Bridge to the sky

The Necklace and The lion.

The Reeve family had little money, like nearly all the families in Varafes, however they were much happier than the royal family who had plenty of money. You may be wondering, how they can be so happy living in a tiny house with not enough food on their plates to survive. Well it’s because they loved each other, and they spent lots of their evenings together telling each other exciting stories.
"Daddy. Will you tell me a story? Not one you've made up a real one!" Said Peter Reeve to his father, before bed time.
'Hmm ok let me see if I can remember a true story.' He replied.
After several moments of thought he finally spoke.
'This one is called ‘The Tear Necklace’. Long ago when the Angels were making Varafes about 500 years ago, a necklace was given to the first royal Ravenur by the Angels, Queen Isabella. It is said the pendent is made of the frozen tear of an Angel and was encased in gold swirls to protect it. The necklace allows anyone with the bloodline of the first royal Ravenur, to change their form to any animal, but only to bring peace and balance to all the land. Nobody else can wear the necklace or it will take their soul. This is to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hand."
"How do you know it’s a true story?" said Peter sleepily.
"Before I worked in the Farm, I worked as the Kings butler. My friend and colleague, Henry couldn’t afford to buy any food for his family, and he thought that it would be alright to just take one of the king’s items, since he wouldn't miss it. This item happened to be the tear necklace. I witnessed him put on the necklace, and take his soul. I looked through many books, to find out about the necklace and if there was a way I could bring back my friend’s soul, but it was not use he was gone."
What Mr. Reeve didn't know was that there were actually 2 necklaces therefore 2 rightful rulers; The Ravenurs and the Lions. Whilst the Ravenurs were meant to bring peace the lions were meant Prosperity. Everyone in Varafes believes that lions are extinct, but that isn't true.
When the angels had just finished creating the world, the lions helped the Ravenurs build Varafes in return the lions were promised to rule alongside the Ravenurs. It took many years to build Varafes, and allot of work. The queen Ravenur built Varafes because it was a home, to all where they could live peacefully. A spell was cast to prevent evil monsters and spirits from entering the city, creating a barrier, which was taller than the sky; this ensured that nothing could fly across the barrier. That was what the lions were led to believe, but in reality the lions and all the other animals were cast out, to live beyond the barrier that the spell had cast, in the harsh conditions whilst the Ravenurs and humans lived in Varafes. They had been tricked and lied to, yet two animals from each species were allowed to live in the castle except for the lions, because they had left them to die out so the Ravenurs could be the only superior beings.
I'm sure by now you're thinking the royal family are all evil, but that’s not entirely true there have been some good Queens and Kings since then, but even so only the lions and the queen know the true origins of Varafes.
The Angel’s Curse.
When I was born I was different from all the other Ravenurs. I had a scaly blue fin instead of legs and gills on my neck but I did have dazzling wings, and pointy ears like all the other Ravenurs. These things allowed me to swim under water like a fish.
The midwife Ravenur that brought me into the world knew that I was a Huntrea Ravenur, for he had delivered one before. I am a Ravenur but with a genetic mutation. I consider myself to be superior since I have evolved to survive in the water, but others see me as deformed and even repulsive.
Because of my uniqueness, my mother and father both feared and despised me. I never felt any love in my early life. For the first 8 years of my life, I lived in a lake that my parents bought. But I was ‘freed’ into the Aquarius Ocean at the tender age of 9. I thought it was because I had disgraced my family’s good name, and that my was mother ashamed of me. For this I was abruptly abandoned by my family. I felt I was no longer wanted.
I swam the depth of the ocean for days on end just looking for some land that I could rest on. After a week my fin begun to ache, finding fish to eat became more difficult and drinking sea water was unbearable. Desperately I fought against sleep, for I knew not what perils might await me if I rested.
It seemed like months, until I found a beach. I soon fell into a deep sleep. The soft golden sand was my bed and the cool water was my blanket. Perhaps I dreamt but I can’t really remember. I learnt from an early age that you often forget dreams, but nightmares are much different, they haunt your memory. When I awoke I was filled with such a deep passion in my heart and a longing to be ‘normal’ and accepted by others. In my desperate and weakened state and without a second thought, I found the sharpest rock I could and started sawing away my fin. My screams seemed to suppress the pain, which motivated me to carry on. I remember my deep red blood staining the waves then diluting as the rolling tide came in. I remember so well the agonizing pain and despairingly wondering, why the Angels had cursed me. At long last, I was finally able to stop and fell into a deep sleep.
