder of the Sedna Tribe of Teaul.”

“Then you know a lot about magic?” Asked Ivan, pulling his hand back as the hat kept inching closer.

“Yes, yes. I pride myself in knowing three magical languages, five types of magical dance, and even a magical joke. Guaranteed to be funny every time!” And here he almost lunged for the coin.

Ivan stepped back as he continued. “So, do you know anything about stars?”

“Yes! Yes! I know all about stars! The celestial, shooting, and even the famous types like me! Who need money!” Ivan saw he was losing Nanook’s interest so he quickly dropped in the coin and asked one last thing.

“Did you happen to see one a few day ago. Golden, flying low, and heading for the west?”

Nanook greedily grabbed the coin and stuffed it into his pocket before responding quickly. “Yes. Saw it a few nights back. Didn’t see where it fell, but my assistant might have.”

Dale stooped down and started interrogating the cat. He even pulled a coin out of his pocket to try and do what Ivan did. Ivan rolled his eyes then both started as they heard a giggle from behind.

“Silly! I’m over here. And yes, I did see your…” and here she paused as if to make a point, “…star.”

“Mayapple! Why did you show yourself! Now we can’t do the cat trick anymore. This is just like the parakeet incident on Insular!” Nanook said throwing a dramatic hand across his brow.

“Sorry boss.” She answered quickly, then turned to the boys and said, “ I saw your ‘star’ fall near the city of Harold…but, I’m not going to tell you where. First, you have to figure out my riddle.” She giggled mischievously.

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It was around lunch time and the four boys were sitting around a fountain thinking about the riddle May had given them. The sun beat down on the weary sailors, but luckily a cool breeze blew in from the sea. Edric read the riddle out loud again.

“Family of green, untamed ship’s bones
Between the gleam, of warmth’s way
and sunset of the one who brings a message.”

“So, we have to solve it if we want to know where the trident is.” Edric said, stating the obvious for the third time since they had left Nanook.

“Okay, so what are ship’s bones?” Asked Dale scratching his head.

“Maybe the beams or the planks. It could be the boards too.” Said Edric matter of factly.

“So lets just say wood.” Said Ivan, writing the word in the dirt. “So what would untamed wood be?”

“A tree!” said Dale, getting how the riddle was set up, “And a family of trees would be a forest. So the first part means forest!”

“I don’t understand the second part, but think I do know what the last part of the riddle means. ‘of the one who brings a message’. At our, um, home in New Firplice.” Edric spoke excitedly, “the only person who brings us messages are the heralds. And didn’t Nanook say it landed near the city of Harold?”

“Good!” Ivan called trying hard to write in the dirt. “But what does ‘between the gleam of warmths way and sunset’ mean?”

“It’s a direction.” Came Dare’s rough voice.

“A direction?” Edric asked puzzled.

“Yes. The answer is southwest. Between warmth, south, and sunset, west. Southwest.” Said Dare, folwing his arms again as he leaned against the wall of a nearby house.

“That’s it! Let me check my chart.” Ivan pulled a large chart out and quickly consulted it, “Hmm. Magnus Forest is southwest of Harold. That must be the answer!”

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After almost an hour of searching they finally figured out that Nanook and May must have left town. Asking many people, they finally found someone who was willing to give them directions toward Harold, where, according to May, the star fell.

“Oh, aye. You wish to travel to the city of Harold! Tis in the far North of Glassiere.” The elderly innkeeper was a short, stout, and rosy cheeked lady. She was more than glad to give them directions across the island to where the star fell. “Now, staring here in Therjar, or Harborton as you call it, walk west across the grazing lands for about two and a half hours. Den, when you come to Likkle Lake, head north across the farmlands. It should only tak about an hour or so. Dat’l tak you to the great city of Harold!”

They followed her directions and were surprised when they arrived that Harold was in fact a very large, fortified city, with well built walls surrounding it and a bustling harbor. They wandered around, until they finally spotted something that looked promising, a poster for the Amazing Nanook the Magnificent.

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At the old theater, they looked around the dusty stage until a giggle finally drew their attention upward. There, hanging from her foot on a single mental ring attached to the roof by a rope, was the girl in the faded clown costume.

“So, I guess you figured out my riddle.” She said, eyes flashing.

“It took us a while, but we did in the end.” Edric called back.

“Good. So, Captain.” She said turning to Edric, “Have you an answer for me?”

Her giggles echoed around the empty theater in a haunting way that sent shivers up everyone’s spines.

“Yes, I do. Do you have the location for us?” he called back.

More giggles. “Here’s a second riddle. Your answer is my answer.”

“So wait, are you telling us that Magnuson Forest is where the trident is?” Ivan called.

She only giggled, then spoke, “It was nice meeting you all. Good luck finding your trident. Something tells me we will meet again soon.”

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Following May’s directions they went to the woods to the southwest of Harold. They didn’t need any further trail, because the red and gold veil of leaves was torn by a solid black line of scorched leaves, soil, and bark. Following it they came to a large area that had been scorched clear, and in the middle stood the gleaming golden trident of the Seaking.

Ivan pulled the trident from the ground and at the spot a spring started bubbling up water. Dare tasted it and spat, mumbling something about salt. The group left and walked back towards Therjar/Harborton. It was dusk by the time they reached the ship. The rest of the crew were sprawled out on the deck, and from beneath Tal’s loud cried and calls of anger could be heard as he battled the ship’s oven, trying to push another tray of seasoned shark meat inside.

The crew of the Cuttlefish set sail the next morning. The sky was beautifully clear, Zephyr filled their sails up nicely, and seagull calls wished them farewell as they slid out across the blue sea. Ivan plotted a course that would take them south of the unfriendly shores of Insular’ Lowlands. The map had a thick line on it that simply read, “The Walls of Carolman”.

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“Ship’s Log
5th Day after departure from Einri
Today we spotted the great walls of Carolman. And they are indeed great. Jack explained to me that the Lands of Carolman are ruled by powerful magical kings who wished to protect their peoples from all outside evils, so they built a giant white wall all around their land’s borders, including the sea. He also said that they are rumored to have conjured sea dragons to protect their shores as well. I hope he was just trying to fool me. Either way, with our current speed we should reach the school by tomorrow.”

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“Ship’s Log
6th Day after departure from Einri
We saw them! The great sea dragons. They were magnificent beasts, covered in iridescent golden blue scales. They simply swam alongside our boats and one even leaped out of the water, spreading his large green wings and flew along the surface before diving again. Tal almost got his hand bitten of trying to catch one. He said that we were running low on shark meat. That’s probably because he burns the food so much that he’s almost used the shark up.

It is evening now and I feel cold. Not because of the temperature, but because of what I saw outside today. We are sailing along Alexandria’s coast, and may have overshot the school. I’m figuring it out right now. Really I’m trying to keep my mind off of the fact that just out of the porthole I can see the wasteland that was once so beautiful. I know somewhere out there the Princess is trying her hardest to rebuild and I also know that somewhere out there Bella is being chased after by Laburnum, or may even be in the clutches of someone worse. I had a dream a few days back. I just hope the others have found her.”

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As the boat neared Einri, they saw the massive destruction that had taken place. The new lighthouse had been snapped in half, and probably carried out to sea. The docks were now piles of drift wood that were tied to the grey base. The boats were all destroyed and the waves were still so high that they were reaching the walls of the school. As they neared the building, the clouds parted for them, and the sea around them was calm. It was like the sea knew they had the trident.

“Alright Ivan. You need to get the trident to Professor Prospero! I’ve seen Weatherers do a trick where they ride on the wind they summon. Call a wind and ride up quickly!” Edric instructed.

Ivan decided to call Boreas. The wind blew up behind him and he called above the storm as he held the trident up.

“Boreas! Take me up to the school!”

The next moment he was flying in the air. He caught his breath as he travel far and fast. Lightning flashed around him , but seemed to back away when it came near the trident. He pointed the glowing weapon forward and struck a triumphant pose as he did. Then Boreas disappeared again like before.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!” Ivan yelled as he fell.

“Ivan!” Edric’s eyes went wide.

From the west a gust of wind struck Ivan and caused him to hover, just short of the jagged drift wood at the school’s base. The wind flung him up again and caught him and took him higher and higher. It seemed to laugh at its clever trick of saving Ivan.

“Zephyr? Thank you so much!” Ivan laughed as he flew higher and higher until he reached the very top of the broken tower. He jumped down and ran down the stairs of the tower. Bursting out of the door at the base, he saw no one. He sprinted across the flooded green and swung the massive door to the main building open. Inside he found everyone.

Including the Madam Tethys.

“I have the trident back!” Ivan called out as he ran in.

“Ivan? Where are the rest of the boys?” Madam Tethys asked.

“Their down below in our ship.” He spoke quickly, “Can you still the storm and capture the imp before they are smashed on the school!”

“With pleasure.” She said smiling and taking the trident.

Stepping outside, Tethys’ eyes narrowed as she scanned the sky. Lightning flashed and immediately she blocked it with the trident, and sent it back up. The imp materialized holding his stomach in pain.

“Now, foul wretch! Return to your prison!” And she sent a beam of pure, golden light straight at the imp.

There was an explosion, and the wind blew from it with such fierceness that all the clouds were pushed back. The imp was gone. And the sun shone down on the school. Students stepped out of the building, the sudden bright sunlight hurting their eyes. Then they all cheered and threw their caps in the air as they hoisted Ivan on their shoulders.

Zephyr came and picked Ivan up and he flew over them and disappeared over the edge. A few seconds later he flew back up, with seven others that were shakily clinging one to the other to stay afloat. They settled on the grass, and then Zephyr shot up, blowing several white puffy clouds as he went. The crowd cheered.

Then Tethys approached and all fell quiet.

“Well, you eight are a mystery. From the first day you arrived here, you have made trouble. And now it seems you have made an even bigger mess than before.”

