My schedule is really full, but my focus is the vacation for the family. And of course I have a major project on the job. The kids were really excited as we began packing everything up. Alana, my youngest daughter, said. "I can't wait to go to the mountains."
"Yeah daddy, It's gonna be cold." Said Nadia my oldest daughter.
"Cold but fun you know. Like, we'll build a fire in the fireplace." I said.
"Can we roast marshmellows?" Asked Nadia clapping her hands.
"We'll see, but first you gotta get your shoes on so we can get ready to go." Said my wife Karen.
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The flight was full of giggling and cloud games with the girls, as my wife passed out. But for the most part, it was a smooth flight. Now the cabin was nice, simple, yet pleasant. I brought my laptop just in case. Surprisingly they had WiFi, definitely time for a vacation.
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A few days into it, a snow storm blew in, caking everything in snow. The fire place erupted into flames, as we made hot coco, and roasted marshmellows. Nadia was busy being the marshmellow monster, roasting and destroying all marshmellows who trespassed her area. Alana crawled up next to me sipping on coco.
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"Daddy, this is the best vacation ever!! Thank you so much."
"No problem, it's the least I can do. You've been working so hard. So I think you've earned it."
Alana gave me a whatever look, suddenly my phone rang. I checked my watch to see who was calling me, it was Dan, I had to answer it.
"Hello."
"Luke, I'm sorry to interrupt your vacation, normally I wouldn't ask for something like this, But..." Dan paused for a bit, before continuing.
"There has been a breach in our server, someone has hacked into our system. I need you to come in, to try and get rid of it before we lose our data."
"I can't Dan, I'm in Colorado. I can check the server from here....but I can't come in!"
"Ok, Ok, that's fine. Please just do what you can."
"No problem Dan, I got it."
You know, normally I would ignore this because of our aggressive counter programming I built. But to know that someone took that down means, they are good.
Or at least they have access to something that I haven't yet seen.
"If there is a breach, I'll handle it. I'll call you when we're done here, Is that okay?"
"Thanks Luke. Hope to hear from you soon."
I ended the call and turned to face my little angels.
"Alright girls, let's play a game while Daddy works on getting rid of the hacker. What would you girls like to play?"
"How about hide and seek? I mean we at least can try and hide. I won't even look." Said Nadia.
"You said you wouldn't look last time." Alana said smirking.
"That sounds great, let's do it. Just make sure you don't go near the fireplace." I said to Alana.
Nadia ran off with Alana taking her by the hand.
After Making some coffee, I headed to the desk where my makeshift office was.
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Logging on, I quickly got into Brain Tech's mainframe. Checking all the security protocols, I saw trails of a breach. It seemed like some settings had been messed with. Opening a few files into the server, a symbol came across my screen. It looked weird, like hieroglyphics or something. Then the wifi started to act up because of the storm. My connection was unstable, not good for trying to stop a virus and a hacker. I attempted a few more times before packing up my things. "Babe, I gotta go down the mountain to get better signal. The storm is blocking my wifi!"
"Honey, please be careful."
"I will thank you, it shouldn't take me long. I'll go slow."
"Bye Daddy!" The girls came and hugged each leg before running off to play.
Packing up the car, the wind cut through my jacket chilling me to the bone. After the car warmed up, I headed down the driveway.
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The snow fall was heavy and my headlights barely lit up the road. But I managed to make it a good ways down the mountain. The all wheel drive seemed to help alot. I went to hit the seat warmer, when I felt my wheel slip. I had hit black ice and was sliding to the edge of the road. The guard rail crunched, as my car smashed into the side and slide with no traction. I started spinning and slammed into something huge, causing my world to flip around. My windshield shattered, sending me into the cold air, I forgot to put on my seat belt. I couldn't see, but I knew I was far from the road. I seemed to be flying through the air for awhile. Looking down I was falling over the cliff and to my sure death. I panicked and all of my world went black.
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I woke up covered in snow and surrounded by trees. Looking around, I could see a faint structure. I felt myself start sinking deeper and deeper into the snow, and the cold was paralyzing. I tried moving my arms, but couldn’t feel anything. I couldn't tell where I was, but I had to get up or freeze to death. Pulling my legs up, I got to my knees and winced in pain because of my chest and it was hard to breath. Blood spots sprinkled the fluffy snow. I knew I was hurt but I couldn't tell how bad it was because of the cold.
