by D. L. Jordan
“Who are you, sir?” Mr. Richardson asked. The man did not respond and only gave him a long, hard look before Uncle Charlie sounded the horn.
Within seconds Dean’s eyes widened as he saw five other men in brown overcoats emerge from the woods, slowly walking towards the vehicle. Timothy clung to Granddad as Dean had done earlier. Uncle Charlie’s and Mr. Richardson’s hearts began to race so rapidly that they might burst, and their eyes enlarged as they began to sweat profusely. Both of them wondered who these men were and where they came from. Despite their state, both Uncle Charlie and Mr. Richardson soon gathered their senses.
Uncle Charlie started to drive away as fast as the car could go. He sped past the men in overcoats, but the men were quickly catching up with them. Sweat poured down the side of Uncle Charlie’s face as he continued to drive, intending to escape the men, make it to his in- laws’ house, and live to tell the tale.
Aunt Edna screamed as Uncle Charlie was looking in the rear-view mirror to see if the men were behind him. They were closer than he thought. The men were now so close that they seemed to be running near the bumper of the vehicle.
One of the men somehow made it to the front of the moving vehicle. He punched down on the hood with almost inhuman strength, terrorizing everyone in the car as his hand had now sunk through the roof of the car. The vehicle stopped in its tracks. Everyone inside was paralyzed
with panic. As this was happening, Dean began to ask himself Is this it? Is this the end for us…for me? Who are these men and what do they want with us?
While these questions rushed through Dean’s head, he began to feel sick. His head was spinning and he was becoming dizzier with each passing second. Within a matter of moments, Dean had blacked out.
***
Dean awoke minutes later, finding himself under the arm of one of the men in overcoats.
He was trembling. He wondered about his family and where he was being taken.
As he looked up at him, Dean saw that the man had giant brown wings protruding through his overcoat. He was flying in the air with him. He looked around and saw that the other men also had wings and were flying side-by-side.
“Who are you?!” Dean angrily screamed in a panic, “Where’s my family? Where are you taking me?!”
“Quiet, child!” commanded the man who was carrying him. Dean looked up and saw that his stature suggested that he was a leader, and his furrowed brow and frowning mouth made him look as if he had never seen a day of happiness in his life.
After the men descended to the ground, they shoved Dean into a wooden carriage before the men closed the door behind him. Once inside, he saw a lamp settled in the corner. It was the only source of light. Dean pressed his head against the wall as the men gathered in the carriage at the front.
“Release the Sleeping Quilt! We can’t let him know where we’re going…Do it now!” demanded the leader in a roaring voice.
One of the men swung a thick white sheet that hung between them, so Dean obviously couldn’t see what they were doing at the front. The sheet began to exude a sweet smelling fragrance and Dean’s eyelids soon became heavy. But, at that point, he did not care about anything. He began to feel more helpless than he’d ever felt before. Dean began to think that there was no way out of his situation whatsoever. He could feel his eyes become even heavier with the stinging weight of his tears. Within moments, he started to fall asleep.
THE WORLD OF ERLON
The night had not yet come to an end as Dean awoke from his nap in the back of the moving carriage. As Dean scrolled his eyes across the wooden wall in front of him, he could see a small circle of light gleaming on the wall. The circle became wider and larger with every passing second. He found himself intrigued by this circle of light.
“Please, child, do not be afraid of me.” The kind voice of a woman, from the circle, spoke with a tone that was soft but demanded to be heard. Dean’s heart was lightened by her words and he felt comforted by the woman’s presence. At that moment, Dean could see the silhouette of the woman’s face and her eyes glowing like a single pair of stars in the night sky.
“I have come to give you words of comfort. Be sure to listen to the words I say to you, young one.”
“Who…who are you, ma’am?” Dean asked her with slight hesitation.
“I am someone of great importance, little one. That is all that needs to be said,” she responded with a chuckle to suggest that she was flattered by Dean’s childish charm. “I have come to tell you that the men who have taken you will harm you. You must do all that you can
not to upset them. Do whatever they say and they will spare you. Just remember this…Once you are in a place called the Candle Forest, you must promise me that you will follow the stream.”
Dean shook his head to let the woman know that he understood what she was saying. He hung onto the mysterious woman’s every word admirably.
“Once you have followed the stream, you will find a man. This man is a friend of mine, and he will take you to a place called Avesia. This is where the rest of your journey will begin. I will be away for a short while before I see you again, young one. But, before I go, you must promise me one more thing. You must promise that you will be strong and patient, little Dean. Do this and your happiness will return to you.”
As the circle in the wall quickly disappeared, Dean gave the woman an assuring nod. Her words comforted him.
The wheels of the carriage slowed to a halt. Dean looked to the front of the carriage as one of the men pulled back the white sheet between them to say, “Get out! We’re here.”
It was still the evening and the carriage was parked in front of an abandoned cabin. One of the men grabbed Dean by the arm and pulled him through the entrance of the building. The clamminess of the man’s hand made Dean even more uncomfortable.