“It was my fault Madam Tethys.” Ivan said stepping forward.

“No, it was me!” Said Jack.

Soon every crewman of the Cuttlefish had stepped forward to take the punishment of the rest. They all now stood bowing on one knee in front of Tethys. She tried to suppress a smile and spoke so all could hear.

“You eight, have done what no student has ever dared to do. You snuck into the forbidden tower, freed the imprisoned imp, lost the Seaking’s trident, and… have saved the school and all of us in it. You have sailed across the untamed seas and returned. Rise, able sailors. You have proved your worth and have made the school proud.”

As they stood, all the cadets and able sailors stood at attention and saluted the eight. Madam Tethys also saluted them, along with all of the teachers and professors. They all looked forward and proudly saluted back, as everyone broke out in spontaneous cheering and applause.

“All the food’s still alright!” Called the school cook stepping out of the kitchen. “I propose a feast!”

This was greeted by even greater cheers, that echoed and rebound all around the school. Then the crew was swept up by the crowd and carried to the main hall. That night the celebrations went long and hard. The eight had become celebrities and everyone wanted the hear the stories again and again. Of course Jack and Dale made them more fanciful each time. And everyone was forced to try some of Tal’s shark surprise. So the evening went on with music, good food, and laughter.

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Chaos reigned over the school of Einri the Navigator. People were everywhere and teachers and professors were taking part of the festivities with the students in the main building. In the blur of celebration lights and feasting tables there was a single figure, covered in dark seaman’s cloak that walked in the shadows. He carried a large burlap bag across his shoulder. He hurried out the side gate and down the stone steps. When he reached the layer of white columns he heard a voice behind him.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

“Edric! Go back to the party!”

“No, Ivan. We’re not going anywhere.” Edric replied with a smile.

“We?” He asked raising his eyebrow.

“Yip! All of us!” Called Coniglio as he swung down from the top layer.

“You can’t get rid of us...” Dale said coming out ahead of Ivan.

“…at least not that easily.” Tal finished smiling.

“I mean did you seriously believe you could even make it out there without us?” Jack asked arms crossed, leaning against a pillar.

Dare gave a nod of agreement, and then a smile.

“Thanks crew. You’re the best!” Ivan said.

Suddenly they all lunged forward and pushed him over the edge into the sea. Sputtering, he surfaced next to Wick, who was in the ship and who threw him a line. “Sorry Iv! They said they had to get back at yer for that scary ride on yer wind pal.” He smiled.

And so they all set sail from the school, headed into the Bay of Bho and towards the Duchy of Giv. From high up on the school’s old tower, a figure with long blond hair stood next to the restored tapestry. She watched through the glass and smiled. They would be back once they finished their quest. She shook her head as she thought how much Ivan reminded her of the other boy. She smiled and said a quiet blessing before she walked down the stairs, locked the new door, and then transformed it into a regular wall. As she rejoined the feast, the small ship sailed on the wings of the wind, the red sunset behind them and the bright stars guiding their way.

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End Chapter

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So, what do you guys think?

Monday, July 21, 2008

Chapter 13 (Ivan's Tale Part II)

Chapter 13

Chaos reigned over the school of Einri the Navigator. People ran everywhere and teachers and professors were trying in vain to direct the flow of students into the main building. In the thrashing maul of bodies there were eight heads, covered in dark seaman’s cloaks that walked in the shadows. Each carried a large burlap bag across his shoulder. They hurried out the side gate and down the stone steps. When they reached the layer of white columns a large wave slammed against the structure, washing through the columns as it passed through the hollow area. The figures all clung to pillars as the storm sucked the water back to the oceanic depths. They continued down to the docks.

“Where’s the ship Wick?”

“O’er there!” he called above the whistling wind in his rustic accent.

There, illuminated by the lighting in the clouds, was a small wooden craft only about 20 paces from bow to stern. It had a single, tall mast with a white sail that had been trimmed all the way. On the deck was a cabin that didn’t look too big. All eight members of the Cuttlefish Crew looked at one another, and then decided to place their lives in Wicks hands as they climbed aboard.

Ivan was the last on. He pulled the anchor up with Dare and Coniglio. Dale was at the helm already and Wick and Tal had mounted the mast to unfurl the sails. Jack and Edric had taken the supplies beneath the deck to the ship’s small larder, then had gone with charts and instruments in hand to the cabin. Before closing the door, Edric called.

“Mr. Dare, if you please, get us away from the school before we’re smashed to pieces!”

Ivan took his queue from Dare, who had so suddenly changed into a first mate that he acted as if he had done it all his life. Ivan summoned Boreas on his piccolo and called out to the wind to blow them west of the school. The wind blew and filed their sails, and everything looked good, then suddenly Boreas was gone, the sail swung around, knocking the wind out of Wick, and the boat came to a slow halt.

“What’s the matter Ivan?” Called Edric from the cabin.

‘There are other winds here. Boreas is being overtaken! We’ll have to wait till we’re clear of the ring of clouds before I can summon him again!”

Lightning flashed across the sky. The whole crew had grabbed oars and were trying to direct the ship away from the school. Dale was covered in icey water and sweat. His hands had gone numb and his body was shaking as he tried to direct the careening vessel. In the cabin, Edric sat with a swaying lantern, scanning a map closely, reading current charts, trying to figure out a way to escape the clutches of the storm.

As Ivan was pulling on an oar, Dare came up and gave him a gruff nod towards the cabin. Ivan walked over, trying hard to keep himself balanced as the ships surface rose and fell at steep angles. The little ship went up dark green mountains and fell into the chasming valleys of the sea. As Ivan walked his mind went back to earlier that night.

The tapestry. The room. The imp. The crash of glass. The sound of alarm as the school awoke. The crowds all assembling on the green as per the emergency drills. The impish figure grabbing the Seaking’s trident off the roof. Ivan’s arm was nearly ripped out of his socket by the fierce gust the blew the door open for him.

“Ivan. Good, here come help me.” Said Edric, shoving a map under Ivan’s nose, “You’re the cartographer. We need a current that will speed us out of the bay as fast as possible.”

“We want to go west, right?” Said Ivan knowing the answer.

“That’s where the trident was thrown, yes.” Edric said. “Ivan. Don’t blame yourself so. Anyone of us could have been tricked by the imp into releasing him. What matters now is to get that trident back, before Madam Tethys returns from her trip.”

“Right.” Ivan said as he pulled his goggles on and began searching the maps carefully.

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It took the crew of eight until noon to clear the storm surrounding the school. When they were finally out in the open turquoise water, the waves now gone and the sky cloudless, they all slumped down on the deck, exhausted. Tal came up from bellow deck with a bowl of yellow porridge for everyone. They ate the warm, bland food with ravenous hunger.

“Alright crew.” Said Edric as he walked down from the cabin to the deck. “We’re sailing west. Ivan got the wind up for us again, and we should reach the shore of Insular, the great western island, by sunset. If we’re lucky, the trident will be somewhere near there.”

For the rest of the day, the group of boys figured out how to sail. The going was slow especially since Ivan couldn’t summon Boreas. First they gave too much canvas, then too little, each time causing the sail to fly one way or the other, knocking someone overboard.

Ivan was in his cabin, listening as he peered over charts and maps with sexton and compass. He measured the angle of the sun and the horizon. As he was working his mind raced feverishly. He knew he had messed up big time. He needed to redeem himself. And hopefully not make a bigger mess in the process.

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As the sun dipped into the ocean, color dissolving into the waves, the shore of Insular was finally spotted by Tal up in the crow’s nest. They continued edging closer to the island as the day transformed into night with a vivid display of color. As they drifted up to the sandy beach, the bottom scrapping as it went along; they spotted a light on the beach. Sitting by the fire was a dark figure. Edric, Jack, and Dare went to ask him about the trident.

“So, what did he say?” Asked Ivan excitedly on their return.

“Well, the good news is, he saw it.” Everyone cheered and threw hats up in the air. “The bad news is, he saw it flying over the island. He says it may have landed on the other half of Insular.”

The cheer died into a groan. The ship lowered its anchor for the night, and the figures on board all gathered the burlap bags they had originally brought with them. After following Jack and Edric’s examples, they soon had transformed their bags into hammocks. The waxing moon illuminated the quiet scene as Coniglio’s twitching foot tapped the deck and Ivan’s snore echoed across the waves.

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The next morning Ivan awoke to the sound of splashing and laughing. Sitting up from where he had fallen out of his hammock the previous night before, he peered over the railing. Almost everyone was swimming in the cool, refreshing water. He found Dare to the side, looking down on the rest of the crew. Ivan decided to try and get him to speak.

“So, Dare is it?” Ivan asked as he stepped next to him and looked down at the figures bellow.

Dare said nothing.

“So, Edric told me you’re in Chief Office training. How’s that going for ya?”

Still no answer.

“Come on! You have to talk to me! Just one word! You can’t stay silent forever! I will get a word out of you yet!”

But Dare just stayed up there watching the other boys, or more specifically Edric. In fact, now that Ivan was really paying attention, he realized that Dare was only following one person with his frown. Did he have some sort of grudge against Edric, Ivan wondered.

“Well, maybe if you won’t talk to me, you’ll talk to…Edric.” He said the name, looking for a response, but received none.

“What’s wrong with you! Talk already!” and surprisingly Dare did, in a rough, gravely voice.

“Milord! Shark!” He said and leapt down into the water.

The other boys were out of the water right away, and the water boiled and churned as it began turning red. Edric looked wide eyed at the churning water, holding his breath. After a few moments, the fin came up, and beneath it was the dark head of hair. With a heave Dare threw the slain animal, five times any of their length, on the deck. Sticking out of its head was a large knife, or at least the handle of a very large knife.

“Dare, are you alright!”