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I needed shelter bad to make it through the storm. Limping and holding my ribs I made my way into the woods. The forest was darker and colder then I expected, but that just served to make the situation worse. Every step felt like a fight against gravity to keep going forward. I couldn't see the path ahead, every tree looked the same, except for the giant pines with their branches stretched up high. I could hear the howling winds from the trees. The ground was uneven and icy underfoot, I couldn't see where I was going until the light finally faded.
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I fell to the ground exhausted and weak. I knew I only had a little time before I would freeze to death. Pulling myself up, I was able to slowly trudge through the snow. Past a few more trees and a clearing opened with an abandoned looking cabin. I guess this will do for now until daylight.
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Using the door as support, I dragged myself inside. A fire place was burning, and an old wooden table with a single chair, sat in the middle of the room. A metal bed with a mattress and some covers, was tucked into the corner of the room. It seemed like someone had just been here, so I settled on sitting by the fire and warming my body. My eyes kept closing and opening. The fire helped warm me somewhat. The cabin was old and musty, I didn’t mind though, as long as I could keep warm it would be enough.
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Sitting in the chair, I finally felt that my body was sore, my ribs hurt real bad, and my ankle was messed up. I really could've been killed. Who falls off a cliff and lives? On the desk was an old book, with fancy writing of some language I've never seen before. Around the book were some candles that were lit, but it didn't seem to melt at all. I traced some of the words of the book, the weird symbols lit up a dark red on the table. The words had letters I could read, but I had never seen it before.
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There was a weird symbol on the page. Tracing it with my hands, my arm started burning. So I flipped the page, and saw what looked like a shiny hole. I tried to say the words on the page out loud, and as I did, something sparked like a fire cracker igniting. My ears popped as if I was on an airplane. Hot and cold flashes washed over me, and I slumped in the chair drained of energy. The sparks stopped as I caught my breath.
Everything went pitch black. When my eyes opened, I could barely focus. My vision blurred, so I closed my eyes real quick. Everything was bright as day, as if I was back in the sun. Slowly and painfully I sat up, trying to clear my vision but everything was a blur.
I laid there for a minute.
"What just happened?"
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Determined to find out what just happened, I sat up and braced myself. Then I noticed the candles were lit and the fireplace was still going, but the flames weren't moving. The snowflakes outside were in mid fall, but nothing was moving.
Hmmm...well here goes.
I started reading the words out loud again. This time I focused, as the sparks started flying again. A small breeze blew through the cabin, as the sound of fire ripped through the air. Suddenly, a large hole ripped open in the side of the cabin. A firey circle stood in the middle of the room, and on the other side, instead of snow, it looked like a lively forest in the middle of a summer day.
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A light breeze blew from the fiery hole, and sun light poured into the cabin. "Are you kidding me right now?" Looking at the hole, I got out of the chair and slowly stepped toward the hole. It looked like a really big and nice landscape. Putting out my hand, I reached for the hole. My heart was pounding, I didn't know what was going to happen. But I made it this far already?
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Touching it with my fingers, I could feel the heat of the sun. It was like sticking my hand out of a car window. Curious, I decided to stick my head through it. As I looked through the other side, I felt a strong pull, like I was being sucked through the hole and suddenly fell onto the forest floor. A loud fire sound ripped behind me as sparks flew and the hole closed.
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"Wait! No! I gotta go back. My FAMILY!!!!" I began to panic and looked for another hole or sparks. Wait, maybe if I remember those words. I tried to recite the words, but I couldn't get it right and was quickly forgetting.
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Sitting down, I was on the verge of tears when a snapping branch caught my attention. Looking up I saw a large deer with alot of antlers looking at me.
Was it glowing blue?
Kinda.
It snorted at me. Standing up I winced feeling my ribs and ankle. I gotta figure out where I am and what just happened. The deer takes a few steps toward me. Is it preparing to attack me?
Putting out my hands as if I was under arrest, I tried talking to it. Even though it doesn't understand me.
"I mean no harm. I just got in a bad car crash and need help. It was snowing real bad, and my family is on top of the mountian."
The deer snorts and turns around but looks back at me.
What's it doing?
The deer makes a squaking noise and looks toward the forest, but he stands still.
"Um, I mean no harm, I'm just going to walk toward you. OK...uh...nice dear."
A low voice that seemed to come from the direction of the deer, rumbled in my ears. "Human, you need to hide. It is not safe."
