

The Inner World

By Andrew Ditch

Prologue

Johnny sat on the ground sobbing quietly. He didn't believe that anyone was around, but he did not want to be seen or heard by anyone. He did not want the other boys to make fun of him for being what they would consider a baby. He didn't have much interest in girls yet, but he didn't want any of them to see or hear him crying either for fear that word would spread. Recess generally took place outside during the spring and autumn unless it was raining. The area that the kids were allowed to play in consisted of a blacktop basketball court, a swing set and an open expanse of yard where the kids could play tag or other games. The entire perimeter had a chain link fence so the kids could see out but clearly knew where they had to stop. During kickball, many a ball had been lost to "the great beyond" by going over the fence. Johnny had found a big oak tree in the corner of the yard where he often went to be alone and read. Today he used this tree to hide his tears from his classmates.

Johnny had lived in Brookdale his entire life, all eight years of it. He had made a few friends when he was younger, but most had moved away after a few years. Brookdale was the kind of place that everyone seemed to use as a stopping point on their way to somewhere better. Johnny couldn't understand why. The town had a library which had a miniature version of a caboose that kids could read in, a river that ran through the town center, there were several parks in the different neighborhoods, and Johnny never felt unsafe. To Johnny, Brookdale had everything one could ever want in life. He had one friend who had stayed in the neighborhood named Thomas Jefferson but everyone called him TJ for short. TJ was a year younger than Johnny and he was small even for his age. In spite of his size, he could run like the wind which made him a favorite for kickball teams. Johnny did not possess the skills necessary for sports, but TJ always made sure he was on his team anyways.

Johnny was crying to himself because he had just learned that TJ was going to be moving away with his parents. TJ's father had accepted a job in Chicago which was only 45 minutes away but might as well have been half way around the world to Johnny. Johnny knew that without TJ around, he would have no real friends and that he would only be picked for teams as a last resort, if at all. While he was never that interested in playing sports, it was the thought of not being wanted that affected him most. Because Johnny was so caught up in his own misery, he didn't hear the footsteps coming from the other side of the tree.

Alison Mandrake had seen Johnny slink off towards the tree and she had come over to see what was behind it that Johnny found so fascinating. She heard Johnny sobbing. She thought about simply turning around and letting him have his private moment. Alison though, was not the kind of girl who could simply walk away from someone who was upset without at least trying to help. She was a very kind girl who always looked for the best in everyone she met. She was polite and well-mannered and would never say anything mean to anyone on purpose. Sometimes this made her seem like she was trying to be better than everyone although that was never the intention. Never-the-less, it left her without many friends and those that were often liked her only because she would always compliment them or help them in some other way.

"Are you hurt?" Asked Alison

Johnny was startled by the sudden notion that he had been caught. He swirled away from her and slunk down even further into his knees to hide his face. Tears had left streaks down his cheeks which were already flush. He didn't know how to respond or react so he froze.

"Are you hurt?" Alison asked again. "I can help if you let me".

"Go away" said Johnny. He did not shout this and he had not meant for it to sound rude, but it was a rude thing to say even so.

Alison stood shocked for a moment. She had only wanted to help him and couldn't understand why he would be so rude.

Johnny felt ashamed of how he reacted. Alison didn't deserve that and he would have been hurt if he had been in her place. He simply didn't want anyone to see him in such a state. He was miserable over his friend leaving. He looked up almost instantly to see the look of shock on Alison's face and felt even worse.

"I'm - I'm sorry" Johnny stammered. "I wasn't trying to be mean, honest".

Always quick to forgive, Alison answered "That's okay. Why are you so upset?"

Johnny was not used to having real conversations with people he did not know. He wasn't sure his parents would understand or his teachers or anyone for that matter. He didn't know exactly what to say.

"My best friend is leaving and I will not have any friends at all after he goes away to Chicago." Johnny said. Once it blurted out of his mouth, he thought that it was easier to explain than it seemed it would be.

Alison's heart almost broke for the poor little boy. She knew what it felt like to not have true friends. She knew that the boys and girls who showed up to her last birthday party were only there because their parents made them or because they wanted her to help them with their homework. She sat down next to Johnny and said "I'll be your friend, if you'll be mine."

Johnny looked at her puzzled for a moment. He knew boys and girls could be friends, but he never pictured himself having girl for a friend before. He wiped his cheeks on his shirt sleeves and thought about the proposition she had just made. It did not take Johnny long to realize that when someone sincerely offered to be your friend, you took the offer no matter if it was a girl or boy.

"I would like that very much. My name is Johnny". He stuck out his hand for her to shake it not knowing if that was appropriate for girls like it was for boys. Alison stuck her hand into Johnny's and firmly shook it as if a deal had just been struck. "My name is Alison." she said.

As if on cue, the bell rang and both of them jumped just a little from the startle of the loud noise in the otherwise very quiet part of the yard. They giggled at each other's reactions and got up to go inside with the rest of the class. They stepped from behind the tree and saw the rest of the kids flocking towards the doors to the school. The tree was the farthest spot away from the door so they both sprinted to catch up. Johnny was so happy that he had met Alison that he almost forgot about TJ moving away. Almost, but not completely. TJ was his best friend and had been all his life. He would miss him more than any of his other friends. He would miss him more than he missed anything else in the world. Still, Alison had made him feel better and he would never forget that.
Chapter 1

Back To The Beginning

John Hays received the call at 2am that very morning. He woke to the incessant ringing from the cell phone on the table beside his bed. Having just woken, his eyes were not yet adjusted to the darkness of his room. His hand maneuvered clumsily about the bedside table knocking into his alarm clock and lamp before finally reaching the phone. He looked at the phone while he waited for his brain to register the number that appeared on the face of it. After the fog of dreams lifted and reality set back in, he pressed the answer button and spoke into the mouthpiece.

"Hello" He whispered.

He was alone in his room so there was no reason to whisper but the quietness seemed to demand that he speak softly.

"Johnny?" The voice on the other end replied.

John felt like he might still be dreaming. He thought he must still be dreaming. For one, no one had called him Johnny since he was in high school. He had gone by John or Mr. Hays to those who didn't know him since college. Not even his parents called him Johnny after he reached high school age. For two, the voice at the other end of the line was unmistakable. It was the voice of Alison Mandrake. Only this was not the voice of that of the little girl he had been friends with back in grade school and junior high. It was a woman's voice, not a little girl's. It couldn't have been her, but the voice was clear and he would have known it anywhere even after all this time.

John shot up in bed turning on the light and looking for any signs that this was a dream. There were none and no signs would appear for this was no dream. After sitting with the phone to his ear waiting to hear that voice again he finally spoke.

"Who is this?" He managed.

"It's me Johnny. It's Alison. I need your help. I need you to come back to Brookdale". The voice was clear but it was not steady. It wavered like someone who was in fear of something looming.

The haziness of John's memory was still firmly in place but he could feel a breeze building up which would eventually lift the fog and reveal parts of his past which had long been forgotten. Instantly, he could see her smile. He always liked her smile and its presence always made him smile too. Then he thought of the tone in her voice; the worried sound, and he snapped back to the present.

"Alison?" John questioned the voice on the phone.

"It's me Johnny. Mr. Blue is missing. We need you Johnny, please come home." The voice was pleading. The word home had barely made it through the line before he heard the click of the call being ended. Then a second later, silence again. John could have gone back to sleep and made his mind up that it had been nothing more than a dream. He might even have been able to convince himself that the phone _had_ rung but that everything else was just a figment of his imagination. He could not, however, forget the voice that was on the line. It was unmistakable. It was Alison's voice.

Any tiredness that John felt was immediately replaced by a feeling of complete stupor and fear. He tried to suppress it and let his rational mind take control but he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to go back home. He hadn't thought about home for a long time. He wasn't sure when the last time he had thought about it was. He had moved away after high school to attend college in Iowa and his parents had moved to Florida to escape the cold when he left the nest. He really didn't have any reason to return. Perhaps, it was that he didn't want to return. Either way, he had not been home since the summer he graduated from high school. He had made friends more easily in college but he still was far from the social butterfly. He was always invited to parties or to get together for a movie night but preferred to stay in his dorm and work on his studies. During the second semester of his freshman year, he met a young woman named Alice who reminded him of someone he knew from his childhood but he could never quite place who exactly. It was a particularly chilly night and they had both stopped into the local coffee shop to warm up. John, being somewhat clumsy, bumped into Alice and spilled her cocoa onto her jacket. Alice was a light-hearted person and found John to be very cute in his stammering apologies. She let him buy her another drink while she cleaned her coat in the restroom. After introductions were made properly, John did something he had never done before. He decided to ask Alice out on a date. She agreed and suggested they go for a walk in the park.

The park was covered in snow but the cobblestones were cleared and gas lamps lit the path as far as they could see. The trees were barren but densely lined each side of the path and a small river ran quietly in the distance. John reached for Alice's hand and held it as they strolled along the pathway. Neither acknowledged the gesture, but both were very happy. They told each other of where they grew up and what they wanted to do when they graduated. The world was an amazing place that Alice wanted to explore every inch of, but John was content to live out the rest of his days having only been to two states and thought that was more than many people got. In their senior year, John and Alice decided that they were better as friends and agreed to be just that. They still spoke occasionally and Alice got her wish as a journalist who travelled all over the world covering the news. John graduated with an engineering degree and got a job working at the Rock Island Arsenal for the government.

John thought about the tree in the schoolyard that sat in the farthest corner. He thought of the many times that he and Alison would go and play there during recess. He thought about the games they played using nothing more than their imagination. The worlds they created from thought alone. He thought about all the fun they had during the summer months when they played all day out in the parks. Alison had taught him how to play hopscotch on the sidewalk, and John had taught her how to play kickball even though he was not very talented at it. They made a new game which crossed both of these and made up new rules to accompany their made up game of "kickscotch". John remembered he had thought they would always be best friends and perhaps they would have been if it had not been for that last year. That last year was when they met Mr. Blue. He would change their lives forever. John was stunned that he had forgotten so much of his adolescence. Did he block it out or did something make him forget?

John got up from bed and walked into the bathroom attached to the bedroom. His eyes had adjusted to the faint amount of light so he could see fairly well, but he knew the layout of the room so well that he could have walked it blindfolded. He turned on the bathroom light with the flick of the switch and the instant flood of light almost blinded him. He shut his eyes as hard as he could and tried to rub the sleep out of them. Slowly, he began to open them again letting his eyes adjust to the glaring white bulbs over the mirror. He looked at himself in the mirror and almost didn't recognize himself for a moment. He turned on the shower faucet and pulled the curtain back. Lost in his thoughts, the bathroom quickly filled with steam. The feeling of hot water vapor on his skin brought him back and he turned down the water temperature until it was just right. After he showered, he dried himself off with a towel and walked back into the bedroom turning on the light in the ceiling. He opened his closet door and looked for something suitable to wear for travel. He picked out his favorite pair of jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt. He pulled some boxers out of the dresser and some white socks and began to dress himself. After lacing up his running shoes, he picked out a couple other outfits and laid them on the bed. After a short while he had all his toiletries packed in a travel bag and his clothes packed neatly into a suitcase. He checked his phone for any messages or missed calls and loaded his luggage into the car. After locking up the house, he opened the garage, started the car and began driving home. Interstate 88 would take him all the way there and it would only be a couple of hours but it would seem like an eternity with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

John was cruising along the highway at 80 miles per hour. He was over the speed limit but no troopers ever watched this part of the road. It was all country as far as you could see. John thought to himself that the highway coming through probably made a lot of folks in these parts think big business was coming their way. How wrong they were. Most of the towns he passed probably didn't even have enough of a population to be considered a town. More likely, they were rural villages. Acres of farm land between neighbors who all worked the land all day and supped with their kin at night before bed. John knew he was well north of the Mason Dixon Line but he still pictured all farmers as having southern drawls and a certain slowness about them that set them apart from the "city-folk". It would be over a hundred miles before he reached anything close to what he considered to be civilization. He didn't mind trips through the country normally. It was often peaceful, but this morning with dawn just barely breaching the horizon, he had too much time to reflect on things he did not want to reflect on. Onward he drove down that long lost highway leading him back to a life he had forgotten. Memories washing up on the shores of his mind.
Chapter 2

Home Again

John pulled up to the Stardust Motel at about 9 in the morning. It was run down and in dire need of updating to this century. He thought for a moment about cancelling his reservation and looking elsewhere but decided that he couldn't afford to spend what the Marriott or Hilton would charge. He parked the car in front of the lobby doors and walked inside to the front desk. A grumpy man sat behind the desk with his feet propped up on the counter. He didn't bother to lower his legs. Instead, he looked up from his computer and asked what he could do for John.

"I'd like to check in if it's possible. I know I'm early but if you have anything available I could really use the sleep." John replied to the clerk.

"Have to charge you for last night." The man answered. "Arrival time isn't until three and we don't allow early check ins".

"That will be fine". John handed the man his ID and his credit card to pay for the room. After a few minutes of fumbling around in the computer, the man handed John a key card in an envelope with his room number written on it. He briefly told him which way to go to reach his room and then went back to whatever he was looking at on the computer.

While the man wasn't outright rude, his demeanor was definitely not what John thought would be acceptable at a higher end hotel. Still, he thought to himself, you pay for what you get. John went back outside and pulled his car around to a parking spot near the entry the man had told him about. He unloaded his suitcase and his toiletry bag and locked the car as he walked toward the door. Using his key card, he opened the exterior door and walked about halfway down the hall to his room. Glad to be out of the car, he opened the hotel room door and walked inside. He flicked the light switch on and a small lamp illuminated about a quarter of the room. It was just enough for John to see where he was going but not enough for anything else. He set down his bags on the floor and crossed the room to open the window curtains. With the blackout drapes open, the room was suddenly filled with natural light and John examined the room a little closer.

There wasn't much to it. The bed was made up with an old quilt patterned with something that reminded him of his grandmother's house except more hideous. There was a small wingback chair which looked like it would be the perfect size for a toddler. A small desk sat in the corner which served as both a dining table and office desk. He expected there were not a whole lot of business travelers staying here but, who knew. Off the main entry hall was the door to the bathroom. It was painted sterile white with sterile white tiles in the shower. The shower curtain hung about an inch above the rim of the tub making John wonder how it kept any water in, but not enough to care. There was mold on the grout and some on the towel bars but not to any great extent. It would do for a short while and John did not expect to be here for any more than a short while.