“I’m fine, only a minor bite.” But Ivan saw the ring of evenly spaced holes running from his shoulder, across his chest, and back up his arm that were beginning to bleed.

“No, you’re not. We need to get you in the cabin.” Edric said.

“But milord. I promised the Duke I would not leave your side.”

“I don’t care what you promised my father. You’re going. If it means you’ll stay there, I’ll not leave your bedside until you can follow me around again.”

“Very well milord.” Dare said, trying to staunch the blood with his shirt he had torn off.

Soon the rest of the crew had carried Dare into the cabin, knocked aside all of the maps and charts and laid him on the table. Jack came in looking pale faced. He had with him the contents of his burlap bag. He brought out a pair of probes and began looking at the different holes. The rest of the crew was order to set sail around the island, following the coast.

“N-now. Let’s see.” Jack mumbled as Ivan dabbed sweat from his head. “It looks like everything is fine. No i-internal bleeding. No damaged o-organs. Um...”

“What?” Asked Dare in his gruff voice.

“There is a, um, tooth, that has gotten lodged in one of the, uh, wounds. I’ll have to take it out, b-before it gets infected.”

A few hours later, Edric emerged beaming, followed by a grumbling Dare with a shark tooth hanging around his neck over his bandaged shoulder. Ivan washed Jack’s equipment while Jack was leaning out of the porthole, saying goodbye to his lunch. Afterward he must have felt a bit better; he was back to his old, conceited self.

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“Ship’s Log
2nd Day after departure from Einri
Today the first mate Dare saved the crew from a shark attack. Tal is drying the meat as we speak. Says it will last for a long time and taste just like tuna. We sailed around the first half of the island of Insular, which is much larger than I thought. The island is actually split in half by a long narrow bay, so narrow you could build a bridge across it. We met some local fishing people. They weren’t very friendly, but when we explained we were searching for the golden flying star, they motioned over theirs heads and across the horizon. They seemed to be saying that the trident isn’t even on Insular. It looks like we’ll have to sail further on. Tonight though, we will anchor in the outlet of the narrow bay.”

Ivan closed the log book and looked out his window. He had been right. He quickly doused his candle and crawled back to the deck. There he crouched next to Dale and Wick and watched the small fishing coracles bob in the water as they neared the ship. Ivan looked up at the mast. He could just barely see the silhouettes of Tal and Dare up on the cross beam. He looked over and saw the nod from Edric.

Standing up he gave a sharp whistle on his piccolo and just as boarding hooks clamored on the side of the ship, the two on top jumped down, bringing the mast with them and trimming it quickly. Then the wind filled the sail so suddenly that the ship lurched away, the ropes being torn out of the hands of the people in the fishing boats. Still following the coast, Jack and Edric rolled up the rope and boarding hooks below. Then half of the crew went to bed, while the other half stayed up and sailed the ship. And so they traded throughout the night.

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“Ship’s Log
3rd Day after departure from Einri
Today has been horrible. We are stuck in the doldrums. I still have not been able to summon Boreas. He seems to dislike these strange waters. That or we have come out of the domain of the north wind and are now in the domain of the west wind. I might try calling this new wind. According to the maps we are looking for a small island known as Glassiere. At this rate we’ll reach it next fall. We need wind!”

Ivan sat outside, feeling the warm sun bake his pale chest. He and the crew were lying about, waiting for the wind to kick up. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten his music book at school. He flicked a crumb of bread into the water and waited. Then as if by magic a very small slight breeze caressed his face.

“A breeze!” he yelled as he jumped up.

“Oh, goody!” Jack called sarcastically, “Now all I need is a cool drink and some shade and I’ll be able to tan all day.”

Ivan ignored him and held up his piccolo. He listened and as the breeze blew across the openings a tune could barely be heard on the thick oppressive silence. Then Ivan waited and the breeze was gone. He placed the piccolo to his lips and played the tune he had just heard.

Nothing happened.

Then suddenly a fierce gust hit the side of the ship like a hurricane, tilting the ship precariously to the side. The vessel soon righted itself and rocked gently back and forth in the water. Everyone got up and looked around, then pointed at Ivan’s head calling out.

“You have another arrow on your forehead. This one is pointing to the left!”

Ivan called the breeze again and this time as it thrummed the ropes and billowed the sail it made a strange unearthly, breezey sound. Ivan listened again closely.

“Zephyr? Is that your name?”

It was like the wind was laughing and clapping and jumping up and down at Ivan’s cleverness as it spun and soared through the ropes and around people. Then it filled the sail as it pushed the boat towards the west. There was a chorus of cheers for Zephyr, which seemed to encourage the happy wind to blow even harder. It was past sunset when their ship finally spotted the island of Glassiere, and the bright city the map called Harborton.

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The city was bustling with merchants and traders and all sorts of people. From somewhere close to the docks a hornpipe and a fiddle were playing a lively sailing jig as the eight boys got off their ship. Edric paid an important looking man and signed a book. Then the group was free to walk from the docks into the city. The buildings were all two level, thatch, painted white with brown wood borders. The many chimneys sent the smell of firewood into the air, mixing with the fishy, salty smell of the docks.

“So, now what?” Asked Lio as he jumped off the ship, happy to finally stretch his legs on land.

“We need to find out if anyone has seen the trident.” Said Ivan as he tried organizing everyone. “Okay, you two go there, and you two can head that way. No Lio you go with Wick. Dare you can keep following Edric, wait, where did Tal and Dale go!”

“Hey! You two get back here!” Three angry store owners with large black mustaches, curled at the tips, came running out. Two were chefs and the third a butcher, all wielding their instruments of trade and chasing after Tal and Dale.

“Um, let’s make sure no one knows we came with them.” Jack said as he started edging away.

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A good chase and three pieces of silver later and the boys were in the middle of the city by a large fountain. They looked around as they drank greedily. By the pale morning light Ivan could see that the city rose from the docks up in the small houses. Next to each house was a larger one, obviously a store of some kind. Running between the rows and rows of store-houses were many brick streets.

“So, what are we going to do about the trident?” Asked Edric.

“Did any of you get a chance to ask anyone if they saw it?” They all shook their heads.

“Well, back to my original plan, we split up, each group of two taking a quadrant of the city and fanning out from there. Now, we’ll-”

But he was cut off by Tal, Dale, and Lio running up and yelling, “You guys have to come see this! It’s amazing!”

The group got up and followed them around the corner. There, in a small square next to a second fountain was a group of people. They edged forward until they were at the front of the ring. They had arrived just in time.

“Ladies and gentleman! From the dark forest of my homeland, the forested continent of Teaul, I, Nanook the Magnificent, have journey to bring you…magic!”

Out of nowhere, a cloud of purple and yellow smoke erupted and a man in a long purple and yellow diamond cape stood forward. As he turned to bow, all gasped. While he had looked like a normal person, he was caribou from the waist down. He was of the caribou tribe.

“Yes, yes. I am… as you say, one of the Caribou Men of Thule. And I have given my horns to bring you the great mysteries hidden in the dark forest!” he called in his clear resounding voice. “Now, for my first trick, I’ll need a volunteer.”

Here he made a move with his hand and a girl of about 13, with brow hair, pig tales and freckles, dressed in a clown outfit jumped forward. She did a few cartwheels and grabbed Jack’s hand pulling him forward. He went hesitantly.

“Now! The great disappearing knife trick!”

The crowd gasped at the large knife he held up, and Jack seemed to be shaking slightly. Nanook gave Jack a sly wink, and Jack saw him pull the knife behind his back and slip it beneath his cape. Then Nanook threw his hand forward and as he opened his palm, a string of colored kerchiefs flew out instead, landing on Jack.

“What a brave fellow! Give him a hand!”

The crowd clapped and cheered as Jack’s hand was raised by the girl, who then led him back and grabbed Ivan. Ivan did not see the wink that passed between the girl and the magician. The same speech later he pulled his arm back and again slipped the knife under his cape.

A sickening thud. Ivan felt the sticky wetness running down his face followed by the chunky goop that slid down from his forehead slowly. Everyone laughed as he tried to wipe the pineapple cream pie off his face.

“Well done chap! Now, for my next trick, I will make my assistant levitate!”

The crowd gasped again. The girl stepped forward and lay down on the ground. Nanook cautioned everyone to stand back. Then he raised his hands over her and uttered forth his magic words, which sounded an awful lot to Ivan like he was listing desserts with the letter “o” placed after their names.

Then the young girl began floating slowly upward from the ground. She lay like that for a few moments, then she began spinning, faster and faster. Eventually the group of people had gotten over their immediate shock began clapping and cheering.

Nanook stepped forward and bowed and as he did, Ivan saw him bring out a handful of something. He threw it on the ground and there was a loud bang, a flash, and a puff of smoke. Then he and the girl were gone. Everyone clapped and cheered. Then the crowd dispersed gradually. The boys hid close by and waited. After almost an hour, a nearby wall seemed to move, and a head peaked out from behind it. Satisfied that everyone was gone, Nanook dropped his cape, which had changed to the pattern of the wall, and was just an ordinary black one now.

The girl was with him and both walked away quietly. He was counting the money while she was dragged roughly behind him. They followed them to an inn and then got a room there for themselves as well. As they were following they heard Nanook call the girl May. It looked to Ivan as if Nanook was treating May none too gently. Edric saw it too and both had the same thought.

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It was late almost sunset when Nanook was finally asleep from the chamomile tea he had drunk. May sat at the table in the dining room of the inn, eating as she whistled a tune. Edric and Ivan came up from either side of her and sat down as well, each ordering something cool to drink. She was quiet after they sat down.

“Hi there. I’m Ivan. The guy you pied today.” He sad grinning.

“Oh, hello.” She said quickly looking back down at her food.

“You’re Nanook’s assistant?” Edric asked fishing for details.

“Yes. More like his slave though.”

“What do you mean?” Ivan asked.

