Cezar thought about goddess Zedia and how she was doing in prison. He wondered about his encounter with the goddess days before; he stuck his hand down his left trouser pocket and felt the orchid flower; its soft petals told him his experience was real.
Cezar cleared his head, he needed to concentrate on his quest. Breaking Diagus’ spell was the only way to get the fairies back and restore his land. It wasn't going to be easy; Oscar had drummed that into him but he would do his best and he would succeed.
Chapter 7 The Sea of Valour
Three days had passed since Cezar had left his home; he was still trying to find his way out of the south tunnels. He felt exhausted and tired; and was covered from head to toe in dust and dirt but he continued with slow and steady steps. He wondered how much farther the sea was. He had only stopped once for sleep since leaving Ocracidia because he had been too excited to sleep but now he was feeling tired.
The scent of the salty sea water reached his nostrils and he knew the sea was close by; the tiredness he had been feeling varnished, strength filled his bones and his steps quickened with renewed vigour.
In the distance he saw faint rays of sunlight streaming into the tunnel, he quickened his pace until he saw the tunnel brighten sufficiently to switch off his torch. He tucked the torch into his satchel and when he saw a glimpse of the tunnel’s exit, he broke into a run.
It wasn't long before he found himself in between tall reefs and staring at the clear blue sea of Valour. The scent of the salty seas hit his nostrils and he welcomed it happy to be rid of the stale dark air he had endured for three days in the south tunnels.
A small, wooden, boat sat in between the reefs. Cezar smiled. ‘Thanks Dad,’ he muttered under his breath.
Cezar inspected the boat, running his hand over it and looking into it. The boat was made of the strongest wood and was just the right size for him to steer without any help. Lying on the floor of the boat was a set of small oars, just big enough for him to handle; and a large round black torch light.
Cezar knew the boat could do the job of crossing the Sea of Valour, it was strong enough but only if the sea remained calm. If the sea became rough or if the winds became stormy; the boat would capsize because it was not big enough to withstand severe turbulence. Silently he prayed that the sea would remain calm enough for him to travel across her.
Cezar looked around, though the boat was hidden by the reefs; he did not want to take it out to sea in daylight and run the risk of being spotted. He decided to wait until nightfall to begin his journey. He would while away the time getting the much needed rest he deserved and travel out of Ocracidia when it was dark and the chances of being seen and caught much slimmer.
Cezar walked back towards the tunnels and sat with his back up against one of the reefs; with his eyes closed. But he couldn't fall asleep because his belly growled and hunger pinched the inside of his stomach; he brought out what was left of the bread Annabel had baked him three days ago and unwrapped it.
Bits of mould sprouted from the bread. He picked them off and sniffed the stale bread deeply. The freshly baked scent it had three days was long gone. Carefully he wrapped it back up and decided to keep this last piece of food until a time when his hunger pangs were much too serious to ignore.
But he took a few sips of water from his flask then closed his eyes; this time he promptly fell fast asleep.
It was dark when Cezar opened his eyes again. His body was stiff as a log; he’d been asleep for longer than he intended. Very carefully, he walked towards the boat, and once near enough he climbed into the small boat and began gently paddling out to sea.
Once out to sea, he tied the black torch to the helm of the boat, turned it towards the sea and switched it on. He took off his ring and waited for the scrolls to direct him. The scrolls turned into the three dimensional map and an arrow pointed Cezar to the east in the direction of the Land of Shells. Cezar rolled the scroll back up and put the ring back on his middle finger. He began rowing in the direction the scroll had pointed.
The Sea was calm and the moon cast a bright light over the dark sea. Cezar kept on rowing hoping that the sea remained calm. Hours later, Cezar felt a cold breeze blow at him from the direction of the Land of Shells.
Out of nowhere, a forceful wind began to blow and the moon disappeared behind thick black clouds. The sea grew rough and his boat swung from side to side. Cezar struggled to keep the boat steady, he paddled faster trying to get ahead of the storm he thought was approaching. But as he looked ahead a ferocious looking sea monster stood in the middle of the sea. Cezar knew this was what had caused the sea to grow restless.
