《Lifestones of Lebreima》


 1 - Dead Dead

    1


    Dead Dead


    They were dead. Dead dead. Even Lottica could see that. She had never seen a real dead body. Plenty on television, plenty in movie theaters, plenty in shoot ''em up video games.


    But never for real.


    And it didn''t get more real than seeing your dead parents being carried out the door of the torched and tangled ruin of what was once your home-sweet-home.


    As a twelve-year-old, she knew she was supposed to turn away from the firemen carrying the bodies. She knew her brother Nick standing behind her wouldn¡¯t watch their broken parents being hauled into the waiting ambulances. Even though he was two years older and acted much tougher, Nick would react like most normal children witnessing the aftermath of their parents¡¯ gruesome deaths. He¡¯d turn away to shield himself from the horror.


    Not Lottica. She stared.


    She focused on the blistered and burnt side of her father''s face and followed its sad curve down to his left arm hanging strangely aslant of his shoulder. Her eyes traced his calamitously angled arm to his fire-blackened hand.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Even from a hundred feet away where the firemen had herded her, Lottica spotted his wedding ring. The blue stone on the gold band sparkled coolly, in stark contrast to the devouring flames which still flared around the iron spiral staircase her father had designed as the centerpiece of their home.


    Stepping apart from her brother, Lottica experienced a sudden pang, deeper and sharper than the loss of her parents. A feeling that she lacked some essential feeling which normal kids have for life, for death, for finality.


    Unable to accept the wreckage that was her father and the house that he¡¯d built, she looked beyond him to where paramedics were placing her mother onto an ambulance gurney.


    Her mother¡¯s crumpled body appeared to Lottica so much smaller than she¡¯d been in life. The thick hair that once crested her shoulders in rich auburn waves was flattened in tangled, lifeless tendrils.


    Her mother. Her mommy. She looked like a long-discarded doll, ragged and unloved. Lottica trembled at the thought, and the tremor shook her tightly held emotions loose. Tears welled, her breath caught and she began to sob. Small, orphaned sobs.


    As if on cue, a fireman made eye contact and hurried over. He lifted her, and she made no struggle. Nick followed as the fireman carried his sister to one of the many vehicles aswarm with lights.


    And that is what Lottica would remember most about the early August evening that her parents died. The backlit brilliance of the sky amid the strobing emergency lights. And a last glimpse of her father¡¯s burnt body as he was placed into an ambulance. His crazily hinged left arm swinging over his grim but almost-grinning face. The big, blue gemstone of his wedding ring flashing above his once-sparkling eyes. Thus, he waved to Lottica.


    And not, she thought, in farewell.

 2 - Dead Parents Society

    2


    Dead Parents Society


    Lottica dodged away from the eyepiece when Nick kicked the leg of the telescope tripod.


    ¡°Hey! Watch the equipment. I just got Venus into focus,¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Nick grunted trying to squeeze into the desk chair in the cramped room they¡¯d been sharing for two months since the fire. He switched on his laptop without another glance at his sister.


    Lottica put her forehead against the cool metal of the telescope and took a deep breath. Her brother, dark hair hanging ever lower over his pale brow, had become eerily quiet and withdrawn in the two months since their parents'' grisly deaths.


    Never much of a talker to begin with, Nick had basically shut down. At fourteen, he was already adept communicating with frowns and sneers, but with the sudden death of their parents, he had become almost mute, answering most questions with a maddening "I dunno."


    Not that Lottica blamed her brother. Together they''d witnessed the terrible aftermath of the natural gas explosion that had killed their parents. They''d been forced to move to a part of town that neither of them knew in order to live with their grandparents.


    Grandparents?


    Were these really her grandparents? Her friends had grandparents who doted on their grandchildren, bought them treats, praised them and laughed with them. Laughter? Lottica couldn¡¯t ever remember seeing her grandparents laugh.


    She wondered why her father¡¯s parents had even moved to America from Europe a few years ago. It had been torture for her and Nick to endure their short visits on Sunday afternoons and holidays. And now they were living with them.


    Lottica couldn¡¯t figure out how her father, who had been so relaxed and ready with a joke, could have such cold and humorless parents. And if that weren''t enough to bear, her grandparents lived in a small over-furnished house, so she and Nick had to learn to share a room. A room much too small for either of their tastes.


    Lottica refocused attention on her telescope. It was one of the few treasures that had been spared in the fire. She had left it outside on the back deck the night before the explosion, and, miraculously, it had been undamaged.


    It was not just a small something to have her telescope. All her young life, she¡¯d been fascinated with stars. Her parents had often told the story of her first word. On the night of the summer solstice when Lottica was barely one she was cuddled in her mother''s arms in a lawn chair in the backyard. A light flitted across the sky. Her mother sat up to track the shooting star¡¯s progress. At that very moment, tiny Lottica¡¯s chubby fingers reached out toward the trailing light as she murmured, ¡°daar.¡±


    From that night on, Lottica had been her parents¡¯ precious little daarling. They fostered her interest in the stars. At bedtime, snuggled in warm blankets, they read her myths on the constellations and filled her shelves with lively books on astronomy. To her tickled delight, they gave her a telescope for her eighth birthday.


    Lottica bonded with her telescope. From then on, she had to endure the accusations, often painfully correct, that she seemed to prefer the stars to her own family and friends. Nick teased that when she grew up, she wouldn''t need to find a hubby to marry, she''d need a Hubble. As in the orbiting space telescope. Lottica unapologetically agreed that she¡¯d prefer the latter.


    Now, she felt fortunate just to have her telescope. It was one of the few distractions that kept her mind from replaying the disturbing images of her broken-doll mother and father''s somber last salute. Lottica needed her telescope. She needed to look beyond the immediate. The stress of all the loss and change had chipped away at her positive nature.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    She could feel herself simmering, just waiting for her emotions to boil over. Some days being an outsider at a new school depressed her. Other days, her grandparents¡¯ cool demeanor pushed her to the edge of an angry outburst.


    And Nick wasn¡¯t helping much. His silence was driving her buggy. He¡¯d shut down. Except for his computer. Like now, he was focused on his laptop dissecting a virtual brain.


    Vintage Nick. He loved biology, especially human anatomy. He was a freshman and already taking Advanced Placement Biology. That was Nick. Coolly dissecting those around him with clinical precision.


    Lottica wondered if Nick ever dissected his own thoughts and motives. Because, right now, he seemed to be suffering deeply from the loss of their parents. She wished he''d talk to her about it. Not only for himself, but for her as well. She wanted to feel as if they could grieve together normally.


    But, what was normal anymore?


    She turned the telescope from the window and looked through the eyepiece at her brother entrenched if front of the computer. There was no way to focus him in at this close range, so she swung the cylinder around and peered backward through the front aperture. And there Nick appeared, a hundred times smaller, tiny, vulnerable, losable.


    A strange sensation surged in Lottica''s heart. She didn''t know if it was compassion or pity for that small, distant figure, her brother, who had lost as she had lost. She felt a swell of understanding that they needed to reconnect. They were flesh and blood¡ªthe flesh and blood of their parents. They owed it to their parents to work together to make the best of what was becoming an increasingly nasty business of living under the same roof.


    She gathered herself. She knew about all kinds of star power: the thermonuclear kind and the charming, celebrity kind. She pushed her sandy blonde hair off her forehead, dropped her often-raised eyebrows, opened her blue eyes wide and grinned the half grin her dad said made her look like Bugs Bunny lighting a dynamite-stick cigar for Elmer Fudd.


    She went and peered over her brother''s shoulder. He did not acknowledge her. The web page Nick was viewing showed a life-like cut away of the human cranium from a top-down perspective. Anatomical terms indicated the various parts of the brain revealed in the cross section.


    Lottica''s hand pushed past her brother''s sharp nose and pointed to the term frontal lobe on the screen. "So, Nick, science wizard that you are. Do you suppose that this is the part of dad''s brain I saw oozing from his eye when they carried him out of the house two moths ago?"


    She froze. Had she really meant to say that? Is that the kind of thing that really would start to heal the pain they shared? She stood at her brother''s side, mortified. This is the moment right before the bomb explodes, she thought. That split second magnified in time and space before the reality of disaster flattens you. I guess I deserve it. What is wrong with me?


    She closed her eyes and steeled herself for Nick¡¯s angry retaliation.


    Nothing.


    Still nothing.


    Willing an eyelid open, Lottica squinted through the crosshatched fuzziness of her eyelashes. Nick¡¯s focus was still fixed on the computer screen. Impassive. It was if she hadn''t spoken, hadn''t tried to jar him into a fight, goad him into grieving with her.


    Lottica made herself breathe slowly. She needed to reach her brother, but she didn''t know how. Again, the words that flew from her mouth took her by surprise.


    "Come on, Nick. You know the stories. Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, The Boxcar Children, Harry Potter. Dead dads. Dead moms. Dead dads and moms. And yeah, the kids go through misery, soul searching, and all kinds of danger and disappointment, but they end up okay in the end. That''s you and that''s me. We''re just new members of the Dead Parents Society.¡±


    Nick still did not respond and Lottica almost pleaded. "No one is going to write a book about our little lives, but we''ve got to live them. And I''d sure appreciate having someone to talk to about mom and dad. Because even though there''s a million billion stars in the universe to keep me distracted, I miss them. I miss them so much.¡±


    The computer screen went dark, and Lottica was startled at the faint reflection in it of her and Nick side by side. Nick had put the laptop into sleep mode. He turned towards her, and she could see his eyes glassy with tears. He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.


    "And you worry about my people skills," he said. And forced a smiled.


    He met her eyes. Not as if she were some composite science diagram, or simply one of seven billion other humans milling about the planet, or just his precocious twelve-year-old little sister. Nick looked at Lottica as if she was actually a part of him, a part he¡¯d failed to appreciate for some time.


    His smile became more relaxed, friendly. He stood up and gave his sister a hug. "Dead Parents Society? So, should I start stockpiling breadcrumbs or prepare for a visit from our fairy godmother?"


    Then he gave her an awkward squeeze and sat back down, hitting the spacebar and waking up the laptop, which revealed an all-too realistic cross section of the cerebellum. Nick looked back at Lottica and explained with deadpan precision, "You know, by the way, that brains don''t ooze, they fragment, kind of like scrambled eggs."


    Lottica laughed.


    Yet still she wondered if she really knew what made Nick tick. And if, deep in her heart, she really wanted to.

 3 - Old World

    3


    Old World


    It was better after Lottica and Nick talked that evening. Not that everything was perfect between them, or that their immediate future was clearer. She and Nick were just more in tune. They talked. Cautiously. About school, about their old neighborhood and friends, about their parents. Most of all, they now talked as true conspirators about their grandparents.


    Which seemed ungrateful. Wrong. Especially since their grandparents had taken them in after the explosion. But there was something different, something begrudging, about their grandparents.


    Though they never said a harsh word to Lottica or Nick, it was in their eyes. Dark eyes. The deep eyes of their father. The eyes of the Old World from which they¡¯d come and which they obviously resented leaving. To them, their homeland of Lebreima was a bastion of civility and tradition that a young upstart nation like America could never match.


    It seemed their grandparents were so very old in every way. Not decrepit old, not forgetful old. Timeless old. They were like ancient trees, outwardly weathered and rough, but at their core was an enduring strength. Quiet strength. Watchful strength. Unnerving strength.


    Their grandparents said very little, but they saw all. To Lottica and Nick, their remoteness seemed to convey a sense of disapproval of everything they did or said. In return, the siblings became guarded and watchful around their grandparents.


    For the most part, that was almost natural because their interactions with their grandparents had always been extremely formal and reserved. Three years ago when they¡¯d emigrated to America to be closer to their son, the old couple had kept a somber distance, a chilling aloofness.


    Nick and Lottica only knew them as Grandfather Breima and Grandmother Breima. They suggested no warm nicknames. Grandfather Breima and Grandmother Breima. Period. There was no joking around when they visited. Only terse greetings and rigid formalities. Even Nick and Lottica''s parents had been guarded around them.


    Especially their mother.


    Linda Breima was not a passive woman, but she let her husband take the lead in all dealings with his parents. Lottica could not forget an incident shortly just after they¡¯d relocated. They were visiting their grandparents'' new house for the first time. As they entered the house, her mother effusively remarked, ¡°Your house is so lovely. Dale, the kids and I are thrilled you are so close to us now.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    Grandmother Breima, her chin tilted high, had turned cold eyes on her mother and said in her heavily cadenced English, "I tell you first time we meet, my son is Deilune. Not Dale."


    In that frozen moment, their mother had met the cold stare of Grandmother Breima and matched it with her own arctic blast of a reply, "Dale is what is written on our marriage certificate."


    Lottica suspected the frostiness between her mom and grandmother had icy roots deep in some unspoken conflict which chilled any attempt to thaw their relationship.


    The children began to understand the roots of these tensions within days after they¡¯d moved in with their grandparents after the fire. It started with the house itself. Everything in this house made them tread lightly. It felt less a place to live and more a place to haunt.


    The house was built for ghosts with dark, narrow hallways and a creaking staircase. Thick brocaded drapes in many rooms stifled sunlight and fortified shadows. The air hung thick around the hulking furniture and heavy lamps cast more gloom than light. It seemed to want to lead them into some distant past.


    Their entire existence in the house was rigid and by the book¡ªan Old World tome. Meals were always at prescribed times with proper attire. Their grandparents insisted they eat together even though the meat of their conversations was an overdone please and thank you lightly seasoned with an occasional yes sir and no ma¡¯am.


    Nick and Lottica felt about as welcome as Hansel and Gretel.


    A dinner a few weeks after they had come to live with their grandparents summed up their predicament all too well. Nick and Lottica were seated across from each other at the dark mahogany dinner table, candles lit, as always, for dinner. The kids hadn¡¯t ever been asked to help prepare or clean up with meals. So, they sat, ramrod straight in uncomfortable ladderback chairs, as their grandparents brought in the food from the kitchen.


    Their grandparents were both rail thin, but they had to squeeze past the kids to move around in the dining room that was overfurnished with a sideboard and china cabinet that displayed weighty pewter mugs and thick serving platters. It was positively medieval.


    When their grandparents went into the kitchen to bring out the main dish, Nick leaned over and whispered, "I''m sure we could be just as cozy in Dad and Mom''s mausoleum. At least we wouldn''t have to sit in such torturous chairs."


    Lottica giggled. When their grandparents reappeared through the kitchen door, her grandmother''s dark stare stopped her cold.


    ¡°Is funny?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Lottica answered, swallowing her mirth.


    ¡°No?¡± Her grandmother¡¯s stare intensified.


    ¡°No, Grandmother Breima,¡± Lottica quickly added. The rest of the dinner had passed in silence, except for the cutlery clinking like chains in a dungeon.

 4 - Home and Alone

    4


    Home and Alone


    "So, how''s The Weirdest Witch?" Nick asked the next evening, referring to the story Lottica was working on for her English homework. "I think Grandmother Breima¡¯s dinner of unidentifiable meat with indigestible vegetables might provide you with some new and disturbing plot twists."


    Lottica¡¯s idea for The Weirdest Witch revolved around a young orphaned witch who discovered that her magical specialty was understanding the language of stomach growls. Of course, the poor little witch was considered a bit odd by the other witches her own age.


    "Yeah," she replied, "you''d think this story would just write itself. I mean, I''ve read a ton of dead-parent stories, and now I''m living one. Why can¡¯t I imagine a well-adjusted protagonist for a change?"


    Nick''s eyes widened the faintest bit. "Protagonist was one of my lit terms in Freshman English last week. Your junior high is stepping up its game."


    "Yeah, Nick,¡± Lottica sneered, ¡°for a twelve-year-old, I guess I know a few things. Everybody at this new school keeps telling me how smart I am, and how mature I seem. I think they either pity me because of what happened to mom and dad, or they just don''t get many kids whose parents encouraged them to read at home."


    "Are you bored at school?" he asked.


    She shrugged. "Not really. My classmates and teachers are generally nice, and I¡¯m now in some of the honors classes. So, it''s going okay. How about you?"


    "No real complaints as long as they let me take upper level science courses." He hesitated. "I do miss some of the people at our old school though."


    Lottica thought she knew who Nick was talking about. Never one for revealing much about his personal feelings, Nick had started taking extra care last year to shower every morning and comb his hair. Lottica had also noticed an increase in his rather liberal use of the deodorant.


    Her brother, the introvert, the one who seemed so fixed on his own little universe, did really notice the world around him. Or, at least, one of the girls in his classes last year.


    Nick¡¯s admission about missing people reinforced for Lottica the need to make some breakthrough with their grandparents. It was now early October and their parents had died on the first of August. They had not seen any of their old friends since the funeral, over two months ago. A few friends of their parents had visited them to check in, but those had been a bit awkward and tough.


    Their mom had been an only child and her parents had died many years ago, so they had virtually no relatives on her side of the family. Their father had also been an only child. He apparently had important relatives in Lebreima, but, other than their grandparents, what clan was left in the old country did not feel compelled to visit them in America.


    It occurred to Lottica that maybe Grandmother Breima¡¯s was grieving in her own Old World way. She had lost her only son. What might she be feeling? Lottica pondered her grandmother¡¯s deep, unreadable eyes and wondered what memories, stories, and dreams they might hold. Lottica saw how she and Nick had drawn closer after they risked being more honest and open about their loss. Maybe the same could work with their grandparents?


    ¡°Nick, what would you think about having a bit of a heart-to-heart with Grandfather and Grandmother. Tell them how we¡¯re feeling about missing our old friends. Maybe they¡¯d take us to visit them once in a while. Or let us have our friends visit us here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe they¡¯ll run right out and get us hooked up with a family phone plan, so we can reconnect with friends.¡± Nick laughed. ¡°It¡¯s hard enough to explain to my new classmates why I don¡¯t have a phone. Can you imagine our grandparents with cell phones? It was hard enough convincing them we needed an internet connection to be able do school work at home


    Lottica smiled at the image of her grandmother thumbing away on a smart phone. She wondered what would make a good emoticon for the evil eye, and then an even funnier thought came to mind. ¡°What would her ringtone be?¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Most definitely a polka,¡± Nick answered.


    Once she stopped laughing, Lottica persisted with her original idea. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we need to keep in touch with our friends who knew us before¡­?¡± Her words trailed off as her eyes strayed to the window where the trees outside were steadily losing their leaves.


    Nick felt wistful like she did, but his voice was firm. "Listen, Lottica, as much as we want to go back to the big Before, we''re now a long way from that. Not just emotionally, but in actual distance. And proximity matters. Think about the people you hang out with.


    ¡°My best friend at my old school was Jake Borden. I¡¯m a Breima, so Jake and I were always next to each other alphabetically. We sat next to each other, we lined up by each other. That¡¯s how we got know each other and become friends. Now, we live miles and miles away at different schools.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to stay friends with Jake and we connect online, but it¡¯s getting tougher when I don¡¯t see him at school every day. So, we may want to keep our old friendships, but we¡¯re out of that loop now. We¡¯ll eventually be forgotten and we''ll forget. I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s just how things are, and we¡¯re going to have to move on from where we are now."


    Nick¡¯s intensity caught Lottica off guard. And she was quiet for a moment before responding. "The real upshot to all that, then, is that it''s not only our friends we will forget, but Mom and Dad too."


    And with those last words, her voice cracked and Lottica cried the first real cry since her parents had died. Tears welled and spilled. Her face turned red and splotchy. Her shoulders shuddered with each sobbing breath. Lottica dove to her bed, burying her face in her pillow.


    Making his little sister cry was something that Nick had occasionally done. Most times it had been unintentional, accidental, like flicking a piece of Jell-O into her eye or calling her Little Lottie in front of his friends. But Nick could not remember provoking these kinds of tears from his sister. In fact, he couldn''t recall the last time he had seen his sister reduced to full out blubbering.


    He fled their room and stood outside the door listening to Lottica sob. He didn¡¯t know how to console his sister. Compassion. Empathy. Nick knew what they were, but standing outside their room in the narrow hallway, he felt helpless. He found himself staring at one of the many framed pictures that lined the hallway.


    He¡¯d never stopped to look at any of them closely. Most were old portraits of stern-looking people with serious expressions. A few were taken in the countryside with large manor houses in the background. The pictures meant nothing to Nick.


    But they meant something to his grandparents.


    Inspiration struck Nick. If his grandparents had brought these pictures all the way from Lebreima, they wanted to somehow stay connected to their past. To their family, their friends and neighbors, their people. Their Old World.


    Given this new understanding, Nick began to formulate the words he¡¯d use to persuade his grandparents to let them visit their old neighborhood. Nick would convince them that he and Lottica needed to see their old stomping grounds, their friends, and most of all, their house. The house their dad and mom had built for them.


    They''d been kept from the house since the explosion, and Nick only held hazy and anxious recollections of that fateful night in August. Very little of what he had once possessed had been salvaged. They went through boxes brought to them by officials, objects like trophies and knick-knacks that had been blown clear and survived the fire.


    Lottica''s telescope had been the most miraculously saved of these objects and she had clutched it tight¡ªa piece of her former life risen from the ashes. But nothing tangible was left to him of the house he had been born and raised in. He felt a keen desire to see the house. To go home.


    Resolute, he stepped gingerly down the narrow staircase, focusing on what he¡¯d say. He would be straightforward and unrelenting. He would be courteous and gracious. He would be cleverly subtle. He would whine and stammer. Whatever it took. He would¡ª


    Nick stopped in his tracks at the bottom of the staircase. In the kitchen, his grandparents were having what sounded like a heated exchange. They were speaking Lebreiman, their native tongue, and Nick tried to get a sense of what they were arguing about.


    The only Lebreiman he knew was his last name. Breima. Which he always had had to tell his teachers was pronounced "Bray-ma" not "Bree-ma." In Lebreiman their name meant stone, though his father had one time explained that the nuance of the word breima was more like bedrock or foundation. Nick knew his dad¡¯s reluctance to teach Lottica and him to speak Lebreiman had been a point of contention between his parents and grandparents.


    Nick hesitated. He did not want to interrupt his grandparents, but he felt compelled to find out what was ging on. Cautiously, he inched down the hallway, sensing that their exchange was building to some kind of crescendo. In mid-step, Nick froze when the unintelligible words abruptly halted abruptly, and his grandfather commanded in English: "Say it! In English!"


    The silence of the house deepened, if that was possible, until Nick heard his grandmother''s clipped, cold voice, so different from the music of her other language, parrot back to her husband: "Children, we will return soon to Lebreima. Our homeland. Your birthright. You will be happy there. We have told your schools. We leave in two months."


    As Nick backed slowly away from the living room and up the stairs, his granparents resumed speaking Lebreiman. Outside the door to their room, he listened for Lottica¡¯s sobs, but heard nothing. He hesitated to go in, wondering what he would tell his sister.


    He searched up and down the hallway for inspiration. All he found was irony. This old house that had appeared so gloomy and threatening only moments before had become infinitely more homelike than anything he could imagine in the Old World where their grandparents were secretly plotting to take them.

 5 - A Storybook Life?

    5


    A Storybook Life?


    "Are you serious? Or is this from another dead-parent story like The Miserable Misfortunes of the Breima Brood?"


    Lottica wanted to punch something when Nick reported that he¡¯d overheard their grandparents planning to take them to Lebreima. "Forget The Weirdest Witch. I''ve got my story right here." She wrapped her long hair around her chin and sat glumly, her eyes still puffy and red from crying.


    "Well, you do look rather pitiful. Kind of Heidi pathetic.¡± Nick paused. ¡°Is Heidi a dead-parent story, too?" he asked, hoping his attempt to match her dark humor would help nudge Lottica into a more helpful state of mind.


    The danger, though, was that she might think he was mocking her and draw further into herself. Or go totally ballistic. Nick knew his sister was not generally the kind of person who would back down in a confrontation.


    But, Lottica sat silently staring, as if transfixed by some inner vision of doom. Nick felt a bit helpless. Give him a story problem in math and¡ªbingo!¡ªhe''d solve it. A chemistry conundrum? No problem. A tight spot in an online battle? A piece of cake.


    This, though? Helping another person work through a crisis. Exploring their feelings. That was rocket science of a whole different nature. And he knew he sucked at it. The interpersonal stuff. Yet, he also knew he had to try to get better at it. Like right now.


    "Earlier, Lottica, when you started crying," he began to explain, "I wanted Grandmother and Grandfather to know how important it was for us to keep in touch with our old friends. And visit the old neighborhood. That we needed to see¡­"If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He took a breath and checked for Lottica¡¯s reaction. She still sat motionless, so he continued, his heart beating faster. "To be honest, I need to see what¡¯s left. I want to walk around the yard. To go inside. Look around. I-I-I just want¡­" Nick trailed off again, looking away fom his sister.


    "To go home," Lottica said softly, as she stood up. "That''s what we want, isn''t it? To forget the brave face. To wish we weren¡¯t orphans. That we could be back with Mom and Dad. Just growing up, being regular kids that nobody in their right mind would ever think to write an adventure story about."


    Nick¡¯s eyes locked on his sister''s. "Exactly. I know I don''t belong in any storybook. But the way you''re talking, Lottica, you sure do. You¡®re pretty amazing.¡± He sighed, ¡°Because you¡¯re right. I just want to be back where we were before the fire. Before¡­before¡­it all happened."


    Lottica nodded. ¡°I want to feel like a kid again. As much as I wanna grow up and act older, I don¡¯t want to have to. Especially being whisked off to some forsaken place half way around the world. I mean, I don''t even know where Lebreima is exactly. Isn''t that sad? I''ve never been that curious. I can tell you how many light-years away the star Betelgeuse is, but I can''t locate the country where Dad was born on a map."


    "Me either," admitted Nick. "But we''ll need to start finding out some things about Lebreima. And we''ll need to try to get some advice on what to do. That''s another reason to visit the house. We can talk to some of the neighbors and let them know what Grandfather and Grandmother are planning. They may be able to help us.¡± He started toward the door. ¡°I''m going to go back downstairs and try to persuade them to take us over to visit our old neighbors next Saturday."


    As he opened the door, Lottica stood up. "Don''t you think we''ll look more pitiful and convincing together? Especially with my pathetically puffy Heidi eyes."


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. We¡¯ve got to be clever about this. Use every resource, every advantage we have.¡± He went to open their door and then glanced back at her. ¡°So, just for future reference, how far away is Betelgeuse?¡±


    ¡°Six-hundred-forty-two-and-a-half light years. Give or take a parsec,¡± Lottica answered without missing a beat.


    ¡°Like I said, Lottica. You belong in a storybook, as much as your Weirdest Witch does. Let¡¯s go sell this to the grandparents.¡±

 6 - Iron Hawk

    6


    Iron Hawk


    That next Saturday afternoon, in the dark leather seats of their grandparents'' sedan, Nick and Lottica avoided making eye contact. They were beginning to see the familiar landmarks of their very recent past, a past that had become a bit surreal. They drove by their old elementary school where kids dotted the playground, climbing, running, kicking balls, and enjoying hearty autumn sunshine.


    Lottica smiled as she thought about when they were little. How her dad used to bring them to the playground on weekends to play tag. Or Billy Goat''s Gruff, a game in which their father pretended to be a horrible troll living under the bridge that connected two of the playground climbers. He would dare them to cross the bridge and then grab at their legs as they scurried over the bridge. Then he¡¯d chase them up and down the slides until they finally pushed him into the ¡°lava¡± which was the woodchip pile by the teeter-totters.


    The car traveled past a bright yellow house. Nick turned and stared hard at it. All last year, he¡¯d sat next to the girl who lived in that house. She was smart and fun. He liked her, but he¡¯d never gotten up the courage to ask her out. He¡¯d probably never get the chance now.


    He felt his stomach sink, as he tried to conjure up a picture of what his life might have been like, if the fire hadn¡¯t happened. He grew even more anxious when his grandparents'' car slowed and stopped in front of their old house.


    Nobody moved. For Nick and Lottica it was as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the car and replaced with a stifling fog called the unknown. It pinned them to their seats. Strangely, it was their grandmother''s voice that broke the heaviness of the moment. Her voice was soft, even generous. "Would you have me come with you?"


    "Yes, thank you, Grandmother Breima," Lottica answered, even before she realized how much she meant it. They got out and Grandmother Briema took her by the hand. Lottica was surpised again when her grandmother squeezed her hand supportively. She felt very much the twelve-year-old she was, grateful to be led by her grandmother up the walkway and to the door.


    But there, the fantasy ended. Because the door was gone, as was most of their former home. Ribbons of yellow cautionary tape were still stapled across the entrance and blown-out windows. The entire east wall of the house was down, and the upper part of the front had folded in like the flap of a cereal box pushed carelessly closed.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    This exposed the one feature of the house undamaged by the gas explosion and resulting fire: the iron spiral staircase that had dominated the interior of their home. It was a great testament to their father''s sense of whimsy.


    He was a commercial architect by profession, and he had designed their home. The staircase was his tribute to his ancestral home in Lebreima which sported a magnificent stone staircase that gracefully curved from the grand entryway. He¡¯d tell Nick and Lottica that was where he romped and played with friends in childhood, pretending to defend the ¡°castle¡± from monstrous invaders.


    Nick and Lottica had always enjoyed the corkscrew behemoth as a special toy, one that they could bound up and down, imaginatively recreating their father''s home in that far off land. That wonderfully mysterious place, Lebreima. Their father had rarely spoken to them of modern Lebreima, but he had gladly passed on the fanciful folktales and legends of its past. To Nick and Lottica, it was a fairytale land and that was why they rarely thought of it as a real place.


    The staircase their father had designed was straight out of a fairytale. Their father had commissioned an artist in Lebreima to create a wrought iron hawk to adorn the cap the central post. The sublime bird had mighty wings sweeping back from its sleek body and a proud head with fierce and furrowed all¨Cseeing eyes. It was a magnificent creature.


    Their father had told them the hawk was the emblem of his family in Lebreima. How the legendary Hawk had rescued his ancestors in times of trouble or need. In one story, Hawk braved the fires of the underworld to rescue the soul of the very first Breima.


    On the base of their iron hawk was the inscription: Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima. According to their father, this translated into "The Heartstone of Lebreima burns with life." His eyes would twinkle when reciting the inscription, as if some mysterious mantra was encrypted within those words.


    The sight of the fire-blackened stairwell and the hawk still positioned majestically atop, made Nick smile. To Nick, the stolid creature looking out over the wreckage of their house, seemed to be boasting, What''s a little fire to a creature that has braved the nether worlds?


    Nick thought about the hours and hours he and Lottica had spent playing chase up and down the staircase or sitting on the steps with Hawk above them as their parents read or told them stories. He had a sudden desire to climb the staircase, rejoin Hawk and see the world from his keen perspective.


    But then Nick heard a familiar voice calling his name. He turned around and saw his best friend, Jake Borden, along with many of their former neighbors congregating at a respectful distance from the entryway. Quickly, he broke away from his revery. He took Lottica by the hand, which surprised her for a moment.


    Together, they walked over and gave themselves up to an assortment of hugs, tears and greetings. Slowly, they migrated next door to Jake¡¯s house, where the sweet smokiness of good things cooking on the barbecue guided the way.


    As they were ushered into the backyard, Nick glanced back at his grandparents who watched this warm reunion of their grandchildren with their old friends from a guarded distance. They did not follow the crowd to the Borden¡¯s backyard. They walked solemnly back to their car. Feeling a sudden tightness in his gut, Nick realized he actually felt sorry for them.

 7 - Spiraling Out of Control

    7


    Spiraling Out of Control


    "Are you sure your grandparents won''t come in to say hello and have something to eat?" Mrs. Borden asked Nick a few minutes later while their neighbors were getting refreshments and settling into comfortable pockets of conversation.


    "I don''t think they feel very confident with their English in front of strangers," Nick answered. He hesitated, wondering if he should just straight out tell Mrs. Borden that living with their grandparents was at best strained, and that they were planning to take Lottica and him to live in Lebreima permanently. His heart wanted to tell her, but his gut said now was not the time, so he smiled politely and offered to take his grandparents some punch. Which he knew they likely wouldn¡¯t drink.


    Mrs. Borden gave Nick two large plastic cups of punch. He''d never seen them drink anything other than tea or water. Nick pictured his grandmother keeping both cups until they arrived back home so she could empty them in the sink without offending the giver.


    A small part of Nick actually admired that gentility, and he paused on his way to their car. Twice, in the space of twenty minutes, he had experienced a pang of sympathy for his grandparents. Well, maybe not sympathy, but a sense of understanding that they were as lost in this country as he and Lottica were without their parents.


    Had he ever considered their loss and grief? They had lost their only son, whom they had begrudgingly followed to America. Nick was struck by how little he knew of his father''s family. He¡¯d heard many fanciful Lebreiman folktales, but little of his father¡¯s family¡¯s true background.


    He decided that he would save his grandparents the trouble of the punch they would never drink and ducked around the side¡ªor what was once the side¡ªof his old house. He dumped out the cups and set them down. The yard was cordoned off with yellow caution tape, but Nick slipped under it and entered his old backyard.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    There, the memories bit him hard. Sitting in their old sandbox with Lottica making "witches brew" out of sand, dirt, bark, grass, clover and dandelions, and pouring it on ants or earwigs to turn them into super bugs that would do their bidding. Lottica burying their mom¡¯s garden gnome because she thought it was creepy and him digging it out to wrap it up as her birthday present. His dad throwing him fly balls that sometimes lofted too high and pinballed through the limbs of the huge maple that bordered the back of their lot. His mother helping Lottica set up her telescope on the patio in the evenings. His first time flipping burgers on the barbecue only to have one end up in the coals and another on the ground with his dad laughing and calling dibs on that patty.


    Nick¡¯s eyes watered, his throat dried, his blood pounded in his temples. He turned away from the backyard. He faced the wreckage of their home. The devastation unnerved him, sending the first tiny spiders of panic crawling down the base of his neck.


    The roof was completely gone, collapsed into the interior of the once richly painted walls now scorched black. Wiring and fixtures snaked Medusa-like in murky corners, and piles of what was once furniture and appliances created strange contours of darkness. It had become a black hole of his past and little could escape the pull of its emptiness.


    He knew he should leave and get back to his sister and his neighbors, but Nick was drawn to the center of the house and the spiral staircase. He looked up from its base and felt a delirious sense of vertigo as he searched upward through the iron treads. Isolated, the staircase seemed like a hulking strand of DNA, and Nick had become a detached chromosome. The analogy fit. Created by their father, it was his heritage, his legacy.


    Nick climbed. He could not resist the pull, and the iron treads softly rang each of his steps, tolling the years of his childhood. Each step upward heavy with longing. His dad¡¯s raucous laughter. His mom¡¯s ready embrace. He could smell the lavender soap she was fond of using. He inhaled deeply, his heart pounding with excitement as if she¡¯d be there on the next step. Nick closed his eyes for a moment and tightened his hand on the railing.


    Other than an odd stillness, he wasn¡¯t conscious of the last few steps. Then he was at the top, no longer connected to a house and time that was a part of him. Nick peered over the sun-bleached neighborhood and down into the ruin below. His mind seemed to take it all in and accept the dark and light as one. He stood at the edge of a reality that had come and gone.


    Where had it gone?


    Could he go there?


    He inched to the very edge of the top step and his hand, acting of its own accord, clutched the hawk capping the center post. The stoic features of the bird, though fastened tightly, vibrated as though ready to take flight.


    Nick thought, Take me.

 8 - Getting Edgy

    8


    Getting Edgy


    Below him, the iron steps clanged in urgent alarm. Nick teetered at the edge of the top step and then felt himself being pulled against the center post and the swept-back wings of Hawk.


    "Nick!" Lottica cried. "Nick! What are you doing?" Out of breath and shaking from running up the staircase, she braced her brother against the post.


    "I''m okay," he managed, though he was sure that was far from the truth. He looked at his sister and then below him. Only his sister was there. No neighbors. No grandparents.


    "What are you doing here?" he deflected.


    "I saw you carrying the drinks to the car, and then you didn''t come back, and I thought you were having some trouble with Grandmother and Grandfather. I went to check but saw they were alone in their car. Then I saw you on up here. What are you doing? What were you going to do?"


    "I dunno. I guess it was like one of your dead parent stories. Like I was under a spell. I was thinking about Dad and Mom and all this." He gestured to encompass the house and yard twenty feet below them. ¡°It¡¯s like our whole lives are down there.¡±


    His hands came to rest on the iron hawk, and Lottica''s eyes were drawn to it as if she were seeing it for the first time. Soot covered the iron statue making Hawk¡¯s eyes appear even more determined. The words on the base of the regal bird stood out in blacker relief: Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima.


    Lottica whispered the words. ¡°Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima.¡±


    Instinctively, she knew they couldn¡¯t leave the hawk here. It had been so important to their father. They had to take it with them. ¡°Nick, give me a hand here. We¡¯re taking Hawk with us.¡±


    Nick¡¯s far-off gaze snapped into focus. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Roused into action, his hands seized the iron wings with hers and they lifted.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Their hands flew off and the bird remained. It was fixed tight to the center post.


    "Let''s try rocking it back and forth," suggested Nick. They pushed and then pulled, but again their hands moved over the smooth metal without it loosening.


    They looked more closely at the base of the bird to see how it was connected to support post. To their surprise they could not see the raised welt of a weld line and this puzzled them. There was no way the center post and hawk had been cast as one piece.


    They considered the possibilities. Then Nick understood.


    "Lottica, pull on the head, and I''ll push on the tail feathers."


    They shifted places.


    "Ready...Go!"


    Lottica gave a quick jerk and Nick slammed the meaty part of his palms into the back part of the hawk. Lottica fell against him and he stepped back to regain his balance, but his foot careened off the metal tread and slipped over the edge of the step. His leg, swinging out like a pendulum, pulled him around. He clutched Lottica¡¯s arm for balance.


    He was going to fall. Hard.


    And he would bring Lottica over the edge as well, so he let go of her, feeling his backward momentum increase.


    At that point of no return, teetering on the very edge of it all, Nick thought about his parents and how good it would be to see them again. His gaze fell upon his sister''s eyes, and he realized how wide and blue they were and how very young his sister was.


    He missed her already.


    He was about to tell her so when Lottica shrieked his name.


    Her cry pulled Nick back from the brink. She grabbed his arm and heaved back towards the post. With a thwang that vibrated through the entire metal column and their own spines, Nick fell flat onto the widest part of the pie-shaped step.


    The siblings exhaled, recognizing how close to catastrophe they¡¯d come. Then Nick rolled over on his back. He took in his sister, leaning against the center post, haloed by the vast blue of the October sky.


    And then Nick''s eye picked up an incongruity. A thin silver line had appeared just below the base of Hawk. Nick stood up and looked at it more closely. Lottica saw it, too.


    "Nick," she whispered. "The hawk is facing a different direction."


    She was right. Lottica grabbed Hawk¡¯s head and Nick the tail. They pushed and pulled in unison and the heavy figure began to rotate, very slowly at first and then much more easily. Like a giant bolt, the base rose out of the center post and finally it was free. Nick grunted as he tried to lift it himself, and, even when Lottica lent a hand, they could only guide the iron raptor to a clanging landing at their feet.


    Lottica smiled at her brother. "That was a piece of work. You think it was worth it?"


    Nick didn¡¯t answer. He was peering into the now open end of the center post. He motioned his sister over, and she carefully edged closer following her brother¡¯s frozen gaze.


    As she looked into the hollowed out core of the post, her eyes grew wide and shone with the same brilliance as the mysterious object hidden beneath the iron hawk, the symbolic guardian of Lebreima.

 9 - Hot Rock

    9


    Hot Rock


    It was a good thing, Nick and Lottica realized, that people cut you some serious slack when your parents had been blown up.


    Otherwise, it would have been difficult to explain to the Bordens and the rest of their neighbors why they''d returned to the barbecue a bit sooty and disheveled. Their evasive comments about what they''d been doing with themselves the past two months, not to mention the last 20 minutes, weren¡¯t very satisfying. But what civil person was going to badger the newly orphaned with prying questions?


    As they tried to make small talk, all Lottica and Nick could really think about was the amazing object, now in Nick¡¯s pocket, they''d found in the cavity of staircase¡¯s center post. Why had it been hidden under the iron hawk? Why had their parents kept it secret from them?


    They had so wanted to visit their old neighborhood and reconnect with friends and memories of better times. Yet, now all they wanted to do was escape their well-meaning neighbors and figure out what they¡¯d found.


    Ironically, it was their grandparents who came to their rescue, appearing at the Borden''s front door requesting that Nick and Lottica be excused so they could return home and, as Grandmother Breima put it in her stilted English, ¡°Have suitable time to complete school studies."


    Once in the car, Lottica kept turning to Nick as if to confirm that he still had the object they¡¯d discovered. In her mind, she replayed what had happened, especially when her brother had motioned her to look inside the center post. Awed by the brilliance within, she¡¯d reached into the hidden compartment in the center post and drew it forth.


    The thing was mesmerizing, and they lost themselves in its glimmer and glow until realizing they''d better get back to the Borden¡¯s backyard.


    Lottica gave it to Nick to put in his pocket. Then, she told her brother they needed to put the Hawk statue back atop its iron perch. She had a strange storybook feeling that it was the safe thing to do.


    As they drove back with their grandparents, Lottica¡¯s sense of excitement was intermingled with a darkening sense of unease. What was this marvel they¡¯d found? And who¡¯d put it there?


    The obvious answer pointed to their parents having hidden it. And that raised more questions. Why? When? Though, the really big question on Lottica''s mind: Now what?


    Lottica wondered if her grandparents knew about the object, wondering if it was why they¡¯d come to America in the first place. Not to be close to their son and put up with their too-American family. Is this why they¡¯d uprooted themselves from their precious Lebreima? In the last few weeks, had they been secretly searching through the burnt-out house trying to find this treasure, instead of working to salvage what was left of their family?


    Feeling as if she might burst with all these questions, Lottica closed her eyes and visualized the constellations. It was her way of calming down. She started with Orion. That was the first constellation in the night sky her mother had taught her to recognize, and Lottica always found a sense of peace in sighting its signature stars of red and blue. Fire and ice. Hot and cold. Passion and reason. Just like the emotions she was trying to keep in check.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    In the seat beside her, Nick, to keep calm, was visualizing the chambers of his heart, focusing on each beat and his blood being pumped from his right atrium through the valve into his right ventricle, then back to left atrium and finally out through the left ventricle.


    Strangely, it was as if the mysterious object tucked in his pocket was pulsing in concert with his heartbeat. Impossible. Though as the ride home wore on, he could not ignore the concentrated heat growing where the object nested at the bottom of his pocket.


    The discomfort grew so bad that as soon as they pulled up to their grandparents¡¯ house, Nick bolted from the car and upstairs to their room. To cover for him, Lottica told her grandparents that Nick had been complaining of a headache at the Borden¡¯s, and then she rushed after him.


    She found clenching his teeth and fanning his fingers in the air.


    "What''s wrong?" Lottica asked equally concerned and amused.


    In answer, Nick hopped over to his dresser. He had trouble opening the drawer and stammered, "Get-t-t me a so¡ª!"


    Nick bent at the waist and swatted at his pocket. Lottica wanted to laugh. He looked ridiculous, but it obviously wasn''t funny to her brother. "What do you need?"


    "A so¡ª"


    "A saw?" Lottica asked confused.


    "So¡ª"


    "Saw what, Nick?"


    Lottica ran to her brother''s side as he frantically kicked a shoe off. He pointed to his toes, at which point, Lottica put it all together. She rushed to his dresser, pulled a drawer open grabbed a sock and threw it to Nick.


    Nick frantically pulled the sock over his hand and shoved it into his pocket. He whooped as his sock-covered hand flew back out and, with it, a flaming object. It rocketed across the small room, bounced against the wall, pinballed off their bookcase, skittered behind the desk and tumbled to a glowing stop at the base of Lottica''s telescope.


    "Whoa! What¡¯s going on?" Lottica asked, emoji-eyed.


    Ripping the sock off his hand, Nick inspected his fingers and patted his leg where the object had been in his pocket. "The thing was on fire! It felt like it was burning through my leg. I couldn''t touch it with my bare hand.¡± He shook his head in disbelief. ¡°It was like a hot coal."


    They both moved cautiously closer to it. Lottica kneeled and poked at it with her finger. She was ready to draw back and shriek, but she didn''t have to. Nick flinched for her.


    "It¡¯s warm," she told him.


    "It was hot!"


    "I believe you, Nick. What do you think it is?"


    For the first time since they spied it inside the little vault of the spiral staircase, they were able to take a really good look at the thing. It was some kind of crystal, or gem-like stone about the size of an avocado pit. The odd cellular facets of the stone roiled as if about to erupt fiery lava.


    The ruby-red color of the stone bothered Lottica. She ventured another poke at the thing. "Nick, wasn''t this thing blue when we took it from the staircase?"


    Nick thought for a moment. "Yeah, I mean, I''m pretty sure it was. Maybe it was just looked blue against the sky. It could be that it''s transparent."


    "Nick, the carpet is beige. This thing is red¡ª" Just as Lottica spoke, the stone began to change. The fiery red facets slowly paled into a vague pink. Then soft blues began to percolate, bubbling from the center of the stone.


    Before Nick could stop her, Lottica gingerly picked up the stone. "Feel it now, Nick."


