by Lyle, Travis
“Shit, run. It’s Elizabeth.”
Frozen to the ground, I feel the spirits inside overpowering my decision to flee. Like an astonishing act, the angry woman vanishes into thin air, with Elizabeth and the other spirits hidden within the clouds. The woman bent on vengeance resembles Elizabeth, making me wander if it’s really her. It can’t be though, it can’t be Amanda Mason.
No matter which direction I look, there’s nothing. There remains no traces nor evidence of Sleeping Star, no trees return back from the war, and definitely no screaming ground clouds. It feels like everything’s dead, but the wildlife. The wildlife... They’re angry now, gathering in packs.
Predator’s and prey alike begin to ignore the laws of their nature to look for their homes. I see many of them flocking together heading behind me, flooding towards the safe haven I had just past. Really the only wildlife I don’t see is the ground dwellers. Out of all animals I see, cattle seem to be the only one’s not worrying. They just stand in open fields eating grass like it’s just another day.
Birds on the other hand look scarce. They are far and few between in the skies. Most of what I see flying is buzzards. Off into the southern horizon, a small band of trees now appear to be marching this direction. Doing everything I can to run away, the other spirits also in command have another agenda. Instead of falling back, I’m rushing forward into what quickly seems to be my demise.
The closer I’m pushed to them, the more they look like they are preparing to kill me. I begin to see the bloodshed they produced by the red painted bark, and the mass of deceased bodies hanging around by a limb forced through them like a shish kabob. The tree vines still have people constricted within them dead, like they’re nothing more than a swinging chime. Depending on the size of the tree is dependant upon the size of the Native standing inside.
Their arms stretch above them, as they would if they hang down from holding onto a monkey bar. Not all Natives look the same either. Each of them posses different features which separates them from who they are. Standing face to face with the few roaming trees, I lose all fear. Only because I’m bigger than any of them here, and the fact that I’m made from metal unlike them helps too.
The leader of this group steps up. As he moves through the front line, if I could breathe my breath would be taken. A feeling strikes my soul,
“Dad...”
Chapter Fifteen
In this chapter we’ll go back to the golden temple built by the Clovis. We will now learn about what happened to Amanda Mason after escaping certain death by the hands of Sleeping Star. Holding a torch in her right hand, she burns the rope anchoring the counter weight sealing her inside. I’ll now continue through a different perspective, continuing the story as the beautiful Amanda Mason.
The torch, nearly dying out, barely illuminates any area around me. Inside the temple, the temperature is about twenty degrees warmer than in the cave. I don’t know how I’m going to make it out of here. I can’t read this dead language, and what Hollister told me before his... well let’s just say it didn’t make any sense.
No other torches sit anywhere close to me. With little options before the untimely extinguishing of the flame, I tear off a shredded piece of my shirt and carefully wrap it around the torch to lengthen the time I have with it. The torn strip works, but it seems that it won’t sustain the quicker brighter flames for long. I quickly change shirts, to Hollister’s shirt he gave me, and keep mine to fuel the torch.
Being able to see more, I find myself standing in a hallway of immortality. Not that it will give immortality to me, but it’s given to those idolized by the gold totems etched with faces of Natives molded into them like a perfectly formed mask. There are thousands of faces on each totem, and hundreds of totems. Pain shutters deep in my gut, nearly dropping me to my knees. I say out loud in angered pain,
“I wish these fucking cramps would stop. This hasn’t been a good time for this shit. My head hurts, I’m cold, and I feel like I’m bleeding to death.”
Day three has always been the worse for me ever since I was ten, when this blessed curse began. Without it, I couldn’t give life. During the days I have it, I feel like I’m dying.
Walking down the long corridor, I find myself nearing the opening of the temple. At the opening, a small set of golden stairs lead to a torch. The torch rests inside a hole on a partial gold wall standing only five feet tall. Lighting the torch just before mine fully dies out again, it exposes an oil pit sitting between two gold walls.