The sea monster was shaped like a dinosaur with huge dragon like teeth. Cezar stopped rowing, he placed his oars inside his boat and waited. The sea monster came closer and Cezar saw that it possessed a huge long tail and that its body was covered in short sharp spikes interspaced with black shinning scales.
The monster lashed its tail about and waves of water splashed into Cezar's boat causing the boat to rock to and fro. The black torch which Cezar had previously tied to the helm of the boat swung about restlessly and upturned. It cast a bright light on to the Monster's face. The monster became agitated and let out a skin crawling sound.
Cezar reached for the torch and turned it off. The monster’s screams died down. With blood shot eyes it stared at Cezar opening its mouth and revealing very sharp teeth. Cezar picked up his oars and contemplated rowing away from the sea monster.
In the dark, the outline of the monster wasn't clear but the gleam of its teeth stood out. Cezar watched for many moments until the sea monster slowly slid back into the sea and disappeared. Cezar sighed with relief. He wasn’t sure the creature was gone or if it was simply hiding in the water, either way he knew he had to move quickly towards the land of Shells.
He reached out to the turn on the torch and felt the boat rock precariously as huge sea waves pushed it back in the direction he had come.
‘Oh dear!’ Cezar exclaimed. He picked up his oars and began to paddle furiously trying to keep the boat in the direction he wanted it to go which was towards the Land of Shells but his boat continued to be forced backward.
The waves steadily grew, they beat on the sides of the boat, rocking the boat violently, and forcing sea water over Cezar and into the boat.
Cezar’s heartbeat increased at the sight of the sea in his boat, the thought that his boat might over turn and he would be thrown into the raging sea scared him; for though he was a very good swimmer, Cezar had his doubts about swimming in the sea of Valour.
Moments later the sea calmed down a teeny bit and Cezar stopped paddling. He checked the scroll again for directions to the land of Shells. He rolled the scroll back up and it changed into the emerald green ring. Then without any warning, a huge wave beat at his boat with such a great ferocity that Cezar lost his footing and stumbled.
The ring dropped to the floor of the rocking boat and disappeared into the water at the base of the boat.
Cezar threw himself after the ring feeling around for the ring in the water but he couldn’t find it. More Waves hit the boat rocking it ferociously. Cezar reached into his satchel for his yellow torch and turned it on. He flashed it around praying he would find his ring before another huge wave hit the boat and his worst nightmare became a reality.
Still there was no sign of the ring. He lay down on the floor of the boat, dug his head into the water which half-filled the boat and flashed the torch light on inside the water. A sparkle caught his eye on the far end of the boat. He dived in the direction pointing the torch at the sparkle and reached for what he thought he'd seen; but it was simply a reflection from a white stone.
Cezar looked around under the water in desperation. Then his left hand felt something hard. He picked the object up and flashed the torch at it.
It was the green emerald ring. He quickly slid it on the middle finger of his right hand and stood up. As he reached for the oars a final huge wave hit the boa
t and Cezar was flung backwards. Without warning the boat capsized and Cezar was plunged into the sea of valour with the boat over him and slowly sinking.
Cezar was pushed deep down into the sea by the sinking boat. He held his breath and struggled to get out and away from the sinking boat, but the sea was cold and dark and he could hardly see anything.
With his hands and feet, he thrashed about desperately trying to swim away from the boat and couldn’t. He realised that his satchel was stuck on a broken edge of the boat. Cezar pushed and pulled at his satchel he did not want to leave it behind but when he couldn’t get it away from the boat, he quickly took it off his neck and left it behind.
Swift as a fish, he swam trying to get to the surface for some air but the sea was fierce, and much too strong; it was powerful and in control; it did not give Cezar the chance to swim to the surface or stay afloat.