    He cautiously took it from her. The stone was cool. Refreshingly cool, like a basement floor in the middle of August. Not wishing to tempt fate again, Nick handed it back to Lottica. They gazed in wonder at the now cool-blue stone.


    What kind of gemstone could do what they had already seen this one do? Dramatic changes in color and temperature. Was that even possible?


    Lottica turned the stone over in her hand. On first inspection, the gemstone seemed roughly oval, but now she noted it was more pear-shaped, or, if she held it just right¡ª


    Heart-shaped.


    She thought of their father. How, as he¡¯d been loaded into the ambulance on the night of the explosion, his hand had passed over his damaged eye and the gemstone of his wedding ring had seemed to wink at her and fall away in a salute.


    Suddenly, her pulse quickened, and a streak of red appeared in the strange stone along with a growing warmth in her palm. As she recalled those last moments of her father, the stone grew warmer. With each fluttering beat of her heart, a cool suspicion merged into burning certainty that her father''s wedding ring and this hot rock were somehow connected.

 10 - Out of Reach

    10


    Out of Reach


    After another awkwardly quiet dinner that evening, Lottica looked half-heartedly through her telescope. Her attention was not trained on any massive objects that inhabited the vast realm of space. She was much more preoccupied by the amazing gemstone hidden in one of Nick''s socks and tucked away in the side drawer of the desk. It felt as enigmatic as a supernova.


    She gave up on the telescope. "Are you having any luck?" she asked her brother hunched over the laptop.


    Nick shrugged. ¡°Not much. I googled all kinds of search terms for gemstones, precious gems, and I even tried adding Lebreima to the search. All I get back are a few hits linked to some of those old Lebreiman folktales Dad used to tell us.¡±


    ¡°They were his favorites,¡± Lottica said, smiling at the memory.


    ¡°No doubt. The story that kept popping up in the search results was about Hawk, and how he flew through the fires of the underworld to rescue the man who would go on to be the first king of Lebreima.¡±


    ¡°And no mention of magically transforming gemstones?¡±


    Nick sighed. ¡°Look, you¡¯re more into literature than I am. A lot of these tales are long and dense. Many aren¡¯t even translated from Lebreiman. And when they are, it¡¯s not exactly light reading. Besides, I¡¯ve got homework to do tonight.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Lottica placed the lens cover over her telescope and went to Nick¡¯s side. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to have to figure this all out.¡± She leaned in to better see the laptop screen displaying neat rows of gemstones, none of which remotely resembled the one they¡¯d found under the iron hawk.


    "What about the inscription on the statue of Hawk? Don¡¯t you think Kareima is the name of the stone?" she asked.


    "I think you¡¯re right about the name of the gem. I¡¯ve used Kareima as a search term, but everything I got back was in Lebreiman. I haven¡¯t tried the whole inscription, though."


    Lottica knelt to get level with the screen. "Try it now." Seeing her brother''s brows tighten, she quickly added, "Please."


    Nick typed Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima and paused as he checked the spelling. "Does that look right to you, Lottie?"


    She was surprised to hear her brother call her "Lottie". Only her parents had sometimes called her Lottie.


    "Sounds good," she said and meant it for both.


    Nick hit the return key, and almost instantly the laptop screen refreshed and there at the top in bold was the telltale phrase: NO MATCHES FOUND.


    "My spelling could be off," Nick offered. He tried variations, but all with the same result. He finally gave a shrug and took his hands from the keyboard as if to offer Lottica the chance to try.


    "That''s okay, Nick. We''ll just have to keep trying other places."


    "Such as?"


    "There''s always the library. We might even pry some information from Grandfather or Grandmother. Maybe Lebreima has an embassy."


    Nick looked doubtful.


    Sudden inspiration struck Lottica, and she began typing in a URL. As she hit the return key, she turned to her sullen brother and said, "When all else fails, you just need to e-mail Strong Bad."


    Strong Bad was a classic internet Flash cartoon character that defied explanation. On an older website they¡¯d discovered years before, Strong Bad, in majestic lucha libre mask and tights, spent his time answering ridiculous e-mail queries with the help of his cryptic sidekick, The Cheat.


    Even though the Homestar Runner website was largely static these days, and Strong Bad rarely answered queries anymore, a virtual visit to Strongbadia and the land of Trogdor could still take their minds off mysterious Lebreima, a land still amazingly beyond the massive reach of the internet.

 11 - Of Capes and Creeps

    11


    Of Capes and Creeps


    "In two weeks?"


    "That''s what I heard Grandmother say," Lottica huffed, still winded from running up the steps to their room.


    Nick struck the patient-older-bother pose: one hand on her shoulder, a neutral smile on his face, his eyes, squinted to soften their natural intensity, focused just above her own. ¡°Lottie, what exactly happened?¡±


    She knew it was hard for her brother to be, well, brotherly, so she swallowed her exasperation and explained what had happened moments ago. ¡°I went outside to collect some leaves with fall color because we have a harvest festival thing at school. More busywork in my opinion¡­¡°


    ¡°Lottica,¡± interrupted Nick, ¡°stick to what happened.¡±


    Shaking his hand off her shoulder, Lottica retorted, ¡°Someday, when writing my memoirs, I¡¯ll mention how you supported my early efforts to become a great storyteller.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Just get on with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay. So, I¡¯m picking up leaves, and I end up underneath the kitchen window. You know the one that Grandmother always keeps open during the day no matter how cold it is. Well, the phone rang and she answered. I hear her saying things like ¡®yes¡¯ and ¡®please repeat.¡¯ Then she said, ¡®Two weeks. Go back Lebreima. All of us.¡¯ That¡¯s what I heard.¡±


    Nick sat on the corner of the desk. "When do you suppose they were planning to tell us? The night before, or the morning of?¡± He thought for a moment. "Today''s the 18th. That means we''ll be leaving the day after Halloween. All Souls¡¯ Day."


    "Talk about a trick and no treat," Lottica responded gloomily.


    Nick stared out the window at the trees, watching the wind slowly strip them of their foliage. He, too, felt as if he and his sister were being stripped of something. Their past.


    He turned back to Lottica with a growing sense of resolution. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve gotta do something. We''ve got to confront them. Find out what''s going on. We''ve got some rights. I can call Jake¡¯s parents or Child Protective Services or 911 or¡­"


    "Or Strong Bad?" Lottica quipped.


    Nick glared at his sister for a moment, then smiled, understanding her instinct to lighten the mood. Keep things from getting too intense. ¡°Yeah. Strong Bad would definitely help. Especially if he sent Trogdor, The Burninator, to rescue us.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    They shared a laugh and then Nick continued, ¡°While we¡¯re waiting for Strong Bad¡¯s dragon to show up, I think we have to figure a few things out. And fast.¡±


    "For instance?" Lottica asked.


    "What the gemstone, the Kareima, is. Why Grandfather and Grandmother really want to take us to Lebreima. Where we should go for help. And," his eyes wandering from hers uncertainly, ¡°who the man in the cape is?"


    Looking at her brother like he¡¯d just sprouted three more heads, Lottica gaped. "What man in a cape?" Her eyes darting about the room, as if expecting Superman or Batman to materialize.


    "Since we found the Kareima, I''ve seen an older man in a long, black cape, watching my school bus in the morning,¡± Nick explained. ¡°Twice. The first time he was sitting at a window in a coffee shop my bus passes on the way to the high school. I wouldn''t have noticed him except that I happened to be sitting near the rear of the bus and, as soon as my bus stopped, he stood up and moved away from the window."


    "So?"


    "So," Nick continued, "the second time, the exact same thing happened. As soon as my bus stopped, he got up as if he didn''t want to be seen."


    "That¡¯s a good story to creep me out, but it could just be that this guy knows he needs to go somewhere when he sees the school bus. The bus might be his reminder."


    "I understand that, Lottica, but two things make me suspicious. First, he reminds me of Grandfather. Though taller. He dresses like him, too: a dress shirt and vest. Dark colors, very formal. And the cape. I mean, who wears a cape? He just looked old country, very old country.


    "The second thing, and this really freaked me, was this thick gold chain around his neck. From it, hung a bright, red gemstone. It made me think of the Kareima. It wasn''t as large and didn¡¯t have the same shape, but there was that strangeness about it. You know...like...like¡­" Nick left his thought unfinished, avoiding eye contact, concerned that his sister might think he was losing touch with reality.


    Lottica remained quiet for a few moments. "I don''t know, Nick. I''m trying to keep things sensible. I realize I''m usually the one with the over-active imagination, reading all those crazy dead-parent stories, trying to write The Weirdest Witch. But, this isn¡¯t a story. I know the Kareima is surprising, but if we start getting paranoid of an old guy in a cape with strange bling, we might as well start buying silver bullets, stocking up on garlic and sharpening stakes."


    Nick sighed. "Now you see why I didn¡¯t want to mention it, Lottie. Remember, I''m the science guy. The rational one. I''ve never been big in the imagination department. That¡¯s your gig. I''m just sharing a suspicious feeling I had about this guy, so keep an extra eye out for any creepy, caped individuals."


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lottica agreed. "But, what are we going to do about your other questions? We haven''t found any more information about the Kareima, so, what are our options? Do we try to find someone who can help us stay here in America, or confront Grandfather and Grandmother about their plans to take us to Lebreima?"


    ¡°Well, do you really want to call CPS and end up in a foster home?" asked Nick.


    ¡°To me, that¡¯s our nuclear option. So let¡¯s try direct diplomacy and talk directly with the grandparents. Let them know that we know and try to work this out,¡± Lottica suggested.


    ¡°Sounds good, I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± he said and stepped towards the door.


    ¡°Actually, Nick, since we¡¯re dealing with Grandfather and Grandmother who respect that old elder-knows-best tradition, I think you need to take point. I''ll act as your younger, submissive wingwoman.¡±


    "You are too clever by a mile, Lottie," Nick conceded as he opened the door and gave his sister a gentle push through it.

 12 - You Are Breima

    12


    You Are Breima


    It was one thing to think yourself a fairly together fourteen-year-old with a twelve-year-old sister at your side who was even sharper. It was another thing entirely to be facing two sets of very impenetrable Old World eyes that threatened to reduce you to a groveling worm. They were seated across from one another: grandparents and grandchildren. Nick¡¯s throat felt tight, and he cleared his throat for the third time.


    "Yes, Nicholas?" his grandmother asked.


    For some reason, hearing his formal name made him feel much younger. He fought against it. "Grandfather and Grandmother, Lottica and I want you to know that we are grateful for you taking us in. We also appreciate your driving us to visit our friends the other day." He smiled and waited for some acknowledgment of his expressed gratitude.


    None came. Ony their unflappable gazes.


    "We are adjusting to our new schools. I''ve made some new friends and Lottica has too." Nick continued, appreciative that Lottica nodded her head in agreement. At least, he felt, he wasn''t talking to an empty room. "What I mean to say is that we are happy here in your home, and we hope it¡¯s not too much of a burden on you."


    "Burden?" Grandmother Breima''s eyes widened just the slightest bit, but her prim mouth pinched shut on the next syllable. "No."This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    "I''m glad of that, Grandmother," Nick said and tried to ratchet up his nerve for what he intended to say next. "I guess I just have to be honest and ask you. Are you planning to take us to Lebreima? I mean, to live with you in Lebreima?"


    When Nick finished his question, he dropped his eyes, but Lottica watched her grandparents as their eyes flicked to make contact and then instantly reestablished their fixed stares.


    Stony silence.


    Their grandparents did not stir. The air thickened like gelatin. Nick could not lift his eyes, and Lottica felt straightjacketed.


    Surprisingly, their grandfather broke the icy stalemate. He rose. He wasn¡¯t much taller than Nick, but his dark shirt and vest gave him a formidable appearance, like a Dickenesian schoolmaster. He looked down his straight, aristocratic nose at Nick and Lottica. "You are Breima. You belong to Lebreima. You must learn. You must know."


    He turned from them. With a slight nod to their grandmother, he left the room.


    Their grandmother sat up straighter, if that were possible, and untwined her fingers. "Your grandfather is correct. You are Breima . You must learn Lebreiman. We leave November one. We notify your schools this week. We help you pack."


    She, too, rose and turned as if to go. But then faced Nick and Lottica to say one last thing. Her tone uncharacteristically softened, and her English flowed more naturally. "You are not a burden. You are Breima.¡± She tapped gently on her breastbone. ¡°You will learn what is the heart of a Breima. Only in Lebreima can that be done.¡±


    "What about our¡ª" Lottica tried to protest, but Grandmother Breima left the room. Lottica looked at Nick whose jaw was clenched tight.


    "What are we going to do now?" she asked.


    After a few moments, Nick¡¯s grimace softened into a resolute smile. "We¡¯ll have to start packing," he replied.


    "What? You''re just going to give in like that? I can''t believe it."


    Nick leaned toward her and whispered conspiratorially, "I didn''t say we were packing to go to Lebreima."

 13 - Warning! Meltdown Imminent

    13


    Warning! Meltdown Imminent


    A week later, the week before they were scheduled to leave for Lebreima with their grandparents, neither of them had packed a thing. At the end of a very wet and dreary Saturday, Lottica came into the room to find Nick, as usual, perched in front of the laptop.


    Neither of them had packed because Nick had withdrawn again. He seemed paralyzed by indecision. Lottica wanted to yell at him, to get a life, or a few lives¡ªat least one she could easily slip in and out of.


    More than ever, she felt like a fictional character. Like Cinderella or Snow White with her grandmother taking the role of the cruel stepmother. Plus, she¡¯d discovered a secret treasure, the mysterious Kareima gemstone, and now a seemingly sinister caped villain was stalking them.


    It was indeed becoming a strange storybook existence that made Lottica wonder if she was losing touch with reality. Especially since she¡¯d had a bit of a run in with the caped man Nick had warned her about.


    That had happened the day after their disastrous talk with their grandparents. Lottica had been walking from the school bus stop back to her grandparents¡¯ house when she noticed him. He stood waiting at her corner in a dark suit with a long black cape. The cape didn¡¯t seem ridiculously out of place on the cool, damp afternoon. Lottica thought it functioned as a reasonable overcoat. It didn¡¯t make him villainous or superhero-like.


    The man was tall, with dark, serious eyes. He wore a fedora tightly capping his silver hair, and around his neck hung the striking red gemstone on a thick gold chain that Nick had described. The man, like her grandparents, seemed to belong to a different age. An ancient and regal one.


    Lottica did not feel threatened because there were so many kids from the bus roaming about on their way home. As she passed by him, the caped man regarded her quietly. Lottica didn¡¯t say anything, but as she was about to turn a corner, she felt the intensity of his gaze.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    And she couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Nice cape. Getting ready for Halloween?¡±


    "Kareima lumeinatus de Lebreima," he replied.


    Lottica stopped in her tracks. She turned to look back at him. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    "Kareima lumeinatus de Lebreima," he repeated.


    Lottica was dumbstruck as the caped man strode to her. Raising the brilliant red stone from around his neck and brandishing it like a sacred talisman, he whispered a heavily accented warning: "Lebreima is no place for you or your brother. Just as it was no place for your parents."


    Then he strode away, his black cape flapping like an evil-omened bird.


    When she¡¯d told Nick about the encounter that night, he listened intently, but did not get too excited about it, which Lottica found a bit unusual. She¡¯d half expected her brother to tell her to get her stuff together so that they could run away that very night. Instead, but he simply said, "Stay away from him in the future." Then he¡¯d turned back to the laptop.


    For the last week, that was what Nick had been like. Come home, log on and almost completely ignore her. That was why Lottica wanted to scream in frustration. In a week, they¡®d be leaving for Lebreima. Maybe forever. They should be doing something.


    But, they weren¡¯t.


    Lottica decided she needed to take more drastic action. She pulled a suitcase from under her bed and plopped it loudly on her bed. She wrenched open a dresser drawer. The near emptiness of it gave her a pang of misgiving. So much had been destroyed in the explosion and fire. So little of it had been replaced. And she wasn¡¯t thinking about her clothes. She wondered how one filled a drawer back up, a suitcase, a twelve-year-old with good feelings and memories?


    Lottica slammed the drawer shut. Nick finally looked up from the laptop. "What''s going on?"


    "I''m not going to Lebreima!" Lottica said fiercely. "We''ve got a week left and you''re just sitting there staring into cyberspace."


    "Hey, you stare into outer space for your kicks.¡±


    Lottica concentrated on not going ballistic. She unclenched her fists and turned away to reopen the slammed drawer. She began throwing things into the suitcase.


    Nick watched her for a few moments and then said quite casually, "We don''t really have time for that now, Lottica."


    At his calm, don¡¯t-go-all-crazy-on-me tone, Lottica took the balled up socks she was holding and threw them at him. "Why? Do we have a ton of time to waste? Or are you trying to get as many minutes on the internet before we go to Lebreima where we''ll be lucky if they even have wi-fi or cell service? We leave in a week, and you¡¯ve gone all introverted on me."


    Nick sighed. ¡°You need to unpack and put the suitcase away. We have real work to do."


    "Work? What are you talking about? What do we have to work on?"


    He looked at her as if the answer was as obvious as the rain that had been falling all day long and coolly answered, "Our costumes."

 14 - Tricks and No Treats

    14


    Tricks and No Treats


    Lottica slipped on some damp leaves and lost her head¡ªwhich she happened to be carrying under her arm.


    It tumbled onto a neighbor''s lawn, and in the darkness it took her a moment to locate. It didn''t help matters that she wanted to lose her head, a paper mache pumpkin head like in Disney¡¯s Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow. That was Nick''s idea. Masks that would help them carry out his last-ditch effort to keep their grandparents from spiriting them away to Lebreima.


    "Ded bu fin id?" Nick asked, his vampire mask with the gnarly collection of rubber fangs chomping and mashing his words up horribly.


    "Yes, it''s right here," Lottica called, holding up the gaudy orange mask they¡¯d worked on all week.


    "Pud i ahn," he mumbled through his toothy mangle.


    "No. I can hardly see or breathe with this thing on."


    Nick stopped and pulled the mask up over his mouth. "Lottica, it''s not like I''m enjoying this either. This thing feels like I''m inside a tire. But we need a little disguise in case Cape Man is out doing a little trick or treating too."


    Nick saw this as a clever part of the scheme. It had been a monumental effort to talk their grandparents into letting them go out for Halloween, pleading with them that it was their last night in America and it would help them deal with the move.


    In the meantime, Nick had called Jake Borden and asked if he and Lottica could come spend the night, in order to do some serious trick or treating with Jake and his younger sister Liz. Nick figured Jake¡¯s mom wouldn¡¯t bother to call his grandmother to check on the arrangements because she knew how uncomfortable his grandmother was speaking English.


    Over the phone, Nick had assured Mrs. Borden that their grandparents would drive them over on Halloween and pick them up the next morning. Nick had them stuff a change of clothes in the pillow cases they¡¯d use to trick or treat.


    Their entire plan was based on the somewhat desperate idea that if they did not return home on Halloween, their grandparents would have to cancel their flight and it would buy them some time. They also planned to let the Bordens know what was going on¡ªafter they had missed their flight to Lebreima.


    Nick¡¯s insistence on wearing costumes with masks was intended to make them more anonymous, especially if the man in the cape was watching for them. So, he got Lottica to put her mask back on and he did the same. With the moon peeking between ragged rain clouds, they walked toward the bus stop.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "So far so good," Nick said when they arrived at the near-empty bus stop. "The bus should be here in five or ten minutes. Then we''ll have to switch busses by Cemetery Hill."


    "Great planning, Nick. Cemetery Hill. Halloween night. Maybe we can stop by and visit Mom and Dad."


    Nick and Lottica had only been to Cemetery Hill twice. Once for their parents¡¯ funeral when they¡¯d been entombed in the mausoleum. The second time, a month later when their grandparents had escorted them to place flowers at the threshold. The small gothic edifice with Breima carved into the stone over the doorway gave off a strange vibe to Lottica. It seemed almost quaint, rustic, as if upon opening the heavy-set door she might find her parents seated in rocking chairs next to a cozy fire.


    "Lottica,¡± Nick reminded her, ¡°we''re doing this so we can visit Dad and Mom on a more regular basis. We''ll be a continent away by this time tomorrow if we can''t ditch Grandfather and Grandmother."


    The lights of a bus swung around the corner and both siblings felt a rush of relief, signaling just how on edge they¡¯d been all afternoon. That relief was short lived. Just beyond the onrushing lights of the bus was the silhouette of a man walking their way. The telltale billowing of a cape reaching to the pavement and a ghostly red glow emanating from his dark form spooked Lottica.


    She waved her hand frantically so the approaching bus driver couldn''t miss them. She kept looking from the bus to the caped menace approaching. She should have been considering whether to cut and run, instead, she stood frozen with Nick.


    The screech of the bus¡¯s brake jarred them and they hustled aboard. The bus driver smiled at their masks and costumes as if he expected them to ask for candy. He waved them on when they tried to find the fare.


    "Forget it," said the driver. "This treat''s on me. Just don''t scare the other passengers." He laughed, motioning down the length of the quarter-full bus.


    Nick and Lottica hurried to find a seat. Through the eyeholes of his vampire mask, Nick spied the man in the cape come alongside the bus. He wanted to urge the driver to quickly close the door and drive off. But the driver was looking in his side-view mirror.


    He left the door open. The man in the cape drew astride the door. He stepped in.


    He leaned toward the driver. They exchanged words that the siblings could not hear. Then the man in the cape nodded and stepped slowly back out into the street and the doors closed.


    Nick exhaled, realizing he¡¯d been holding his breath for the last minute. He pulled off his mask and looked over at Lottica. Her mask remained on, but she was clutching her pillowcase close to her chest. Her fingers were white.


    "Lottica, take off your mask."


    "No." Her voice was unusually soft.


    "We need to talk."


    "I want to go back, Nick."


    "To Grandfather and Grandmother''?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    "Because that caped nut is after us. He wants something." Lottica''s voice sounded close to tears through her mask. "And I think I know what he wants."


    Nick leaned closer and lowered his voice. "What?"


    In answer, Lottica relaxed her grip on the pillowcase. She slowly opened it, so Nick could see inside.


    The vampire mask slipped from Nick¡¯s grasp, falling to the floor of the bus as if a stake had been pushed through its latex heart. At the bottom of Lottica''s trick-or-treating pillowcase, resting atop her neatly folded pajamas, sparkling cold and bright as a blue moon, was the Kareima.

 15 - Bailing Then Bolting

    15


    Bailing Then Bolting


    Nick''s heart pounded. He clamped closed Lottica''s pillowcase and furtively looked around at the other passengers. He whispered to Lottica, "Why''d you bring it?"


    "Promise you won''t get mad?" Her voice sounded far away and rather hollow inside her pumpkin mask.


    "Sure, just tell me."


    "I had some doubts about your plan, and I thought if Grandfather and Grandmother found out and stopped us, they might do our packing for us. I didn''t want them to find the Kareima. If your plan works and we end up never going back to them, I didn''t want to leave it. It''s something that was important to Dad and I couldn''t..."


    ¡°¡­let him down.¡± Lottica couldn¡¯t say it, but Nick could. He understood. That was what Nick had felt many times around his father. That he couldn''t let him down. His dad had been so carefree and confident. Always encouraging. Always upbeat. Nick wanted to be just like him. And he felt that very pointedly at the moment because this running away thing was his idea, his plan. He was responsible¡ªespecially for his sister. No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let her down.


    "Can I help you take off your mask?" Nick whispered.


    "No. I look scarier underneath it."


    Nick laughed and felt a little better that Lottica was still, well, Lottica. "Do you really want to go back? It''s okay. I didn''t count on this being dangerous."


    Lottica lifted up her head so that Nick could see her eyes through the mask. They were a bit red but she was not showing her brother any tears. "Do you think Cape Man¡¯s dangerous? I have this strange feeling about him. He''s looking for the Kareima. I can''t tell you exactly how I know. I just feel it."


    "I believe you, Lottie. You''re smarter and savvier than I am. And I don¡¯t really know what we¡¯d gain by missing our flight tomorrow. Grandfather and Grandmother have custody of us. Legally, we belong to them. Maybe we''re just putting off the inevitable."This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "But Cape Man warned us not to go to Lebreima," Lottica reminded Nick.


    "Maybe he did that to try to make us run away. Maybe we''re playing right into his hands." Nick looked from Lottica''s eyes to the pillowcase. "Let''s trust your feelings, Lottica. Let''s go back," he hesitated almost swallowing the last word, "¡­home."


    Masks in hand, they got off at the next bus stop as a light sprinkle began to fall. Nick had planned for them to switch buses at this point and head over to the Bordens. Instead, they crossed the street and Nick checked the time.


    It was getting close to seven o''clock. He¡¯d told Jake they''d be there by seven-thirty, and he told Grandmother they''d be back by nine. He''d have to call Jake when they got back to explain why they hadn¡¯t shown up for trick-or-treating. He was also going to have to explain to Jake that he probably wouldn¡¯t ever see him again. Too likely, he¡¯d be on a plane to Lebreima, half a world away, tomorrow.


    "Looks like it''ll be about twenty minutes before the bus comes," he told Lottica. She didn''t exactly look relieved. She kept scanning up and down the mostly empty sidewalk. A sidewalk that ended a few blocks from the front gates of Cemetery Hill.


    "I don''t think you have to worry, Lottica. Whoever Cape Man is, he''s not going to follow us to Lebreima."


    "What if he''s from Lebreima? What if he came here to get the Kareima and take it back with him?"


    "Look, I know it''s Halloween, and we''re both a bit edgy," Nick tried to reassure his sister, though she had a point. "Come on," he said. "Let''s do a little trick or treating. That¡¯s a good way to kill time. Besides," he held up his mask, "Dracula could use some sugar."


    Nick put on his mask and started off towards a group of houses lit with a garish array of blinking ghost and jack-o''-lantern lights. He turned back a few strides later and saw that Lottica hadn''t moved. Her gaze was fixed back towards the entrance to Cemetery Hill, barely visible in the buttery lights atop the gates.


    "Wus da madda?" Nick hollered back through the mesh of rubber fangs.


    He didn''t have to wait for a reply. Lottica bolted to him, pointing frantically back towards the main gates of Cemetery Hill, where not one, but two men in long capes were emerging from a car. A red flame seemed to flash from the chest of the taller man.


    Reason said they should run to the nearest house and ask to call their grandparents. Reason said they should flag down a car and say they were lost and needed help. Reason dictated many sensible courses of action, but Nick and Lottica, as much as they thought of themselves as reasonable individuals, simply panicked.


    They bolted around the corner, past the inviting houses where normal kids in costumes roamed. Without thinking, without stopping, they ran through an empty intersection, under the grasping branches that lined the street, right up to the dark, forbidding iron bars that marked the boundary of Cemetery Hill.

 16 - Out on a Limb

    16


    Out on a Limb


    You could read all the scary stories you wanted (Lottica had read her fair share) and not come a within a light year of the fear she felt backed up on a dead end street against the iron fence of Cemetery Hill. It wasn''t the vague terror of the unknown. It was the cold, heavy pit-of-the-stomach dread of what might come next. Heart racing, she wondered what the two caped men would do to her and Nick.


    It was like finding yourself in one of those contrived Hollywood scenes where characters tiptoed, seemingly against all common sense, into range of the salivating alien beast or the demonic madman. The classic this-can''t-be-happening-to-me syndrome was happening to her.


    She knew she had to snap out of it and help come up with a plan, but her head felt compressed. She grew claustrophobic. Where had Nick gone? She was hot, her thinking muddled. She began to experience tunnel vision. Feeling she was on the verge of fainting, Lottica reached up to slap herself into some kind of action, and¡ªthwuck!¡ªshe hit paper-mache: her ridiculous Headless Horseman pumpkin mask.


    She tore the mask off and kicked it into the street where it rolled about thirty feet and landed facing them with the mischievous grin that Lottica herself had painted. She instantly felt her head clear, though her heart was still pumping furiously. She turned to Nick, who was eyeing her footwork with the pumpkin head and then took off his own mask, sticking it in his pillowcase.


    "Nick, we need help."


    "That pretty much sums it up. Any suggestions?"


    "Let''s go back to those houses," she said, motioning back up the street. "Tell them I''m sick, which is pretty much true. Ask to use their phone to call Grandfather Breima to come pick us up."


    Nick nodded. "Okay, let''s get your mask and try it."


    They started away from the iron bars and stepped into the street just as a car with only its running lights on slowly turned the corner and headed towards them. Nick grabbed Lottica and pulled her behind the low guardrail barrier that marked the end of the street.


    "I think it''s them," he whispered, leading her farther along the cemetery fence and behind a tree that hung over the rusting wrought iron.


    The car crawled down the dead end street. Even though it was raining, the windows were down on both the driver and passenger sides.


    "Nick, we should make a run for it," Lottica urged.


    "Let¡¯s wait. They haven''t seen us. They may just turn around."


    And that seemed to be what they were going to do. The black sedan began to swing wide to turn around when Nick and Lottica heard a sharp crunch. The car stopped immediately. It backed up and then its high beams flashed on, revealing a glaring orange grin: the crushed remains of Lottica¡¯s Headless Horseman''s mask.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "Over the fence," Nick barked at his sister.


    "How?" Lottica asked. The iron bars were eight feet high.


    Nick patted the tree whose branches hung into the cemetery grounds. "You go up first. I''ll hold your pillowcase."


    The tree was slippery from the rain, but Lottica was agile. She''d taken gymnastics years before and, though she never got the hang of doing cartwheels, she''d gained a lot of confidence with her balance.


    Nick gave her a boost and Lottica quickly scrambled to a thick branch that stretched across the cemetery fence. She saw the car''s lights go off and heard the slamming of the doors. Climbing out on the branch, she swung around and dropped to the spongy wet mat of leaves covering the grass on the other side.


    "Nick, hurry!" she called back through the iron bars.


    Nick handed her their pillowcases through the fence and began climbing. He was taller than Lottica, but he had a harder time finding a purchase for his hands, and he was making a lot more noise. Lottica turned her attention to the caped men in front of the car holding up her mask. Just then she heard a heavy thunk. She turned expecting to find Nick on her side of the fence.


    He wasn''t.


    He was flat on his back at the base of the tree outside the cemetery. And the two men, their capes whipping around in the light rain, were rushing directly for her brother.


    "Get up, Nick. They''re coming!"


    He scrambled off the ground and barked. "Give me one of the pillowcases!" Lottica threw him one. He tightly grasped one end and swung the other end around in a large arc and then over the fleur-de-lys points of the iron bars closest to the trunk of the tree. The pillowcase lodged in the iron points and gave Nick a solid handhold. He hauled himself up the trunk to where he could get a decent foothold.


    He was about to swing over into the cemetery when he heard a voice that seemed a surprising cross between his father and his grandfather.


    "Come down, young Breima!" The heavily accented voice commanded.


    Nick hesitated. The two caped men were about thirty feet from the tree. "Who are you?" he shouted, feeling emboldened.


    The taller of the two men took a step forward. In response, he held out the glowing red stone on the chain around his neck. As if commanded, the shorter man sprinted towards Nick¡¯s tree.


    At the onrush, Nick tightened his grip, swung out on the limb, and dropped into the cemetery next to Lottica. He bounded up and grabbed her hand and the pillowcase next to her, ready to run.


    But Lottica wouldn¡¯t budge. "We gotta go!" he urged.


    "We can''t." She pointed back at the pillowcase Nick had used to leverage himself up the tree. It was solidly wrapped around the top of the iron bars.


    And then Nick realized what had frozen her in place: from a rip in the pillowcase the brilliant blue of the Kareima radiated forth.


    The two caped men saw it too and rushed forward.


    Realizing he would not be tall enough to reach the gemstone, Nick dropped on all fours by the fence.


    Lottica understood at once. She launched herself off Nick''s back and seized the pillowcase. It tore as she pulled on it, and three things happened at once.


    Nick buckled under her.


    Lottica sprawled backward.


    The Kareima shot through the air like a small star.


    In unison, the caped men¡¯s hands thrust through the iron bars straining to catch the arcing gemstone. Their eyes wide and greedy. Their gloved hands waving wildly.


    Time did its standing-still thing.


    Fate did its can¡¯t-escape-me thing.


    Lottica did her best home-run-robbing catch.


    Flat on her back, she snatched the Kareima out of the air. Right out of the grasp of the caped men. She clutched the gemstone tight as Nick hurried to help her up.


    The cape men banged against the iron bars cursing in incomprehensible Lebreiman, as the siblings dashed into the shadowy maze of headstones and tombs of Cemetery Hill.


    As cold as her terror was, Lottica could already feel the heart-shaped Kareima tingling in her hands with its other-worldly warmth.

 17 - Cemetery Hill

    17


    Cemetery Hill


    "It''s not enough that we¡¯re being chased through a cemetery on Halloween," Lottica lamented when the sprinkling rain became a steady downpour.


    Ten minutes after climbing the fence and escaping from the caped men, the soaked siblings had worked their way to the crest of Cemetery Hill. The top of the hill was wooded and studded with old tombs and mausoleums, so it was difficult getting oriented and figuring out which direction would get them back to their grandparents¡¯ house.


    They¡¯d started the evening running way from their grandparents. Now they were desperate to get back to them.


    Nick, a few steps ahead, led Lottica through a small grove of chestnut trees, their spiky shell casings littering the ground. Suddenly, Lottica dashed past him.


    "Lottica, where are you going?" he shouted after her quickly receding figure. But she kept moving through the chestnut trees with Nick slogging after her in the heavy rain.


    When he came out of the chestnut grove, he stopped and scanned the area. Lottica was nowhere in sight. To his left, teeth-like rows of tombstones receded down the gentle slope. To his right, a cluster of mausoleums terraced into the hillside. A sudden familiarity hit Nick. He knew this place.


    He made his way between the looming structures and came at last to a mausoleum set back on a small promontory with a single chestnut tree. The rain had increased and with it the gloominess. Nick knew what he¡¯d find under the small portico-like entrance where the name Breima was carved deeply into the stone.


    "Lottica," he softly called as he faced the entrance.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    From the nearly pitch black shadows, Lottica scolded him, "Come in out of the rain, Nick."


    He found Lottica huddled up against the door where it was relatively dry. Nick joined her. "How cozy,¡± he said, intending to be sarcastic, but it came out mildly.


    "Do you have the other pillowcase?" Lottica asked.


    "Yeah, why?"


    "There should be a flashlight in it. Remember, we''re reasonable and responsible children,¡± she recited. ¡°Safety first, you know."


    Nick was reassured by Lottica''s composure. Only minutes before, she''d been a freaked out twelve-year-old, and now she was talking like a veteran Girl Scout. He dug into the pillowcase and found the slender flashlight. "I hope it works," he said, pushing the button. The light flitted on and then flickered off. He shook it and the bulb came back on. The beam was pale, not the bright white that indicated new batteries.


    It was enough, though, for them to see how wretched they looked. Nick''s face was splattered with mud and his cloak-like costume was plastered to his thin frame. Lottica''s long hair was stringy and matted with small yellow leaves. Mud streaked her Headless Horseman''s skeleton costume, and her poor hands, clutched together at her chest, looked so red and raw they appeared to be glowing.


    "What''s up with your hands?" Nick asked in surprise.


    Lottica slowly opened them. And much brighter than the wan flashlight beam, the radiance of the Kareima lit the entryway.


    "It¡¯s glowing red instead of blue. Is it hot?" Nick asked, remembering how the gemstone had seemed to be burning a hole in his pocket when he¡¯d smuggled it to their grandparents¡¯ house.


    "No,¡± Lottica said. ¡°Hold it. It feels good."


    Hesitantly, Nick took the glowing ember. She was right. It was just warm. It also made him feel relaxed and strangely confident, in spite of the fact that the rainstorm was worsening, and they had two crazy caped men pursuing them. He eyed the door into their parents¡¯ mausoleum. "Should we go in?"


    "Won¡¯t it be locked?" Lottica asked.


    "I don''t know,¡± Nick replied, handing the Kareima back to her and turning the flashlight on the arched metal door. ¡°The door was always unlocked when we were here before." He found the door latch with the flashlight, and there was no lock on it. He wasn¡¯t certain if that was unusual.


    He lifted the latch and looked at his sister. "You sure?"


    "Yes. This may be goodbye for a long time."


    "Okay." He pulled on the door and it swung open with a metallic moan. "After you," Nick offered.


    Without hesitating, Lottica entered the chamber where her parents'' bodies had been entombed for three months. It should have felt monumentally creepy entering this cramped, damp, cold, dark tomb on Halloween night. Though at that instant, for Lottica, it seemed as if she¡¯d finally come home.

 18 - Tomb Sweet Tomb

    18


    Tomb Sweet Tomb


    Nick entered the mausoleum and closed the metal door to keep the wind from blowing in. A chill shivered down his spine when he eyed a deadbolt on the back of the door. A deadbolt on the inside of a tomb? He wasn¡¯t sure how to process that bit of strangeness, but, reflexively, he slid the deadbolt into the doorframe.


    When he turned around, he saw the Kareima glowing richly in Lottica''s palm, giving the tomb an oddly warm, embryonic glow. The Kareima¡¯s light easily outshone the anemic flashlight beam. The inside of the mausoleum was snug: about eight feet by ten feet. Directly opposite the door, the sarcophagus rested, a solid cement box about eight feet long, four feet wide and three feet high topped with a thick lid of decorative concrete.


    It was hard to believe that their parents were in there. Nick and Lottica had not seen their parents'' bodies since they were removed from the house on the night of the explosion. At the funeral, their grandparents had explained that their parents lay side-by-side in the sarcophagus, as was customary in Lebreima.


    Nick shivered at the thought of his parents in that cold, dark concrete box. Nevertheless, he stepped forward to where his sister was peering intently at the top of the sarcophagus. Letting the flashlight follow her eyes down, Nick¡®s eyes widened at what the flashlight illuminated. On the lid of the sarcophagus was an engraved hawk with the inscription: Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima.


    "I don''t remember seeing this before," Nick admitted to her.


    "Me either, or if I did, it didn''t really register.¡± Lottica sighed heavily. ¡°What do you think it all means?"


    Nick knew she wasn''t talking about the translation. They knew what the words meant in English: The Heartstone of Lebreima burns with life. Lottica was asking a bigger question. Why were their parents dead? Why did their grandparents want to take them to Lebreima? Who were these men in capes chasing them? What exactly was the Kareima?


    "I wish I knew,¡± Nick said with a shrug. Then he swept the paling beam of the flashlight around the mausoleum and brought it to bear on the engraved hawk. "Though, even you have to admit that hiding out in your parents¡¯ tomb on Halloween night must make all those dead parent stories you''ve read seem about as scary as Snow White."


    "Nick, that was a dead parent story, too,¡± Lottica huffed, ¡°and Snow White was poisoned by a witch."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Okay, but you know what I mean. Those were just stories. This is for real."


    Lottica didn''t say anything, her eyes fixed on the engraved hawk. She put her index finger on it and began to trace the outline.


    "Shine the light here, Nick."


    He pointed the flashlight at her finger as she moved it down the concrete.


    "Do you see it?" she asked him.


    "What?"


    "A crack. It goes all the way to the edge." She moved around to what she assumed was the front end of the sarcophagus, and a grating sound at her feet startled them both.


    "What was that?" Nick asked.


    "Shine the flashlight down here."


    Nick knelt and put the light at Lottica''s feet. Broken cement was scattered near the base of the sarcophagus. Lottica¡¯s shoes had scraped over small pieces of concrete. Nick moved the light up to where Lottica''s finger had traced to the edge, and then they both understood where it had come from. The concrete lip of the sarcophagus was cracked as if someone had tried to pry up the lid.


    The realization staggered them: someone had tried to pry open their parents'' sarcophagus. A grave robber!


    "That''s why there was no lock on the door. It was cut off." Nick reasoned.


    Lottica shook her head in dismay. "Why would anyone do that?"


    KAAAA-KLANG!


    Lottica shrieked at the enormous bang on the metal door behind them. Nick dropped the flashlight, and its faint but welcome beam went dark.


    Outside someone was pounding furiously to break in. To get at them.


    Fortunately, the deadbolt Nick had fastened thwarted whoever was trying to enter. The ferocious banging reverberated in the chamber as if Nick and Lottica were in an empty oil drum. They retreated to the far side, pressed against their parents'' sarcophagus.


    Abruptly, the pounding stopped. The silence unnerved the children as much as the loud banging had. After a few tense moments, they heard low voices outside, though they could not make out what was being said.


    Lottica suppressed an urge to scream. Instead, she shouted, "Leave us alone!"


    A hearty, somewhat engaging laugh boomed through the metal door. Then the heavily accented voice Lottica had heard once before filtered into the chamber. "I told you that Lebreima was no place for you or your parents. Here you can be together. We will leave you alone."


    Nick lunged towards the metal door and yelled, "What do you want from us?"


    "For you to stay in America and for the Kareima to return to its home in Lebreima."


    "But, it''s our father''s," Lottica pleaded.


    "It should never have been!" The voice outside had suddenly turned sharp and bitter. "It is mine! Rightfully, it belongs in Lebreima with the Fareima, its sister stone. You must return it."


    The Fareima? Lottica visualized the fiery red gemstone that hung around the caped man''s neck. She couldn''t stomach the thought of giving her father''s treasure to this terrible man.


    "No!" she screamed back through the door.


    "Time is a great teacher," came the voice through the door, once again composed and commanding. Almost immediately, the children heard a brief clinking of metal and a solid mechanical click, then the cool voice, "Think about it, little Breimas. We''ll soon be back with our tools."


    In the stunned silence that followed, Nick and Lottica heard receding footsteps. They remained motionless for a few moments, and then Nick slid back the deadbolt and pushed on the door. It didn¡¯t budge. His hand searched for the inner latch and found it, but it would not lift. The caped men had imprisoned them in their parents¡¯ tomb.

 19 - The Waking Dead

    19


    The Waking Dead


    Fighting a dangerous undertow of panic, Lottica asked, "What are we going to do, Nick?"


    "I don''t know. We¡¯ve got to think hard."


    "Do you think they¡¯ll hurt us?"


    "I don¡¯t know,¡± Nick answered. ¡°They''re obviously pretty serious about keeping us from going to Lebreima."


    "And taking the Kareima," she added. "They must be the ones who broke in here and tried to get into Dad and Mom''s¡ª" she stopped. "If they know about the Kareima, don''t you think Grandfather and Grandmother would know about it, too?"


    She held up the gemstone she had been clutching so tightly. It still glowed faintly red and illuminated enough of her face so that Nick saw that his sister was on the verge of tears. He felt that way, too, but he was also angry. These men in their stupid capes had intimidated and chased them, had probably tried to rob their parents'' grave, and had now locked them inside their crypt.


    Nick kicked at the door. He pounded it with his foot. It stung, but he just grunted. Then Lottica was at his side kicking too. Futile, but necessary. Within moments they both stopped.


    ¡°At least we had the sense not to hit our heads against it,¡± Lottica said.


    ¡°Yeah, now we¡¯d better use our heads and come up with some kind of plan.¡±


    By the light of the Kareima, Nick checked his watch. It was just after nine. Soon, people would start to realize they were missing, though no one would have much of a clue as to where they¡¯d disappeared.


    Who¡¯d think to look for them inside their parents'' mausoleum? Could the metal door hold out against the caped men''s tools until morning? Tomorrow was All Souls¡¯ Day and many people would be visiting the cemetery. It was possible they could wait it out, but Nick didn¡¯t think they could take that chance.


    ¡°Hand me the Kareima," he said. Using the stone''s light, he examined the edges of the door and the surrounding frame. It looked incredibly solid, as did the rest of the concrete structure. He sighed. "Do you see any possibilities?"


    Lottica shook her head. Suddenly, there was a roar overhead, and Lottica thought the caped men were going to burst through the roof. She and Nick ducked.


    Nothing crashed through the roof, and quickly they realized it was a cloudburst with the stone roof magnifying the violence of the downpour. But it gave Lottica an idea. She scrambled on top of the sarcophagus, and Nick followed her lead. Nick held the Kareima up to the sharply peaked roof. At the crest near the back wall a few feet out of reach was an air vent.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Nick motioned to his sister. "Lottica, climb onto my shoulders and check out the vent near the back wall." He set the Kareima down on the sarcophagus and squatted so Lottica could get on his shoulders. He slowly lifted her towards the vent.


    "Can you see it?" he asked her.


    "Barely. Hand me the Kareima."


    "I can''t at the moment. See if you can grab the vent and tug it loose. If not we''ll get you more light up there."


    "What if there are spiders?"


    "Lottica! It''s creepy caped men or spiders. Your choice.¡±


    Lottica felt blindly towards the slats of the vent. Her searching fingers found a smooth, cold handhold on the metal and tugged, but her fingers slipped off. "It¡¯s wet and hard to grip."


    "Try pushing on it." Nick said from below and inched them closer to the corner.


    Lottica could see the vent a bit more clearly. She pushed and the vent flexed outward. She leaned in and the vent gave a little more. It also seemed much easier to see. She felt encouraged and drew back both hands, about to give the vent a solid whack with both fists.


    "Ready?" she called down to Nick. But inexplicably, her brother slowly backed away from the vent. She looked down to ask what was going on. What she saw made her suck in a very large breath, as if she was about to plunge under water for a long, long time.


