“Come off it chap. You really think she’s watching us?”
“You know how the Dark Thorns are, Fibs. I’m sure you’ve experienced it once or twice before. They seem to have an uncanny ability to see and know all that goes on around here.”
“Such a keen observation, Captain Plank. I’m quite impressed, really,” a female voice echoed down from above.
“Where?…who?…what?” Fibs said, as he and the others looked up, down, and all around, trying to pinpoint the voice.
“Oh. Oh, dear, now we’re in for it,” Plank said. He knew exactly who the voice belonged to.
“No need to worry your tiny little mind, Captain Plank. I just wanted to check in and see how things are going.”
The voice stopped. A giant pair of dark, feminine eyes opened up on the large canyon wall—just across the river from where Fibs, Plank and the others stood guard over the safe. As they continued to watch, facial features, such as a nose, cheeks and mouth, grew out of the canyon surface—completing the face Plank had already identified in his mind.
It was Dark Thorn Elontra, and her giant, stone face, which protruded out of the canyon wall, was larger than two school buses on top of one another.
“Aye, it’s good to see ya, your Dark Excellency,” Plank said with a bow.
Fibs, Duke, Grim and Plank’s crewmen followed suite, out of fear for their lives, while the characters of the simulated attraction continued to carry on as if nothing had happened. They were oblivious to anything that occurred outside of the ride’s storyline.
“So, Captain Fibs, what do you have to tell me? Something good I hope, for your sake,” Elontra stated, looking a hundred times more intimidating with her ginormous face.
“I…I uh…I, or I should say we…we uh, haven’t seen the boy with the watch or his…his uh, friends, since we…we uh…since we got here.” A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his forehead.
“That’s right your Excellency,” Grim spat out in the captains defense, “there’s nothing going on here, nothing at all, as far as we can tell, heh-heh.”
There was silence…Elontra closed her eyes for a moment of thought. She opened them again. This time, they burned with anger and disappointment. “Captain Fibs, your dark leader, Senkrad, and I spoke just a short while ago and he passed on some rather curious information, which I am most certain, you would be interested to hear.”
“I…I would?” Fibs said nervously.
“Yes. Especially since, how did your little sidekick put it? Oh yes, especially since there appears to be, ’nothing going on here’.”
Fibs swallowed deeply. “Ohhhh, he did say that didn’t he, heh-heh. Well uh…well I think he’s uh, he’s…I think he’s right.
“YOU, you trust his judgement over mine?” Elontra asked, followed by a booming fit of evil laughter, which echoed throughout the attraction. “My dear captain, it appears you have…much to learn. You see, Captain, what you and your insignificant little fool of a friend here DOES NOT know, is that just a short while ago, the chosen outsider escaped from Senkrad’s shadow kingdom by way of magic. And more than likely, he is headed here to retrieve the second Kingdom Crystal from the very safe, upon which, your arm rests. As. We. SPEAK!”
The unnerved captain began sweating profusely.
“Has it occurred to you, to ANY of you—including you Captain Plank, that the chosen outsider and his jolly little band of friends might be in the safe at this very minute? Retrieving the second crystal? Hmmmmmm?”
“Well uh…I guess we uh….we never even gave it a thought,” Plank replied.
“Yeah, we figured the little bloke and his mates would be showing up in a boat along the river, here,” said Fibs.
Elontra’s giant face let out another booming fit of laughter. She shook it from side to side. “Ohhh, you fools. You silly, insignificant fools. All of you! Never, and I mean NEVER, assume the obvious when it comes to dealing with Patron scum and their chosen outsider.
“But, your Excellency—”
“But? But nothing! As far as we know, they may have already found the crystal and be well on their way to doing whatever it is they plan to do next. Is that what you want? Do you want them to succeed? I suppose you’d be perfectly happy singing the Small World theme song, and wearing those ridiculous Mickey ears, as you merrily skip around the parks eating one of those tooty-fruity Dole whips for the rest of your pathetic lives?”