John pulled back the quilt and the top sheet and after checking for anything lurking which might bite, he climbed onto the bed. The drive had not been that long in reality but it had wiped the energy out of him. He turned on the small television and a main menu popped up on the screen boasting all the pay per view movies as well as the assorted eight channels that came with the rent. He was not interested in watching anything in particular but wanted to have some background noise to drown out the thoughts swirling in his head. He pressed the channel up button and Channel 2 news was on playing the local crimes of the city and the surrounding neighborhoods along with a few puff pieces about kindergartners getting vaccinated for school and the dangers that lied within. Standard fare but he wasn't interested in hearing about that stuff right then. He pressed the channel up button once more and the Fox station started airing. It was a random movie that John had neither seen nor heard of and he knew it would be the perfect thing to fall asleep to. There was enough white noise but nothing interesting enough to make him want to pay attention. He fell asleep within ten minutes of lying there and an hour had passed until he woke up again.

John felt surprisingly refreshed for only having slept an hour. Now that he was fully awake, he realized that he had come here for a reason. He had come because an impossibly young version of Alison had called his cell phone in the middle of the night and said she was scared. She had said that Mr. Blue was missing. His mind whirling, he wondered where he would even begin to look for answers. The only thing  
John could think of was the old tree where he and Alison had made their first trip to the other world. He wasn't sure if he could still reach the other world, but having nothing else to go on; he picked up his keys and started towards the door. As he reached for the handle, a loud knock came from the other side. Startled, John stepped back from the door and remained as silent and still as possible. No one knew he was coming and certainly did not know where he was staying. He thought perhaps it was just someone knocking on the wrong door. Maybe there was someone looking for another guest and got the room number wrong. He inched his way to the peephole being careful not to let his keys jingle. He looked out the tiny hole and saw an empty hallway corridor. Plain and boring in every way imaginable and with no one in sight through the fish-eyed lens of the peephole. Maybe whoever it was had left. Maybe they realized they had the wrong room and went to find the right one. John took his eye away from the peephole and stepped back from the door. Suddenly the knock came again.

John was determined not to let this frighten him. He grabbed the door handle and swung the door open as fast as he could, just barely keeping it from crashing into the wall. No one was standing in front of him. Quickly scanning the hallway left to right and back again, he could see that no one was in the hall. No one could have escaped that fast. He stepped into the hallway and closed the hotel room door behind him. After making sure that the door was securely shut and his belongings would be safe, he made his way to the car once more.

John drove through the downtown area and saw several shops and restaurants open and thriving. It was busy for this early in the morning. He thought that the city must have changed from the stopover town he grew up in to a place where wealthier families could escape all the crime of the big city without being too far from all it had to offer otherwise. He was happy to see his hometown doing so well and had a sense of pride even though he had not had a connection to it for a long time and his memory of his time there had been a bit rose tinted. He passed through the downtown area and continued southbound on Main St. The street was lined with all different kinds of businesses and healthcare clinics. After short while he came into a neighborhood where the houses were definitely larger than he remembered his house being. They were on the verge of being mansions and some, he supposed, could meet such standards. He knew he would have to stop by his family's old home, but he didn't want to waste any time. If Alison was scared, then something made her feel that way and it would have to be a big something. He needed to find her and as quickly as possible.

With just a few miles and a few turns, he reached the school. He had been trying to think of a reason for a grown man to be loitering at a school that didn't make him seem creepy, but he was not successful. If anyone did spot him and ask his purpose there, he would just have to say that he grew up there and wanted to see what it was like now. Luckily for him, it was a Saturday and not a particularly sunny one so there were not any children around using the playground at the school. John walked around the perimeter for a while trying his best to look casual until he reached the corner where the tree was. He looked up at the tree and just like the houses it seemed even larger than he remembered. It seemed to have no top. Like it reached the sky and then just kept going. This was how it had appeared to him as a child but he did not expect this as an adult who knew how nature and the world worked to some extent. After glancing around to make sure no one was watching him, he grabbed hold of the top of the fence and swung his legs over in one fell swoop. His third grade gym coach would have been proud. He walked around to the side of the tree which was hidden from the rest of the yard and saw a spot dug up in the ground. It was the spot that he and Alison had buried their treasures and keepsakes from the other world. Judging by the pile of fresh dirt, someone had dug them up recently.

John was less limber now than he had been as a child. Climbing trees was not something he had done for many years. He knew that was the only way to reach the other world though. He and Alison had named it "The Inner World" because it seemed to all exist inside the tree. For years, he had convinced himself that it was all made up. Two precocious kids feeding off of each other's imaginations and using them like building blocks to create something out of thin air. Now, standing in front of the huge tree and looking up to its never ending top, he knew it was not. He was certain enough of this when he received the call. Certain enough to have driven hours east to a town he had not been to in ages. This would be the true test. John grabbed the branch that was lowest to him and swung his legs up, through his arms and around the branch like a child hanging upside down on the monkey bars would do. He felt foolish and childlike and exhilarated all at the same time. He pulled his body upwards until he could sit comfortably on the thick branch. Evidently out of shape, he was sweating from the exertion it took just to get himself up. Gladly, he remembered that the first branch was always the hardest. The rest was simply climbing and watching where you placed your feet. It was akin to rock climbing in that you always had to know your next move and how far you could stretch. The branches were thick enough that they could easily support his weight. As he climbed the branches jutted out in every direction but never became smaller. He had been climbing the tree for what felt like hours but had only been twenty minutes. He was having a hard time seeing the ground below him and decided that was more blessing than problem.
Chapter 3

Inner World

Suddenly a dense fog deftly worked its way through the menagerie of branches and leaves. It filled his nostrils with a wet smell of ocean water. He could not feel the change happen but he knew that he had reached Inner World's gateway when he found himself rising through water toward a light above him. This had terrified him as a child the first time it happened as it would to most anyone in the same situation. He was only slightly less terrified this time having recalled this moment only after it had happened. Trying to remain calm, he gently kicked his legs, propelling himself upwards faster. He could still feel the branches of the tree all around him. The light above him was getting brighter and brighter until it split into two separate lights. It was more like headlights on a car shining in the dark than it was the sun shining down to the depths of an ocean. Inner World had two suns and he could see them both distinctly as he rose further and further. At last, he breached the surface and took a long breath in. His lungs filled with an air that was purer than that of Earth's but felt thicker, almost viscous. It was like trying to breathe through wet paper. The air always shocked John and made him gag a little until he got used to it.

He basked in the light of the two suns for a moment while he gained control of his breathing. After just a few seconds, his mind had decided that the air here was sufficient for continuing his life and turned off his panic alarm. He was staring off into the horizon and could not see anything. Just the sky meeting the ocean at the edge of the world. He turned himself in the water and found that the top of the tree was inexplicably jutting out from the water. This would have made no sense in his homeland but somehow it seemed proper here. As he continued to spin around in the water, he finally saw the land that he had been searching for. His feet were still kicking just enough to keep him afloat but he put them into drive now and swam to the beach that was about a hundred yards away from him. When he finally crawled onto the shore, he found no one there. Outsiders were rare to visit Inner World, but it had happened before he and Alison found it and it would surely happen again after they were gone. Some of the outsiders had not been pleasant people and had ultimately tried to insert themselves as rulers over the new world. Believing themselves to be discoverers of new lands that they could proclaim as their own (even if there were already inhabitants). For this reason, it was not surprising to find that no one was waiting for him to come ashore. He and Alison had both been well liked by generally everyone though and he thought they might be expecting him.

He called out to no one in particular.

"Hello". He said in a calm normal speaking voice. He had not wanted to scream for fear that it might spook whoever was watching. If there was anyone watching. No response echoed back.

He raised his voice a little and said it again.

"Hello." He repeated. "My name is John... er... Johnny. I was here when I was younger."

Still, no one answered his call. The brightness of the two suns illuminated every grain of sand on the beach and it took his eyes a while to adjust to the brightness of the reflection. The beach itself was less of a beach and more of a sandy shore that had never been populated by sunbathers as you might expect in the outer world. It was not dirty, but it was strewn with dead leaves and branches from trees which had fallen but not yet been swept out by the current. There were trees dotted along a line about 50 yards beyond the sands and Johnny could see the enormous cliffside that lay behind the thickness of the trees. The top of the cliffs loomed even higher and more daunting than the tree line did. Somehow the vail that he had created about this land as he grew up was beginning to lift and memories were slowly coming back to him. He remembered there being a way past the cliffs where he wouldn't have to risk life and limb climbing them. Johnny marched forward still wary of anyone or anything that might be lurking out there. He reached the trees and saw that they were not like the trees you would expect to find on a shore line in the outer world. These trees were solid, a sort of petrified wood. Johnny guessed that it was probably something unique to these lands, but that was the closest explanation he could think of. The branches arced like palm tree branches except they grew a banana like fruit instead of individual fronds.

Johnny couldn't remember everything yet and he wasn't sure about the fruit's palatability but he decided to grab a couple while he could in case he couldn't find any other sustenance along the way. As he plucked a fruit off the branch, the remaining branch flung upward, no longer hanging down by the weight of its seeds. John smelled the fruit and it had a particular scent that could not be matched to anything he had known elsewhere. It smelled delicious. He plucked one more fruit down and watched the branch swing up like a jungle catapult. Johnny laughed a little to himself when the thought crossed his mind of a war being waged through fruit being slung over the cliff tops.

As he made his way through the trees, he came out onto a clearing with separated the cliff face from the tree line. The cliffs looked even more magnanimous at this close distance. He could also see that they too seemed to glitter under the suns. He rubbed his hand along the wall and it felt like very light sandpaper. The faces of the cliffs were still slightly damp from either a recent rainfall or the humidity in the air. As he walked aimlessly along the wall, he wondered how far it extended. It could have gone on for several miles as far as he knew. By luck or perhaps by a force of someone's will he came across a large crevice in the wall. It appeared to be some sort of fissure in the cliffside caused by an earthquake or another force of nature. It was neither wide nor high; however Johnny could easily fit into it by slumping a little. He could only see in as far as the light was able to enter but he could not see anything dangerous inside.

As Johnny slipped in between the cliffs, he groped his way along the walls and stepped with caution assuring himself there was a safe footing. The dampness was even more so in here since the suns heat could not burn off the excess. It was never slippery but more like the wet sand of the beach itself. Johnny thought that maybe this fissure was nothing more than erosion from water that slowly made its way inward in the same fashion that the Grand Canyon was created. He thought this until his foot land on something more solid and he could see the dimmest of lights burning in other wise pitch blackness. He stepped a little further and while he still couldn't see any of his surroundings, he could tell that he was standing on something that was created with deliberation. Still waving his arms out in front of him and to the sides, he shuffled slowly forward. His eyes were trained on the two lights in the distance and he aimed his body towards them. As he drew closer, he could see that they flickered and danced like candle flames. Eventually, he could see that they were torches mounted into the stone. He was now also able to see that the floor beneath him was not going to drop off or give way at any point so he was able to take a more natural stride.

At last he reached a length of steps built from the same stone as the platform he had crossed. At the top of the steps was a set of giant doors, two guards and of course the two torches which now provided a great deal of light. The guards had the bodies of men, but the heads of wolves. They were dressed in full armor plating and each carried a sword and a shield. They paid no attention to Johnny's presence. He thought perhaps they had not seen him and wondered if he should turn around. As he pondered his new found situation, one of the guards spoke.

"How did you get here stranger?" The guard asked. His voice was that of a man and did not hide a hint of a wolf's snarl as Johnny thought it might.

"My name is Johnny Hays. I came here through a portal in the tree." Johnny realized how preposterous that sounded and started to try and explain further but the other guard spoke first.

"Why did you come here?" The other guard asked.

Johnny didn't know where to start. He did not remember seeing guards posted anywhere during his childhood trips. He wasn't sure who could be trusted but he had to tell them something.

"I have been here before when I was much younger. My friend Alison and I both were. She called me and asked me to come back, and that's why I am here".

The guards looked at each other for a moment. They looked down at Johnny and stared until one of them spoke again.

"Do you refer to the Mandrake woman?"

Johnny was puzzled. Alison was well liked as a child when they had visited but he didn't realize that she had such notoriety.

"Yes. At least... I believe it is the same person you are speaking of". Johnny stumbled out.

The right guard spoke again. "Ms. Mandrake called to you, you say?"

Johnny spoke slightly more assertively now though careful not to push his luck with two guards which might literally have him for lunch.

"Yes. That is what I'm trying to tell you. Alison Mandrake called me and asked me to come here. She told me that our friend Mr. Blue is missing."

The guards looked at each other again. Johnny was sure that they could somehow communicate without using words. The look was similar to dogs using body language to convey certain messages. Once more they looked down at Johnny. The guard on the left motioned for Johnny to come closer. Johnny obeyed the command but only at a slow and cautious pace. When Johnny reached the top of the steps he stopped and waited for the guards to act.

"King Blue is missing? He couldn't be without everyone in the realms knowing if this were fact." The guard on the right exclaimed. "We will take you to Castle Red. They will decide your fate, stranger".

Johnny was taken aback by the hostility of the two guards. He remembered Inner World as a peaceful place. A place whose beauty was incomparable to that of his natural world. A place where art moved because as Mr. Blue said "To bind art in stillness is a crime unto itself". The world he knew would not have had guards at the entrance even if they were wary of foreign visitors. He had a bad feeling about going forward but he had come this far and it really didn't look like he had the opportunity to retreat now.
Chapter 4

Asteria

The guards pushed the solid doors open and the entire cavern inside the cliffside was immediately filled with light. Johnny had to cover his eyes until they adjusted. When he opened them again he saw that he was on the far side of the lands known as Asteria. These were lands he had not been to before. Lush jungle spread before him densely populating the land as far as the horizon. The sky was a pinkish hue almost as if the suns were setting though he could clearly see them both high in the sky. In the far distance a solitary beacon clashed against the green of the tree tops. It was Castle Red.

Johnny had met the king of Castle Red when he was younger. The king was a gracious man who considered himself more of an arbitrator for the people than their ruler. He was very wise and just as kind. He was named king in the same way that all the kings before him were named king; the people elected them to be so. King Red had never had any ambition to rule over a people or land. He only sought to bring harmony to those who needed it. If there was a dispute, he would be there to mediate the terms of agreement fairly. He was almost uncanny in the way that he could find the common ground between two citizens and get them to work together toward the common good. It was for this reason that he was chosen to lead.

Johnny and Alison had meandered through Asteria's vast lands over many trips into the Inner World. During one occasion they had wandered into King Red's lands and the king asked for an audience with the two. Alison and Johnny were shocked when they learned that a king of Asteria wanted to meet them. They graciously accepted the letter which was delivered by the most beautiful cardinal you could imagine. They followed the cardinal all the way to the entrance of Castle Red. At the top of the stairs, the king awaited their arrival and beckoned them forth with a gentle wave of his hand. King Red looked to Johnny like a cross between a Viking warrior and Santa Claus. He had a full head and beard of thick white hair. Each end of his moustache was braided as well as his goatee. His hair flowed freely in the back and his head was topped with a solid gold crown with rubies adorning it on all sides. His shirt and vest were such a regal red that no one could mistake him for anything other than royalty. He carried a golden staff in one hand that was also gleaming with rubies.