“I really can’t talk about it. It’s complicated.” She said still not looking up.

“Listen, we’re here as friends. You can tell us if there’s something wrong. We can help you.”

“Thank you very much for the offer, but there is no way I could repay you.” She said.

“Well, actually you can! You can tell us if you saw a golden star fly through the heavens a few nights ago.” Edric said encouragingly.

“Yes! Yes, I did! It fell in the northern part of the island. Nanook didn’t believe me when I told him I saw a falling star. He said I was lying and then he be…, then he got very angry.”

“It’s May right?” Edric asked comfortingly.

She nodded.

“Well, May. My name’s Edric. I’m Captain of a ship and have a whole crew full of gentlemen who loved your magic show today. I know they would all more than want to help you and be your friend.”

“Thank you. You’re very kind. But, I can’t.” She said, then she got up and walked to her room. “It was nice meeting you both. Good luck finding your star.”

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“Oh, aye. You wish to travel to the city of Harold! Tis in the far North of Glassiere.” The elderly innkeeper was a short, stout, and rosy cheeked lady. She was more than glad to give them directions across the island to where the star fell. “Now, staring here in Therjar, or Harborton as you call it, walk west across the grazing lands for about two and a half hours. Den, when you come to Likkle Lake, head north across the farmlands. It should only tak about an hour or so. Dat’l tak you to the great city of Harold!”

Three and a half hours later the weary group had made it over the herd lands, farmlands, past the lake, and was facing the city. As they walked towards Harold, they spotted a dark line running along the farmlands and that led into the woods to the south. There, they saw many trees broken down and burn marks everywhere. Instead of heading to the city, they followed the trail, and after another hour, they found the trident.

It was right there, gleaming and golden, high up at the top of a large rock formation. To get there, they would need to climb up the tall tree next to it, shimmy across the thin ledge, and jump onto the structure. They knew none of them would be able to do it and so they walked dejectedly back towards Harold. They reached the city as the sun set.

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“May! Listen, you can’t do this!” Ivan yelled grabbing her by the shoulder and spinning her around.

“Why not! I lived my whole life in the circus! Nanook only bought me last year. I did much more dangerous things than that!”

“It’s still too dangerous! We’ll find another way!” Ivan regretted ever telling her about the trident.

Now she was marching off towards the woods, at night, to prove that she could do it. None of the others knew. They had all gone to bed, and Ivan had been the only one that was up when he had run into May. He had told her everything in hopes she would open up to him too. Instead, here he was chasing after her in the dark.

“May, please don’t do this!” He called ahead of him.

Up in the branches above him he heard a loud snap, followed by a scrapping sound and several small pebbles rained down on his head. Ivan tried hard to see but the darkness of the forest was so dense there was no way he could make out any shapes at all. He was holding his breath as he waited for a reply from her.

“Is it this big heavy thing?” She called out.

“Yes! You have it!?!” Ivan called excitedly.

“Um, yes, but I don’t know if I’ll…” the next moment there was a bright flash of light and suddenly Ivan saw May, floating over the forest, shining like a star. She had the trident in her hand, which had shrunk somehow to her size.

“This feels funny.” She giggled.

“Alright, you can tell me ‘I told you so’.” He said ruefully.

“Hehehe. I did tell you I could do it!” she said laughing.

><><><><><><><><><

After the initial shock the next morning that Ivan had the trident and they were going home, the crew was divided. Half of them congratulated Ivan and May on getting the trident all by themselves. The other half being Edric, Dare, and Jack told Ivan reprovingly that he should have known better and acted as a team. They all laughed about it later though as the story came out over a hearty breakfast.

Then it was back to Therjar, or Harborton, and luckily this time the journey across Glassiere only took an hour with the help of the trident. Ivan felt bad because he had wanted May to come along, but again she had refused, saying the Nanook needed her more than she needed him and that with out her, he would not be able to survive. And so they parted ways.

The crew of the Cuttlefish set sail in the afternoon. The sky was beautifully clear, Zephyr filled their sails up nicely, and seagull calls wished them farewell as they slid out across the blue sea. Ivan plotted a course that would take them south of the unfriendly shores of Insular. The map had a thick line on it that simply read, “The Walls of Carolman”.

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“Ship’s Log
5th Day after departure from Einri
Today we spotted the great walls of Carolman. And they are indeed great. Jack explained to me that the Lands of Carolman are ruled by powerful magical kings who wished to protect their peoples from all outside evils, so they built a giant white wall all around their land’s borders, including the sea. He also said that they are rumored to have conjured sea dragons to protect their shores as well. I hope he was just trying to fool me. Either way, with our current speed we should reach the school by tomorrow.”

><><><><><><><><><

“Ship’s Log
6th Day after departure from Einri
We saw it! The great sea dragons. They were magnificent beasts, covered in iridescent golden blue scales. They simply swam alongside our boats and one even leaped out of the water, spreading his large green wings and flew along the surface before diving again. Tal almost got his hand bitten of trying to catch one. He said that we were running low on shark meat. That’s probably because he burns the food so much that he’s almost used the shark up.

It is evening now and I feel cold. Not because of the temperature, but because of what I saw outside today. We are sailing along Alexandria’s coast, and may have overshot the school. I’m figuring it out right now. Really I’m trying to keep my mind off of the fact that just out of the porthole I can see the wasteland that was once so beautiful. I know somewhere out there the Princess is trying her hardest to rebuild and I also know that somewhere out there Bella is being chased after by Laburnum. I hope the others have found her.”

><><><><><><><><><

As the boat neared Einri, they saw the massive destruction that had taken place. The new lighthouse had been snapped in half, and probably carried out to sea. The docks were now piles of drift wood that were tied to the grey base. The boats were all destroyed and the waves were still so high that they were reaching the walls of the school. As they neared the building, the clouds parted for them, and the sea around them was calm. It was like the sea knew they had the trident.

“Alright Ivan. You need to get the trident to Professor Prospero! I’ve seen Weatherers do a trick where they ride on the wind they summon. Call a wind and ride up quickly!” Edric instructed.

Ivan decided to call Boreas. The wind blew up behind him and he called above the storm as he held the trident up.

“Boreas! Take me up to the school!”

The next moment he was flying in the air. He caught his breath as he travel far and fast. Lightning flashed around him , but seemed to back away when it came near the trident. He pointed the glowing weapon forward and struck a triumphant pose as he did. Then Boreas disappeared again.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!” Ivan yelled as he fell.

“Ivan!” Edric’s eyes went wide.

From the west a gust of wind struck Ivan and caused him to hover, just short of the jagged drift wood at the school’s base. The wind flung him up again and caught him and took him higher and higher. It seemed to laugh at its clever trick of saving Ivan.

“Zephyr? Thank you so much!” Ivan laughed as he flew higher and higher until he reached the very top of the broken tower. He jumped down and ran down the stairs of the tower. Bursting out of the door at the base, he saw no one. He sprinted across the flooded green and swung the massive door to the main building open. Inside he found everyone.

Including the Madam Tethys.

“I have the trident back!” Ivan called out as he ran in.

“Ivan? Where are the rest of the boys?” Madam Tethys asked.

“Their down below in our ship.” He spoke quickly, “Can you still the storm and capture the imp before they are smashed on the school!”

“With pleasure.” She said smiling and taking the trident.

Stepping outside, Tethys’ eyes narrowed as she scanned the sky. Lightning flashed and immediately she blocked it with the trident, and sent it back up. The imp materialized holding his stomach in pain.

“Now, foul wretch! Return to your prison!” And she sent a beam of pure, golden light straight at the imp.

There was an explosion, and the wind blew from it with such fierceness that all the clouds were pushed back. The imp was gone. And the sun shone down on the school. Students stepped out of the building, the sudden bright sunlight hurting their eyes. Then they all cheered and threw their caps in the air as they hoisted Ivan on their shoulders.

Zephyr came and picked Ivan up and he flew over them and disappeared over the edge. A few seconds later he flew back up, with seven others that were shakily clinging one to the other to stay afloat. They settled on the grass, and then Zephyr shot up, blowing several white puffy clouds as he went. The crowd cheered.

Then Tethys approached and all fell quiet.

“Well, you eight are a mystery. From the first day you arrived here, you have made trouble. And now it seems you have made an even bigger mess than before.”

“It was my fault Madam Tethys.” Ivan said stepping forward.

“No, it was me!” Said Jack.

Soon every crewman of the Cuttlefish had stepped forward to take the punishment of the rest. They all now stood bowing on one knee in front of Tethys. She tried to suppress a smile and spoke so all could hear.

“You eight, have done what no student has ever dared to do. You snuck into the forbidden tower, freed the imprisoned imp, lost the Seaking’s trident, and… have saved the school and all of us in it. You have sailed across the untamed seas and returned. Rise, able sailors. You have proved your worth and have made the school proud.”

As they stood, all the cadets and able sailors stood at attention and saluted the eight. Madam Tethys also saluted them, along with all of the teachers and professors. They all looked forward and proudly saluted back, as everyone broke out in spontaneous cheering and applause.

“All the food’s still alright!” Called the school cook stepping out of the kitchen. “I propose a feast!”

This was greeted by even greater cheers, that echoed and rebound all around the school. Then the crew was swept up by the crowd and carried to the main hall. That night the celebrations went long and hard. The eight had become celebrities and everyone wanted the hear the stories again and again. Of course Tal and Dale made them more fanciful each time. And so the evening went on with music, good food, and laughter.

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Chaos reigned over the school of Einri the Navigator. People were everywhere and teachers and professors were taking part of the festivities with the students in the main building. In the blur of celebration lights and feasting tables there was a single figure, covered in dark seaman’s cloak that walked in the shadows. He carried a large burlap bag across his shoulder. He hurried out the side gate and down the stone steps. When he reached the layer of white columns he heard a voice behind him.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

“Edric! Go back to the party!”