Taking the torch and lighting the oil, a four foot flame races down the center. The flame suddenly drops down, like it’s reached a dead end. As I walk towards where the flames stop, I become astonished at what resembles a domino effect with flames dropping a minimum of forty feet further into the ground.
The temple is beginning to light in a bright orange glow, and I stand in amazement. A feeling beleaguers me,
“I don’t know how much air is left in here, and now it’ll burn up faster. The smoke pouring from the flames is already choking my breath from me.”
The flames continually move exposing a monstrosity of a labyrinth. Knowing there’s only one way out now, I follow the left wall where it’s plain and smooth. I adore the ancient mural that covers the entire right side from a distance.
Walking up to a T in this labyrinth, I continue to chose the wall that looks to have been rubbed smooth by hand through time. I try to remain strong and not move astray, but the finely etched murals make it nearly impossible. Deep down inside I feel that the beautiful wall will lead me to my death. So I continue to follow my path religiously, digging deep into my soul to not move astray.
What seems like hours of endless walking, the golden walls begin to hypnotize my eyes blending the two nearly together. Becoming leary, thousands of voices echo to my right, sounding like a congregation. Thinking out loud,
“People are alive down here! I got to see if they can help me get out of this place before I die.”
Drifting away from the left wall, cracking and rumbling sounds from underneath my feet. Two four feet by four feet gold blocks fall swiftly below. Looking down while falling, giant pikes line the bottom killing anyone who falls including myself. Just before my final breath, of this thirty feet drop of death, a mystical force of clouds surrounds my body and carries me out.
High above the labyrinth flames I float, moving to the right side of this identical maze of disorientation. The congregation of voices flow from within these clouds, but I can’t understand a word they’re saying due to them being muffled down below a whisper. They softly lay me down between two flaming gold walls. Quickly flowing in front of me, they disappear behind a giant wall made from a mirror.
The wall looks to be as tall as the temple, but the reflection is flawless giving the impression of an endless labyrinth. I don’t think man can craft something like this even with modern technology. Ducking down, I crawl through a three foot doorway. Inside is too dark for me to see. Only a slight glow is given through the flames from the doorway.
Crawling back out, a blue glowing spirit stands proudly in Knight’s armor. Stunned and shocked, profanity leaves my lips as I back up into the room.
“Fuck... what the hell is this shit? What in the world are you?”
The spirit speaks in the manner of a guardian,
“Calm your soul Amanda Mason, I mean you no harm. I’m your fiftieth great grandfather, Johnathan Mason. We’ve waited thousands of years for the first female of our blood to be born. Follow me and I’ll crown you as our new Queen.”
Still in shock, I no longer fear as my heart feels he speaks the truth. For a moment I’d not realized exactly what he said. Speaking boldly,
“Hold on a second here gramps. Did you say crown and Queen?”
A tone of disgust flows from the spirit,
“What did that witch of a sister do to you? Matters none as the staff of truth will reveal all. My sister did make you a bitter girl, I can see it.”
Floa
ting past me, into the hidden room, his aura lights up the room like blue fluorescent floating lantern. Mundanely standing back up to look at the room, my arms fling high in the air. Excitement races through me,
“Oh my God, Yes! Whoo hoo, I’m rich. No... I’m wealthy.”
Gold bricks pile high in the air containing the brand of an equal armed cross. Bouillon, necklaces, gems, and paper scrolls clutter the floor of all I can see in front of me. The spirit continues to move ahead, taking away my light. Sudden fear overwhelms me,
“Hey, wait up. I can’t see anything, and I think there’s a sword over here somewhere.”
He continues moving as if he doesn’t hear me. Scampering past this pile of treasure, I continue to trip through other piles. Finally catching up to his light, this room is completely filled with treasure. The light continues to uncover mound after mound of ancient history. The spirit finally stops at a small set of wide steps leading up to a throne made from gold, silver, and gems.
