Louis in the Land of Tetra

by Frank J. Ling

  “I want you to say the last part of the prophecy for everyone, but how did you know I understood, Chalandoor?”

  “Your eyes told me you did. See it in your eyes, I could.”

  Chalandoor said to everyone, “Listen to the words of the prophecy. This day have these words been fulfilled. Listen and understand. Understand and listen.

  One without the other, this can never become,

  for if the two are separated the Final Battle cannot be won.

  No hope of triumph, success or glory in any shape they will say,

  only despair and defeat to follow all the rest of the days.

  But if the two are victorious, it will perplex and amaze,

  for those who once were, will change in all of their ways.”

  “The prophecy, it speaks of us, does it not?” Qruzer asked.

  “Yes. You are ‘those who once were,’” Chalandoor replied.

  “And we have been changed in all our ways. . .” Qruzer replied.

  “Could someone explain all of this to me?” asked Crystal.

  “The last phrases indicate a change of some sort. It is something or someone that changes,” Mr. Bixbee pointed out.

  “The Shadow Warriors! Their armor changed. . .” said Gus.

  “Not only has our armor changed, but I believe we have changed as well. No longer do I have the old desires and motivations. I do not understand it as much as I feel it is true,” said Qruzer.

  Indeed, the prophecy was fulfilled to the last verse. The Shadow Warriors, who were once the terror of all who lived on Tetra, were not only transformed in their physical appearance, but by their inner being as well.

  Louis took the occasion to set a new course for the transformed army and pronounced:

  “You, the Shadow Warriors of old are no longer. I make a decree to you all, that, from this day on, you will cease to make war. You will serve as the guardians of the citizens of Tetra. You no longer will be called The Shadow Warriors. I now proclaim you forevermore to be known as the Warriors of Light!

  “I charge you to protect the weak, defend the helpless, and oppose evil. It is your destiny and it is my command.

  “Qruzer, you will have the authority as my second-in-command. You are to lead this tribe in my absence.”

  “You are leaving us?” said Qruzer sadly. “But you are my first friend. Must you leave me? What will I do without your guidance?”

  “I have faith in you, my friend. I am confident that you and your army will carry out my orders to the letter. Tetra is not my true home, and I must return to where I came from. Here, take your sword. Rule well in my absence.”

  Qruzer knelt and bowed down to his new king and for the first time in his life, cried.

  “I will miss you,” he said. “I will not disappoint you. I swear it.”

  Hundreds of swords gleamed brightly in the air; no longer to destroy but to protect.

  It was a new beginning for Tetra.

  CHAPTER 16

  RETURN TO RESIDENCE

  Everyone waved goodbye to the newly christened Warriors of Light. Louis and his friends crossed back on the giant log, over the ravine, and back through the transport portal to Chalandoor’s village.

  They were greeted by the cheers and celebration of the Wise Ones and their families.

  “Happy they are. They know that the Shadow Warriors are no more,” Chalandoor said. “Word will spread throughout the land of your victory, it will.”

  “Well, it’s been a most unbelievable adventure. I don’t know what to say except, how do we go home?” Louis said excitedly.

  Gus and Crystal agreed and said, “Us too!”

  Shining Star offered his thanks and gratitude. “I am honored to call you my friends. I will miss you a great deal. Will you come and visit us again?”

  “I don’t know Shining Star. It was an ‘accident’ which brought us here. Maybe one day we will come again. . .”

  “But not too soon! I think I need a few months to recover!” said Gus.

  “Mr. Bixbee, what will you do after we go?” asked Crystal.

  “I will keep watch and help the Warriors of Light accomplish their goals. Since I still do not possess a lost item to return back to Earth, I might as well make myself of use to the inhabitants here. Shining Star will help me in my duties to assist the Warriors of Light. He is quite wise and has become a fine friend.”

  They followed Chalandoor into his hut. He flipped through the Book of Tetra and stopped at the blank page they had seen before.

  “Here is what you seek. The way home is here.”

  “What is this? There still isn’t anything on this page. Are you playing a trick on us?” asked Louis.

  “No. I deceive you not. You look but cannot see. Do not look with your eyes, but see with your heart. The answer will appear.”

  “Doesn’t this guy ever say anything that we can understand?” Gus asked.

  Louis concentrated as hard as he could but was unsuccessful in seeing anything on the empty page.

  “Can’t you give me some help? I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” Louis said with frustration.

  Crystal came up to him and said, “You can do it, Louis. We’ve come this far already. If Chalandoor says the answer is there, it must be there, right?”

  Her simple logic jolted Louis into a clear understanding.

  “Crystal, ever since we started on this journey, you’ve been the one who has helped me to overcome my doubts. You encouraged me when I didn’t think there was a way out. You gave me strength to believe, to believe in things that I couldn’t see.

  “I think I understand now. We were able to make it through all of this because we believed when there was no reason to believe. The friendship we developed between all of us became stronger because we believed in the unbelievable.

