THE DRAGON AND THE PHOENIX: BOOK THREE OF THE REALM OF ZERROS SAGA

by Shoraz

  “Are you okay?” he asked her.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine. Thank you for helping me,” Luanne said to him, as she wondered what to say to the man that she had seen over and over again in her dreams since as far back as she could remember.

  “What’s your name?” he asked her.

  “My name is Luanne,” she replied, “What’s your name?”

  “My name is Dean,” he answered.

  “Is there any water or food?” Luanne asked.

  “Yes there is, let me go and get some for you,” Dean answered as he quickly got up and left the room to get some much needed food and water for Luanne.

  As Dean left the room, Luanne wondered what she should say to the man from her dreams, and she thought back to her visions about him as well as her visions about the Blue Dragon and the golden Phoenix.

  As she thought about her dreams, she pondered upon when they first started and the nightmares she had about the Blue Dragon spreading its wrath throughout the universes like an unstoppable plague.

  She then thought about the golden Phoenix of Zerros and the feelings of warmth and jubilation she felt whenever the Phoenix was near, and she somehow knew that it was only the Phoenix that could kill the Blue Dragon and spread happiness and joy to everything in existence.

  She then contemplated upon her dreams of Dean and she knew that he had a large part to play in her life as well as in the lives of the Dragon and the Phoenix. And for although Luanne dreamt of Dean many times; with some of her dreams taking place on earth and some of them taking place in the Realm of Zerros, she had no idea that Dean was part Zerrosian and was born after a Zerrosian had purposely mated with a human which was against the laws and rules of the magical Realm of Zerros.

  Luanne also didn’t know that this was the primary reason that Venetia decided to destroy the Xerrolux after Galiac had broken the news of the Zerrosian that had mated with a human; a choice that would eventually give rise to Ava who was destined to return to Zerros as its true ruler – the Phoenix.

  As Luanne sat on the cot in deep thought, Dean opened the door, and as he walked closer to her, it was as if she didn’t realize that he had come back with her water and food.

  “Hello,” Dean said, but there was no reply as Luanne sat on the cot, totally unaware that Dean was in the room.

  “Hello, can you hear me. I have your water and food,” Dean said, but again there was no reply from Luanne.

  Then, as Dean looked at her, he found her behavior very strange, and he then walked up closer to her and leaned forward and touched her, and as he did so, he startled her, and she fell off of the cot to the cold and hard ground below.

  “Are you okay?” Dean politely asked, as Luanne was startled back to reality.

  “I’m so sorry, I must have been daydreaming,” Luanne said as she got up off of the floor and sat back on the cot as Dean gave her the food and water that he had just gotten for her.

  “The doctors said you should also have these,” Dean said as he showed Luanne a few pills that the doctors had given him to give to her.

  “Thank you,” Luanne said as she smiled at Dean and he, in turn, smiled back at her.

  As Dean smiled back at Luanne and looked into her eyes, little did he know that they were about to embark on a journey to save the Realm of Zerros as well as everything in existence.

  As the days past, Dean and Luanne began to spend quite a lot of time together and eventually fell in love, and at first they decided to stay and live in Alaska, but as the months passed, Luanne’s visions, dreams, and hallucinations became worse and worse to the point where she had a very hard time differentiating between her dreams and the reality of her life with Dean.

  In addition to that, and unknown to Luanne, but prior to her escape from the betasapiens, they were in the midst of using her to harness the power of her mind and brain for their benefit as part of the defunct, and now somewhat reopened project called Mindlink, and even though she had escaped their evil clutches they weren’t about to let her get away and sent assassin knights disguised and pretending to be rogue knights to find her and bring her back to them, as they knew from the tests that they had done on her that her mind was extremely unique, different and more powerful than any superhuman that they knew of.

  Throughout it all, even as Luanne was ridiculed and harassed and made to seem as if she was nothing more than an eccentric fool, she twice narrowly escaped the clutches of the assassin knights, and as her life became more and more difficult the one person that stood by her was the man from her dreams, the man who was a descendant of the beings from the Realm of Zerros – Dean.

  As life in Alaska became too hard, Dean and Luanne made a decision to leave Alaska and told their close friends that they had narrowed down their choices to two cities – Las Vegas and Denver – as they had friends in both places. As they left Alaska they told those close to them that they wanted to keep their destination a secret in order to keep the assassin knights away from them and told them not to mention their choice of cities to anyone, and they left Alaska and they settled into their new home and had their first child – Jonah, and then a few years after that they had their second and final child – Ava.

  After the birth of Ava, that was when Luanne’s visions, dreams, and hallucinations became too much for her to handle, and in the past when she and Dean left Alaska due to the hardships of the way Luanne was treated, they knew that there was no way that they could leave their new home and embark on another move across the Americas with two very young children in tow.

  In addition to that, and for the moment, the assassin knights were unaware of where Luanne and her family were located and having one less thing to worry about, especially something of this nature was very important for both Luanne and Dean.

  To make life easier on her and her family, there were times where Luanne just wanted to tell everything from her dreams to everyone. But she knew that no one would believe her, and she also felt that somehow the visions from her dreams was a message just for her and she knew deep down inside that she had to keep it a secret for reasons that were both clear and unclear to her.