    Directly at Nick''s feet, in the middle of the Hawk of Lebreima engraved in their parents'' sarcophagus, the Kareima had brightened dramatically. And as the two young Breimas watched, the heart-shaped stone began to pulse.


    Slowly, at first and then faster and faster.


    Nick lowered Lottica. They climbed off and backed away from the sarcophagus, watching the pulsing gemstone go optically ballistic. The soft reds of the Kareima deepened to a maroon, pulsing faster and faster. Then the maroon became purple, and in the center of the stone, a white pinpoint appeared. Quickly widening, bursting into a stupendous fountain of light.


    It was the Fourth of July on Halloween.


    Awestruck, horrorstruck, the siblings pressed against the door. Lottica clutched Nick''s arm as bursts of light engulfed the sarcophagus. They had to shield their eyes from the blinding brightness. Then suddenly, the lightening-like flashes dimmed. The Kareima seemed to be shrinking, as if it were melting away. The eruptive bursts of light began shooting more directly up and not outward at them. They took a cautious step forward and saw what was really happening.


    The Kareima was not shrinking. It was sinking.


    The gemstone was melting through the stone lid of the sarcophagus, like a white-hot coal through ice. The other-wordly emanations became a tight vertical beam on the ceiling. With a final flash that left a perfect heart shape hole through the engraved Hawk of Lebreima, the Kareima dropped to where their parents'' bodies rested.


    Lottica gasped. Then she trembled. As did Nick. As did the entire mausoleum.


    It was as if a small earthquake had hit, centered directly beneath them, or more precisely, beneath their dead parents.


    Rattling hard, the sarcophagus shifted away from the back wall and rumbled towards Nick and Lottica. Multicolor bursts of light escaped from the hole in the lid of the trembling sarcophagus. The kaleidoscope of colors flashed more and more rapidly and the sarcophagus rocked like a possessed washing machine.


    In danger of being crushed, Nick and Lottica flattened themselves against the far wall. In a final Technicolor blast, the mausoleum shuddered, the sarcophagus bucked forward and crashed through the metal door. It made a mournful clang. Like a cathedral bell falling from its tower.


    All went dark and silent.


    Heart racing, Nick pulled Lottica to his side, her head buried against his arm.


    Lottica had shut her eyes when the sarcophagus slammed into the door and was too terrified to open them.


    That is, until the impossible happened.


    Until she heard the unmistakable voice of her mother¡ªher extremely dead mother¡ªsaying softly and, oh so sweetly, "Look, Dale, our children have finally come home. I hope they¡¯re hungry. I¡¯m starved."

 20 - Dear Dead and Mummy

    20


    Dear Dead and Mummy


    Lottica shrieked. Louder and louder, beyond terror, beyond panic, right up to complete psyche-altering hysteria.


    A very predictable reaction when confronted in a cemetery on Halloween by newly risen zombies. And Lottica¡¯s response was more understandable in light of the fact that those flesh-challenged ghouls happened to be her very own parents.


    "Lottica, dear, do calm down. I''m afraid you''ll blow your larynx out," her mother cautioned from the sarcophagus from which she was awkwardly climbing out.


    "Yes, little daarling. Aren''t you happy to see us?" her father asked as he swung a crazily twisted leg over the sarcophagus edge to join his wife.


    Somewhere in the deep recess of her mind that was still Lottica and not a supernaturally terrified preteen, her dad¡¯s use of daarling, his term of endearment, struck a calming nerve.


    She stopped screaming. But continued to clutch Nick''s arm, sure that her fingernail marks would be deep in his forearms for days. Nick responded by pulling her closer to his side.


    "Nick, what a good brother you are," cooed Linda Breima, noticing his protectiveness.


    Nick was in no state to appreciate his mother¡¯s compliment. Her head was wildly askew, her chin pointed up and twisted in such a way that she looked like she was peering back over her shoulder. One side of her face was a blistered mess, the other side a smooth pasty white like weeks-old tapioca. Her once glossy auburn hair hung in sheets as if sections had been ironed flat.


    Then his father chimed into the incomprehensible comedy of terrors. "Have you grown since yesterday? Let me have a good look at you, my boy." His not-quite-dead-anymore dad reached out with his left arm, which flipped around like a pinwheel as he tried swinging it around Nick¡¯s shoulder.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Nick wondered how his father could have a good look at anything since his left eye appeared to be falling from its socket. When he moved his head from side to side, a glaring gap revealed raw tissue near the bridge of his nose. And Deilune was shaking his head fervently, as if his son''s natural growth in the last few months was much more incredible than his own sudden appearance from beyond the grave.


    Lottica and Nick remained in limbo. Who could blame them? Their parents had just risen from the dead, not angelically reborn, but catastrophically reanimated in the same form in which they had died: twisted and maimed by the explosion and fire. It was hideous and horrific. Yet their parents'' voices were warm, concerned and caring. It didn''t make sense. It couldn''t be real.


    Nick tried to express this, though, admittedly, in a rather indelicate manner. "Dad¡­Mom¡­I''m assuming you''re not going to suck out our brains or feast on our intestines."


    His mother¡¯s already fleshy puzzle of a face took on an even more puzzled expression. "Nick, honey, what are you talking about?"


    "You''re dead, Mom. Or you were. You and Dad were killed in a gas explosion three months ago. The house burned down. And somehow you and Dad just came back to life."


    "Stop talking nonsense, Nick. Your father and I have been here in the garage trying to finish that last coat of varnish for the new kitchen table before you and Lottica got back from the movies. How was the movie?" She glanced casually around, her poor head rotating much further than it should have.


    Nick looked to Lottica in wonder and then back at his father who was experimentally flipping his left forearm around in circles on the universal joint that was once his elbow.


    Their father was figuring it out.


    Deilune Breima brought his good eye around and took in his wife, the mausoleum, the sarcophagus bashed into the metal door now swinging open in the cold moonlight. He examined the lid of the sarcophagus that had broken in two pieces, one still covering the lower third of the sarcophagus, the other on the floor. He crouched down beside it and peered through the heart-shaped hole the Kareima had melted.


    He rose and looked more closely at how he was dressed. He had on his most formal suit and tie. He began to wildly tear at it.


    "What are you doing, Dale?" Linda, demanded, shocked and then exasperated as her husband pawed at his shirt with his still-functional right hand. His shirt buttons popped off and pinged on the cold stone floor. The mausoleum had become that quiet.


    Suddenly a bluish light peeked from beneath his shirt. His children and wife watched in wonder as Deilune Breima pulled his shirt completely open to reveal the source of the light. In the middle of his now-translucent chest, embedded a little left of center, beat the Kareima, the Heartstone of Lebreima.


    At the sight, their poor undead mother, fainted.

 21 - Shambling On

    21


    Shambling On


    Lottica and Nick rushed to their mother''s side. Nick cradled her badly blistered head in his arms. Lottica took her mother¡¯s frail, scarred hands and tenderly stroked them whispering, "It''s okay, Mommy. It''s just the Kareima."


    She could hardly believe she was comforting a zombie. But it was still her mother. Even in that bruised, broken and burned form, Lottica knew that her mother had somehow been given back to her.


    Their father limped over and knelt awkwardly beside them. Trying to be helpful Nick suggested, "I think it was the shock."


    "Actually, Nick, I think it''s me.¡± He turned to Lottica and said, ¡°Let me take your mother''s hands." He gently placed them in his and held them to his chest. A glow spread beneath their damaged hands, and a vivid blue-white ember sparked to life in each of their wedding rings.


    Their wedding rings lit the room in a gentle swarm of blue fireflies.


    Linda Breima¡¯s eyes popped back open in surprise. "Dale, what on earth is going on?"


    He sighed. "That, my dear, is going to be a long story," he said rather sheepishly. "And I really only know about half of it."


    "Who knows the other half?" Lottica asked.


    "Well, Lottie, that¡¯d be by mother and father."


    "Grandmother and Grandfather know about this?" Lottica pointed at the pulsing light emanating from her father.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Much better than I do. It¡®s an old and very long story."


    Nick looked back over his shoulder at the wide open door. "I don''t think this is the place to hear the story. We better get moving. This place won¡¯t be safe for long."


    "Why not?" Linda asked, her mommy senses tingling.


    "That¡¯s also a long story," Nick told her.


    Deilune helped Linda to her feet in a clumsy dance of oddly angled limbs. He kept one arm around her as he suggested, "Well, then let''s go get something to eat and hear all these long stories. I''m starved."


    ¡°You''re¡­hungry?" Nick asked, confused.


    "I sure feel hungry. You know, a nice big pepperoni and brain pizza, sounds like just the thing." He grinned and tried to wink which only widened the gap between his bad eye and its torn socket. He poked at the eye and added, "I sure hope this thing stays in."


    ¡°Gross!¡± Lottica squealed, trying to process all the challenges it seemed that undead parents presented. Not least of which was dad jokes¡ªzombie-dad jokes. ¡°Can we just get out of here, please?¡±


    Before they headed out into the night, Nick thought they should try to put the mausoleum back in some kind of order. Otherwise, they might have to explain their parents¡¯ empty sarcophagus to the authorities. And that was something Nick knew no one would believe.


    Together, though clumsily, the four of them shoved the heavy sarcophagus back against the wall and replaced the lid that had broken and slid off. The metal door was dented outward and the door latch was toast, but with the door wedged shut, someone would have to get up close to see the actual damage.


    "Good as new," Deilune remarked mischievously.


    "Just like you?" Nick teased back, surprised that he¡¯d even try that with his undead dad.


    His father put his one decently working arm around his son¡¯s shoulder and laughed. "Let''s get this motley crew moving."


    So, near to ten o''clock on Halloween night the reconstituted Breima family walked and shambled rather incongruously down Cemetery Hill under the rapidly clearing Halloween sky.


    Hidden in the chestnut grove adjacent to the now-deserted Breima mausoleum, two men in capes with crowbars at their sides watched the steady, though somewhat shambling, progress of the reunited Breima family moving down Cemetery Hill.


    On the chest of the taller of the two caped men, the fiery light of his gemstone dimmed considerably. He clutched at the pendant of fading red and leaned heavily against a tree, trying desperately to regain his once proud self-possession.

 22 - Undead and Unapologetic

    22


    Undead and Unapologetic


    Nick had to admit that, if your dead parents suddenly became enthusiastically undead, Halloween night was a pretty good time for it to happen.


    After leaving Cemetery Hill, they passed more confidently along the streets. They were two kids trick-or-treating with their parents decked out as over-the-top zombies. They got lots of thumbs up from other trick-or-treaters for their Halloween spirit.


    In twenty minutes, the Breimas had found their way to a small pizzeria and claimed a back booth. The children sat across from their parents¡ªtheir newly undead parents.


    The restaurant was dimly lit, though even in the low light, Lottica and Nick were shocked to see how beat up their parents were. Their burial clothes, however, were not the usual tattered rags of Hollywood zombies. Their father sported a finely tailored dark suit and their mother wore a lovely blue velvet gown that flattered her diminutive frame.


    From there things literally deteriorated. Their skin was a battlefield of blisters and pockmarks, bruised and bloated in ghastly hues. Their eyes were a sickly and drippy yellow, especially their father''s left eye. Lottica felt it might slide out at almost any moment. She stared at it as her father scarfed down a fourth slice of pizza.


    "Lottica, try not to stare," her mother, ever well mannered, reminded.


    "Can you blame me, Mom?"


    "Well, no, but this is hard for all of us."


    "Why don''t you try eating something?" Nick asked his mother who¡¯d only picked at a single piece of pizza.


    "Sorry, Nick. I''m a bit discombobulated." She made a circular motion with her hand, which pivoted way too loosely at the wrist.


    Glancing furtively about the almost-empty pizza shop, Nick wondered how discombobulated the rest of the general public would be, if they knew zombies, though harmless and well mannered, were walking and eating pizza among them.


    He turned to his father. "Dad, are you ready to tell us what''s going on?"


    Deilune continued to chew distractedly, his one good eye glazed in thought. Linda gave her husband a gentle poke in the side with her elbow. Both Lottica and Nick noted how far her elbow sunk into his side. Like he was made of gelatin. The whole thing was beyond bizarre. They needed some answers.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    "Oh, um, sorry!" Deilune snapped back to the attention of his family after finally feeling the deep poke in his side. His good eye found Nick. "What were you asking, son?"


    "Well, I''ve got a thousand questions, like what¡¯s that light in your chest? Do you remember the explosion? Why are you hungry? How come you don¡¯t stink?¡±


    ¡°Nicholas!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Mom, but you¡¯ve been in a concrete box for three months. I¡¯ve studied a lot of biology and anatomy. I know how life¡ªand death¡ªare supposed to work. So, it really boils down to the big question. And please don''t take this wrong, but how can you guys be alive?"


    Their father had always had an endearing grin. His broad face, largish ears, wildly curly hair, made him disarmingly impish. Like a leprechaun ready to steal away your seriousness, ready to make you dance a jig, or take a dare you knew was decidedly risky.


    Deilune leaned into the table and whispered conspiratorially, "You sure you''re ready for it?"


    Even though the question was addressed to them all, Nick felt it was especially directed at him. Ever in the spell of his father, he wanted to be just like him, but felt the nagging dread that he would never measure up. Even after his dad¡¯s death, Nick had still felt those expectations. Seeing his father somehow reborn, ready to tackle this amazing mystery, Nick was grateful to be his son¡ªagain.


    "Dale, dear, we really don''t have time for all the theatrics. Get on with the story. It''s getting late," Linda urged.


    "Oh, no!" Nick frantically checked his watch. It was after eleven. "It¡¯s way late! I gotta call Grandfather and Grandmother. I have to call Jake Borden. People will be looking for us!"


    "Good call, Nick. The story can wait. We don''t want to attract too much attention, especially when we''re not looking our best." Deilune brushed back his wild curls, pulling a small leaf from them. "You go call Jake. I¡¯ll call my parents."


    Reflexively, he patted his jacket pocket before realizing how unlikely it was that he¡¯d find his cell phone there. He looked sheepishly at his children.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at us,¡± Lottica said. ¡°You think Grandfather and Grandmother Breima would let us have cell phones. We were lucky they got us an internet connection for the laptop.¡±


    Nick looked over at the shop counter. ¡°They¡¯ll probably let me make a call.¡±


    They watched him ask the cashier who was idly swiping through her phone. She nodded and he picked up the store phone. He came back pretty shortly.


    "That was a bit bizarre,¡± he reported. ¡°I guess it''s just a good thing that people expect all kinds of weirdness on Halloween, or we''d be in some real trouble with the Bordens. And possibly have cops all over the city looking for us."


    ¡°What happened? Didn¡¯t the Bordens try to call your grandparents when you didn¡¯t show up?¡± Linda asked.


    ¡°Evidently, someone claiming to be Grandfather called the Bordens a few hours ago to tell them we wouldn¡¯t be able to make it,¡± Nick explained.


    Eyes wide, Lottica asked, ¡°Do you think it was one of those guys with the capes chasing us?¡±


    Linda¡¯s already buggy eyes, bulged a bit more. ¡°Who was chasing you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all part of that long story we promised to tell you,¡± Lottica reassured her.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get to it!¡± Linda demanded.


    Nick hesitated. ¡°I think we should wait until we get back to Grandfather and Grandmother¡¯s. Dad, you should call and warn them first.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll just think it¡¯s a prank,¡± Lottica said.


    ¡°No,¡± Deilune sighed knowingly. ¡°I don¡¯t think they will.¡±

 23 - Life-Challenged Living

    23


    Life-Challenged Living


    Their father hung up the phone at the cashier¡¯s desk and made his way back to their table in shamble fashion, his torso veering right, hips drifting left, bad arm swinging and barely missing a tub full of dirty dishes stacked near the kitchen entrance.


    "Watch it, Dad," Nick said. "You''re kind of all over the road."


    ¡°Yeah, it''s funny. I think my inner ear is a bit messed up."


    Nick could think of plenty of other things that might get a bit messed up physiologically and neurologically when you''d been dead for almost three months.


    "So?" Lottica asked.


    "So meaning my messed up inner ear, or so meaning how did my parents react to hearing their dead son calling on Halloween?"


    "Dale, cut the suspense. Just spill your guts¡ª" Linda caught herself and giggled.


    "Very nice, dear, truly revolting. I''d tell you to bite your tongue, but who knows what might spring from that."


    Even for zombies this seemed to cross the bounds of decorum, no matter what had been chewing on their brains the past few months. "Okay,¡± Nick protested, ¡°we get the picture. I''m sure you''re giddy to be, um, alive, but Lottica and I would really like to get a handle on this. The situation may be dangerous."


    "Dangerous?" their father asked. "How could we be in danger? Look at us." He spun his arm in a full circle, grinning all the while.


    "Dad, I think you''ve fully established the undead concept with us,¡± Lottica acknowledged. ¡°What Nick is trying to say is that whoever was chasing us, whoever was trying to get the Kareima, is still out there. We could all be in danger. Even Grandfather and Grandmother could be in danger."You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    To her satisfaction, her father stopped swinging his arm. "Right. I''ll cut to the chase. You want to know what their reaction was to finding out their son and his beloved wife have been miraculously raised from the dead by the Kareima?"


    He paused dramatically and lowered his voice so they all had to lean in close, his soupy left eye just on the verge of spilling out of the socket.


    "They said¡ªand remember this was in Lebreiman so I''m translating as best I can¡ª''Deilune, now are you ready to put aside this foolish America and return home? If not, it would''ve been better for the Kareima to have been given to a trajeime!''"


    "What''s a tra-jay-mey?" Lottica asked.


    "That''s a bit embarrassing," Deilune deflected.


    "Tell us!" the siblings demanded.


    "A trajeime is a jackass."


    Linda rubbed her sagging temples. ¡°That¡¯s all they said. They called you a jackass. Don¡¯t they have any sympathy for what happened to us?¡± She appeared close to fainting again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom,¡± Lottica consoled. ¡°They¡¯re probably in shock like we are.¡± She looked across at her father. "Dad, we should get home to Grandfather and Grandmother now, so we can sort this out."


    "You''re right, Lottica. It¡¯s been a strange night."


    Nick thought that his dad''s use of the word strange a bit understated, if not downright simplistic. Scrambled-brains bizarre was how he would have put it, but he checked his watch and said, "Yeah, let''s get going. We still have time to catch a bus."


    Deilune stood and helped Linda up and then automatically reached for his back pants pocket. Though hardly possible, Deilune assumed a more awkward expression. His bloated face became clouded. He checked the inner pocket of his jacket and sat slowly down. His voice barely audible as he spoke to his wife. "I seem to have no wallet."


    That was a gut check for Nick. He realized his parents were struggling to fully grasp their situation. In essence, they were life-challenged. Rejoining the living wasn¡¯t a trivial thing. Money, clothing, transportation, shelter. Feeling a new sense of protectiveness, Nick said, "Dad, I can cover this." He took out his wallet and went over to the cashier to pay.


    "Thanks," Deilune said when he returned to the booth.


    "You''re welcome." Nick smiled. "I wouldn''t want anyone to call you a deadbeat dad."


    An impish grin spread on their father''s pockmarked but still puckish face. ¡°Good one, Nick. You are a live wire.¡±


    Lottica cringed. This was going to take some getting used to.

 24 - Police Report

    24


    Police Report


    Back out on the street, the four Breimas moved a bit more somberly. For Lottica, the thought of returning to their grandfather and grandmother''s house was not a cheery prospect.


    After all, she and Nick had essentially run away. Grandfather had called her newly undead dad a jackass. There were already deep-seated tensions between their parents and grandparents, so what was this crazy situation going to do to their relationship.


    But, they needed their grandparents. They could get away with their mom and dad''s creepy appearance on Halloween. Tomorrow, however, the undead look would be out of fashion for another year. They needed a place to regroup and figure out what this all meant.


    Suddenly, a police car pulled up along the curb right next to their parents¡¯ shambling forms. Two policemen got out and approached the Breima clan. Protectively, Nick stepped in front of his parents to intercept the policemen. Deilune gingerly placed a hand on his son¡¯s shoulder and whispered, "It''s okay, Nick. We''re in costume, remember?"


    Still, Nick held his position. The two police officers stopped a few feet away and scanned the group. A slight smile appeared on the taller officer¡¯s face. "Good evening. Sorry to bother you, but we''ve had reports of a disturbance at Cemetery Hill, and we¡¯re just checking the neighborhood for any information. Have you noticed anything peculiar¡­" He trailed of and his smile reappeared. "I mean, out of the ordinary beyond the usual trick-or-treating thing?"Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    "We were just having pizza, officer, and we haven''t been out for about an hour. What happened?" Deilune asked.


    "Just reports of some kind of explosion in the cemetery. Probably just kids¡ª" the taller officer glanced down quickly at Nick "¡ªwith an M-80 or something."


    "No, officer, we haven''t seen any teens with explosives in the cemetery," Deilune calmly answered.


    "What about the men in capes?" Lottica asked, her voice full of cloying concern.


    The shorter officer crouched down in front of Lottica. "Tell us about the men in capes."


    Innocently grabbing Nick¡¯s sleeve costume, Lottica tugged at her brother who was staring somewhere north of the moon. "Nick, don''t you remember those two tall men in black capes when we were trick-or-treating up by the cemetery gates? You even told me we should stay on the opposite side of the street."


    "Two grown men in black capes up by the cemetery entrance? Is that what you saw?" the taller policeman asked.


    "Yes, sir," Lottica replied and slipped back behind her father.


    "About what time was that?" The officer was now looking at Nick.


    Hesitating, Nick tried to do some quick calculating. "Maybe an hour before we had pizza, so maybe two hours ago. I don''t know if it''s a big deal. It''s Halloween."


    "You''re probably right," the officer said, "but you don''t generally have that many grown ups dressing up on Halloween." He nodded to Deilune and Linda, who smiled crookedly back. "Though, it''s nice to see a whole family enjoying the fun tonight. Thanks for your help."


    He tipped his hat and stepped toward the other officer who then turned and walked with him up the block. They exchanged a few words, and the taller officer crossed the street. The shorter officer continued up the block. As he turned the corner he looked back and waved, shouting, "Great costumes!"


    By the time the bus pulled into the stop, Lottica was sure her dad''s left eye would pop out from all his laughter. He was having way too much fun being undead.

 25 - Of Romance and Resentment

    25


    Of Romance and Resentment


    To understand the reaction of Deilune¡¯s parents to the beyond-the-grave reappearance of their son and daughter-in-law, you need to remember they had a very strained relationship. The tensions with their son began way back in Lebreima when Deilune, their only child, announced on his eighteenth birthday that he planned to go to university abroad. In America of all places.


    It was not that Deilune Breima disliked his homeland or his parents. It was simply his desire to go to a country completely different than Lebreima. To move from a small, provincial, highly traditional, and rigidly structured culture to a huge, sprawling, wildly independent, and fast moving society intrigued Deilune. He knew he wanted to study architecture and, though he loved and admired the classic motifs of the Old World, he felt he had to explore the unconventional possibilities of the New World.


    He never looked at going away as abandoning Lebreima. He only saw it as a way of expanding the wonderful foundation his homeland had given him and building something new and special upon it.


    Unfortunately, his parents didn¡¯t see it that way. They tried to cajole, persuade, and guilt their son from leaving Lebreima, but he wouldn¡¯t be swayed. Then they entreated, demanded, and vaguely threatened him. Still, in the end, they knew he was a Breima and Breimas could be incredibly stubborn, or in the local dialect a trajeime.


    Finally relenting, they agreed to fund his education in America upon the condition he return to Lebreima to settle down after completing his degree. When he departed, his parents gave him their reluctant blessing and reminded him that he was not just any young man. He was a Breima.


    Deilune fully intended to keep his promise to return to Lebreima and fulfill his family duties. At the university, Deilune studied hard, stayed in good touch with his parents, and spent many holidays back in Lebreima. His parents never failed to remind him of his promise to return after completing his degree.


    Yup. Deilune planned to return. Yup. He planned to settle in Lebreima. Yup.


    Until.


    Like so many young people, his plans changed. Changed completely. In the time it takes a book to drop.


    It was Linda Haddam''s book. It toppled from the tall stack she was carrying in the undergraduate library. She rounded a corner too fast, and the top-most book fell right onto the table where Deilune was studying. Linda¡¯s flustered apology was greeted by the softest brown eyes she¡¯d ever seen, and a grin that disarmed her.


    Deilune scooped up the book that had fallen, and noted the title: Stories of the Stars: A Concise Guide to the Constellations.


    "Personally, I''m a fan of Orion. The belt is the ultimate fashion accessory," he quipped, placing the book on top of the others she still held.


    "Thank you,¡± Linda said. ¡°I¡®m partial to Libra. Scales. Justice. Balance."Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Well, try to balance those books more carefully,¡± teased Deilune. ¡°Would you like any help?"


    "Thanks. I can manage," she said and almost walked on, but hesitated. She straightened her books and because he was still looking at her with his playful grin, she felt emboldened to say, "Mind if I ask you a question?"


    "Not at all."


    "Where are you from? I can¡¯t quite place your accent."


    Deilune¡¯s grin widened. "A bit east of North Dakota."


    ¡°A few thousand miles east, I¡¯d wager.¡± Linda, emboldened by his easy manner, ventured, "Okay, how about this question: Do you think I could share this table with you and that big smile of yours?"


    And that''s when Deilune Breima''s plans changed. Big time. He fell in love. And on the day he proposed to Linda, giving her a stunning ring with a brilliant blue gemstone that matched his own family ring, he didn''t think he would actually break his promise to his parents. He thought someday he and Linda would return to Lebreima to live.


    However, his parents¡¯ reaction to Linda made that all but impossible. When Deilune told his parents of his intentions to marry Linda and stay in the United States, they blamed her for their son¡¯s ¡°betrayal.¡± They refused to acknowledge her or their plans to marry.


    Painstakingly, Deilune brought his stubborn parents to a begrudging acceptance of Linda, and a promise that they would attend their wedding in America. A few days before the ceremony, Deilune took Linda to meet his parents at the hotel where they were staying. They were to have dinner and Linda was, understandably, quite nervous.


    Deilune had been honest with Linda about his parents¡¯ anger at his decision to marry a "foreigner" and forsake his birthplace and birthright. Though stubborn and reserved, he assured Linda his parents were reasonable, and that he was confident when they met she would quickly win them over.


    Deilune knew his parents would be quick to form an opinion of Linda. He just did not foresee how badly they wanted to find some fault with her. Upon meeting in the hotel lobby, Deilune''s parents offered a cordial, though stilted greeting in English. And Linda, with genuine pleasure, responded, "I am so pleased to finally meet you. Dale and I are so honored you traveled so far to be part of our wedding.¡±


    Linda extended her hand to Deilune''s mother, but it only met with an icy stare, and an equally chilling reply in English. "My son is Deilune. Is not Dale. Dale is peasant name!"


    Much of the bad blood between Linda, Deilune and his parents was traceable to that first exchange. His parents still attended the wedding. In person, but not in spirit. They kept to themselves during the festivities and returned quickly to Lebreima the day after the ceremony. Deilune and Linda tried to keep in contact, though it was a challenge due to both the physical and emotional distance.


    Two years after the wedding, Deilune announced to his parents that Linda was pregnant and wanted to visit them in Lebreima. Deilune¡¯s parents made a feeble excuse for not being available during their visit, so Deilune wisely told Linda that the time was not right to travel there. He suggested that the birth of a grandchild would help mellow them.


    Deilune failed to accurately gauge the stubbornness of his own bloodline. Nick was born and, two years later, Lottica. All Deilune received from his parents were perfunctory congratulations. No calls to come visit them. Or invitations for their young family to visit in Lebreima. So, Deilune dug in for the long haul. He sent pictures and videos of the children that he hoped his parents would watch and that would gradually soften their hearts. Unfortunately, his parents remained hard hearted.


    Then, out of the blue, when Lottica was nearly ten, his parents announced their intention of moving to the United States to be closer to their son and his family. The news shocked and delighted Deilune and Linda. They held out great hopes for reconciliation and a sense of family togetherness. Unfortunately, Deilune''s parents brought their standoffishness with them. It was as if they had begrudgingly accepted their son''s American life, in return for the opportunity to constantly remind him that he¡¯d forsaken Lebreima.


    Even the presence of Lottica and Nick seemed to bring little warmth into their grandparents¡¯ hearts. Though they dutifully participated in family gatherings, it was without apparent joy. It was as if Deilune¡¯s parents had some hidden agenda. A deeper motive that kept them distant and watchful, their somber eyes never resting.

 26 - The Big Thaw

    26


    The Big Thaw


    Lottica wondered what the bad blood between them would mean now, as she stood with Nick and her freshly undead parents in the dim light of her grandparents¡¯ living room.


    Grandfather and Grandmother Breima eyed the four of them, not in awe or wonder or joy or fright or suspicion, but in patient expectation. Glacially patient, as if they''d been expecting this moment for a thousand years, Grandfather and Grandmother Breima inscrutably surveyed them without a word.


    It was Nick that broke the icy stalemate. "Grandfather and Grandmother, I''m very sorry that I created such a mess. I shouldn''t have lied to you and got Lottica to run away with me."


    "Nick, this ¡®mess¡¯ is none of your doing,¡± Deilune broke in. ¡°I''m responsible for this. Aren''t I, father?" He met his father''s steely eyes, and slowly Grandfather Breima turned his head away.


    Deilune placed his good hand on his father''s shoulder. Grandfather Breima moved to take his son¡¯s hand. It was unclear if he were going to clasp it or throw it from his shoulder.


    "Trajeime," Grandfather Breima said sharply.


    The moment intensified for Lottica, as if she¡¯d upped the magnification on her telescope. Sucking in her breath, she fixed her eyes on her father and waited.


    And waited.


    Finally, Deilune responded. "Yes, Father, I''ve been a stubborn jackass."


    Grandfather Breima took in the full measure of his son''s sorry appearance. "Trajeime," he repeated shaking his head. Though Grandfather Breima did not smile, Lottica sensed a slight warmth in his tone.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    As if cued by her husband¡¯s new tenor, Grandmother Breima moved quickly into action, ushering them into the dining room and then disappeared into the kitchen. Grandfather Breima bade them sit at the table while continuing to study his son.


    Shortly, Grandmother Breima returned from the kitchen with tea and hot chocolate and, of all things, a wry smile on her face.


    Lottica was so taken off guard that a surprised "Grandmother!" slipped from her lips.


    As Grandmother Breima handed Lottica a cup of hot chocolate, she said softly, "I pleased to see my son." She paused and then made very deliberate eye contact with Linda. "And his wife."


    She made it sound as if they¡¯d been off on a three-month Caribbean cruise. Was she forgetting they''d been dead? Flustered, Lottica fumbled her cup of hot chocolate which spilled alarmingly across the lace tablecloth.


    Lottica watched as the runnels of chocolate crept across the table to where her parents sat. She saw their momentary surprise, but most of all she saw their tired, beat-up bodies. The wave of loss and terror and disbelief that she¡¯d been dodging all evening caught her in its crest and swept her away in tears.


    Her head dropped, her shoulders rose and fell with each deep sob. Her parents hurried to her side, and even Grandmother Breima stepped near with a rare expression of concern.


    Linda knelt and wrapped her arms, such as she could, around her daughter. She held tight. "Lottica," her mother whispered in her ear, "Lottica, it''s okay, honey, it''s okay. I''m here. We''re all here."


    "But how? How can you be here?" Lottica wiped away her tears, lifting her head to look at her entire family. "This isn''t possible, but everyone is acting like people returning from the dead happens all the time. I''m a normal," she eyed her zombie parents, "somewhat normal, twelve-year-old living in the 21st century. These things don''t happen. Even in the dead-parent stories I''ve read, these things don''t happen. Can someone please explain what¡¯s going on?"


    She turned to her mother. Tears were streaking her sad, swollen and discolored face. She was as lost as Lottica, so Lottica hugged her mother, providing a sense of peace she¡¯d forgotten the last few months. Her mother smelled musty and old, like a pungent pile of dry autumn leaves. Pungent but not repulsive. Lottica tenderly smoothed her mother''s frazzled hair.


    "Thanks, Lottie," her mom whispered. Then Linda rose on her unsteady feet. "Lottica is right. We need to try to understand all this. Dale, we''re ready for your explanation."


    Linda Breima had tried to avoid referring to her husband as Dale in the presence of her in-laws since the first day they had met. But her emphatic use of his nickname now, her term of endearment for him, was a signal to her husband and her children that there were many ways to be reborn.

 27 - Le Breima

    27


    Le Breima


    When everyone was seated back around the dining room table, Deilune brought his good hand, and, with a little contortion, his fickle hand in front of him, clasping them as if he were about to recite an epic answer for his school teacher.


    "I told you at the pizza shop that it¡¯s a long story. Parts of the story I don¡¯t know well, and I¡¯m hoping that my parents can fill in those blanks. Please remember that I¡¯ve only known the tale of the Kareima as a bedtime story, a fantastic legend passed down in Lebreiman lore. I¡¯ve never believed it as fact or history¡ªor fate."


    "Is why we suffer, Deilune," interrupted Grandmother Breima, her face proud, but with a hint of hurt behind it.


    "Yes, Mother,¡± Deilune acknowledged, ¡°I¡¯ve made you suffer, and I¡¯m sorry for that. I honestly never believed the legends of the Kareima were true." He pulled open his jacket and shirt and there beneath his discolored flesh, where his heart should be, gleamed the Heartstone of Lebreima. "I¡¯m a rational man, a very logical person. How could I know that the Kareima could actually do this? Restore life.¡±


    "Mysteries," Grandfather Breima said heavily, his accent stretching out the word. "Lottica look in telescope. She see star. Planet. No answer for why or how. Mysteries."


    "There is truth in that, Father, we need to understand this mystery. How a gemstone could raise us from the dead." Deilune turned to Linda, his expression pained. "I¡¯ve told you a lot about my family and Lebreima, but not everything. Forgive me for not telling you all this before. I never really believed it would matter. I thought my life here was too far removed from Lebreima.¡±


    Deilune took a deep rattling breath. ¡°That¡¯s why I never told you that when my parents moved here they brought the Kareima with them. They asked me to keep it safe. They warned me that there were those in Lebreima who, upon my settling in America, laid claim to the Kareima and the title it bestows."


    "What title?" Linda asked.


    Deilune took his wife¡¯s hand. ¡°Le Breima. I am the direct Breima heir. I am the Breima. I am the heir to Le Breima."


    "You''re the king!" Nick blurted.


    "Actually, that would be my father. I¡¯m the prince."


    "Dale!" scolded Linda, stunned. "Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Your being a prince seems as unbelievable as us being brought back to life.¡±


    You didn¡¯t see zombie¡¯s sighing everyday, but that¡¯s what Deilune did, looking quite cowed as he tried to explain. "Linda, Nick, Lottica, the fact is that Lebreima is not really an independent state. Though Lebreimans like to think we have our own country, we¡¯re actually a small autonomous region in a much larger nation,Throughout its history, Lebreima has been annexed and re-annexed by more powerful European nations.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    The role of the king is purely ceremonial. It¡¯s more like being the head of an extended clan. The heirs of Breima have never been encouraged to stir up nationalistic feelings. They have been bred to be regal and proud, but quietly so." He nodded to his father and mother who both nodded solemnly back.


    "You see, it was never a big deal to me. I was never going to ascend a throne or dictate public policy. I was only going to be known as Le Breima. I would''ve proudly taken that role after returning from my studies. If I hadn¡¯t fallen in love with your mother. Then my duty was to her and our children."


    Nick looked from his father to his grandfather. "Is that why you intended to take Lottica and me to live in Lebreima, because we are heirs to the title?"


    Grandfather Breima nodded. "Lebreima is birthright. You be much proud.¡±


    Lottica¡¯s head was spinning. She wished she could just write on the tablecloth with the remainder of her hot chocolate: and then she awakened. Instead, she asked her father the question that was most bothering her. "Who are the men in capes?"


    Her father squinted, his left eye bulging ominously, and answered, "I''m not sure, but I think that''s a piece of the puzzle that Grandfather or Grandmother might be able to solve. I¡¯m betting they were after the Kareima." His gaze turned to his parents. "Am I correct?"


    Lottica thought her grandparents could be mistaken for wax models during the next few moments. Neither moved nor even seemed to breathe, though Lottica swore some kind of communication was happening between them.


    With a slight gesture of his hand towards his wife, Grandfather Breima broke the spell. "Please, Loteika, you tell."


    Lottica froze. What did she know? Why was her grandfather asking her to answer the question she¡¯d asked? He wasn''t even looking at her; he was looking at Grandmother Breima. Then it struck her. He was addressing his wife. Her name is Lottica. How had she not known that? She had always called her Grandmother.


    "I''m¡­I''m¡­ named after Grandmother?" Lottica stammered.


    "Yes, honey," her father answered.


    Lottica turned to Nick in disbelief and then rested her gaze on their grandfather. "What is your name, Grandfather?" Then she hastily added, "If you don''t mind my asking."


    His smile was worth any embarrassment she''d had in asking. He calmly answered, each melodic syllable rolling off his tongue, "Nikalleit Deilunes Breima."


    Lottica looked at Nick in disbelief. They were named after their grandparents. It seemed crazy that she hadn¡¯t known their first names. That she and Nick wouldn¡¯t have been more curious. She felt embarrassed.


    "I¡¯m so sorry we didn¡¯t know,¡± Lottica apologized. ¡°All this is overwhelming, but I still want to know who you think the two men chasing us were."


    "Who chase you?" Grandmother Breima asked Lottica.


    Lottica realized her grandparents weren¡¯t up to speed on all the evening¡¯s strange goings on, so she reported them as quickly as she could with Nick adding his commentary.


    During the telling, Grandmother Breima''s face grew even more pinched and serious. When they told her about the pendant around the taller caped man¡¯s neck, she asked what color it was.


    "Bright red," Nick said.


    "Sometimes orangish," Lottica added.


    Immediately, Grandfather and Grandmother Breima began a hurried discussion in Lebreiman. Deilune soon joined in, while Lottica, Nick and their mother waited. They could make out the words kareima, astreima, fareima and tireima in the rapid fire discussion. The verbal volley came to a dead stop on one word: Beilla.

 28 - The Treachery of Raven

    28


    The Treachery of Raven


    The silence lengthened until Linda brought a blistered hand down in an unintentional knuckle-crunching slam on the table. "Sorry!" she said, ¡°But what is this Bellah you are talking about."


    Deilune took his wife¡¯s hand. "No, I''m sorry. We got carried away. We think we know who was chasing Lottica and Nick,¡± he explained. ¡°The tall man in the cape is most likely named Beilla. He¡¯s my father''s cousin. It¡¯s a complicated story. Lots of it wrapped up in legend and lore. I''ll do my best, but it may raise many more questions for you."


    Taking a deep story-telling breath, Deilune began, "I¡¯ve told you and the kids many tales of Lebreima. Most famous is the story of the Hawk of Lebreima. That¡¯s the tale of Feodeim Breima, the legendary founder of Lebreima. His great adversary was Raven, a power-hungy creature who wished to rule the earth and sky by tricking Feodeim into the underworld.


    ¡°To carry out its scheme, Raven stole the Starstone, the Astreima, and hid it. This treachery darkened all the skies of Lebreima, and Raven warned Feodeim that the only way he could bring light back to the land and his people was to descend into the underworld and find the Fareima, the Firestone. Raven promised Feodeim that the Fareima could restore light to his people.


    "Raven led Feodeim to a yawning cave below towering cliffs that marked the border between life and death and reminded Feodeim that no human who entered the underworld had ever before escaped it. Feodeim answered Raven that, without the Astreima, there was no difference between heaven and hell. Once in the depths of the underworld, Feodeim battled all manner of terrible nether creatures, and finally at the earth''s core defeated the monstrous Ragnoth by snapping off one of its lance-like horns and spearing its throat.


    "There, at the center of the earth, in a place burning with the heat of ten thousand furnaces, Feodeim found the Fareima and fought his way back to the underworld entrance. Upon seeing the glowing ember that gave the bearer the power of fire and the forge, Raven snatched it from Feodeim with its mighty claws and thrust Feodeim back into the underworld. It then sealed the cave with mighty stones slapped down from the high cliffs by its powerful wings.


    "Trapped and hounded by hell creatures, Feodeim tried to free himself, but his strength, his heart, his love of earth and his people began to fade. He struggled, trying to tunnel out while hellhounds clawed at his feet to drag him back into the dark depths. In a last effort, he plunged his fist through a granite block, opening a small hole to the world of the living. The freshness of the fields and forests entered and stirred his longing to be free, but this last blow expended his strength. Feodeim had not energy remaining to widen the opening to escape.


    ¡°Sensing victory, the hellhounds renewed their attack. Feodeim knew they would drag him down for good. Around his neck, he wore a simple medallion, the crest of his family¡¯s symbol: the hawk. He pulled it from his neck and thrust it through the opening shouting what he believed to be his last words: Light for the world. For Lebreima!


    "Utterly spent, Feodeim was pulled down by the hellhounds. But his last words echoed upward to the heights of the cliffs where earth and sky become one. There perched was Hawk, the ever vigilant. Its keen eyes spotted the Fareima medallion thrust through the rocks by Feodeim. Hawk heeded Feodeim¡¯s cry and dove to save the Fareima before Raven could steal it.¡±


    Deilune paused, reached for his hot chocolate and took a long drink. ¡°You remember this story?¡± He asked Nick and Lottica.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Bits and pieces,¡± Lottica said. ¡°Did Feodeim die?¡±


    ¡°No, Lottica,¡± her grandfather reassured her, and told his son, ¡°Go on, trajeime, silly donkey, finish story.¡±


    Unfazed by his father¡¯s jibe, as any zombie-son should be, Deilune set down his cup and resumed the tale. "Hawk flew the Fareima to the hidden boundaries of earth, using its light to guide and then locate the Kareima. He returned with the brilliant gemstones in his claws, bringing a bright dawn to the land for the first time since Raven had stolen the Astreima.


    Down, down, down, Hawk flew into the underworld through the cleft Feodim had punched. The pure, brilliant light in his claws blinding the dark denizens of the underworld who fled before Hawk in terrified amazement.


    ¡°Close to the center of the earth, near the still steaming corpse of Ragnoth, the hellhounds had dragged Feodeim. They snarled and champed in conquest around his still and lifeless body. No creature would rob them of their feast. No living creature had the heart to fight all the denizens of death and win. They nipped and bit at Feodeim¡¯s flesh to mark their final victory.


    "It was at this moment that Hawk soared into the fiery chamber and the hellhounds beheld the gemstones Hawk carried. Its spectral majesty blinded their deadened eyes. They howled and capered. They went mad and fled into the merciless heat at the underworld''s core.


    Hawk alighted on Feodeim''s stilled chest. There he placed the gemstone he¡¯d flown to the ends of the earth to retrieve. The Kareima. The Heartstone. The tap stone of creation. All living things on earth were born of its brilliance and purity.


    On Feodeim¡¯s lifeless chest the perfect blue gemstone began to pulse and glow, and slowly sank deep into Feodeim''s chest becoming his heart. The heart of one who¡¯d fought for the world to return its light.


    "Feodeim, in the depths of the underworld, rose anew. Revived and restored, he and Hawk reemerged into the world of the living, the light of dawn shining from from the Fareima in Hawk¡¯s claws. The Kareima instilled in Feodeim the power to lead and bring the light of hope to Lebreima.


    Treacherous Raven, flew to investigate the reappearance of the light. Upon seeing the reborn Feodeim with Hawk at his shoulder, Raven cowardly fled to the Farlands, never to be seen again.


    ¡°Hawk winged the Fareima to his unreachable aerie to spread its light over all Lebreima. The sky was again alight, though it was not the pure light of the Astreima, the Starstone, that Raven had hidden. Yet the Fareima was enough to light the world of Feodeim''s people for half the day. The other half, the dark night, would always be a reminder of Raven''s treachery and greed.


    Hawk did return to Feodeim with a small piece of the Fareima to share with his people, to allow them the fire of daylight in their homes at night.


    "And, of course, Feodeim Breima lived because of the Kareima. It empowered him against darkness and death. When Feodeim¡¯s eldest son reached manhood, he plucked the magical stone from his chest and bequeathed it to his son. Then Feodeim aged like any normal mortal, and his family held the immortal stone of life. The lineage of Le Breima was to forever guard the Kareima."


    Deilune ended his tale by placing his good hand over his chest. Which now held the remarkable power of the Kareima, the Heartstone.


    Spellbound, Linda asked, "But that¡®s just a story. Are you saying that really happened? That you¡¯re alive because of Feodeim Breima and a hawk."


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, honey,¡± Deilune struggled. "The Kareima is real. The gemstone has been in our family for generation upon generation. It is beautiful beyond belief, but I never believed it to be magical," he tapped his chest lightly, "until now."


    "But how am I here? I don¡¯t have a Kareima in my heart." Linda said.


    Deilune once again placed his hand on his wife''s. "Look closely at our wedding bands."


    Linda Breima put her ring next to her husband''s and together the blue-white light of the Kareima pulsed faintly. She looked from her husband and then to her in-laws. "Your parents gave us these. Are you saying they¡¯re from the Kareima?"