"Welcome to my lands children!" The King belted out. "How did you come to be here?"

Johnny did not lack manners, but Alison was much more in tune with hers. She answered with a curtsy.

"Thank you for having us, my Lord. We came to Asteria quite by accident, but we love your lands very much". Alison was quite demure when she needed or wanted to be.

King Red responded. "There is no need for such formalities here young lady. Please call me Mr. Red. After all, you did not elect me as your king so I may not lay claim to be. I have never met any of the strangers who came to these lands before and I have heard talk of strangers in our lands from the other kings."

Johnny forgot his manners quickly when something triggered his curiosity. "The other kings?"

King Red explained to Johnny and Alison that when the world of Asteria was created, only mountains dotted the landscape. The whole world was enveloped in blackness except for the three mountains. One blue, one red and one yellow. The castle that they stood at right now was built from the red mountain. The Blue Mountain stood where the sky met the water and became Castle Blue and the Yellow Mountain became Castle Yellow where the suns rise every morning. The harmony of these three mountains sprang all that is from them. Yellow and Blue created the forests and jungles, Yellow and Red created fire to keep the people warm and Red and Blue created the night sky so the people could rest. All three colors created the world which you see before you.

The King went on to explain "Of course, they were never just colors or just mountains. They were the spectrum of life itself. The trilogy that all else owed its very being to. The Primaries were and still are the driving force behind this whole world and all that is above and below. The kings of each land represent the Primaries to the best of their abilities. Red is the color of love, such as the love I have for my people. Blue is calm and peace, like the gentle waves of the ocean and a clear blue sky. Yellow is happiness and warmth like the sun. All the kings that were and all the kings that are represent these qualities to the best of our abilities".

Johnny was awestruck. Alison was too. Even though the explanation of the creation of this world was far simpler than what they understood of the creation of their own universe, it was still well beyond the comprehension of any person who was not there to bear witness.

Johnny was the first to regain his speech. "Do you mean to say that the mountains are alive? That they control everything?"

King Red looked at Johnny with astonishment that he did not immediately accept that as fact. "I mean to say that the Primaries created life from what was darkness. They brought existence here to this very spot and it flowed from them as far as you can see and beyond. They do not interfere with the daily actions of the life which they created but they are the reason we can act in the first place."

Alison began to ask a question but the King halted her. "Why don't we move inside and you two can join me for tea? Then you can tell me of your world. How does that sound?"

The children did not hesitate and followed the King into what was the grand hall. They gaped as they stared at the lavish furnishings. The walls were covered in tapestries depicting what must have been the Kings before him. The floor was stone but a long red velvet carpet ran the entire length of the hall. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and sconces lined the walls illuminating the spaces that the light from the windows didn't reach.

They entered a smaller room with a round table and several high backed ornately carved chairs where the king announced they would have their tea. The table was so big that it was almost awkward to sit across from each other but that is exactly what they did. A butler came out with a freshly brewed pot of tea and three cups as if he were expecting them. The children sipped on their tea and regaled the king with what they could think to say of their own world.

Presently, John followed the guards through the jungle as they slashed down the greenery in front of them. He was anxious to reach the castle as he was sure the King would vouch for him and this nightmare would be over. After arduously trekking through lands that were not meant for people, they finally reached the grounds of Castle Red. It was just as magnificent as he remembered. It seemed to touch the very sky. Still, somehow it seemed to have been swathed in a melancholy that it couldn't escape. There was something slightly off about it and John began to wonder if coming here was the right choice. That is, if there ever was a choice to begin with.

The guards came to the bottom of the stairs and announced their business to the two guards who kept watch over the main entrance of the castle. John stood in fear as one of the guards approached him to get a better look.

"He doesn't look like he'll be trouble. None the less, we will let the king decide what to do with the outsider from here." The guard spoke about John as if he were nothing more than a nuisance.

The two guards from the cliffside gave John a shove toward the steps, hailed a salute and began their journey back to their post. John slowly climbed the steps as the main doors opened. Suddenly, he was sandwiched between two guards and being escorted into the main hall. The hall looked almost the same with the exception that the bright reds were more of a magenta and the chandeliers and sconces were dimmer. The tapestries that hung on the walls were depictions of war-like scenes. It was similar and yet all too unfamiliar at the same time. The stone floors seemed to emit a coldness which staled in the air above.

John knew that the room straight ahead of the main hall was where the king held court to settle any local disputes. He had been invited to attend once when he was younger. It was a grand affair and the king always seemed to know exactly what to say to quell an uprising quickly and satisfactorily. The people he served were always quick to speak kindly of him and he would always do so in return of them. No matter was too small to adjudicate as he knew that a small matter to him may be of great importance to someone else and could easily spill over creating a bigger problem. John had never known hardship back in his world but he knew that differences of opinion would never allow everyone to be happy with their leaders all the time. Somehow, King Red had managed to achieve this. Perhaps it was the way of this world that peace should be the dominant factor in everyone's lives.

As they reached the door to the court, they halted and John stopped in tow. One of the guards entered through the door, closing it behind him before John could get a look inside. After a moment, the guard returned and motioned for John to enter. The room was completely empty except for the two guards, John and a young man sitting in a throne about 20 feet in front of him. The guard announced John as if it were necessary in a booming militaristic voice.

"May I present to your highness, John..." The guard stammered at the end when he realized that John was all he knew of the stranger.

The king motioned for the guards to leave the room and they obeyed without question. He rose to his feet and asked John politely to step closer. John did so and he was standing no more than 5 feet in front of the king. This was certainly not the king that he remembered when he was a child though.

"Why don't we start with proper introductions?" Said the king "I am King Red the 15th, and you are?"

John responded. "My name is John Hays your highness, thank you for seeing me".

"John Hays, you are welcome in my kingdom. Provided you are not here to cause trouble. You are not here to cause trouble, correct"?

John looked sheepishly and answered "No Sir, I have only come because a friend of mine called me and she asked for my help. I am really not sure where she is or what she needs but as a friend I had to come".

"And what is your friend's name? Perhaps I or my staff can be of service to you".

"Her name is Alison, Sir. She called me just yesterday".

John couldn't know for sure, but he thought he saw the faintest glimpse of a frown forming on the king's face at the mention of Alison's name. If it had, it disappeared as quickly as it had come and was replaced by a more bewildered look.

"This Alison you speak of... Did she tell you where you could meet her or any further instructions to guide you"? The king asked

"No Sir, I'm afraid our call was very brief. She told me that she needed help and that our old friend Mr. Blue was missing".

"Mr. Blue? Missing? It simply isn't possible. He is the king of Castle Blue. I am quite sure we would have heard news of his absence were there news to report. I am not sure what this is all about, but I am most curious. I will allow two of my guards to escort you through Asteria. While I can't make any promises on finding Ms. Alison, they will do whatever possible to assist you on your quest".

"Thank you, your majesty. Your offer is very gracious and kind. I would be appreciative of their aid".

"One last thing John: If you should find Alison, I would like to invite you both back here. I would be anxious to hear how this all came to be". With that he called for the guards to return and instructed them to assist John with anything he needed in his path to find Alison.

The guards escorted John out of the room and out of the castle back onto the front steps. The guards paused and asked John where he would like to go first. The guards did not seem overly happy to be babysitting John and they did little to hide this from him. John thought about making the offer that he could go by himself, but thought it might seem rude to refuse the king's offer of aid. After thinking about their question, he replied "I guess we should go to the blue lands. Perhaps Alison left a message for me there".

More of an order than suggestion, the guard retorted "Well, we had better get moving then. It will be dark soon and we don't want to be in the thick of the jungle at night. It's hard enough to know which way we're going in the little light that comes through during the day". He then started off toward the woods. The other guard gave John a slight push in the back, motioning him to follow and they walked in a line with John feeling like the monkey in the middle. Something was going on between the two guards, but try as he might, he couldn't catch what it was. John could tell that the guards didn't want to be going on this journey, but he thought there was more to it than simply that. He felt like the guards didn't like him. It was certainly possible that lack of sleep was just playing tricks on his mind and paranoia was the result. That was possible, but he couldn't shake the feeling. As much as he appreciated the king's generosity, he could not fight the urge to rid himself of his "protection". He would have to find a way to leave them in the forest. Trying to lose them in the open areas of the cities would not be possible. The only question now was how.

The guards stayed close to him on both sides. The guard leading never went to fast that John had trouble keeping up and the guard in back never strayed more than five feet behind. John was desperately trying to think of ways to rid himself of the guards and was coming up with little that had potential for success. His best idea involved going off by himself to, use the facilities, as it were, but could not see how he would be able to flee fast enough to get very far. The guards knew this jungle much better than he did and they would surely catch him before too long.

As luck would have it, he did not need to think of any plan because a plan was already in place without his knowledge. While they were walking and John was pondering delusional escape plans, a rock sailed through the air and struck one of the guards directly on the head. This blow landed with such force that the guard immediately crumpled down to the ground. The other guard quickly drew his sword from its sheath but as fast as he could draw it another rock soared through the leaves and struck him in the head as well. Watching in a stupor as the second guard collapsed, shock set in and John froze where he was.

John could now hear twigs breaking and dried leaves grinding under footsteps that were hurrying closer. Not able to move yet, he stood where he was and watched as the thick flora was shoved out of the way of whoever or whatever was coming towards him. Finally, the last of the branches swung down and a hooded figure appeared out of the thickness. The fact that it appeared to be a person did little to assuage John's feelings of panic. The hood covered most of the figure's head and hair and a mask covered everything from the top of the nose down, leaving only the eyes visible. The long cloak it wore made it impossible to tell if it was a man or woman that had just single-handedly taken two of the king's royal guards down. The little bit of sunlight that illuminated the jungle casted shadows in all directions and made one's perception of depth hard to be certain of. What looked large was sometimes closer than you imagined and was actually small and the opposite could be said as well.

The imposing figure cautiously stepped closer to John and as it did, John noticed that it wasn't so imposing after all. Like the rest of the jungle, it had appeared larger at a distance but diminished in size as it drew ever so slowly closer. The figure stopped in front of John and pulled back the hood revealing long auburn hair that shimmered with its own natural glow as it fell below her shoulders.

Alison Mandrake had grown into a beautiful young woman. Now even more stunned than before but no longer frightened, he stared at her with his mouth agape in what would normally be considered terribly rude fashion. She walked towards him until she was almost toe to toe and threw her arms around him tightly. She held onto the embrace for a good long minute and spoke softly into his ear. "I'm so happy to see you, Johnny".

John snapped out of his daze instantly and drew back from her arms. With a bewildered expression on his face, he asked "Alison? How is this possible?"

She grabbed hold of John's hands and held them reassuringly in her own. "It's me Johnny. I came back here when I was 16 and I have been here ever since".

"But why did you never come back? Why stay here? And what happened to Mr. Blue?"

"I will explain everything, but those guards won't be out for long and we need to get back to the Blue realm where I have a place we can catch up." Alison said.

She led him deftly through the jungle to what looked to be a lightly worn path that was otherwise hidden from the main pathway. They traveled along this unbeaten path until the trees became sparse enough to see through and he could see the outlying edges of the blue realm. Castle Blue stood magnificently on the horizon atop the tallest hill. Its perimeter was dotted with parcels of land separated by rock walls. These parcels were owned by the farmers who supplied the realm with foods of every kind. From a distance it resembled an idyllic English countryside complete with small creeks and winding unpaved roads. John could see the farmers tilling their fields and shepherds tending to their flocks of sheep and cattle. A couple of the homes had smoke rising from the chimneys and he remembered Mrs. Ketterbell making fresh lamb stew in a kettle over the fireplace. He remembered the delicious aroma that filled the entire home and probably several other homes as the stew simmered over the fire. He remembered the savory taste and how nothing in his life since had been able to compare to it. His mouth was actually watering thinking of how delectable the stew was.

The air today was filled with a different kind of smell today. He could smell burnt wood as though someone was having a campfire but much stronger. He could see no signs of anything which could have produced such a scent though. The air was fairly still and they were too far away to smell the chimney smoke even if all the houses had been lit at once. The suns were getting low on the horizon and the sky was already turning to a deep blue. Alison grabbed his arm and jostled him back to the present tense. They meandered their way up the winding roads until they were at the castle doors. The doors stood fifteen feet tall and about 8 feet across each. They were made of solid wood and had iron bars attached to maintain their structure. The doors stood widely open for all to enter. The doors were only there to protect the citizens from particularly torrential weather.

The courtyard was filled with people either closing up their stands for the day or making final purchases from the vendors who were still open. In the midst of all of this was a glorious water fountain. It appeared to be made of solid white marble and was adorned on the north with a polar bear, the south a penguin, the east a tiger and the west a wolf. All of these creatures were created the same height and all stood on their hind legs whilst spraying water from their mouths into the base of the fountain. The next tier sat raised inside the base and had four fish which moved in a circular motion on a track. Inside this tier was another. It featured the landscape of Asteria with three mountains. This was the only part of the fountain that was colored. Encompassing the tops of the mountains were clouds that continuously rained down onto the landscape which then spilled onto the tier below and continued to do so until it reached the bottom where it was siphoned back up to the clouds to begin its journey all over again. John remembered looking into this fountain when he was young and making wishes on it with Alison. They never told each other what their wishes were but John's was always the same. He wished that he and Alison would be friends forever. Never knowing for sure what she had wished for, he liked to believe that it was the same as his. John felt like his wish had not been granted, but in a way it was. They had always been friends; they just hadn't kept in touch. John assumed that was just the natural order of growing up. People moved away, people lost connections and people's lives carried them in different directions. Of course, this didn't mean that you disliked the person, but if one becomes a vegan and the other thoroughly enjoys a T-Bone they probably won't spend much time dining together. It was only natural. Knowing this however, John wished he had been a bit more specific when he made his wishes that he and Alison would never be separated.

Alison expertly made her way through the sea of people gathered in the courtyard to a building closer to the main castle. She led John through the small alley way between two buildings and continued zigging and zagging down alleyways until John could no longer tell which direction they were going. Finally, they came to a door and she knocked three times, then two more times. A few seconds passed by and John heard a sound from the other side of the door. It didn't sound like a lock or a deadbolt. Instead, it sounded as if they were removing an obstacle or a barricade. When the door opened a large man ushered them in with a motioning of his arm. After they were in, John saw the man replace the heavy wood beam which lay across the middle of the door barring entry to those unwanted. John was confused because the Asteria that he knew was never a place where locks were needed. It was not even a place where doors were needed with the exception of the bathroom doors for privacy. No one in any of the realms would steal from another and harming another was just not thought of. Peace reigned throughout the entire land and all shared equally the duties and the rewards. The kings were not fed more than any villager and they paid the same prices for goods as any other soul.