“No, Ivan. We’re not going anywhere.” Edric replied with a smile.

“We?” He asked raising his eyebrow.

“Yip! All of us!” Called Coniglio as he swung down from the top layer.

“You can’t get rid of us...” Dale said coming out ahead of Ivan.

“…at least not that easily.” Tal finished smiling.

“I mean did you seriously believe you could even make it out there without us?” Jack asked arms crossed, leaning against a pillar.

Dare gave a nod of agreement, and then a smile.

“Thanks crew. You’re the best!” Ivan said.

Then they pushed him over the edge into the sea. Sputtering, he surfaced ext to Wick, who was in the ship and who threw him a line. “Sorry Iv! They said they had to get back at yer for that scary ride on yer wind pal.” He smiled.

And so they all set sail from the school, headed into the Bay of Bho and towards the Duchy of Giv. From high up on the school’s old tower, a figure with long blond hair stood next to the restored tapestry. She watched through the glass and smiled. They would be back once they finished their quest. She shook her head as she thought how much Ivan reminded her of the other boy. She smiled and said a quiet blessing before she walked down the stairs, locked the new door, and then transformed it into a regular wall. As she rejoined the feast, the small ship sailed on the wings of the wind, the red sunset behind them and the bright stars guiding their way.

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
By Brian Jacques

Many of you may have read books in the Redwall Series by world reknowned author Brian Jacques (prnounced Jayks). I know that many a time that I went to grab a Redwall book I would see his other series there too. They are Flying Dutchman stories and I have finally read the first book in the series.

STYLE:4/5
As usually Mr. Jacques out did himself with his narrative. He paints feelings into your heart and has a wide range of emotions on his pallate. His use of phonetic representation of accents is genius. And his spacing is good, allowing lots of breathing room as a reader while not being stale or boring.

PLOT:4/5
The plot was great. It was just such a creative idea and then to incorportate the various characters and time periods made it all the more memorible. As for the genral plot line, it does seem to progress very fast at the beginning, skipping several centuries that would have been nice to have seen, even if it was just snap shots. But I do realize the space was limited. The plot slows down as it enters the English town but picks up again in an unexpected rollercoaster ride of emotions and characters.

CONTENT:5/5
Glad to say that the content was very well done. For a secular writer, Mr. Jacques writes like a true Anglican and this is more true for these real life stories than for Redwall. There is that very British emphasis placed on the idea that church is something that is found in vibrant, healthy towns as a part ofteh towns rich history.

Overall, a very good book. I recommend it, giving it 4/5 stars.
Until tomorrow.
JdeM

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Character Ages Changed!

So the polls are in and they turned out nicely. It looks like there was a large enough vote in each to adequately represent the various opinions. So here are my decisions based off the feedback I so love.

Klaus will now be 16 and as the story progresses will celebrate his 17th birthday.

Holly will be 16 as well, though she will not age a full year during the story.

Ivan will be 15 and wll celebrate his 16th birthday as the story progresses.

There, and therefore accoridng to these changes:

Liam is still 18/19
Bella is still 8
Bron and Tinneas are 14
Tirs is about 9
Rabb is around 16
Orgile is just 19
Alexis is about 17
Edric is then 16
Dare looks 17/18
Jack, Coniglio, and Wick are all 14/15
Dale and Tal are both 12/13
Tethys looks 23, acts 55, is 18.

Um, let's see. That should be everyone. I think this change is for the better. I was actually seeing the main characters these ages in my mind, but was forcing myself to make them younger. And so because they were younger I had to adjust everyone else' age to match theirs.

Almost done with chapter 13. I'll probably have it up by Wednesday.

Global Warming?

Last night it happened again. I had a conversation with a dear christian friend, whose opinion I respect in many ways. Like times before with other people, the "arguement" was good mannered and we both mearly laughed it off and continue don with what we were talking about before the nasty topic had surfaced. Glabal Warming.

There has been a question that has plagued my mind for many years now, and its this: Why do so many Christians in America deny the exsistance of global warming before ever even doing any research for themselves? Why do the mainstream Christian media, icons like Pat Robertson among many other, list global warming as a foly of man, or among the sins such as abortion or euthanasia? Is it because glabal warming originated in the "left"?

I'll stop my self from even going into a rant on right wing and left wing politics in the upsurdly ineffiecient bilateral system of US. Instead, I want to honestly try and answer this question. Why do Christians feel threatened by Global Warming?

I've asked several people and the answer has been the same every time.

Yes, I understand that the earth goes through cycles, based on the systematic shift of orbit from an eliptic to a circle, as well as the change in axial tilt, and the poles even switch polarities on a regular basis. I also understand that there is an 11 year cycle involving sunspots and solar activity that also affects the earth, as well as the fact that our readings come from airport data and that they are consstent with airports being moved out of cities and then cities creeping up on them, creating a heat trap that threw off the readings. I understand all of that. But, you still haven't answered my question.

Why do Christians feel threatened by Global Warming?

Some have replied that it is because Global Warming says the world will end with glacial flooding and that the Bible says the world will end with fire. First off, let's make ne thing clear. The eschatology, or end tmes studies, have never made a definitive statement that God plans to singe the earth when He's done. That is all conjecture based off verses with many alternative meanings and interpretations. Second, Global Warming, as a process, also does not claim the earth will be flooded a second time, violating God's promise to Noah. Scientist who wished to spur the public into action stating that Global Warming COULD cause sea levels to rise in teh next THOUSAND YEARS. That in itself is already anticipated through various other cycles active on the earth. So, the only thing that still supports that arguement then is that too many Christians are too laszy to get off their lazy butts and do some research for themselves.

However, there are some, the few who have done research and still say that Global Warming is "of the devil". Why? Why would important figures in Christianity deny Glabal Warming? I think the answer lies in part that they are card carrying memeber sof the Republican party. Before you tune out, listen to the logic here. This is no conspiracy theory, just connecting the dots between facts.

FACT: Because the Republican party apposes abortion(in theory), they are considered morally superior by most Christain groups and organizations when compared to the Democrats.

FACT: With a Republican President in office, a Republican majority in the Senate, and six of the Supreme Court Judges appointed by Republican presidents there still have been no major changes made to abortion laws.

FACT: The Republican Party receives a very large amount of charitible donations from the major large oil corportaions. The deals struck with arab shahs for American oil companies to access the oil in the Arabian peninsula were made for the most part by Republican presidents.

CONJECTURE: Since the Republican Party is considered infallible by so many Christian groups, and since the Republican party, sponsored by the large oil companies, has repeatedly denied the exsistence of Global Warming, most Christians automatically assume that Global Warming must be a lie concocted by the "immoral left" to save more trees and kill more babies.

And then this creates a very convenient way for Christians to simply sherk off their God given responsibility. Think back, way back, past the flood, past the garden, past the snake with the fruit. When God made earth, before he made Eden, he created Adam from the wild earth SO THAT THERE COULD BE SOMEONE TO TAKE CARE OF CREATION. And that same mandate, to be a steward of the earth, has passed on to all Adam's decendants. We are responsible for what God has given us.

Not only does the parable of the man who gave his three servants talents illustrate the point that when God comes back He will hold us accountible for the things he gave us authority over, but there is also the Great Divine Law of Sowing and Reaping.
This law, laid down on the sixth day of creation and reaffirmed by Moses, the prophets, and Jesus himself says very plainly: What you sow, you will also reap.

If we use our resources carelessly, if we drive vechiles that spew poison into the pure air gven to us as a gift by our creator, just so we don't have to use the legs he gave us to walk with, if we persue cold, heartless, endless capitilistic industrailization just so we can gain money, not caring about the cost to our own health, the health of our children, or the health of the home God has given us, according to the Divine Law, we will reap the consequences for our actions.

And Global Warming is just that consequence. Its affects aren't all warming though. In my homeland, last year, something happened that has never occured before in recorded history. The Ocean froze, all around Cape Town. This happened because a glacier in Antarctica broke off into the sea, lowering teperatures and freezing the entire bay solid. And this illustrates my final point.

What we do will not just affect us. Our actions affect other, small, underdeveloped nations who have no protection from the acid rain our factories cause to rain down on their crops, buring the leaves and spreading famine in their lands, or the increased heat that results in hurricanse that mangle countries like Burma and Indonesia. Or our children, who may never be able to play outside in the sun, because we have damaged the ozone layer beyond repair.

Right now, several things can be done. You can follow the mainstream Christian media, denying Global Warming and keep living as if your actions don't affect anyone. Your tax money can just keep being funneled into a pointless war in Iraq and soon Iran. Or, you can choose, as a citizen who can, or someday will be able to, vote to make the responsible choice. Even if Global Warming isn't real, is it not a better thing, to care for the trees, the majestic giants created by our glorious creator to speak of his splendor, and care for our home and our children's home as wise stewards?

Think about.

Friday, July 18, 2008

The Last Voyage of the Fearless

A lymrical ballad about the Goodship Fearless. Don't know where the inspiration for this one came from, but here it is. :)

The Last Voyage of the Fearless

The morn was fresh and fill of life,
The sky was clear and showed no strife,
And at the great dock,
The whole town did flock,
The tension could be cut with a knife.

The Goodship Fearless, aptly named,
Filled her sails with winds untamed,
Her crew were all brave,
And none feared the wave,
Above all, her captain’s deeds were famed.

She set sail for the earth’s great end,
At such great speed that her mast did bend,
Ere her tmbers did break,
She left far in her wake,
The wondr’s city which her did send.

And what did they seek you may rightly ask,
To undertake such a perilous task,
Their goal was clear,
They showed no fear,
For they sought the immortal mask.

There on the farthest shores of land,
In pagan temples built on white sand,
They braved all trails,
And trekked many miles,
But finally had the mask in hand.