When I awoke again I was half in the water, with the small rocks and shell debris of the water’s verge irritating my back. Slowly I became aware I was not alone.
I began to hear tiny giggles and whispers. I looked around me and saw them in the water, tiny creatures only about ten centimeters. They looked very much like humans but seemed to be able to walk on the surface of the water. They seemed intelligent, as they were able to use their resources to their full potential, but were primitive creatures in their appearance this was because of their torn clothes and, the belt full of sharp knives made of what seemed like a sharks tooth.
One of them spoke, to me.
“Who are you, creature?” it asked.
I was hesitant to reply, but I finally did.
“I am a Ravenur, my name is Karina”.
They laughed and pointed at my fin, seeming puzzled and riddled with curiosity.
“What kind of creatures are you and where am I?” I wanted to know as I looked around to see about twenty tiny eyes staring at me.
“Why we are Nymphs, and you are on our beach. We saw you lying there covered in blood, and wanted to help you, and so we took you to our rock pools.” Said the Nymph with torn leaves for clothes.
As I watched, they had used some sort of herbal medicine on my cut. Seeing this, I naturally assumed they wanted to help me, so I explained to the little creatures that I was a Huntrea Ravenur, and I told them the story of how I got on their beach. I asked them if they could help me get my legs back.
I drew my attention to a nymph with short black hair, and defined cheekbones. She finally spoke, saying:
“We may be able to help you. We were born as small fire fish, which swam in this very ocean. We each chose to turn into nymphs in spite of the fact that the change is irreversible, it was a fairly long process, but we are uncertain if it will work on Ravenurs who are half fish.” She explained rhythmically, as though her voice was intertwined with the tides.
“I will do anything for you all if you can turn me into a normal Ravenur. It doesn’t matter what it may cost. I have nothing to lose, all I want is to look normal and be accepted.”
“For this to happen takes time and patience. It will take up to 2 weeks for you to get legs. During that time it will be necessary to keep you in a deep sleep because the transformation is excruciating. You must collect several items: First; a pearl from the mother of all oysters herself and a single strand of the greenest seaweed. Finally, you must call the Elder Fish to you, using this conch shell, for she is the only one who can carry out the procedure” explained the dark haired nymph carefully.
I asked “Why do I need a pearl and some seaweed?”
“The pearl is the essence new life, any new life. The Elder Fish can combine the genes of the pearl with some your genes. The resulting new genes can then be used to replace your old mutated genes so that you will have legs. Once even one of the cells has the new genetic information, all of them will copy it and your legs will form. As for the seaweed, it is the most powerful anesthetic in all of Varafes; a single leaf is enough to knock you out for 2 weeks.”
“What is Varafes, are we there now?”
“You mean to say you’ve never heard of Varafes, you were most certainly born there? I’ll try explaining it as best as I can. Right now you are on an island just outside of Varafes. The First ten Ravenurs with the help of many animals created the city of Varafes, with ‘Angels keep’ at its heart, where all royal creatures live.”
“And what are the first 10 Ravenurs?” I looked down to hide my embarrassment for not knowing.
“You really know nothing of the origins of this world. Well the Angles created the first ten Ravenurs about five hundred years ago. Ravenurs are the peace keepers of this world. Out of the first ten, only one was chosen to be Queen of the Ravenurs, this was Queen Isabella.”
I understood what she was saying and proceeded with gathering the ingredients for my transformation.
2 weeks had passed and the nymphs had told me of the great invisible barrier separating Varafes and the rest of the world. They kept asking me how it was possible that I was able to travel across the barrier. I had devised many theories on the matter and came to one conclusion: my parents used a black magic spell to create a hole in the wall so I could live on the other side, so they could abandon me.
I faced a dilemma, I didn’t know whether to stay with the nymphs on the small island with my new fond legs or return home to an unloving family. The decision was clear to me; I would stay on the island for the rest of my days.
As I got older I came to regret changing my body, for I was not strong enough, to be happy in my natural form. I also found a new family; one that wouldn’t be ashamed of me, that I loved, this family was the nymphs.
Shadows and Foxes.
Beyond the barrier, live many creatures. They are not beasts, monsters or evil spirits, as the people of Varafes are led to believe. But the conditions are terrible. Closest to the barrier is the white forest, beyond this there are mountains and a dessert. There are 5 undiscovered islands (1 of which is home to a Ravenur.)