    ¡°Yes, dear,¡± Deilune said. ¡°That has always been the Breima way. Right, Mom and Dad?¡±


    Deilune¡¯s parents answered by putting their wedding rings on the table. Their wedding rings glowed with the same rhythmic heartbeat as Linda and Deilune¡¯s rings.


    Grandmother Breima tried to explain, "Tonight, our rings start winking. We believe in past. In old stories. We believe you come back. We believe Kareima bring you back."


    Nick looked at his grandfather, ¡°How did you know we found the Kareima?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t know. We think Kareima lost in fire at your house. We not find it,¡± Grandfather Breima admitted. ¡°But, Hawk smart. It get you smart children to help.¡±


    Linda smiled at this compliment to Nick and Lottica, "So, I guess we owe this second chance to the Kareima, since nothing else makes sense. But we still haven¡¯t answered Lottica''s question? Who were those men chasing them?"

 29 - Beilla

    29


    Beilla


    Straightening himself as much as his sagging left side would let him, Deilune answered. "The story of Feodeim Breima is really the story of the Tireima, the three magic gemstones: the Astreima, Fareima and Kareima. The Lifestones of Lebreima


    "As I told you, the Astreima, the Starstone, was stolen and hidden by Raven. When Feodeim¡¯s life was revived by the Kareima, the Heartstone, and he emerged with Hawk from the underworld, Raven fled to the Farland forests. The legend tells that Raven, in its panic, collided with a mighty tree and forever lost his memory of where he¡¯d hidden the light-giving Astreima. Raven became an addle-brained creature forever boasting that he would rule the world again¡­when he remembered how.


    "In the Astreima''s absence, the Fareima, placed in Hawk''s towering aerie became the light of day for all Lebreima. Hawk gave a small piece of the Fareima to Feodeim to light household fires when night fell. Feodeim entrusted it to his wife who shared the secrets of the hearth for warmth, light, protection and cooking"


    "How traditional," interrupted Linda.


    "Now, dear, I''m just telling the story,¡± Deilune protested. ¡°I''m not trying to justify thousands of years of gender stereotypes.¡±


    Lottica wondered how her parents found it so easy to forget they were zombies and engage in social commentary.


    "At any rate," Deilune continued, "over the years, the Fareima became a more visible symbol because the gem was set in a pendant traditionally worn by the bride of Le Breima. Because of this, the Fareima became more widely known than the Kareima, which faded as a mysterious artifact of legend.


    "Now, fast forward to more modern times. Politically speaking, Lebreima has struggled on and off as an independent nation, as a conquered land, finding itself a semi-autonomous region with little political or economic clout. To the rest of the world we''re pretty small potatoes."


    Grandmother Breima''s sharp features grew indignant. "No, Deilune, Lebreima much more. Someday, you understand," she challenged her son.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "I''m sorry, Mother. I don¡¯t mean to offend. Besides,¡± he motioned to Linda and then himself, "something decidedly not small potatoes is going on here. As I was saying, the Fareima, along with the Kareima, have been in the Breima family for as long as there has been a Breima. The Fareima has always been passed to the wife of the Breima who has always been a Lebreiman.¡±


    Deilune nodded apologetically at Linda, "That¡¯s why my marriage to you has been so difficult for my parents. I am the heir to the Kareima, but the Fareima cannot go to a non-Lebreiman. Our marriage has caused some power stuggles in Lebreima. In my absence, someone claimed the Fareima."


    Grandfather Breima spit out the name. "Beilla!¡±


    "How could that happen?" Linda asked.


    Deilune sighed. "Ambition. Politics. Greed. When I came to America, I did something never done before by a Breima. I left Lebreima. I was told that I was tainted, that I could never become Le Breima. Which, at the time, didn¡¯t faze me. But, when news of my marriage to an American circulated, my father''s cousin, Beilla, complained loudly that our national treasures, the Kareima and the Fareima would be taken abroad. He called us traitors and rallied support to take control of the gemstones from our family. He eventually acquired control of the Fareima.¡±


    "But not Kareima.¡± Grandfather Breima smiled. ¡°We bring here. It belong for Deilune."


    "And that¡¯s when I hid the Kareima under the statue of Hawk on our stairwell for safekeeping," Deilune explained. "To me it was a national treasure¡­not a magical relic.¡±


    ¡°So, you think that¡¯s why Beilla was after us?" Nick asked.


    "Is good question, Nick," Grandfather Breima began. "He my cousin. We play as children. Beilla think he crafty like Raven. He like power. He believe in the old tales. Is why he wear cape. Is why he wear Fareima. Is why," Grandfather Breima made make eye contact with Deilune, "I think he kill you and Linda."


    ¡°What!¡± Deilune¡¯s bad eye wobbled precariously in its socket.


    Nick realized that his parents did not know the whole story of their demise. He chose his words carefully. ¡°Dad, you and mom died in an explosion at the house. The whole house burned and you were both pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner reported that you both died of blunt trauma caused by the explosion. After investigating, the fire department blamed it on a leaking natural gas line in the garage. A bad valve. It was ruled an accident.¡±


    Grandfather Breima stood, his hands tight on the back of his chair. ¡°No accident! Must be Beilla. He get Fareima by trickery. He want Kareima by treachery!¡±


    "But why?" asked Linda, stunned. "Why kill us? Why threaten the children? Is it just greed? What does he hope to gain with these gemstones?"


    If the answer to Linda''s question surprised those gathered round the table, it did not half surprise them as much as who yelled the answer.


    "The Astreima!"


    And near midnight on a most peculiar day of the undead, twelve-year-old Lottica Breima was dead right.

 30 - Flesh Challenged

    30


    Flesh Challenged


    "Dad...what''s it feel like to be, um...well...you know...not exactly living?"


    It was very late that Halloween night, or, more accurately, very early morning of All Souls Day. Nick sat with his father in front of the very small television his grandparents kept in the kitchen in order to watch news. After the head-spinning events of the evening, Nick hadn¡¯t been able to sleep and come downstairs to find his father watching Night of the Living Dead on the TV.


    His dad turned from the flesh-eating mayhem on screen to address his son. "It''s okay to say it, Nick. Don''t feel embarrassed. I''m a zombie, and I''ve accepted that¡­for the time being. Though, I think I prefer the term flesh challenged."


    Nick rolled his eyes. "But, that''s the thing. You''re not a real zombie. You''re sitting here talking to me. If you were like the zombies in this stupid movie, you wouldn¡¯t be making terrible puns, you wouldn¡¯t be talking to me, you¡¯d be chomping on my brains."


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s confusing. For me, too. I guess I''m just trying to stay upbeat."


    "Great, so you''re optimistically undead."


    "Hey, you either let the flesh fall where it will or you''ll be forever thinking the plot is always greener on the other side of the grave."The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Nick groaned. Deilune chuckled, and then turned off the TV. "Sorry, Nick. It''s a bit easier to laugh it off rather than analyze what¡¯s happened. But, I''ll give it a try." He ran his swollen fingers through his unruly hair. "I feel lightened."


    "Lightened?"


    "Yeah. Lightened. Like I¡¯m almost transparent. Maybe it¡¯s how Tibetan monks feel after chanting for days on end. Ethereal. Metaphysical. Like everything is passing through me.¡±


    ¡°You lost me with that mystic monk stuff."


    "Okay. It¡¯s a bit like floating in the ocean. I feel buoyant. Like I could drift away. Or sink right through the earth." He smiled at his son. ¡°Pretty weird, huh? I still feel much like I did before. I still get hungry.¡± He took Nick¡¯s hand in his good one. ¡°I still feel my love for you, your sister and your mother in my heart."


    "But what about your heart? Is the Kareima now a part of you? How long can it keep you here? Keep you and Mom alive?"


    "That, Nick, is a killer question. I know the Kareima¡¯s now a part of me, and that it¡¯s somehow keeping your mother and me living, but I have no idea what that means in terms of longevity. I know you¡¯re the biology whiz and that none of this makes medical sense. So, I think we have to adopt a less clinical approach to our current condition."


    "What approach is that?"


    "Mythical."


    Nick rubbed his temples. "You¡¯re saying the myths of Lebreima are true?"


    "I think it suggests we need to examine the story of Hawk more carefully for clues. It¡¯s a creation myth, and there may be some elemental truths buried in with the epic fantasy."


    "Magic and mayhem, huh? Why not?¡± Nick leaned against his amazing flesh-challenged father. ¡°Turn back on the TV. Bring on the zombies. I don''t think I''ll sleep much tonight."


    Deilune hoisted his unhinged arm around his son''s shoulders, doing what he could to comfort his son. He understood his concerns. In Deilune¡¯s own miraculously restored heart, he feared to sleep. He couldn''t quite get past the nagging idea that this "rebirth" was all a dream and, should he try to sleep, he might not awaken again: Kareima or no Kareima.

 31 - Loverly

    31


    Loverly


    Even on the best of mornings, Lottica had a difficult time getting herself out of bed. And, after the craziness last night, she felt she had every right to stay nestled in her blankets until well beyond noon. Therefore, she was quite startled to find her mother sitting on the edge of her bed at eight in the morning softly singing "Wouldn''t It Be Loverly" from the musical My Fair Lady.


    Lottica struggled to wake up. Struggled to make sense of her mother at her bedside. Struggled to reconcile the events of last night with a rational universe. It was all good and fine to talk about myths and legends late on a Halloween night, but it was morning now, and the light of reason needed to shine and set things straight.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    At least that''s how Lottica wanted it to be. Yet, in studying the stars, she¡¯d discovered the larger universe, possibly a metaverse, was not a place with easy answers. In part, that¡¯s what fueled her interest in astronomy. The sense of infinite possibility, of unfathomable mysteries, kept her gazing night after night at impossibly distant stars and planets.


    Maybe she needed to consider what happened to her parents in those terms. Weren''t her parents just such a revelation? Like a supernova waiting to be discovered and understood?


    Through half-closed lids, Lottica watched her mother who seemed entranced by her gentle singing. Her poor mother''s face in the early morning light appeared even more mottled and swollen. Her rich auburn hair flat and tangled. Still, her mother¡¯s eyes brightened as she sang. Like starlight. A vast constellation of love in her tender voice.


    Lottica didn¡¯t need a telescope to see that. Just her heart.


    "Morning," Lottica whispered.


    Her mother''s punished, puffy, but perfect face drew close...


    "Mommy, you look¡­"


    ...to kiss her daughter lightly on the forehead.


    ¡°¡­loverly."

 32 - Undead-wear

    32


    Undead-wear


    After a harrowing Halloween night encompassing a fantastical rebirth, an ancient magical gemstone conspiracy, and a sinister murder plot, you wouldn¡¯t think underwear would be the main topic of discussion at breakfast. Yet, it was utmost on Deilune¡¯s mind.


    "I have to get out of this suit," Deilune stated for the third or fourth time. "I need something more comfortable and clean. Do you realize I haven''t changed underwear since August?"


    "Dale! I get your point, but we really don''t need to go there, especially at the breakfast table."


    Lottica had stopped buttering her toast during the exchange, while Nick charged into a second helping of hashbrowns. Grandfather and Grandmother Breima simply stared over their delicate teacups.


    "Considering all that''s happened in the last twelve hours or so, don''t you think there are more important things to discuss than our wardrobe?" Linda quietly demanded of her husband.


    "Well, facts are facts and a rather important fact to me, now that we have rejoined the living, is that I would like to dress like the living and not be draped in this funereal garb!"


    Linda Breima''s shoulders sunk slightly as she conceded this point. "That¡¯s a more practical way to look at it. So how are we going to get clothes? I guess we could have your parents do some shopping for us, since we can''t exactly go out looking as we do."


    "Why not?¡± Deilune rejoined. ¡°We look a bit bruised and beat up, but I''ve seen tougher looking cases wander into all-night convenience stores."


    "Dale, we''re supposed to be dead. What if we run into someone we know?"


    "Yeah, Dad. Besides your eye looks like it could pop out anytime," Nick observed.


    "My eye isn''t going anywhere. In fact, it works better than before. I used to have to wear reading glasses, and now I can read the fine print on that cereal box easily."


    "How could your eyes be better than before?" Linda asked.


    "Beats me. Maybe it has something to do with the new ticker,¡± he said patting his chest.


    Grandmother Breima set her teacup down firmly in front of her. "Of course is Kareima! Kareima is strong. Make you stronger.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Onto his third helping, Nick watched his father, supernaturally undead, being chided by his mom. And realized moms would always have super powers over their kids, even if they were newly minted zombies.


    "Maybe it would be best if we tried to accept what has happened for now and try to understand it later," Linda calmly interjected. "I think Dale is right. It would be good to get out and buy some clothes. It''s a practical step we can take, and I think we might be able to do it without arousing suspicion."


    "How''s that, Mom?" Lottica asked.


    "For your father, a hat and sunglasses will mask a lot and I think a bit of make-up will take care of the rest."


    "What about you, Mom?"


    Linda brushed back her tangled hair about as coyly as a zombie supermodel declaring, "I think a veil could make a quite modern fashion statement."


    An hour later on their way to the mall when her mom asked Lottica for her opinion of the black overcoat, gloves and veil borrowed from Grandmother Breima, all Lottica could politely manage was, "Well, you just look like you''re going to a funeral¡ªin the 1950s."


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Linda admitted, a bit queasy at the thought.


    Her dad, on the other hand, was feeling jaunty, sporting a fedora and leather gloves, as well as dark sunglasses that made little sense on the wet, gloomy morning of All Souls Day. His face was spackled with a thick foundation make-up that conspired to turn his pasty undead complexion a non-descript beige. To Lottica, beige commanded all the allure of a paper sack. She hoped her father wouldn''t ask her how she thought he looked.


    When they pulled into the mall parking lot and exited the car, Lottica decided she wouldn''t give him the chance to ask, and walked ahead with Nick as they crossed to the main entrance. Glancing back over her shoulder at their parents performing a limping entrechat over a puddle, she whispered, "Do you really think this is a good idea?"


    "What? Coming to the mall? Or coming to the mall with zombies who happen to be our parents?"


    "Nick!"


    "Well, Lottica, it seems ridiculous to worry about what makes sense after last night. Basically, our whole understanding of the world has gone topsy-turvy. I''m inclined to roll with whatever happens."


    "But, we might run into people we know, or¡­" she pulled Nick to a stop, "people we don''t want to see!"


    Nick lifted his jacket collar so it half covered his face and peered down at his sister. "You mean like Count Dracu-Beilla?"


    "Stop it! You almost wet yourself last night when they were chasing us. And if they really did try to murder Dad and Mom to get the Kareima, then they could try again."


    His jacket collar slipped back down around his neck, and Nick gave his sister a more serious nod. "You''re right. It''s just that it feels so different now. Having Dad and Mom back, especially the way they came back to us. It makes me feel as if they''re somehow immortal now. That they''re meant for something amazing. I''m not that worried."


    "Who''s worried?" Their father had caught up with them and heard Nick''s last few words.


    "No one, Dad," Nick said. "Lottica''s a little concerned that someone may recognize us here and ask questions about who you are."


    "Right. Your mother and I were discussing that as well, and we agreed that, as much as we want to be with you as a family, we¡¯d better keep a bit of distance when we are in public places. So we''ll keep out of your way, and we''ll meet back at the car in two hours. But, we''ll keep an eye out," he said, as he lifted his sunglasses to wink his bulging left eye at them.


    "I''d rather you kept your eye in, Dad," Nick shot back with a pat on his father''s shoulder as they split up and entered the mall.

 33 - Curses!

    33


    Curses!


    In less than an hour, Linda and Deilune were dead tired. Purchasing a few basic necessities of clothing left them exhausted. As did the stares and comments from teens in the mall that Halloween was soooo yesterday.


    Drained, they took a seat on the main concourse near large, curvy planters packed with fanning ferns and lofty grasses that screened off the mall¡¯s Food Court.


    "If I weren''t relatively sure that we''d come back to life last night, I''d say we were in purgatory," Deilune whispered to Linda as they surveyed the frenetic energy of younger shoppers.


    "Feeling old?" Linda asked.


    Close up, Deilune could see through her veil and her puckered grin. "No, Linda, not old, just other-worldly. And I''m not talking about what happened last night. I''m talking about their world.¡± He pointed to the packs of teens and preteens. ¡°Their world is so different. How¡¯d that happen?"This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    She took his gloved hands in hers. "Dale, as much as I like to say I wasn''t born yesterday,¡± she paused, ¡°I was, and so were you. For some reason we''ve been given another chance. Everything is new again. In a strange way, we get to be parents and children at the same time.


    ¡°I''m not questioning what''s happened to us. After holding Lottica this morning and watching Nick enjoy his breakfast, I just see it all with new wonder. I''m going to love this life as long as we have it."


    Deilune squeezed her hands. "You''re right, dear. I''ve been anxious about how long we have. If Nick and Lottica might lose us a second time. But, we need to enjoy the wonder of what we¡¯ve been given. Besides," he kicked at one of the shopping bags, "we just made quite an investment in new clothes, so we''d better get a few years out of them."


    They laughed and Linda leaned her veiled head against her husband''s. "So what would Nick and Lottica say if they saw us like this? Would they tease us about puppy love?"


    "More likely, zombie love, dear."


    Before Deilune had a chance to chuckle at his own joke, he overheard something that stopped him cold. His head swung loosely around searching because he was positive that on the other side of the fern-filled planters he¡¯d heard someone cursing loudly¡ªin Lebreiman!

 34 - House of the Unfed

    34


    House of the Unfed


    Linda Breima watched in surprise as her husband, his index finger pushed tight against his lips, slowly moved to the planters and knelt down to peer through the leafy plants into the mall''s Food Court. He knelt there for a few moments, his right ear cocked towards the cacophony of cafeteria sounds, and then motioned Linda to his side.


    "What''s wrong?" she asked.


    "Look into the Food Court at the nearest table on our left and tell me what you see."


    She did. "There are two men in black suits drinking coffee," she reported.


    "What are they wearing, Linda? Look closely," Deilune urged.


    "Black¡­black¡­capes!" Linda gasped. "Is it Beilla? Are those the men that chased Nick and Lottica? The ones who might have murdered us?"


    "It must be Beilla, but I need to get closer. I need to hear what they¡¯re saying."


    "But what are they doing here? Do you think they followed us?"


    "I don''t know, dear. That''s why I need to get closer."


    Linda gasped. "They could be after Nick and Lottica again. We''ve got to find them first."


    "You¡¯re right. Let''s do this. You head back up the main concourse and try to locate the kids. If you find them, head back out to the car and wait for me. If you can''t find them, come right back here. I¡¯ll keep an eye on these two, and see if I can get close enough to overhear what they''re saying."


    "Be careful, Dale."


    "Not to worry, dear. I think it''s just a coincidence that they¡¯re here. They wouldn''t be in plain view, if they were stalking the kids."


    With that reassurance, he lifted her veil and gave her a quick kiss. Then he made his way to an adjacent exit and doubled back around the building to the other mall entrance. Staying behind a row of gaudily fluted columns, he was able to make his way closer to Beilla¡¯s table, but not near enough to hear what the two men were discussing.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Checking out his surroundings, he spied a way to get closer. Behind Beilla''s table was a video game arcade with a few large, game consoles placed around the arcade entrance. One of the consoles was the type that players sat inside. It had an "Out of Order" sign taped to it.


    Deilune could see that Beilla and the other man were still locked in a heated conversation, so he slinked and shuffled behind potted plants until he ducked into the enclosed game console. And found himself surrounded by an army of zombies with menacing, flesh-eating expressions reaching out for him. That fit. Of all the arcade games he could hide out in, he¡¯d picked the one called House of the Dead. Even t such a dire time, Deilune appreciated the cosmic irony.


    Linda Breima was finding no humor in her present situation. After twenty minutes of frantic searching, she hadn''t spotted Nick or Lottica searching and decided to return to the Food Court to rendezvous with Deilune.


    She cautiously approached their former seat near the fountain with the ferny planters. Their shopping bags full of clothes still stood by the bench, which caused her a momentary sense of relief since she hadn''t given them a thought when she and Deilune rushed off.


    But, she would have gladly traded the contents to know where her husband and kids were. With no sign of them, she gingerly pushed aside some foliage to see into the Food Court. She immediately saw the two caped men, still in animated conversation. But she couldn¡¯t locate Deilune.


    Then two things happened in quick succession. From where she was watching, a fiery red light flashed directly from Beilla''s chest. And, almost simultaneously, she heard her daughter''s unmistakable laughter echoing from the far side of the Food Court. She immediately grabbed their bags and headed towards the sound of her daughter¡¯s squealing.


    Lottica couldn¡¯t know her mother had heard her laughing at her brother. She was too amused at the moment. "Nick, you¡¯re such a...trajeime!" she snorted between bouts of laughter. On the little table between them, swam a plump hot dog in a soupy mess of chili, sauerkraut, cheese sauce and pickle relish.


    Nick''s was exasperated and mildly heartbroken holding his empty bun with the scant remains of what was going to be an hot dog. In retrospect, it was clear he¡¯d gone too heavy on the condiments. One enthusiastic bite and¡ªwhoosh!¡ªthe dog had launched and gravity did the rest.


    Nick took a bite of his empty bun. "I suppose there''s a lesson to be learned from this. But," he added with a glare, "I''m not interested in hearing about it."


    Lottica¡¯s high, squealing laughter ratcheted down to an intermittent giggle. "Sure, Nick." She pushed her plate with a hamburger with a single bite taken from it towards her brother. "Go on and have this." She eyed his mess once again. "I''m not really hungry anymore. You filled me up on laughter."


    "Fine with me. Maybe you''ve hit upon the next big diet bestseller: Flabbergasting Flab: How to lose a ton on three lame jokes a day. You''ll be rich and famous in no time.¡± He inspected Lottica''s burger. "This needs some spicing up," he announced as he headed over to the condiment bar.


    Lottica grinned. She hadn¡¯t felt this relaxed in a long time. She and Nick didn''t have to be in mourning. They didn''t have to be on guard against their grandparents. They had parents again. They could just be themselves. They could laugh and joke. They could be goofy kids again.


    Until her parents rushed to their table and all House of the Dead madness broke loose.

 35 - Disorder in the Food Court

    35


    Disorder in the Food Court


    From inside the House of the Dead arcade game console, it was hard enough to hear Beilla and his companion, let alone understand their Lebreiman. Deilune hadn¡¯t lived in his homeland for almost twenty years. He''d sometimes conversed with his parents in Lebreiman, but Beilla¡¯s accent was tricky. Gradually, he tuned into what was going on.


    Deilune determined that the man with Beilla was named Abzeig. From the edge in his voice, it sounded as if Abzeig was growing agitated with Beilla.


    "You are so sure of all of this, and yet look what has happened," Abzeig said, his eyes fierce. He was squat and powerfully built, especially his brutish hands. He was clearly angry. "We do not have it, and now they have somehow unlocked its power. You said Deilune was an unworthy fool who didn''t know what he possessed. So, we destroyed him along with his wife. But you saw what happened last night. We did not dream it. What can we do now?"


    "Abzeig, friend, calm yourself,¡± Beilla responded, unruffled, his tone attempting to soothe his comrade¡¯s savage impatience. ¡°I, too, am shocked. Never would I have believed what we witnessed last night. Yet, I am the one who convinced you that the Kareima''s powers were beyond imagining. Only thinking of the gem¡¯s political potency back home. That Lebreimans would back whomever possessed both the Kareima and Fareima. It seems, I have not taken the ancient stories seriously enough. The Kareima is far more than our ticket to power in Lebreima. It may give us the world."


    "The world? What madness is that, Beilla? You promised me money. Lots of money."


    "Not madness. History. The Pleishdeilet, the Missing Piece. It is the long lost piece of the Breima legend. Even I did not understand its full importance until last night. It is the key to the ancient stories of the Tireima. The Lifestones. The Kareima, Fareima and Astreima each possess their own unique power. Combined, they would be invincible. We must bring the three stones together."


    "How? You saw. Deilune...he''s...he''s..."


    "Yes, it is difficult to explain. He has come back. I do not know how to deal with him, and I do not know how he will try to deal with us. So, we must return to Lebreima and redouble our efforts to find the Astreima. We should have an easier time of that when I stake my claim as the Breima. It is not likely Deilune, in his present condition, will show up to challenge me."


    From his vantage inside the game console, Deilune had heard enough, and decided to sneak back out to the parking lot where he hoped Linda and the children would be waiting.


    But, as he started to leave, his chest heaved with sudden violence. Brilliant blue light flashed from under his shirt, suffusing the video game console. The out-of-order House of the Dead game inexplicably burst to life with a rowdy army of groaning zombies flashing on the screen in front of him.


    In panic, Deilune¡¯s eyes darted to Beilla''s table sure they¡¯d heard the digital ruckus. Yet, neither of the men was looking his way. Abzeig¡¯s attention was fixed on Beilla''s chest, which was flashing a fiery red. Deilune was curious about that development, but his instinct told him to make a dash for the exit. And that''s when he heard Lottica''s trilling laughter echoing from the far end of the cavernous Food Court.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    He shot a look towards the laughter and spotted Lottica''s bobbing head. He knew he had to get to her quickly, so he heaved himself out of the video game enclosure as its speaker warned "Watch out! The undead are everywhere!"


    His chest juddered again, and quite unexpectedly, he felt like the undead. His vision blurred, and his entire left side went slack, leaving his foot dragging across the Food Court floor. Puzzled and more than a little scared at what was happening to him, he pulled himself with great effort behind a column and glanced back at Beilla''s table.


    Abzeig was standing over Beilla who clutched the glowing pendant on his chest. Deilune grabbed at his own chest, trying desperately to cover the blue light pulsing from beneath his jacket. It was as if the two gemstones, the Kareima and Fareima, were exchanging information, as if they¡¯d become aware of the other¡¯s presence. And were fighting.


    Pulling his jacket tighter across his chest, Deilune ambled around the perimeter of the Food Court. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a familiar figure on the opposite side of the hall. Linda. She was lurching towards the children, as if she was having difficulty too.


    A crippling wave of fatigue swept over Deilune. Energy sapped from his limbs. He struggled to focus on his goal: the children. Just a few feet ahead, Nick rose from his seat and started toward a small condiment bar near his table. Deilune hunched forward and continued to take reluctant steps. He leaned against a column about to call out to Nick when a billowing blackness swept into his peripheral vision.


    Capes flapping like a murder of crows, Beilla and Abzeig were striding directly for Nick and Lottica''s table. The Fareima hanging around Beilla¡¯s neck glowed diabolically. He certainly didn''t seem to be experiencing the energy drag Deilune felt in his poor regenerated limbs.


    He had to reach his children before Beilla did. He pushed off from the column and lurched towards Lottica. He arrived just as Linda stumbled to the table as well. Her eyes were anime wide, and she gasped for breath.


    Lottica sat, looking quite amused at the table awash with spilled condiments. Oblivious to the situation, she said lightly, "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. Take a load off. You two look beat."


    "There''s no time, Lottica!" Deilune said firmly with what energy he still possessed. "We have to go! NOW!"


    Even as he said this, Linda went rigid. Deilune turned to see Beilla and Abzeig a few steps away.


    He moved to protect Linda. As soon as he touched her, a shudder went through his entire body. A warm invigorating lightness spread from his toes to his earlobes. He held Linda, and she smiled. An electric thrill tingled their senses, lifting their weariness and calming their nerves. It was as if they were perched atop their own wedding cake in a world that had stopped to admire them. It was both strange and perfect.


    "Better?" Deilune whispered to Linda.


    "Never better," she whispered back.


    "Dad! Mom! Watch the public display of affection!" Lottica mocked, still unaware of Beilla and his henchman who¡¯d stopped dead in their tracks at the sudden appearance of her parents.


    It was Nick who clued her in on Beilla¡¯s presence. Rushing back from the condiment kiosk with Lottica¡¯s burger, now overloaded with onions, pickles and relish, Nick faced the two caped men. His grip tightened and his eyes narrowed. Without a word to either Lottica or his parents, he ran straight at Beilla and Abzeig, planted his forward foot and launched the overflowing burger at them. It smacked Beilla¡¯s chest dead center¡ªright on the Fareima. Beilla staggered backwards and tripped on a chair. He wheeled and clutched at Abzeig¡¯s cloak and together they hit the floor like a dirty load of laundry.


    Nick back-pedaled to his family. For a moment, they stared at him, wide-eyed, before rushing out the exit to their car. Nick brought up the rear, checking to see if anyone was following: men in capes, mall security, curious bystanders. But no one came out the exit after them.


    Once in their car and on the road, Nick felt a strange mix of trepidation and bravado after his burger-bashing of Beilla. And though it was probably way too soon, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Could we stop and get a bite? I promise I won''t make a mess this time."

 36 - Lifeless in Lebreima

    36


    Lifeless in Lebreima


    Lottica was awake enough to know her mother was watching her sleep again. She ever so slightly cracked an eyelid and spied not just her mother but Grandmother Breima smiling at her from their airplane seats.


    Another surprise in a multitude of surprises, both tiny and tremendous, over the last few days. Tremendous surprises: undead parents, mystical gemstones with supernatural powers, being Lebreiman royalty. Tiny surprises: grandparents who actually displayed their affection, Nick¡¯s accuracy hurling a hamburger.


    Lottica was unsure whether being thirty thousand feet in the jet stream on their way half way around the world to Lebreima was a tiny or tremendous surprise. In fact, it hardly seemed surprising at all. At this point, it felt fateful. Maybe, even logical.


    The encounter with Beilla and Abzeig at the mall had made their course of action very clear. When they returned to their grandarents¡¯ house and Deilune reported Beilla''s plan to wrest the throne from the Breimas, they knew they had to act. They couldn¡¯t let him get away with his murderous crimes against their family.


    It was also clear to them that staying in America would pose some rather embarrassing risks, especially if security cameras at the mall identified Deilune and Linda, or the authorities investigated the "explosions" at Cemetery Hill on Halloween night too thoroughly.


    There was another reason as well. To Lottica, it was the most important. She had seen her parents at the mall become revitalized when they had held each other, and she understood they were now inextricably linked to the Kareima. In Lebreima they would be in a much better position to discover the mysteries of the Kareima, Fareima and long-lost Astreima, and what these lifestones meant for her parents'' future.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    She didn''t want to think about losing her mom and dad a second time. In all the dead-parent stories she''d read, the young heroes struggled through adversity and achieved great things, but none of them had ever won back what she had: her parents.


    Granted, her mom and dad were a bit worse for wear and tear. Still, they were here. With her and Nick in their ever-loving, though somewhat tattered, flesh. Adversity can be great for building character, Lottica mused, but a mother¡¯s comforting touch lets you sleep better at night. And, with that reassurance, she drifted into a deep and high-flying slumber.


    Nick, in the row in front of his sister, couldn''t sleep, his mind a pinball machine in multi-ball mode. The decision and preparations to leave had come so fast. He''d been amazed at how his grandparents had been transformed as soon as they agreed it was in their best interest to return to Lebreima as quickly as possible. Their eyes had lit up and Grandmother Breima warmly hugged Lottica and him.


    In two days they had made the arrangements. Though Nick had some serious misgivings about zombies getting through TSA security, his grandfather had somehow been able to arrange it because of his Lebreiman diplomatic connections. That didn''t mean that Nick didn¡¯t sweat it in the airport as his family was escorted through security checkpoints without having to be scanned or patted down.


    Who knows what airport scanners would¡¯ve made of the Kareima inside his father? But it had all gone smoothly. Surprisingly, the biggest hassle they faced was how to take Lottica''s telescope which she¡¯d pleaded to bring with her. They finally stowed it in a hard case designed for golf clubs.


    Many hours into the flight, Nick was watching another movie on his laptop, a remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Zombies. Body Snatchers. He knew he should be trying to get some rest. Most of the other passengers were asleep, including his father and grandfather next to him. His dad¡¯s complexion actually seemed improved in the few days since his reanimation. Even his soupy eye seemed firmer, though he wore dark glasses to ward off unwanted attention.


    Nick wondered if the Kareima not only worked to keep his parents alive, but also was reversing the ravaging effects of their violent deaths. He also wanted to know what happened at the mall Food Court when his parents had suffered such a precipitous decline when confronted with Beilla and the Fareima stone.


    They¡¯d quickly recovered, but Nick craved an understanding how this was scientifically possible. He hoped going to Lebreima might give him some clues. Though, turning his attention back to the alien body snatchers on his laptop screen, it felt unlikely he¡¯d discover much hard science in a reality that had turned pure fantasy.

 37 - Breima Manor

    37


    Breima Manor


    A deep sleep finally overtook Nick on the plane. Even their deplaning and slow progress through baggage claim and customs seemed a part of his dreams. It was not until he was in the way back seat of a spacious Land Rover with Lottica that he began to wake up to their new reality. They were in Lebreima, ancestral home of their father and their grandparents. The Old World. Ground zero for the lifestones and all their mysteries.


    Lottica and Nick sat transfixed by the pastoral vistas of farmlands and hedgerows. It was a rich quilt of greens, browns, reds and golds. Gentle rolling hills with large stands of trees from which the occasional high-peaked roof of a house or a graceful spire peeped.


    Experiencing the Lebreiman countryside firsthand, Nick better understood his grandparents¡¯ desire to bring Lottica and him here. He also more fully comprehended their long yearning to have their son return home. Being in Lebreima made sense if you were a Breima.


    Noting a few thatched-roof cottages they passed along the winding lane, Lottica couldn¡¯t get the image of Strong Bad and his majestic dragon, Trogdor the Burninator, out of her mind. She almost made a giggling comment to Nick, but she could tell by the stillness in the car that wouldn¡¯t be a good idea. Every member of her family was deep in their own reflections on this fairy tale landscape. A beguiling foreignness. An ancient texture. A richer light. It sure wasn¡¯t home, but it felt homey.


    She didn''t know if she¡¯d ever feel fully at home in Lebreima, so she wanted to think of it as an amusing adventure. Amusing was probably not the operative word, though it helped her put on a braver face. And it looked like Lebreima, for all its outward serenity, would require a good deal of perseverance. In fairy tales, quiet looking kingdoms always had tempestuous underbellies. Lebreima had its charm and beauty, but it also had Beilla.


    Lottica and Nick had never heard much about the Breima family home in the hamlet of Kreistia. Even though their father had been raised there and a dwelling of some sort had existed on their parcel of land in some form or another for over a thousand years. The current abode was a stately stone and slate-roofed manor with two towers buttressing the main entry.


    As the Land Rover pulled into the spacious drive, Nick whispered to Lottica that it was a wanna-be castle. A fortress-in-waiting. He was bursting to get inside. When Grandfather Breima held the great oak doors open for them, it took all of Nick¡¯s self restraint not to bolt inside. He held himself back while his parents and grandparents performed a polite ritual of never-ending nodding for someone to take the honor of crossing the threshold of Breima Manor.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Finally, Nick and Lottica were escorted over the threshold and ushered into the imposing foyer. Nick half expected to see dusty cobwebs stretching from ceiling to floor even though he knew his grandfather had arranged to have the house prepared for their arrival.


    Inside, they were surrounded by imposing tapestries hung on age-old stone walls, crystal and brass chandeliers, warmly polished wooden floors and dark wainscoting. A multitude of oil paintings and rich velvet covered furniture made Nick feel like he was in a private museum. He couldn¡¯t believe that a few days ago he and Lottica had run away to avoid being whisked away here. Now, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to drop his bags and explore.


    A gracefully curving stone staircase off the grand entry was too inviting. Nick motioned to Lottica to follow him, and they were halfway up when their father called after them. "Explore all you want. Just make sure your bags,¡± they heard a muffled kick, "get where they need to go."


    "Sure, Dad," Nick yelled back.


    He nodded to Lottica, and they bounded to the top of the steps. They were about to run down the long, high-ceilinged hallway when Lottica pointed to a small alcove at the top of the stairwell. On a wrought iron pedestal bedecked with stars, crescent moons and fiery-tailed comets stood the Hawk of Lebreima.


    It was almost identical to the statue that had adorned their spiral staircase back in America. Its jet-black form with eyes that stared into eternity was a bit unnerving. Near the Hawk¡¯s head, carved deep into the stone alcove, was the inscription: Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima.


    "The Heartstone of Lebreima burns with life," Lottica whispered, remembering how not very long ago, she and Nick had stood on the iron staircase overlooking the ruin of their burnt house, wondering how they would go on without their parents. At that critical time, their Hawk revealed its secret: the Kareima. Now, they were face to face with the very statue of Hawk that had watched over their father growing up.


    "Spooky?" Lottica prodded.


    "Yeah, but in a good way," Nick replied staring into Hawk¡¯s depthless eyes. "I mean, the legends of Hawk are over the top, but we have Mom and Dad back. So, there¡¯s gotta be something positive to all this craziness."


    Nick abruptly jerked away as if he''d been shocked. He swallowed hard. Lottica bit her lip to stifle the shriek that would have filled the long corridor. What new craziness was this?


    Both took a step back from the statue. To better see. Or possibly flee. Because the inky black eyes of the iron Hawk of Lebreima had began to glow. An otherwordly blue.


    "Toto, I don''t think we''re in Kansas anymore," Lottica murmured, retreating with Nick around the corner of the hallway.


    "I think we¡¯re even a rainbow or two beyond Oz," Nick agreed, eyeing the statue, as if might suddenly soar down the hall at them. Why not? he thought. Lebreima and its denizens seemed exempt from the most fundamental laws of the rational universe.


    But nothing more happened. Hawk''s eyes remained two distant stars in its shadowy, unmoving iron form.


    Nick was about to back further down the hallway when a shrill gasp from Lottica stopped him. She grabbed his arm and swung him around so that he came face-to-face with the slightly wry and wholly sinister smile of Beilla.

 38 - Zombreimas

    38


    Zombreimas


    "Back so soon?" asked their mother as Lottica and Nick raced from the spiral staircase into the foyer where their luggage was strewn.


    Out of breath, Lottica panted, "We thought¡­we''d help out¡­with the luggage before¡­ we got too distracted." She wanted to appear helpful and mature, though her racing heart made her feel like a badly frightened child.


    The portrait of Beilla, black cape and all, they¡¯d encountered upstairs spooked them. It was one of many family paintings lining the long hallway, but they bolted back downstairs without exploring any further.


    "Well, go help your father unload the rest of the car,¡± their mother suggested. ¡°He said that being back here makes him feel like a teenager again. He shouldn¡¯t overdo it, though."


    As they walked out to the Land Rover, Nick whispered to Lottica, "Don''t say anything about Hawk. Not yet, anyway."


    "Why not? It''s not like Mom and Dad won''t believe us."


    "I''m not sure,¡± Nick hesitated. ¡°I guess I don''t want to worry them. I don''t want them to think we¡¯re too wigged out by all this."


    "Well, that painting of Beilla had me freaked."


    "Yeah. Too creepy. Let''s get a little more settled in before we start asking hundreds of questions. We''re all tired."


    "Nick, you¡¯re sounding so grown up.¡± She gave gave him a nudge with her elbow. ¡°Except when you saw Beilla¡¯s portrait. You yipped louder than me.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "Yeah," he returned the nudge, "but I''m sure my squeal was much more dignified.¡±


    They found their father sitting on the back bumper of the Land Rover staring off down the wide, tree-lined drive. He smiled as they approached and made room on the back bumper for them. "Take a load off. Travel can definitely tire the best of us¡ªeven zombies. Or I guess in our case zombreimas."


    "Daaad," Lottica said in that you-should-know-better way. "You''re not a zombie. Or a zombreima! You''re a, a¡­" she gently touched her father''s bruised-but-improving face and finished confidently, "¡­a miracle!"


    "Thanks, daarling. You are too kind." He hugged Lottica. "Can you believe what we''ve been through? Can you imagine what''s ahead?"


    Nick nodded, thinking about the Hawk''s luminescent eyes and the cold gaze from Beilla''s portrait. "Yeah, this''ll be interesting." He reached for the golf case holding Lottica''s telescope. "We''ll help you get this stuff inside, and then maybe we can figure out what our next step is."


    "Good idea. But first, sit here with me a minute. Let me take this in. I knew someday I''d bring you both here. Lebreima may seem strange to you. In many ways, it does to me. But I grew up here.¡±


    Deilune sighed wistfully. "I''ll try not to get too sentimental on you. It''s just that I want this part of me, Lebreima, to be a part of you. Even if it is only a small part." He lowered his head. "It makes me understand a bit more about my parents. How they must have felt when I left for America and then stayed there. And gave all this up.


    ¡°Sometimes," his voice trailed away as he gazed at the rolling hills beyond lush trees, "you go looking for a future and make the mistake of believing you''ll revisit the past when it¡¯s convenient. But the past, all those places, people and experiences, they''re on the move, too.¡±


    He grinned. "Okay, enough nostalgia. There''s a ton of very cool places I want to show you. But, feel free to start gagging and rolling your eyes if I get too maudlin. Better yet, if I begin prefacing everything I say with ¡®when-I-was-your-age,¡¯ just take my magical ring and throw it down the well over there."


    He pointed to a small stand of trees surrounding a weathered stone structure where the manor¡¯s well was located. Lottica and Nick, however, didn¡¯t focus on where their dad was pointing. That seemed irrelevant. Because their dad¡¯s ring, a ring that was part Kareima, had begun to rhythmically pulse a brilliant blue.

 39 - Hawk Knows

    39


    Hawk Knows


    Moments later, three generations of Breima''s crowded around the iron sculpture of Hawk in the alcove at the top of the stairs. It¡¯s eyes still pulsing pale blue.


    "I''m not trying to be sarcastic or anything, but is this unusual?" Lottica asked.


    Deilune looked to his parents, who remained silent, before he answered. "Given recent events, unusual may have changed its meaning a bit. However, I can tell you that to my knowledge this never happened while I grew up here. Now, I will say that there have always been stories about this old statue. This Hawk. My parents would know more about that, though."


    Deilune gave a deferential nod towards his father who, in turn, inclined his head to Grandmother Breima. She pursed her lips tightly. "We talk at dinner. Twenty minutes." Without another glance, she started down the spiral staircase.


    "What about your ring?" Lottica asked her dad, curious to see how it reacted in the statue¡¯s presence.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Deilune held out his hand. Light still flashed from his ring. He reached for Linda''s hand and placed her wedding ring near his. The stone on her ring also pulsated with the wan light.


    "What does it mean, Dale?" she asked amazed.


    "I don''t know, dear. Maybe at dinner my parents can tell us more."


    He started to lead Linda down the stairs, but noticed his father heading the other direction down the hallway. He did an about-face and followed his father. Linda, Nick and Lottica did likewise. They passed the stately paintings of the Breimas, though Lottica edged away from Beilla¡¯s glowering portrait.


    At the far end of the hall, Grandfather Breima stood in front of a very large painting. They gathered around him. The portrait was of a middle-aged man in a bejeweled robe. Around his neck hung a shining, dazzling blue pendant. In his open hand, he held a fiery red gemstone. In the upper right hand corner of the painting a hawk sat on a precipitous peak, its eyes lit just like Hawk¡¯s statue down the hallway. The hawk was staring to the opposite corner of the painting where on a bare limb a raven perched, its sharp, dark head looking down at a brilliant teardrop falling into blackness.


    Grandfather Breima tapped on the pendant in the portrait. "Kareima," he indicated. He tapped at gem in the figure¡¯s open palm. "Fareima," he said. He tapped on the falling teardrop of pure white light. "Astreima."


    Then he reached up high on the canvas, pointing to the hawk whose eyes lit the portrait with a sad certainty. "Heidein zei," he said, solemnly.


    "Hey-den-zay?" Lottica asked.


    Grandfather Breima glanced back towards the statue''s rhythmic glow. ¡°Heidein zei," he repeated, lightly tapping the painting again. ¡°Hawk knows."


    Without further explanation, he strolled down to dinner.

 40 - The Burning Darkness

    40


    The Burning Darkness


    A centuries-old country manor in Lebreima could conjure unpleasant visions of a drafty dwelling: cold, damp and poorly lit. The Breima family house was none of these. It did have its share of dark alcoves and labyrinth-like hallways on the second floor, but the main rooms, though not always daylight bright, were warm and surprisingly cozy.


    Maybe too cozy. Grandmother Breima liked her furniture. Even in their small house in America she¡¯d overstuffed the place. Here, in Lebreima, the proportions of the rooms were better suited to the size of the pieces. Sideboards and tall cabinets and wardrobes of exquisite wood dominated. Ornate floor lamps stood tall on intricately patterned rugs. Finely upholstered chairs and sofas invited luxurious sitting.


    Which was what Lottica was doing. Sitting. Luxuriating. Feeling happily sated after dinner. Even Grandmother Breima¡¯s cooking felt more lavish to Lottica. The lamb chops she prepared were tender and savory. The vegetables fresh and crisp with loads of creamy butter. And a huckleberry pie that tempted her into a second slice.


    When they gathered in the plush parlor after cleaning up, she and Nick helped their father build a small fire in the enormous hearth. Not because it was cold, but because it seemed natural in these surroundings. Breima Manor, after all, was a very old place, and Lottica had gotten a glimpse of that ancestral past from the family portraits upstairs.


    She even dared to think of herself as part of that ancestry. After all, she was a Breima, a direct descendant, legendary or otherwise, of the Breima. The strange folklore of this family was in her DNA. Maybe that¡¯s why she¡¯d always felt different. Kind of like her Weirdest Witch character. It raised so many questions, and she hoped to get a few answers when her grandparents explained what they knew. About their statue of Hawk. About the painting of the lifestones. About everything.