The captain set sail on the eve’n’s gust,
And all seemed to favor their cause as just,
But sea is wild,
When she is riled,
And like fools they gave her their trust.

Not long after Sol’s last gleam had gone,
A terrible dread filled everyone,
As waves came strong,
Winds joined the throng,
And everyman regretted what he had done.

The winds and the waves and lightning too,
Picked off sailors, but there was nothing to do.
The storm did rage,
The sea uncaged,
Ate every hand an’ officer on the crew.

One man remained, still gripping the wheel,
Ropes had snapped, the ocean tore at the keel,
The Captain grinned,
His body pinned,
Placed the mask on prow as he kneeled.

And so, the ship, now immortal made,
Sailed ever on, the price it paid,
For all eternity,
To battle the sea,
Two opponents doomed never to fade.

Chapter 12(Klaus' Tale Part II)

Well, this was an intresting chapter. I had already written a totally diffrent version of it, when I decided that there was something else I wanted to do with teh character of Klaus/Nicholas. So, here it is. While I'm writing chapter 13, if there's enough demand I can email anyone the other chapter 12 version ( or I could simply post the other version) so you can see why I had to rewrite it. But, i am satisfied with teh end result. Three versions later and I think I finally found the one that worked.

Chapter 12

The boy followed the tall, muscular man with the long, windswept blond hair and small blond beard on his chin through the bustling streets of Lowerside. They were walking at a steady speed, passing many small shops and taverns as they did. They stopped a few times as single mothers with large broods, newly delivered drunks, and dirty vagrant children all rushed upon Larson as they spotted him. They thanked him, many trying to hug him or kiss his feat, but he would have none of it. He simply smiled, raised them up, and told them how proud he was that they were still enduring even in the midst of darkness. The boy had never really realized how many people Larson had helped throughout the years.

They continued walking and climbing the Mainstreet of Yulleton until they reached the Plazas. There, they were again mobbed by people, though this time the response was more formal. Ladies and gentleman of all ages and classes came forward and greeted Master Larson, thanking him for all his kindness. Many had small children who had been cured of some debilitating disease. But Larson still did not stop. He and the boy continued walking.

They came to the fork that the boy had dreamed of and took the road he had taken in his dreams. They walked on the road no longer running straight and true but beginning to circle the tall hill on whose slope the city was built upon. They came closer to the top, and the boy could see the carriages waiting by the Glade’s entrance. The Glade itself, three circles of silver barked birch trees with glowing green leaves, seemed to be moving slightly in the breeze, even though there was no breeze.

“Now, Klaus or Nicholas, what ever your name may be, tonight you will be assessed by the three High Masters and the Great Sage himself. If you stand up to the first test, your life will be changed forever. However, you will still have to face other trails before you will be able to unlock…well, never you mind about that, if the time comes you will learn all. For now, when the guardian of the glade asks for you name, respond truthfully, according to what you know in your spirit to be true.”

And as he finished speaking, they reached the entrance to the Glade. There where the two tall silver birch trunks left an opening for some to enter, stood a small dark green shrub. The sun had already set and the light of the waxing moon was not enough to illuminated it clearly. Master Lars walked forward and as he did, the shrub moves. And the boy saw that it was no shrub.

It seemed to be a small man, made entirely of leaves. His face was a covered with a large maple leaf that acted as a mask and which had dark eyes and a mouth painted on it. He walked forward like leaves being blown in the wind, and when he spoke it sounded like rustling, whistling, and skittering of leaves across the stones in the forest.

“Who dares to enter the Forbidden Glade?”

“It is I, Chinook, Son of Larq.” Said Larson.

“You may enter.” Said the greenman, then as if noticing the boy, said, “Who dares enter the forbidden Glade?”

The boy felt beads of sweat gather on his forehead. What should he say? He knew he was Klaus, and yet. Yet, he felt like he wasn’t. Like Klaus was a coat he had worn in the Village and in Alexandria, and Nicholas a new one he had received in Lowerside. No, an older one he had gotten back in his dreams. He knew what he had to answer.

“I am… Nicholas!”

From somewhere in the night the wind suddenly picked up, and the sound of drums beating could be heard on it. Voices joined in chanting a strange and ancient song, and it seemed the very trees were dancing and singing. The sound pervaded everything, every leaf, every stone, even the air itself seemed to be pervaded by the jubilation of the woods.

The Greenman was on the ground, groveling in front of Nicholas as he spoke, “Y-you may enter, oh long awaited one!”

Nicholas stepped in, a pleased look on Larson face, whom he followed past the three layers of the Glade. There in the center stood three large ancient monoliths. Carved on them were intricate spirals patterns that bright green moss had grown in, making the patterns stand out even more. In the middle of the three stones was a small pool of dark blue water, obviously very deep.

From behind each of the stones an individual in a long cloak stepped out and took of their billowing hoods. The first in his dark green cloak and carrying a long staff with a light green glass ball on the top was High Master Gaius. His hair still stood out at all directions and his waist length beard was combed messily. Next was High Master Oronus in a similar purple cloak and purple topped staff. His long heard and white hair was combed to perfection and he had a scowl on his face. The third was quiet unlike the rest. It was a young woman, dressed in a turquoise robe and with long, wavy, braided blond hair that fell almost to the ground. She carried a staff with a blue glass ball.

“Where is High Master Pontus?” Asked Larson to the woman.

“He left last week for the Teaul Lands, and had already sailed past Sylvania before your message was received. He asked me to come in his place.”

“It is a great honor, and responsibility.” Said Larson.

“Shall we begin?” Asked High Master Oronus as he indicated the group, “It has been nearly a hundred years since all three staves of the High Masters and the great Sage himself had met in the Glade. Whom have you brought to us, Grand Master Sage.”

Nicholas’ eyes went wide as he realized they were talking to Larson. There was no way Larson could be the Grand Master Sage, was there? But if he was, why did he live in Lowerside of all places? He looked up Larson’s face and realized it was the faces. He saw the faces of the pained, the broken, and the rejects of society, and he loved them. That’s what he was doing in Lowerside, he was helping those who could not help themselves. He was there to show them the love that no one else was willing to show them. His mind snapped back to the present as he heard Larson’s response.

“This boy, was sent to me by the Judge’s orders. When he first entered my house, he stoked the fire with a glade log, and made it burn so brightly that he slept for nearly a week. In that time I watched over his dreams. I was not prepared for what I found. Simply put, he went on a dream journey.”

Immediately the trees started whispering and the Masters all tried talking at once, one over the other. Larson was trying to say something over the top of the top of the din, but they weren’t giving him a chance. Finally he tugged on his hat and in that instant he was enveloped in shining white robes that flowed and fluttered over him. His face was covered in a white hood that went over his eyes and left only his mouth visible. When he spoke his voice sounded like thunder.

“Silence!”

Everyone stopped and looked at the one now truly resembling the Grand Master Sage. He shone like the moon and when he spoke Nicholas felt his whole body shake with the reverberations.

“Not only that! But the boy went on almost every type of lesser dream and most of the higher dreams while on the dream journey!”

The wind had stopped and an unearthly quiet grew over the Glade. Everyone looked at one another than at Larson and finally at Nicholas. Master Gaius looked amused, while Oronus’ brow was furrowed with thought.

“Let the boy be tested.” Said the woman.

There seemed to be agreement between everyone there and so Nicholas was led forward, till he stood between the three stones, in front of the deep pool. Slowly, each of the people present approached as well, and one by one they scooped up a handful of the clear fresh water and drank deeply. Larson motioned for Nicholas to follow suit. Then he did too.

The next second, Nicholas felt his eyes grow heavy and the floating sensation spread over his body in waves like an ocean flooding his senses. Then he blinked and was in the white and glass room. He looked around and waited, but nothing happened. He wondered if he should leave his dreamplane and go look for the circle or not. Finally, he opened the door and stepped out into the universe.

Stars careened wildly around him, the swirling whirlpool of millions and millions of fiery gems ever circling the bright center. Nicholas suddenly felt himself literally being pulled to the center of the swirling galaxy, to the shining light that all seemed to shine so brightly the light passed through him.

As he drew closer and closer, everything became brighter and brighter, the light burning through his veins and filling his entire being. He felt like it was too big, too large for his body to contain the feeling of the light streaming from every pore. He felt like he was going to be torn in half, as if his heart would explode out of his chest with light, and yet he drew closer.

And then his eyes burst open. He was heaving with every breath. He was down on his hands and knees, his fingers digging into the soft mossy grass. Sweat ran across his forehead and dripped from the tip of his nose onto the ground. Slowly, the entire glade came into focus, the four figures, three dark, one bright, all watching him. He slowly got up, and looked around.

“Incredible.” Said the woman.

“It doesn’t prove anything! Just that he is connected to the forest. It doesn’t mean he is truly the long awaited one!” Said High Master Oronus.

“However, he did react to the water, and not only that, to be so drawn to the Source speaks volumes unto itself.” High Master Gaius.

Nicholas couldn’t think straight. What were they talking about? What was going on?

“Obviously this goes beyond any of our skill, and beyond the skill of the entire Order of the Apothecary. I will depart tonight on the first boat I can find for the islands of Insular to seek out wisdom. During my absence I will require one of you to teach the boy the basics of dreaming. He has no control and so is very dangerous right now. High Master Oronus I believe you are the most qualified here.”

“I am. However, I will not waste my time on this boy.” Came his curt reply.

“High Master Gaius?” Came the question.

“I will.” Said the young woman.

“Master Tethys, you are still an undermaster and while your High Master does trust you and has you in mind for his position upon his withdrawal, I am not sure you are properly equipped for the task. Do you think you are?”

“Yes, I know I can do it. High Master Gaius is already very busy, plus he will need to carry your load while you are away. Please sir, I know I can teach him.”

“Very well. Nicholas, you are from now until my return the apprentice to Master Tethys.”