The shadow phoenixes are gentle birds that live in the mountains but a year ago, but a war raged between them and the foxes. Many of the Foxes young were dying in the freezing cold winter so they asked the shadow phoenixes if they could share their land in the mountains, since they had cast a spell to keep their area warm in winter. They refused their offer since they had no room for more animals. The foxes were angry so as revenge slaughtered all the young shadow phoenixes in the night, to show them what it was like to lose their children, as the foxes had. The shadow phoenixes attacked the foxes, by removing their ability to hear for a short time, but foxes rely on their sense of smell, and were able to fight back. The Shadow phoenixes were outnumbered. Many phoenixes died that night and the remaining 4 fled. They hate Ravenurs since they are meant to keep peace, and in their time of desperation they did not come to their aid.
They fled to some caves
Dark Skies- part 1- Kyra
“My Lady, I have brought you some lunch in bed, since I heard you were not well” said one of the butlers.
“Thank you. Are you new? And please call me Kyra.” I spoke as best I could with my sore throat.
“Yes, My Lady. I mean Kyra. I am new here. It’s my first day.”
He turned to leave once he had set the tray bedside the table.
“Stay with me, please. Keep me company while I eat. What’s your name?”
“As you wish, but I can only stay for a little while. My name is Rory”
“Why, you have no wings!”
“That’s because I’m not a Ravenur, I’m a human.”
“I bet you had trouble navigating through the castle!”
“It was difficult but I’m just getting to familiarize myself with the place! I didn’t even know that your room is under the water!”
“It is made entirely of transparent sapphire glass, so you can see the falling water around you. You can even see millions of tiny fish struggle to swim up the falls before they met their deadly fate”
We spoke for quite some time after that. He told me that his mother dyeing when he was young, and that he never knew his father. I told him about my bad relationship with my father, and how he is never around. He listened so closely and seemed sympathetic.
We shared our interests, I told I’m that I loved exploring, but my dad would hardly ever let me out of the castle. When he heard that, he asked me to go with him to his secret place tomorrow. I accepted but only if I was well enough.
“Kyra. Let’s go, are you ready?” said Luke, in a hushed voice
“Yes, all ready. How do I look?” I said, as I came out in blue long dress.
“Beautiful!”
My Heart sort of fluttered, since I had never been called beautiful before.
He held my hand, and we crept through the corridors of the castle and beyond until we were through the village. I never realized how small all the houses were and how close together, since the houses near the castle are considerably larger.
We came to river, which was wide enough to jump across, but it was deep enough to drown.
“Give me your hand, I’ll help you across” said Rory.
“I’m in the wrong clothes; I don’t think I can jump across without falling in.” I said, a bit disheartened.
“Don’t worry, you can trust me, grab my hand. I promise I won’t let you fall in.”
I leapt across, whilst holding his outstretched hand, and landed beside him.
“Why didn’t you just fly across?” he said laughing.
“Well, I didn’t want you to feel left out since you don’t have any wings.” I said, whilst blushing when, in actual fact I just wanted to hold his hand again and reassure me.
“Oh, ok! What do you think of my home?” he said enthusiastically.
It was a small cottage, with only one room, however it looked cosy and was in a remote area behind the library, no one would even bother to come to such a hidden area.
“Your home I very cosy! I really like it, but why is it so well hidden? By the way, thank you for helping me, even though you didn’t need to.”
“This was my parent’s house; I grew up in this house. They built it so we had a garden and some privacy unlike all the other cottages which are very close together, this one is isolated. What is the castle like?”
I loved that he had so much adoration for his home.
“Well it is built in the middle of a magnificent waterfall. There are two bridges across the waterfall with huge arcs to let the rushing water through, with the castle resting on a platform between the two bridges. There are twenty five rooms in the castle some were very high up whilst others were under the waterfall itself.”
“Yes I’ve been to your room. It was where we first met; it felt like we were really under water!” He replied.
“Why are you staring at me so much?” I asked.
He smiled sweetly at me and tilted his head as though he was thinking. Then he leaned in. I felt his soft lips press up against mine.
The wind suddenly rushed through my hair, almost knocking me of my feet. We both smiled at each other. I felt breathless afterwards, like I never wanted the moment to end.