Suddenly, Cezar noticed saw a pair of red blood shot eyes of the sea monster staring at him.
Cezar dived away in the opposite direction but the monster pursed after him, its razor sharp teeth snapping at Cezar's heels.
Another huge wave washed in and the current lifted Cezar carrying him away from the Monster's reach but further out to sea before plunging him deep down into the depths of the salty Sea of Valour.
Cezar tried to swim up towards the surface of the sea but the force of the waves wouldn't let him.
Cezar's lungs burned for air and the salty water stung his eyes. He was no mermaid and as the moments passed with him still holding his breath and struggling to get to the surface of the water; a deep pain developed in his chest that felt as if he was about to burst open.
No longer able to hold his breath and desperately needing air, he gave up trying and let his lungs fill with water. At that point Cezar knew he was drowning and slowly began to sink towards the bottom of the sea.
Total darkness surrounded him as he lost consciousness, then something very strange happened, Cezar felt a very warm hand circle his wrist and pull him up.
Chapter 8 The challenge
When Cezar opened his eyes; he was lying on a soft bed, floating in mid-air in a large room with Apple green coloured walls.
He thought he was dreaming and closed his eyes; but when he opened them again, he was still in the same room.
The room was empty except for the bed he was lying on but there was a feeling of peace and tranquillity all around. He tried to remember how he could have got there but could not.
He remembered leaving home, travelling through the tunnels, getting into the small wooden boat, the boat capsizing during a storm and being chased by the sea monster. He remembered sinking to the bottom of the sea of Valour but his mind just wouldn't remember anything after that.
He thought perhaps he had died and was in heaven.
He was still wearing the clothes he had left home with and they were dry as a desert; but his satchel was nowhere to be found. He remembered leaving it behind when it got stuck on a broken edge of his capsized boat.
Instinctively, his hand reached into his right pocket, he felt the outline of the fairies’ image and smiled to himself. He reached into his left pocket, Zedia's orchard flower was still there. Then he remembered the green emerald ring his father had given him. His heart beat increased. Had he lost it?
He felt around his middle right finger, the ring was still in place. His heartbeat calmed a little. His hand reached round his neck, his mother’s red amulet was still around his neck.
He had the fairies’ statue, and his father’s ring, his mother’s amulet and his buckskin tunic; almost everything he had left home with, which was good news! But where was he?
Cezar closed his eyes, placed both hands over his eyes and willed himself to remember what had happened after he began to drown; and then, as if his mind had been switched on - he remembered!
Someone had taken hold of his wrist and pulled him up as he lay drowning in the sea of Valour.
That someone saved my life, he thought to himself. Cezar surveyed his surrounding more carefully this time. The walls of the room wobbled like jelly on a plate. He got off the floating bed and walked towards the wobbling walls.
The unusual movement of the walls fascinated him and being an inquisitive little soul; he reached out and touched it. His whole hand sunk deep into the wall.
Cezar jerked his hand away but his palm had left an impression in the wall and he smiled. He liked this place already. He put both hands forward to touch the wall but before he could, the walls magically disappeared.
Cezar found himself in the middle of a long hallway so beautifully decorated in gold and purple that he stood staring in awe at his surroundings. He looked to the floor and it was covered in stunning purple stones which shimmered in the light.
Cezar loved any kind of adventure; He took a step forward but stopped himself. He was unsure which way to go. He knew his emerald ring would point him in the right direction but he had a very strong feeling he was not alone, so he decided against using the scrolls.
He decided to go left and just as he took a few steps to his left, a beautiful young girl about the same age as him appeared. She wore a lavender coloured flowing gown covered in pearls and sparkling diamonds and was stunningly beautiful; and she was guarded by eight tall sentries.
‘You are awake,’ the girl said in rhythmical voice, which reminded him of the wind chimes in Ocracidia. Her hair was white as snow, her eyes were clear as glass and her skin was very pale.