Nicholas nodded and then followed Tethys out of the Glade. Master Gaius came after them, but Oronus and Larson stayed behind. The High Master and the Sage stood across the pool from one another. They were silent until Larson spoke.

“So, how goes things my old friend?”

“How goes…well, you sure wouldn’t know! While you have been seeing to the care of humanity, I fear our order has been slipping towards darkness!”

“What do you mean? Our mandate is to serve humanity, aid them in order to contain darkness.”

“Have you taken your eyes long enough of your prize pupil to watch the stars? High Master Pontus’ star has disappeared, yet Master Tethys says she saw him living only a week ago.”

Silence

“If what you say is true my friend than I am sorry. I have not kept my role as Sage well. But it is even more important then that I go abroad now. Let that which has been festering in dark hearts come forward then we may know our true enemies for who they are.”

“Very well. But make haste. I do not think the Order will survive past the full moon. Something in my spirit seems ill at ease.”

“Very well, but promise me that you will keep a wary eye on the boy. Before this is all over, he will be needing someone that I can trust to take care of him.”

“I promise. Until your return.”

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That night Nicholas spent in sweet, dreamless slumber aboard Master Tethys’ ship anchored at the Docks. He was greeted by seagull call and the sound of crewman calling and water splashing, and the gentle bob of the ship against its restraints. He got up, seeing the misty day that hung over the harbor. It was obvious the sun was already up but there was no way of telling the time. Just then a seaman opened his door and told him the Master was waiting for him on the deck.

Nicholas followed the rich grained wooden stairs up towards the deck. Everywhere there was polish brass and smooth sanded wood. This was defiantly no ordinary fishing boat. This was the personal caravel of the High Master himself. All the sailors worked in clean uniforms and were very unlike the ones Nicholas had seen wondering in Lowerside.

“Well, it seems you have finally decided to join me for tea.” Said Master Tethys behind him, “It’s Nicholas right?”

“Yep, that’s right.”

“Well, let’s begin. If you’ll follow me.”

There had been a table set up in the main forecastle of the ship, with richly ornate mother of pearl plates and silver cutlery. On it was a rich spread of scones and jam, crackers and cheese, toast and sardines, and many other things along with a tea pot and two tea cups. They soon were soon eating and talking amiably.

“So, let me see if I get the whole chain of command right.” Nicholas said with a mouthful of sardine. “I’m an apprentice under you. You are a Master, one of six, under the High Master Pontus. He in turn is under the Sage, along with the other three High Masters.”

“That is correct.”

“So, what are these basics you’re supposed to teach me?” Nicholas asked finishing his tea.

“Well, very simply, you need to learn how to control your dreams. For, now let’s starts of with simple entering and exiting of dreams. But first, how do you know you’re not dreaming right now?’

Nicholas suddenly felt a sense of dread creeping over him. Tethys walked over and placed a finger against his open hand. She smiled but Nicholas felt confused.

“If you are dreaming my finger would pass through your hand, but since it didn’t, you’re not. There are most test like that and I will teach them to you in time. But now, close your eyes, relax, breathe slowly and deeply. Do you feel it? The dreamplane so near you can almost smell the light. Breathe. Now, focus your mind, and look for the star.”

Everything went silent. Nicholas breathed slowly and deliberately, feeling a buzz in his finger tips and toes. He thought he heard a sound like a needle landing on ice and then he was in the white room, in his dreamplane. From far away he felt Tethys’ voice call him back and again he felt like dry water and cool fire was rushing past him, flowing over him and receding back into his mind as he became aware of his eyelids in front of him.

“Very good. But not quick enough. You need to be able to do that without my help. Again.”

And so it went, all morning long, Nicholas would slip into and out of the dreamplane. Sometimes he had trouble actually getting there, while other times he would get stuck on that end, not able to wake himself back up. Once Tethys had to actual come and grab him and wake him up herself. It was lunch time when she finally called a halt, happy with his progress.

After a quick meal, they both went outside, where the sun had burned the morning mists away and left the blue sky crystal clear. Far off out towards the west large storms clouds could be seen, but the wind was blowing against them so they were of no concern. There they sat on large pillows that had been set out for them. As the ship gently bobbed it was time to begin again.

“Alright Nicholas. Go to your dreamplane. I will meet you there for the next lesson.”

Nicholas closed his eyes and was instantly back in his dreamplane. He was sitting on a swing made of glass, gently moving back and forth when Tethys seemed to materialize out of nowhere. She walked up slowly and indicated the swing as she spoke.

“You may have noticed the glass structures in your dreamplane before. They are your mind’s way of making sense of outside stimuli. In this case, your mind feels you rocking because of the boat and is telling you that you are on a swing.”

And with one quick motion of her hands, the glass swing withdrew back into the white light and Nicholas fell on the floor. He looked up at her half astonished, half embarrassed, his pride hurt more than his posterior.

“How did you do that?”

“It’s actually very simple. You can do it too. In fact, this is your dream so your powers here have precedence over mine.”

“What?”

“Never mind, we’ll get to that part latter. For now, watch carefully.”

And here Tethys held out her had and a strand of glass slowly grew forth and wrapped like a vine around her fingers. Klaus tried and followed her example. The vines of glass grew up and around him, tickling him as it slid across his body.

“Now, see if you can compress the glass into a ball.” Tethys said as she turned her hand palm up, causing the glass around her fingers to pull off the main filament, which then pulled back. Using the remaining glass in her hand, she moved her fingers gently in a scratching motion causing the glass to shudder and vibrate as it turned into a globule and then into a sphere.

“Wow.” Said Nicholas, who then started trying to do what Tethys had done.

“Well, don’t worry too much. Most people can’t do it on their first try…” But before she could finish not only had Nicholas made a perfect sphere, but he was tossing it back and forth from hand to hand, then caused it to split into three that he then juggled.

“Like this Tethys?” he smiled.

“Yes. Just like that Nicholas.” She said a forced smile on her face.

“Now, try and see if you can do this?” She said as she placed the ball on the ground, then squatting down next to it suddenly stood up raising both her hands over her head. The ball shot vines upward that grew around each other. Tethys moved her hands and fingers like spiders and the filaments branched out until a perfect glass tree stood in Nicholas’ dreamplane.

“Okay. That looks hard but I’ll try.”

He didn’t even use the ball, he simply crouched down and jumped into the air twirling as he did and flapping his arms. From all around them, a whole forest of glass trees hot upward. Tethys had to leap out of the way of one shooting up beneath her.

“Oops, sorry Master.” He said apologetically.

“That’s fine.” She said and walked over to her tree from before, “You can also make these illusions more real. Watch, it just takes imagination.”

And as she said that she placed her hand on the tree and suddenly the entire thing filled with light and then in a flash, there stood a real tree, down to the very bark and leaf. Nicholas was so excited he raised his arms and yelled like a little boy and as he did the whole forest erupted in life, trees, birds, squirrels, the blue sky above them, the soft grass beneath them. It was as of they were no longer on a dream but in the real world.

“Incredible. I’ve never seen such a realistic dream. There are no borders.” Tethys looked amazed, “You expanded your dreamplane. How?”

“I was trying to hear the music.” Nicholas said sheepishly.

“Well, anyway. I think it’s almost dinner time. Time for a short break, and then we’ll be learning throughout the night.” With that she exited his dream in a flash.

Nicholas stayed for a while, recreating the Village in the Mountains. He walked through saying high to all the people, and he felt happy. But it didn’t feel like home. He lowered his hands and the village disappeared. Then he tried making Alexandria, but it was too painful. Finally, he made the Caeling Express and stepped on board. The Engineer came forward and stopped Nicholas.

“I’m sorry but you can’t board this train, son. It’s not your time yet.”

“But it’s just a dream.” Nicholas said, “You, all of this, I can make do what I want.”

“Well, yes, but there are some things more powerful than dreams. This train is one of them. Trust me, someday, when you least expect it I will come steaming into your dreams, but not tonight. Tonight you must return to Tethys and learn as much as you can. By tomorrow night, you will have a new Master.”

“What?” Nicholas asked confused, but the Engineer only stepped onboard and the trains pulled away. As the whistle sounded, Nicholas sat up on the deck. Tethys had just woken too, meaning his entire extended dream had only taken a second or two.

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That night, after dinner, Nicholas went to bed, as did Tethys. He sat on a rooftop of a large building in Stoken when she arrived in his dream. The sun was just setting and the streets down below was full of people. Smoke billowed from many chimneys making black columns across the red and orange sky.

“Good location. It will do well for your next lesson.” Then she pushed him off the building.

“Ahhhhhhh!!!!!” he yelled as he fell, but when he hit the ground, he suddenly felt himself splash in water.

“Very good use of molding the dreamplane.” She said helping him out of the small lake he had created where they had been pavement.

“Now, follow me.” She said and she jumped, soaring up and up until she reached the top of the building, standing on a flag pole. “Follow!”

Nicholas jumped, went two feet up and came back down. Then he remember he was in his dream. His dream. From above him he heard her call.

“Don’t worry. It took me weeks to learn to do this.”

But I don’t have weeks, thought Nicholas. Then he suddenly found himself floating next to Tethys.

“Wow, how’d I do that!” He called, trying to steady himself in midair.

“Very impressive. You just warped from there to here, and you’re flying.” Tethys said, slightly bitterly, “Things that would have taken an average person months to learn.”

“I just imagined myself up here, next to you. I told myself I was up there next to you.”

“Very good. You have learned much more than I had anticipated.” Then she clapped her hands, and the whole world folded back in on itself like a lotus closing. The two were floating and Tethys quickly summoned two large glass balls for them to sit on.

“Now, I will teach you about the three lesser dreams you dreamt.” She said bringing her hands together as she spoke “First, we’re currently in a truth dream. That would be a dreamplane devoid of any glass illusions. Within this type of dream, everything takes on its true form.”