The man who had let them in was rather large in stature and even under the circumstances as they were, he was a bit intimidating. It was hard to tell exactly how big he really was because he was wearing a long robe with the hood up. To John, the man looked similar to a monk living in a mountaintop monastery. The ones who swore themselves to silence and tended to rare gardens all day trying to achieve Zen or something along those lines. This image did make him seem a little less like the hulking giant he first appeared to be, but John still wouldn't have wanted to cause any trouble with him. As the man lowered his hood, he revealed a clean shaven face excepting for a neatly trimmed goatee and thick dark eyebrows that stood out on his otherwise pale face. His hair was short which allowed John to see that his ears were pointed and flopped over like those of a goat would be. John knew instantly that the man was not a man at all but a Marrigo. Marrigos were not exactly hybrids. Hybrids are a mixture of two or more different things. Marrigos are unique creatures that appear to be a mix to humans, but only because we understand them as such from relation to what we know.

"Welcome back, Ms. Mandrake. We are pleased to see you home safe". The man with the incredibly baritone voice said.

"Thank you Alistair. May I present Johnny Hays." Alison replied with a raise of her hand in my direction.

I stuck my hand out in the traditional gesture of a handshake and quickly pulled it back in. That motion was considered to be highly offensive to the Marrigos. No one knows why for sure, but John always assumed that the gesture was superstitious and carried down for generations to the point where no one knows why but they still have distaste for it. Instead, John backed up and lowered his head slightly signaling respect and his gesture was returned.

"It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Hays. We have been told of your adventures through our lands before and the blue king's affection for the both of you".

John was stunned to find himself renowned in this land. He had not been to this land in what appeared to be several generations of their time and expected to be long forgotten. "The honor is mine sir."

Alistair led the two of them down the hall from the entrance. The hall ended abruptly but had a door to the left which led into a parlor sort of room. It was furnished with quaint items and looked like a nice place to live. He turned to enter the door when Alison grabbed him by the arm and stopped him. She pointed towards Alistair who was scratching something into the wall. It represented only random motions to John but when he made the final stroke with his finger a door appeared in front of them. Alistair opened the door and walked into a large sitting dining room where a dozen or so others were already enjoying their repast. After John and Alison had breached the entryway, Alistair closed the door behind them and it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. The others dined ravenously and drank merrily. None of them were yelling but the sheer number of them speaking over each other created a cacophony in the room. One by one, the men and women at the table stopped as they saw who had just entered the room. When the last person stopped speaking, you could have heard a pin drop.

Alistair, John and Alison made their way further into the room and Alison broke the silence.

"Everyone, this is Johnny Hays. He has come to help us".

The men and women who were presently sitting at the table all at once stood and began cheering and clapping. The first to greet John was a young man maybe in his mid-twenties. He wore a suit of armor that made him look like a knight. He introduced himself as Gallen and exclaimed how happy he was to meet him. The next to come up was a slender woman in a bright blue gown that looked fit for a royal. She introduced herself as Princess Carrah Blue and expressed the same sentiment as Gallen had before her. One by one, they came before John like a procession. There were no other Marrigos, but there was a Scelt, two Faeres, two Thoras, a Chuil and a Sinnach. John's mind flooded as the memories of so long ago came rushing back. The Scelts were a tribe of highly skilled hunters. They were said to have better capacity than bloodhounds when it came to smell. They were also notoriously swift on their feet which made sense since they had six of them. Their lower bodies were similar to that of a spider, but they had the upper torso of a man along with two arms. This allowed them to move very quickly and agile. They generally lived in tribes in the jungles and survived by hunting and gathering. The Faere-folk were said to be magical even in this land. They possessed abilities to change their size from that of a fly to an elephant and everywhere in between. They did not have wings but still possessed the ability to fly and they typically resided high up the mountains. The Thora were a race of men like creatures. They looked like men in all ways except they were much larger and stronger. Their clans were extremely skilled in many different trades including metalwork, woodwork, crafting and clothing. Goods made or crafted by the Thora were of the highest quality in all the lands. They generally lived in small communities in all the lands but often traveled throughout for trade. The Chuil folk were mysterious creatures who appeared to be made completely of smoke but still had a shape to them. Not a lot was known about the Chuil but legend was told that the first Chuil was born of the first flames created in Asteria and they roamed the skies ever since. They could evaporate into thin air and then draw the smoke back in when they wanted to be seen again. The Sinnachs were not known to roam outside the mountain caves where they dwelled. They were friendly to all those who travelled their roads but preferred to live amongst themselves and the comforts of their homes. Because they lived in caves in the mountains, they became very adept at stonework. Almost everything they made was from the stone of the mountains. They also had a particularly pallid complexion from the lack of sun in their natural habitats. Lying on the floor were two wolves which were clearly belonging to the Sinnach. They believed the wolf was a sacred creature. Many legends surrounded the reason why and, again no one knew for sure, but the wolves apparently had a respect for the Sinnachs as well because they were always around.
Chapter 5

The Reason It Came To Be

John sat down at the table joining the others in their feast as they prepared a plate of food for him. As he ate, he thought about how tired he should be after getting little sleep and the adventure he had already had. He thought this and realized he felt better than he had in a long time. He seemed to have a renewed strength that he had not had since he was in college. He sated his palate with breads and cheeses and meats of all varieties. He washed it all down with the sweetest water flavored with spices and berries that could not be matched in his own world. As he ate, the entire table filled him in on what had happened since he last left Asteria. Their version was abbreviated of course, but hit on all the major points and John could generally fill in the gaps by his self.

The Sinnach named Ansin told Johnny of how the Red King that he knew from his last visit had passed away long ago and the succession of kings since became less benevolent with each generation. King Red the first was always kind and had never considered himself to be a ruler. He was a practical man who could sort out any disputes and while his word was always final, it was always just and no parties ever disagreed. His wolf lowered his head in a manner that seemed to display sorrow for the way things had turned out. Ansin told of how the latest king ascended to the throne due to the untimely death of his father and predecessor. No one had any proof and no inquiries into the matter were made but foul play had long been suspected.

Princess Carrah spoke next. She informed Johnny that the Red kingdom had meant to wage a war with the other two kingdoms. The Red King meant to rule the entire lands of Asteria. He had already taken parts of the land belonging to the Blue Kingdom which is why there is now a slight crimson color across their land. She told Johnny how some of those living in the Blue Kingdom had gone to the lands of the Red. Some went because they feared retribution for not joining, some left because they believed in having one kingdom and some were not given a choice. Their lands had been taken and they were now living in the Red Kingdom under the laws of that land.

"My father's people were suffering". Carrah said. "We didn't know what to do since Asteria has always been a peaceful place". She lowered her head as she said this, no doubt feeling ashamed that she could not protect her people better.

Johnny wanted to interrupt her to tell her she had nothing to be ashamed of, but she continued on before he could manage to speak.

"My father didn't know what to do, so he called upon the only person he knew that might be able to offer advice. Ms. Mandrake." She stated. "Ms. Mandrake, being from a world where wars are common, was asked to come to his court to advise him on how to proceed in ending what would be a great tragedy".

Alistair abruptly stood from his seat, raised a glass and shouted "To Ms. Mandrake!"

The rest of the table raised their glasses and repeated the sentiment offered by Alistair. Alison looked a little flush as if embarrassed by the attention. She clearly meant a lot to this band of rogues.

Princess Carrah began speaking again once the uproar had quelled. "Shortly after Ms. Mandrake was called before my father, he went missing and I fear that he has been taken prisoner by the red king. If not for the courage and loyalty of Ms. Mandrake and all the true friends of the blue and yellow kings, I may have been the next target".

Abruptly, Gallen stood and shouted "That will _never_ come to pass under our watch my lady!" More cheers erupted and the morale of the group was invigorating to Johnny.

"I will do whatever I can to help find your father and return Asteria to a peaceful place princess". Johnny said.

The princess thanked him for his help and suggested that the feast should begin. The massive spread of food on the table both looked and smelled delicious; with the exception of the raw meat which was meant for the wolves. Johnny had no doubt that the raw meat both looked and smelled delicious to them. Everyone began to reach for their favorite foods. Some had begun shoveling food into their mouths as if they had not eaten in years while others sat more refined and waited until the food was free to serve neatly onto their plates. Nobody concerned themselves in the differences of the customs and manners of the others. They simply understood that everyone there was there to support each other and nothing else mattered. You didn't need to understand the ways of someone to know whether or not they were good and decent people. The differences were what made them stronger together for acceptance of others creates a bond which is very strong indeed.

When everyone at the table was sufficiently sated, they all agreed that a good night's rest was in order and began to take their leave. Everyone bid each other farewell and good night as they passed. Alison told Johnny that she would show him to his room and she grabbed a small lantern with a candle burning inside. Holding the lantern out in front of her, she led Johnny down a hallway filled with solid wood doors on each side. They had passed several when suddenly she stopped and pulled a key from her pocket. Slipping the key into the lock below the doorknob, she turned it and twisted the knob to open the door.

"Stay here while I light the candles for you". Alison said.

She began to light candles one by one in different areas of the room. As she did so, Johnny became more and more amazed at what he could now see. In one corner was an antique writing desk that appeared to have a quill pen on it. Johnny didn't know if he had ever seen one before outside of the movies. In the middle of the room was a king size four-poster bed with light blue sheer linen draped over the top and several pillows of all shapes and sizes on it. It looked like the most comfortable thing in the world. As Alison continued through the room, Johnny noticed that the other corner was lined with bookshelves filled with ancient tomes possessing knowledge that he couldn't possibly imagine. A large blue chair and a circular side table sat in front of the bookshelves. Alison opened another door and told Johnny that it led to the bathroom. Finally, she made her way back to him and set her lantern down on the counter behind him. The counter was held up by several cupboards and what looked to be an old fashioned ice box. Alison opened one of the cupboards and pulled from within two small glasses. From the ice box, she pulled out a decanter filled with something that smelled like apples and cinnamon. It reminded Johnny of a candle it was so potent. She poured a small amount into each glass and handed one to Johnny.

"I thought we should mark the occasion" said Alison seeming coy as she did. "It's not alcohol, but it does leave the person drinking it in a rather happy state".

"It smells delicious" I said as I raised my glass slightly. "Here's to us, I guess".

Alison raised her glass to meet Johnny's and when they clinked, both brought the glasses to their lips and sipped the liquid. Johnny was not a stranger to alcohol and he half expected to feel the warmth spread through his chest like whiskey. To his surprise, the liquid was cold and tasted like a juice but he couldn't think of any berry on Earth that tasted like this. As the juice made its way to his stomach, he could feel the cold feeling turn to the faintest hint of warmth. With every sip he took, the cycle would repeat itself. He could also feel himself growing more relaxed with every drop he swallowed.

Alison led him to the chair in front of the bookshelves. She searched the shelves until she found the book she was looking for and pulled it out. Handing the book to Johnny, she told him that this was King Blue's room and that he would have wanted Johnny to read this book. Johnny looked at the cover and saw that it was a book on the history of Asteria. It was heavy and looked to be over a thousand pages. He had no idea how he was going to read all of it.

"Johnny, I'm so thankful that you're here. I hesitated to call you because I didn't know if you'd remember me or this place. I was worried you wouldn't believe me". Alison had such a somber look as she spoke that Johnny wanted to hug her and reassure her that everything would be alright.

"You were my best friend Alison. I admit that I didn't remember much about this land or our adventures here until I arrived, but I never stopped thinking of you. In many ways, you still are my best friend".

"You are mine too, and I've thought about you for all these years. I'll leave you to your reading. If you need anything, I'm in the room across the hall. Goodnight Johnny". Alison said as she walked toward the door.

"Goodnight, Alison" I stammered as she closed the door behind her.
Chapter 6

A Short History

Johnny opened the cover of the book still wondering how he was supposed to read all of this in one night. As the opened the cover, he realized that another book was hidden inside the larger. The smaller of the two appeared to be King Blue the 14th's personal journal. Under normal circumstances, Johnny would have never read someone else's journal, but he felt that it was the right thing to do in this case.

The journal started with King Blue's memories of his father and the times when he was a small child. Asteria was a peaceful land that prospered in every way. He spent many days playing with his friends and learning how to be a kind and just ruler from his father. While attending a ball held at Castle Yellow, he met the princes of the both the Red and Yellow kingdoms. The three became friends and vowed to be forevermore. While all three were equal in almost every way, it was apparent to the Yellow Prince that the Red Prince deemed himself the most important of them. The Blue Prince was always of a calm mind and wanted to see the best in everything and everyone. He had never known deceit or treachery and could not imagine either. Prince Yellow had not seen or heard of deceit or treachery either but, being that he had the most foresight of the three, he could tell that something was not quite right with the Red Prince.

Over the course of the next few years, the Red Prince involved himself more and more in the affairs of the kingdom. His father had taught him many things, some good and some which relied on a looseness of conscience. The Prince began to further his own decline into depravity with small acts of pettiness. He would raise taxes on the villagers while he hosted lush galas for his friends. Friends that did not include the other two princes. He made allies with the beasts that roamed the jungles and they agreed to do his bidding in return for his sparing their lands from waste. Eventually, the prince ascended to the throne with his father's passing. King Red the 4th was an older man but he had always been in good health. Within a week, he had gone from what seemed to be a minor illness to his grave. Of course, many whispers of foul play by the hand of his son rose and fell on the winds through the villages, but none came along with any degree of certainty. Since there were no obvious signs of malicious harm to the body, it was declared that he died of a mysterious illness that was, as of yet, unidentified.

Johnny felt that Mr. Blue had written this part of the land's history with some unease. While the journal clearly pointed out that something had come over the red kingdom, he had also done what he could to presume the innocence of his one-time friend. This had little effect to anyone reading it with the benefit of hindsight. Still, Johnny knew that Mr. Blue must have come to the conclusion that the newly appointed King Red had grown under the shadow of discontent that his father had. Now, King Red was accustomed to the darkness and let it envelop him like the night sky envelops half of the world. This made Johnny's heart ache for Mr. Blue; who had come to know deceit by the hands of none other than his dear friend. A friend, who it seemed, was to blame for his disappearance.

Johnny read along fascinated by all the personal history contained within the journal. He read about the first shades of red creeping into the blue sky. How it had changed slowly from the lightest pink to its current crimson tone. He read about wild animals prowling in the forests and jungles accounted for by the lucky few who had managed to escape. He read about the imprisonment of slaves from lands outside the red borders. Johnny couldn't believe this was the same place he and Alison had come to as children.