“Come out with me again tomorrow. We can take a boat out to the Farm Islands, or go to the library. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go.” He said.
“What if my parents find out I've been sneaking out?”
“Then they find out, but wouldn’t you rather risk it?”
After that, we snuck out a lot. Before long, I started to fall in love with him. When he told me he loved me too we were in a rice field on the Farm Island. It was late at night and he brought a picnic. It was really romantic. When he told me, I was overcome with joy, I wanted to tell everyone, but he was the only person I could tell anything to.
“Kyra, Where are you off too in such a rush?” Mum’s voice echoed through the corridors.
“I was just going to the gardens.”
“Kyra, do you take me for a fool! I know you’ve been sneaking off for months now with that boy.”
“Mother, we’re in love and I don’t care what you think. We’re…” I was ready to blurt out the whole speech I had rehearsed, but she stopped me mid sentence.
“In that case, carry on. Just tell me where you’re going next time.”
“You’re not angry?”
“Why, have you done anything wrong?”
I smiled at Mum and gave her a hug, then ran off to find Luke.
Whenever I was with Luke, I didn’t want to leave him. He made me feel like I was the only person he ever cared about. I loved him, and even though I was only 20, I wanted to spend my life with him. I was never good with words, so it was hard for me to tell him all this, but when we kissed I know he felt the same way.
One night, Luke took me swimming in the river, near Luke’s home which I crossed on the first day we met.
“I don’t know how to swim, and won’t the water be cold?”
“Don’t worry. I will hold you in my arms the whole time, I promise I will never let go of you. And you can always fly out if it gets too cold.”
It was so quiet and peaceful. My dress clung my flesh. We were so close together, I didn’t really notice the cold water. His lips pressed up against mine, and it felt like the world revolved around us. I felt his hand up my spine and lift my dress over my head. Soon we were both naked. He kissed my neck, and my legs were wrapped around him whilst he held me close to him.
We got out of the water and dried of. Then we sat on a blanket and ate apples from a nearby tree. Candles brightly lit the area. We leaned against the tree and my legs were across his.
“Kyra I love you will all my heart. And I have to ask you, if you would be my wife?”
I was shocked and so overjoyed; tears started forming in my eyes.
“Of course I will. Do you ever think of our future?” I said.
“I do sometimes, I was thinking we could live here, and have children. We would grow our own food over there, and we could explore Varafes together.”
“That sounds exciting, but would we not live in the castle.”
“We can live where ever we want to.”
“How many children would we have, and what day will our wedding be on?” I said as thoughts and questions rushed through my head.
“We can have a new house in Varafes, I’m not sure, and we can see when the time comes.”
I was so excited about our future together! Tomorrow is going to be my 35th birthday and this was the best birthday present I could have asked for.
That night when I returned to the castle I could barely think, I was so excited for our future together. I was engaged. I would tell mother and father tomorrow.
Dark Skies- part 2- The king
My wife often asks me what my 'duties' are as King but I can never tell her, because she would think of me differently.
She knows something is wrong because she can hear my cries and screams as I sleep. I guess we are just both lost souls who find comfort in each other’s presence, and we both love each other I know that for sure.
My dreams have been replaced by nightmares, in my tormented mind. The one dream that occurs often, a mother with her child, begs me for mercy, and forgiveness. I desperately fought against killing her. But it was as though I was trying to swim up the waterfall like the tiny fish, pointless to struggle. After all, she had committed a crime, she stolen from the Baker. An audience was now forming a halo around me. It’s like something took over my mind, filling me with the need to kill her. I understood I had to do it, for if I let her go unpunished, others would follow. My people as well as my enemies will think I am a weak King. With one slice, her head rolled onto the cold hard pavement. The child still in her arms is now covered in his mother’s deep red blood and screaming. The dream ends with me trapped inside a glass box, much like a tank, as it slowly fills with water and drowns out my screams. These dreams are much like my ‘duties’ as king.
I’ve honestly lost count of the number of people I’ve murdered, all for committing a crime; each one haunts me everywhere I go, like a shadow following me around. It is because of my guilt that I always drown at the end of each dream. I am king and those are my duties, which must be done. It’s like I have a spell on me that forbid me from doing anything that is not my duty as King.
