The Lost Quest

“We’ve been falling for hours.”

“I don’t see the end.” Said Yannic as both of the men fell into the dark tunnel which led to few more kilometers of darkness before they could see the light.

Bumping on the walls, they heard the dripping sound of the water all over the place in that moist environment. But to their surprise no one had ever felt a drop of water on their skin. They were slipping down the tunnel for so long.

After few more hours of falling, Yannic saw a small ray of light through the tunnel.

“There’s the light! There’s the light.” Pointed Yannic as they bumped against the wall and travelled towards the light.

“Finally!!” Shouted Yannic and landed on the grey grass, at the end of the tunnel.

“Sushhh!! Lower your sound, they might just hear you.”

“Who’s going to hear?”

Zohar slowly creeped the nearest bush, and moved it aside.

“Why is everything grey?”

Exclaimed Yannic.

“Sushhh!”

They could see people walking around. Must be a small town. There were group of people fetching water from the nearest well. Groups of little lasses running around. Men carrying pots of wines. Some women selling goodies to the children, nearby.

“This must be the major marketing area of the town. But, why’s everyone so grey, they don’t have any light in their face?” asked Yannic. Zohar slowly turned around.

“We should hide.” gasped Zohar

“What?”

They could see people turning towards the bushes. Men, Women, Children.

“There they are.” Pointed one of them towards the bush.

“Power!”

“Power!”

“POWER!”

Everyone started walking towards them. Saying the only word. “POWER!”

“Run Yannic! They’re going to kill us,”

said Zohar as he pushed Yannic on his shoulder.

Yannic and Zohar ran through the bushy ground. Zohar pulled Yannic beside a large bunch of tall grass. He mumbled some chants and put him inside the cloak. A group of those grey people were approaching them towards the grass.

“Zohar!”

“They’re going to see us.” Whispered Yannic. “They have arrived the bushes” he shuddered Zohar.

Zohar held him tight “We’re invisible under this cloak.”

“Where are they?” said one of them.

“I had seen them running this way,” another said.

“I wanted to rip them off and feed on their power,” said the Next.

“Power!” “Power!” everyone mumbled.

One of the grey men went near the tall grass. “I had seen them tuck right here.” He got closer to the men hiding under the cloak.

“He will know, we’re here if he touches

us.” Zohar whispered, Yannic into his ear. Their heart beat grew faster as the grey man stepped ahead. Nearer the man got, louder got the heartbeat. “He just might hear my beat.” whispered Yannic. Zohar shut his mouth with his hand.

“There’s new heir in the town! New heir in the town.” Suddenly they heard someone yelling from a distance.

“New heir! New heir!” they heard the humming from the crowd.

“Yes, the hallway is going to brighten up again. We’re going to get power.”

“Power! “ “Power!”

Everyone started following the messenger, towards the town. After every grey person was gone, Zohar slowly pulled off the cloak.

“Holy god! What was that? What’s with the power?”

“These people are people of Ariman, the evil ruler. Evil runs through their veins. They don’t have any light of soul, they’re dead inside so they look so grey. They are always searching for the good light to lighten up their souls a bit. Small portion of holy royal bloods even human blood will help them get few powers. They’re always hungry for the light.”

“They nearly got us.” Yannic wiped sweat from his forehead.

“Well! Welcome to Peninha, My lord. This is what your lands like.” Smiled the wizard.

“What heir do you think they were talking about?”

“We have to look for it.”

“Well! Let’s go then.”

“We cannot go like this,” Zohar took off his cloak. “This will make you invisible once you put the hanging cap over your head.

“So, I would move invisible all around the town?”

“No! You should not be hiding under the cloak unless the right moment comes.”

“But, we cannot move around looking like this. They will recognize by our skin color.”

“Exactly! I have a solution.” He pulled out small bottle of potion through the pocket of the cloak.

“The color of wild flowers.” He poured some drops on his palms and started dabbing all over the face.

“What are you doing?”

“Painting myself grey.” He poured few more drops and colored his beard grey.

Yannic could not hold but laugh. “What kind of person paints his beard grey?”

“Wizard of Peninha, the Evil one.” smiled Zohar, showing his crooked teeth.

“So does the lord to be of Peninha.” Agreed Yannic and started to dab the potion all over his face and the exposed part of his limbs.

“We must look similar to them.”

Zohar and Yannic then passed through the grassy lane towards the graveled alley of the town. There they saw a person stained with blood and mud with white cloth wrapped around his waist tied to chains and dragged on the street. After him were

other people of Peninha dancing, shouting

and throwing pebbles at him.