  “What I’m trying to say is that the real things that are most important are not the things we see, but are the things that can’t be seen, such as friendship, loyalty, love, and faith. These things are more powerful than the sharpest sword or greatest weapon. The unseen things have a power of their own.”

  As Louis and Crystal pondered this, faint words began to form on the page.

  “The time has come for the words to appear. All things have occurred as they were meant to be,” Chalandoor said.

  “What does the book say?” Gus asked.

  The Wise One waited until the writing was completely visible and read the freshly formed words:

  “If the battle was won, these words will appear,

  They can only be seen without doubt, without fear.

  The lost items that were found are neither objects nor things,

  the friendships that are strong will make a new ring.

  Those who stand together will never be alone,

  for this is also the answer to the way to go home.”

  “Oh, no. Another puzzle? When will it all stop?” Crystal sighed.

  “Don’t worry, Crystal. I already know the answer to this one. After all we have been through, the answer is so obvious, I couldn’t possibly miss it.”

  “Well, I hate to sound dumb, but I don’t see it,” Crystal said.

  “I have to agree with Crystal. I don’t know what it means either,” agreed Gus.

  “The thing that we lost wasn’t a physical object, it was our innocence. We used to believe in the unexplained and mysterious. But somehow, as we grew older, we threw these sorts of ideas away, and now we know that anything can happen if we believe. Since coming here to Tetra, I think we all have found this part of our lives again. . .the ability to believe.”

  “Okay, but how is that going to get us back home, Louis,” Crystal asked.

  “We form a ring. We’ll all hold hands. Somehow, this will get us back home. That’s the answer to the puzzle. The words say,

  ‘. . .the friendships that are strong will make a new ring,

  for this is also the answer to the way to go home.’”

  “But we could
have done that a long time ago. Why didn’t we do it back then? We could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble!” Gus said.

  “We had doubts and fears. We were too involved in our own problems. This all gradually changed during our journeys here on Tetra. Our friendship became stronger. . .much stronger. We’re different now. We aren’t the same anymore. That’s why this will work now and not before. The last words of the prophecy couldn’t appear unless we learned this lesson.”

  “Wise you have become since I first met you, brave one. Glad am I that you now understand.”

  Crystal, Gus, and Louis gave Shining Star, Chalandoor, and Mr. Bixbee a hug.

  “The inhabitants of Tetra will long remember what you have done. We won’t forget you,” said Shining Star. “I want you to have these as a reminder of our friendship.”

  He turned his head back and plucked out two large feathers from one of his wings.

  “Here, these are for you. Remember me whenever you gaze upon them.”

  “Thank you Shining Star. We would never forget you,” Louis said through tear filled eyes. He placed the two precious feathers into one of the empty food sacks.

  Mr. Bixbee shook hands with everyone and said, “It has truly been the adventure of my life. I want to thank you for teaching this old man the value of believing. I shall miss you all. And Gus, please don’t be lax in the strengthening of your vocabulary and mental resources.”

  “I will not, Mr. Bixbee. Thanks for being a great friend.”

  Gus, Crystal, and Louis held their hands together to form the ring.

  “Goodbye everyone,” Louis said.

  A familiar glow enveloped them and shimmered. Within moments, a large opening formed below them, and, in a flash, they disappeared from view.

  “Goodbye my good friends. Again we will meet one day,” Chalandoor said prophetically.

  #

  The journey back was virtually instantaneous. Within a fraction of a second, they found themselves at the bottom of a narrow tunnel. They climbed up one by one and realized they had returned the same way they entered Tetra — through the bottom of the garbage can.

  “We’re home! We’re home again! Oh, I’m so happy I could cry! As a matter of fact, I think I will!” said Crystal.

  Gus and Louis gave each other a “high five” and jumped for joy. They shouted at the top of their voices in celebration and didn’t care who heard them.

  “Hey, you kids! What on earth do you think you’re doing!” asked the school custodian.

  “Did you say Earth? Now that’s a wonderful word,” said Gus.

  “Well, are you going to answer me, or will I have to call the principal? Its way past 6:00 PM. Shouldn’t you all be home by now?”

  “You’re right! We should be home!” They all ran from the yard and scrambled quickly back to their houses.

  “Strange kids,” the janitor said. “They act as though they haven’t been home for months.”

  #

  They all apologized to their parents for being missing for so long, but their parents were puzzled by their comments.

  “What do you mean you’ve been missing for months? I saw you just this morning while I was looking for my double hearted ring. Are you making up stories, Louis?” his mother asked.

  “No, Mom. Not at all. It’s just that, well, I never really appreciated being home as much as I do now.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way, Louis. I was getting concerned about you lately. You seem so distant and bored,” his mom confessed.

  “Oh no, Mom. I won’t ever say that I have a boring life ever again. In fact, I like it nice and peaceful!”

  His mother looked at him strangely and wondered what had come over Louis to change his attitude so much.