The air was too humid, so sleep was becoming a struggle. I was alone in my bed for the first time. Karina decided she wanted to sleep in the guest room. I understood that she was angry with me especially since neither of us ever thought I would get angry enough to hit her. I don’t know what came over me. I was just so angry with everything around me, that I must have reached my final tipping point. Frustrated, I began to rummage around in the drawers looking for something to help me sleep. But instead I found a black book. I was intrigued by it, so I opened it to see what was written in it. Whilst doing so, a drawing fell out the book. It was of a rainbow. On the back was written:
“This is a picture drawn by our daughter, Kyra when she was 10. She is 18 years old now.”
As I read these words in the moonlight, I assumed the letter was for me, so I kept reading.
“In regards to your earlier question, I am quite sure that Kyra is your child, and not the King’s since she has none of his features. I hope this letter reaches you in good time, as I have decided I will not tell the King of our relationship. I feel it is in the best interest of our daughter, I know we will never see each other again but I will always love you.
Yours truly, Karina.”
I sat there staring at my reflection in the mirror for a while. I was in shock that my wife would break our laws of marriage. I was puzzled as to why would she want to betray me. I gave her everything she wanted? She was happy, wasn’t she? I loved her and I knew she loved me back. Questions and thoughts raced through my mind. I was so furious at her that I wanted to scream. I felt like she had crushed my heart into tiny grains of sand and scattered them in to the wind. I chucked the book against the mirror, and it shattered in my range. I knew I had to know for sure if Kyra was my child. If she was not, they both had to be punished.
That morning I came into my ‘daughters’ chamber to wake her up since it was her birthday.
“Happy 21st birthday, Kyra! I have a surprise for you this evening!” I said.
“Thanks Dad, I knew you would remember, I hope you’ve invited all my friends for the ‘surprise’ party.”
“How many times have I told you not to call me Dad?” I said since I knew I wasn’t her dad, it made me angry when she called me that.
It was the evening of Kyra’s party. Food, wine and beer filled the tables.
“Listen up everyone. I just wanted to say a very happy birthday to Kyra, as a token of my appreciation; I want to give her my most precious necklace. Since she is of royal blood, she is entitled to the tear necklace” I smiled as the guests applauded my kindness. What fools!
As I placed the necklace round Kyra’s head, I thought this is how I will find out if Kyra is really my daughter, or my Wife’s lover’s. She smiled at me, in appreciation for the gift. She held the pendent in her hand as it hung round her neck, and stared right into it. Nothing happened. I was so relieved I gave her the biggest hug. Then she begun to scream, and then I realized she wasn’t my daughter as the necklace takes the soul of anyone without royal blood.
“Dad, what is happening? It feels like my heart is being ripped apart! Help me!”
I watched the porcelain white in her eye became red and bloodshot, her body collapsed to the ground. She was dead. Her soul was in the necklace. Guests gasped and screamed at the sight of her dying.
“Kyra, Is not my daughter. I have just proved it. That means my wife committed adultery and in doing so she broke the rules of marriage. So by our laws, she must be punished. Guards, bring her before me!” There were the sounds of a struggle as they seized her.
“You’ve gone mad, I never loved you! You’re a heartless bastard!” She cried as the guards pushed her towards me.
I grabbed a sharp knife from the table in front of me. I grabbed her by her hair as I put my knife against her stomach. I was so furious my mind went blank. All I could think of was how much she had hurt me. I wanted her punished for her crimes and the pain she caused me.
I could feel her tremble and squirm, like a rat caught in a trap. With one slice, I slit her stomach, and red blood poured out, spreading over her silk dress, soaking it through. I threw her body to the floor. I grimly watched her die, but she wasn’t different to all those I had killed before for committing a crime.
“The king has gone mad, he’s a monster” I heard someone in the crowd whisper.
“Who said that? Bring me their head!” I roared.
“Guards, bring me my son. Let’s find out if he really is my son.”
By this time, all the guests had left driven from the room by panic and fear.
Dark skies part 3- Rory
I watched helplessly as my true loves soul has been ripped from her. I was shocked and horrified. The king had murdered his wife and daughter, most of all he had taken my Kyra away from me. I never told Kyra the truth about why I kissed her the day we met. I regret not telling her the real reason, was because I wanted to find out all I could, about the King, and eventually marry her so I would become the future King. I did this so I could help everyone in Varafes, but in turn I fell in love with her. At first I hated Kyra, because I associated her with her father, but I found she was much different, she was kind, loving, and I had no idea what kind of man he was. Everyone I love dies, at the hand of the king, but no longer will this continue. My grief for my loved one turned to motivation, finally to stop the king.