Later in the journal, he would find that Mr. Blue had joined with King Yellow and created the Green Alliance. Its numbers were few at first for joining would mean a direct threat to King Red himself and would not be taken lightly. As the days passed, more creatures of every race found themselves willing to risk their freedom and, if needed, their lives. Some of the older or disabled citizenry would help by sneaking food and drink into the hidden storage sheds. Others who had previously worked with the sick were recruited to be medics to wounded hunters. Of course, all of them lived as normally as they could to avoid suspicion from any spies amongst them. Mr. Blue admitted that he himself did not know the true number of his ranks, but he was satisfied that more would join as they surged forward. The plan was always to restore peace to Asteria and restore the balance of the three.

The Green Alliance would often send hunters into the forests and jungles to capture any wild animals. At times, when word was spread of a possible caravan of slaves traveling through, they would send troops to secure the freedom of all slaves bound for the Red Kingdom. No price was ever to be paid for their freedom, though many joined the cause after. The hunters were often divided into smaller troops to avoid all of them being fell upon at once. No troop was privy to the workings of another until after the mission had been carried out successfully. This was not to say that they didn't have someone in charge. One person had been given the task of strategizing and organizing the troops and their missions. Alison Mandrake. Alison had proven herself to be a very skillful hunter and her loyalty was undoubted in anyone's mind, especially Mr. Blue's. His journal would describe her as swift as an arrow and deft as a deer. She had a grace about her when wielding either bow or sling which accommodated her when riding atop a horse or running through the thick leaves of the jungle. Her aim was true as though it were gifted to her by divinity. All skills which had only increased as the time passed.

Johnny had always thought the world of Alison when they were young. He knew she had a gentle touch, but he also knew that possessed an inner strength that she could tap into when needed. Still, he was utterly impressed by the description written in the journal. The young girl he had known years past had grown into a fierce woman that any creature big or small would admire. Those who crossed her would come to fear her as well. Those were the words of Mr. Blue and he continued to write that because of her stealth and supremacy during missions, the hunters began to call her Mirage.

Johnny poured another glass from the decanter and settled back into the chair to finish reading. He had to finish quickly as his eyes were beginning to close of their own volition. He skimmed over sections where Mr. Blue had written about more raids and how the Red King had made his most loyal soldiers his elite Royal Guard. As he read on, it came closer to present time. The Green Alliance had already been formed but as of yet, only small raids had been carried out. It would seem that King Red was growing tiresome of these nuisances as he had begun sending his soldiers into the kingdoms to terrorize the citizens. This had the effect of rallying the people of the kingdoms and villages to an even more determined state, but it was successful in driving the Alliance further underground. Posters were hung all around declaring members of the Alliance and those who aided them as traitors. Mr. Blue and King Yellow had agreed that no one should speak of the Alliance unless within their own homes or in specific meeting sites, effectively lessening the chances of anyone being caught. Sometimes the soldiers would harass the people in attempt to get them to confess.

Hostility toward the soldiers grew more intense every day, growing from a flicker to a forest fire. A local farmer was tending to his crops on an afternoon when the soldiers came to his house. They had accused him of treason and began to place shackles around the man's arms. He had cried out, professing his innocence to no avail. The man's wife pleaded with the soldiers to show mercy as they carried him to the caravan but her pleas fell upon deaf ears. She watched her husband get ripped from his home as the tears streamed down her cheeks. There was no proof of any wrong-doing and Mr. Blue was adamant that he had never been party to any information about the Alliance, nor had he aided any of the members. The soldiers did not require proof or even a witness. They simply took what they wanted and left ruin in their wake.

Mr. Blue knew that he and King Yellow must make their stand. No more innocent lives could be ruined while they scurried hidden in the shadows. He would not allow King Red to carry out any more atrocities without just repercussions. Mr. Blue and King Yellow had drafted a letter declaring King Red as unfit to lead his people. His immediate abdication of the throne and freedom for all subjects was the only means of staving off a war which would bring destruction to all parties. The draft was then brought to a gathering in a secret meeting with a spokesman of each race. Neither King Yellow nor Mr. Blue wanted to fight but they would if it meant their people could be free and happy. Even so, they would not do so without the support of the creatures of their lands. In a unanimous decision, it was decided that the declaration put forth by Mr. Blue and King Yellow should be given to King Red. It was also decided that anything less than exactly what they had asked for would be considered a direct threat to the safety of all citizens and the people would have the right to usurp the king.

The declaration was to be delivered to King Red by both Mr. Blue and King Yellow on the following morning. This was the last entry in the journal but a small piece of paper folded neatly into thirds was tucked into the back cover. Johnny unfolded it and realized it was a letter addressed to his daughter Princess Carrah. It read:

Dearest Daughter,

It is with a truly saddened heart that I write this letter to you. I leave here tomorrow on a journey whose outcome I could not possibly predict. The time has come for us to rise up against the tyrants that would be our rulers. Please know that I make this journey without reservation. I make it for all of my people, all of the people of Yellow Kingdom and of course for you. The very thought of you having to bear witness to such horrible times is almost more than I can take, but it gives me the strength to carry on. Should anything happen to me, now or far into the future, it is my wish that you take my place as the rightful leader of the Blue Kingdom. I know that the people will accept you with open arms as your heart is pure and your intentions true. If my return is not swift, please do not weep for me but carry on in my stead.

With all of my love,

Your father

Johnny folded the letter neatly and placed it back into the journal. He closed the book and placed it on the table next to him. He wasn't sure how he would sleep with everything he just learned swimming around in his head, but after a few more sips from his glass he found himself in a much more peaceful state of mind. He walked around the room blowing out the candles until he had reached the bed. The long and eventful day started to catch up with him and he crawled into the plush bed. Soon, his eyes were closed and he laid soundly asleep for the rest of the night.
Chapter 7

Finding A Place

Johnny woke to the soft knocking sounds at his bedroom door. Feeling amazing after the best sleep he could remember having, he rose to his feet stretching his arms in the process. Still wearing the clothes he had been in since his arrival, he walked to the door and opened it.

"Good morning, Johnny." Alison stood on the other side of the threshold with neatly folded clothes.

"Good morning to you" Johnny replied. "Please come in".

She walked into the room and placed the clothes on the unmade bed. She turned back around and looked at the state of both Johnny and his attire.

"I brought you some fresh clothes." Alison said this while trying not to sound like she was admonishing his wardrobe. "You can meet us in the dining hall when you're ready."

Suddenly feeling un-representable, Johnny was looking for the quickest exit. He thanked Alison and grabbed the clothes heading toward the bathroom. Alison left the room as he did.

After lighting a candle, Johnny found himself in a most luxurious room. A wash basin was on his left and a claw footed tub was in front of him. In keeping with the décor of the bedroom, the walls were a sky blue trimmed with white and gold. There were towels made from fine material neatly folded on the side of the tub. All the faucets and handles were gold colored and the floor looked to be a white marble with silver lines and specks running through it. The room was large enough to create a soft echo that danced along the walls. Turning the water on in the tub, Johnny could feel the heat rising instantly. He put the plug into the tub and watched as the water rose.

On a table beside the tub were three small pitchers. They reminded Johnny of the gravy boats his mother used when entertaining company. In each one were a liquid; one brown, one blue and one red. The brown liquid smelled of the woods. Like tree bark and dew mixed with a musky scent. The blue liquid smelled like the air on a beautiful spring day with subtle notes of mint. The red smelled of the most intoxicating flowers and a hint of lavender. Johnny poured a little bit of the blue liquid into the tub and it permeated the air as it swirled in the hot water. He felt he could have sat in the tub all day, but reminded himself that the others were probably waiting on him. He washed his body in the water and when he was sufficiently cleaned, he stepped out of the tub. He removed the plug and the water slowly lowered until it began to form a funnel into the drain.

He washed his hair in the basin using another oil sitting nearby. This oil had an aroma that was very pleasing though Johnny had no reference as to what it could be. After drying his hair with a towel, he looked at the clothes which Alison had brought him. The shirt a dark green shade and pulled over the head. The neck was open but could be tied with the laces. The sleeves were long but loose enough to allow full range of motion. The forearms had leather bands sewn onto them with intricate patterns burned into the leather. The pants were a dark brown color with more leather around the thighs. Along with the clothes, Alison had brought boots which came all the way up the calf and a belt with several loops on it much like a construction worker would use to carry tools. All of this made him think of a cross between old Errol Flynn characters and Robin Hood. He laughed to himself at the thought and began putting them on.

When he was finally ready, he looked at himself in the mirror and realized that the belt was intended to carry a much different tool than a hammer. It dawned on him at that moment that he may actually be in over his head. With that thought stuck on repeat in his head like a skipping record, he jaunted off towards the dining room. At least, he assumed it was the dining room as that was where they all ate. Truthfully, the size of the underground passages astonished Johnny and there may well have been five more dining rooms.

He knew he was going the right way when he heard the others speaking. He reached the threshold of the dining room and everyone stopped what they were discussing to look at the newly dressed Johnny. If he had not made an impression on the others before, he surely did this time.

"Good morning, everyone" Johnny said to the mass of creatures in front of him.

Good mornings were passed back and the others continued on with their debates over food and drink as though Johnny had already been forgotten. Alison sided up to Johnny and, grabbing him by the arm, led him down the hall to an empty seat. She advised him to eat heartily because they would be going on a hunt later and one never knew when they might eat again. Johnny didn't need to be told twice and began piling food onto his plate. Between the hunger he felt and the massive amount of the most delectable foods on the table, he barely registered the word "hunt".

After feasting and listening to the rest bicker, Johnny felt Alison nudge his elbow with hers. When he turned to look at her, she made a jerking motion with her head as if to point in the direction of the hallway. Taking his cue, Johnny rose from his seat and made his way to the hall where Alison soon joined him.

"We haven't long before the hunt. I wanted to give you these." Said Alison as she handed Johnny a sword sheathed in what appeared to be ivory with gold dressing on it. Along with the sword she gave Johnny a leather pouch and a slingshot very similar to the one she had used earlier in his defense.

Johnny took the sword, pouch and slingshot but stood there just holding them as if unsure what they were.

"I can see the look of worry on your face, Johnny." Alison said. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? I had no idea when I came here that I would have to go to war. I've been here less than a day and already I have a sword in my hand. I don't even know how to use one!" Johnny exclaimed.

"The pointy end usually gets aimed at the other person." Alison returned.

"You know what I mean. This has been your life. It's been all of their lives. I haven't been having sword fights back home. What did you get me into?" This last looked to sting a little according to Alison's facial expression.

"I asked you to come because I knew you were the only person I can truly depend on. I trust the others immensely but they aren't you. I also know that you're our only hope of bringing peace back to Ulsteria. We need your expertise Johnny. The rest don't know the things you know. They didn't go to college. They weren't brought up in our world. They need you, I need you and I _think_ you just might need us."

Johnny didn't know what else to say. Her admitting that she needed him was all it really would have taken to convince Johnny to stay. It was her last point though that struck a nail. He had been feeling lost as of lately. Not just in Asteria, but back home too. He felt for some time as though he had simply been wandering through life aimlessly. He felt like he was lacking purpose. He didn't want to admit this tom himself but hearing Alison say it brought it to the surface where he couldn't hide from it anymore.

Johnny began to slide the sword into the left holster when Alison stopped him. She explained that the sword was mostly just for show and for that reason; it was carried on the right side holster leaving his dominant hand to free. The slingshot would be holstered on the left side for quicker and more expedient access. Finally the leather pouch was strapped onto the belt next to the slingshot.

Alison winked at Johnny and said "I saved them for you. Maybe they'll bring you luck".

Johnny opened the pouch to find his collection of marbles from when he and Alison and Mr. Blue would play. Johnny always won and had amassed quite the collection. They ranged in size and color patterns. He couldn't believe that Alison had saved them this whole time. He cinched the bag closed again and hugged Alison tightly.
Chapter 8

The Hunt

Ash and Ember, the two Faere-folk, made themselves as small as ants. They crawled under the door which led outdoors and looked around for any potential spies. After searching the ground and skies, they were convinced none were around. Returning to a size that suited conversation with the rest of the brood, they knocked on the door to signal it was safe to exit.

One by one, the rest came out the door and were instantly blinded by the intense daylight of the morning. Halan, the Chuil, disappeared almost immediately though all knew he lingered nearby. Everyone was outside except for Alistair who would stay behind to tend to the quarters. He would also prepare the meals for their return. In front of them all was Murogan, the Scelt. He was the best hunter in his clan and he had devised plans for each of them during the night and would tell them all what their parts to play were.

The hunt, as Johnny would come to find out, was not to kill but to find and return prisoners. Every prisoner returned was likely to join the cause and they knew they needed all the help they could get. Murogan told Halan, the Chuil to search and report from the skies. Ash and Ember were each to travel along the edges of the jungle and be accompanied by a wolf. Gallen would join Silva and Golach, the Thoras going through the middle of the jungle. Princess Carrah, Alison and Johnny would take the left side while Murogan and Ansin would take the right side of the jungle. Anyone who saw a prisoner transport was to alert the others and wait for them to arrive. It was made abundantly clear that no one was to attempt a rescue without the full support of the rest. Everyone agreed on this and they set off on their journey.

The jungle was warm even in the early hours of the morning. The air was much more humid thanks to all the plant life, or perhaps there were a lot more plants thanks to the humidity. Johnny could never remember which came first; the chicken or the egg. As they walked, Princess Carrah expressed her deep gratitude to Johnny for agreeing to help her find her father and restore peace to the kingdoms.

"I understand that this can't be easy to digest in only one night. With that in mind, I think you are very brave to accompany us." Princess Carrah said to Johnny.

"I've seen Alison use her slingshot... I'm not sure I'm the one who is brave." replied Johnny.

Alison chimed in "I wasn't always like this you know very well. I liked to have adventures and fun, but I never saw myself in these circumstances."

"I don't think either of us saw ourselves where we are today. Still, I will do whatever I can to help my oldest friend... and my new friends".

Not much else was said on their trek through the jungle. Johnny was finally feeling like he had made the right choice in coming. Alison and Carrah were happy that he had decided to stay. Perhaps no one more than Alison, this was her oldest friend no matter how long they had spent apart. As they plodded through paths that had long been grown over, little noises would make them stop and listen. Often, it was just a small animal scurrying through the tree tops. Other times, it was a larger animal making its way through the brush away from the three people trapesing through its home.

After an hour or so of walking, Carrah motioned for them to stop with her hand. The others stopped in their tracks and not a sound was made by any of them. Ahead, Johnny could just barely make out the sound of something heavy crunching branches under its weight. He thought he heard crying but couldn't be sure.

Carrah whispered "It's a prisoner wagon. They must be headed back to Castle Red. We have to head them off before they reach the edge of the jungle".

"We have to wait for the others. Murogan was very clear about that." Alison replied

"If we wait for the others, we'll lose our only chance. I can't bear the thought of another of my citizens being taken prisoner by King Red."