Sitting in the throne is a skeleton holding a wooden staff and a crown. The spirit looks at the skeletal structure and says,
“It’s time Patricia. Amanda’s here to renew our power. She’s the only one who can command us and give us our freedom.”
Hearing his words, the bones of Patricia Mason disintegrates to fine dust and blows away from the throne. The spirit of my way great grandfather speaks to me,
“You must hurry or we’ll be lost forever, and so will all mankind left living on this world.”
Hearing the graveness of his tone I ask,
“What do I need to do?”
He answers,
“Sit in the throne, hold the Staff of Truth, then all will be revealed to you.”
Sitting down in the throne, I grab the long wood and gold stick. A soothing voice speaks to me softly in my ear, comforting my soul.
“My name’s not important, but what’s important is that you have control of my staff. You have control of my power, but great responsibility follows to protect innocence. I’ll show you your life, your crimes, and who you truly are. You’re chosen for greatness, it’s up to you on which path of greatness to follow.”
Glowing lights surge from the staff and pulsates through my fingertips, flowing up my arm and then my body. My mind begins to drift away from this reality into my childhood. The visions begin on a special day, the day of my birth. My mother, wow... she actually looks happy. She’s a big beautiful woman, and my father is very young. Looking like he’s a young teenager.
A woman creeps in the room wearing a purplish-blue cloak, covering her face. Her hands look like wrinkles covering bones. My father says nothing. He walks out of the room and never comes back. Cradled in my mother’s arms, the hidden woman speaks. Her voice cracks and creaks as if her vocal chords are already dust.
“It’s time Elizabeth. Have you made your decision?”
A sweet soft tone flows from my mother, though sounding confused.
“What is it exactly you want from me?”
The creaky voice once again replies,
“My dear, all I want from you is your kindness and beauty. In return your daughter will receive it in your place. She’ll no longer be ridiculed like yourself. Amanda will not only stay beautiful and thin, but she will be crowned a Queen. Is that not ultimately what any mother wants for her daughter?”
My mother’s voice quivers in tears as she replies,
“That’s what I want if you can truly do that.”
A clanking sound echoes from the concrete floor. From the witch’s fingertips, sparks of lightning flow shocking my mother. A light shines from within me. I watch as my mother becomes physically hideous. I see all the love in her heart be drained from her. I feel the very moment it comes into me. This is the moment I become changed. That’s the moment I became physically thin.
Visions flash through my childhood showing me exactly how shallow I’d been towards many girls and boys, becoming the person my mother gave herself to save me from. My vision moves forward in time to when I first got to see my father again and he told me about our families secret. He shown me things that no person has ever seen in their life.
We talk about the plan to get Hollister Wolf. Hollister... I’m so sorry. Now I see the first moment I met Hollister. I fell in love with him the moment I touched his hand. I didn’t want to go with father’s plan any more, but I had to or father would’ve killed me. I hate him for that and it even hurts to see and speak of him again.
I really wanted that moment we shared on the ship. I was nowhere prepared for what happened thereafter. The plan was supposed to have turned out much different. But now... I can sense Hollister’s spirit, just like my fears came true. Hollister did die by that cruel and inhumane being who calls himself a God. I’ll avenge my love.
A voice echoes in my mind while vibrations shimmer throughout the staff.
“It’s your choice on which path to follow. Will you accept your fate as our new Queen, or will you cast us back into Hell.”
Feeling scarred pain in my heart, revenge burning my soul, in sureness I answer.
“I’ll be your new Queen. I accept my fate.”
Bright silver light encapsulates Amanda, cleansing her body and changing her back to her true form. Amanda now looks exactly like her younger big beautiful mother. A royal blue and gold cloak drapes over her body, and a crown hugging her head is nearly covered completely by the hood.