“Oh no, not in the least bit. Why…I, I’d rather dye me hair pink and wear a polka dotted dress than having to hear that dreadful song again,” Plank replied.
“Yeah, and you wouldn’t catch me on me worst of days wearing a pair of those stink’n ears or skipping around the parks,” Fibs added.
“And those Dole whips? You can have ‘em,” Duke said, “why they—”
“All right, ENOUGH!“ Elontra shouted. Her eyes opened wide, shooting a steady stream of blue lightning into the bodies of the captains and their crew—sending them to a place they had never been.
Elontra’s eyes calmed, her giant stone face receded back into the cavernous wall of the simulated Western River Expedition attraction without a trace.
As they approached the giant rock formation, Charlie and the others tilted their heads way back—taking in the enormity of what stood before them.
Alexios swooped down and landed on a rocky ledge some ten feet above where the others stood. He held a wingtip to his beak, quieting the others, then turned left to face what looked like nothing but a large flat area of the giant rock formation. With confidence in his voice, he spoke out. “Ever magnificent, ever kind, allow us the way, beyond common mind!”
Some thirty feet apart, at the base of the giant rock, two cracks rose up from the coin-covered ground, zigging and zagging along the way, until they met at the pinnacle of what looked like a colossal, arched doorway. As the two cracks collided, a pair of illuminated, flowing lines quickly, and symmetrically, moved down and about, leaving behind tracks of organically etched shapes, which decorated the giant golden door, with no handles. As each flow line reached its end, both sides of the arched doorway opened inwards, revealing to Charlie and the others, an incredible entryway.
“Would you look at that,” Midnight said in awe.
Before them, rising up into an endless expanse of darkness, was a massive stairway made of large, flat-surfaced rocks. Each of which, floated in the air. The rocks were random in size, ranging from four to ten feet in diameter, and were highlighted by mysterious light sources. As the intricate stairway rose higher, it split into multiple paths, then again, and again, and again…until it disappeared into the vast darkness high above where they stood.
Everyone stepped through the giant doorway and approached the stairway, their footsteps echoing on the polished stone floor.
“I guess Frank wasn’t joking when he said it was a maze-like staircase, eh Charlie?” Midnight said.
“No, I guess not,” he said while gazing upwards, carefully studying the multitude of paths they would have to choose from.”
Alexios landed on the fourth stone up, just in front of the group. “Well, at least there is only one path to start on. So I say we get a move on gentlemen. I will fly ahead to scout out any potential danger, while the four of you start climbing. Understood?”
“Yeah-yeah, we got it, Michael said, rushing up the first six steps, which tipped downward, then back up, as he landed on them. “Hey, check it out. This is cool.”
“Michael, you mustn’t run ahead like that. It is VERY important that your brother leads the way. He is the one wearing the watch,” Midnight said.
“But these stairs, they really do float, and—”
“Yes, we can see that, young man, but we don’t know what might happen if you step on the wrong one, understand?” Alexios replied with a stern look. “Now come back down here and let Charlie lead the way.”
Feeling dejected, Michael lowered his head and slowly walked back down, not saying a word.
“It’s for your own safety, Michael, as well as the others,” Charlie said, placing his hand on Michael’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, I know you mean well. I just don’t want to see you get hurt. I mean, could you imagine how terrible Mom and Dad would feel?”
“That would be horrible, your’e right. I’m sorry.” Michael gave Charlie a humble smile.
“What da ya say we get a move on boys,” Featherwink insisted, as he flew up to join Alexios. “Yes, your little friend is right,” the wise owl added. “We must keep moving.”
The first five stories of the stairway were easy to navigate, with only one path to choose from. As the sixth story began the path split into two.
“Hold on,” Charlie said, suddenly stopping in his tracks. The watch had unexpectedly begun to move in an uncontrollable fashion. “The watch, it’s, it’s acting all crazy and stuff.”
Mickey’s hands spun faster and faster as the watch face glowed brightly in multiple colors. It spun so fast, everything blurred together. Then, the watch face changed.