"I know you want to free them but we can't be careless when we've come this far." Alison responded. "Johnny can go tell the others and you and I can leave a trail behind the wagon for the others to follow".

Johnny realized he had to get the rest of the group here as quickly as possible but wasn't sure how to alert all of them. Alison instructed Johnny to move toward a clearing near the middle of the jungle. When he was there, he should unsheathe his sword and reflect the light back to the sky. Halan would be able to see it from the sky and he could quickly reach the others. With that, Johnny was off and running in the direction that Alison had pointed.

He reached the clearing just as his legs were beginning to lose steam. Unsheathing his sword, he aimed the sun's reflection back into the sky. After waiting only a few seconds, he heard a short wailing sound from above. He assumed that Halan had received the message and the noise was his way of letting him know. Johnny was afraid that the wagon driver would have heard it also, but he would come to find that Chuils have a way of making a sound travel specifically where they want it to be heard.

This meant that the others had not heard the call either. They would have to be reached group by group and told which way to go. Johnny decided to make his way back to where he left Alison and Carrah. He couldn't run anymore, but he quickly walked back in the direction he had come. Finally, he spotted some blue dye on one of the trees. It was still dripping so Johnny knew it was fresh. One by one the others joined Johnny and when they had all arrived, Johnny explained about the wagon and pointed out the blue dye. Murogan told everyone to follow him and they began walking ahead looking for more of the dye.

Onward they went until at last, they heard the sound of scuffling ahead. Ash and Ember made themselves into the size of a mouse and ran ahead to scout. What they saw made them despair. Princess Carrah and Alison had been captured by a full troop of guards and they were being loaded into the wagon with the other prisoners. Quick as they could, they turned and ran to tell the others. Murogan was furious that they had tried to rescue the prisoners alone, but Johnny was too worried about his friend to be mad. After a lot of debate about what to do next, they finally agreed that they were not a match for the full guard with only their small hunting party. Still, this was a crime that could not be permitted any longer. They all knew what had to be done next but no one knew how they would ever be able to do it. They needed an army and they needed a plan. They needed to get their people back.
Chapter 9

The Plan

Johnny and the others all made their way back to the hideout where they had all been just that morning. Alistair greeted them when they knocked and welcomed them back. He was dismayed by the news of Alison and Carrah's capture but stoic enough to keep his composure. The wolves raced to the corners of the dining hall where plates of raw meat had already been laid out.

Ansin looked displeased at their choice of sating their appetites over being sorrowful, though he knew better. The wolves were loyal, but they were still animals at heart and ran off of their basic instincts. He sat down at the table where a nice spread of food wafted an enticing aroma through the air. With all that he could ever want to eat at his fingertips, he found himself lacking hunger for the first time ever.

Silva and Golach joined him at the table and the rest followed suit. No one was in the mood to eat but Alistair insisted that his food not go waste. As they began filling their plates, Johnny stood up.

"We need to get our people back and we need to put an end to King Red's reign!" Johnny shouted

"That much is obvious. The question is how." Gallen replied.

"We need to gather as many people as we can. We need a plan to rescue all of those who have been taken and we need supplies."

Johnny had gone from despair to anger almost instantly. He had lost Alison but he would get her back. On this fact, he didn't waver at all. His intensity toward his purpose could only be matched by that of a dying sun. He asked the others for some time to formulate his thoughts and they all agreed to reconvene the following morning. Nothing could or would be done tonight, but they needed to do something quickly before the townsfolk discovered of Princess Carrah's capture. She was beloved by all in both the blue and yellow kingdoms. Johnny grabbed what food he could carry and ambled down to Mr. Blue's bedroom.

Having lit two of the candles in the room and the candle next to the chair, he sat down to finish the meal he had started in the hallway. Johnny scanned the bookshelves for anything he could use to formulate his plan. He found an unused journal and an old ink well with a feather sticking out of it. His mind now working furiously to churn out any ideas that could help, he began writing down as much as he could get out before his brain switched to another idea. Within an hour, the journal was already half full. Some of the pages had been crossed through as a second thought shed light on their impossibility. Some of the pages were drawings of what he imagined building.

Eventually, Johnny had written and designed what he thought could be made into a great plan with some input from the others. His eyelids grew heavier by the second and he decided he would be of no help at all if he couldn't stay awake tomorrow. Sleep was necessary and would come whether Johnny liked it or not. After blowing out the candles, Johnny pulled the sheets back on the bed and lay down in the total darkness. Dreams both good and terrible washed over him.

In the morning, Johnny woke and lit the candles in both the room and bathroom. He bathed himself and dressed in his new clothes. When finished, he gathered his notes and began down the hall to the dining room. With the exception of Alistair who it seemed had been up form some time making everyone's breakfast, Johnny was the first one there. He thanked Alistair for his kind service and took a seat at the table. He read over his notes once again what could only be described as porridge seasoned with something sweet that Johnny had never tasted before.

The others eventually made their way to breakfast and all were excited to hear what Johnny had planned. Johnny thought that Murogan may have been upset that he was not the one planning the mission, but Murogan knew Johnny had experience in matters that he did not. Murogan was nothing if not pragmatic. Johnny explained that he had made several different plans and invited input from everyone at any time. If they were all going to take on this challenge, then they should all have a say in how they do so.

"The first thing we need to do is recruit help. We will need every bit we can get. We need to get the Green Alliance as strong as possible." Johnny said.

"Agreed!" exclaimed Golach.

The rest agreed and that part was settled.

Johnny went on to explain that they would need as much wood, stone and rope as they could find. They would use these to build defenses around the kingdoms as well as arrows, bows, and various other weapons. Murogan said he could get all the villages to donate what they could which should be sufficient. Johnny had drawn up sketches on how to build the defenses and the Sinnachs and Thoras could craft the weapons. Ash spoke up next and offered the services of all the Faere-folk in building the defenses. Gallen would join Murogan to visit the Yellow King and explain the plans to him. They would need his support for anything to work, though Johnny didn't think that would be a problem. The wolves would patrol the edges of the kingdoms for any spies or prison wagons. Finally, Halan and the rest of the Chuil would patrol the skies and sound the alarm if the red troops were coming.

After all was in place, they could begin their rescue mission. Though Johnny had many ideas on how to get into the Red Kingdom, he needed Murogan's advice on how to get in the castle, free the prisoners and get them out again. The two of them conferred and cultivated a plan they believed had the best chance for success. When all the roles and duties had been agreed upon and doled out, they ate as though it might be their last meal. Alistair stood in the background looking pleased. Johnny couldn't tell if he was pleased with the plan that he had heard or if was simply pleased with the fact that his hard work in the kitchen had not gone unnoticed. Alistair caught Johnny's eye and the slightest smile cracked through his otherwise unflappable demeanor.

The meals were finished and Alistair was once again left to clean what would have made any other housekeeper quit. They filed out once again into the blinding light of the day and each said their goodbyes to each other before making off on their own ways. Johnny had no time to spare. He needed to get the others working together if they were going to pull this off. He asked the villagers to spread the word that they were asked to join him in the courtyard as soon as possible. Several scampered off in different directions to tell the others. Those who stayed behind went door to door in the village asking all they could find.

Johnny knew it would take some time to gather all the townsfolk so he decided to take the time he had to go over his defense structures with Ash and Ember. They would divide themselves between the Yellow and Blue borders where they would construct high walls of stone. The walls were to have passages underneath them to allow access from one side to the other. Johnny thought it would be hard to do this without being noticed but it was necessary to defend as well as attack. With the Faere-folk's ability to change size, they were able to carry much heavier objects than normal men. This would be crucial to building the wall as fast as could be done. Ash decided to stay in the Blue kingdom whereas Ember would take a slew of Faere to the Yellow kingdom.

While Johnny was giving directions outside, Ansin was telling his fellow Sinnachs what was requested of them. They immediately began working inside the mines of the mountain causing a rumble that could be heard in the air outside. They mined stone and ore from the mountain. The stone was sent out of the caves by way of a trolley where the Faere would collect it. The ore was melted and forged into steel. The steel was then sent to the Thora communities.

Silva and Golach had left almost as soon as they had breached the door. They traveled on horseback until they reached the first community. They passed along Johnny requests and determined it would take too long to reach all the communities together so they split up. Group by group they sent to the nearest cave entrances. When they arrived, the Thora set up stations to craft weapons from the steel. Some made arrows, some made bows. Some made the blades and others made the hafts. They would make thousands of arrows by the day's end and several hundred of the finest swords known. One of the communities crafted armor from both steel and leather. Johnny thought Gallen would be proud to wear their goods.

The villagers were all gathered in the courtyard surrounding the fountain. Johnny explained to them how Alison and the others had risked their lives to rescue those who had been taken prisoner in the past. More than a few of those who had been rescued were in the crowd now and they cheered loudly. Johnny knew it would break their hearts to hear of Alison and Carrah's capture but he held form to his belief that it would unite them in the cause additionally. The villagers gasped when Johnny broke the news and for a split second, it was quiet. Whispers flowed through the crowd and those whispers soon became shouts. The people were tired. They were tired of living in fear of the Red King's menace. They were tired of attending to those whose families had been torn apart by the prison wagons. They wanted peace, and they were willing to attack the Red Kingdom to get it. The crowd was shouting for justice. Johnny offered them a chance to get it. Johnny told them of his hopes to strengthen the Green Alliance and everyone was willing to join. He only hoped that Murogan and Gallen were able to get as many of the citizens to join.

As it turned out... Johnny didn't need to hope, for Murogan and Gallen were already returning with a full list of men and women willing to stand together. The Yellow king had given his full approval and offered to help in any way he could. Their numbers were strong now but they had the disadvantage of having two kingdoms with far borders to defend. They would have to leave some of the men and women behind to keep watch along the walls. All of the citizens were to gather supplies from the Thora communities and return to the courtyard where they would be given assignments. Johnny would lead one set of troops while Murogan, Ash, Ember, Silva, Golach and Ansin would lead their own troops.

When the suns had both set and full dark was upon them, they would march toward Red Kingdom.
Chapter 10

The Tides Turn

The entirety of the troops marched through the darkness to take back their freedom. They were now a force which could not be disregarded. Johnny did not want to lose anyone in the jungle so he decided that they should all travel across the open land. It was dark and the clouds were heavy, blocking most of the moonlight. It was a gamble that Johnny and Murogan had both concluded was worth the risk. On they marched through the night until; at long last, they reached the border of Red Kingdom. What they found was an eerie stillness that disquieted even the bravest among them.

"Where are the King's guards?" Silva asked Murogan.

"It's not like King Red to be caught unaware. I know we had hoped for just this scenario but now, seeing it played out... I can't help but feel like we're walking into our own traps." Murogan replied with unease.

"We have to continue. I don't have a great feeling about this either but we need to rescue our friends. This night will belong to all of us. We will defeat the king here and now!" Johnny tried his best to sound reassuring in his attempt to bolster the spirits.

Johnny led the troops to the front gate and found that the gate itself was wide open. Now he had a more sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. Still he had no other option and proceeded to lead his army through the gates.

"Murogan, if we make it out of this, remind me to tell you the story of the Trojan horse." Johnny quipped.

When they crossed into the kingdom, they found a barren landscape. No one was around and no lights shone from the castle or any of the homes scattered about. In the distance, Johnny could see that even the castle doors were left open. Not wanting to risk exposing his entire army to a trap, Murogan and Johnny decided they would enter the castle alone. If they needed assistance, Murogan would blow his horn to sound the alarm.

As they neared the doors, the blackness of the castle made it impossible to see. Murogan grabbed a nearby torch from the wall and struck a match. With the torch lit, they moved inward. They found another torch and Johnny lit that one off of the other. Walking slowly in the dim light, they made their way forward to the King's throne room. The room was empty with the exception of a grandiose throne made of gold and silver and adorned with precious gems of red color. On the seat was a piece of paper that looked neatly placed as though they were meant to find it. Johnny read the note aloud for Murogan to hear.

"Welcome to Red Kingdom! I'm sorry I couldn't be here to greet you in person. I had the rare opportunity to capture two kingdoms which I simply could not pass on. If you're wondering how I managed to pick the right time to take your kingdoms, it would behoove you to know you have a traitor in your midst. This creature has fed me information for years and even helped me to capture your dearest Mr. Blue. If you find him, please give him my eternal gratitude. I would not be where I am without him. Insincerely, King Red"

Johnny and Murogan were torn between disbelief and agony. They had no idea how they would tell the others outside that their lands had been taken by King Red and that the mission had failed. Johnny knew they would eventually have to go back outside but he couldn't bring himself to do so just yet. Murogan wiped what was about to become a tear from his eye and rage filled his entire body. His fists were trembling with anger and he let out a loud growl which echoed through the empty room. His growl spoke for the both of them.

"We have to tell the others, Johnny. We can't let this happen without recourse." Murogan said.

"I know. But what will we do about the traitor?"

"We are the only two that know there is a traitor somewhere out there. I would like to keep it that way so the others don't begin to turn on each other. The blow of losing their lands will be hard enough. Knowing that it was one of them who caused it will be detrimental to the mission."

"You're right. I just want to make sure that we don't give any more information than we already have."

"The only way I can see is to split up into groups, each with their own missions. No group should know of the other's mission until we are back in our own lands again. After we get across the defenses we built, the king will know we are there anyways." Murogan replied.

Johnny agreed and they began to work on new plans to get back into their kingdoms. Johnny remembered thinking that it would be hard for them to defend two borders spread so far apart and decided to turn that to his advantage. The troops could be separated and form multiple attacks at once causing a weakening in the red guards defense. After coming up with several attack strategies, they emerged outside the castle to their waiting crowd.

Murogan explained the situation and Johnny did his best to look reassuring. Several emotions swept over the crowd as they stood huddled together in the dark. Anger and sadness, worry and fear, but Johnny wanted one thing to prevail. He wanted hope to be the last thing they all had in common. Hope could be a dangerous weapon, but Johnny thought it might be the only glue that held his band of rogues together. Johnny waited until Murogan had finished explaining what had happened. When Murogan finished, Johnny began to rally the troops with the message that peace could still be found. That freedom could still be tasted and it was a sweet taste indeed.

"All through this day and night, you have shown bravery in standing for what is right. Do not despair that victory is not already at hand. Freedom has always come through hardship and peace is never easily found. The Red King may have taken our lands but he does not love them as you do. And because he does not love them, he does not know them like you do. We have the cover of night and the will to take what is rightfully ours. When the suns rise, we will be on the other side!" Johnny proclaimed.