  Then one day as Luanne, Dean, Jonah, and Ava were in their apartment, a lone assassin knight had somehow managed to find the location of Luanne, and as he broke through the door and made his way to her, she suspended him in mid–air and Dean grabbed his gun and shot the knight through his head and instantly killed him.

  It was in that moment that Luanne realized that the betasapiens would never stop in their search for her as they wanted to prove their superiority and show that no one, not even someone with the mind of Luanne, could escape their evil and vile clutches.

  As Luanne’s life became harder and harder to live, she felt that there was only one way to escape it, but there was no way that she would ever leave her young family alone on this wretched earth. And as she fell asleep that night she wandered into a dream, and in her dream was her otherworldly and surreal friend Galiac who came to Luanne in her time of need.

  As Luanne saw Galiac she ran up to him in tears and said, “I can’t do it anymore Galiac, and I did what I was supposed to do, but the nightmares, visions, and dreams are still happening to me, and the betasapiens have again found me, and I’m afraid that I will never escape their grasp. Why is this happening to me?”

  “You are strong Luanne, stronger than you could ever imagine, and your mind is very unique; and this is why you were chosen. And if it were someone else in your place we would have surely failed,” Galiac answered.

  “How can I be strong if I feel like I want to kill myself Galiac,” Luanne said.

  “Do not confuse the everyday toil of this life with the grand scheme of what life really is Luanne,” Galiac said to her.

  “You exist and live in a world bound by the physics and laws of what we created Luanne, but your mind is what sets you apart, and I know that in your heart and mind you know that there is a bigger and more important reason as to why you exist,” Galiac continu
ed saying.

  “What are you trying to tell me Galiac?” Luanne asked.

  “My child, my precious Luanne. I am saying that death is not the end of life, and it’s just a stage that we must all go through in order to reach our final destination,” Galiac replied.

  As Luanne pondered upon Galiac’s words, she knew what he meant and said to him, “I can’t leave them alone in this world Galiac? I love all three of them so much, and I don’t want them to think that I have failed them or didn’t love them.”

  “They will never think that of you Luanne, and in time the truth will always reveal itself,” Galiac replied.

  “Then please help me Galiac, please help me do what is best for them,” Luanne said.

  “I cannot tell you what to do Luanne, but what I can do is let you know that the time is coming and this is the best chance that we will ever have to ensure that everything in existence will always live in happiness and peace, but only you can decide what you do in life,” Galiac said to Luanne.

  As Luanne contemplated upon Galiac’s words, she firstly thought of her dreams and visions and her mental state which was becoming almost unbearable. And secondly she thought of the never–ending search for her by the betasapiens and as she contemplated upon that, she thought about the safety of Dean, Jonah, and Ava and she knew that there was only one sane choice to make.

  She then looked at Galiac and said the words, “I am ready Galiac, I am ready to do what is best for my husband, my son and my daughter. I am ready to die.”

  “Very well Luanne, your sacrifice is beyond words, and it will never be forgotten by me. Go and say goodbye to them and when you return to sleep, I will find you, and we will end your life on earth,” Galiac said, and with those words Luanne awoke from her dream and as she did so, a feeling unlike anything that she had ever experienced came over her and tears of sadness and gloom flowed from her eyes.

  As she awoke, she looked at Dean, and she then got out of her bed and walked to Jonah’s and Ava’s bedroom, and as she entered it she wondered if she was making the right decision, but as she looked at Jonah and Ava and thought of the assassin knights finding and killing them, she knew that she was making the right decision even though it was by far the hardest and most difficult decision that she had ever made in her life.

  She then walked towards Jonah’s bed and leaned forward and kissed his cheek and held him and said, “I love you my son. It’s not your fault, none of it is. I love you more than words could ever say.”

  After that, she then walked towards Ava’s crib, and as she looked down at Ava, the tears continued flowing down her face and she leaned forward and kissed Ava on her cheek and said to her, “Fly my little Phoenix, fly to eternity and beyond. I love you.”

  She then quickly left the room as the emotions of the situation were too much for her, and she stood outside in the hallway and quietly cried so as not to wake Dean and the children.

  She then composed herself and walked back to her bed where she saw Dean and she lay down beside him and looked at his face and silently said, “I’m so sorry to do this to you, but I know that you will take good care of them. I love you,” and with those last words to Dean, she lay down in bed and quietly cried herself to sleep, as thoughts of happy memories with her family went through her mind.

  But before she fell asleep she said a prayer and prayed to God to always protect and guide Dean, Jonah, and Ava and give them happy lives full of love, joy, happiness, and health. And she then also prayed for them all to be one day reunited in a future life, and as she did so, she fell asleep never to be awoken again and her magnificent and selfless soul slowly left her body to begin its journey of helping the side of good in the fight for the Realm of Zerros as well as the Realm of Creation, and everything that existed within it.

  The end of the flashback of early twenty–fourth century – Earth

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Present day Zerros after the death of the universe

  As the three covert sentinels made their way from a now extinct earth, and for that matter a now extinct universe, and returned back to the Realm of Zerros there was a deep sense of anxiousness among them as they carried Usain, Roma, Sarah, Stryker, John, Max and a deceased Ava back to the Realm of Zerros.