The inside of the cabin was very spacious. A mirror with a wooden frame stood in the very center of the entrance of the cabin, which was the living room. Dean was pulled closer to the mirror by the men. Once in front of the mirror, Dean didn’t know what to expect. He looked at the glass of the mirror and saw the reflection of the men behind him.
Dean’s eyes were blinded by a bright light. By the time he could hold his free hand to his face he was already in a very different surrounding. Still being restrained by the man’s hand, Dean found himself in a forested area filled with perfectly aligned cherry blossom trees with
unlit candles naturally hung from the trees like fruit. As he looked up at the marvelous sight of the bright purple sky and yellow clouds, Dean could hear the sound of rushing water. He looked around and saw a sight that nearly took his breath away.
Around the forest there was a surrounding wall of rushing water falling downward below the outskirts of the forest, circling it to fit the form of a small island. It looked to Dean as if the ocean above it emptied into the abyss below the edges of the forest. The waterfalls seemed to give the land a look of natural protection, and he assumed that, after viewing such a wonderful sight, he had just fallen through a strange hole. It was still daylight in this new place, and the warm temperature was close to perfection.
“What day is it?” asked the leader of the men in his familiar harsh tone. “It is the twenty-seventh day of the month of Delinear, sir.”
“Good, we’ll make a camp here.” Dean thought it was strange that these men would spend time sleeping during the day in their home world, especially when they had just arrived. But he didn’t question it. He knew that this was his chance to escape.
Within an hour the day was still bright, and the men had fallen asleep while paying no attention to Dean. He was grateful for this chance, and remembering his promise to the woman in the circle, took advantage of the opportunity. He soon heard the sound of flowing water behind a row of perfectly lined bushes and followed the sound. Sure enough, he found a flowing stream, and obeying the mysterious woman’s orders, followed the way of the stream. It was by following this stream that Dean had found his way
of escape.
As he followed the path of the flowing stream he began feeling tired and hungry. He hadn’t really eaten anything since that morning before he left New York for Atlanta. Dean was ready to give up, to throw away his attempt for salvation. But his thoughts of giving up were
soon driven away. There, in an open area away from the cherry blossoms, stood a tall, ebony- skinned man. He wore an outfit made entirely of a royal blue-colored cloth and matching shoes.
“Hello, little Dean. I’m glad to see that you have finally arrived. You seem to be very strong to have escaped the Zaives. You are truly fortunate. My name is Cacellon and I have been given orders to guide you to the island of Avesia.”
Dean looked in awe at the man all the while as he spoke, forgetting that he had mentioned the name of the winged men that kidnapped him.
Around Cacellon’s neck was a silver pendent that had the image of a strange-looking bird that Dean had never seen before.
“What is a Zaive, and what is that thing around your neck?” Dean asked Cacellon while pointing at the pendant. Never before had he felt so comfortable around a stranger. His parents had always told him not to talk to those he didn’t know, but Cacellon did not seem to be a stranger.
“You’re an inquisitive one, aren’t you? Well, a Zaive is…umm…it’s something that you’ll learn about as you get older. But what I can tell you now is that they don’t really look like the way you saw them. They were in disguise, so no one in your world would suspect anything suspicious about them. But in their true forms…they’re simply hideous.”
Cacellon held and caressed the silver pendant around his neck and replied to Dean’s second question, “And this thing around my neck is my symbol. It is the phoenix. It represents rebirth and strength. There is only phoenix in Erlon. When I become weary from old age, I burst into flames.”
Dean’s eyes widened with shock.
Noticing the surprised look on Dean’s face Cacellon said, “But that’s not all. After I burst into flames, I am reborn from the ashes.”
Dean looked at the emblem in bewilderment and quickly told Cacellon about the Zaives that captured him, telling him that they had fallen asleep within the forest.
“Well, that’s good. It’ll give us time to escape them because they tend to sleep for at least an entire day.” Cacellon reached inside one of his huge pockets and pulled out a wooden cup.
“I know you’re thirsty, so I made you something from the berries of the bushes in the forest and the water of the stream.” Cacellon then handed Dean a wooden cup. Dean held the cup in his hands and looked inside it to find a thick, red liquid. A sweet aroma swelled from the liquid and entranced Dean.
“What’s this?” he asked with a smile.
“It’s the Redebooster drink. Drink it! It will help you keep up your strength. You’re going to need it.” Dean cautiously took a sip of the Redebooster. He smiled as its sweet flavor tickled his tongue and pinched the inside of his cheeks. As he drank, Dean could feel himself become more energized. When he was finished drinking the Redebooster, he gave the wooden cup back to Cacellon who threw it into the woods. Dean looked over to where Cacellon had thrown the cup and saw it rise from the ground as if being sucked by a giant vacuum and melt into the wood of a nearby cherry blossom.
“We should be going, little Dean! We have a lot to see in so little time.” Cacellon then separated himself from Dean and moved to an open area. A spiral of peach colored clouds formed around him and his eyes turned yellow with back pupils. His hair and skin turned into handsome, multicolored feathers that covered every inch of his body and his feet became sharp
talons. Dean was astonished to see that Cacellon was transforming into the legendary phoenix itself.