    Similarly, Nick was trying to answer a few nagging questions himself. Most importantly, how it was possible for his parents to be back from the grave. Nick studied his dad as he prodded at the fire in the hearth. A few days had made a big difference in his appearance. His color was no longer as sallow and bruised. His flesh was tauter, much less bloated. And it was obvious to Nick that his father¡¯s left side, which had been slack and unpredictable, was much more in rhythm with the rest of his body. There was still the out-to-lunch vacancy of his left eye, but his dad apparently had no vision problems with it.


    Nick also noted his mom''s physical improvement was much the same. His parents¡¯ looked like they were recovering from a bad car accident, not from an explosion that had left them stone cold dead. Which begged the question: Was the Kareima healing them? How could a gemstone do that? Wanting badly to stay true to scientific method, Nick wasn''t ready to accept folklore and magic as an explanation.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Isn''t this so nice?" Linda asked from her chair near the fireplace. "We should have all come to Lebreima long ago."


    Deilune looked up from where he was coaxing the fire with a brass poker. He met his wife''s eyes and then ventured a glance at his father who sat directly across from the hearth in an imposing wing-backed chair. Grandmother Breima stood with her hands on top of the chair. Their expressions were still neutral and reserved, which fit their surroundings better. They were formal and proud like Breima Manor. Deilune could see how proud they were to have all their family together in Lebreima.


    "You¡¯re right, dear,¡± Deilune admitted. ¡°We should have brought the children over before this.¡± He looked to his parents. ¡°I''m sorry for not doing that.¡±


    Grandfather Breima betrayed his contentment with a slight nod, saying with thick conviction, "We know you come. Like Hawk, we patient. We know."


    A thrill ran through Lottica. They seemed to really believe the legends. Believe in the Breima legacy. It made her reexamine the resentment she¡¯d felt for them back in America. She¡¯d always viewed them through the tension, the icy relationship that caused so much pain with her parents. Lottica hadn¡¯t really tried to understand their hurt, the feelings of their old ways being abandoned.


    Seeing them in their home in their homeland, knowing she was named for her grandmother and Nick for their grandfather helped her feel a part of their rich and strange heritage. It was if she had discovering a constellation that was only visible in this part of the world. Coming here had already brought so much into focus.


    "Will we stay in Lebreima long?" Lottica asked. "It looks like we have a lot to catch up on."


    "Well, Lottie," Deilune began, "we have no set time frame. Our biggest concern in coming here is to stop Beilla from establishing himself as le Breima. That would give him claims to the Kareima, which for obvious reasons we are not willing to give up. He also would have access to family documents that might help him locate the Astreima."


    Linda leaned forward in her chair. "Dale, I know that the Kareima and Fareima stones have both a real history and a legendary one, but isn''t the Astreima purely fictional?"


    "The Astreima is a fixture only of legends. No gemstone has ever been found. Though, I hardly need to point out that the Kareima''s life-resurrecting qualities, until very recently, were only folklore," Deilune explained, tapping his chest lightly.


    Grandmother Breima moved from behind the chair and faced her son. "We believe. The Tireima, the three lifestones, they are real. The Kareima surprises you. Hawk surprises you. It is because you deny. You are le Breima. Is your duty to accept. To act."


    "What duty, Dale?" Linda asked, rising out of her chair.


    "My duty is to my family," Deilune''s replied, his eyes locked with his mother''s unwavering stare.


    "Lebreima is your family. You must do it!" Grandmother Breima demanded.


    Alarmed at the sudden intensity of their exchange, Lottica broke in, "Do what?"


    Deilune hesitated. He looked from Lottica to Nick to Linda. Then he faced his mother. "The end of the Breima legend, says that a time will come when Raven will recover his memory of where he hid the Astreima. He will gather the three stones forming the Tireima, and, unless he is prevented by le Breima, Raven will bring about the Feirengahst."


    "The what?" Nick asked.


    "The Feirengahst¡­," Deilune hesitated, "¡­the Burning Darkness. The end of all light and life."

 41 - Star Struck

    41


    Star Struck


    "What does this fear-of-gas have to do with us?" asked Lottica, disconcerted by her father''s sudden seriousness.


    "Feirengahst, Lottica. Burning Darkness. The legends warn of the end of the Breima line, and a desolate age of smoldering night in which the creatures of darkness rule." Deilune managed a wry grin. "Rather bleak. You know, typical apocalyptic stuff."


    "But what does Grandmother Breima mean when she says that you have to stop it? It''s just a story, right?"


    "Well, as much as everything has been ¡®just a story¡¯ up to this point. I think my mother,¡± Deilune gave his mom a sideways glance, ¡°means that I need to confront Beilla and stop his power grab. But, we can¡¯t rule out that something more dramatic might be required because of what¡¯s happened with us and the Kareima."


    "Such as?¡± Linda asked.


    "Well, in Lebreiman lore, the Tireima, the lifestones, represent the vital touchpoints of humanity. The Kareima represents life and love; the Fareima, our creative force, our motivating passions; the Astreima, our sense of truth and purpose, our guiding light for good."


    Confused, Lottica asked. "Then how could finding the Astreima be bad?"


    "Whoever comes to possess the Astreima, along with the other stones, would hold great power in Lebreima." Deilune sighed. "Even the purest light, in the hands of a corrupt ruler, can lead people badly astray."


    "Like Beilla," Nick spit out.


    "Yes, Beilla is one of those who believe his way is the only way. If he were able to gather the Tireima, it would not be good for our family or Lebreima.¡± Deilune paused. ¡°Or, if the legends are to be believed, the entire world. Strange things are indeed afoot."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    "Like Hawk? How does it fit into this story?¡± Nick asked. ¡°What¡¯s with its glowing eyes?"


    "Up to now, Hawk has just been a symbol from our folklore, but who knows.¡± Deilune turned to his father and mother. ¡°Anything more you can tell us?"


    In response, Grandfather Breima rose to his feet and walked to the open French doors that separated the room from the hallway. He motioned them to follow. He guided them down the hall and kitchen through a large mudroom and out onto the expansive grounds at the back of the manor. He stopped at the edge of stone patio, staring out into the gathering dusk. The enormous backyard sloped gently away from the house to the east and was already deep in shadow.


    The autumn chill sent goose bumps up Lottica¡¯s bare arms, as did the deepening indigo of the broad sky before her. Facing east, she began to perceive pinpricks of light poking through the descending veil of night. Though still in the northern hemisphere, Lottica had never seen the night sky drop in quite this way. Mesmerized by the brilliance of the stars appearing in the clear, country sky, she sidled up to her grandfather and put her arm around him as if they had been doing this all her young life.


    "This is incredible, Grandfather Breima," she told him.


    He put a hand on her shoulder. "Yes. In-cre-di-ble." He repeated the word slowly, seeming to relish every syllable. "But wait¡­for more incredible."


    "What are we waiting for?" Nick asked, stepping alongside his grandfather.


    Grandfather Breima put his other hand on Nick''s shoulder. "Look at two big trees." He lifted a hand from Nick''s shoulder and pointed towards two towering evergreens a hundred yards to the northeast.


    They watched together as more and more dazzling stars appeared. Soon a group of brighter stars just above the treetops dominated that section of the sky. Nick was just about to ask his grandfather again what they were looking for when Lottica shrieked. With delight.


    "I see it! I see it, Grandfather!"


    Nick looked from his sister to his grandfather and back to the stars just above the treeline. He was hoping he wouldn''t have to ask what they¡¯d recognized. And he didn''t.


    The shape emerging on the horizon became quite clear: there, as if perched atop of the two evergreens was the starry figure of a bird. A hawk. The Hawk? Vividly, the group of stars formed Hawk¡¯s majestic profile, with two bright starry eyes twinkling, just like the statue in the alcove upstairs.


    Lost in the surprise at this Hawk constellation, Lottica and Nick almost didn¡¯t register the yelp of surprise from their mother. But her anguished cry of ¡°Dale? What¡¯s wrong?¡± brought them back into the moment. They turned to their mom kneeling by an eerily pulsing light.


    In the time it took to think the word Kareima, they rushed to their mother.


    She knelt by their father who¡¯d fallen flat on the patio, clutching at his chest. From which icy blue emanations flashed into the gathering darkness, while the starry eyes of the Hawk constellation gleamed coolly down upon the Breima family.

 42 - Strange Pillows and Puzzles

    42


    Strange Pillows and Puzzles


    "I feel so funky," were Deilune''s first words after they¡¯d helped him into the house and onto the sofa in the parlor. His term funky contrasted so greatly with the seeming seriousness of the situation that Lottica wanted to laugh. She didn''t, but she could see her mother and brother felt the same way.


    "Do you hurt anywhere, Dale?" Linda asked.


    Deilune was quiet a moment as if he were taking inventory of his extremities. "No. I feel fine now. I don''t know what happened out there. I just became¡­light."


    "Do you mean light-headed, dear?"


    Again, he hesitated before answering. "Not exactly." He turned to Nick standing behind the sofa. "Nick, do you remember the conversation we had late the night that, that we¡­umm¡­came back? You asked how I felt, and I told you that I seemed lightened. Well, this was much more intense and sudden as if I was about to float away. I think that''s why I ended up on the ground. I couldn''t quite feel my feet and lost my balance."


    Nick¡¯s eyebrows rose. "You felt like you were going to actually float off?"


    "I don''t think so, but it was very disorienting. Like I was being pulled at by another force. Kinda like the moon and the tides."


    "Could it be Hawk?" Lottica asked. "It happened just as the constellation rose."


    Deilune smiled. "My little daarling, it could be anything. I think all of us have to admit we are complete rookies at this new game of abracadabra-hocus-pocus."


    "I don''t believe in magic, Dad," said Nick, his face set and serious.


    "I don''t either, but I think we better get good at pretending we do," he tapped his chest where the pulsing light had dimmed, "because the Kareima and Hawk seem to have their own ideas on the matter."


    Later that night, as Lottica hugged a totally unfamiliar pillow in an ancient old house with mysterious statues and paintings, she tried not to make too much of every creak and groan that the complete darkness of the countryside magnified. Add the fact that her zombie parents were sleeping in the next room, and Lottica¡¯s mind raced like a sprint car.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    It was one thing to cope with an over-active imagination in your own bed in your own house in your own county, it was a completely different thing to be halfway around the world and deal with the peculiar noises of timeworn Breima Manor. But Lottica tried by picturing how this ever-stranger story of the Kareima and her family might play out: fairy godmothers, talking beasts, magicians, spells, epic battles, knights in shining armor.


    Not that she was against any of these scenarios, especially knights in shining armor, but she also had to worry about her not-so-dead parents. Her major worry was keeping them from dying¡ªagain. Her dad¡¯s brief fainting episode earlier in the evening, along with her parents¡¯ inexplicable weakness when confronted by Beilla in the Food Court a few days ago left her uneasy. It was too disquieting how precarious, how uncertain, their connection to life appeared to be.


    Lottica hugged her unfamiliar pillow tighter. Its musky smell reminding her of that first hug of her mother''s the morning after she¡¯d rejoined the living. She felt a sort of numbness, like a far-off sorrow, on the edge of her consciousness. It was one thing to take care of herself. It was a whole other thing to worry about her family, the people she loved most deeply.


    Bewildered, but unwilling to give in to confusion and helplessness, she took deep breaths.


    One¡­


    Two¡­


    Three¡­


    Slowly she relaxed, sinking gently into the big picture: the legends of the lifestones, of Hawk and of Raven.


    It reminded her of learning the constellations with her parents on warm summer nights in their backyard. They''d show her a star chart and point out the key stars. It took her awhile to get the constellations straight. She¡¯d mix up Andromeda with Pegasus or Cygnus with Cepheus. It wasn¡¯t until her parents began to tell her the myths, the stories behind the stars, that the constellations became clear and recognizable patterns to her. Orion was just a row of stars until she could picture the ancient hunter¡¯s belt and great bow.


    Tonight, it had helped her to see the Hawk constellation. She sensed it was an important piece to the mystery of the Kareima and the other lifestones. A puzzle piece that might explain how the three legendary gemstones fit together. Though, in her gut, something seemed to be missing from the story. The puzzle far from complete.


    Hopefully, her search for that missing piece could begin tomorrow. Before retiring to bed, their grandparents told them that they would be driving into Kreistia, the nearby town, to do some shopping and find out any news about Beilla. They also had a plan to prepare Lebreima for Deilune¡¯s reappearance, believing they could counter any previous reports of Deilune¡¯s demise as propaganda spread by Beilla in order to wrest power from their family.


    Grandfather Breima had asked Deilune and Linda to keep a low profile for the time being and not come with them. Lottica asked if she and Nick could come. Their grandparents had been very pleased by the request. Grandfather had ended the conversation with a glint of conspiracy in his eyes when he gravely pointed at his grandchildren saying, "Yes, enough vacation. Now, school for you."


    So, in a far-off country, curled up with a strange pillow in an unfamiliar bed in the mysterious stillness of her first night at Breima Manor, it was this expectation of what Lebreima might have to teach her that finally calmed Lottica¡¯s racing thoughts and allowed her to drift into dreams that, oddly enough, were far less fantastic than her current reality.

 43 - Schooled

    43


    Schooled


    The town of Kreistia, though only a few miles from Breima Manor, was completely hidden by a hilly horseshoe peppered with ancient elms and oaks. The road they took followed a wide and shallow river which narrowed and deepened near the outskirts of the hamlet.


    Neither Lottica nor Nick had ever travelled out of the United States before, so Kreistia, with its rustic stone structures, slate roofs, narrow lanes and cobblestones, was only familiar in a theme park kind of way. As the Land Rover neared the town square, they each felt a tremendous urge to wander Kreistia¡¯s medieval streets. This town begged for exploring.


    "Where are we going first, Grandmother?" Nick asked.


    "We drive to market. I shop. Grandfather take you to school."


    "School?¡± Lottica did a double-take. ¡°I thought we were learning about Lebreima from experiencing it. We''re not really going to school, are we?"


    Grandfather Breima laughed and pointed to his temple. "School here.¡± Then he pointed out the window. ¡°Also there"


    Lottica relaxed. Her grandparents had become much more playful, much more at ease in Lebreima, as if a burden had been lifted. Or a victory won. Maybe the struggle to bring back their son and his family had made them seem stern and aloof. It was great to finally have interactive grandparents, not the blocks of ice they¡¯d had to skate around in America. She hoped their new relationship would last.


    Grandfather Breima soon parked the Land Rover near a grassy bank by the main bridge straddling the river. Grandmother Breima took two empty canvas bags out of the back and nodded to her husband. She headed off down the street towards the movement and colors of various vendors and their wares. Lottica felt a duty to go with her, that it was somehow expected of her because she was a girl.


    Grandfather Breima must have seen her hesitation. He took her hand. "Lotteika says you to come with me."


    She squeezed his hand. "Thank you, Grandfather." And Grandmother, she thought.


    He squeezed her hand back. "First school lesson. In Lebreima, I not Grandfather Breima." He pronounced it in a nasal American way, which made Lottica and Nick laugh. "Here, I am Bopei. Grandmother is Ladamei. It is right way."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Lottica took one of her grandfather¡¯s hands and Nick grabbed the other. grandfather, "Lead on, Bopei,¡± Lottica chimed. ¡°Teacher knows best."


    A few minutes later as they wound through a maze of narrow lanes, Lottica asked Nick, "You getting the same Hansel and Gretel vibe that I am?"


    Heavy-timbered buildings cantilevered over the lane, almost touching overhead. Though many of the buildings were brightly colored, the effect was still mildly claustrophobic to Lottica, like being in a dark old-growth forest.


    Nick chuckled. "Hansel and Gretel. Are you still hung up on those dead-parent stories, Lottica? I don''t think you have to worry that we''ll be abandoned.¡± He gestured around. ¡°This is great. Kind of like Harry Potter¡¯s Wizarding World. Or Cinderella¡¯s Disneyland castle. Or Snow White¡¯s cottage. As long as no one around here starts singing ¡®Hi Ho Hi Ho,¡¯ I think we''re okay."


    ¡°Sure, keep making fun of dead-parent stories. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t try to warn you with them.¡±


    They laughed, but their grandfather who¡¯d been listening, gave them a scowl. "Lebreima not Disneyland."


    "Sorry, gran¡ªI mean, Bopei." Nick recovered. "You¡¯re absolutely right. This is pretty incredible."


    "Damn straight," he shot back, his scowl melting into a bright grin reminiscent of their father.


    "Bopei!" Lottica gawked, genuinely surprised. "Where did you learn that? That''s swearing."


    "American TV is bad teacher. I apologize. Is not polite. But, make us even for Disneyland comment." He held up his hand.


    Nick eventually understood his gesture and gently high-fived him. Lottica followed suit.


    "Where is everyone, Bopei?" Lottica asked as they came onto a wider, more major road that was as quiet as the backstreets.


    "Today is market. Busy for Ladamei. Much talking. Much shopping. In Lebreima, she is talker."


    "You too, Bopei," Nick ventured.


    "Only for grandchildren." He smiled broadly again and then waved them on. "Come. We getting close."


    "To the school?" Lottica asked.


    Grandfather Breima did not answer. Instead, he turned a last corner and there before them was a broad cobblestone plaza with large trees enclosing a shimmering fountain, its jets of water creating a fine spray. Beyond the fountain, and the brisk mist it was generating, was a stately old building with a bronze cupola adorned by diamond-shaped panes of leaded glass.


    "Is that the school?" Lottica asked, marveling at the sight.


    "Soon," he answered and led them down the center of the plaza.


    As they approached the fountain, the pumps cycled off and the mist cleared. Right in front of their widening eyes stood a giant bird in the center of the fountain. A huge granite monument of Hawk, its wings spread wide as if landing. Its right claw clasping a brilliant crystal that swam in prismatic blues, greens and yellows in the early morning sunlight and mist.


    The mighty sculpture of Hawk was impressive. Yet, as they drew closer, what made Lottica grasp Nick''s arm was the rest of the monument. Beneath Hawk¡¯s claws, two human hands, upright and folded as if in prayer, rested on the broad chest of a kingly figure in repose. And one more wonder awaited. Engraved at the base of the statue was the phrase that had brought them halfway around the world: Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima.


    Lottica could¡¯ve blamed it on the mist from the fountain, but the colossal sculpture of Feodeim, the first le Breima with Hawk brought a tear to her eye.


    Wow, thought Lottica, brushing the tear away, can Bopei ever teach.

 44 - Heartless Lesson

    44


    Heartless Lesson


    Bopei¡¯s second lesson of the day was more subtle. He guided Lottica and Nick into the stately building next to the remarkable fountain. It was the town hall, a good portion of which served as the library and government archive for the province. He sent them off to explore the maze of book stacks in the library filling an entire wing of the building while he did some official business connected to his return.


    As the siblings walked down the library aisles heaped with heavy leather-bound tomes, many of them centuries old, they figured out their grandfather¡¯s lesson: Lebreima had been around a long time. Its heritage, traditions, customs reaching far back into history. Most of the books were in Lebreiman and unreadable to them, but the act of hefting one off a shelf, feeling the thickness of the paper and almost amateurish unevenness of the typesetting, was like time traveling.


    Many pre-dated the American Revolution. And it didn''t matter that they might be stale volumes of land claims, or merchandise inventories, their brittle pages recorded a history long before Lottica and Nick¡¯s country had even been founded. It made them feel even younger than their young years.


    Twenty minutes later, Bopei found them nestled at the base of a shelf that held tomes half the size of Lottica. Another gentleman was with him. He seemed to be much older man than their grandfather, his white hair thinner and shoulders more stooped, but his eyes were alive and merry. Lottica could see in the smiles the two men exchanged that they were long-time friends.


    Grandfather Breima¡¯s friend leaned over the children and asked in fluent English, ¡°What are you reading there?¡±


    ¡°The biggest book we could find,¡± Lottica answered. ¡°We can¡¯t actually read Lebreiman.¡¯


    The older man peered at the book cover and chuckled. ¡°I cannot read this book either. It is in Latvian.¡±


    Bopei bade his grandchildren rise and then introduced his friend. "Nick and Lottica, please meet Weirhamatt. He is great teacher. He is master of these books."


    "No, no, Nickeillatus," Weirhamatt chuckled quietly, "I am their servant. You see, they still stand straight and I do not."


    "We¡¯re pleased to meet you, sir," Lottica said


    Weirhamatt¡¯s stooped shoulders straightened a bit. "Nikeillatus, she is just as Lotteika those many years ago."


    Once again, a thrill electrified Lottica. That strange recognition of ancient connections. She felt herself blushing, but she didn''t try to hide it. Stepping forward, she gently took Weirhamatt''s hand. "Thank you for the compliment."


    "So, very polite,¡± Weirhamatt said. ¡°Now, come, come. I have promised your bopei a special lesson for such far away visitors."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Weirhamatt ushered them out of the library wing of the building and into the central hall where the cupola rose sixty feet above them. He stopped on a sunburst design inset into the marble floor directly below the cupola. He pointed upwards. "As Breima, you, of course, must know the story of Hawk."


    Lottica, her neck craned back, saw the dark form of Hawk, his wings spread wide, suspended in the golden light of the gilt dome. She suspected this was another part of the schooling Bopei had promised. Weirhamatt led them through a large outer office bustling with officials and secretaries many of whom nodded with respect to Weirhamatt and Grandfather Breima and smiled at the children. At the back of the office, Weirhamatt opened a rather nondescript door and bowed his head deferentially.


    "Please accept Lebreima''s humble hospitality," he said ushering them in.


    He waved Lottica in first and her eyes almost popped out. Beyond the staid oak door, a chamber of supreme majesty greeted them. The room was two stories tall. Immediately to Lottica''s left, filling one entire wall, were ornate bookcases filled with elegant volumes, sparkling with gilt lettering on their spines. Two finely polished brass ladders rested on high tracks. A grand fireplace and mantle anchored the wall directly opposite the door they entered.


    Two massive chandeliers of filigreed brass and crystal hung above and served to divide the room. Under the chandelier nearest the massive hearth, finely upholstered chairs and small tables were arranged. Beneath the closer of the two chandeliers, a gleaming desk of finely inlaid wood was positioned to face the outer wall.


    Here, simple wonder gave way to sheer awesomeness. The entire outer wall of the chamber was a monumental stained glass depiction of the sculpture they¡¯d seen in the plaza fountain. Though more stylized, almost primitive in form, it represented the prostrate form of le Breima his hands clasped above his chest with Hawk perched on his fingertips. And, of course, the brilliant form of the Kareima, dead center in the window. The intricately pieced glass created an underwater vibrancy of light and color. The sky above le Breima''s form subtly changed from the brilliant star-light quality of the heartstone to the deep purples and indigos of cavernous space.


    The stained glass was breathtaking. A marvel to behold. Lottica studied the glass mural, its beauty and craftsmanship. Yet, her eyes kept being drawn to a strange emptiness directly beneath le Breima''s prayerful hands. There was a blank pane of glass approximately six inches square. She was about to ask Weirhamatt about it when Nick called out.


    "Lottica, you gotta see this!" He stood with Bopei and Weirhamatt next to an ornate bookstand placed between the two chandeliers. As she joined them, Nick stepped aside and let her see. On the lavish stand, a medieval manuscript rested. The left-hand page of the soft vellum was covered in carefully scripted writing, all of it in Lebreiman.


    The right-hand page glowed with color. Divided into four quadrants, the page held illuminated drawings of the Kareima, the Fareima, and the Astreima. Lottica¡¯s attention was drawn to the mysterious image of the Astreima, the one gemstone of the legendary lifestones that no human had ever beheld. She was about to ask about the Astreima, when her eyes tracked down the manuscript page. Her eyes almost popped out again.


    The drawing in the lower right corner seemingly depicted two children, a boy and a girl. Each had their hands raised above their heads. In their hands, they held a heart emanating fiery light. Beneath their unclad feet, a dark bird spread its wings, the wingspan growing ever thinner until two thing lines curved up to touch the brilliant rays flowing from the boy and girl¡¯s hands.


    Lottica sucked in a deep breath, mesmerized. And also disconcerted. In the richly inked image of the boy and the girl there was a void, a heart-shaped blank. The void in each of the children bothered Lottica. It spoke of such desolation, of something vital missing. It raised so many questions.


    What did the image represent? Who were the children? Why were their hearts so empty?


    Despite the warm features of the majestic room and its amazing collection, that last question sent a deep chill down Lottica¡¯s spine.

 45 - Lady and Lord

    45


    Lady and Lord


    Weirhamatt cordially seated them in the plush chairs near the fireplace. He motioned to the massive stained glass window and began explaining, "Lebreima is full of stories, full of wonders. I am sure you have heard tales of Feodeim, Hawk, Raven and the legendary powers of the lifestones, the Tireima.¡± He nodded towards Grandfather Breima. ¡°But has your bopei ever introduced you to the other great magic of Lebreima?"


    "We''ve been learning more and more about the Kareima, Fareima and Astreima recently," Nick replied, discreetly.


    Weirhamatt scowled playfully at their grandfather, "So, your grandchildren know nothing of seimei? Such a shame. No wonder they have not come to Lebreima sooner."


    "What is ¡®say-may¡¯¡±? Lottica asked.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Weirhamatt said, bowing slightly. He left the room, quickly returning with a rolling cart covered by a large silver lid. With a flourish belying his many years, Weirhamatt removed the gleaming lid to reveal four steaming cups. A heavenly sweet aroma wafted from the cart. Next to the delicate cups was a broad platter set with dark, rich morsels.


    Nick sat up straighter in his seat as he eyed the delicacies. Weirhamatt smiled at Nick¡¯s reaction and explained, "Seimei is the most magical of sweets. It is Lebreiman chocolate. And Lebreiman chocolate is the richest in the world. Please help yourself before your bopei takes it all. He had a great sweet tooth as a young man."


    He deftly handed Lottica and Nick their cups of hot seimei. Then, he handed around the platter of intricately shaped morsels. Nick popped one of the treats resembling a mini-pretzel into his mouth. As far as school in Lebreima went, Nick felt this was the best lesson so far. The chocolate was smooth, not overly sweet, its rich savor lingering in his mouth. Deep in his dessert-loving heart, he knew he couldn''t be trusted alone with a plate full of these treats.


    Lottica did not have the sweet tooth her brother did, but she found seimei¡¯s evenness and lightness refreshing, enjoying every bite of the smooth chocolate. After a few minutes of quiet, contented nibbling and sipping, Lottica ventured to ask, "Mr. Weirhamatt, sir, what does the drawing mean?" She pointed to the bookstand with the illuminated manuscript.


    "Please. No formalities. Everyone calls me Weirhamatt. May I call you Lottica and Nick?" He waited for their nods and then set down his hot seimei and brought his fingertips together. The gesture reminded Lottica of the figure of le Breima in the stained glass window just behind her. "Understand, Lottica and Nick, that the stories of Lebreima''s beginnings are shrouded in much mystery and folklore. Yet, these fantastic beginnings have actual relics. Most visibly, the Kareima and Fareima gemstones.¡±


    Lottica and Nick both nodded again. They¡¯d had up close and personal experience with those unpredictable gems.


    Weirhamatt continued in flawless English, "Yet, the Astreima is a power that Lebreimans only know from the story of its theft by Raven. It is unclear what the three stones, the Tireima, together would mean. Some ancients texts speak of doom, others speak of paradise.


    "The manuscript I set out for you to see this morning is the earliest complete text of the tales of Breima. The drawings of the three gemstones are clear. The fourth drawing has always inspired speculation. Is the bird beneath the figures Hawk or Raven? Who do the figures of the boy and girl represent? Why are there empty spaces in their chests? It is all very curious."


    Curious? Lottica felt Weirhamatt¡¯s comment was a bit understated. Magical gemstones. Zombie parents. Power-crazed, caped men. These things were more than just curious. ¡°So, no one really knows what this means. Even here in Lebreima,¡± she gestured dramatically to the two-story tall shelves of aging volumes on the wall, ¡°with all your books."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Weirhamatt chuckled. "Yes, I am Lebreiman, but these are not my books. They are yours."


    "What do you mean?" Nick interrupted, his mind at once switched over from the tantalizing seimei.


    "This room. These books. They belong to le Breima. This is the legacy of your family. This is why your bopei has brought you here." Weirhamatt paused to let that sink in.


    "Is it true, Bopei?" Lottica asked.


    "Is true. I ask Weirhamatt show you. He is caretaker. He is teacher of Breima, and¡­" Grandfather Breima hung is head in mock self derision, "¡­his English much gooder."


    They all laughed. Though, the tone became once more serious as Weirhamatt further explained, "This is one reason Beilla wishes to be le Breima. He covets these books, especially the volume I have specially shown you."


    "How do you know he wants all these books?" Nick asked.


    Weirhamatt hesitated and looked to Grandfather Breima before answering. "He was my student long ago. And not so long ago, he was my assistant here in the library archives."


    "But, if he was your assistant, wouldn''t he already know what''s in here?"


    "A good point, Nick. Most of Beilla¡¯s time as my assistant was spent in the library wing where I met you. This room is reserved for only the most special of occasions and only by permission of le Breima." He nodded towards their grandfather.


    Nick had to keep reminding himself that his grandparents and undead parents were akin to royalty in this land. "But isn''t our father, le Breima?" Nick asked.


    "He would be if he were alive. I was so grieved to learn of your father and mother''s deaths. All Lebreima was heartbroken." Weirhamatt bowed his head in deference.


    Nick and Lottica both took the opportunity to make eye contact with their grandfather who quickly brought his forefinger to his pursed lips. They understood from this gesture that not even Weirhamatt had been told of their parents'' miraculous return.


    Lifting his head, Weirhamatt continued, "It is of course quite disconcerting to learn as I did from your bopei that Beilla may have been behind their deaths. It is clear that Beilla wishes to claim the title of le Breima."


    "But isn''t Bopei still le Breima?" Lottica asked, confused.


    "He is and will always be to me, Lottica, but your bopei officially ceded the title to your father. He did this in an effort to convince Deilune to return here and take on the responsibilities of the title.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that did not persuade Deilune. Your bopei then took the Kareima to America with him. He confided this to me. It would have been a terrible scandal had it been found out. The secret was almost perfectly kept, except that Beilla discovered the Kareima missing. He did this by breaking into this very chamber last spring.


    "That is when Beilla launched his campaign against your family and ultimately followed your grandparents to America, taking the Fareima with him. He is now considered an outcast by the people of Kreistia. Though, he is still something of a hero in the north where he was born and raised. However, even that support will evaporate when all Lebreima learns, as your bopei has recently told me, that Beilla was responsible for your parents'' deaths."


    "Do you really think Beilla will come back here and try to become le Breima?" Nick asked.


    Weirhamatt paused and then said very softly, almost apologetically, "He is already back."


    Lottica gripped the arms of her chair tightly. "How do you know?"


    "He has been here."


    "What! When?" Lottica asked in dismay.


    "Early this morning."


    "Today!" Lottica gasped. "Beilla was here?"


    "Yes, he came and filed a claim as le Breima. He believes he can get the support of our parliament to achieve his goal, even though he is not a direct descendant of Breima. He is arguing that unless a direct descendant of Breima comes forth to claim the title it should be his."


    "Can he really do this?" Nick asked.


    Weirhamatt smiled like a chess master checkmating an opponent in three moves. "I told him that he might have been able to make that claim yesterday, but that it was no longer valid."


    Nick shifted somewhat uncomfortably at the emphasis Weirhamatt placed on the word yesterday and what it implied. "What did Beilla say?"


    "He, of course, wanted to know how I could be so impudent as to dismiss his claim out of hand." Weirhamatt answered with relish. "I simply told him that I would be meeting with the heirs of Breima later this morning."


    Nick¡¯s eyes raced to his grandfather for some kind of guidance. "What does he mean, Bopei? Does he mean us?"


    Grandfather Breima nodded.


    Weirhamatt solemnly dipped his head to Lottica and then Nick. "Welcome home, Lady and Lord Breima."

 46 - Roller Coaster

    46


    Roller Coaster


    A little fresh air helped revive Lottica after Weirhamatt''s astonishing declaration that she was officially considered Lady Breima. She and Nick were waiting by the plaza fountain while her grandfather and Weirhamatt discussed ¡°official matters¡±. It seemed to Lottica that if she were really royalty, she could listen to any official matters. She wondered if her brother felt the same way. ¡°So, what do you think of being Lebreiman royalty, Nick?¡±


    Turning his attention from the massive sculpture of Hawk, Nick spread his arms wide. "A bit hard to believe, isn''t it, that we''re a part of all this, Lady Breima?"


    "Quit with the Lady Breima stuff, unless you''re ready to be Lord Breima!"


    "Doesn¡¯t bother me. Kinda has a nice ring to it, doesn¡¯t it?"


    "Certainly, sire," Lottica mocked with a curtsy and and flourish of her hand, mussing his floppy hair. "You are Lord Nick of the realm of Le-brainless. Command thy loyal servant."


    He pushed her hand away and pointed to the middle of the fountain. "Go douse thyself and be healed of all lame humor."


    "Yeah, well, I think you¡¯re all wet about the Lord and Lady stuff,¡± Lottica countered. Then, more seriously, ¡°We didn''t come to Lebreima with this in mind. Dad and Mom didn''t either. Do you think Grandfather and Grandmother did?"


    "I don''t know, Lottie. Grandfather may have had to play along because he couldn''t let Weirhamatt know that Dad and Mom are alive and here in Lebreima. The situation is fairly complex.¡±


    Lottica nodded. "Yeah. Crazy complex. A massive puzzle, and we don¡¯t even know what the picture looks like, let alone how may pieces we¡¯re missing.¡± She gestured towards the statue of Hawk. ¡°You have to admit though, that this is pretty amazing. If we weren''t here, we''d be sitting in a classroom back home being average Americans.


    ¡°Bopei was right about schooling us. We have a lot to learn about Lebreima. Like that book. Aren''t you a bit creeped by that drawing of the boy and girl with no heart? Doesn''t it make you a bit suspicious that Weirhamatt showed us that particular page?"


    "Why? You think we''re that boy and girl?" Nick scoffed. He suddenly started making jerky movements and squeaking noises. "Please, Dorothy, oil my joints before we get to Oz. I''d do it myself if I only had a heart." He clasped his chest dramatically. "See, another dead-parent story for your collection."


    "Yeah, Nick, you''re all heart. A real lord among men." She pouted in a most calculated way. "Am I crazy to think we have something positive to contribute in this le Breima business?"


    "Sorry. And enough with the pouty lip stuff. I''m just trying to keep this light. I mean, I feel like we¡¯re in Oz or Never-Never Land¡ªor maybe StrongBadia.¡± He checked to see if this caused her to pout more. It hadn¡¯t, so he continued. ¡°Being in Lebreima feels intense at times, and then other moments I think to myself, ''Bring it on!'' because I don''t actually believe this can be happening. You know, like a roller coaster dream where you get to the top of the ride and the track ends. Nothing but free fall ahead. Does that make sense?"


    Lottica bit her extended lip and shot him an I''ll-forgive-you-but-only-because-you''re-my-big-dumb-brother roll of the eyes. "Sure, Nick. Just be ready to buckle up when this roller coaster reaches the end of its track. It might be a rocky road back to reality."


    Twenty minutes later, Grandfather Breima rejoined them by the fountain. He seemed pleased, and Lottica couldn''t resist the opportunity to ask, "Bopei, how can you let Weirhamatt think we are the heirs to le Breima. That''s Dad''s title, isn''t it?"The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    He surprised Lottica by taking her hand and sinking to one knee to look directly into her eyes. "Of course! Deilune is le Breima. You are le Breima. I am le Breima. It is here." He pressed her hand to his heart. "This makes us le Breima."


    "Did you tell Weirhamatt about Dad before you left?" Nick asked.


    "No. Is difficult. Deilune is dead to Lebreima. Not easy to bring him back."


    They could see his point. Only a week ago on a stormy Halloween night, they¡¯d witnessed their father and mother¡ªoblivious to their own deaths¡ªclimb out of a sarcophagus. Even in an ancient place like Lebreima, steeped in supernatural folklore, it had to be hard to believe in zombies. Even zombies as as good-natured as their parents.


    "So, how are we going to let people know? How is Dad going to reclaim the title of le Breima?" Nick wanted to know.


    "Always questions. Good questions from smart children." He motioned them back the way they had come through town. "For answers we need big brain."


    They followed at his heels. He led them through more narrow, winding backstreets until they came to base of a high hill at the edge of Kreistia. Red and yellow leaves shimmered in a fiery patchwork of trees on the hillside. A well-worn path wound in and out of the trees up to enticing stone towers and walls just visible at the crest. A remnant of mist lingered about the hilltop making the structure seem further away in both distance and time.


    The town of Kreistia was certainly old, but the edifice atop the hill felt positively primeval to Lottica. "Are we going up there?" she asked, hopeful.


    "Yes. For answers," her grandfather replied.


    "Is this part of school? Who lives up there?"


    Grandfather Breima gestured grandly upward, his family ring flashing in the sunlight in a very familiar way. "This lesson. Only Hawk knows." And with that cryptic remark, he led his puzzled grandchildren up the path towards the lofty perch on the hilltop.


    As they chugged along through thick-trunked elm, oak, maple and chestnut trees, Lottica expected Nick to make some offhand "yellow-bricked road" remark after his Wizard of Oz comment earlier. He remained silent and she figured he was probably lost in his own private poppy field of questions. The same as she was: Where was Bopei leading them? What was this lesson only Hawk knew?


    Back in America, Lottica asked herself a lot of questions, but in Lebreima her questions seemed much more exhausting. As was the steep pitch of the trail. She was also starting to feel the effects of jet lag. Up ahead, her grandfather, who was almost seventy years old, seemed barely winded. Lottica quickened her pace to catch him, and, as she did, he halted near a switchback where the trees thickened and the atmosphere darkened.


    "Wait here. I come back for you,¡± he told them, glancing over his shoulder towards the tangled treetops. ¡°Five minutes. Maybe." Without waiting for a response, he strode up the trail, his figure quickly lost among tree trunks.


    In the sudden excitement and exertion of the climb, Lottica had worked up a bit of a sweat. Now stopped, a chill quickly settled on her. A breeze rattled the brittle leaves around her feet and she shivered.


    "You nervous?" Nick asked when he saw her shudder.


    "I''m cold, Sherlock. It''s November, remember." She felt like sticking her tongue out at him, but realized he was probably as uncertain as she was about this whole thing. "I guess I¡¯m a little edgy. Any thoughts on what we¡¯re doing trudging up this hill?"


    "Not really. I trust Grandfa¡ªI mean, Bopei. I just have to keep reminding myself that everything is different here. Some of it beyond rational sense. But it''s happening. I guess that¡¯s why we have words like trust and faith."


    "Yeah,¡± Lottica agreed. ¡°I guess we''re used to thinking about make-believe things like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny, but not things like the Kareima, Hawk and Raven. We¡¯re having to stretch our American-made imaginations."


    "Big time. Which is part of the challenge, but there''s another part, too,¡± he mused. ¡°You know I''m into anatomy. How our bodies works. Like why you''re shivering, and why my heart is pounding right now. But, all of that is because, more than ever, I want to understand what makes us alive and aware.


    "I mean, if Dad and Mom could be physically dead for three months and then come back with their minds and memories intact, where does consciousness truly exist? That¡¯s the monster question that keeps looping through my mind, like an annoying GIF."


    Lottica stopped shivering and looked keenly at her brother. "Wow, Nick, I knew you were intense at times, but I didn''t realize how deep your thinking went. I always figured I was the one who thought way too much. You know, all my left-brained writing and artsy stuff."


    She paused when he didn¡¯t laugh, and then quickly continued, "I''m not trying to be mean or anything. I''m just surprised you were willing to tell me what¡¯s really been on your mind."


    He waved her concern off. "No worries, Lottie. Seems like there¡¯ll be plenty of heavy thinking to go around, and, I suppose, two left-brains are better than one.¡±


    Before Lottica could respond, a shrill, ominous cry sounded on the hilltop. It sent a new breed of shivers down Lottica''s spine, and got Nick''s heart pounding double-time. Without a second thought, they raced up the switchback through the trees where they¡¯d lost sight of their grandfather.

 47 - Complications

    47


    Complications


    Complicated.


    Deilune had hiked into the foothills fronting Breima manor to get some air and to mull over the last few days. The sun had long since cleared the treeline along the wide trail. In the hazy distance, he could make out the town of Kreistia where his parents had taken Nick and Lottica earlier that morning. From this vantage, the town and all Lebreima appeared peaceful. But he knew his presence here could throw his homeland into turmoil.


    Complicated.


    A person makes decisions. Believes in a path, in a direction. The journey feels right. Satisfying. Productive.


    And then¡­


    A person looks back. Longings. Heartfelt desires for all that was left behind.


    Many times as a boy, Deilune trod this path into the foothills. A care-free kid. Not an heir to le Breima, not an expatriate, not a husband and father, certainly not a zombie.


    Deilune couldn¡¯t exactly place what he was feeling. It wasn¡¯t regret exactly. Certainly not remorse. It was more like searching for something he¡¯d misplaced. Something vital. Like a sense of control. A sense of purpose.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Deep down, he was mourning a loss of simplicity. From his boyhood to adulthood to whatever it was now. Zombiehood?


    Yes, Deilune was simply wishing his life hadn¡¯t become so complicated.


    Then, again, complicated or not, he wondered if he should really be questioning what had been given back to him. Life. His family. His country.


    So, why was he questioning himself, his identity? Why was he worried about the future, his destiny?


    No doubt Deilune was at a crossroad. Fate had brought him back to Lebreima, his homeland, though not really his home anymore. He was the heir to his parents'' estate. To them he was le Breima, a title he¡¯d never given serious thought to before.


    He took a deep breath and felt the crisp rush of autumn fill his lungs. It felt good to be alive, even with the pang of uncertainty that accompanied each breath. What were his responsibilities now?


    They had seemed so simple before: Linda, Nick and Lottica. Now, his heart that ached was not really his. He clasped a hand to his chest and hoped for reassurance. The Kareima was inseparable from him. The lore of Lebreima was bound up in mystical creatures and magical stones. He had become a part of it. Man to myth. Myth to man


    He stopped on the trail in the crisp November light, wishing all he had to do was laugh, a good cleansing laugh, and have all his cares fall away.


    He managed a half smile and sigh. It was purely and simply¡ªcomplicated.


    Behind him along a bend in the trail, he heard faint footsteps. Instantly, he felt it must be Linda. She was the part of his being that he needed to make life whole, give it meaning and uncomplicate things.


    His mood lightened at the thought that she had followed him. She¡¯d listen. Help him, as she always had, make the right decisions. Her patience and insight would enable them find a new balance between this old world of Lebreima and the life they¡¯d known in America.


    Deilune trotted back down the bend in the trail, anxious to see his wife and start making plans to get them beyond this zombie paralysis. His spirits soared, and he broke into an uneven jog that swiftly brought him round the bend into a hollow of trees where, indeed, he caught sight of Linda coming up the trail.


    He raised a hand, waving to her.


    But his wave turned into a fist.


    His jog turned into a charge.


    For, emerging behind his beloved wife, Deilune saw the menacing shapes of Beilla and Abzeig in their raven-black capes.

 48 - Dive Bombed

    48


    Dive Bombed


    Nick and Lottica charged, too. Towards the hilltop where the piercing cry had set their hearts pumping. Concerned about their grandfather¡¯s well being, they sprinted up the path and emerged from the wooded thicket into a steep little meadow where they were surprised by three sheep. The grazing sheep silently raised their curious heads as the two children burst upon them.


    The wind blew much brisker out of the protection of the trees, and Lottica shivered again. Suddenly, a swift, screeching shadow passed over the sheep, which made them bleat excitedly. Nick and Lottica instinctively ducked.


    "What is it?" Lottica asked trying to catch her breath.


    ¡°No clue,¡± Nick answered, his eyes darting around them.


    They remained crouched as the screeching black thing passed close by again. Then they heard a scolding voice begin a tirade in Lebreiman. It was their grandfather''s voice echoing high above them.


    Nick and Lottica moved further out into the meadow where they could see above the trees. Lottica¡®s skin tingled again, but not in fear or because of a chill. She experienced a tremor of excitement. Her grandfather stood on the flat roof of an old stone building, beyond which rose a silver-domed tower. A narrow spiral staircase led from the rooftop around the tower to a heavy wooden door near the top. It was the dome that made Lottica tremble. It was clearly an observatory.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    She reluctantly drew her attention back to her grandfather who was admonishing, in a playful way, a tall angular man who had his arms raised as if reaching up for the rungs of an imaginary ladder. The tall man gazed into the sky, and Lottica followed his gaze. She sighted a small black shape high in the sky. It zipped gracefully against the deep blue. With a swift motion, the tall man next to her grandfather brought his arms down and the small black shape dove with a shrill, wind-rending rip right towards her.


    With a yelp, Lottica dove into the grass as the dark shape sped past. "Look out!" she yelled to her brother, but Nick remained standing with his eyes fixed on the tall figure next to their grandfather.


    "It''s a kite, Lottie."


    Her peripheral vision finally picked up the dark shape rising once more. She watched as the tall man''s hands moved deftly and the kite responded. She felt a little foolish. Then she remembered the observatory.


