The disclaimer is in chapter 1. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, you
make my day. The more reviews I get, the better the stories.
I'm so sorry it took me so long; I've had a really bad case of writer's block
Chapter 4
"And the evil one disappeared and they all lived happily ever after" Marguerite held Abby in her lap and Katie sat next to her as she read to them on balcony. Veronica appeared in the ball of light and Abby happy squealed at the sight of her mother. "What's this?" Marguerite asked, feeling the inscription. "Mother called it the Verando pendant; she said it would help to protect us from Sinthar" Veronica explained. "What does it say?" Ned asked. "To protect from the evil one, call on the power of the Verando pendant" Marguerite read the inscription.
"Mommy, can I have it?" Katie eyed the pretty necklace as Veronica tried to keep it from her daughter's firm grasp. "Why don't I hang on to this for a while and you can have that ring you want?" Marguerite hoped to divert her daughter's attention from the pendant. Thankfully, she agreed. The two older women eyed each other; Katie inherited much more than her looks from her mother.
The pendant started glowing as the diamond began to light up. "Mommy, look" Katie pointed out. "I wonder why is glowing?" Veronica asked as a scream was heard below. John and Ned were chopping wood with their guest when he suddenly dropped the wood he was carrying and fell to the ground. "What's wrong?" both men dropped what they were doing. "Pain" was all that Andrew could say before passing out.
"Challenger!" Ned screamed as they carried the unconscious man into the house. "What happened?" Challenger cleared the table. "We don't know, he screamed and passed out" John replied. "It's probably heat stroke. Maybe you two should finish and come back inside" Challenger suggested. "Do you think?" Veronica asked Marguerite pointing to the pendant which had stopped glowing. "Where can we hide it?" Marguerite asked. "Give it to me" Veronica shoved the pendant in a crack between the wall and the stove.
When he awoke, Sinthar felt the pain throughout the body. There was something to be said for not being mortal. He instantly knew what had caused the pain, the Verando pendant had been awakened, the only thing that could ever stop him. There was only two people who knew of it, the protector and the chosen one. It was nearby, he knew it. "You think you can stop me Marguerite? Oh no, you can't stop me, no matter how hard you try. And just for that, your children will be the first to die" he laughed.
Marguerite fell asleep that night, fitfully dreaming. Walking in a cave alone, she felt the presence of someone there. "Its all in your head" she tried to convince herself. "Marguerite, help me" the male voice called. Again she dismissed it, but the voice became louder. "Who are you, what do you want?" she called out. But again, all she heard was "Marguerite, help me". Pulling her gun out of her holster she called out "Show yourself". A silver light appeared before her. In it was a man, who bore a striking resemblance to Mr. Yardley, holding out his hand again repeating "Marguerite help me".
"I can't help you if you don't tell me what you want" she was on the verge of tears. Instantly, a flash of images appeared before her. Her mother as a young girl, being courted by a young man. Her mother, later in life, returning to Avalon with her husband and three year old Marguerite. The same man, later approaching her mother, who struck him down with her power. "Sinthar" the spirit moaned as the image changed to reveal the dying man, making a deal with Sinthar, and an exchange of life for his body.
She watched in horror as she watched her father being killed by Sinthar and her mother killed by raptors. "No" she tried to prevent the tears from flowing. The images changed, revealing the tree house, showing Mr. Yardley watching them, his eyes glowing beneath the human mask. "No" she sank to the floor in tears as the image showed the group gathering over three graves. "No!!!!" she screamed in horror seeing the names etched on the stone. "Here lies Lady Marguerite Roxton and her children, William and Katherine, forever in our thoughts". In the background, a spirit disappeared into mist. "Mum!!!" Marguerite again screamed.
She woke up in a cold sweat, feeling John's arms around her. "Marguerite, what's wrong?" he asked her. "Bad dream" she replied as they heard two screams. "The kids" John said. "What's the commotion?" Challenger ran into their bedroom. "Bad dream, that's all" both kids' faces were red and tear stained. Neither seemed eager to separate from their parents. "Is everybody ok?" Andrew ran in behind Challenger. Both children started crying again. "I think we can handle it" John said. "Thank you, George" Marguerite said.
"Mummy?" Will started to ask. "Just for tonight" John said. The next morning, everything seemed to return to normal. After breakfast, Marguerite, Veronica and Finn were preparing to travel overnight to the Zanga village to do some trading. Kate and Will, forgetting the night before, eagerly followed Arthur and George into the lab for a science lesson while Roxton cleaned the guns and started boiling the silver nitrate they needed for bullets. "You boys behave yourself, I don't want to see the house looking like a pigsty when I get back" Veronica said. "Yes, dear" Ned replied as Veronica kissed Abby. "Are you ok?" John noticed the look on his wife's face.