I thought all night about what I had learnt about the king. I knew for sure that the king’s duties were to kill all found breaking the law; he was also a terrible unloving father and murder. In his recent years his mind has determined, and forced him to insanity. All the people of Varafes loathe him, yet they fear him too much to speak against since he has an army of 2,500 loyal Ravenurs, who enforce terror and catch anyone breaking the law so he can execute them. They citizens of Varafes, and the army are fed propaganda, which has kept the army loyal, since they are not allowed to have a family and are given allot of money for their work. I needed a non violent plan, to stop the king. My plan was to make the people fearless.
****
Word had spread about my speech, which I was to give in the Library to all the people of Varafes. The turn out was more than I expected, many people were interged since I would be the first (of hopefully many) to speak out against the king.
“Thank you all for coming today.” I shouted as I stood on a desk. Thousands of beady eyes, starred at me in admiration.
“I have suffered at the hand of the King; He has taken my loved ones. My mother died of starvation when I was 16 years old, since she fed me all the food we had, to make sure I was healthy. The second person to die at the direct hand of the King was my love Kyra, who was to be my wife.”
The crowd whispered silently to one another and gasped, since they did not know I was to be the future King.
I began to get a bit nervous so I looked at the unicorn horn I carried with me everywhere. I found it in my mother’s room, so assumed it belonged to her. I carry it with me since it reminds me of her, and it gives me hope. I don’t know how she obtained such a rare item, since unicorns were extinct, but I sometimes makeup stories about it.
“The King has gone insane, and he has no regards for the well being of his people.” I continued. “Many people are dying every day. I urge everyone to speak out against the King. Together we can remove the barrier blocking our freedom, to give more space to live, stop poverty, provide areas for children to learn and for the sick to be treated. Without the king we can do all of this together. I will be sending news of my plans in the following days so listen for it.”
The crowd cheered and clapped, since they all shared my beliefs. But soon before the end The King’s men came marching in. Yet they were too late to stop the meeting.
“You are under arrest for speaking against the King.” Said one of the men, as he pointed to me.
“No I will not be stopped, I have lost too much to be stopped.”
“If you arrest him, you must arrest all of us.” Said women for the crowd.
Books were violently launched at the King’s men. Many missed yet a uproar began and the Kings men fought back, yet they had swords. I watched helplessly as countless were murdered on both sided, tables were being used as weapons.
“Please stop we must be non-violent!” I shouted. But no one heard as it was too loud, but I refused to join in.
Our men were outnumbered, and many of us, including me, were imprisoned and awaiting our public execution.
****
As I sat on the hard stone floor, of the prison cell I saw the twenty or so men that had been imprisoned with me. I shared a cell with my childhood friend, John. I knew people would soon lose hope knowing that their leader had been executed. I had to prevent this from happening, though I was unaware of when out execution would take place.
“We have to get news to the outside of my new plan!” I said to my cell mate.
“How are we meant to do that and what is your new plan?” said John.
“My plan is to get the people to used salt to pollute the castles drinking water. This would force the King to drink water from the River Vena, as we do. This will show him what it’s like to be in our position.”
It was a brilliant plan, since it would give the people of Varafes a sense of control. The only problem was getting it out to the people. That’s when I heard, the faint sound of men chanting. I looked out of a small window, which was about the size of a brick. I could the waterfall bellow my cell, and coming down the bridge towards the castle, was thousands of men each with a flamed light. It was though the sun was rising in the pitch black of the night. As they drew closer to the castle I could hear what they were saying: ‘Release the prisoners.”
I was overjoyed, at seeing the peaceful protest. I had given hope to the people, and in my time of desperation they came to my aid.
“Henry, come quick! The people of Varafes are protesting for our release!”
“Where are all the guards?” said Henry
A voice from the distance shouted the one word which killed hundreds of men that night: “RELEASE.” The night sky was filled with blaze arrows. Screams replaced the chanting. Many had fled, and the bodies of the brave people that fought the revolution, remained.
I was now even more determined to escape my cold dark cell.
Hours past, yet I refused to sleep until I had a plan.
“Luke, are you down here?” said the voice of an unknown person. Footsteps drew nearer until I caught a glimpse of her face in the moonlight.