    "Nick, did you see the tower? It''s got¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, their grandfather called down for them to come up and join him. Lottica was on her feet darting up the path before Nick knew it. The path led to a small courtyard. On the east side was a grey and weathered door that stood ajar. On the west side was a weathered wooden staircase that led onto the roof. Lottica bounded up the stairs and was met by her grandfather.


    She was beaming. "Bopei, this is the coolest."


    In a moment, Nick clambered up and joined them. "Wow!" he exclaimed, admiring the view of Krestia below and the rolling hills spreading out to the west. Beyond, steeper peaks thrust up like jagged black teeth capped white with the first dustings of snow.


    "Yes. Is beautiful," Grandfather Breima acknowledged. ¡°I must introduce." He turned to the tall man who was winding the nearly invisible lines of his kite. "Nick and Lottica, this is le Heidein."


    The tall man reeled in the last of his lines and the dark kite that had spooked Lottica and Nick, and the three sheep, in the meadow. The triangular kite was meticulously painted. In each of the three corners blazed a gemstone: one red, one blue, one white. And up close, the siblings easily recognized the familiar form painted on the kite: piercing crystal eyes, sharply hooked beak, powerful talons.


    The tall owner of the kite bowed to them. "Call me Hawk."

 49 - Hawks View

    49


    Hawk¡¯s View


    Lottica was struck by Heiden¡¯s eyes. Hawk eyes. Sharp eyes, deep green in the center, radiating an emerald luminescence that gave Lottica a feeling she was gazing into the heart of some distant nebula. The birthplace of a star.


    Spellbound by his eyes, she almost forgot her excitement about the observatory. But she quickly recovered, pointing to the silver dome behind them. ¡°May we see the observatory?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Heidein answered. He set his kite and lines down and led them up the spiral staircase to the domed chamber. He paused at the door. His lanky form and snowy hair set against the rich blue November sky, he dug into a pocket of his tweed jacket and produced a key. It flashed silver in the sunlight, and Lottica saw the key handle¡¯s trademark shape: a hawk.


    ¡°I welcome the heirs of le Breima to my aerie,¡± he said pushing on the thick oaken door. Heidein made no flourish, but when he stepped back from the door that swung reluctantly in, Lottica felt as if she¡¯d been accorded a great honor. Like a glass slipper fitted on her foot, or a bejeweled crown placed on her head. The room she entered was nothing like a palace, though. It was sparse and cold. Yet, in the center was the priceless treasure: a magnificent brass telescope mounted onto a large revolving platform.


    Overhead the dome with its retractable opening moved by the same gears as the platform on which the telescope was pinioned. On the wall were two iron wheels. When Lottica asked how they worked, Heidein demonstrated by turning the upper one and the roof began to retract; he turned the lower wheel and both the telescope and dome rotated in unison.


    Nick nudged Lottica. "Pretty slick, huh?"Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Lottica nodded in reply. All kinds of questions were percolating in her mind but the one that bubbled out was a childish, "May I, please?"


    Heidein smiled, his angular features softening a bit. "Of course." He spun the upper wheel and the aperture on the dome slid slowly aside.


    "I know there is nothing to observe during the daylight, but I just want to see how it works," Lottica trailed off apologetically.


    "Ah, but there is as much to see now as at any time. I constructed this telescope not just for stars and planets. It is meant to be watchful of Lebreima as well. That is why your bopei calls me Hawk."


    "Other reasons, too," Grandfather Breima added with the hint of a smile.


    "Yes, but this is the best reason." He moved to the pedestal that the telescope revolved upon and began to crank on two side-by-side hand gears. The entire platform rose, allowing the telescope to look down upon the village of Kreistia and anywhere within the 360 degrees that the dome rotated. Heidein crossed back to the wall. With the lower control wheel, he positioned the telescope so that it faced the imposing fortress of mountains in the distant west.


    He moved back to the telescope, whistling a crisp tune, making adjustments through the sighting scope. Then he looked briefly through the large telescope''s eyepiece and waved Lottica over.


    Without hesitation, she placed her foot on the edge of the raised platform and clasped Heidein''s outstretched hand. He gave her a little pull. Giddy over the gleaming equipment, Lottica indulged in the immensity of the moment.


    In such a place as this, she felt like she was piggybacking on the shoulders of early astronomers like Copernicus and Galileo, even Ptolemy. As she stepped to the telescope with a thumping heart, she wondered what amazing new thing in Lebreima Heidein had sighted for her?


    Slowly, she settled in to the eyepiece, relaxing and allowing the image to come into focus. Little by little it did. But what she saw was oddly familiar. Not something new. Twice that morning she had seen the same thing.


    First in the fountain. Second when Weirhamatt had taken them to the Breima library. Here it was a third time, but not carved in stone or set in stained glass. Here was le Breima lying among the precipitous peaks to the west, his granite hands jutting thousands of feet into the thin blue sky.


    Lottica gasped. "Am I dreaming?"


    "Perhaps," Heidein chuckled. "But if you see the figure of Lebreima¡¯s great forefather, then you are most awake. What you see is where Lebreima began. That is Mount Breima."

 50 - Looking for Trouble

    50


    Looking for Trouble


    After Lottica, Nick took his turn at the telescope, expressing his amazement in a series of rapid looks from Lottica to Bopei to Heidein. "Wow! So, this Mount Breima is where all the legends supposedly took place?"


    "Yes,¡± Heidein replied. ¡°This is where Feodeim Breima was given the Kareima by Hawk. It is a good story. Maybe too good."


    "Too good?" Nick asked.


    "Some believe too deeply in the powers of these stones," Heiden responded.


    Nick thought of the paintings at Breima Manor, the fountain and stained glass window in Kreistia. Even Hawk''s kite. Iconography of these magical emblems seemed to pervade Lebreima. "You mean you don''t believe the legends?"


    His half smile a warning to listen closely not only to what he said, but to what he meant, Heidein explained, "Myths and legends are always true on some level. We must know the tale¡¯s context or there is no true meaning. Meaning is understanding. If I tell you of a fantastic gemstone that holds the power of life, you understand all those concepts: gemstone, power, life. These things exist and so they are true. Combined they make a story. The listener of the story determines what he or she will take away as belief.


    "Now, the Tireima is the basis for the great legend of le Breima. These three stones exist in folklore and, at least two of them, in reality. What one believes of their power is what one believes. If it is good, it is good. If it is evil, it is evil. The stones themselves are things. It is we who create their power."


    Nick, because he revered science, because he was young, because he thought he understood absolutes, decided Heidein¡¯s relativism had to be challenged. "So, hypothetically, if the Kareima were to bring someone back to life it would not be the stone itself that did it, but the person¡ª"


    "Like your father," Heidein coolly interjected.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Nick''s dropping jaw took the place of a reply.


    "Or those observing such a miraculous event," Heidein asserted. "Yes, Nick, the Kareima is a vehicle. It has physical properties. In legend, it has incomprehensible capacity, though it must be compelled. That is key. Belief drives the Kareima and the other stones of the Tireima.


    Many in our world feel if they were given a power, a certain talent or wealth that this would be enough. That it would give them everything they need. But that is not the case. It is drive and determination, will and spirit, which make what seems impossible happen.


    ¡°In our old legends, this is why Raven failed and Feodeim and Hawk succeeded. It is why Beilla believes that by acquiring the three lifestones he can rule Lebreima, and possibly the world. He is wrong. Beilla does not have the right motive force. He will not succeed, but he can still do much harm."


    "You know of Beilla?" Lottica asked, somehow knowing what was coming.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Heidein acknowledged. ¡°We are well acquainted. Beilla is my brother."


    Nick¡¯s hackles rose in fierce response, "Your brother tried to kill my dad and mom!"


    There was a tense silence before Heidein calmly replied, "I believe they were killed, as was widely reported in the Lebreima media."


    Nick bit his lip and looked to his grandfather. "Shouldn''t he know the truth?"


    Grandfather Breima shrugged, "He is le Heidein. He is Hawk. He knows."


    "Yes, I know, but it is not such a mystery,¡± Heiden confessed. ¡°I am not the Hawk, as my brother is not the Raven, though he fancies himself to be. I learned of your parents'' deaths, as did most of Lebreima, from news media. However, I learned of their miraculous presence back here in Lebreima in a much more unique way.¡± He patted his telescope. ¡°I have seen them."


    "What?" Lottica and Nick asked at the same time.


    "See for yourself," Heidein replied. He took a moment to reposition the telescope. "You can see Breima Manor as if it were next door."


    "See. Hawk knows." Grandfather Breima smiled confidently. ¡°While we in America, I ask Heidein to keep eye on home, on Krestia, on Beilla for us. He good friend. He guard Breimas.


    "Sorry, Mr. Heiden,¡± Nick apologized for his earlier remarks. ¡°May I see Breima Manor?"


    ¡°Of course.¡± Heiden motioned Nick to take a look.


    Nick squinted through the eyepiece and made a few adjustments on the eyepiece knob. "Wow. This is amazingly clear. It¡¯s like I could touch the house.¡± He paused. ¡°Hold on. I see movement."


    He carefully tilted the telescope, looked again, and suddenly backed away from the eyepiece. In doing so, he lost his balance and almost stumbled off the platform. With surprising swiftness, Heidein caught his arm, allowing Nick to get his feet under him, so he didn¡¯t fall


    "What happened?" Heidein asked.


    Nick, stunned, didn¡¯t answer.


    Lottica stepped up to the telescope and looked through the eyepiece. She gasped, spluttering the reason for Nick¡¯s shock, "It''s Mom¡­and Dad! And the guys with capes! Beilla¡­and Abzeig¡­have them at gunpoint!"

 51 - Rallying and Sallying

    51


    Rallying and Sallying


    Normally reserved and self-assured, Grandfather Breima and Heidein were at first flustered by Lottica''s reaction. Heidein took a quick look through the telescope to confirm what she and Nick had seen. "It is indeed my brother, and they have Deilune and his wife."


    "We need to get back there, Bopei!" Lottica urged.


    "Yes. Now. We go," Grandfather Breima agreed, recovering his wits.


    "I will come too," Heidein offered. "My brother is flying perilously close to madness."


    Together, they made their way down from Heidein''s aerie-like observatory. As they wound through the hillside trees, Lottica feared for the safety of her parents. Beilla and Abzeig had killed them before in an effort to steal the Kareima and seize the title of le Breima. She knew they might do it again.


    When they reached the City Hall, Grandfather Breima asked Heidein to find Weirhamatt and send police to Breima Manor. He reminded him to say only that there were intruders, since Weirhamatt knew nothing of Deilune''s presence. They would meet them at the manor.


    More quickly than they¡¯d seen him move before, Grandfather Breima hurried them through the snaking backstreets of Kreistia to the marketplace. From dozens of makeshift stalls, busy vendors were hawking everything from teaspoons of precious saffron to melons the size of volleyballs.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Amid the whirl of colors, sounds and smells, Lottica became aware of more and more eyes turned upon her and Nick. It was a small town. It was natural. To be told of an elephant was one thing. To have it walk right past you was something entirely different. To the townspeople of Kreistia, she and Nick were not just elephants, they were woolly mammoths. Rare creatures¡ªthought to be extinct.


    Lottica hurried to catch up with Bopei who had spotted Grandmother Breima. She was in a tight clutch of older women. To Lottica, the buzz of their rapid-fire Lebreiman sounded like hive of bees many times amplified. Catching sight of their approach, Grandmother Breima proudly turned the attention of the group to her grandchildren.


    Nick and Lottica were quickly surrounded, offered hands to shake and hugs to take. Lebreiman and English flew at them from all sides.


    "So pleased."


    "Meichen. Bootiful meichen."


    "Welcome. Areidana. Welcome."


    Nick and Lottica smiled as warmly as they could. The only positive Nick saw in their predicament was that the women had left their grandparents alone. Peripherally, Nick eyed them whispering together and noted how his grandmother''s eyes grew wide. He knew she¡¯d take quick action to rescue them from the matronly crush of Kreistia¡¯s womenfolk.


    Clapping her hands as if to shoo away a flock of pigeons, their grandmother, their ladamei, rushed over and spoke rapidly to her friends without betraying any anxiety. The women laughed and allowed Grandmother Breima to lead the children away without any suspicion.


    Lottica looked admiringly at her. "Ladamei, what did you say to get us away so quickly?"


    A thinly creased smile betraying her worry, she did not break stride, but placed a hand on Lottica''s shoulder. "I say American children become cranky when hungry.¡±


    The tense, silent drive back to the manor was unnerving to Nick. What were they to do once they got there? It made sense to wait for the authorities, knowing that Beilla and Abzeig were armed. But could they afford to wait?


    Nick wasn''t thinking about waiting. He knew he''d go straight for Beilla. He wouldn¡¯t just hurl a hamburger this time. He''d make Beilla''s stupid cape into his shroud.

 52 - Parent-napped

    52


    Parent-napped


    As the Land Rover pulled into the long drive leading up to the manor, emergency lights flashed up ahead. The swirling reds and yellows thrust Lottica and Nick momentarily back to the night their parents and home had been blown apart. Their hearts raced.


    The last thirty seconds of the drive were tense moments as they relived the disbelief that had presaged their first incredible loss. Was it happening again? How could they cope with with losing their parents twice? There were no dead-parent stories to provide a roadmap for this mad journey.


    They pulled up behind two parked police cars. From his side of the car, Nick could see Weirhamatt and Heidein talking to a plump police officer leaning against one of the cars. Their casual demeanor eased Nick''s anxiety a bit. He began to open the car door when Bopei reached a hand back.


    "Stay," he warned. "Must be peaceful."


    "Calm," Ladamei clarified.


    Nick and Lottica obeyed as their grandparents got out and joined the three men. They watched as formal greetings took place. The plump police officer stood up straight smoothing his jacket. He appeared awed by the arrival of their grandparents.


    "No one seems to be in a big rush over this," Lottica remarked.


    "Yeah, I noticed. I''m thinking that''s a good thing. If they had found," Nick swallowed, "something, I think they''d be a bit more frantic."


    "Remember, no one but our family and Heidein know about Mom and Dad.¡± Lottica¡¯s brow knitted more deeply in concern. ¡°So, if they''re not here, how do we get the police to search for them? Most of the locals think Mom and Dad died in America."


    "I think that''s why Bopei told us to stay put."


    They watched as the group spoke animatedly, sometimes with sweeping gestures. Two other officers emerged from the manor and reported to the group. There was a great deal of nodding, making Nick feel as though he was at bobble-head night at the ballpark. Itching to take some kind of action, Nick squirmed in his seat. He felt rash. Impulsive. Like a teenager. Not quite the cool, dispassionate scientist he strived to be.


    Unable to wait any longer, he opened the door of the car and his grandfather''s eyes turned from the group of policemen to him. There was no invitation in them, but Nick got out. Lottica gulped a breath and followed.


    Grandmother Breima detached herself from the group and met them. "To house, please," she urged, ushering them towards the front door.


    Nick whispered, "Where are Dad and Mom?"


    "Get in house," came her firm, though not harsh, reply. As she shepherded them around the periphery of the policemen, she stopped briefly, and directed an introduction with the chubby police officer. "Le Thorein, meet our grandchildren, Nick and Lottica."


    He bowed as much as his waistline would allow. "So pleased. All Lebreima welcomes you."


    Nick nodded gravely, and Lottica managed a cross between a curtsy and a bow. Then their grandmother swept them into the entryway. Nick glanced back as the men casually resumed their discussion.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "What''s going on?" he demanded of his grandmother, once through the doorway.


    "No one is here. House is empty. Police not know about Deilune and Linda. Lucky," she reported.


    "Lucky? How can they search for them if they don''t know our parents are missing?" Nick fumed.


    "They not here,¡± she replied. ¡°We not know if they missing. Yet."


    "But we saw Beilla and Abzeig following them with a gun. What else are we to think, Ladamei?" Nick grew more impatient.


    "Must be careful, Nick. Beilla is powerful. Bopei, Weirhamatt and Heidein try and convince Le Thorein to arrest Beilla for trespassing."


    "Trespassing? What about kidnapping?"


    A voice from behind echoed Nick''s question, "Kidnapping?" Weirhamatt walked in from the entryway and joined them, asking curiously, "What is this about kidnapping?"


    Grandmother Breima responded swiftly. ¡°Children pretend. Come, Weirhamatt. I get lunch. Please take children in parlor."


    She turned and left. Weirhamatt broke the awkward silence by reaching into his jacket pocket and taking out a folded sheaf of papers. "I have something for you. Come, I¡¯ll show it to you in the parlor.¡±


    Waving the documents, he led them into the parlor and neatly placed the papers on a table near the large picture window. Lottica immediately recognized one of the pages with the drawings she¡¯d seen at the City Hall of the Kareima, Fareima and Astreima and the two empty-hearted children. The image of the children still disturbed her, so she turned her attention to the other documents.


    "What are these?" she asked.


    "These are copies from the book you saw earlier today."


    Nick moved near Lottica. Together they scanned the dozen or so color copies of artwork depicting Lebreiman legends. A particular image on one of the pages grabbed their attention.


    "That painting is upstairs," Lottica said pointing to the copy of the canvas they had seen yesterday on their first exploration of the manor. It was the portrait of Le Breima with Hawk, Raven and the three lifestones comprising the Tireima.


    "Why did you bring these to us?" Nick asked, guardedly.


    "You are Breima. It is your history,¡± Weirhamatt answered earnestly. ¡°These are some of the earliest depictions of the lore of Lebreima. They tell of the past, and may also hint of the future.¡±


    "What future?" Nick scoffed.


    "The past is often prelude to the future,¡± Weirhamatt continued unruffled. ¡°The location of the Astreima has always been Lebreima''s deepest mystery. So many stories, so many prophecies of what it might mean for the lifestones to be brought together. No one knows for sure.


    ¡°But first, the Astreima, the Starstone, would have to be found. Many Lebreimans believe the Astreima could be a welcome sentinel lighting the way to a better future for our homeland. I find it a comfort to believe in such a thing, to hope for beautiful beginnings. But, all of this," he gestured to the documents spread on the table, ¡°is still a great puzzle.¡±


    "And we''re supposed to figure it out?" Nick snorted. "Do you really think two kids who''ve been in your country about a day can do what Lebreiman scholars like you have been unable to? What do you expect from us?"


    Puffing out his chest, Nick stood in frustration. But his bluster wavered under the patient restraint of Weirhamatt''s gaze, and his protest completely crumbled when someone spoke behind him.


    "We always expect politeness, and, just possibly, a certain amount of gratitude for bringing what you will need to find your parents, Nikalleit Breima."


    Turning to face the speaker, Nick realized how hard it was to maintain a fa?ade of toughness in the presence of patience and intelligence. When he made eye contact with the piercing gaze of Heidein who¡¯d quietly entered the parlor and chastized him, Nick quickly dropped his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he told Heidein and Weirhamatt. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what you expect us to do.¡±


    That¡¯s when Nick noticed Heidein was cradling something in his long arms. The object was a shadow within the shadow of his dark jacket. He squinted to see what Heidein held, and the sleek form of the Hawk statue from upstairs came into focus. No longer were its eyes aglow. And Nick felt a pang of fear that the statue¡¯s lifeless eyes were somehow linked to his parents¡¯ fortunes.


    ¡°We expect you,¡± replied Heidein, glancing to Lottica, ¡°to trust that Weirhamatt and I care for your parents¡¯ safety as much as you do. And, that our methods for finding them, though appearing medieval to you, are not completely mad.¡± He held forth the statue of Hawk.


    Nick shook his head. ¡°I just don¡¯t get it. How is a statue going to find our parents?¡±


    ¡°One of the oldest sayings in Lebreima is heidein zei,¡± Heidein explained. ¡°Two words you should learn.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Nick said, lost.


    Heidein set the jet black statue down on the table of puzzling documents. Smiling, he patted the sleek head. ¡°Hawk knows.¡±

 53 - Fraught and Frustrated

    53


    Fraught and Frustrated


    It was a long afternoon of waiting and hoping for information about their parents, but none came. So, for a second night in a row, Nick and Lottica were huddled in the parlor after a rather solemn dinner with the grown ups attempting to fathom the ever-deepening mysteries of Lebreima.


    Nick poked at the feeble fire he¡¯d built, he listened to Weirhamatt and Heidein debate the significance of his father and mother''s "return" as they referred to it. Just as Grandfather and Grandmother Breima had seemed relatively unsurprised when Deilune had phoned them from the pizzeria to tell them of his and Linda¡¯s ¡°return,¡± Weirhamatt reacted with similar calm when Heidein filled him in. It was like zombie parents were old news in the Old World


    Helping her grandmother, her ladamei, set the coffee table with small platters of sweets and fruit, Lottica tried to follow Weirhamatt, Heidein and Grandfather Breima¡¯s conversation as they slipped between Lebreiman and English. She felt overwhelmed.


    Her grandmother noticed. "Eat," she encouraged, motioning to the delicate sweets.


    "I''m not hungry, Ladamei," Lottica answered.


    "Me either," said Nick.


    Grandmother Breima rarely betrayed emotion, but she sighed at their refusal. Grandfather Breima noted the exchange. He lightly touched his wife on the shoulder and she followed him back into the kitchen.


    Heidein crossed to the coffee table and gathered a small plate of sweets. "These are Lebreiman delicacies. You should try them."


    Nick turned back to poking at the fire, so Lottica answered. "We''re just a little too anxious about our parents."


    "Of course," Heidein said. "But we will find them. The police are now searching everywhere for Beilla and Abzeig."


    "Yes, but the police aren''t looking for our parents. They could be hurt," Lottica said and looked away before finishing, "or worse."


    She felt a hand on her shoulder. Weirhamatt stood beside her with a kindly smile. "It is not time for dire worry. Concern is healthy. But we must have clear heads now. There is thinking to be done."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    "Yes, clear heads," Grandfather Breima echoed, carrying in a tray with a silver vessel and petite china cups. "Warm seimei will clear head."


    Even Nick perked up at the rich aroma of the chocolate that filled the room. He looked over as his grandfather began to fill the cups. Though tempted to taste the rich chocolate once again, his mind protested the diversion from finding his parents. The clink and clatter of the cups and saucers grated on his nerves, and when he saw Lottica reach for the cup being offered, he stood up.


    "Have your little seimei. I''m going to look for Dad and Mom!" he snapped at them and started toward the door.


    Heidein deftly headed him off. "Nick, this is when coolness is needed. Anger and its senseless heat will burn your reason away, like it has Beilla''s. We need careful thought."


    His jaw set, Nick challenged him. "Then what is your well-reasoned plan to get my parents back?"


    "The first step is patience,¡± Heidein explained. ¡°It is something my brother, Beilla, sorely lacks. He does not have a clear plan. He acted rashly in coming here when he heard from Weirhamatt that you and Lottica had come to Lebreima. He believes he can somehow gather the Tireima. That the lifestones will make him invincible. He thinks your parents are important, but he does not know what to do with them. I think he has taken them as a form of security. It does not mean there is not danger. It is just not imminent."


    "The fact that Beilla might harm our parents later rather than sooner isn¡¯t very reassuring,¡± Nick argued. ¡°He blew them up once to get what he wanted.¡±


    Heidein steered Nick over to the coffee table. "You are right. Beilla is driven by madness. However, he must have a new respect for the power of the Kareima. It is more of an unknown to him than to us."


    "What do you mean?¡± Nick asked. ¡°What do we, or you, know that Beilla doesn''t?"


    In answer, Heidein looked at his watch and then glanced out the broad parlor window. He went to the large table with the photocopies laid out and picked up the statue of Hawk. Its iron eyes were distant and unreadable. With Hawk cradled in his arms, he said, "Follow me, please."


    Lottica realized with a strange sense of deja vu that she had followed a procession much like this the night before. Heidein led them on the same path, down the hall, through the kitchen and out the back doors onto the patio that was rapidly darkening in the autumn dusk. The chill in the air was deeper than last night and Lottica sidled up to her grandmother who, as if she''d done it a thousand times, drew Lottica in front of her and held her close against her fine wool sweater.


    Heidein stood staring out at the horizon while Nick looked from him back to Lottica. Nick didn¡¯t try to hide the sarcasm in his voice, "And the answer to all my questions is?"


    "Rising just above the horizon," replied Heidein confidently.


    To the east, just as last night, stars began to appear and wheel up from the tree line. Quickly, as the night before, the constellation their grandfather had pointed out as Hawk took shape.


    Nick moved next to Heidein. "We''ve seen this. Grandfather Breima showed this to us last night. What does this have to do with finding my parents?"


    The tall, silhouetted figure of Heidein turned to face Nick. In his hands, the statue of Hawk pulsed with light. Its eyes, glowing and dimming, alive with anticipation.


    Holding forth the mysterious statue, he softly reminded Nick, "In answer to all your questions, do not forget, young Breima, the phrase I taught you. Heidein zei. Hawk knows."

 54 - Outreasoning the Irrational

    54


    Outreasoning the Irrational


    A few minutes later, they were gathered back in the parlor, and Nick was making up for lost time on his hot seimei. For now he was willing to give Heidein and Weirhamatt a chance to explain how the statue of Hawk might help them find his parents.


    "You see, Nick and Lottica,¡± Heidein began, ¡°the Kareima began as one stone. Small pieces of it were used for the rings of the Lord and Lady Breima. And Kareima dust was used to coat the eyes of our friend Hawk here," he said motioning deferentially to the statue placed back on the table. Its eyes still glowed, but not with the same brilliance they had outside.


    "In some way, the Kareima stone is still one. It somehow speaks to the other pieces. Ancient sources document this strange feature. Starlight is also known to energize the Kareima, as you have witnessed. And from what we¡¯ve heard of your parents¡¯ ¡®return,¡¯ it is clear that there is much more going on.


    "Such as the Fareima interacting with Deilune and Linda when confronted by Beilla in America, as your bopei disclosed to me. He also told me that your father reacted strangely last night to the appearance of the Hawk constellation. These events make it clear that the Kareima, and Fareima are closely linked. Most likely, the Astreima as well. It is likely the three lifestones interact with one another in ways that create,¡± he paused searching for words, ¡°unusual effects."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Lottica laughed. "I¡¯ll say. And that might explain something for me and Nick. In our house in America, my father had an iron hawk cast. It sat atop our spiral stairwell, right under a skylight. Sometimes, I could swear the eyes glowed at night.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nick said. ¡°I thought so too. Was that from the Kareima hidden beneath it?"


    An awkward but endearing smile took shape under Heidein¡¯s sharp nose. "I am the one who cast that statue of Hawk for your father. With Deilune¡¯s permission, I coated the eyes with a fine layer of Kareima dust.¡±


    Lottica¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You made our Hawk?¡±


    ¡±Yes. My ancestors cast the original statue of Hawk. We are a family of the forge. That is one of the reasons my brother, Beilla, was able to claim the Firestone, the Fareima, when Deilune forsook Lebreima."


    "So, this statue of Hawk is talking to the Kareima? Could we use it as some kind of homing beacon or tracking device?" Lottica asked.


    ¡°Possibly,¡± Heidein nodded. "I believe Hawk''s shining eyes indicate that the Kareima is not so far away.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Wierhamatt agreed. ¡°Proximity matters to the lifestones. The closer together, the more energetically they appear to interact.¡±


    "So, how does that helps us?" Nick pressed.


    "We try to anticipate Beilla''s plan."


    "How?"


    "With the documents Weirhamatt has brought here,¡± Heidein said. ¡°Beilla believes he knows what these sources reveal and that they will lead him to the Astreima. He also believes that the Kareima may serve as a magnet, a kind of compass, to the last lifestone. We know what Beilla knows. And more. So, if we are better scholars, we will outsmart him."


    Trying to process all Heidein and Weirhamatt were suggesting, Nick took a big drink of seimei and then set down his cup. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we¡¯ve got to outreason the irrational. I guess that¡¯s a plan I can get behind."

 55 - A Break and Breakthrough

    55


    A Break and Breakthrough


    As they puzzled over the age-old mysteries of the lifestones, Lottica tried to stay focused. She studied the documents Weirhamatt had brought. She listened to Heidein¡¯s explanations. But, she still sensed they were all missing something vital.


    She finally told her grandmother she needed a break and excused herself from the parlor. Heading straight for the large cloakroom off the main entry hall, Lottica gingerly opened the door and groped around for a light switch. She found a pull string dangling to the side and gave it a tug. And then yelped.


    Inches away a furry face eyed her. Her heart thumped as she lurched back from the glassy eyes. On a second look, Lottica realized it was a fox fur shawl. In disgust, she pushed the stole aside, searching for the thing she hadn¡¯t been willing to leave behind in America: her telescope.


    She carefully hefted the telescope out of the closet and up the staircase. She¡¯d been wanting to do this since Bopei had shown them the constellation of Hawk the night before. After visiting Heidein''s hilltop observatory and then watching the constellation Hawk rise for a second time this evening, the need to reconnect with her telescope tugged at her. She needed it badly at the moment.


    She missed the stars. Missed them dearly. Missed looking quietly into the heavens. For her, the stars seemed to magnify the future and all possibilities. And at the same time, provide a doorway to the past. For, in the purest sense, starlight was borrowed time: traveling myriad years to reach our eyes. Lottica, more than ever, needed the reassurance, the timeless perspective, the steadfast stars provided.


    Lugging the telescope down the tall shadowy hallway past Hawk¡¯s empty pedestal and the brooding portraits lining the passage, Lottica kept a wary eye on Beilla¡¯s, whose presence, even on canvas, seemed to menace the entire hall.


    She hurried into her grandparents¡¯ room and onto their spacious balcony. The cold night air stung her. After setting the telescope down, she retreated inside to find something warmer to wear. She considered dashing to her room, but decided she could borrow one of her grandmother''s sweaters and opened the large armoire beside the balcony¡¯s French doors.


    Amid the neat piles of sweaters, blouses and skirts stood an entire shelf of ornately framed photographs. Pictures of her and Nick and her parents. Most of the photographs were older, before her grandparents had moved to America. They were arranged lovingly among sprays of delicate dried flowers. It was if Lottica had stumbled upon a private shrine. It made her wonder how she ever doubted that her grandparents loved her.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    She let herself feast on the photos for a moment longer, then selected a heavy wool cardigan and shut the doors. She put the sweater on, the arms spilling over her hands. Lottica giggled and pushed up the sleeves.


    Back out on the balcony, she quickly got her telescope set up and aligned. From there it was easy to spot Hawk. The constellation had risen above the horizon, hovering above distant peaks. Lottica assumed they were the same mountains she¡¯d seen at Heidein''s observatory.


    Through her viewfinder she examined the stars that comprised Hawk, slowly tracing the connect-the-dot points of starlight. It calmed her. Totally absorbed her. Like she was in her backyard in America, long before anything bad had happened. Before she¡¯d become part of a dead-parent story. It seemed lightyears ago. How fast her life had changed. Was changing. Every moment.


    But Lottica knew she couldn¡¯t dwell on that. That¡¯s why she¡¯d come out here. To look up. To look forward.


    She continued studying the unfamiliar constellation. In particular, a cluster of stars in the center of Hawk¡¯s stylized chest drew her attention. There were three stars: red, blue, and white. They shown brilliantly like the three corners of a box. Though, the lower right corner of the box was empty.


    Lottica zoomed out to provide a broader view of the constellation. Now she saw the entire figure of Hawk floating above a towering peak backlit by the rising moon. A most impressive sight, which stirred something in Lottica. Backing away from the telescope, she framed the Hawk constellation and the peaks just below it with her naked eye. Her heart beat faster, as if to help her brain catch up with her intuition.


    She had seen this view before.


    She adjusted her telescope, reducing the magnification even further. When she looked back through the eyepiece, a more familiar picture emerged. She held her breath as much to steady the view as to stifle her excitement. Was she really seeing this?


    The subject was the same she¡¯d seen that morning in Kreistia. At the fountain in front of the City Hall, and in the stained glass of the Breima Library, and at Heidein''s observatory. Before her in Lebreima¡¯s clear night sky, the constellation of Hawk was perched above the craggy hands of le Breima.


    A shiver ran through her. Mount Breima. The three lifestones of the Tireima. The Astreima was the Starstone. Starstone.


    Something was starting to make sense to her. She zoomed in once again on the cluster of stars at the center of the Hawk constellation. Three of the four corners were defined by three stars. The fourth, the lower right, was empty. She had seen this image before, too. She squeezed her eyes tight to think. Gazing back through the eyepiece, Lottica focused hard on that empty corner, willing herself to remember.


    In a blinding flash, the telescope frame filled with two blinking red lights. Lottica was astonished. The lights were huge. They could not be stars. She reduced the magnification and then understood. A small airplane had flown into the path of the telescope. The two blinking lights were heading straight at the Hawk constellation, filling the lower right corner of what Lottica was now thinking of as its heart.


    It clicked.


    It was like the drawing Weirhamatt had shown them with the three stones of the Tireima and the two children in the lower right corner with the empty hearts.


    It was clear to her now as she watched the airplane''s receding lights. Her parents were on that airplane. She knew in her heart of hearts that Beilla was taking them to Mount Breima where he believed her parents would lead him to the Astreima.

 56 - Flight of the Living Dead

    56


    Flight of the Living Dead


    Deilune knew things were going from bad to worse. And things had started very badly earlier in the day on the trail when he¡¯d charged at Beilla and Abzeig for threatening Linda. Abzieg had simply raised a gun to Linda''s head, and Deilune knew that Beilla could easily give the order to kill them both¡ªagain.


    It galled him to be at the mercy of Beilla who¡¯d robbed them of their lives once before. If it¡¯d just been him alone, he would''ve tested the power of the Kareima to protect him from Beilla¡¯s madness. But there was Linda. And Nick and Lottica. And his parents. As reckless as he felt with his own life, a second life, he did not feel he could gamble the rest of his family away.


    After being marched back to Breima Manor and Beilla finding no one else at home, they were blindfolded and driven on a winding road for about an hour. From that point, Deilune and Linda had spent most of the afternoon bound and gagged, watching Beilla and Abzeig''s work on an older single-engined plane parked on the edge of a secluded meadow serving as their airstrip.


    Deilune forced himself to stay vigilant for clues that might reveal their intentions. All Beilla had told them was that they were going to help him recover the Astreima. More madness. But Deilune had heard them mention Mount Breima more than once, so he kept alert for any opportunity to act.


    He got his chance in the small airplane shortly after take off that evening. He and Linda had been untied. Beilla seated Deilune next to him. Behind him, Abzeig sat, a gun loose in his thuggish hands. Linda who bravely was keeping her emotions in check was seated to Abzeig¡¯s left.


    As they began to cross the darkened countryside, Beilla became effusive, almost jovial. "You see, Deilune, we possess the gems responsible for creating all that is beneath us.¡± He motioned to the Fareima around his neck and to Deilune¡¯s chest. ¡°Once we possess the Astreima, and the Tireima is reconstituted, then Lebreima will know its former greatness. No more will we be in darkness and obscurity. We will not be a slavish commonwealth or a petty semi-autonomous region. We will reclaim our destiny."


    "And what is that?" Deilune asked, trying to draw Beilla out to better grasp his delusional plans.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "To make the world as le Breima intended it. For Lebreimans."


    "Just Lebreimans? That''s going to make the rest of the world rather unhappy."


    "That is not to worry. They will feel nothing. The great burning of the Feirengahst will be instantaneous and complete."


    "You really believe those old legends?"


    Beilla laughed. "Deilune, you are evidence that the legends are the only truth. You are more Kareima than Breima now."


    "What makes you think I¡¯ll help you in any way?"


    In answer, Beilla reached under his seat and pulled out a thickly padded manila envelope. "You know the stories of the Pleisahd, the missing piece. I did not waste my time while I worked for that fool, Weirhamatt. I used your family¡¯s library to locate the missing piece. And Abzeig used his unique skills to obtain it." He handed the envelope to Deilune. "See for yourself."


    Even in the eerie light of the aircraft''s cabin, Deilune knew what the envelope held. He¡®d spent many afternoons as a child in the Breima library puzzling over the mystery of the missing piece, the single pane of stained glass stolen centuries ago from the library¡¯s massive window.


    Gently, he pulled out the bubble-wrapped pane of glass. In spite of himself, he felt an electric thrill to be holding the legendary artifact. The pane of glass that was thought to be necessary in order to locate the Astreima. Deilune studied the vivid colors of the stained glass, recognizing the three lifestones and the empty-hearted figures in the lower right corner.


    Could Beilla be right? Could finding the Astreima completely change the world?


    As Beilla banked the aircraft, Deilune looked up from the Pleisahd and found himself staring into the sharp eyes of the Hawk constellation. Just like the night before, an unexplained buoyancy filled his being, and he dropped the Pleisahd in surprise. It fell to the floor in front of his seat.


    "Fool!" hissed Beilla.


    Deilune closed his eyes and let the lightness in his limbs recede. To cover his faintness, he asked, "Is this really the Pleisahd? Where did you find it?"


    Reclaiming his composure, Beilla boasted, "Let us say that many of those who searched for the Pleisahd did not employ my methods of persuasion. I hope you did not damage it."


    Deilune leaned forward with the envelope. He felt for the thick piece of glass on the floor and his fingers found it quickly. "Your trinket is not broken,¡± he reassured Beilla. And then he pushed the glass pane further under this seat. At the same time, he searched under the seat and, mercifully, they latched onto a book of some kind. It was roughly the same size.


    Concealing the slim volume in the shadows at his feet, he dropped it into the envelope as Beilla watched from the corner of his eye. Deilune fastened the clasp and handed the envelope back to Beilla who gave it a quick squeeze and thrust it back under his seat.


    Beilla¡¯s irritation ended their conversation, yet it reactivated Deilune''s worst fears that Beilla actually might have made a breakthrough with the missing piece. He might have a viable plan to find the Astreima. Making it possible to reconstitute the Tireima, and, in so doing, unleash a power dark enough to catastrophically alter or end the world.


    The thought made even a zombie like Deilune tremble.

 57 - Taking Heart and Hawk

    57


    Taking Heart and Hawk


    The airplane rocked a lot more than Lottica expected. It was noisier too. She¡¯d thought flying in a small plane, under the wide-open skies would be romantic, but the reality was much less dreamy.


    A few thousand feet up in the jittery air, she gazed down on the villages and towns, rivers and lakes, roads and highways, forests and farmlands of Lebreima. They were en route in Heidein''s private airplane, a six-seater Cessna with a diving hawk painted on its side. No wonder Grandfather Breima called him Hawk. Heidein was piloting the plane. Nick and her grandparents filled the other seats. Their destination: Mount Breima.


    Last night, Lottica hadn''t thought she¡¯d be taken seriously when she bolted down to the parlor out-of-breath, claiming she¡¯d spotted a plane that had to be taking their captive parents to Mount Breima. Though in her own mind she was convinced, she hadn¡¯t expected the others to act so quickly.


    After detailing what she¡¯d seen through her telescope, Heidein, Weirhamatt and her grandparents held a quick discussion in Lebreiman and then hustled Lottica upstairs and onto the balcony for her to show them. Each in turn had looked out at the constellation of Hawk above the folded hands of Mount Breima.


    The plane¡¯s discovery spurred Heidein and Weirhamatt to go check with the authorities about any private aircraft which had not filed a flight plan before taking off.


    A little later, Lottica took the opportunity to apologize to her grandmother for not asking permission to wear her sweater or use their balcony. Ladamei smiled kindly, reassuring her, "You are Breima. Headstrong. Is good."


    As she they went back to the parlor, Bopei proudly said to her, "Your eyes. Like Hawk¡¯s."


    "More important,¡± Ladamei added, ¡°she has Hawk¡¯s heart."


    When she went to bed that night completely drained by intense drama of the day, Lottica fell asleep to her grandparent¡¯s warm words and dreamed strange dreams of flying past stars that whispered to her in soft voices.


    Upon awakening, only one voice stayed with her. Her father''s. "Take heart,¡± he had encouraged his daughter. ¡°Take heart."


    Sitting next to his sister on the small plane, listening to the hypnotic drone of the engines, Nick struggled not to ask any more questions. He realized, with a bit of shame, that for most of the past twenty-four hours he¡¯d done nothing but ask questions. In the past, he¡¯d always been good about figuring things out on his own. He''d read, listen, observe, experiment and then draw his own conclusions. It''d been a family joke that the only question Nick asked on a regular basis was "When''s dinner?"


    The problem, now, was he didn''t believe most of the answers he was getting. Most of the explanaitons had to do with legends and prophecies with which he had little experience. Even so, during all the events surrounding his parents'' ¡°undeath,¡± he was trying hard to accept things that were beyond the rational. It wasn¡¯t easy to do.


    Nick was wired to make logical sense of things. Was heading to Mount Breima a logical thing to be doing because Lottica had a feeling that¡¯s where Beilla had taken them? Even if Lottica was right, did they have a plan? Did they even have weapons? Beilla and Abzeig were armed.


    Part of his frustration stemmed from his lack of sleep. He was dead tired. Last night, sleep wouldn¡¯t come. He¡¯d crept downstairs to the parlor. The dim glow from Hawk''s eyes casting an eerie, otherworldly pall. He went to the table where the statue rested. ¡°Sorry, Hawk. Your eyes are too creepy this time of night,¡± he¡¯d whispered and turned the statue''s eyes towards the windows.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    After turning on the table lamp, Nick stared at the drawings Weirhamatt had brought, arranging and rearranging them. Sounding out the Lebreiman captions failed to yield any clues to him. His tired eyes kept coming back to two drawings. The first, the vibrant copy of the stained glass window in the Breima family library that depicted Hawk alighting with the Kareima upon the prayerful hands of le Breima. The second, the photocopy from the manuscript that depicted the Tireima, the three stones occupying their corners and the two "empty-hearted" figures in the lower right.


    Nick tried to coax these two images into revealing some coherent clue to help him understand what Beilla was after. But instead of answers, he found more and more questions. He¡¯d wearily gone back to bed and spent the rest of the night in fitful half dreams of hawks and ravens fighting and clawing one another in mid-air.


    The next morning when Heidein and Weirhamatt joined the family at breakfast, Nick had asked expectantly, ¡°What did you find out about Beilla?¡±


    ¡°The authorities helped us confirm an unscheduled take off from a remote airstrip near Krestia last night,¡± Weirhamatt explained. ¡°No flight plan was filed and radar contact with the plane was lost shortly after take off. The plane is considered stolen and under investigation.¡±


    ¡°What does it mean that they lost contact with the plane? Did it crash?¡± Lottica asked.


    ¡°Not to worry,¡± Heidein reassured her. ¡°My brother is an experienced pilot. Lebreima has many private airfields, meadows and fields really, that allow for quick access to many villas scattered about the foothills of Mount Breima. They give Beilla many options for hiding your parents. Fortunately, I know that region well, too. It is where we both grew up. I know where to look."


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Nick pressed him.


    Looking a bit sheepish, Heidein admitted, "Over the decades, I have also searched for the Astreima. It is the great lost treasure of Lebreima. Our proverbial pot of gold. Our fountain of youth. Our holy grail.¡±


    Nick turned to Weirhamatt. ¡°Have you searched for the Astreima, too?¡±


    ¡°I am the historian,¡± Weirhamatt answered and then nodded towards Heidein. ¡°He is the mystic.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Bopei and Ladamei?¡±


    ¡°We have Kareima,¡± Grandfather Breima answered. ¡°Is enough.¡±


    As their aircraft cruised above the autumnal colors of Lebreima, Nick tried to understand the lure of the Astreima. He watched Heidein calmly manning the Cessna¡¯s controls. What was Heidein¡¯s stake in this mess? In solving this riddle of the lifestones.


    Nick felt like he must be missing something obvious. But, if it was that obvious, then someone in all these generations of Lebreimans would have seen it and solved the puzzle. Then, again, maybe no one had seen the puzzle displayed in quite the same way he had. He decided it was worth a few more questions.


    He took off his seatbelt and moved into the empty seat next to the pilot¡¯s. Heidein acknowledged his presence by pointing ahead and to his right. Nick looked out just as the plane banked and saw the amazing geological formation that was Mount Breima come directly into view beneath him.


    As if anticipating Nick''s question, Heidein reported, "We will be landing in about thirty minutes near the ''foot'' of Mount Breima. In the legends, this is where le Breima entered the underworld on his quest for the Fareima. It is also near where my family would stay when I was a child. Beilla and I would often search among the rocks and cliffs for any caves. We were wild with the idea of finding the entrance to the nether world, of finding the legends to be true. It was a great dream to discover the Astreima."


    He glanced at Nick. "But do not worry. I have not gone mad like my brother. It is not important that Lebreima be the center of the universe. My brother does not understand that what we call Lebreima is in our hearts. Not land we can take from our neighbors with greedy hands. Beilla thinks your parents will be his unwilling guides to the Astreima. Even with the Kareima, my brother will never see the truth these gemstones represent."


    "But how will we find them?" Nick asked, looking out over all the untracked wilderness beneath them.


    Motioning at Nick''s feet, Heidein said, "Take out the bag from beneath your seat."


    Nick saw one strap protruding and gave a tug. It didn¡¯t budge. He pulled harder and a sturdy little backpack slowly emerged between his feet. "What''s in here? This thing weighs a ton."


    "More like ten kilos. Open it."