“Hop on!” Cacellon shouted to Dean. Dean ran towards him in excitement. His eyes widened with delight as a smile spread across his face. He jumped onto Cacellon’s back and held on to the back of his narrow neck where a handled collar appeared. Cacellon then flapped his gigantic, colorful wings, gave out a loud cry similar to the sound of an eagle, and flew towards their destination. After ascending towards the sky, Cacellon’s wings were soon drifting over the trees and the rushing falls as they departed the Candle Forest.
Dean could not believe what was happening. He’d always daydreamed about having wings and flying, but never like this. Cacellon was flying gracefully along the lining of the yellow clouds, soaring through the purple sky. The soft, warm, gentle breeze flowed against his feathers.
Once Cacellon and Dean were away from the forest, Dean saw that the flowing waters stopped at a boundary. Beyond the boundary laid the same shimmering sea. Dean looked down at the water that was a clear window to a haven beneath its surface, filled with many beautiful coral reefs and plants. The water teemed with life below its surface and shimmered perfectly under the sun.
“We are now above the Ice Waters. The water is as clear as glass and as cold as ice,” said Cacellon. Dean asked, puzzled, “That’s water?”
“It, like the Candle Forest, is just one of the many wonders of Erlon. It’s also our main water supply. Many of Avesia’s citizens use the Ice Waters to try and catch one of its many different and unique species of creatures, such as the elusive Bluban Blangot, which can make
the foods of your greatest desire appear before your very eyes. These creatures are impossible to catch because only the most skilled fishermen are able to catch them.”
As Dean looked deeper into the Ice Waters, he noticed a huge, long tail swimming under a rock. He gave out a surprised gasp.
Hearing his startled gasp, Cacellon asked, “What’s wrong? Did you see something?” “Oh no, it was nothing.” Dean replied. Dean slowly looked away from the depths of the
water below him. While in this new world all the difficult things of his old world seemed to fade away. It was nice to just enjoy the moment. He was trapped in a place that seemed almost heavenly.
What had happened with his family just hours ago slipped from his memory. He had even forgotten that he was afraid of heights, and yet here he was flying on the back of a giant bird over a vast and beautiful ocean. The new world he was being introduced to provided him with a sense of relief and comfort. His breathing had slowed. For the first time since his ordeal with the Zaives, Dean was at peace.
As Cacellon continued to fly, an island metropolis appeared just over the horizon.
Cacellon flew closer towards the island and Dean could see its marvelous beach of white sand. Dean had been to the beach once before with his family, but it could never have compared to what he had seen that day.
A jungle completely covered the end of the island. An entire city that stretched for many, many miles covered most of the island. Buildings in the form of step-pyramids, pagodas, huge towers, and buildings with onion-shaped domes were clearly evident all over the city. The city itself seemed like a culmination of different ancient metropolises.
As Dean and Cacellon, the phoenix, flew closer towards the island, one building stood out to Dean. Made entirely of shining white marble and surrounded by a large, wide wall, it sat at the top of a huge hill on the island. It was the largest and most beautiful of all the buildings with its many towers, onion-shaped domes, and columns. The wondrous palace also contained courtyards, balconies, and magnificent windows.
Cacellon spoke again saying, “Welcome to Avesia, Dean! This is the island of The Marble City. The city itself is known as Yailon, and our world is called Erlon.”
“It’s the prettiest place I’ve ever seen,” Dean said in awe. “Mr. Cacellon, what’s that really tall building at the end of the island?”
“That, little Dean, is the palace of the rulers of Avesia, The Marble Palace.”
Cacellon continued to fly, showing Dean the landscape and what modern life was like on the island. It was a city full of peace and harmony. Its inhabitants exuded actions of kindness and compassion. He looked down and saw that everyone within the city lacked any form of deceit or selfishness.
He could see various acts of humility and kindness, such as a young boy helping an elderly woman across the path of a busy street and the camaraderie of two men who laughed together, enjoying each other’s company as they feasted on a basket full of green apples.
Everywhere he looked was a vision of unity, devoid of discord and misconduct. The city of Yailon was paradise.
Dean saw that the city was alive with activity of all kinds, such as banking, painting, metalworking, and sculpting. He also noticed that many of the Yailonians were diverse. Each citizen varied in a multitude of ways, including styles of clothing and ethnicity. As he looked, he could sense the closeness and friendship that the Yailonians exuded amongst one another. He was amazed that the Yailonians treated one another with such admiration and respect,
acknowledging each other’s worthiness to be treated as equals- an idea that was slowly becoming the norm back in 1968 America where Dean called home.
All of that seemed to be so far behind him. He was now embarking on his own journey of change, a journey that would alter his life forever. Seeing the Yailonians act so tranquilly, despite the fact that they were all so different, was a great inspiration to Dean.
As he looked down at the city, Dean could see that the Yailonians also possessed strange creatures in their yards that looked exactly like tigers the size of horses, but with large and furry wings. Some were small, maybe four people could ride them. Some were so large they could possibly hold ten people.