“That’s…what in the…well, that’s interesting,” Charlie stuttered—unable to get out a full sentence.
Amazed by what he saw, the young boy stood and stared, as the blurry watch face began to morph into a subtle, yet familiar, holographic face. It was the watchmaker, Raphael.
The 3D face opened its eyes and spoke. “Hello, my young friend, I see you have made it safely to the stairway, yes?”
Charlie and the others stood speechless, staring at the watch.
“It’s alright, Charlie, I’m here to help. Unlike some characters of WONDER, I cannot leave the realm in which I live, so this was the only way I could join you. Cat got your tongue?”
“N…no. I mean, no, sorry, you kind of caught me by surprise.”
“Ohhh, Heh-heh, I see. Now, where was I? Oh, right-right-right. You are at the first split in the stairway, yes?”
Charlie looked up to confirm their current position. “Yes, sir.”
“I want you to listen carefully. It is very important, as the path you take must be picked by you, the chosen outsider. Understand?”
“I do…I, I mean, yes, I will,” the boy replied. The others all gave Charlie a look of concern. Great responsibility had just been placed upon his shoulders, and they all knew it.
“OK,” Raphael said, clearing his throat. “Ready?”
“Ready,” Charlie replied. A shot of nervous energy ran through his mind and across his face.
“Look but once, and not again, the path you trust will be your friend.”
There was a moment of silence as everyone stood around the watch wondering what Raphael’s words meant.
“So what does it mean?” Featherwink asked, breaking the silence.
“It’s a riddle,” Midnight replied.
“I know that, you overgrown fur ball, but about what?”
“It’s something that only the chosen outsider can answer,” Alexios said. “Charlie, you must decide.”
The young boy closed his eyes tightly, focusing on the riddle…searching for an answer. A cloud of thoughts and possible solutions blanketed his mind. What should I do? He thought to himself. There is only one right answer. Or is there?
The boy opened his eyes, then looked upwards towards the rising stairway. “It’s a question of faith,” Charlie said.
“Faith?” Featherwink replied.
“Yes, the choice I make must be the one I believe in. I have to have faith in my decision.”
“Well then, pick one,” Alexios said, attempting to instill confidence in the boy.
Charlie closed his eyes tightly one more time, then opened them again. “Right. We go right.” Without hesitation, he turned to the right stairway and confidently took his first step up. Nothing happened.
Everyone, including Charlie, let out a sigh or relief.
“OK, lets keep moving. No time for drama,” Alexios said from above. “It looks like you’ll need to climb another three to four stories before it’s time to make another decision.”
Charlie and the others continued on. Steps turned to stories, which turned to more stairway splits and more choices. Sometimes the stairway split into two paths, sometimes three. All of which, intertwined with the stairways that had come before them, making it virtually impossible to trace a path to the top. And yet, the chosen outsider continued to pick the right stairway, each and every time, until eventually, they reached the forty-second story.
On level forty-two Charlie closed his eyes, just like before, and searched his feelings for the right choice. And just like before, he confidently opened his eyes. “Left,” the young boy said as he pointed.
But unlike all times prior, this time, Michael jumped ahead and took off in a full sprint up the stairway, confident his older brother’s choice was the absolute, right choice.
POOF!
On the fifth step Michael disappeared, then reappeared on a floating stone, completely isolated from the stairways, four hundred feet above the ground.
“Michael!” Charlie shouted in a panic.
“What have you done, boy?” Midnight said.
“Help. Help me, Charlie,” Michael said, looking in all directions for a way off the isolated stone. “I, I didn’t mean to do it, it just kind of happened.”
“Well, it’s a little late for excuses now,” Charlie replied. He put his palms to his forehead, grabbing and pulling his hair.
“Oh dear,” Alexios mumbled, while circling from above. “Hold on young squire, I’m on my way.” The owl dove towards the boy.
Restless from the sudden turn of events, the frantic boy began pacing around the stone, looking for a way off. As he stepped towards the edge, a chunk of rock broke off—Michael slipped, tumbling forward, then off the rock—he grabbed onto the edge with both hands, as he helplessly dangled high above the ground. “Help!” he shouted, “I ca…can’t hang on much longer!”