“Samira is that you, I’m over here?” I said. Samira was one of the cooks in the castle; I worked with her for the time I worked their. I guess you could say she was my best friend.
“Yes, it’s such relief to hear your voice.” she replied.
“You need to help us get out of here.” I said.
“That’s why I’m here, I have the spell to open your prison cell” She said.
She muttered a few words, and we were free.
“Hello, I’m Henry, and who might you be?” Said Henry to Samira.
“I’m Samira...” She said in reply to Henry.
“There will be enough time for flirting later, lets free the other men and make a quick escape” I said.
We crept through the prison. Although my time in their was brief I learnt that the people were more than willing to fight for a future without the king. As we made it out a thought struck me.
“Samira, Wait we could go into the castle kitchens and take all the food, give it to family’s that need it.” I said.
“That’s a great idea, but if you get caught you will be killed on the spot!”
“I have lost all I love, I must make things right.”
All 12 of the men who were imprisoned, and Samira went to the kitchen. Many of the guards were asleep, and since I had worked in the castle I had a good knowledge of it, so I knew where the guards would be and where the food was kept, which made the task easy. We then delivered the food with messages telling everyone to stop doing their jobs, this would make the king realise how valuable we are to the city. While we were there we also polluted the king’s drinking water with salt.
Several days, in and our efforts were being called a revolution. Nearly all the people in Varafes had stopped working meaning there was no food for the king, the consequence was that there was no food for the people, however this had little effect since the people were used having no food.
The last task left was to kill the king, and imprison his soldiers. This had to be done quickly, before more blood was spilled. The whole event had been planned with the help of Samira and Henry.
Since the night the King had killed his family, he has locked himself up, in Kyra’s room, and given the guards orders, because Kyra’s room is the safest place in the house since it is bellow the waterfall, which the castles rests on. I knew how to get there since Kyra showed me on many on many occasions.
It didn't take long to get to the room since Henry had caused a distraction. As I stood outside the door I noticed it was open there were no guards about. I opened the door leading to the underwater room made of glass. Against the wall were the severed heads of many that fell during the revolution. Among them was Kyra’s. The horrific sight and the stench of rotting corpses was unbearable. The king was in a corner covered in blood what seemed to be his own and that of others. His eyes were blood shot and his ribs were visible through his top. Deep cuts were visible in his skin. I almost felt sorry for him them I saw Kyra’s head just left there to rot, and memories of my mother also filled my head, and the pain he had caused Varafes city. The guilt had become raw emotional pain.
"Please help me." Said the king as he looked directly at me.
He didn't even know who I was, since me and Kyra kept our relationship a secret.
I saw that crazed look in the king’s eye, like the one he had before he Killed my beloved Kyra, and her mother. I noticed he held the tear necklace in his hand. Suddenly he leapt forward, towards me. For a moment I felt cold, and then my chest began to explode with pain. A sharp wedge of glass was embedded in my chest. I was dying, at the hands of the person I hated most in this world. People say death is tragic, but I was happy, because I would finally be reunited with Kyra and my mother, though I would not be at peace knowing the king would still be alive.
My mind was foggy and I was in agonizing pain. I saw that it took all of the king’s energy to kill me. But it would take all of mine to finish us both off. I took the unicorn horn my mother had given me out of my pocket, and bashed it into the glass floor beneath me. A small crack appeared, like the braking of ice. Again and again I used the unicorn horn to shatter the glass. Water began to rapidly seep in, diluting my deep red blood. Finally the whole glass shattered, and the whole room dropped down the waterfall.
Dark skies- part 4:
Now that the revolution in Varafes is over, a bigger challenge arises; creating a new Varafes. Before his death, Luke decided there would no longer be a king, instead there would be a council, where every Ravenur and person in Varafes, would be able to choose who they wanted to be on the council. He wrote these plans and gave it to Samira and Henry, his most trusted friends, who became husband and wife, after the revolution.
The castle is now a place for the homeless to stay, and there isn’t any staff or furniture left. Many people choose to live in the new lands, beyond where the barrier used to be.
All of the king’s army were imprisoned for life, after the king’s death. The barrier was even taken down, using the same spell that put it there. This was probably the most important event, since it changed so much, as it would be the first encounter with animals in decade, but that’s a different story”
Varafes quickly began to expand. Hospitals, schools, and more houses were built. Everyone was free to go where ever they wanted. It was a new age, with many different tales to be told!