Then floating over to wall of glass she caused a door to open to the dreamscape. She and Nicholas floated in on their glass balls, drifting in the endless sea of stars. They drifted along until they came to a purplish star. She and Nicholas both reached out and were instantaneously transported to the dreamplane of the person.

There was darkness everywhere. It was like Nicholas had never seen before, like he had never known anything but the darkness. He recognized this dream type. He had had a similar one before. As if reading his mind, Tethys spoke, her voice echoing in the nothingness.

“Yes, this is the type you had before. An emotion dream. A dream that lets you feel the emotions of the person or even a lifeless thing. Give it a second it will come shorty. Prepare yourself and remember to keep control of your emotions.”

As she spoke suddenly a wave of sadness struck Nicholas. He suddenly felt the sting of a thousand heartbreaks, like the sorrow of the whole world was upon him. Tears stung his sightless eyes and his veins burned with the ache of loneliness. He felt all alone. He felt like he was dying slowly of the depression that was eating his soul.

And then he saw him. There, sitting in a huddle up ball on the floor was a small boy. He was burying his face in his knees and weeping his heart out. But it was not a good, comforting, cathartic cry but instead it seemed to make everything hollow and painful. Nicholas felt Tethys take his arm, pulling him as if to say it was time to go. Nicholas pulled away.

“Little boy, why are you crying?” He asked.

A shock of dirty blond hair gave way to two sad dark eye that looked up at him. He spoke and his voice echoed around the darkness, the only light seeming to be a dull yellow glow that saturated the boy.

“I-I don’t know what to do. I feel alone in a house full of people. I feel like I can’t go on anymore. Maybe I should just give up.”

Not knowing what to do and running on instincts, Nicholas grabbed the young boy in a long embrace as he let him cry cried on his shoulder. He stayed that way for a few moments just letting the boys sorrow transfer to himself and then said,

“It’ll be okay. Remember, never to give up. Things will change, very soon. You aren’t alone. If you reach out, then people will reach out to you. Don’t forget when you wake up.”

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Nicholas woke in his bed, sat up and looked at the waxing moon outside his window. He knew he should return to the dreamplane and finish his lesson, but somehow he also felt like he needed to deal with the sudden sadness that gripped him. He knew it was probably all in his head, but he felt like he had really taken some of the deep sadness from the tortured soul he had found. And as the sadness seized him, he felt it press in all around him. Then the image of Ivan and Holly filled his mind, and he knew he wasn’t alone. They would be reunited soon. The sadness retreated, beaten by his friendship, and so he went to sleep peacefully.

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Tethys sat up in her large ornate be. She looked out her window at the Docks and all the people walking along in the middle of the night. She knew what she had been sent to do. So far she had accomplished her goals, and High Master Pontus would be proud. She would secure the position of High Master for herself. All she had to do was let go at the right time. But her conscience was gnawing at her. She had seen what he could do. She had seen the transfer, something she knew no one else could do. Was she depriving the world of its much needed healing? No, she had to remind herself that her allegiance lay first and foremost with the Apothecary Order. She tried willing herself into her dreamplane, but she couldn’t. Gulping down some chamomile water she was soon in a fitful sleep.

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Nicholas sat in his dreamplane, which he had sculpted into a large deep valley with many colorful layers that he took from sunsets. Flying throughout his canyon were many large eagles that were pure white, with circles of light blue feathers around their necks. He was flying with them when he saw Tethys appear on one of her glass balls next to him.

“I’m not feeling well after the emotion dream. I will send you on the final lower dream type, then I will retire. I want you to keep practicing throughout the night. Once you feel comfortable with your level of dreaming, you too may rest in your dreamplane.

“Alright.” Said Nicholas, “What’s the final type of dream?”

“The vision dream. It allows you to see through the eyes of another.”

“Wow! Just people who are asleep or…”

“No, people who are awake too.”

“That’s amazing! How do I do it!” He asked excitedly pulling his imagination back, returning his dreamplane to normal.

“Simple. Go out into the dreamplane. Find the star of the person you wish to use, then swallow the star.”

“Um, okay.” Nicholas said, somewhat unsure.

“Here’s a star chart. It doesn’t come close to having everyone, but it does have some important people that you might like to see through. Well, have fun. I’ll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast.”

And then she was gone. Nicholas followed the chart, and decided to see through Larson. When he looked all he saw was Larson’s eyelids and he assumed Larson must be sleeping. So he went back out and looked around some more. Suddenly a golden star came close and he felt like he knew its name. As he said it, it sounded foreign to his tongue.

“Ivan.”

Then he took it and swallowed it. It was surreal. He was on a swaying boat in the middle of a great storm. There were dark, wet figures running around. He saw lightning flash across the storm torn sky. He saw the mast come closer and realized that Ivan must be walking. Then he saw the mast move down, meaning Ivan was climbing the mast. Far away, Nicholas saw a light through the clouds.

“Ivan, a light!”

As if hearing him, Ivan called out, “A light! Quickly, Dale, tack around or you’ll put her in irons!”

And then Nicholas was out in the dreamscape again. He practiced back in his dreamplane some more, then decided to lay down on the glass and go to sleep.

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Nicholas awoke the next morning and had tea with Tethys. She still looked like something was bothering her, but when he asked, she replied that it was nothing. She asked how his vision dreams had gone and he said they went well. They continued small talk until finally, Tethys told him it was time for him to go on a higher dream.

“But first, let me see what you can do. Here, I’ll be viewing through your eyes, you view through someone’s eyes on the chart.”

Nicholas looked at the chart and picked a random name from one of the corners. He went into his dreamplane and found the star. He felt like someone was looking over his shoulder the whole time, then he recalled that Tethys was watching through his eyes right then. He came to the dream, remember the name as he entered.

“Hello Professor Prospero.” He said to himself.

The next instant he saw he was in a glass room, shaped like a ball. To his left was some kind of pinkish shinny crystal. Outside of the glass he saw large billowing smoky black clouds thundering down on the tower he was in. The professor turned around and he saw flights of stairs rush past him. Then he was outside in front of a cylindrical building with a glass domed roof. He saw something shiny brought up beneath his eyes.

It was a flute and he heard the many melodies that flowed from it. The next instant he realized the Professor was soaring on thin air itself. Or wind. He wasn’t sure. But the Professor called more winds to drive back the storm yet nothing seemed to work. Nicholas felt sorry for him. He wanted to help. Then he returned. When he awoke, he saw Tethys was already up.

“I’m sorry Nicholas but something has gone wrong. I must return to Einri quickly. I’m sending you to High Master Gaius for further instruction.”

“O-okay.” Nicholas said. He walked down to the carriage waiting for him, confused but understanding. As he was ready to depart and she ready to sail, she walked up and spoke quickly.

“Thank you Nicholas. You have given me hope again. Hope to believe in the world. Hope to fight the darkness. Until we meet again.”

“Good bye.” And then she sailed off.

Nicholas was taken to the house of High Master Gaius. He was very confused. When he drew close, something felt wrong. At High Master Gaius’ house he realized the chimney wasn’t pouring colored smoke like usual. It was all black. Running inside, he found the house full of smoke, many places scorched with fire. He looked around trying to figure out what had happened. Then, he came to the Master’s bedroom. Slowly opening it he found them. High Master Gaius and all his servants were in a pile on the scorched mattress.

Nicholas covered his face as the smell struck his nostrils, burned his throat, and filled his mouth with bile. He ran down the stairs, tears beginning to form at the destruction all around. He fled to the Glade, not knowing where to go. He sat there for several hours, trying to decide what to do. He quickly went to his dreamplane and looked for Ivan, Larson, and Liam’s stars. He found them but all were empty. They were awake.

He ran down Mainstreet and to Lowerside, but Larson wasn’t there and the Apothecary was locked. As he walked back alone, he thought he saw several men in the shadows following him. He sped up his pace and they did too. He wasn’t looking where he was going and ran straight into something large and strong.

“Wow there little mate. I told you before, I aint open for business until after sunset.”

“Sal! You need to help me! They’re after me!” he said breathlessly. “I need a place to hide!”

“Alright. Here, come into my tavern. Stay down and if they tries to get you, run out the back door.”

He saw the men walk up. Sal talked flirtatiously with them, but when they drew knives, she pulled out a large axe, not exactly the wood chopping kind. They fled from her sight, but then as she turned to walk back in, one came up behind her with the knife. Nicholas ran, not looking back but there a sickening thud as a body hit the wood floor.

He ran back to the Glade and sat there until nightfall. He drifted into his dreamplane, then swam in the sea of stars in the dreamscape. He instinctively knew which one it was he needed. He grabbed the star and entered Tethys’ dreamplane.

“Nicholas, what are you doing here?” She asked confused at his sudden appearance.

“Tethys! Someone killed Master Gaius! They burned him and his house and everyone! Now they’re after me!”

“Where are you?” she asked urgently.

“In the Glade. I figured the greenman won’t let anyone else pass unless they’re part of the order.”

“Nicholas, listen, the men after you are apprentice of the school of poison. They can get into the Glade and are probably on their way there right now! You have to get to some place safe.”

“Where!?!” He asked urgently.

“Sneak aboard a ship and head for Lumph. Oronus has a house there that should have key in the back, buried beneath an old pine tree. You should be able to stay there for now. Don’t worry Oronus shouldn’t be going to Lumph until winter.”

“Thank you.”

“Just hurry! And don’t trust anyone anymore Nicholas. The Order has fallen to darkness.”

End Chapter

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So again, same feedback requested as before. If you read this chapter right after Holly's part II then let me know if the transition back was smooth enough. If you read this chapter after rereading chapter 9, let me know if its too much of Klaus/Nicholas for one sitting or not. Either way, let me know what you guys think about the plot, the style, and the content.

Until next time, adue.