The floor beneath my feet trembles causing a small portion of it to fall through. Bright yellowish flames begin to flow from the hole. Spirits looking like full bodied people covered in fire begins to walk out. They walk up to me and kneel, then vaporize into a cloud like smoke. The last to walk out is a horse. It’s not just any horse either, this one is a ghost.
With piercing red eyes, snout snorting with intense grunts, you can see it’s breath as this room is much colder than the Hell it climbs out from. The Hell horse bows down to me, approving his allegiance. It vanishes. I begin to rise from the ground, and the horse reappears with me now riding on top of it. There are no reigns to hold on to, and I can’t jump off. Feeling like the horse has me bound holding me on him.
The flames in the hole turn black. The horse begins to trot towards the mirrored wall. Me, the Hell horse, and the massive cloud of spirits start to lift from the ground. For a second I’m reminded of our childhood hero Santa Clause and his flying reign deer. Quaking pounds of force echo from the hole below. Screeching growling roars, the worst noise I’ve ever heard, bellows from tar encrusted Hell Hounds.
Deep dark grey smoke flows off of them like steam, covering the floor in a black fog. Their eyes in the distance glow a creepy white color that looks to be in flames. Turning my head, the mirrored wall is about to hit me. No time to react, I close my eyes just before impact. I’m... I’m... I’m still breathing. I mass-appear somehow through to the other side without breaking the mirrored wall. The clouded spirits had pushed open the top of the temple, and begun pouring out during the time my eyes were closed.
Chapter Sixteen
The final shocking chapter in the first book of this series will begin with the reuniting of Hollister and his father. Even though we will begin here, this chapter will also bring you to the Queen of North America Amanda Mason, the armies of trees, the colonies living in safe havens, the violent wildlife competing with survivors for territory, the Natives who roam freely, and finally Sleeping Star the one who began it all. We will now begin this last chapter as Hollister Wolf, now known as Goliath.
I hear my father’s voice speak urgently to me,
“Behind you!”
My head turns completely around, before the rest of my body is given any time to react. Thousands of tar coated beasts, standing waist high to me, trample me over. I’m merely a speed bump to these rampaging monsters. Even the trees are plowed through, but remain mostly unharmed. These things stampede south. Silence monitors our time as we recuperate from this collision. My father’s voice speaks to me once more,
“My son, what’s happened to you I know is unspeakable. You’re the only one who could’ve fulfilled this prophecy. This is a prophecy that has been engraved in our history since the beginning of time.”
The other spirits quickly reply to my father,
“Then you know what we must do and who we’re looking for.”
My father speaks once more, not directly to me, but to them.
“Yes, my brothers say that the Soul Queen is chasing Sleeping Star towards the South border. They say she’s winning. You can catch them if you hurry. Keep heading south. Once you see the trees, they’ll clear a path showing you the way through. I don’t think she needs any help, but if you make haste you can see that for yourselves.”
Before my legs have time to move I rapidly ask father,
“What will you do? I want to see you again. Where’s mom?”
He responds to me this time,
“You’ll get to see me again son. I have to plant saplings and calm the wildlife. Your mother is with a different band of trees doing the same. You must hurry if you’re to help.”
Racing with all my might, I rush towards the battle.
We’ll now break free from Hollister Wolf and return as Captain Mitchel or Mitch as he’s called. He‘s with a surviving promising colony fighting for existence against the animals of the land.
An estranged male voice speaks with much fear,
“Mitch we’re being overrun and I don’t think we can last much longer.”
Wanting to slap him I reply harshly,
“Pull your shit together Scott, You’ve been screaming this crap since yesterday. We’re still here and alive. Now get your ass up there and help hold that line against those cougar’s.”
Screeching growls and hissing mixes with the screams from people resonating from all directions. The cougar’s begin to tear through the people fighting for survival. Using make shift spears and the last of the ammunition hidden here, I see us fleeing soon. In the distant, sounds of rolling thunder vibrate the ground I stand upon. Trees approach from the south and horses speed this direction from the north.