"I guess, maybe the day out will help" she replied. "Be careful, fire two warning shots if there is trouble" he told her. "You too" she said, gathering her pack. "What happened last night?" Finn asked as they walked. Marguerite related the dream to both of them. "Are you sure that Sinthar is Mr. Yardley?" Veronica asked.
"It makes sense, the pendant glowing yesterday when he got sick, the dream, the kids crying when he walks in, my mother somehow still living in spirit form. We all know that this plateau has many mysteries. Did your mother say thing besides the information about the pendant?" Marguerite turned to Veronica. "No" Veronica lied.
"Are they in bed?" George asked, coming up from the lab. "Just about" Ned replied, checking on the children one more time before joining the men in the dining room. "Care to join me gentleman?" Sinthar carried the bottle of brandy. "I'll get the glasses" Roxton started to get up. "No, allow me, you've been fine hosts" Sinthar chuckled pouring the sleeping potion into their glasses.
"That's strong, what's in it?" the brandy burned in Malone's lungs. "Just brandy" Andrew replied. "It's working, soon Marguerite and her children will be mine" he watched all three men dropped like flies. Walking into the children's room, he paused, looking at the Malone children. "Children of the protector" he was tempted. "No" he decided, "the protector still lives, she would be too formidable an opponent, for now anyway". Dropping the sleeping stones into their beds, he walked toward Roxton children.
He was tempted to kill them right then and there, but what pleasure would get out of it? "Mummy? Daddy?" Will woke up. Seeing the man standing over them, he started crying, waking Kate up also started crying. "You two behave and I'll give you a treat," they both continued to cry as he dragged them out of their beds. "Daddy?" Kate tried to call out to her father, who was unconscious. Muttering to himself, both children fell silent as he picked them up and walked into the elevator.
"No, no" Marguerite slept fitfully, dreaming. "No!!!!" she woke up screaming. "Marguerite, what's wrong?" Veronica and Finn rushed to her bed. "We have to return to the tree house now, they're in danger" she stumbled for her pack and pistol. "Marguerite, we can't go now, you know it's not safe to walk in the jungle at night" Veronica tried to stop her. "When is it safe? My children are in danger, either you come with me or I go by myself" she was insistent. "Marguerite, can it wait till the morning?" Finn asked. "No Finn, it cannot" she remained firm. "Marguerite, please. We'll be well-rested and ready to fight. We can't do anything now, even if we wanted. At first light, we'll go" Veronica finally convinced her.
Inside the bubble, the men watched helplessly. "No!!!" John screamed as he watched his children being dragged away. Pounding on the shield, he tried to break it with his fists, but he couldn't. "John, there is nothing we can do" George tried to calm him. "George, those are my children he is taking. Marguerite was right and I was a fool" he grieved. "We were all fooled" Ned attempted to comfort him. "How do we get out of here?" George asked, feeling for an exit panel.
"I've been trying to figure that out for some time now" a figure said. All three turned around, guns aimed and ready. "They won't work here, believe me, I've tried everything" the figure walked into the light. "I'll kill you" Roxton tried to grab the man, but George and Ned held him back. "You are?" Ned held John back while George cautiously approached the man. "Andrew Yardley. Lord Roxton, I have no intention of hurting you or your companions. In fact if you know how get out of here, it would be greatly appreciated" Mr. Yardley said.
"How did you get stuck in here?" Ned asked. "A better question is, how did you get on the plateau?" John asked. "A former professor of mine was in school with the current editor of the London Tribunal, the paper that Mr. Malone is supposed to be writing for. I was sent with an expedition to find you and bring you back. Unfortunately, we didn't anticipate the dangers and many of us where killed. I was the last survivor; well I was the last survivor until one of those nasty beasts thought I was a tasty meal. That thing, Sinthar offered to save my life and in return, he put me in whatever we are in while he used my body" The real Mr. Yardley explained.
"Marguerite, slow down" Veronica and Finn tried to keep up with the older brunette, who seemed to be flying through the jungle. "We can't" Marguerite replied, still running. The two blondes were out of breath by the time they reached the fence. "Hurry up" Marguerite was impatiently standing by the elevator.
Sinthar watched as the women started into the elevator. "You know what to do" clones of the three men appeared. Inside the bubble, John turned around and screamed "Marguerite, no!!!" as the clones took their places. "Tell me how to get out of here now, before I rip you to shreds" again he had to be held back. "And I told you, if I knew how to get out of here, I would, but I cant" Mr. Yardley charged back.
"Do calm down, Lord Roxton, it's rather unbecoming of a man of your station" Sinthar, in his true form appeared. "You're responsible for all this" Challenger accused. "Very good professor, it's nice to see that your intelligence has some uses" was the sarcastic reply, as John charged at him. "You can't stop me, Lord Roxton. Lord Dalphton couldn't, what makes you think you can" Sinthar lifted him up and dropped onto the cold, hard ground below.