Cezar stared at the girl, who was so very different from the girls on Ocracidia, who were a lovely brown colour from the heat of the sun, and who all had golden brown hair.
‘Em! Where am I?’ he asked eyeing the girl’s eight sentries.
‘We’re in Talori, deep within the sea of Valour,’ the girl replied.
‘Talori!’ He gasped.
A small shiver of excitement ran through him.
The City of Talori! Millions of questions raced through his brain cells terribly exciting him.
Had he found the lost city of Talori? Had he really found the mermaid city? And who was the girl standing before him?
Cezar had heard tales about the city of Talori - a massive mermaid city with millions of sea people, all half humans and half fish, which was thought to have been lost almost a century ago and whose queen was said to be the evilest of all the rulers who had ever lived.
He wished Nosa was here with him and felt a tinge of sadness at having to experience this all on his own.
Cezar glanced at the girl. He had never before seen or met mermaid people and this excited him. But where were their fish tails?
And these people standing before him had no scales. In fact, their skin was as smooth as silk, and they definitely didn't look like mermaids to him.
Hmm! He thought to himself . Perhaps this wasn't the same Talori he'd heard tales about. Or...Perhaps they were hiding their tails.
He wondered if they could be imposters; in which case he would have to be very careful!
Cezar tried to appear friendly by smiling at the girl and her eight sentries.
Certainly, the girl was not dangerous; maybe her sentries were, for they looked to him a little disturbing.
His fingers tingled excitedly. Control yourself, Cezar cautioned himself. You don’t know who these people really are.
The young girl looked nothing like an evil ruler to him, but she did have eight sentries. He wondered if she was, the queen of Talori in disguise because she was so splendidly dressed but he quickly decided against that idea, because he thought the queen of Talori had to be much older.
None-the-less he knew the girl must be quiet important to have this many guards even if she was not the queen.
‘Are we deep within the sea?’ He asked after many moments. The young girl did not answer, so he tried again. ‘And I assume you saved me from drowning.'
The girl shook her head in answer. ‘No I did not' she replied.
Cezar felt a little confused, if she d
id not pull him out of the sea, who did?
‘So who are you?’ He asked taking a daring step towards her. The eight sentries took two steps towards him and pointed sharp spears at him. Cezar stopped in his tracks. Now he was sure the girl was a very important person.
For the first time since she appeared, the young girl smiled at him.
‘I’m the princess Moshen of Talori, the next in line after my mother, Queen Elena of Talori.
Cezar raised his eyebrows, so this really was Talori; he thought to himself. His excitement doubled.
'Oh my! Oh my!' he exclaimed no longer able to hide his feelings. ‘And where if I may ask is Queen Elena?’ Cezar asked coyly.
If this queen Elena was the same evil queen he had heard about, he wanted to be sure to avoid her but he was not to be that lucky because instead of answering his question Princess Moshen turned and said, ‘follow me.’
Cezar was not sure if this was a good or bad thing and as he stood trying to decide; four of the princess’ sentries ushered him roughly along.
‘Move!’ They ordered.
Cezar did not bother arguing or resisting because the sentries were much taller than he and they were armed with swords in their scabbard as well as spears which they pointed at him.
Like Princess Moshen, the sentries too had hair that was white as snow. Cezar was just a wee bit scared of them; but that was not at all because of the shining silver swords they carried, nor because of their long sharp spears nor because they were as tall as two fully grown men, nor even because their hair was white as snow. It was because their eyes were black as coal and when they looked at him, it seemed they were looking right into his soul.
Cezar followed Princess Moshen through long and winding corridors, with the sentries close on his heels. They passed walls covered with all manner of living, sea-creatures which bowed in reverence as Princess Moshen walked past and when Cezar stretched out a hand to touch one of the living sea creatures the four Sentries behind him pointed their spears at him sending cold shivers down his spine. Cezar realised it was a bad idea and retreated from touching them.
The Sea of Valour -The Ocracidia Series 1 Page 3