  CHAPTER 17

  REFLECTIONS OF RECOLLECTIONS

  Louis, Crystal, and Gus were unusually quiet at school the next day. The adventure they had on Tetra had only registered as a few hours back on Earth. They didn’t understand it but were just happy to be home. They talked briefly to each other during recess and lunchtime, but they waited anxiously for the final school bell, so they could leave and talk in more depth about what had happened to them.

  The long day finally ended and they all rushed over to Louis’s house.

  “My parents said that I was only late by an hour. I tried to tell them that I was gone for a few months and they gave me a look like I was crazy. Nobody is going to believe what we went through!” said Gus.

  “The same thing happened to me too. My mother thought I was being silly for making up stories and said if I didn’t quit it, she would ground me. All I did was just laugh. She thought I was acting really weird,” Crystal added.

  “Did we really do what we did?” asked Gus with sudden doubt.

  “Hey, you sound just like Chalandoor,” she giggled.

  “I don’t know guys. I’m certain that we were gone for a very long time. I remember everything that happened to us. But I’m beginning to feel a little uneasy about all of this. Did we really go through all of that?” Gus asked.

  “Why of course we did!” Crystal insisted. “Everything happened just like we all remember. Don’t doubt, Gus. You know it was all true.”

  “Yeah, well, I guess you’re right. But it’s all so fantastic. Maybe I’m just afraid that it was all a dream or something.”

  “Tetra was scary and wonderful all at the same time. I’d really like to go back and visit someday,” Crystal said.

  “Not yet! I need to enjoy my nice quiet life for a while. I just want to be a plain, normal kid and not fight tribal leaders for a while, thank you,” Louis laughed. “In the meantime, we have to keep the memories alive because it’s all we have of our journey to Tetra.”

  “Wait, we do have something! Don’t you remember? Shining Star gave us two of his feathers just before we left!” Crystal said excitedly.

  “That’s right!” Louis ran to his closet and pulled out one of the worn food sacks they carried around all during their journey.

  He reached in for the long graceful feathers. The bag seemed to be empty.

  “There aren’t any feathers in the bag. In all the excitement before we left Tetra, I must have taken the wrong sack! I can’t believe I did such a dumb thing,” Louis said disgusted with himself.

  “I wanted so much to see those feathers of Shining Star. It would have been nice to look at them every so often. Shining Star was so brave,” Crystal said.

  They continued their talk of the grand adventure in Tetra when the food sack suddenly moved.

  “Hey, there’s something moving inside!” Crystal said.

  “But the bag was empty. There shouldn’t be anything in there,” Louis replied.

  “Well, there’s something in it now. Find out what it is, Louis!”

  This time, Louis reached in all the way to the bottom of the sack and felt a small furry object he had not noticed before. He took a hold of it and pulled it out.

  “Hi everyone! Did you miss me?”

  “Kompaqk! What are you doing here?” Crystal said excitedly. She wasn’t just happy to see him, she was relieved to see him. He was living proof that their adventure was real.

  “I know what happened. I used to keep Kompaqk in my front dress pocket until he became too heavy. That’s when we put him in one of the food sacks. I guess you picked up the one with Kompaqk in it instead of the one with the feathers, Louis.”

  “Well, this is going to be a problem,” Louis said.

  “Why? Kompaqk is so cute and cuddly. We can all take care of him!” she said.

  “That’s not the problem. How are we going to explain what Kompaqk is? I mean, there are no such things as small furry talking orange bunnies on Earth!”

  “Well, what are we going to do?” Gus asked.

  “I think I’ve got an idea,” Louis said.

  He brought Kompaqk to his fish tank.

  “Do you think you could change into one of those?”

  “Yes. That should be v
ery easy. The creatures live in water, but I should be able to adapt to that.”

  Kompaqk transformed in Louis’s hand and jumped into the tank.

  “What happened?” Crystal said.

  “I asked Kompaqk to change into one of my fish. . .a tetra! He should feel safe in the tank with all the other little fish.”

  “But there’s one thing you have to tell him,” Crystal said.

  “What’s that?”

  “You better tell him to stop smiling. He’s the only fish in there that has a big smile on his face.”

  “So, I guess, you could say that Kompaqk is home again, since he is in a world of tetras,” Gus offered.

  They all grinned and felt very happy to be home at last, where things were wonderfully typical. . .at least for now.

  About the Author

  Frank J. Ling was a simple and humble man, yet he was multifaceted and uniquely talented.

  He wanted the truth to be known, understood his own shortcomings, stood up for the underdogs, the underserved, and the marginalized. He did not mince words, told it like it is, and sometimes had to be reminded to be diplomatic.

  He believed in honesty, loyalty, and justice. A man of integrity and compassion, Frank held dear to his heart that everyone deserves a chance to succeed in life. He also believed that with the support of God, family, community, and friends, anything was possible.

  Frank was far more than a husband, father, and friend. He was a special individual, one who touched the lives of those whom he came in contact with. He lived his life by strong morals and faith, no matter what situation came to be. Although he may not be with us physically, he will forever live in our hearts and watch over us from above.