  As they hid the group from earth who they so rightfully nicknamed – the seven survivors – they looked at them in hopes of bringing them back safely to Jinnack and wondered why these seven beings managed to be the ones saved from the death of the universe which killed everything in existence – which included trillions upon trillions of lives and a plethora of life forms – within and including the Xerrolux.

  As their vessel wormed through the hidden and secretive passages and routes at immeasurable speeds from the deceased Xerrolux back to Zerros, they knew that their voyage would soon come to an end, and upon their arrival at Zerros would be where the most treacherous and dangerous part of their journey would begin.

  A journey which they hoped at its end would bring order and rule back to Zerros the likes which haven’t been seen in ages and eons, which in turn would bring happiness, goodness, and joy to the countless numbers of universes, galaxies, and life forms under the rule of the Realm of Zerros.

  “We’re almost there, I can see the portal straight ahead,” one of the covert sentinels named Sevki said.

  “Do you think we’ll make it Sevki? Do you think Jinnack will be proud of us?” Shonar asked.

  “Yes Shonar, Jinnack will be extremely proud of us. And yes, I think that we’ll make it and deliver the seven beings to him,” Sevki replied as they entered the portal back to the Realm of Zerros.

  As they entered Zerros, the words, “To Zerros we belong, and to Zerros we return,” was uttered by them as was customary to be said by all beings from Zerros upon their return home, which included sentinels, royal guards and sorcerers that returned from the Xerrolux or from any other of the countless number of universes in existence.

  As these three covert sentinels arrived in Zerros not only did they utter the words, “To Zerros we belong, and to Zerros we return,” but under their breath they also said the words, “To the Creator we belong, and to the Creator we shall return,” as they entered Zerros with their ever so precious and priceless cargo.

  The three covert sentinels then looked at each other and put their hands together in defiance of Venetia and shouted the words, “To the Creator we belong, and to the Creator we shall return,” which were the words that were always said prior to Venetia becoming the ruler of Zerros.

  But as with almost everything, Venetia did as she pleased, which included altering the very core values and beliefs of Zerros and the race of the Zerrosians, along with the manner in which the universes were created, maintained and ended.

  As with everything, Venetia changed them as she pleased with blatant and deliberate disregard for anything that she deemed as worthless or of no benefit to her which included countless numbers of universes as well as billions upon billions of life forms that lived and coexisted within them.

  As Shonar and Sevki guided their vessel to its holding spot in the bay back at the portal in Zerros, the third covert sentinel named Galtra kept a close eye as to who was in the bay as she looked for the one who would help them in getting the seven survivors to the safety and security of Jinnack. Then as the vessel stopped, a lone royal guard came walking towards it ready to do his check to ensure protocol was followed.

  As he made his way to the vessel, he knocked on the door and waited and as the door opened Shonar greeted him, “Hello Sir, what a journey, all praise to Venetia – lord of Zerros.”

  “Yes, all praise to Venetia,” the royal guard replied as he cautiously entered the vessel as Shonar, Sevki, and Galtra nervously looked on.

  As the royal guard walked into the vessel, he asked the three sentinels to which area they were responsible for, and Shonar replied, “We were responsible for section one–nine–nine of the Xerrolux, and we completed our duty on time Sir.”

 
; “Very well, my records indicate you speak the truth,” the royal guard replied and began exiting the vessel and then gave Shonar, Sevki, and Galtra permission to leave and return home.

  As he finished exiting the vessel, he recorded it as having returned successfully from the Xerrolux, and just as he did so, he noticed that the number on the vessel was different than the number of the holding spot that it was located in.

  He then started walking back inside the vessel, and as he entered it to his surprise and shock he saw the three covert sentinels opening the storage area of the vessel and taking out the bodies of Usain, Roma, Sarah, Stryker, John, Max and Ava and as they saw him they were in shock as well and as Shonar ran towards the royal guard to prevent him from calling in the incident the royal guard shot at him.

  He then fell to the floor with a minor wound to his shoulder and just as the royal guard turned around to run away, a cloaked and mysterious figure appeared in front of him and with a stroke of its hands, just like magic, the royal guard disappeared into thin air.

  Upon seeing the trickery and magic, Sevki and Galtra looked at each other while Shonar lay wounded on the floor and the mysterious figure then said, “Bring me the Phoenix and her friends, we must go before it’s too late,” and with that, the mysterious Zerrosian, along with the three covert sentinels exited the bay through a side door, and with them they carried the seven survivors to a carriage that lay in wait at the bottom of the mountain.

  As they looked down at the perilous path which lay ahead of them Sevki said, “There must be a better way than this?” to which the shadowy Zerrosian answered, “The path to happiness and safety is laden with trials and traps, and if we are meant to bring life back to the Phoenix we will do so no matter what stands in our way,” and with that the cloaked Zerrosian led the way down the steep and perilous mountain in hopes of finding safety for the seven survivors and bringing the Phoenix back to life so that she may again rule the Realm of Zerros.