“Take him to hall way. Give us the Power!” shouted one of them.

“Power!”

“Power!” followed others.

“He ain’t from here. He’s a human.” said Zohar and turned towards Yannic.

“That’s Aiden!” said Yannic. He could recognize his little brother behind the stains of mud and blood.

“Yeah! They’re taking them to the hall way of the castle.” Exclaimed d Zohar.

“I cannot see him like this.” Yannic stepped ahead to stop all the tortures, they were giving to his little brother. Zohar pulled him back. “They are not going to kill him.”

“Did you forget, how these demons jumped over us few moments ago, just because they thought we were some normal human? You think, they’re going to leave the royal blood?”

“Yes, he’s the royal blood, but he ain’t the heir. His blood would do nothing to the holy pool on the king’s hall way.”

“So, why are they dragging him like this?”

“Demons! They want you, my lord. He’s your beloved and they know you’ll stop them, if you’ve arrived here. They will use every bit of his breath to find you.”

“Really? But how can I see him get hurt like this?”

“Few more moments, my lord, just hold on for few more moments. When you’ll sit on the throne and gain the blessings, powers of lord Aerius, you’ll invade them all and save him.”

“I don’t know anything else. I just want my brother back.” “Let’s move ahead.”

Yannic and Zohar followed the crowd that had been throwing pebbles, abusing the young lad dragged towards the king’s castle. On the way, they saw bare trees with grey trunks. There were no leaves, nor green grasses on the bottom. All they could see were dead grey as if everything was burnt.

“Give us power! Take him fast!” shouted another. They started dragging him recklessly.

Yannic could hear his screams in the sound of the humming crowd.

“They’re going to kill him.”

“He ain’t going to die this easily,” said Zohar. “He’s the royal blood, brother of lord Aerius. You should stay strong.”

Yannic wiped his tears and followed the crowd. After walking for few more hours, they reached the main gate of the castle.

“New Heir’s here!” shouted one of them.

The gate slowly opened and they felt the immense warmth, after a long time. It was something so familiar like home.

“It’s so warm in here.” Yannic felt tiny warm ray tickling his face. The dreary feeling of that gloomy grey land was all gone. All the screams, sounds faded away. Grey people who were dead inside, the blood stains on the streets, his brother, even Zohar blurred away. He was home. He could feel green fluffy grass beneath his feet. Gentle breeze running through the gaps of his finger. He smelled the soft scent of blossoming flowers in the royal garden. He walked few meter on the grass lane where he saw some girls picking golden apples from the trees nearby. He heard the birds chirping and tweeting. At a distance, there was a large fountain with a pond around it. He slowly moved towards it. He saw the colors of rainbow from the striking rays of sun to the fountain. As he got closer, he saw his own reflection on the mirror of spreading water. The shimmering shine upon his face. He didn’t know he had grown a mustache. He could see himself dressed in a yellow golden dress with a dark green cape and a huge golden crown over his head. He felt like the lord! After a moment, he heard a huge sound as if a large drum was hit with something tough. Once, Twice, Thrice. The sound of the drum echoed all over the place. He heard the sound of flapping birds that flew away from the echo. He saw a small man running towards him with a red turban on.

“My lord! It’s the time to attend the hall way.”

He followed the little man who led him towards a beautiful golden door. The door was beautifully crafted. It had faces of ancient gods and goddesses. Different precious ivories attached in it were sparkling the lights, and were visible from a distance. An elegant piece of art, the majestic beauty he could see. Then he felt the door open slowly, an intense ray of light fell upon his face. The light was so intense and bright, he could not open his eyes. He tried stop the light hitting his eyes with a hand. The light glittered more and more. He was there, standing in front of the king’s hallway.

Huge wooden pillars richly crafted with gorgeous artistry. A huge golden throne above the series of wide long stairs. Before them was the pool filled with blood from where the bright light was immerging. There was no one in the hallway. Yannic walked towards the throne in the hallway. He heard the squeaky sound through the corners of the hall. There he saw the cages with golden lights trapped inside at a certain distance on the each side. The light of the pool slowly started fading away.

The pool of blood was empty. The squeaky lights in the hallway started squeaking harder. Yannic turned around, he was standing there alone in the dark old room. He looked towards his feet, he saw the same old rugged pajamas under the cloak. He looked up, the beautiful walls suddenly were all covered with spider webs. He heard the swinging sound of the

door slowly closing behind him. He was alone trapped in the hallway.

“Welcome to Peninha, lord Aerius!” Then he heard sound from behind.