    Nick did, and the absurd Lebreiman logic of the object made him smile. In Heidein''s backpack rested the statue of Hawk, its Kareima-glazed eyes ablaze.


    "Heidein zei, Nick. Hawk knows."

 58 - The Gathering Storm

    58


    The Gathering Storm


    The autumn chill that Lottica had felt last night on her grandparents'' balcony at Breima Manor was nothing compared to the near-winter cold of the high peaks surrounding her. Heidein had landed his Cessna at a small airfield around noon. It had taken almost two hours driving into the foothills to get to the rustic cabin Heidein had arranged for them.


    Lottica sat on the back deck taking in the view right at her feet, literally, because where the deck ended, the mountains began. Gentle slopes of loose rocks gradually steepened and then rose precipitously and grandly into walls of deeply grooved stone. It was like examining the graying teeth of a gargantuan fossilized beast from the past. Lottica thought of the wild legends that had sprung from these mountains centuries ago and, with a shiver, understanding how why they could be so believable.


    "Pretty amazing," Nick commented as he came out onto the deck.


    "Amazing doesn''t have the same meaning to me as it did a couple of weeks ago, but I agree." Lottica paused to look up at her brother who, she realized, suddenly appeared to be an inch or two taller. "Did you grow or something? I mean, I believe in all that fresh mountain air stuff, but this seems a bit extreme even for Lebreima."


    "Nice, Lottie. Good to know the wit is still sharp." He pointed to his feet. "It¡¯s the boots. We¡¯ll need them looking for Mom and Dad." His eyes trailed off towards the rugged peaks surrounding them.


    "Do you really think we can find them here?¡± Lottica asked. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem so daunting before we got up close to these mountains."


    "Yeah. For a small country, these are some pretty serious mountains. But we''re not alone. Bopei told me that Heidein spoke to Weirhamatt on the phone. The authorities have already begun searching along the original flight plan and will expand their search from there.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Plus, Heidein knows this area. He and Beilla grew up near here, so he has an idea of where Beilla may have taken them. There¡¯s a remote lake up on Mount Breima where they used to fish. He said there are some old cabins there and that¡¯s where Beilla and Abzeig may have taken Mom and Dad. It¡¯s a couple mile hike to those cabins. "


    "What are we waiting for then?"


    "Bopei said that Heidein has gone to get provisions. He¡¯s also trying to find out what he can about Beilla''s plane, since we didn¡¯t see any signs of it as we flew in."


    "So, we just sit and admire the view?"


    "No. Bopei wants us to each find a backpack in the storage room. It''s full of camping stuff. He said to pack correctly for tomorrow because we might be gone overnight."


    Lottica gave him a serious look. "Nick, are we ready for this?"


    "I guess as much as Mom and Dad were."


    "Breimas, huh?"


    "Trajeimes," he deadpanned.


    "I hope not,¡± Lottica sighed. ¡°We can¡¯t be fools. This might get dangerous.¡± She stood up. ¡°I just can''t get that drawing Weirhamatt showed us of the two empty-hearted kids out of my mind. Could they be us?"


    Nick fidgeted. "I dunno. You''re the creative thinker. What does it tell you?"


    "It tells me they''ve lost something. Something close to their hearts. Just like we lost Mom and Dad.¡± She lowered her eyes. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take that again."


    In the silence that followed an unexpected voice answered from the back doorway. "You strong, Lottica. Nick. And maybe the picture mean¡­the two are waiting. Waiting to make whole," Ladamei offered, her face warm with concern.


    Lottica went and took her grandmother''s hand. "Yes, that would be a nicer way to look at it."


    "It is how Tireima works. Together is stronger. It helps. It heals." She squeezed Lottica''s hand. "Come. Get ready. We must pack and have dinner. Heidein call and come later." She was about to go back into the cabin, but paused and looked past Nick and Lottica before mentioning, "Heidein say big storm coming."


    Lottica wheeled around to face southwest. She had hoped to watch the stars tonight, relishing the thought of how clear and close they would be in the mountains. Yet, as Heidein had forewarned, she saw a formidable wall of thunderheads pushing up against the jagged horizon. The heavy underbellies of the clouds were as black as Beilla¡¯s cape. Her countenance immediately darkened at the thought that her parents might be out in the gathering storm.

 59 - Kaboom!

    59


    Kaboom!


    The thickening storm clouds on the horizon were another reason Deilune worried. Since touching down in a barren field near the very foot of Mount Breima at dawn, Deilune could see their situation growing bleaker.


    After landing, Beilla and Abzeig, unloaded their supplies and then cleverly draped a large camouflage tarp over the plane, making it more difficult to locate from the air. They gave Deilune and Linda a breakfast of stale energy bars and canned caffeine drinks. Then marched them up a long dusty trail for most of the morning and early afternoon.


    Deilune stayed at Linda¡¯s side when the trail was wide enough, but Beilla, who led the way, forbade them to speak. Patting the gun at his side was how Abzeig reminded them to obey. Deilune was concerned that the rigor of the trail and the stress might quicky fatigue them, but Linda was able to reassure him by squeezing his hand that she was doing okay.


    Their trek was slow going at times because Beilla seemed a bit uncertain about the trail. He and Abzeig would stop, examine various landmarks, exchange cross words, then head on. By late afternoon, as distant rumblings of thunder sounded in the distance, Beilla led them to a rough-hewn cabin near a small lake.


    Once in the crude cabin, Abzeig quickly built a fire to ward off the considerable chill of the altitude. While unpacking his gear, Beilla opened the padded envelope and pulled out a thin flight log instead of the pain of stained glass, the missing piece.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    He immediately turned on Deilune. ¡°Fool! Trajeime!¡± He threw the useless book at Deilune. ¡°You will not delay us with your tricks. Abzeig, get them out of our way so we can make preparations.¡±


    Abzeig thrust them in a cramped storage room and bolted the door from the other side. They had just enough room to sit side by side on the rough-hewn floorboards, their backs against tall cupboards.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Deilune said.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you did it. Beilla needs to know we¡¯re not here to going to make this easy for him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s pretty determined, though.¡± Deilune took Linda¡¯s hand in his and gave it a kiss. ¡°At least we¡¯ll have some quiet time together.¡±


    As if on cue, a massive crack of thunder rocked the small cabin. Linda gasped, and Deilune hugged her close. ¡°I guess I spoke too soon,¡± he whispered.


    For over an hour, the sky boomed and wailed above them, and Deilune held Linda.


    As the thunderstorm began to wan, Beilla unbolted the door, allowing them to use the outhouse. Then their captors fed them some bread, cheese and water before locking them back in the storage room with a musty but very heavy wool blanket. Under the blanket, Deilune sang softly to Linda. Old Lebreiman lullabies from his youth. Soon she was asleep.


    Tired as he was, Deilune couldn¡¯t sleep. He listened to Linda¡¯s even breathing, grateful she was getting some rest. The storm had passed, and in the quiet, he tried to fashion a plan that might provide them a chance at escape. After all, he figured that he¡¯d been killed once. He was undead. This situation shouldn¡¯t completely rattle him.


    KABOOM!


    The explosion not only rattled him, but shook Linda awake. ¡°What was that, Dale?¡± she asked breathlessly. ¡°That didn¡¯t sound like thunder.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. That sounded man-made. Beilla¡¯s up to something.¡± He clutched Linda¡¯s trembling form tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear. We¡¯ll get out of this. We¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    Linda buried her head in his shoulder. ¡°I keep thinking of Nick and Lottica. Here in this strange country having to deal with¡­all that¡¯s happened to us.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. They¡¯ll be fine,¡± he whispered in an effort to soothe her worries. In his own heart, Kareima or not, Deilune feared that things were going from bad to worse to beyond-undead dastardly.

 60 - The End of the Beginning

    60


    The End of the Beginning


    The first heavy drops of rain from the storm began pelting the roof shortly after Lottica and Nick shared a subdued dinner with their grandparents. The winds quickly picked up, and they felt the distant reverberations of thunder in the surrounding peaks. Knowing what to expect, their grandparents had lit a wide assortment of candles and oil lamps. It seemed like they were in for a long night.


    As the storm strengthened outside and no word came from Heidein, their uneasiness grew. Nick, to fend off an anxiousness growing in his gut, suggested they play a table game. He and Lottica had never played a game with their grandparents, so it was a surprise when they showed enthusiasm for the idea.


    They searched the cabin¡¯s cupboards for and when Nick¡¯s eye came acoss a smallish wooden box, he took it out and shook it. When he slid the lid off the box, he smiled.


    "How about dominoes?" he asked hopefully.


    ¡°Is good,¡± Bopei answered with a clap of his hands. ¡°I teach your father!¡±


    Nick and Ladamei teamed against Lottica and Bopei. They became so engrossed in their game that they ignored the intensifying wind and pounding thunderclaps. Late into their fourth game, Nick slapped down boxcars to score thirty points. He jumped up, pumped his fist and¡ª


    KABOOM!


    ¡ªa thunderous jolt shook the cabin. The front door flew open to a rattling rush of fierce, cold air that blew out the candles and lamps.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Nick bit back a cry as a sizzling flare of lightning backlit a figure standing in the doorframe.


    The shadow advanced into the room, causing Nick to bolt out of his chair. Dominoes tiles rattled to the floor. He was ready to charge the intruder when a calm voice pre-empted him.


    "My apologies. Extremely bad timing."


    It was Heidein.


    He swiftly shut the door and Bopei struck a match to relight the candles and oil lamps. In the flickering light, Heidein cut a ghastly a figure. He was soaked, his woolly hair plastered against his high forehead, his jacket and face splattered with mud.


    "You look awful," Lottica said before she could stop herself.


    He smiled. "Yes. I''m sure I look like a Lebreiman Bigfoot. I did not mean for such a dramatic entrance."


    Ladamei helped Hedein with his soaked jacket and fetched him tea as he sat down to at the table. He studied the domino pieces spilled on the floor. "I have interrupted your game."


    "We were killing time. Waiting for you to get back," Nick explained.


    "Yes, I was delayed." He hesitated and then seemed to think it best to just launch into his report. "After much searching, the authorities located Beilla''s airplane. He was crafty in hiding the plane some twenty kilometers east of here. I went with them to look the craft over. The plane was empty, but two clues were left behind. The authorities took one because it was dangerous. It was a blasting cap."


    "You mean for detonating explosives, like dynamite?" asked Nick.


    Heidein nodded. "Exactly."


    "What does that mean?"


    "It is hard to say," said Heidein. "Though it might have to do with the other clue." He reached inside his jacket Ladamei had draped over a chair and pulled out a crudely wrapped parcel.


    Nick moved the oil lamp closer as Heidein unwrapped it and then held the object up. Lottica and Nick stared wide-eyed. In Heidein¡¯s hand was the pane of stained glass missing for centuries from the great window of the Breima library.


    The Pleisahd, the missing piece.


    In the painted pane, a boy and girl held their respective hearts high above their heads while from their chests blazing stars burst forth.


    Lottica, dumbfounded, stared at the stars where the children¡¯s hearts should be. And their hearts where the stars should be. ¡°What¡¯s it mean?¡±


    Heidein turned the missing piece slowly in his hand, the candlelight casting a primordial glow over the startling image of the boy and girl. ¡°I believe this is the end,¡± he paused, ¡°of the beginning.¡±

 61 - Missing and Presumed Undead

    61


    Missing and Presumed Undead


    Later that night in bed, Lottica¡¯s curiosity competed with her need to sleep. She lay in bed, the brunt of the storm long since passed, her thoughts fixated on the stained glass square of the star-bursting boy and girl. The missing piece. Even though they now had it in their possession, how it solved the puzzle of the Astreima wasn¡¯t clear.


    Lottica wished that Heidein had explained his strange remark about the missing piece being the end of the beginning, but he¡¯d only told them how he¡¯d found the package under the front passenger seat of Beilla¡¯s airplane. Its presence was a mystery to him. He didn¡¯t know why Beilla would leave it there, and questioned whether it was, indeed, the long-stolen pane from the Breima library. He would need Weirhamatt''s expertise to verify that.


    He¡¯d gone on to say that the blasting cap was a more troublesome discovery to him. He believed it meant Beilla thought he knew where the Astreima was located and that reaching it would require blasting. Heidein had expressed his worry that Beilla was becoming more and more unstable. Much like the explosives he carried.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Listening to the rain falling outside her window, the thought of Beilla and explosives worried Lottica, too. Only months ago, Beilla had blown up her house along with her parents. She tried to calm herself and think it all through. She was hoping that a flash of inspiration like the kind that always struck the characters in her favorite dead-parent stories would strike her too. Then, she¡¯d have that aha! moment of clarity, enabling her to get to the happy ending of finding her parents.


    But Lottica knew she was in uncharted territory as far as storybooks went. She was living and undead-parent story. It muddled things. Especially, her thinking.


    So she began counting backward to clear her mind, concentrating on the key points of the mystery of the lifestones: Kareima, Fareima, Astreima, Feodeim, Hawk, Raven. Each element ticked in her mind like clockwork, but nothing seemed to move her closer to the all-important time when she figured out how to save her parents.


    She sighed and rolled over, looking toward the narrow window and into the darkness and pattering rain. She felt very alone, an orphan feeling, made worse by the uncertainty of all that was before her. And all she needed to do. It would be easy to give into tears and feel sorry for herself, but she fought the urge. She had to be tough. For herself and for her parents.


    KABOOM!


    Lottica bolted upright. The explosive roar should have terrified her. Should have made her shriek. Instead, she bravely went to the window and stared into the darkness.


    It would have been logical to attribute that far-off boom to the trailing edge of the thunderstorm. But, as Lottica surveyed the raven-black of the sky outside, she sensed that this particular explosion had nothing to do with the retreating thunderstorm, and everything to do with Beilla.

 62 - Muddled and Muddy Going

    62


    Muddled and Muddy Going


    They looked like Cheerios, but¡­the taste. Once, as a preschooler, Lottica had been tempted to taste a big piece of green chalk. It reminded her of a Popsicle. Well, that was how the breakfast cereal in her bowl tasted: like green chalk.


    ¡°Eat," her grandmother encouraged. "Much to do. We leave soon soon."


    Lottica swallowed hard and tried to concentrate on something other than the mealy texture in her mouth. The restless thoughts that¡¯d kept up her up last night wouldn¡¯t go away. Had that big explosion been caused by Beilla? Had it been intentional or a terrible accident? Would even a madman like Beilla go out in such a storm to blow something up?


    When she finally fell asleep last night, she¡¯d had almost a fever dream. Hawk and Raven fighting. The Kareima and Fareima firing laser light. There¡¯d been no winner. Just an explosion of light that enveloped her and Nick and her parents as they reached out to her. The image with her, even as she tried to finish her chalky cereal.


    Nick joined her at the table. ¡°How¡¯d you sleep?¡±


    ¡°Like a baby. In a storm. Wondering if she¡¯ll ever see her parents again. You?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much the same. You hear those explosions?¡±


    Lottica nodded. ¡°That can¡¯t be good. Beilla¡¯s obviously got a plan and he¡¯s determined. Crazy determined.¡±


    ¡°So, am I. To find Mom and Dad.¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s our plan?¡±


    ¡°Heidein said we¡¯ll set out soon and hike to the lake where he and Beilla spent time as children exploring for the Astreima. From there, Heidein thinks we¡¯ll be able to pick up their trail,¡± Nick explained.


    ¡°What about the missing piece Heidein found in Beilla¡¯s plane? The image of the children. Did it give you any ideas?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Nick shrugged. ¡°Nothing that makes sense right now. You?¡±


    Lottica had lots of ideas about the lifestones and the two children. It was all there. But what did it mean? Loss. Light. Life. Love.


    Lottica felt close to understanding. So close. It almost made her forget the chalky taste of the breakfast cereal. Until Heidein came into the cabin barking that it was time to set out. She scrambled to put on boots and grab her backpack as she and the rest of the family geared up for the long trek up Mount Breima.


    The going at first was fine, but as they got up the trail, the rain from the storm had turned parts of the track were thick with mud that slurped at their boots as if trying to eat them. They had to carefully watch their footing to avoid catching a snag, stumbling on larger rocks, or simply slipping in the muddier patches.


    Occasionally, they managed a look at their pristine surroundings and appreciate the mountain¡¯s splendor in the fresh morning sunlight. But for the most part, they had to concentrate on each plodding footstep.


    Nick finally called to Heidein a few steps ahead of him. ¡°Any idea when we¡¯re going to get out of this goo?¡±


    Heidein turned to answer, ¡°In a few hundred meters, the trail widens, and there is better drainage. It should be less muddy.¡±


    Nick remained skeptical. A skepticism still rooted in their current plan of action. He, as much as anyone, wanted to find his parents and get even with Beilla. He just wasn''t sure how they were going to do that. Beilla and Abzeig had guns and explosives. That seemed more than a match for three senior citizens and two adolescents.


    And the statue of Hawk.


    Nick had watched Heidein place it in his backpack. That seemed a bit extreme. It weighed a good twenty-five pounds. Yes, Hawk''s eyes were part of the Kareima, but if Heidein already had a solid idea of where Beilla had taken his parents, why bother with the cumbersome weight and bulk of the statue? When Nick commented on that to Heidein, he cryptically replied, ¡°Hawk is heavy, but Hawk knows."


    Heidein had also carefully rewrapped the mysterious stained glass pane and asked Nick to carry it in his pack. That was another reason Nick tried to be so careful with his footing as they hiked up the trail. Like Lottica, he wanted to know what the missing piece meant. The whole picture. That was why he liked science: to get the whole picture. The children in the image were not whole. Nick had to know what was missing, at the heart of all this.


    At that moment, though, Nick¡¯s concentration on the trail was sorely missing. He stepped on a slippery stone, lost his balance and teetered precariously backwards. Just as suddenly, his fall was stopped by a hand pushing on his backpack.


    "Careful, Nick. Get your head out of the stars," Lottica teased him.


    He looked back at his sister, thinking about the irony in her statement. She was the queen of stargazing. He was the prince of primordial ooze. Looking outward versus looking inward. Astronomy versus anatomy.


    Maybe in trying to understand the mysteries of the lifestones, he needed to expand his horizon, delving even deeper into the anatomy of reality. Of being.


    Completeness. Wholeness. Totality.


    The heart of being.


    Nick figured he¡¯d have to think more about that when his feet got on firmer ground.

 63 - Hawksbreath

    63


    Hawksbreath


    Deilune wished they were on softer ground. Beilla and Abzeig were marching them along a rocky expanse that left little hope for anyone trying to track them. Even with the soaking rains of last night, the terrain was too rocky. Great slabs of stone prevented any consistent vegetation. Nothing that would leave a decent trail. Deilune gauged that it had been near noon when they¡¯d set out. To him, it seemed Beilla and Abzeig were not interested in an early start after their late night out with the explosives.


    Still banking that Beilla¡¯s airplane would be located soon and the missing piece found under the seat, Deilune hoped his parents, if no one else, would understand. That Beilla intended to take them into the heart of Mount Breima.


    As they trudged along, he kept slowing his pace trying to find a way to leave traces for those who might be trying to rescue them. From behind, Abzeig would wearily lift his gun and grunt to keep moving. Beilla and Abzeig said very little and stumbled more than either he or Linda because of the heavy backpacks they lugged beneath their capes.


    After trekking for some time, Deilune they neared the spires of stone that comprised the ¡°hands¡± of le Breima. Just beyond these jagged pinnacles, he could make out the rocky expanse that was literally the "face" of le Breima. Beilla was headed for the two sharp peaks that created the hands upraised in prayer. In the light of their recent miraculous events, Deilune felt a renewed sense of kinship for Feodeim Breima, his legendary ancestor.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Then Deilune spied something ahead that gave him hope for those trying to track them. He caught up to Linda and whispered, "Take heart, Linda. See those dark patches of vegetation between the rocks up ahead? Step on as many of those patches as you can. It will help those who are sure to be looking for us." She nodded. He squeezed her arm and fell in step behind her.


    Those dark patches were a tiny budded, heather-like plant that was almost indestructible. Deilune remembered the plant from hikes he had taken in parts of this mountain range in his childhood. It was heiddahl.


    During the day, heiddahl appeared wild and nondescript. But in the late afternoon and into the dusk, the tough little buds would open revealing a snowy carpet of white. This only occurred in autumn when the constellation of Hawk dominated the Lebreiman sky. Thus, heiddahl. Hawksbreath.


    Though outwardly a hardy plant, hawksbreath was sensitive to being trampled. In daylight it showed no signs of being tread upon. But, when daylight faded, wherever the plant had been trodden down the buds would not open, and, like magic, dark footsteps would appear amidst the white carpet of blooms.


    As he reached the first patch of hawksbreath, Deilune gave an extra thump and twist to each step. Take heart, he told himself and with each grinding step upon Hawk''s namesake plant, his spirits lifted.

 64 - Uncharacteristic Uncertainty

    64


    Uncharacteristic Uncertainty


    Nick admitted that Heidein had been right. The trail did get less mucky as they climbed higher. However, the steep switchbacks continued to be tricky. He was amazed not only at the fortitude of his grandparents and Heidein, who was easily fifty years his senior, but also Lottica who didn¡¯t appear overly winded, though her muddy boots and lower half of her jeans attested that she had slogged through as much as he had.


    "You don''t look half tired," he told Lottica as they rested, eating a light lunch on a bluff that revealed the valley below them.


    "You look tired enough for us both,¡± she responded. ¡°You okay?"


    "I think my brain is working as hard as my legs. And, you know, I''m not exactly Mr. Athlete."


    "Me neither. I¡¯m running on adrenaline thinking about Mom and Dad."


    Nick nodded, "I know what you mean. As much as I want to help them, I kind of wonder what we¡¯re doing here. I know Heidein has told us the police are searching here, too. But, I mean, look around you. It''s a huge area."


    They both looked down at the valley floor that stretched on and on. And behind them, the towering expanse of the mountaintops.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "And, if we catch up with them, what are we supposed to do against Beilla? He''s got weapons." Nick made a gun gesture with his hand.


    "Well, I don''t think Bopei, Ladamei, or Heidein would lead us into danger. They seem to know something we don¡¯t."


    "Yeah," Nick turned his gaze up to where his grandparents sat with Heidein a few dozen yards away showing them something on his phone. "I just have the funny feeling that something they know is going to involve us. You know, dead-parent story stuff."


    "What? You''re not up to slaying a dragon or blowing up a Death Star, Nick?"


    He grinned. "I''m barely able to get to the top of this mountain."


    Heidein, who had been talking with their grandparents, crossed to where they sat. He fished into his jacket for his phone. "I have been able to connect with Weirhamatt. Four search parties have been organized and are following other likely trails. There will also be a concerted aerial search by tomorrow." His sharp eyes beneath craggy brows scanned the vacant skies around them. "It is too bad they could not search today. Tomorrow it may be harder to see anything."


    "Why?" asked Nick. "Is another storm coming?"


    "Possibly, but not a storm as you and I might think of it." Heidein looked evasively away towards the rugged peaks before turning back to the siblings. "Weirhamatt was very excited to hear of the the missing piece, found in Beilla''s plane. He believes it to be authentic."


    "How will it help us?" Lottica asked.


    "It has already helped us. If Beilla took so much effort to obtain it, surely he did not mean to leave it behind. That is a factor in our favor. We have something he believes he needed. We may be able to use it."


    Nick made eye contact with Lottica before asking. "Then what''s our role in this?"


    Heidein hedged for a moment. "To be here."


    "To do what?" Lottica pressed.


    Once again, Heiden¡¯s confident eyes turned towards the mountaintop, but his voice betrayed uncharacteristic uncertainty. "Hawk only knows."

 65 - Energized

    65


    Energized


    Sitting tied back-to-back, Deilune spoke quietly to Linda, "Beilla and Abzeig were busy last night."


    She nodded, her eyes surveying the scene as well. At the base of Mount Breima''s "hands" the slope lay littered with blasted rocks. Farther up, she made out a vague opening in the rocks. "Dale, is that a cave up there?"


    He followed her gaze up past where Beilla and Abzeig were emptying items from their backpacks. "Call me Fred Flintstone if it''s not."


    She frowned. "Dale, this is serious! Maybe deadly serious."


    "Yes, but my heart tells me it''ll be okay."


    "But, isn''t that what Beilla wants? Your heart. The Kareima."The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "He definitely wants the Kareima, but something else is going on, or he wouldn''t have dragged us all the way to the top of Mount Breima. He needs us for something. It may be dangerous. It might even be deadly, but right now he still needs us."


    He drew her close. "Besides, don''t you feel something?" He put her hand over his heart, or what used to be his heart. ¡°Do you feel it, Linda? There''s an energy here. I feel stronger than before. I can see it in you, too. Your color is better. Your limp is almost gone."


    "I know what you mean, but I thought it was just fear and adrenaline. Do you think the Kareima is causing it?"


    "I think the Kareima knows it¡¯s near home."


    "What?"


    "Mount Breima is where Hawk brought the Kareima to le Breima in his hour of need. These great stone spires are le Breima''s hands."


    "Then what is Beilla planning? What is that cave up there?"


    "That, my beautifully undead wife, is Beilla''s way of taking us into the heart of the mountain. I believe he thinks the Astreima is there. And I''m beginning to think he may be right."


    "Why?"


    In answer, Deilune nodded towards Beilla who carried a powerful flashlight in his hand. Yet its bright beam seemed unnecessary. Because a more brilliant red-orange light radiated from his chest. The flame of the Fareima, the Firestone, which hung around Beilla¡¯s neck, fiercely lit his broad, determined face and all the darkness of the cave before him.

 66 - Rebels with a Cause

    66


    Rebels with a Cause


    In mid afternoon, they came in sight of the small cabin a few hundred yards from a small alpine lake. They watched the cabin for a time, but there was no activity inside or out. Heidein asked Ladamei to stay out of sight behind a nearby grove of fir trees with Nick and Lottica, while he and Bopei cautiously approached the silent structure. Because of inane male pride, Nick felt slighted at not being included.


    Lottica was okay with hanging back. It was one thing to read adventure stories; it was another thing to have to live them. Tired, both from the long hike and her almost sleepless night, she was grateful for the breather. In the shade of the trees, a chill breeze reminded her that it was the beginning of November, and they were high in the mountains.


    "Ladamei, what¡¯s going to happen tonight?"


    "Not worry. Will be fine," Grandmother Breima reassured her.


    Lottica sighed. "Worry is about all I feel capable of right now."


    In a few moments, Heidein was waving to them from the cabin door. They met him at the threshold. ¡°The cabin is empty,¡± he told them, but Beilla and your parents have been here.¡±


    He held up a small flight logbook in the padded envelope that had held the missing piece. "I think this is how Beilla was fooled into leaving the pane behind. It appears Deilune and Linda are resourceful and have bought us some time. That is good."The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    "So, now what?" Nick asked. "Do we wait for them to come back? Set up some kind of ambush? There can''t be more than a few hours of daylight left."


    "Yes, a few hours." For the first time, Heidein appeared undecided. He spoke a few words in Lebreiman to their grandparents, then turned to Nick and Lottica. ¡°You will stay here, while your grandfather and I do some checking.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we come?¡± Nick asked.


    ¡°Soon,¡± Bopei told his grandson gently. Then he and Heidein grabbed their backpacks and headed off to the east. They were soon out of sight among the trees.


    "Where are they going?" Nick asked Ladamei.


    "They look for clues. Find their trail. Now we rest. Get cabin ready." She entered the cabin. Soon they heard her rummaging through cupboards.


    Nick gave the look to Lottica, and she returned it. They weren''t exactly practiced at disobeying their elders, but they¡¯d had a satisfying taste of independence, and it carried them forward.


    Nick yelled into Ladamei that they would collect some firewood. With that they swiftly moved out of sight of the cabin.


    "Why''d we go this way, Nick?"


    "Because Heidein and Bopei went the other way."


    "What if we run into them?"


    "We''ll say we''re exploring a little.¡±


    "Do you know how to get back?"


    "Look around, Lottica. This lake area is bowl. I want to see what''s beyond the rise on this side. Then we can head back down into the bowl. If we both pick out some landmarks, it shouldn''t be too difficult to find the cabin."


    "Sounds like famous last words.¡± Lottica sighed. ¡°Is this a smart thing to do?"


    Nick answered with his own question, "You feel it too, Lottie?"


    "What?"


    "That we''re the ones that have to save Mom and Dad. Our grandparents and Heidein wouldn''t bring us here if we weren''t somehow crucial."


    He stopped and unslung his pack, unzipped the outer pocket and pulled something out. Lottica moved closer to see. Nick held it up to the sun gradually edging to the horizon. The stained glass pane shone like a multi-colored jewel. The star radiating from the children¡¯s image blazed in the sunlight. The figures glowed with power. With strength.


    ¡°It¡¯s our turn, so let¡¯s do it the dead-parent way,¡± he said.


    By the time Nick had stuffed the missing piece back into his pack, Lottica was fifty yards ahead, sprinting for the top of the rise where the trees thinned and it appeared as if she could run straight into the sky.

 67 - Caving In to Destiny

    67


    Caving In to Destiny


    The heat surprised Deilune. When Beilla led them into the cave entrance, Deilune braced himself for a damp chill. But, once inside the narrow opening that Beilla and Abzeig had blasted open the night before, a dry warmth enveloped them.


    By the time they were fifty feet into the cave, Deilune and Linda stopped to remove their jackets. Deilune noted Abzeig removing his cape until a harsh look from Beilla stopped him.


    "Sacrificing comfort for style, Beilla?" Deilune mocked.


    "Soon, Deilune, your comfort will be sacrificed altogether," Beilla snapped back.


    "Why don''t we talk about what you intend to do?" Deilune provoked, but got no response. Indicating the cavernous passage they stood in, he tried again. "This is an impressive discovery. Where does it lead?"


    "This is as far as Abzeig and I went last night, but I believe the passage will take us to the Heart of Breima."


    "Which is what?"


    "Where the Tireima will be made complete. No one, not even that fool Weirhamatt, understands what reuniting the lifestones means. He had daily access to the literary treasures of Lebreima for decades, but could not solve the puzzle of the Tireima, but I have unearthed it."Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    "Then why did you need to travel all the way to America to kill me and my wife?" Deilune goaded him.


    Beilla shook his head slowly. "The same reason that you are here now. The Kareima is essential. It must take its place with the other two stones."


    "But you have only the Fareima. According to all the legends Raven dropped the Astreima. It has never been found."


    "That is because it was swallowed."


    Deilune was surprised. "Swallowed?"


    "Yes, you and your fine bride provided the final link to solve the mystery. Just as you swallowed the Kareima, the Astreima was swallowed by Mount Breima. It has rested at its heart for millennia."


    "How can you be sure?"


    "Open your eyes, Deilune. You know the legends as well as I do. You have seen the missing piece that was lost for so long. The image is the formula for combining the stones. I alone saw this!¡± Beilla¡¯s voice echoed triumphantly. ¡°Don''t you see the power growing in the Fareima around my neck? It is lighting this entire chamber. Certainly, the Kareima is feeling the call as well. It is our destiny."


    Instead of answering Beilla, Deilune looked down at his chest where through his shirt a sharp blue light pulsed joining the fiery glow given off by the Fareima. Deilune unbuttoned the top three buttons, exposing his almost completely rejuvenated skin through which the Kareima''s pure light shone. A beacon beating time with his miraculous existence.


    Feeling the light of the Kareima, course through him, Deilune felt as if Beilla and Abzeig no longer held dominance over him. That an even stronger force had taken charge: the truth of the Breimas and the lifestones.


    In going to America, Deilune had run away from being a Breima. But his destiny, his birthright, had still caught up with him, pounding in his veins with all the force of ancient time and tradition.


    Taking Linda''s hand, he strode past Beilla and Abzeig, heedless of their weapons and intentions. Down the narrowing passage, Deilune led the way, the darkness broken and scattered by the Kareima, once again, proudly shining forth from the heir of le Breima.

 68 - Of Raptors and Revelations

    68


    Of Raptors and Revelations


    Lottica and Nick knew they should turn around and try to find their way back to the cabin. Each had the unsettling sense they¡¯d gone too far, though neither would venture to say it.


    For an hour they had hiked to the rim of the rocky bowl where the cabin sat beside the small lake. The exertion warmed them, and beyond the rim, the sight of the "hands" of Mount Breima urged them on farther than they should''ve gone. Now, resting on a cluster of loose boulders, each waited for the other to break the spell and state the obvious. They were lost.


    Lottica stared toward the west where the spires of stones constituting Mount Breima''s "hands" reddened as the sun settled. It was comfortably warm on the boulders which had absorbed the autumn sunshine all day. Her eyes began to droop closed, but she knew that to sleep was foolish, so she sat up straighter, refocusing her attention on any possible clues that Beilla had brought their parents this way.


    She surveyed the almost unbroken expanse of exposed rock bereft of footprints, and turned to Nick. "Not even a breadcrumb."


    Nick followed her gaze over the stony surface, here and there broken by patches of a dark heather-like ground cover. "Yeah, Gretel, and no gingerbread houses in sight, either"


    "So much for youthful bravado," she admitted, inwardly cringing to think of how young and out of her element she really felt. "We''re at a crossroads here, big brother, and I think we¡¯d better consider going back before it gets dark. We probably only have an hour of daylight left."


    "We have flashlights," he suggested.


    She shot him a look. "Nick, do you really want to be wandering around up here at night? It''s going to get cold. And what if there''s a storm like last night?"


    "I know. I was just hoping we''d find some sign of Mom and Dad. A little dead-parent story luck."


    Lottica punched his arm. It broke the spell.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Okay, little sister, let''s head back, take our medicine for running off, and try to be better team players tomorrow."


    Lottica stood up. "Lead on Hansel."


    As she tightened the straps on her backpack, a shriek from above froze her in place. Her eyes darted warily up towards the noise. High above where the vivid blue darkened to the indigo of evening, she made out a solitary shape circling as if in orbit around a star as yet unseen.


    "Can you tell what it is, Nick?"


    "Hard to say. Who knows if Lebreima has eagles or condors. It¡¯s probably some kind of raptor. Maybe a falcon or hawk. Looks like it''s on the hunt. See, it''s circling lower."


    They watched as the bird spiraled down to within a few hundred feet, then without a hint of its intentions, its wings swept back, and it dropped like a comet. As it did, they saw a movement on the rocky ground a hundred feet ahead of them. A small grey chipmunk with black striping on its tail scurried across the rocks. It sensed the danger and veered for a clump of the dark heather while Nick and Lottica stood transfixed.


    Just as the creature reached the imagined safety of the vegetation, the talons of the raptor struck the spongy patch of heather, which exploded upward as the bird rebounded from the earth with a tangle of plant and a limp chipmunk.


    "Wow!" exclaimed Nick. "Nature up front and personal!"


    But Lottica wasn''t listening to him. She was moving towards the spot of the kill. She stopped at the strike point and knelt on the heather-like carpet of plants.


    Nick hurried after her. "It''s okay, Lottie. It''s just nature. You know, that ¡®circle of life¡¯ stuff."


    She glanced at him grimly. "That''s from The Lion King. Another dead-parent story."


    "So what''s the big deal? It was only a chipmunk. I think it was a hawk that got it."


    "It has nothing to do with the chipmunk. Open your eyes science guy. Something strange is happening here. Our dead-parent-story luck may be stronger than you think."


    She pointed to the patch of heather, which just moments before had been a nondescript mat of dark tangled filaments and tiny seed pods. Right before their eyes, the buds were opening in an effervescent puffs of white. All around the stony surface area, wherever the plant had established a small island of existence, a flash frost of tiny flowers appeared.


    "Very cool," Nick admitted.


    Then they saw it. A footprint right in front of them. A dark shoe-crushed patch of buds in the heather that neither of them knew was called hawksbreath. Lottica quickly rose and ran to the next patch of hawksbreath. Sure enough, she found another footprint in the midst of the late opening buds. Gazing ahead, she could see a clear trail of footprints in the patches of hawksbreath, leading directly towards the towering "hands" of Mount Breima.


    Off in the distance, Nick and Lottica heard the victorious call of the hawk echoing through the mountaintops.


    Nick turned to his sister. "I hate to be the one to say it, but Hawk knows."


    "Yup. I just hope Hawk knows...¡± she began, but paused


    "Knows what?" Nick pried.


    "That we''re not chipmunks," she warned as set they off on the hawksbreath trail leading to the hidden heart of Mount Breima.

 69 - Sugar-Coated Nightmare

    69


    Sugar-Coated Nightmare


    Without warning, the uneven passage downward came to an abrupt end. Deilune had led the way, the Kareima''s pulse within his chest providing the guiding light. From behind, the Fareima''s more fiery light made it seems as if a fresh river of lava was about to catch up and swallow them in Beilla¡¯s molten anger. The warmth in the confining passage had continued to increase until Deilune squeezed around a tight corner and unexpectedly stepped into an enormous chamber.


    The effect was dramatic: mighty stalactites and stalagmites that, in the combined light of the Kareima and Fareima, appeared as red and blue tree trunks holding up the cavern''s high vaulted roof. It was part old growth forest, part cathedral, part disco dance hall.


    Deilune took Linda''s hand, ready to explore, when Beilla''s voice stopped him. "This is the place. It is just as I imagined it."


    "What do you mean?" Deilune asked.


    "You know the legends, Deilune. This is where Hawk brought the Kareima to Feodeim, our le Breima, in his greatest hour of need. It is the heart of the mountain. The Astreima is at hand. Can you not feel it?"


    Even Deilune sensed a truth in Beilla''s words. His own heart, the Kareima, was glowing with anticipation. "How will we find it?"


    "The legend speaks of a heart-shaped entrance. We must search for it."


    "Heart-shaped?¡± Linda, buoyed by Deilune¡¯s defiance, quipped. ¡°How romantic.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Fools! You still doubt?¡± Beilla asked, arcing his hand across the incredible chamber.


    ¡°Then, tell us, Beilla, what is our role in this? Deilune insisted.


    "You bear the Kareima. The three stones will be united," he explained.


    "And Linda and me?"


    "That is up to the Tireima. None of us knew the power of the Kareima could revive you. Without it you may perish, or you may not," Beilla stated matter of factly.


    "What if we were to refuse to help?"


    "Abzeig will kill you as he did once before."


    "What if he can''t kill us? The Kareima is quite unpredictable on that account."


    "True, and I have suffered under that misgiving, but I am wagering that you may be willing to risk death again yourself, but you are not willing to risk your lovely American wife."


    Deilune paused for a moment to catch Linda¡¯s eye. "But, if the Astreima is really down here, what you plan to do may kill us anyway."


    "True. Then again, when the Tireima is formed, it may empower you in ways that might destroy me." Beilla smiled slyly. "You see, Deilune, even I, who you consider evil, must take risks. You think I am mad because I dream of greatness for Lebreima. For that I am willing to risk my life.¡±


    He paced quickly and the Kareima around his neck glowed brighter. ¡°I have truly served Lebreima, but your father, Weirhamatt, and my own brother view me as a criminal. It is not a fair appraisal. When history is rewritten, even your children will think differently."


    "About the man who killed their parents?" Deilune mocked.


    "About the man who made sacrifices for a new world."


    "And my parents called me trajeime."


    Beilla barked, "That was for turning your back on Lebreima!"


    "Oh, so now, my former murderer and present kidnapper is trying to lay a guilt trip on me?"


    "That is for you to decide, Breima. I have not made this world the crazy place it¡¯s become. The Tireima will correct that."


    Deilune sighed. He gestured at the bizarre nether world surrounding them. "Look around you, Beilla. This place has nothing to do with any world that is real. You know we¡¯re all going to wake up from this bad dream with one splitting headache." He turned from Beilla towards Abzeig who raised his gun, blocking the way they¡¯d come.


    Taking Linda¡¯s hand Deilune led his wife towards the center of the chamber, muttering, ¡°A heart-shaped opening? What kind of sugar-coated nightmare is this?"

 70 - Demon Headquarters?

    70


    Demon Headquarters?


    Lottica stared into the ragged opening in the mountainside as Nick dug in his backpack for a flashlight. "You really think we should go in there?"


    "Lottica, it''s gonna be completely dark soon. We really don''t have much of a choice now.¡± Nick pulled out his flashlight and clicked it on. The beam was bright in the heavy dusk. ¡°Remember, you were the one who raced off to follow the footsteps in that heather stuff. This cave is where the tracks lead. Mom and Dad must be in there. Besides, it actually feels warmer in here."


    "What about Bopei, Ladamei and Heidein?"


    Nick shrugged. "They¡¯re gonna freak that we¡¯re gone, but Heidein knows this area well. He said the authorities would have a plane searching up here tomorrow. They¡¯ll figure out where we went."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "What if there are bats or bears¡­or hellhounds in there?"


    ¡°Seriously, Lottica?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a creepy cave. This is Lebreima. That¡¯s probably Demon Headquarters in there.¡±


    "Point taken,¡± Nick conceded, shining his flashlight around the cave opening. ¡°I''m no expert, but this opening looks new. Blasted open by you know who. So, I don''t think there''s anything in there scarier than Beilla and Abzeig."


    ¡°I seem to recall them being big-time scary when they were chasing us on Cemetery Hill.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but this time, we¡¯re the ones tracking them, right? We¡¯ve got that edge. We¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    Lottica didn¡¯t exactly agree with Nick''s reasoning that they had some kind of tactical advantage, but she knew she couldn¡¯t turn around if her parents were down there.


    "Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°Let me get my flashlight."


    "Sure, but don''t turn it on yet. We¡¯ll use mine first and conserve our batteries."


    "Then I''m sticking really close, big brother."


    "Sure. I''m glad for the company. You can even go first if you want."


    ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ll pass on that bit of back-handed chivalry,¡± Lottica said, following close behind Nick as they took their first cautious steps into the dark passage, the deep unknown, that they hoped would lead them to their parents.

 71 - Dark Heart

    71


    Dark Heart


    Linda felt like she was in some cheap and cheesy amusement park House of Horrors. The garish glow of the Fareima around Beilla''s neck combined with the strobing pulse of the Kareima made the huge chamber leap with shadows and false movement. The effect gave her a headache.


    "Deilune, I need to sit for a moment."


    "What''s the matter?"


    "You name it. I''m tired, my head is throbbing, and I¡¯m scared. Beilla is totally nuts. He thinks he''s the self-appointed savior of your quaint little country."


    "We''re not a country, dear. We''re a semi-autonomous region."


    Linda put her head in her hands. "You''re not helping my headache. What happens if we can''t find Beilla''s heart-shaped passage?"


    "We don''t pass Go?"


    "Dale!"


    He backed off. "I''m so sorry, Linda. Really. I¡¯m trying to laugh about this because it¡¯s too surreal. Like a dream. A fever dream.¡± He motioned around them. ¡°But, even I have to admit that Beilla has made an amazing discovery. If the Astreima is really down here, it would be monumental for Lebreima."


    Linda looked at him, her brows pinched. ¡°You¡¯re not going all la-la Lebreima-land on me too, are you?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m just intrigued by this place.¡± He led her to a gently sloping cave wall. ¡°Here, let''s rest here."


    It felt good to sit down, but, almost immediately, Linda noted the warmth of the cave wall and floor. "Deilune, why is the stone so warm to the touch? Is Mount Breima volcanic?"Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "At one time it might have been, but I really don''t know."


    From the shadows of a nearby stalagmite, Beilla''s loud voice interrupted. "Of course it is. The legends tell of Feodeim¡¯s descent, of the fiery rivers and blast furnace heat of the underworld. It is all here waiting for the Feirengahst to bring it forth."


    "Give it a rest, Beilla,¡± Deilune shouted back. ¡°We can''t even find Door #1, let alone the secret formula to your so-called world domination."


    His cape billowing menacingly, Beilla moved towards Deilune. At the same moment, from across the chamber, Abzeig barked in surprise. Swiftly, Deilune helped Linda up, and they followed Beilla¡¯s purposeful stride towards the sound. They found Abzeig huddled beneath his cape at the base of a large outcropping of rock.


    Beilla went to the cowering Abzeig and spoke to him in Lebreiman. With a quivering hand, Abzeig pointed at a strange collection of stalagmites a few meters away, muttering ominously, ¡°Deimahn. Deimahn.¡±


    Linda squeezed Deilune''s arm. "What¡¯s he saying?"


    For a moment even Deilune seemed a bit stunned. "He¡¯s saying a name. You remember the legends I''ve told you? Of how Feodeim came to the underworld and destroyed the demon that guarded the Fareima?"


    "Yes, you said that Feodeim slew the demon with the creature''s own horn."


    "Good memory. Well, I believe Abzeig thinks he¡¯s found Deimahn''s horn."


    Deilune pointed to an ominous shape. There, embedded in the thick sediment of many a millennia, a quartz-like protrusion some five feet in length, curving and tapering to a lethal point, thrust out towards a dense thicket of stalagmites. He could well imagine that the deadly-looking object being a serviceable weapon against a monstrous foe.


    "Could it really be the demon''s horn? Is that possible?" Linda asked, her headache forgotten.


    "No. I think it''s just a wicked looking piece of sediment, but let''s not tell Abzeig or Beilla that," he whispered, motioning to Abzeig who was struggling to regain control of himself.


