NOTE BEFORE READING: This might be confusing...?.. but Magolor switches this to the beginning of the whole scenario between him and the master crown, etc etc... Hope you likey! let me know if I ramble too much.. ^^'
CHAPTER ONE
"Magolor!"
"Yes mom?"
"I'm going to the market to get some food, so you'll be home alone for a bit. But I'm sure you're fine with that!"
Jeez...Protective, much? Why does she have to be so skeptical about leaving me home alone?
"Yes I am mom..."
"Okay honey, just making sure!" Mom said in her perky, high pitched voice. And people wonder why I am so perky sometimes. I'm nothing compared to my mother. Mom is the only one to blame. Dad on the other hand, he's a more "get-down-to-business-so-don't disturb-me" kind of person, if you know what I mean. He's a more reserved person, but my mom...well she really likes to socialize. Really likes to...A lot.
...
Creepy isn't it?
Okay, it's really not that bad, but people often think she is annoying with her perky voice and clingy, optimistic ways. I remember one time, dad was meeting with his workmates from D.O.H., which is the Defense Organization of Halcandra. It's basically where they work to demolish all the threats that appear on our land. Since Halcandra is a dangerous place to live, if areas aren't blocked off, we have to have people to work against the evil: like monsters, intruders, psycho people that try to take over Halcandra because its wealthy, and simple things like that. Strangely, natural disasters usually aren't the problem, except if the volcano erupts, but that hasn't happened for hundreds of years.
Back to the point, my mother had been baking cookies. She has a sweet-tooth, unlike me. I take after my dad, who enjoys most fruits and vegetables. Mom took the cookies and was about to set them on the small coffee table in front of one of dad's workmates, but she slipped so the cookies spilled all over him. Normally, you'd think someone would apologize and try to clean them off, but mom started laughing. Hysterically.
Really hard.
So hard, I'm pretty sure it scared all the workers, and me too. Dad just sighed and shook his head.
Not to be rude, but sometimes...I wonder why he likes her. He always acts like she's so annoying...
"Remember to get apples, please!" I yelled at mom who was already out the door.
My mother flashed a smile at me, nodding, and waved, I waved back. Since dad was working over-night, my mom had to do all the work. But still! She keeps acting so worried about me. Am I supposed to be savoring her behavior. Highly doubtful...
What could possibly happen?
Never mind that..., "The Threat" is what's keeping dad at work for so long. Oh so you expect me to tell you what "The Threat" is? Well you're out of luck, cause I don't know either.
Annoying right..?
I've tried to eavesdrop many times before, when dad and his workmates have meetings at our house, which is really rare, but they talk in code or something. No matter, I can't understand it. The head of D.O.H. called for my dad and several other workers to help them investigate "The Threat," since they have a reputation of being good detectives...er investigators. Who knows? Its like, some sort of gang they made up.
All I know is that "The Threat" is very dangerous, and beastly. I want to know so badly! Maybe...just maybe if I sneak a look in the guarded area...Pffft, nooooo...
My parents would kill me.
Even my ultra-happy-go-lucky mom will get mad.
But, then again, how else would I find out?
Hmmm...
I left a note, so if mom got back before me, she wouldn't be wondering where I was.
It read, "Hi mom, I'm out taking a walk just to let you know if you get back before me. Hopefully you got apples!"
Guessed where I'm going yet?
No?
Should've read more closely...
I stuck the note on my coffee table in the kitchen, so it would be visible when you walk in. Sighing, I departed my comfy home and out into the world around me. I made sure to close the door so no crazy person could walk into my house.
Well...
The weather was nice. A little cloudy, a little muggy, but nice overall. But the air seemed strangely silent, and not only because it wasn't windy. Don't you just hate those moments? I shrugged, with my invisible shoulders, and started my "walk."
Luckily for me, I knew exactly where I was going.
Hopefully by now you've figured out where I'm going. It was a little ways beyond the building where dad worked at. There was a gigantic volcano and a river of lava flowing around it. Rocks dotted that area too. I've been there before when I was young, when I wandered off one time. It's a pretty dark place when you think about it... A good place for "The Threat" to dwell...
Not many people were out walking; no surprise since the D.O.H. told us to stay indoors at all times if possible. I mean, we are allowed to leave, but not just carelessly take a walk to the park or something.