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Looking confused, an arrow stabbed into a tree right next to my head.
"Holy..." Another strikes me in the head, at the last second it slams into a blue bubble that surrounded me suddenly.
"RUN human and hide!!!" That low voice thundered in my ears. Looking at the glowing deer, his eyes caught on fire with a bright blue flame. A dark figure leaps from a tree shooting a barrage of arrows at the deer. Jumping into the air, a ball of fire erupts from the deer. The blue flaming orb slams into a tree, as the figure flips out of the way toward the deer. Dodging behind a large tree, I hide myself. I can't believe I'm seeing this right now.
What is this?
An arrow flys by my arm ripping a part of my jacket and taking a slice out of my arm. Quickly I run to another tree, watching this insane fight unfold. The deer erupts more fire which blasts the figure trying to notch another arrow.
The flames eat at the figures clothes, when they release another arrow that strikes a bubble surrounding the deer.
"Flee before I rain fire on you!!" Says that low voice from the deer.
Three more arrows fly at the deer as he leaps in the air and surges another quick fire ball. This one lands in the figures face, knocking them to the ground and sliding into a tree. The figure slumps unmoved.
In shock I creep around the tree trunk. Looking intensely, I see the figure start to move. Are you kidding me right now? They are alive?! The hood fell from their dark robe, revealing an extremely beautiful woman with soft features.
"I don't want to hurt you. Flee now!" Said the deer to the woman.
"I will hunt you again, Rapis." Said the lady with the dark robe. She had pointy ears and black hair. Other then her robe, there wasn't much else to see.
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After the lady leaves, the deer sniffs the air, then looks right at me. Now I'm kinda nervous. Bambi on steroids for real.
"Follow me, you are injured and need help."
I didn't ask any questions, just followed. Reaching the edge of the forest, the deer turns to me.
"Go to the inn and ask for a one night stay. Tell them your injured. You will be safe here." That is the creepiest and deepest voice ever, for what seems to be a deer, I guess. But I did what he said and asked the lady at the desk for a room. She had almost an Irish accent. She looked at me funny, then gave me an old set of keys.
Where am I right now? I hobbled to the room upstairs. Sleep quickly consumed me. The room was cozy but odd. Everything was basic.
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Groggy, I woke up to a sunset. The sunrays beamed very bright in the room I was in. I tried to sit up but my chest was so sore. And it was hard to really breathe. Sitting up was painful, even breathing too hard made me dizzy. It looked like the weather outside was getting hotter. I couldn't move anywhere except for sitting up. The last thing I remembered was being in a snowy forest and feeling so lost and tired.
Looking around, I couldn't find the key and didn't want to call for room service. I was thirsty and hungry. Where did that deer take me? I wondered.
As I lay back down, my eyes filled with tears. "I have to get home."
BAM BAM BAM!!
Someone pounded on the door.
"Hey, yer time is up. Ye be needin' to see the doctor fer ye wounds." It sounded like the lady from the desk.
"Ok, I will be out in a minute."
The door flys open and a cute but tough lookin woman, comes in the door. She is carrying a small bag. Without giving me much time, she pulls off my shirt and touches the cuts and pushes on my ribs.
I ball up my fist and cry out in pain.
"Ye ribs be broken. But I can dress ye up."
"Sorry I fell off a cliff and landed in some snow before passing out."
She laughed as I cringed in pain.
"There be no cliffs around these parts. Ye must be dilusional. I should have ye good in a day or two before ye go. Where ye from?"
"I'm from California. I'm sorry but where am I right now? I really need to get back to my family."
I layed down after the visit and rested for a bit.
Outside there was a commotion going on. I heard some yelling. Slowly getting up, I gimped my way to the window.
A small woman stood in the middle of a bunch of guys. They looked like they were going to jump her or something. I can't let them do that to her, she could die from blunt force trauma. As best I could, I hobbled my way downstairs and outside.
As I approached the group, they were yelling accusations against her.
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"She stole my goods and made off with my coins." Said a large man who looked like a lumber jack.
"It was a fair deal, that you agreed to." The lady said. Her voice didn't really match her look. I expected a tiny almost soft tone. But instead she had a raspy strong loud tone. She sounded kinda like she could be a mix from the hood, maybe in London. She was petite with soft features. Athletic build, but with a figure of a super model. She could pass for a mixed girl but her skin tone was a really reddish color. Nearly burnt orange. She wore a type of leather mini skirt and a cut off worn shirt. She had tassels dangling around the edges with beads of red and blue. A large battle axe strapped to her back and a leather shieth strapped to her thigh.