A roar of cheers spread across the crowd in waves. Everyone was ready to do whatever was needed of them. Johnny and Murogan turned to Ash and Ember who were in the front of the crowd. Johnny asked them to lead a set of troops to the tunnels under the western wall of Blue Kingdom. Next, Silva and Golach were asked to command a set of troops to the eastern wall of Yellow Kingdom. They would have to try and get over the wall into the villages. Halan would command all of his fellow Chuil down from the sky and into Castle Yellow. If the king was still there, he was to be guarded. If he was not there, they were to find him and rescue him. Murogan and Gallen would lead troops to the border of the Yellow and Blue Kingdoms. They would mount an attack but mainly they would cause a diversion so that Ansin and Johnny could lead their troops into the mines undetected.
Chapter 11

The Traitor

All of the troops would arrive at their areas at different times. Johnny had known this but still believed it would be enough at the same time to divide the Red King's guards. By the time Murogan and Gallen reached the border, Ash and Ember had already begun sneaking troops into the passageways under wall. Ash waited for the last troop to enter the passage before drawing the attention of the guards. He grabbed his sling and picked up a small stone off the ground. Drawing back tightly, he let go the stone and it sailed through the air with precision. The stone struck one of the guards in his helmet and he immediately fell to the ground outside the wall. As another guard saw his comrade fall, he began screaming to the others that they were under attack. A bell rang nearby signaling the others who were not within shouting distance to come and assist. Soon, a horde of guards were standing atop the wall flinging arrows into the dark as they still hadn't seen Ash. Ember waited inside the passage for the opening to clear of guards. When it had, they spring from the underground and began slinging stones at the guards from behind them. One by one, the guards fell though not without firing their arrows back into the troops.

Just moments later, Johnny could hear another bell ringing to his right. He knew that Silva and Golach were making their way up the walls and he silently prayed for their safety. Silva and Golach had managed to find a part of the wall that was not well guarded and snuck most of their troops over before being noticed. Swords were drawn and another battle ensued on the eastern front.

Halan and his Chuil had made their way into the Yellow Kingdom but found the Yellow King's chambers empty. They searched the castle and found a makeshift prison in the great hall. There were several guards posted around the hall. The guards all had the heads of wolves with the bodies of men just like Johnny had met at Castle Red when he first arrived. This was unfortunate for the Chuil as the wolves noses were able to smell the Chuil so disappearing would be of no use. Along one of the walls was King Yellow and on the opposite side from him was Mr. Blue. Halan could see dozens of prisoners chained to all manner of objects. They would have to get the guards to leave their posts somehow.

Murogan and Gallen caused yet another bell to ring along the border between Blue and Yellow kingdoms. Slings were sent up while arrows were sent down. With the attention drawn on the troops in front, Ansin led Johnny and the others into the mine entrance and through a network of caves that would eventually lead them into the hideout. By the time that Gallen and Murogan had retreated, the rest were already halfway to the hideout. Murogan took half the troops and proceeded to head west and go under the western wall. Gallen led the other half to the eastern wall where they scaled the same section Silva and Golach had cleared earlier.

Ansin suddenly stopped and pointed to a door just off in the distance. "That door will lead us to the hideout. Pass the bedrooms and we'll be back in the dining hall. I sure hope Alistair has some food cooked for us".

They continued up to the door and Ansin removed a key from his pocket. He twisted it in the lock with the satisfying click of a lock unlocking. Opening the door, Johnny reached down to grab one of the candles that presently lit up a small portion of the cave. The led his troops down the hall past all the bedroom doors and finally into the dining hall where Alistair had been waiting their return. Much to Ansin's dismay, there was not a morsel of food in sight.

"Alistair! Thank goodness you're alright! I was worried you might have been captured." Johnny said as he caught a glimpse of the marrigo in the candle light.

"You were right to be worried Johnny, but not for me. You should be worried for your own selves".

Alistair opened the door and a troop of red guards were waiting just outside. Johnny couldn't believe what he was seeing. He turned back the way they had come in but red guards had been pouring out of the bedrooms cutting off their retreat. Johnny and the others were relieved of their weapons and placed in shackles one after another.

The prisoners were led into the courtyard for everyone to see. King Red has wished to instill fear into all of those who would reject his rule. While the king's wishes had undoubtedly been met, another feeling crept into the men and women of the Green Alliance. It was a feeling of resolve. This would not deter them from bringing peace to all the lands. Everyone was shocked to see Alistair leading the prisoners out. Alistair was well known in all the lands and had been a friend when needed to most of them. Wagons were called to bring the prisoners to the Yellow Castle where they would join the others. When the last of them was loaded into the wagons, Alistair climbed into the passenger seat and they rode off to Castle Yellow.

The villagers slung stones and arrows at the red guards. The cacophony of noise would have woken the dead. Swords clashed against other swords and shields and creatures from both sides howled in pain. At long last, the villagers had managed to defeat the Red Guard and take back the blue kingdom. Murogan knew they would have to take the yellow kingdom. He also knew that as long as King Red was free, he would continue his attempts to gain complete control over all the lands. When all the troops had gathered once more, he told them of Alistair's treachery. No one would have believed him if they had not seen it for themselves. Even still, some had trouble with the very thought that Alistair could betray them. Murogan and Gallen gathered all of those who could still fight and made sure those who couldn't were tended to.

As they marched toward Castle Yellow, the wagons were arriving at the gates. Alistair leapt out of the wagon and ordered the Red Guard to stand aside. The guards at the gates did as he commanded and the wagons pulled forth into the great hall. Each prisoner was taken out and chained to another spot in the great hall. When they were all chained, Alistair told the guards that they were needed outside and that the Red King had ordered him to watch over the prisoners. The guards left and Alistair was alone with the prisoners. He walked immediately to Mr. Blue.

"Are you all right, my lord?" Asked Alistair.

"Thanks to you, my good friend" replied Mr. Blue. "You played your part masterfully. I take it that everything else has gone according to plan?"

"Everything has gone as much according to plan as could be foreseen. Though I do believe I will need your assistance in convincing everyone that I am not the traitorous spy they think I am"

"Leave that to me. I suspect that the men and women will be coming soon if they are not already here. Unchain us and we will lead them to King Red."

Alistair was beginning to unchain the prisoners when the doors blew open. Suddenly he was under attack from an unseen force. Halan and the Chuil had seen the guards leave and decided to take advantage of their strength in numbers. They knew Alistair was alone and although he too could smell them, he could not detect all of them at once.

"Stop!" shouted Mr. Blue.

The Chuil were in such frenzy that they did not register the command from Mr. Blue.

Mr. Blue took a deep breath and summoned as much power to his lungs as he could before shouting again. "Stop!"

The Chuil stopped what they were doing and turned to Mr. Blue. They made themselves visible again and Mr. Blue could see the puzzled look on their faces. He went on to explain that Alistair had been a friend to himself all along and that because of his bravery, they were all free. With this he raised his newly unshackled hands. When all was set right again between the Chuil and Alistair, Mr. Blue explained that they still must overthrow King Red if they were ever to be truly free again.
Chapter 12

Castle Yellow

All of the troops had come to Castle Yellow at about the same time. Overpowering the guards was an easy task. Just as they were about to storm the castle, the gates opened and inside stood all of their friends including Mr. Blue. Johnny searched for Alison but he couldn't find her anywhere. The one person he did see was Alistair.

Mr. Blue assumed that Johnny and the others would rightfully be more than a little upset with Alistair. He told them that it was his plan to have Alistair acting as a spy for King Red this whole time. He had offered himself for capture to avoid any suspicion on King Red's part. While everyone was astounded by the revelation, they were happy to have their faith restored in the man they all called a loyal friend. Mr. Blue spotted a young man that he didn't know and assumed it was the now famous Johnny that Alison had spoken so highly of.

"Johnny, I presume. It is an honor sir." Mr. Blue said.

"Thank you, your highness. The honor has been mine. I'm afraid that your daughter and Alison are still missing though".

"Alison and Carrah were taken to another part of the castle. I believe that King Red is keeping them close. I hate to think of them in these circumstances. We must rescue them!"

"We will. King Red will answer for all the crimes he has committed." Johnny said sounding more sure than he ever had before.

Murogan interrupted the conversation.

"Alistair believes the King has kept Ms. Mandrake and Princess Carrah in King Yellow's chambers. My troops are ready for another battle sir."

"You and your troops have done enough Murogan. I can't thank you enough but there are others here who need your help. Johnny and I will see to the King's capture and the release of Ms. Mandrake and my daughter. Please tend to your wounded and instruct the others to do so as well." Mr. Blue said.

"Of course, Sir. We all look forward to seeing you reunited with your daughter. May you both be safe".

With that, Murogan turned and joined the others waiting for their orders. He told his men to find shelter for the wounded and take care of them. Ash and Ember charged some of their troops with finding food and drink. Silva and Golach asked their troops to find supplies to heal the injured. Halan and the other Chuil would assist in watching the red guards who were now in chains. Murogan and Gallen helped to transport the wounded to homes where they could be tended to.

Johnny and Mr. Blue crossed the courtyard which led them to the doors of the palace. They opened the doors and found the main hall deserted. Either King Red had sent all of his guards to fight in the villages or he had kept some to guard him in the Yellow King's chambers. Johnny hoped he would not have to fight any more guards as he was already exhausted. In front of them was a stone staircase that spiraled all the way up to the King's chambers. The yellow tapestries which adorned the walls had already begun to turn orange. Johnny looked around for any sign of other guards but he couldn't see or hear any.

When they reached the top of the stairs, they found themselves on the outside of a very large and sturdy door. Luckily, as Asteria had always been a peaceful place, no lock had been fixed to the door. Working together, they swung the door open. They immediately saw Princess Carrah chained to one wall and Alison chained to the other. In front of them was King Red.

"I suppose you think you have won because you bested all my guards but I still have some fight left in me. I will rule these lands." said King Red.

"You are a king by name only. You lost the respect of the people a long time ago. Fear is the only control you have, but you will not find any here." Said Mr. Blue.

King Red aimed his scepter at Princess Carrah. The giant ruby at the top of the scepter began to glow and Carrah writhed in agony. Her body wriggled against the chains as her head started to change its shape. Her nose grew out and her ears had grown pointed. The hair on her head shortened and her face was suddenly thick with fur. At once, Johnny knew that she was becoming one of the human wolf guards that King Red used to defend himself. When the transformation was complete, her body stopped squirming in pain. She was still and only waited for his command. Alison was turned next before either Johnny or Mr. Blue could do anything to stop him.

"Your precious friends are under my control now. They will stop at nothing to protect me. Surrender your lands to me and I shall allow them to live as my pets." King Red uttered to Johnny and Mr. Blue.

Johnny was too stunned to know what to think. Mr. Blue was quick to reply.

"Our friends would never want us to give up. They would want us to continue the fight."

Johnny reached for his sword but naturally his hand reached the handle of the slingshot first. Suddenly, a brilliant idea occurred to him if only his aim could be true enough. Fishing for a marble in his leather pouch, he pulled out a cat's eye that was still pristine as ever. He aimed it at the king and pulled back the strap. Letting go, the marble sailed through the air and past the king. It had bounced off the wall and struck Carrah in her leg. The marble did not have enough force after bouncing to do significant damage but she howled in pain none-the-less.

King Red pointed his scepter again at Princess Carrah and her chains broke from the wall. After doing the same to Alison's chains, the two men had two guards set loose upon them who they could not bear to hurt. Carrah attacked Mr. Blue and Alison lunged at Johnny who leapt out of harm's way. Mr. Blue was just managing to keep his daughter from him but it took everything he had to do so. Johnny ducked and ran and leaped over furniture to avoid Alison's attacks. As he did, King Red laughed and taunted the both of them.

"You see now, don't you? These lands were meant for a strong leader. A leader who isn't afraid to do whatever necessary to take and keep what is his. These people are meant to live under my rule and that is where they will be. Stop your foolishness and give me your lands"

This time, Johnny spoke up. "You are not strong. That's why you hide behind guards who are only loyal to you because you spelled them to be. You are weak in body, mind and soul. And for that reason, your reign will come to an end."

Johnny had managed to pick another marble out of his bag. This marble was not as colorful as the cat's eye and it was damaged in several places. Johnny didn't even have to look at it. He knew just from the feel that it was the first marble he ever won. A marble he had won from Alison on his very first game. He had kept it separate so that he would not lose it in another game. As a child, Johnny had cherished that marble. He had hidden it with some of his other most cherished belongings in a hole in a tree nearby Castle Blue. He didn't know that Alison even knew about his hiding spot, but he was glad she found it as he thought this particular marble may bring him luck.

Drawing the marble back in the strap, Johnny aimed once again in the direction of King Red. He loosed the marble and again it sailed through the air. Time itself seemed to slow down for Johnny. He watched as the marble cut its way through the air toward its destination. Johnny was so intent on following the marble's path that he failed to realize Alison's presence behind him. She was just about to strike Johnny when the marble hit its target. The ruby in the head of the scepter shattered into pieces too numerous to count. With it came a blinding light that made everyone turn away and cover their eyes. The light only lasted for a few seconds but it was so bright that both Johnny and Mr. Blue temporarily lost their vision. When they regained their composure, they found that Alison and Princess Carrah had been released from the spell cast upon them. As it happened, all of the Red King's guards were released from their spells and returned to their true selves.

On the floor, lay an elderly man draped in royal robes. King Red looked to have aged twenty years in seconds. He was unconscious and no longer posed a threat to anyone. Mr. Blue hugged his daughter tightly and Johnny di the same with Alison. They were all relieved that this night could finally come to an end. Not knowing what else to do with what was left of King Red, Mr. Blue and Johnny carried the old man down to the courtyard where everyone waited. Halan had freed the prisoners once the spell was broken and they had made their way to the courtyard.

Mr. Blue addressed the tired crowd. "Citizens of Asteria, I welcome you back to your lands! May we all remember this accursed night and never let it repeat itself. We have proven that the true rulers of the lands should and always will be peace, justice and freedom. The man you see before you is what happens when greed and anger take hold of the body. Let us never forget the lessons we have learned on this day."

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Strangers embraced each other as though they had been life-long friends. The former red guards thanked every creature they met for rescuing them. The streets that were dimly lit by torches were now beginning to glow with the breaking of dawn. The suns rose from in between the mountains casting their yellow light across the bluest sky imaginable. Everyone was suddenly renewed of energy as news spread of the Red King's defeat. Some danced, some sang some simply continued to embrace their loved ones, but all were overjoyed. The festivities continued throughout the next day until the need for rest at last came.
Chapter 13

King Red

King Red had been kept in the hideout where Alistair saw to his needs. Mr. Blue and King Yellow both knew he couldn't be kept there forever, but neither knew what to do with him. It didn't seem right somehow to simply let him rejoin society as though nothing had ever happened. Neither of them wanted to build a jail to keep him in as that seemed particularly cruel to both of them. Yet something had to be done.