Which what I was exactly doing.
Except the part about the park.
I walked for a few minutes, until I could see the tip of the volcano that laid smack in the center of our planet. Small gray smoke puffs were appearing from the top, but there was nothing to worry about. It happens all the time. Nothing dangerous ever occurs though. Maybe there's a few lava spouts, but they never get past the thin river flowing around the volcano.
After I passed through the common town, bits and pieces of metal dotted the pathway. I knew I was heading towards the more mechanical and high-tech section of the planetoid. Almost everything here was metal, or based off of it. Even the flowers. The sky was gray and seemed polluted. That's because so many Halcandrans' here use coal and fuels, that it produces smoke and other gases. it eventually evaporates in the air though, or disappears...I'm not too sure, since I don't live in this section.
"Hey kid!"
I kept walking.
"Hey! Kid! Come over here!" I turned around. The voice came from behind me. It belonged to a short, plump fellow, with a raspy voice. He sported a gray, metallic uniform with a pitch black mask around the eyes, which were glowing red. I shuddered.
"Me?" I asked, slightly confused. What did they want?
"Yea you! C'mon!" I only moved about a foot forwards before the shady person grabbed my hand and yanked it, puling me with him. I yelped and felt myself being thrown into a house. I felt like a prisoner.
"Listen kid, you seem curious don't you?"
I shook slightly, and nodded. What was with this person?
"Well isn't that nice, so am I. The name's Barlow. I know what you're looking for." Barlow looked straight into my confused yellow eyes with his crimson ones, as if he was reading my mind. And I'm pretty sure he was, because I haven't said a word about walking around this high-tech city.
"W..Who are you?" My voice was timid and small. Well, who wouldn't be scared if a stranger came up to them and pulled them into their house?! Certainly not me!
Barlow chuckled lightly, and just shook his head.
"Just a regular citizen of Egg Engines, nothing too spectacular. But I should be asking you. Who are you to go and venture to the sacred volcano just to let your young eyes see "The Threat" that dwells there? You have no idea what you are doing. I have done the same thing." Again, I shuddered, but stared at him like I was interested in what he had to say. What does Barlow mean though? I'm just taking a peek. My agenda was: get through Egg Engines, get through Dangerous Dinner, go to volcano, see "The Threat", and then leave.
Simple as that.
...
This guy must have mind reading powers, because I swear I could just feel him reaching into my brain and grabbing information...Creepy. But...maybe this guy had a point...maybe...Possibly...he was an ancestor of the ancients. No! That couldn't be! The ancients...they have no known relatives. Do they?...I should stop asking questions, shouldn't I?
Darn...
Bad habit..
The only thing known about the ancients, is that they hand crafted a ship...who's name I don't know. And there is one more thing left by them. It is a crown, presumably protected by "The Threat." I don't know much about that either, but it only boosts me more to check out who or what "The Threat" is!
"As I was saying-"
Oh, almost forgot about Barlow.
"-I strongly suggest you do not venture towards the sacred volcano, in search of "The Threat", young one."
This is getting boring.
"But I have a favor to ask."
My ear's suddenly perked up, along with me. I wasn't sure whether to be nervous, excited, or scared. A favor could mean anything from running to the market to get some bread, to fighting a huge, fiery, devilish, demon beast with bread. Big difference.
"Kid, you can't tell anyone at all." Barlow lowered his voice so it was serious and intimidating. I nodded frantically, wanting to hear the secret/favor.
"Promise?"
"I promise!"
Barlow sighed, as though this favor would be difficult to get out, I was shaking with anticipation.
"Alright, listen. To tell the truth, the raw truth, I've seen this monster; "The Threat"...It is very large, and a dragon. It is dangerous, life threatening even. Apparently, I got too close, and the monster set my cape ablaze, which is why I do not sport one now. If you wish to see it, you must observe it secretly so it does not see you. But I sense an eruption. People think I am crazy, but I know when I am right. You better go back home, kid. Unless, you truly know what you are doing. Now, farewell...I have to return to weaving a knew cape..."
And he left me right then and there. I stared at the spot where his figure used to stand. For a second, I wondered if I had even saw anyone at all. I blinked twice, and departed his house awkwardly.
Next stop, the volcano.
I knew a useful shortcut.