    Any feeling of security left the couple when a strange sound near the "horn" made them jump. Deilune cautiously stepped towards the "horn" to investigate the startling noise. The light from his chest pulsed into the shadows as he neared the formidable tip of Deimahn¡¯s Horn. Then he heard the sound again. Then he felt it. Something had splashed onto the end of the horn. He held out his hand and waited until a single drop of water hit the tip of the ¡°horn¡± again.


    "Just a drip," he told Linda and craned his head to locate the source. Then he cried out in amazement, not unlike Abzeig had.


    Linda rushed to his side. "What is it, Dale?"


    In answer, his finger traced along the gentle arc of the deadly looking "horn" for her. Then he traced an airy line through the shadowy thicket of stalagmites to a darker shape. A dark heart.


    Beilla saw it, too. He and Deilune, in the competing radiance of the Fareima and Kareima, made their way guardedly toward the heart-shaped opening that Beilla insisted was the passage to the long-lost Astreima.

 72 - Monster!

    72


    Monster!


    Deilune and Beilla stood opposite the opening.


    Roughly heart-shaped, like a curved triangle, the entrance was about four feet tall, four feet across at the top and about two feet at the base. They could feel a current of warmer air blowing from the opening, as if exhaled from a sleeping dragon within.


    "Now what?" Deilune asked.


    "We must go through," Beilla said, recovering his composure. ¡°Abzeig will remain here to guard against escape.¡±


    Reluctantly, a scowling Abzeig drew closer, clutching his pistol, though staying well away from the tunnel¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to go," Deilune said and turned to Linda. "Do you want to stay here?"


    Linda glanced at Abzeig. "Not with Mr. Smiles there."


    She took her husband''s hand and walked with him to the entrance. He gave her hand a squeeze and then got on all fours to enter the passage, the pulsing Kareima providing plenty of light. As he moved into the passage, the heat became more intense. Like a sauna, he thought. He called back to Linda, "Take a deep breath before you come in. It¡¯s stifling in here."


    He scooted along as best he could in the close confines, checking to see if Linda was keeping up. The cramped passage was hot but it was straight and did not narrow. About fifty feet in, the light of the Kareima revealed a widening of the passage, and Deilune felt a moment of relief followed by a strong rush of anticipation. What were they about to find? Was the Astreima really within their grasp?


    He stood up slowly and turned back to Linda who was making her way, cautiously, illuminated from behind by the glow of the Fareima around Beilla''s neck. He waited for her, and then, together, they stepped into the new chamber. Beilla quickly joined them.


    In the competing light of the Kareima and Fareima, the chamber seemed to be tugged between the cool blues of the sea and the tempestuous red of lava. Forty or fifty feet beyond them were four distinct pools in the cavern floor, seemingly reflecting the light of the two gemstones. Two of the pools were redolent with the calm, inviting clarity of spring water; the other two bubbled and popped, roiling with the superheated fierceness of lava.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    "Look at that, Linda. No wonder it''s so hot in here."


    "What is this place?" she asked.


    In almost trance-like wonder, Beilla answered, "The heart of the mountain. Mount Breima. Where the Tireima was formed. Lost. And now is to be remade."


    "How can you be so sure, Beilla?"


    "Come, Deilune. Tell me that you do not see the very pattern the missing piece revealed? See how the chamber is formed? How can it be otherwise?"


    To get a better look at what Beilla claimed, Deilune took a step towards the pools of lava and water. Immediately, he shouted, madly waving his arms like a windmill gone berserk, and jerked backwards.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Linda gasped, catching Deilune as he stumbled backward. She held him as he caught his breath.


    "Linda, be careful!¡± he warned. ¡°There''s a chasm. I almost stepped off the edge."


    Beilla cautiously inched forward, keeping his eyes fixed at his feet until he came to the very edge of the chasm that blocked their way to the four pools beyond. He removed the Fareima from around his neck and dangled it over the side. Its fiery hues pushed back the deep-earth darkness to reveal the far side of the gulf. It was a good thirty feet across. The light of the Fareima was not enough, however, to penetrate the nether depths of the chasm which stretched from sidewall to sidewall.


    There was no way across.


    "Well, this is an interesting setback, Beilla," Deilune goaded their captor.


    Beilla did not respond. He inched his way along the ledge of the chasm to one sidewall, then turned and crept along to the opposite cave wall.


    With a self-satisfied smile on his face, he motioned Deilune to him. "The answer is here. Come, look."


    Deilune and Linda''s followed and saw what Beilla had discovered. An opening in the sidewall of the cavern. Deilune searched across the dark chasm to the dimly lit walls near the mesmerizing pools of lava and water. It was difficult to discern, but he eventually understood what he was seeing.


    Across the wide chasm, near the pools, obscured in shadow where the cavern wall met the floor of the chamber, was a deeper shadow. It was another opening. It formed a passageway to the pools, a much smaller version of the roughly heart-shaped tunnel that had led them here.


    "Okay, I get the layout,¡± Deilune said as he inspected the opening on their side of the chasm. ¡°But, there is still no way across. That tunnel is too small for any of us to get through."


    "Yes, on that account you are right. It is too small for us." Beilla had a fixed smile on his face.


    "You''re not thinking of using dynamite to widen it? That''s insane."


    "No, Deilune, I am not insane. The picture is now clear to me. There is a much simpler solution. One foretold" He paused as if listening, and then walked to the passage they had crawled through. Again, he listened.


    "There will be no need for dynamite. I think our solution is on its way.."


    Linda gave her husband a perplexed look. Then she heard what Beilla had heard coming through the heart-shaped passage and leapt at Beilla who had blocked the passage with his menacing form.


    "Let me past, you monster!" she screamed, as if echoing the sound she¡¯d heard a millisecond before: the high-pitched, completely unmistakable shriek of her daughter.

 73 - Suffer the Children

    73


    Suffer the Children


    Out of the strange rock formations in the otherworldly cavern, Abzeig rose up right in front of Nick¡¯s flashlight beam like some kind of low-budget movie monster. And Lottica could do nothing to prevent her roller coaster shriek.


    Pistol in hand, Abzeig seemed as surprised as Lottica and Nick. In the flashlight beam, his eyes were wide and Lottica¡¯s screech made him drop his gun. But swiftly realizing who it was, he reclaimed his gun and took Nick¡¯s flashlight.


    From the heart-shaped passage, Beilla¡¯s voice echoed commanding Abzeig to bring the children to him. Abzeig hesitated, but then herded the siblings into the hot, narrow passage.


    Lottica thought she might hyperventilate from the tunnel¡¯s heat and the scare she¡¯d had. Yet, she knew her parents must be close, and that kept her going until the passage widened and they could stand up. That¡¯s where she and Nick were met by the Fareima-glowing form of Beilla.


    He welcomed them with rich sarcasm. "Ah, the young Breimas. So nice of you to come all this way to visit the fine land of Lebreima. In a way, I should have been expecting you. It was perhaps wrong of me to separate you from your parents. Let me make amends."


    He led them the rest of the way through the passage and then stepped aside.


    Linda rushed to her children as they emerged from the passage. "Nick, Lottica, are you all right?¡± She hugged them tightly.


    Deilune came up and embraced them as well. "Are either of you hurt?"


    Still shaken, Nick answered, "We¡¯re fine. Abzeig surprised us back there.¡± He motioned to where Abzieg now stood, gun drawn, blocking the heart-shaped passage.


    "How did you get here? Are you alone?" Deilune asked.


    Even before Lottica elbowed him in the side, Nick knew he had to try to strengthen their very weak hand. He announced loudly, "After we found out you''d been taken by Beilla and Abzeig, Grandfather and Grandmother organized this search. The mountain is swarming with cops. They are right behind us. Lottica and I got a bit ahead of the other searchers."


    His story making him feel more cavalier, Nick sweetened the bluff, facing Beilla. "Your brother is here, too. Heidein knew this is where you''d come. So, let us go, Beilla. You''re in enough trouble."


    Beilla''s answer was a very thin smile. He did not have the look of someone who was out of options. He looked supremely confident. "Certainly, this sounds like my brother. To send two children ahead to tackle the madman of Lebreima. Yes, this makes perfect sense."


    He stepped towards Nick and his face appeared almost kindly. "Even if what you said about the police is true, it could hardly matter. Look about you, young Breima. Is this not a perfect place to defend? Even an army must come through that passage one by one. Abzeig is more than a match for that. No, I see no reason to turn back. Once I have all the lifestones and the Tireima is restored, no one will be able to alter the destiny of Lebreima."


    "But you don''t need the children," Linda pleaded.


    "That is what I thought. Until I saw this place. Even careful planning calls for changes.¡± He turned to face Deilune. ¡°You cleverly made me leave the missing piece behind in the airplane, but now I can see its image clearly in my head.¡±


    The mention of the stained glass pane set Lottica''s nerves tingling. She knew it was in Nick''s backpack. She paid close attention as Beilla continued.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "This chamber is exactly what is shown on the missing piece. It is a diagram of what must be done to reclaim the Astreima and reunite the three stones. After your miraculous return, Deilune, I came to believe that the image of the male and female with the missing hearts were you and your wife."


    Beilla¡¯s voice grew almost manic. "I was wrong. Now, I understand the truth of the image. It is your children. The size of the passages around the chasm and to the pools makes that obvious. It all fits. Only the children of Breima, the innocent and pure of heart, can restore the Tireima."


    In his zeal, Beilla clasped Deilune''s arm and urged, "Don''t you see it? We are so close to finding the Astreima. It is now our destiny to do this!"


    For a moment, Deilune thought he might just take Beilla''s hand and swing him around and over the edge of the chasm a few yards to his right, but Abzeig still guarded the passage. Deilune knew that getting rid of Beilla would only solve half the problem of rescuing his family.


    "If you¡¯re asking me to send my children alone through that tiny passageway to those molten pools on the other side of that abyss you¡¯re crazier than I ever thought."


    "It must be done!" Beilla hissed in Lebreiman and motioned to Abzeig who leveled his pistol at Linda.


    Deilune¡¯s eyes darted between Abzeig and Beilla before he asked, "What do you expect Nick and Lottica to do over there?"


    ¡°The children must place the gemstones in the four pools as revealed in the missing piece. They are the four quadrants of the stained glass panel. This will reveal the location of the Astreima. I am sure of it!"


    Deilune shook his head. "But two of those pools appear to be molten lava. That doesn''t make much sense. Besides, how can my children put the Kareima there, if it¡¯s in me?"


    "There must be sacrifices, Deilune." Beilla''s motioned once again to Abzeig who now trained his pistol at Deilune¡¯s glowing chest.


    Without thinking, Nick leapt toward¡¯s Abzeig, but Beilla caught him mid-lunge. "Save your energy, young Breima. Your part is to come."


    He pushed Nick back towards Linda who locked onto his arm. Beilla held out his hand to Deilune. "I need your ring. It is a part of the Kareima and may be enough to locate the Astreima."


    "If that¡¯s all you needed, then why didn''t you just take our dad¡¯s ring, instead of dragging them here?" Lottica shouted.


    "I reckon with many possibilities. The ring may not be enough. But we will see?" Beilla opened and closed his outstretched hand, his voice becoming tense and controlling "Come, Deilune, there is choice and there is no choice. Which do you believe this to be?"


    Deilune looked to Linda and his children and then slowly removed the glowing ring from his finger. He placed it in Beilla¡¯s palm. Abzeig lowered his gun.


    As Beilla removed the family ring from his own finger which came from the Fareima hanging at his neck, he acknowledged, "I know it is not easy to give up your ring. I do not wish to give up a piece of the Fareima either. It is deeply embedded in my being. In my family. I will only give up the Fareima pendant if the ring is not sufficient. You see, this is a great sacrifice for me as well."


    Deilune snorted. ¡°Quit with the sympathy. We don¡¯t need a pep talk. We''re your prisoners. Not your disciples. What needs to be done?"


    Deilune''s admonishment made Beilla''s dark eyes flash with anger, but his voice remained even. "Your children must take our rings through the passage and place them in the pools. That is all."


    "And if nothing happens?" Linda demanded.


    "Then, we shall see.¡± Beilla turned to Nick and Lottica. ¡°Do you understand what needs to be done?¡±


    "Must they both go?" Linda pleaded.


    "The missing piece clearly shows two children. They must both go."


    Linda gathered Lottica and Nick to her and Deilune joined them. ¡°Can you do this?¡± she asked.


    Lottica nodded. Nick nodded. The family hugged.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Beilla said, leading the children to the opening of the small tunnel that circumvented the chasm. Beilla handed Nick his father¡¯s ring made from the Kareima. To Lottica, he gave his ring containing a portion of the Fareima. "Take them through the passage, and I will tell you what to do once you near the four pools."


    With the rings in hand, Nick and Lottica peered into opening. It would be a tight fit and they needed to remove their backpacks to enter. Nick took his off and rummaged inside.


    "What are you looking for?" Beilla asked.


    "Extra batteries for our flashlights, if you don¡¯t mind."


    Beilla nodded and Nick quickly slipped not only the batteries and his dad¡¯s ring, but also the missing piece pane of glass into his jacket pocket. As she grabbed her own flashlight and batteries and put them in her pocket along with Beilla¡¯s ring, Lottica saw what Nick had done. She nodded her approval.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Nick said. He stared into the small opening. It was not a place he wanted to go, but he looked over at his parents being menaced by Abzeig¡¯s gun. They had to try this. "You ready?" he asked his sister, feeling foolish since he felt far from ready himself.


    Lottica saw her parent¡¯s anxious looks in the Kareima¡¯s pulsing glow. She waved bravely to them. ¡°Ready or not¡­¡± she whispered to Nick. And to herself.

 74 - Knock Out

    74


    Knock Out


    Nick entered the cramped passage on his belly. It was a squeeze at first. The gritty stone caught and scraped at every movement. At this rate, Nick thought, they''d come out the other end looking like grated cheese. But after about twenty feet of claustrophobic squirming, the passage opened up a bit, and they were able to move along on all fours. It was still uncomfortable, but much preferable to crawling.


    The farther in, though, the hotter and more oppressive the air became. A sulfurous smell began to bother Nick. He speeded up his pace, wanting to get to the other side of the passage, and became careless of sharp rocks jutting from the top of the passage. Suddenly, with a grunt, he fell flat. His flashlight went out.


    The darkness was complete.


    Lottica bit back a shriek. Panic trembled her limbs. "Nick! Nick! Are you okay?" she called as she scrambled forward groping for him in the blackness.


    He didn''t respond, but her hand found his ankle. She shook his leg, but he didn¡¯t move. The panic grew in her. If Nick were badly hurt, she it¡¯d be almost impossible drag him back out, and none of the adults could get in to help.


    A tsunami of helplessness welled up and threatened to swamp her. She was all alone. Trapped deep in the earth in a strange land with the lives of her family at stake.


    No fair! No fair!


    Despair came close to drowning Lottica in sorrow and self-pity.


    But, it did not.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Instead, her sense of powerlessness was quashed by a strange and sudden moment of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Total darkness. A hot, claustrophobic tunnel.


    She had been here before. Alone in a passage between hope and fear, decision and indecision, life and death. Not in her dreams, not in real life, but she had been here.


    Snow White, Cinderella, Hansel, Gretel, Heidi, Dorothy, Harry, Luke.


    Dead-parent stories.


    This is what they were all about. Moving forward. Facing the harsh realities of life on your own. Whether it was cleaning the ashes out of the fireplace, herding sheep, staying on the yellow brick road, facing Death Eaters, or attacking a Death Star.


    The lesson was clear. Get through the here and now, and let the future take care of itself, somehow.


    Lottica breathed deep. She collected her thoughts. First, she dug the flashlight from her pocket and switched it on. There was just enough clearance in the tunnel for her to huddle over Nick''s prone body and shine the light on his head. He had a gash near his temple bleeding freely. Placing her fingers on his neck, she searched for a pulse. She felt nothing at first, but she remained calm. Slowly she repositioned her fingers and finally registered a faint beat.


    She gave his shoulders a gentle shake. "Nick, Nick. Come on, Nick," she urged. His body trembled slightly, and she scooted back a bit. She shook him again. "That''s it,¡± she encouraged. ¡°You''re coming around."


    And he did. His eyes opened. He breathed out heavily. Lottica thought he might try to sit up, so she put on a hand on his shoulder. "Take it easy, Nick. You hit your head."


    "Man, did I ever. That was a big-time smack down."


    "You''re bleeding too."


    He put his hand to his head. "Yeah, I can feel it. Is it bad?¡±


    Lottica rummaged in her pocket and pulled out some tissues. ¡°Here put this on it.¡±


    Nick put the tissues against the wound and winced. He held it there for a minute. ¡°Thanks. That¡¯s helping with the bleeding. Let¡¯s get to the other side of this tunnel and then we can take care of it."


    "Can you find your flashlight?" Lottica asked.


    "Let me see." He slowly raised himself to all fours. "It''s right here.¡± He tried to switch it on but nothing happened. ¡°I think the bulb is cracked."


    "Here, take mine." She handed him her flashlight.


    Nick took it and then, much more cautiously, crawled forward. Soon, he could see a glow up ahead. He glanced back at Lottica. "We''re almost there."


    Suddenly from far behind, they heard their father¡¯s voice boom through the passage. "Nick! Lottica! Are you okay?"


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there!¡± Lottica shouted back. And with that she felt she could finally look ahead.

 75 - All Heart

    75


    All Heart


    Soon, they crawled out of the tunnel into the far chamber where they stood up and waved with the flashlight to their parents.


    "We''re okay,¡± Lottica called across the chasm and then realized she wasn¡¯t sure about Nick¡¯s head. ¡°How¡¯s the bleeding?¡± she whispered to him.


    Nick gingerly touched his temple with the wad of tissues. The bleeding had almost stopped, but the wound was tender. "I think I''ll live.¡± He let Lottica take a look.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that big a cut, but all that blood at first was scary,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Head wounds bleed a lot.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks, Dr. Breima. What do we do now?¡±


    Nick didn¡¯t have a chance to answer because Beilla shouted across the chasm, "Take the rings to the pools!"


    Lottica and Nick each dug the rings from their pockets. When Nick held his father¡¯s ring it was pulsating brightly. In Lottica¡¯s hand, Beilla¡¯s ring was too.


    "It''s as if they''ve come alive," Nick whispered.


    "Like Hawk¡¯s eyes the other day," Lottica said in awe. "Do you get the feeling Beilla may be right about all this?"


    "He may be right, but for the wrong reasons,¡± Nick reminded her. ¡°Come on. Let''s check out these weird pools."


    They approached cautiously. Each of the four pools was sunk into solid rock. The two placid pools of water appeared to be only about two feet deep but appeared have channels the water flowed in and out of. The depth of the radiant lava pools was impossible to gauge as they simmered and popped hypnotically.


    Beilla¡¯s voice boomed across the chasm. "Listen carefully, Breimas. Put the rings exactly where I tell you! The two pools closest to the chasm are the top. The two furthest are the bottom. The ring of the Fareima must go in the top lava pool. The ring of the Kareima must go in the top water pool. Then you must stand near the bottom lava pool."


    "What happens then?" Nick asked, not particularly liking the idea of standing so close to boiling lava.


    "The Astreima will be revealed if all is done correctly," Beilla answered.


    Nick turned away from the chasm and spoke softly to Lottica, "He''s not telling us everything. Let''s have a look for ourselves."


    They walked around the four pools, keeping close to the cavern walls when they passed the pools of lava. Near the farthest pool of lava in the very back of the chamber was another opening, larger than the passage they had crawled through, which could not be seen from across the dark chasm. Lottica stepped closer and shined her flashlight in it. The passage inside was wide and had an upward slant. And, more importantly, Lottica noticed a steady current air issuing from it.


    "Nick, do you feel it? The air is cooler and smells fresher. This might be another way out."


    Nick sniffed at the opening of the passage. "I think you¡¯re right. But how do we get Mom and Dad over here?"


    "Maybe at least one of us should go for help?" Lottica suggested.


    "I don¡¯t think I could leave you and Mom and Dad down here,¡± Nick replied. ¡°I¡¯m betting you feel the same way.¡±


    "I get that, but what¡¯s our alternative?"


    "I think we gotta try what Beilla suggests,¡± Nick said. ¡°But, let''s have a look at the missing piece first. Something is bugging me about his plan." Nick looked back across the chasm and then addressed Lottica again. "Stand here for a second."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    He positioned Lottica so that she blocked Beilla''s view. He slipped the pane out of his jacket pocket and quickly unwrapped it. The mysterious pane seemed to absorb the fiery lights of the chamber. It glowed like an LED display.


    From beyond the chasm Beilla yelled, stern and impatient, "What are you waiting for? Do as I¡¯ve told you!"


    Nick was quick with his shouted reply. "Lottica''s a bit shaken up. She''s afraid for our parents."


    "Way to buy us time with the girls-are-weak stereotype," she scolded him, knowing she¡¯d been anything but weak back in the tunnel when Nick had been knocked out.


    "Take your time, honey!" came her mother''s reassuring shout.


    They took the opportunity to sit down and look closely at the stained glass piece. The problem was that the picture could be read two ways. Facing one way, Beilla''s orientation of the stones and children was correct, but if the glass pane was turned over, the stones and the children flip-flopped their positions.


    They puzzled over the correct way to view it.


    Nick looked from the stained glass to the four pools a few times. Then he took a long look around the four-pooled chamber and the passage they had crawled through to get in, plus the larger passage behind them that seemed to be a way out.


    An inlet passage, four pools and an outlet passage.


    Bingo!


    He got it. He finally got it. The missing piece of the puzzle he and Lottica had been wrestling with. It was like sitting in a tough biology lesson and finally getting the concept.


    Nick scooted next to Lottica, so that their backs were to Beilla across the dark divide of the chasm. He spoke excitedly. "Listen, it just hit me. I think I understand the set up here. The four pools are the four chambers of the heart. The pools of water are the right atrium and ventricle. They are the side that we entered. That''s where deoxygenated blood flows in. It''s blue. The other side, the lava, represents the left atrium and ventricle that receive the oxygenated blood, bright red, and then circulate it through the body."


    Lottica stared at her brother. "Seriously, is this really the time for Anatomy 101? Do you need me to check your head again?¡±


    "Lottie! You''re usually the one who''s good with the symbols. Look around you. Check the layout. We are literally in the heart of Mount Breima. If all this other crazy stuff we''ve been going through is believable, then this makes perfect sense."


    Lottica saw how earnest he was. "Okay, I''ll buy that. So how does it help with where the stones are placed?"


    Nick kept his voice low. ¡°Beilla told us to put the Kareima ring into the lower water pool and for us to stand by the lower lava pool. I think that''s backward. He''s going by the picture of the stained glass piece, not the reasoning behind it. If the Astreima is really here, then it should issue from the lower left ventricle. Look, even that pool is larger than the other ones, just like in chambers of a real heart. It makes sense, Lottica. As much as any of this makes sense."


    "Okay. I see what you¡¯re saying. I trust you. But it still doesn''t tell us what''s going to happen."


    "I think it might. In some sense Mount Breima is going to come alive."


    "Alive?¡± Lottica gawked. ¡°What do you mean?


    "Your guess is as good as mine."


    She stared at her brother in disbelief for a long moment. "Well, then what are we waiting for?" she said as if about to jump off a cliff. ¡°Let¡¯s bring Mount Breima into the 21<sup>st</sup> Century.¡± She stood up and yelled across the shadowy chasm. "I think we''re ready. Wish us luck."


    ¡°Always!¡± Deilune and Linda shouted back.


    Nick walked around to the top of the "heart." In the upper pool of water, he placed his father¡¯s ring with the Kareima, its vibrant light pulsing through the crystalline water.


    "Good! Good!" came Beilla''s encouragement. From his vantage, there was no way he tell that they had reversed the order of the stones. It would not be until they reached the back pools that he would see what they were planning.


    Nick tried to forestall this knowledge. "Lottica, we need to step into the pool of water together and then you toss Beilla¡¯s ring into the pool diagonal to it."


    "Why do we have to get in the water?"


    "The missing piece shows the two figures lined up just like the gemstones. I think it''s important that we be in a pool just like we are putting pieces of the Kareima and Fareima in. The water isn''t deep, and I''ll check the temperature before we step in just to make sure it¡¯s safe," Nick explained.


    "Make sure you do, or this¡¯ll turn into a dead-children story."


    ¡°Yeah. We don¡¯t need that.¡±


    As they stood at the back of the cavern facing across the four pools, Lottica could more easily see what Nick had been trying to explain. The cavern layout did seem like a heart. She could imagine the profile of Mount Breima. The hands folded above the chest awaiting the descent of Hawk with his gift of the Kareima.


    Her thoughts turned to her grandparents and where they might be at this moment. It pained her to imagine them out looking for her and Nick. In disobeying their grandparents, they¡¯d acted irresponsibly. Now, they were about to disobey Beilla''s plan. Who knew what dire consequences that might create.


    Nick bent down and held his outstretched hand a few inches above the clear water of the lower pool. He gingerly touched the surface with the back of his hand. "Feels fine," he told her. "You ready?"


    "Let''s do it, Lord Breima."


    As in the image on the stained glass pane, Nick took Lottica¡¯s hand and, together, they stepped into the pool.


    Time stopped.

 76 - Lighting the Fuse

    76


    Lighting the Fuse


    Lottica couldn¡¯t move. Complete stillness. Her limbs frozen. Yet her senses reached out. She was aware of Nick at her side, motionless as well.


    However, across the chasm, there was strange and chaotic movement. Lottica strained to perceive what appeared to be a large black bird flapping its wings furiously. The bird squawked and capered perilously close to the edge of the chasm. She watched the strange sight, detached. Almost amused. Then she began to understand.


    Beilla in his silly cape, she thought. He''s angry with us.


    Then she heard Nick. Though she wasn¡¯t sure if his voice came to her from outside or inside her head. His words refused to form pictures in her mind. What did he want her to do? The words were gibberish. She tried to focus on what he was saying, but that didn¡¯t work.


    Something was flashing in her hand. Beilla¡¯s ring was pulsating wildly. So was the pool of water where they had placed the ring of the Kareima. It had turned into a stroboscopic searchlight shooting to the far reaches of the cavern roof high above. Lottica wondered if they were directly below the "hands" of Mount Breima.


    Nick was shouting now. She needed to concentrate. ¡°Thriiing! Thriiing!¡± he seemed to be yelling. Focus. Focus!


    His urgent words became suddenly clear. "Throw the ring! Throw the ring!"


    At the adjacent lava pool where Lottica was supposed to fling Beilla''s ring, fiery magma was heaving and overflowing pool. It inched towards the dark chasm separating them from her parents and Beilla. Likewise, in the pool where she and Nick waded, the lower right ventricle if Nick¡¯s metaphor was correct, the water began to bubble like carbonated soda.


    It tickled her legs and she felt that if she closed her eyes, she might sink into herself. Compress until she could go no further. Then explode.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Like a supernova.


    That was the answer. Lottica had figured out her piece of the puzzle. They were moving from Anatomy 101 to Astronomy 101.


    A singularity. A time beginning.


    A new existence would start here. All the activity around her was randomness and order would establish itself when¡­


    "Throw the ring, Lottica! Throw it NOW!"


    The panic in Nick''s command jolted her back to unreal reality. Across, the chasm, which was now a fiery expanse of light, an almost comic struggle was taking place. Her father was grappling with Abzeig. Abzeig¡¯s gun was aimed at her. Beilla was wrestling with her father. Her mother was tugging on Beilla¡¯s cape. It was ridiculous and hellish, and Lottica wanted to stop it. Control it.


    How could she?


    Control.


    It came down to that. Everything that had happened since her parents were blown up that August evening had left of her out of control. That¡¯s what she¡¯d been missing. A sense of control.


    Like in endless dead-parent stories. In losing their parents, the kids lose the biggest part of themselves. They face dark times. To finally move on and succeed those kids have to take back control of their lives. To climb out of the darkness and remake themselves.


    That¡¯s what Lottica realized she had to do.


    It all boiled down to a question of heart. Like all kids who lost their parents, did she have the heart to go on? Like her family, did she have the heart to sacrifice? And, like her ancestors, did she have the heart to light the way?


    Lighting the way.


    The Starstone.


    The Astreima.


    In her hand, Beilla¡¯s ring pulsed urgently, and she knew what she had to do. She fought against the paralyzing force in her limbs. Her hand trembled. She had to take control. She had to act.


    Inwardly, she shouted to herself. I''m Lottica Breima. I''m twelve years old. This is my hand. I''m in control. I have the heart of a Breima!


    To her surprise, she suddenly felt a surge of force run through her. Nick was squeezing her other hand tight. Her brother. The two of them. Like the image in the missing piece. Both of them. Together. Linked.


    It freed her.


    It never was just up to her. To one person. That was the real missing piece. She was not alone. As a human, at heart, she was never alone. If she reached out. And connected.


    Like Nick taking her hand.


    The revelation jolted her with a massive dose of adrenaline. Energy coursed through her being. Up went her arm. Her palm. Out catapulted Beilla¡¯s ring, launched in a perfect arc. The fiery ring of the Fareima landed directly in the heart of the upper lava pool.


    Mount Breima held its breath.


    All activity in the pools around her ceased. The entire chamber fell still. Lottica felt as if she could now move freely, but she dared not. Stillness had been ordained and to break the silent command of Mount Breima was unthinkable.

 77 - Into the Abyss

    77


    Into the Abyss


    Like everything in the towering cavern, the fighting across the chasm stopped, the four adults forming a bizarre tableau of mayhem.


    Not a sound.


    Not a whisper.


    Until a noise like heavy fabric ripping tore through the chamber. And with a thunderous crack Mount Breima awoke with a roar. From the four pools, luminous beams shot upward merging at the top of the cavern. A dazzling effulgence enveloped Lottica and Nick. Across the chasm, the fight between the adults resumed.


    In mid-air!


    Deilune, Linda and Beilla were airborne, floating above Abzeig. Deilune and Beilla clawed at one another while Linda clasped Deilune¡¯s ankles.


    The Fareima blazed from Beilla¡¯s chest and the Kareima from Deilune¡¯s. It was Hawk and Raven renewing an age-old battle, though neither seemed aware that they were being drawn over the deep chasm that had begun to glow ominously. Abzeig threw himself on the ground and trembled, along with the mountain beneath him.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Only Lottica and Nick seemed to realize how perilous their parents¡¯ situation had become. It appeared that all pieces of the Kareima and Fareima were being drawn to their respective pools, over the now fiery chasm, the depths of which roiled and raged with energy.


    Beilla didn¡¯t seem to understand the Fareima was drawing him to a pool of lava. Floating, he continued to wrestle Deilune, as if he and the rightful heir of Breima were not headed toward their doom, and Linda was not latched onto his legs. Locked in this deathly struggle with an other-wordly inferno growing beneath them, they drew close to Lottica and Nick¡¯s side of the chasm, struggling.


    ¡°You cannot stop it, Breima. Raven cursed your family. Now, you will be the first to perish in the Feirengahst!¡± he cursed Deilune.


    A blur rushed past Lottica and Nick.


    In flight, a black blur. Its eyes flashing with the brilliance of the Kareima.


    Hawk.


    It struck Beilla clean in the chest, knocking him clear of Deilune and Linda. Sleek and alive with power and grace, in one swift move, Hawk¡¯s iron talons tore the Fareima pendant from Beilla''s neck.


    For a brief moment, Beilla hung in space looking surprised. Then he vanished into the fiery chasm. Only the frail flapping of his cape, a useless wing, marked his descent into the abyss.


    Abzeig, cowering on the far ledge, saw Beilla fall and rose to flee. A shrill cry from Hawk froze him at the very edge of the chasm. Awkwardly, Abzeig raised his gun at the impossible creature streaking towards him. He vainly fired once as Hawk struck his arm, knocking him off balance. And then Abzeig, his arms flailing, followed the path of his misguided master into the roiling abyss.

 78 - Lifestoned

    78


    Lifestoned


    Even for madmen like Beilla and Abzeig, it was a terrible fate. But the Breimas had little time to reflect on that. The power of the Kareima finished carrying Deilune and Linda to the upper pool of water lit incandescently blue. They descended gently into it. Hawk wheeled their way. It alighted on the edge of Deilune and Linda''s pool, the pendant with the Fareima still clasped in its claws.


    Lottica stared at the glittering eyes of Hawk. "Lebreima lumeinatus de Kareima," she whispered, because it seemed the only thing worth saying in that incredible moment.


    In response, Hawk dipped its head forward as if to take a drink from the pool Deilune and Linda stood in. To Lottica¡¯s disbelief, its two glittering eyes, long-ago dusted by the Kareima, fell into the pool.


    The creature then walked to the adjacent lava pool and deftly flung the Fareima into its glowing mass. Finally, the Breima family tracked its miraculous path, Hawk reached the edge of the lower lava pool next to where Nick and Lottica stood.


    Without hestitating, Hawk hopped into the molten lava.


    Quickly the blackened iron began melting and sloughing off. The Hawk¡¯s once textured features became a smooth ovoid. As its dark exterior melted away, a radiant light began to shine through the rapidly thinning ore. The singular brightness grew until a definite shape emerged.


    Lottica recognized it. A shape she¡¯d seen many times before in her astronomy books and through her telescope. Within the cold iron of Hawk, a star was emerging.


    The Astreima.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Her grandparents and Heidein had told her. Hawk knows.


    She turned to Nick. He was smiling. They watched as the brilliance of the Astreima burst through the remaining metal, more breathtaking than anything they had seen before. They shielded their eyes as the gemstone became fully exposed, but only for a moment before its brilliance folded into the lava.


    The lifestones of Lebreima, the Kareima, Fareima and Astreima, were in place. The ancient Tireima had been reformed in the heart of Mount Breima and the world waited to be remade.


    It didn¡¯t take long.


    Mount Breima jumped like it had been shocked with high voltage. The jolt knocked the children and their parents to their knees in the two pools. From each pool, the light intensified, suffusing their bodies and beings. Indeed, Lottica felt as if she was diffusing into the light intself. She watched as her hand became translucent, the capillaries and bones becoming faint lines in the torch her hand had become. She looked to Nick, who was now floating in the pool, his hands raised like two fantastic glow sticks.


    Her parents were enveloped in light as well, but in a blue light that made them appear to be under water. They went rigid as a deeper blue emerged from their beings.


    The Kareima!


    The Kareima was part of them. It had brought them life again, like Feodeim. Was it leaving them now?


    She tried to move, but she had become like air without form or direction. There was nothing to move. Around her the light strengthened and the lava pools became chaotic, a volcano of color. Indeed, it appeared to Lottica the entire chamber was about to erupt.


    Nick recognized it, too. The pools began an alternating surge. A heart pumping. The heart of Mount Breima come alive. Right atrium to right ventricle to left atrium to left ventricle. Faster and faster. The sequence repeating until Nick could no longer perceive the separate beats. Nick wondered where this manic process would take them.


    The light around them grew stronger and stronger, the beams shooting from each of each of the four pools widening until they coalesced into a single blinding entity above them.


    The combined force of the Kareima, Fareima and Astreima heaved against the cavern''s towering roof. The pressure built. The mountain groaned, trying with all the might of its mass to hold itself together. But the Tireima would not be held.


    In brilliant finality the cavern roof gave way. The blast knocked the Breimas to the bottom of their pools of water. And the reunited Tireima shot forth like a supernova, blowing open the suppliant hands of Mount Breima.


    Into a very different world, the lifestones were remade and unleashed into the dark Lebreiman skies.

 79 - Last Night

    79


    Last Night


    Birth.


    Lottica dreamt it. Her own birth, from the dark, amniotic calm of her mother''s womb, to the birth of a star, a nuclear furnace of simple elements creating the stuff of life. It was so easy to believe they were one and the same. She let herself be carried along in the paradoxical lightness of unborn thought reborn. Weightless and easily carried away.


    She was being carried. She awoke to the reality. Her arms were wrapped loosely around her father''s neck. Her head was on his shoulder. Her father was carrying her on his back through a dimly lit passage. Ahead, she saw Nick trudging valiantly along. Behind she saw her mother, holding the flashlight to light the way for all of them.


    "Hey, honey," her mother said softly when she noticed Lottica looking back at her. "How do you feel?"


    "I think I''m okay." She squeezed her dad¡¯s shoulders. "Dad, you can put me down?"


    "You sure, daarling? We couldn''t rouse you after¡ª" he failed to find the words to describe what they''d experienced. "Are you hurt?"


    "No, just woozy and worn out. What about you guys? I mean, it looked like something intense happened to you with the Kareima."


    In response, Deilune set her down and then turned to face her. "I don''t know what to make of it, and I hope you are not too terribly disappointed, but I don''t think your mother and I are undead anymore. See?" He held his shirt open. ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± he said, tapping his thoroughly normal chest. ¡°No Kareima, but we''re still here. And, all things considered, I feel pretty darn good. Linda?"


    "Never been better," she agreed with a smile.


    "Hey, let¡¯s keep moving! I''m starving," Nick butted in. "You gonna carry me a while, Dad."


    "Fat chance, Breima. I was just going to ask you to carry Lottica for awhile."


    "You''re kidding?"


    "Of course he is, Nick," Lottica said. "Besides, I''m okay. How long have we been walking in here? What did I miss?"


    Nick snorted. "Only the coolest cataclysm this side of Vesuvius. As soon as the cavern roof blew off, everything went dark except for the glowing lava. You were out cold, so got you out of the pool. I was able to find your flashlight. Then the lava started bubbling again and flowed into the chasm. It was crazy. Then lava started spilling our way, so Dad grabbed you, and I showed them that passage we found earlier.¡±


    ¡°How long ago was that?¡± Lottica asked.


    ¡°We''ve been heading upwards about thirty or forty minutes,¡± Nick said. ¡°And I think we must be getting close to an opening. I can feel a change in the temperature. The air seems cooler."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Well, I''m okay to walk, so let¡¯s keep moving. I¡¯m all for getting out of here.¡± The she smirked. ¡°Besides Nick is hungry."


    They let the hungry one lead, and slowly a chill seeped into the air. Initially, they¡¯d been glad for the warmth of the passage to dry their soaking clothes, but it had also tired them and made them thirsty. The cooler air revived them, and Nick sped up the pace, until Lottica reminded him about banging his head earlier. She then told her parents what happened to Nick in the tunnel. Linda checked Nick¡¯s temple, to which she gave her healing kiss.


    The more immediate worry was the flashlight. The battery was losing its charge and the wan light continued to dim. At one point, they huddled close as Deilune opened the flashlight and took out the batteries and rubbed them against Nick''s flannel shirt. "An old hiker''s trick," he explained. "It gives a brief charge. Though we''re probably going to be wishing the Kareima was back inside me before long."


    The battery trick gave a slight boost to the beam''s brightness, but it was short-lived. They had to slow down and bunch up to be able to see in its feeble light, just as the passage became a bit steeper and more difficult.


    "Take it carefully," Deilune told Nick, though the advice was for them all. They joined hands and moved even more slowly. Soon the flashlight failed completely.


    Strangely, the darkness was not complete. There was a dim glow in the passage. The four Breimas moved slowly on and gradually the passage brightened.


    "Dad, where''s the light coming from?" Nick asked.


    "Based on the cooler air, there must be an opening not too far ahead. And maybe the moon is full," he ventured uncertainly.


    "No," said Lottica, always current on the lunar cycle for star viewing, ¡°The moon won¡¯t be full for awhile."


    "Maybe, Weirhamatt and Heidein got those helicopters to do a night search," Nick said.


    "That could be, but this is a steady light. Keep moving. We should find out soon."


    About ten minutes later, it was bright enough that they could see the expressions on each other''s faces, which were very relieved looks. A few minutes after that, Nick gave a shout. "I think we''re almost there. It''s much brighter up ahead."


    It was also much colder. But, as they approached the hidden opening, stepping out under the "chin" of Mount Breima, it could''ve been thirty below zero and still they would not have felt it. For when they looked across the vast "chest" towards the ¡°hands¡± of the Mount Breima, they could see what the mighty explosive force of the three gemstones had done. The ¡°hands¡± were no longer held up as in supplication and prayer. Now, they were cupped to receive an offering.


    An offering from far above.


    The whole of Mount Breima, all of Lebreima, the entire world, was now receiving the transforming light of the Tireima.


    Directly overhead, in the heart of the constellation of Hawk high in the night sky, a newborn star glowed white-hot. Its crystalline light, as bright as a full moon, gleamed protectively, spreading across the earth like a soft and secure blanket. Night would never be as dark. Earth would never be as afraid.


    "Did we do that?" Lottica asked.


    "I''m not sure,¡± Nick said, gawking. Then he pointed a hundred feet or so below where three flashlight beams had begun to wave rather excitedly in their direction, ¡°But I''m betting Bopei and Ladamei and Heidein can tell us.¡±


    A short time later, Lottica had surprisingly little to say as her grandparents hugged them and wrapped them in spare clothing against the cold, clear, bright November night.


    She had one question for Heidein, though. "How did you know to send Hawk?"


    He laughed. "I did not send Hawk. I brought him. Hawk cannot be sent anywhere."


    "Did you know Hawk held the Astreima?"


    Heidein''s expression remained inscrutable, though his eyes widened just the faintest bit. He answered, and Lottica understood these to be his closing words on the matter, "Let me remind you of the oldest expression in all of Lebreima. Heidein zei."


    After the mind-bending events deep in Mount Breima, and with a newborn star shining overhead, Lottica repeated the ancient mantra that provided no rational answers, but now very much reassured her, "Hawk knows."

 80 - A Star is Born

    80


    A Star Is Born


    A week later, Lottica sat in the parlor of Breima Manor after dinner reading the online edition of Time Magazine. The cover sported a spectacular picture of the Tireima, although it was referred to as Supernova KLK32, with the headline "The Night Reborn."


    The main article discussed the surprising detonation of the relatively nearby star, and how astrophysicists were at a loss to explain the intensity of the supernova in relation to the size of stars charted in that sector. Some scientists speculated that this extraordinary phenomenon might send astronomers back to the drawing board to completely rewrite current theories on the birth and death of stars.


    Much of the rest of the magazine was devoted to features that ranged from the environmental, to social, to spiritual issues that earth¡¯s bright new companion in the night sky would bring. Some envisioned the new star as a harbinger of doom and some heralded the light as the savior of humanity: that humankind would no longer be faced true darkness at night.


    There was even a small story on Lebreeman (Lottica smiled at the magazine¡¯s misspelling) villagers who reported feeling an earthquake and then witnessed the new star shoot into space, launched from Mount Breima, the legendary site of their homeland''s birth.


    The news accounts in Lebreima, of course, were full of such stories. Where, to most locals, they were taken much more seriously.


    Lottica put the magazine onto the table next to the two amazing kites that Heidein had brought by earlier in the day. Lottica wondered if these kites might be his way of letting them know that his brother Beilla''s death, though unfortunate, had ultimately served a greater purpose.


    On Nick''s kite was a rough drawing of a boy and on Lottica''s a girl. The drawings mimicked the figures from the missing piece of stained glass. Except with a brightly colored Hawk, his brilliant eyes aflame, drawn in the middle of their chests. Hawks at heart. Breimas to the core.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    With a soft sigh, she turned to watch Nick who was building a fire. The weather had turned very cold and snow was predicted for that evening.


    "How''s the fire coming?"


    "Piece of cake," Nick replied.


    "So, Nick, where do two formerly orphaned siblings go from here, now that their zombie parents have rejoined the ranks of the everyday living?"


    Nick blew into the flickering flames. "I think you go straight to press. You should write about this, Lottie. I mean, I liked your Weirdest Witch idea and all, but this is a dead-parent story that kicks Oz."


    She laughed, a big belly laugh, the kind of laugh she hadn''t had since before...since before...August.


    Once she stopped laughing, she replied, "Only if you''ll rewrite those stuffy anatomy books and tell the world how life really works: Lebreiman style!"


    Their parents entered the parlor, followed by their grandparents each carrying a small tray of seimei. The smell lured Nick quickly over to them.


    "What were you laughing about?" Linda asked.


    "Oh, just a ridiculous joke of Nick''s," Lottica answered with a smile.


    As her grandmother began serving the seimei, Lottica stepped to the window. To her delight, she spotted the first flakes of snow begin to fall. Even with the heavy cloud cover, the light of the Tireima created a soft, inviting luminescence that made the snowflakes dance with light. A zillion newborn crystals falling to earth like stardust.


    Lottica thought about Nick''s idea. Write about what had happened to them. Tell the truth.


    No one would believe it.


    It was a great story, though. And tempting to believe she was uniquely privy to an event that ultimately might help humanity come closer together. The Kareima, Fareima and Astreima: life, love and light. Together the lifestones held the purpose, passion, and promise of humanity. She knew where the Tireima had come from and what it meant.


    In her heart, which would never beat quite the same way again, was the truth. She had only to look across the room at her family, at her grandparents, at her parents, at Nick, and she knew what held it all together.


    But, Lottica decided right then and there that she was going to be selfish with her hard-won knowledge of human need and greed. At least, just long enough to feel twelve years old again. Then, she''d gratefully grow up with the rest of humanity, her sometimes fragmented but ever-hopeful extended family.


    With a triumphant laugh that made her whole family look at her strangely, a look any preteen bursting with possibility might elicit, she dashed from the parlor and out the front door into the magically starlit snow. Lottica stretched her arms wide, tilted back her head and delicately embraced the heavens.


    THE END