“Almost there, hang on,” the owl said. He shot off like a supersonic missile, leaving behind a glittering trail of silvery dust.
“I…I can’t hang on!” The young boy cried out. His fingers straightened, weak from the unexpected effort put upon them. Michael lost his grip and plummeted towards the ground. “Aghhhhhhhhhhhh! Charlieeeeeeeeeee!”
“Michael, no!” Charlie shouted—his face stricken with fear. His stomach, twisted in knots. There was nothing he could do. Helplessly, he watched, as his brother continued to fall towards the end of his mortality—tumbling end over end.
SWOOOSH!
“Ugh!” Something had broken the young boys fall. Something large and feathery.
Michael grabbed on tight with both hands and regained his bearings. “Wha…what’s going on?” He looked around, taking in what, or who, had saved him. The breeze blew through his hair as the large, winged creature ascended upwards towards the others.
“I trust that you learned your lesson?”
“Alexjos?”
“Yes?”
“But…you…how’d you get so big. How did…”
“Oh, I still have a few tricks up my wing, young squire.”
“Well that was the best one I’ve seen yet,” Michael said, as he squinted from the force of the wind hitting his face.
Seconds later, the giant owl came to rest on the floating stairway, next to where the others resided.
Everyone was speechless from what they had just seen.
Michael climbed down off the great white owl, who returned to his original size.
Charlie rushed up and smothered Michael with a giant hug, then pushed him back, still holding on to his brother’s shoulders. “Don’t you EVER do that again, you hear me?”
“Ye…yeah, I do,” Michael replied in a grateful manner.
“Today you learned a valuable lesson, young squire, one which almost cost you your life,” the owl said, giving Michael a stern look. He peered over the top of his glasses. “I trust, young man, that from now on you will listen to what you are told?”
; “Oh, absolutely, I mean, yes…yes sir. I, I’ll definitely start doing a better job of listening…sir.”
Alexios tilted his head back and continued to give the young boy a look, expecting more.
“And, and I…I promise to never pull a stunt like that again…cross my heart.”
The owl remained silent for a moment, then took off into the air. Turning his head back while flying away, he said, “Well, come on the then, we are waisting precious time.”
“You heard him, time to get crackin’,” Featherwink said. He leaped off Charlie’s shoulder, and took off to catch Alexios.
“Alright gentlemen,” Midnight said, “lets be on our way.”
Charlie cleared his thoughts, then refocused on the task at hand. He and his faithful group headed up the next story of floating stairs.
This time, Michael made sure to let his brother lead the way.
The climb had been quite the workout. Even for two young fellows such as Charlie and Michael. Midnight on the other hand, had chosen the easy way out by turning his tail into a helicopter-like propeller, which carried him up the stairway with no leg effort at all.
“There it is,” Michael said, pointing upwards. “Only three stories to go.”
“Yeah, I see it too, “Charlie replied, relieved they had almost reached the top.
“Are those horses at the top?” Michael questioned.
“It would appear so,” Midnight answered back.
“They’re beautiful,” Charlie remarked.
“And their eyes,” Michael added, “they have blue eyes that glow.”
When they reached the top, all that existed was a large, floating slab of rock, twenty by thirty feet wide, with nothing else around it. Next to the two horses, one black and one light grey, stood a thin, older gentleman, some seventy to eighty years old. He was wearing a pair of worn jeans, a plain white shirt with an unbuttoned collar, some old leather boots and a brown cowboy hat. His face was weathered like fine leather, his eyes steely blue. And just under his nose, around his chapped lips, was a large white mustache that curled up on the ends. He was feeding the horses hay. But not just ordinary hay. As the horses chewed, enjoying their meals, magic glitter cascaded downward from the corners of their mouths, which they gladly bent down to nibble off the ground. With every bite they took, their radiant, blue eyes and diamond-like coats shined brighter. These were no ordinary horses.
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