"I swear if you don't pay me back what you owe me..."
"You'll what old man?" She said to an old man with an eye patch on. He looked like a low level pirate or something. Looking around, I saw that they are all dressed the same way. Maybe different in style slightly, but had that pirate or 1700 look. Thomas Jefferson wannabes?
One man lunges at the girl. I lifted my arms in complete soreness and yelled, "Stop!! Don't hurt her!" But before I could even finish, she stepped back and kicked the dude in the chest. That man flew out of the crowd and smacked into the wall of the building.
My eyes shot wide open..."Orc!!" They all hollard loudly.
Then suddenly they tackled her, not without a few men thrown or knocked out. But with many men, they managed to capture her.
I was in shock. She just kicked some big dude up and out of the circle...and then smashed into a wall, just by the power of her kick. Wh-what?!
"Put her in the hold at the guild. And grab him too, he must be her company." Suddenly they all turned to me. I stammered over my words as they quickly got a hold of me. My body was still sore from the wreck, the men handling me got a bunch of grunts out of me.
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Yanking me into a dark building with candle lights, they opened up a large cage where the lady sat shackled...wait, shackles? What is this, Lord of the rings? Shackled next to the lady, they closed and locked the cage.
"That's for taking a bad deal and lying about being human. Your kind doesn't belong here! Wretched beast."
"Open this cage, I'll show you a beast. When I rip your head off."
I just kept my mouth shut. Yeah...just gonna be quiet.
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She grumbled as the men walked out of the room and closed the door. It was a dimly lit room with three candles burning. I looked around, but it was an old cabin like place, with a few broken chairs and some liquid on the ground. It smelled musty and moldy.
"Why did you say something?" She asked me in a much softer tone then I heard outside.
I was a ball of nerves, she just destroyed some dude, and I thought she was going to die!? Haha, no they were going to die.
"Uh... I just thought you needed some help. But...uh you know...uh...you didn't. Haha?"
"You're right I didn't need help, but it's rare to even find a human who wants to help. You're not from around here?"
She got all that while sizing up the crowd?
"No, I'm not from here. How can you tell?"
She smirked, "Well I don't know what those flimsy clothes are gonna do to protect you. But also I have never seen anyone with these type of clothes."
This is the first time I noticed, that I had a sports coat on and some slacks that were tattered with dress shoes that had gashes in them. The jacket was torn at the arm, my shirt had blood stains and dirt smeared on it. I was basically a hot mess.
"Yeah...so...I'm from California, I'm a computer programming branch manager. I recently got in a serious car wreck, which threw me off a cliff. Somehow I survived. Walked through some weird firey circle and ended up here. Actually."
"Mmmhmmm, and what land is California? Is that the cambien lands, close to the dawnlands?"
"Dawnlands!?... Never heard of it."
She thinks for a minute.
"You said you walked through a firey circle?"
"Yes, I read some words out of a book and then this big fire circle thing, like ripped open. So I walked through it and..."
"You opened a portal." She cut me off.
"A portal? Like the movies?" I said confused.
"I don't know what movies is, but yes a portal. Portals can only be used by those who harness ancient magic. Are you a mage with ancient glyphs?" She seemed to be trying to figure something out, but I am so lost.
"Uh...no." I responded.
"We need to see Neroon."
Who? This is getting weirder by the second.
"Ok look, I don't know where I am or what's going on, I am lost and need to get a way back home. I gotta find out how to open that sparky fire circle and go back where I came from."
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Silence. She just sat there staring at the ceiling. I must have made her mad. Well it was nice living for awhile.
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"Neroon is a master sorcerer. He is very experienced with spells and magic. He may know more about the "fire circle."
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Just then the door slammed open and three large men walked in the room. Behind them a smaller man came, he was dressed in what looked like Aladdin from the kids movie clothes.
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"We are taking you to the Voiceless Desert. It will be a long journey. You will be dragged or held captive on a sturdy cart until we arrive. We leave in an hour."
After that all the men left.
"Sounds like a fight ahead." She said.
"What's your name?" I asked her.
"The name is Kaylin, and yours?"
" Nice name, I'm Luke Cadell."
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