“How old is he?” asked Calista.
“He is sixteen years old,” she replied.
“Well, he is most welcome to come live there, too. We would be happy to have you both,” said Caprius.
“I don’t know what to say except thank you,” said Cynthia.
“You’re very welcome. There is only room for three in this basket. Once we touchdown in Elysium, we will get a bite to eat. And, you and I will go back for your son. I just want to get Calista home,” said Caprius. Calista smiled warmly.
“I’m curious, Caprius, how did you know Lydia’s ritual wouldn’t work?” asked Calista.
“Well, you know, Calista, I remember something Grongone once told me. The powers of Petoshine can’t be used to harness the dark powers of Makoor. It is used for good. And, when Lydia used the vim against her own powers, I knew it would destroy her. The dark cult doesn’t know that. And, when you threw your bow and arrows toward the door, I was hoping a certain someone would come to the rescue.”
“Oh, so you knew I was going to come back for you,” said Cynthia.
“I had a hunch,” he said. Calista sat in the corner of the basket and closed her eyes.
“Yes,” nodded Caprius. “You should get some sleep. We’re doing fine now, going in the right direction. We are over the sea. By morning light, we should arrive in Elysium.”
As the three of them relaxed, now observing the view of the towering inferno, there was a sudden down fall of the hot air balloon. As Caprius and Calista held tight to the basket they stood in, suddenly, the hot air balloon took a good drop. Cynthia looked up to notice flame. “The balloons on fire!” yelled Cynthia. The bursting flames from Hotel Quantum Heights had set the top side of the balloon ablaze.
“We’re going down,” said Calista.
“Were dropping faster now,” said Caprius. Then, the sea beneath them began to twirl and create a funnel. The water rose to great height and twirled around the hot air balloon. As they looked into the wall of twirling water, they kept falling. Grongone’s face appeared in the sky. As he looked down at the knights, he showed great concern.
“What do we do?” said Calista concerned. Down, down, down they went. Suddenly, a great light emerged from beneath them. There was some sort of force, which took hold of the hot air balloon and brought it down gently. The basket had settled down gently onto a surface, and as the balloon had collapsed and hung to the side burning, from the top, a hatch began to close. The three knights watched the roof close with a clang and observed their surroundings. It was dark. And, now lights began to turn on everywhere at the sides. This was a very large cargo area. The knights got out of the basket. They began to walk. From a distance, a man stood with a staff in hand, helping him walk. Caprius smiled.
“Death does not permit you to lie sleeping. Rise and embrace the vim,” said the man. As Caprius looked at his pointed ears, he knew who he was. “One does not stay dormant when he is struck down. Rise and fight young knight masters!”
“Who are you?” asked Calista. “What is this place?”
“ You have entered flight gazer Petoshine. I am the sword of justice—the song of the whooping crane that strengthens your mind. I am the last of my kind,” said the elf. “The light of Petoshine will guide you to be the sword of peace. My name is Grongone.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Grongone,” said Caprius. Grongone bowed his head.
“You saved our lives,” said Cynthia.
“Some lives are worth fighting for, Cynthia,” said Grongone.
“You know who I am,” she asked surprised.
“My dear, I know everything. I must say you all fought bravely. It is time for you to embrace the vim. And, you Cynthia Davenport, it is time for you to become a knight master.” Cynthia smiled. “Come my friends. We will have refreshments and induct Cynthia in a knight’s blessing.” The three knights followed Grongone. As they walked through the great hall, they entered a room where they were given refreshments. After a well-deserved rest, Cynthia was inducted in a ceremonial blessing and given the gift of the power of a claymore. Grongone put his hand upon Cynthia’s forehead, charging her with the power of the vim. “Cynthia, I strengthen you and I embrace you with the powers of the vim.” After embracing the vim, Cynthia got off her knees and accepted her claymore of power. “Now, my friends, before I take you all to Elysium, we must collect Cynthia’s adopted son, Henry Hudson.”
Deep beneath the waters of the sea of Valgeroth, the flight gazer Petoshine emerged from the waters. As the gazer rose, the waters cascaded down from the ships surface and shot across the heavens.
***
Caprius sat back in his cushiony chair upon the flight gazer. He felt conflicted. Calista was the direct descendent of a deranged man who followed the dark forces of Makoor. But, he also knew she was the light of Petoshine and a knight master with great skill, who defeated the dark forces and certainly would again. But, he wondered if he’d imagined it or whether it was real. That look in her eye when the Goncool tempted her, tried to entice her to join her father. Would she one day be so tempted to follow the dark path of immortality and work against Petoshine? Or, was her soul pure, and she would help defeat the evil that had befallen the land of Alamptria?
***
The knight masters had arrived at Castle Elysium. Caprius entered his bedroom suite. As he looked around, he could not see Melina. He noticed the glass door by the balcony open. He walked out to the balcony to see his beloved Melina standing there. There, by the sunrise, she stood looking at him. She was dressed in a beautiful white gown. She smiled warmly at him as she quickly walked over. “Caprius, my love,” she said to him. They held each other close. Happy of Melina’s memory return, he hugged her with great emotion. There figures shown against the sunrise. A brand new day had begun.
THE END
The knight masters will return in…
Book two of the Dead Path Chronicles
SERENETY INCIDENT
Visit online at: www.richardavalicek.com
About Richard
Richard A.Valicek was born to parents of Croatian descent in Toronto, Canada. He is proud of his heritage, as his great grandfather use to take care of the Austrian kings horses before the first world war. In his early adulthood, he began writing short stories. As he grew up, his ambitions as a storyteller merged into a career in visual arts, and he graduated with a degree in graphic design.
In 2001, Richard decided he wanted not only to illustrate stories, he wanted to write them himself. He began taking courses in writing and graduated with a diploma in the Liberal Studies program. He slowly began to develop what would become his first major work.
His first book entitled: ‘Alamptria: Red Moon Rising’ was published in 2010 and went on to win the Buzzillions Reviewers Choice Award.
Currently, in addition to publishing several stories with Internet magazine ScreamofTerror, Richard is now working on the ‘Dead Path Chronicles’ series.
Quantum Heights: Book one of the Dead Path Chronicles Page 28