King Yellow suggested that they call representatives from all the races to make their own suggestions. If an agreement could be reached, that was what they would do. A call was put forth for Halan, Murogan, Johnny and Alison, Ash and Ember, Silva and Golach, Ansin and Gallen to come to Castle Blue. When they arrived, King Yellow explained why they were there and asked for any ideas they had. Ansin offered to have the Sinnachs build a mine where King Red could be kept. Ash and Ember both agreed that the Faere could build a tower where he could be guarded. Silva and Golach both thought that he should be freed but not allowed to live in any of the kingdoms. He would have to spend the rest of his days living in the jungles. Johnny said he could take him back to his world, but Alison reminded him that he had not committed a crime in their world and would just be set free. Halan offered a suggestion from a point of view that only he and the other Chuil could have known. Far off in the waters surrounding Ulsteria was an island completely uninhabited. He could be given the freedom everyone else enjoyed while never again able to jeopardize it. The island, it seemed, held enough resources that he would never go hungry or thirsty and he could make himself a shelter.

Murogan decided to take his turn by seconding Halan's plan. After some details were hashed out between them all, it was pronounced that King Red would rule alone on an island for one. Halan and the other Chuil would watch the island from the skies to ensure no attempts to flee were made. As the king grew older and less capable of finding his own food and drink, it would be sent to him by a caretaker.

King Yellow commissioned a boat to carry the former king to his island. Alistair and Murogan accompanied him on the journey and saw that he was safely on the island. Halan guided them through the dense fog that circled the island. No one on the ground had ever even known it existed until that day. When they alit on the beach of the island, they found the island was completely uninhabited just as Halan had said. They had expected to hear animals flitting away as the strange newcomers washed up on their shores but not a single stirring could be heard in the grass or trees. No birds called out alarm; nothing flew in the skies above them. It appeared that no animal or creature of any kind had ever set foot upon this land before. They could see bushes bearing fruits further inward and as they came in they noticed schools of fish that were close enough to catch with a net or crude rod.

Alistair and Murogan fashioned a small but practical shelter from some wood and nails that they had brought with them. If Johnny or Alison had seen it, it would have resembled a dog house to them. The inside was filled with pillows and blankets to make a bed of but definitely lacked the luxury of Castle Red's chambers. When they had finished furnishing the small domicile, they stood back to make sure all was right with it. It was rather pitiful in its design and décor. Were it for anyone else, they would have made sure that the person had a better place to lay their head, but this was probably better than the former king deserved.

They left the man on the island with enough fruits and water to get him by until he could forage for his own. Once everything had been offloaded, they boarded the ship and set sail for home with Halan once again their guide. They looked back as both the island and the man grew smaller and smaller in the distance. Alistair remarked to Murogan that the suns did not seem to shine as brightly on the island. Murogan nodded in reply but thought to himself that the island was outside the reach of the goodness that had reigned over Asteria. Soon all they could see was the white fog which enveloped them from all angles. When the emerged from the thick of it, the suns shone down their warmth on the men and the new day promised of hope and freedom for all the peoples of all the lands.
Chapter 14

Johnny and Alison

Johnny woke up after having slept for almost ten straight hours. He and Alison had been invited to stay in Castle Blue. They each were given large rooms that were flooded with light shone through stained glass windows. The glass worked as a sort of prism sending all colors of light across the room. Johnny felt as though he could stay in the bed forever, but wanted even more to see his friends and especially Alison. He slid his feet out from the blankets and onto the marble floor. The warmth on his body from the suns made the cold under his feet feel spectacular. He made his way into the bathroom and bathed until he was fresh again. Mr. Blue had taken the liberty of placing some clothes for him on the bedside table before he had fallen asleep. When he was finished with his bath, he began dressing in the clothes given to him. The clothes looked quite formal and Johnny wondered if this was just what Mr. Blue had available or if he was supposed to go somewhere that required more formality than normal.

All of the clothes were white with the exception of a set of shiny black boots which laced up to his knees. He stepped into the pants which amazingly fit him perfectly. He then put on the white shirt which laced closed at the sides. Over this he wore a white vest which buttoned in the front. After lacing the boots all the way up, he noticed the note that was placed underneath all the clothes. Opening the note he read what Alison had left him. She asked Johnny to meet her in the library when he had finished getting ready.

Johnny left the room and asked one of the villagers who was visiting the castle where the library was. The villager pointed to a room off of the main hall one level below them and told Johnny that was the library. Johnny thanked him and made his way down the stairs toward the door. When he opened the door to the library he found that the room was filled with shelves upon shelves and must have contained thousands of books. The wealth of knowledge in just this room was astounding. Johnny was standing in the threshold mesmerized by the sheer vastness of the room itself when suddenly a voice broke his trance.

"Well, are you just going to stand there or are you going to come in?" Alison chided him.

Johnny shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I was impressed by all the books. Can you imagine reading all of these?"

"That's sort of why I asked you to meet me Johnny."

"You asked me here to show me the books?" Johnny asked with a puzzled look.

"I asked you here to see if you would like to have the time to read some of them. Mr. Blue has asked if we would both stay in Asteria. I'd really like to and I'd like for you to stay with me."

"I would love to stay longer, but I have my parents back in our world. They would be terribly worried if I was never seen again and I could never do that to them." Johnny said.

"I would never ask you to do that Johnny. The others are unable to enter our world but we are free to come and go as we please. You could visit your parents at any time and still live here with me. Please think about it, I'd really love to have more time with my best friend."

Johnny promised Alison that he would think about it and told her that he wanted to see Mr. Blue. He wanted to thank him for all of his generosity. Alison told Johnny that he could find Mr. Blue in his chambers and pointed to a door at the top of the stairs. Johnny told her that he would find her once he had spoken to Mr. Blue and thought about her question.

He found his way to Mr. Blue's chambers and knocked on the door. He heard Mr. Blue tell him to enter from the other side. The rooms got more and more gorgeous as he went through the castle. The king's room was not any bigger than the rest but it was decorated grandly with great windows that overlooked the entire kingdom.

Mr. Blue saw that it was Johnny who had entered and leapt out of his chair. His quick motion caught Johnny by surprise and made him jump a little.

"Johnny! I am so thankful that you heeded Alison's call for help. I will be forever grateful for your service to all the creatures in all our lands." Mr. Blue said cheerfully.

"Really Sir, there's no need to thank me. I was glad to help and I'm very happy that everyone here gets to live freely and peacefully now. I only wish it worked that way back in my world." Johnny replied.

"Yes, young Miss Mandrake has told me of the many wars that are fought in your world. I cannot imagine what that must be like, though I believe we all have a slight better idea now."

"I wanted to thank you for your hospitality and generosity in giving me clothes to wear. "

"Think nothing of it." Mr. Blue said. "But what will you do now? Will you stay here with us or does your world beckon you back?"

"Alison asked me to stay with her. I'd really like to but I have my parents back home and I wouldn't want to leave them and I couldn't very well tell them where I was living. They might think I was mad."

"I understand. I know this decision can't be an easy one for you. Will you please let me know once you have made your choice?"

"Of course Sir. I will let you know either way. "

Johnny bid farewell to Mr. Blue and closed the door behind him. He walked down the hall to a balcony that overlooked the sea. The water was such a blue as Johnny had never seen and the waves seemed slow and steady as they collapsed on the beach. Johnny couldn't believe how much had happened since he had come to Asteria. He thought about going back home and how he might never see these lands again. He had made friends here and would miss them greatly. He worried that over time he might start to forget them and Asteria altogether. That was a horrible thought to have. He decided at that moment that as long as he was able to visit his parents to keep them from worry, he would happily stay here with Alison.

He went back to Mr. Blue's room and told him of his decision. Mr. Blue said that he was never happier and asked that Johnny and Alison meet him at Castle Red later that evening to announce it to everyone. Johnny said that they would and he excused himself again to tell Alison the news. He opened the door and walked toward Alison.

"You know, I have been meaning to catch up on my reading. Maybe I will stay and read a few of these. Would you care to read a few with me?" Johnny smirked as he asked her.

Alison threw her arms around him and held him tight. She whispered in his ear how happy he made her and they held each other for several minutes.

"I just have one more question." Said Johnny "Would you like to meet my parents?"

"I'd like that very much." Said Alison.

Johnny smiled and told her that Mr. Blue had asked that they meet him later at Castle Red. He wanted to announce to everyone that we would be staying. They agreed to spend some time with their friends at the hideout where Alistair had prepared a meal for all of them. When they were done, they would set forth for Castle Red.

Ash, Ember, Silva, Golach, Murogan, Ansin, Gallen, Princess Carrah and Halan were already seated at the table when Johnny and Alison walked in. All of them stood up at the same time and raised their glasses in toast.

"To Miss Mandrake!" shouted Gallen.

"To Johnny!" shouted Ansin.

Johnny and Alison each grabbed a glass and raised them. "To friends like ours" said Johnny.

Everyone agreed to toast to friendship and brought their glasses together. The merry group feasted as though they hadn't eaten in years and they talked about what they would do next. Murogan would go back hunting food for the villagers. Ash and Ember would rejoin their families in the upper mountains. Silva and Golach would travel around crafting and selling their wares. Halan said he would stay here for some time helping to rebuild the red kingdom and Ansin would return to the mines to help supply the restoration of the red kingdom.

When they had finished, they said their goodbyes and promised they would see each other again soon. Johnny and Alison left to meet Mr. Blue at Castle Red. When they arrived, they found that creatures from all over Asteria had gathered to hear the news. Johnny had no idea that they were held in such esteem. What he also didn't know was that Mr. Blue and King Yellow had called all of them there for a very special announcement.

Johnny and Alison saw Mr. Blue and King Yellow at the top of the stairs and walked up to meet them. Mr. Blue saw the two coming and turned to address the crowd.

"Citizens of Asteria, you have been asked to gather here this evening for a very special purpose. We are here tonight to honor the courage and honor of these two people here beside me".

Johnny and Alison both blushed and looked to see if the other had any idea of what was happening but both looked as perplexed as the other.

"Miss Alison Mandrake and Mr. Johnny Hays were called here form another land to save us from a wickedness never before seen in our world. If not for their bravery and strength of character, we might all be living in the shadow of a mad king. For this reason and more, King Yellow and I are awarding them with the highest honors in our lands".

King Yellow motioned for Johnny and Alison to join them at the top of the stairs where they could be seen by the entirety of those gathered.

Mr. Blue started to speak again as they stood next to him. "Johnny Hays, for your exemplary leadership and bravery in battle, it is our wish that you should preside over the red kingdom. You will not rule alone however, for you shall have Queen Mandrake""

As he spoke, King Yellow presented each of them with their crowns and placed them on their heads. There was merriment throughout the crowd and shouts of glee were sent high into the skies. Shouts of "Long live the king!" and "Long live Queen Mandrake!" were heard even over all the other noise. Fireworks were sent flying high above the castle and exploded into a beautiful array of colors that shimmered brightly and disappeared. The people all danced and sang and some payed instruments and all were elated.

The new king and queen of the red kingdom celebrated with the people. They joined in singing songs and they danced with the citizens until their feet hurt. All of the people there wanted to thank them and wish them happiness. Many brought food and drink for them and they supped until they could fit no more. When they had spoken to most of the people there, they returned to the top of the stairs.

"To all the citizens of red kingdom, we were chosen to be your king and queen but we do not rise above you. We walk beside you and we consider everyone to be equal in our land." Johnny addressed the masses.

"We will not stop until order has been restored to all the lands. With your help and the help of those in kingdoms yellow and blue, we will march forward to freedom. May all of you be blessed with the happiness we that Johnny and I share this evening". Alison added.

When all of the parties had quieted and the citizens had gone home for the night, Johnny and Alison thanked King Yellow and Mr. Blue and said goodnight. Mr. Blue and King Yellow returned to their castles and retired for the night.

Johnny turned to Alison. "Are you ready to start the next adventure?"

Alison looked up at him and replied "I've been ready for so long."
Epilogue

Johnny and Alison were driving south on I-75 towards Tampa. Johnny was driving and for once he was obeying the speed limit. Perhaps it was that he was older and wiser, but most likely it was due to the precious cargo they had on board. Johnny checked the rear view mirror and saw their beautiful little girl asleep in her seat. Alison held his hand as they continued on to his parent's house.

Johnny could not expect his parents to ever understand what really happened and where they really lived, so he decided to tell them that they had moved to Japan for work. The distance and time zone change helped explain why they couldn't return phone calls immediately or visit more often. Johnny wanted their daughter to know her grandparents though and they wanted very much to meet their granddaughter. Johnny had sent them pictures but he was afraid to try and make the journey when she was too young to climb down the tree herself. Now that she was older, he felt he could guide her down and be there to catch her if she stumbled. She never tripped once and Johnny was very proud.

Alison turned in her seat to check on their daughter. She was still fast asleep wrapped in her favorite blanket. Silva and Golach had made her some toy puzzles and Ansin made her some pencils that he dyed different colors so she could draw with them. Ash and Ember made her jewelry that she wore every day. Gallen acted as her teacher. He read to her and taught her how to read for herself. She was a quick study and was already asking to go to the library every other day. Murogan trained her on how to find the best food from all the lands. Mr. Blue and King Yellow loved her as though she was one of their own. And Princess Carrah, who Carrina was named after, played make believe with her on most evenings. If it took a village to raise a child, they were well off.

Johnny had a hard time at first explaining to Carrina why they must pretend that they lived in Japan. He told her that while she was born in Asteria, her parents were from another world and that other world was very different from her home. Her grandparents were very nice people but they could not, or perhaps would not, understand about other worlds existing inside a tree top. Carrina was a very bright little girl and thought it would be great fun to play make believe.

Johnny wished he was able to bring his parents to Asteria. He knew that they would have loved it as much as he did. The sunsets were more brilliant than any he had seen in his own world. The grass was always soft under foot. Mr. Blue and all of their friends would have welcomed them with open arms. Johnny somehow knew that they would not be able to get there though. He thought it had something to do with the age they were when they found it. When you're young, imagining and pretending come naturally. Therefore the mind can accept things that most adults would think you crazy to believe in. He was sure that if they had ever tried to climb the tree, they would find nothing but more branches above them. This made Johnny sad to think that his parents never got to experience the joys he had, but it also made him wonder if they had not experienced something of their own when they were little. Something they had long forgotten. Something they had given up and let disappear in order to live in their world.

The fact was that almost all of the people from his world had once lived in dreamed up lands. Johnny knew how lucky he was to be able to return to his and live there with the woman he loved and the child they shared. He was sure that his daughter would be able to visit even as she grew because he would teach her that what she imagined could come true. He hoped that her children would be taught the same. The very fact that the worlds were so different meant they could learn from each other. Someday, long after Johnny and Alison's time, another may find their way into the lands of Asteria. Johnny hoped that the stranger in a strange land would be met with friendly faces and open arms that had once greeted them.