"Monster" Ned tried to stop him, but he too, was unable to stop him. "Careful, Mr. Malone, don't take it for granted that the protector is still living" Sinthar threatened. "You'll pay for this" Mr. Yardley threatened. "We had a bargain, if gentleman excuse me, I have a job to finish" he disappeared. "Marguerite, no!!!" he screamed against the barrier.
"See, everything is fine" Finn said. "Good morning how was your trip?" Malone and Roxton eagerly greeted their wives. "No, it isn't" Marguerite ran toward the children's room. "John, where are the kids?" Marguerite asked. "They're fine, relax" Challenger said. "Finn, Veronica, back away" Marguerite pulled out her pistol. "Put the guns down, Marguerite" Sinthar appeared, still in human form as Veronica and Finn, walked beside Malone and Challenger who aimed their guns on them.
"Give me, my children, you bastard" Marguerite again aimed on her gun on him. "Shoot me, Marguerite and they're dead" Marguerite didn't see John behind her, holding the pan. The world became black as she crumbled to the ground. "Gentleman, I thank you for your cooperation" Sinthar lifted an unconscious Marguerite as clones disappeared and Finn and Veronica collapsed. "No!!!" Roxton screamed as the barrier between the two worlds disappeared.
I'm so sorry it took me so long; I've had a really bad case of writer's block
Chapter 4
"And the evil one disappeared and they all lived happily ever after" Marguerite held Abby in her lap and Katie sat next to her as she read to them on balcony. Veronica appeared in the ball of light and Abby happy squealed at the sight of her mother. "What's this?" Marguerite asked, feeling the inscription. "Mother called it the Verando pendant; she said it would help to protect us from Sinthar" Veronica explained. "What does it say?" Ned asked. "To protect from the evil one, call on the power of the Verando pendant" Marguerite read the inscription.
"Mommy, can I have it?" Katie eyed the pretty necklace as Veronica tried to keep it from her daughter's firm grasp. "Why don't I hang on to this for a while and you can have that ring you want?" Marguerite hoped to divert her daughter's attention from the pendant. Thankfully, she agreed. The two older women eyed each other; Katie inherited much more than her looks from her mother.
The pendant started glowing as the diamond began to light up. "Mommy, look" Katie pointed out. "I wonder why is glowing?" Veronica asked as a scream was heard below. John and Ned were chopping wood with their guest when he suddenly dropped the wood he was carrying and fell to the ground. "What's wrong?" both men dropped what they were doing. "Pain" was all that Andrew could say before passing out.
"Challenger!" Ned screamed as they carried the unconscious man into the house. "What happened?" Challenger cleared the table. "We don't know, he screamed and passed out" John replied. "It's probably heat stroke. Maybe you two should finish and come back inside" Challenger suggested. "Do you think?" Veronica asked Marguerite pointing to the pendant which had stopped glowing. "Where can we hide it?" Marguerite asked. "Give it to me" Veronica shoved the pendant in a crack between the wall and the stove.
When he awoke, Sinthar felt the pain throughout the body. There was something to be said for not being mortal. He instantly knew what had caused the pain, the Verando pendant had been awakened, the only thing that could ever stop him. There was only two people who knew of it, the protector and the chosen one. It was nearby, he knew it. "You think you can stop me Marguerite? Oh no, you can't stop me, no matter how hard you try. And just for that, your children will be the first to die" he laughed.
Marguerite fell asleep that night, fitfully dreaming. Walking in a cave alone, she felt the presence of someone there. "Its all in your head" she tried to convince herself. "Marguerite, help me" the male voice called. Again she dismissed it, but the voice became louder. "Who are you, what do you want?" she called out. But again, all she heard was "Marguerite, help me". Pulling her gun out of her holster she called out "Show yourself". A silver light appeared before her. In it was a man, who bore a striking resemblance to Mr. Yardley, holding out his hand again repeating "Marguerite help me".
"I can't help you if you don't tell me what you want" she was on the verge of tears. Instantly, a flash of images appeared before her. Her mother as a young girl, being courted by a young man. Her mother, later in life, returning to Avalon with her husband and three year old Marguerite. The same man, later approaching her mother, who struck him down with her power. "Sinthar" the spirit moaned as the image changed to reveal the dying man, making a deal with Sinthar, and an exchange of life for his body.
She watched in horror as she watched her father being killed by Sinthar and her mother killed by raptors. "No" she tried to prevent the tears from flowing. The images changed, revealing the tree house, showing Mr. Yardley watching them, his eyes glowing beneath the human mask. "No" she sank to the floor in tears as the image showed the group gathering over three graves. "No!!!!" she screamed in horror seeing the names etched on the stone. "Here lies Lady Marguerite Roxton and her children, William and Katherine, forever in our thoughts". In the background, a spirit disappeared into mist. "Mum!!!" Marguerite again screamed.
She woke up in a cold sweat, feeling John's arms around her. "Marguerite, what's wrong?" he asked her. "Bad dream" she replied as they heard two screams. "The kids" John said. "What's the commotion?" Challenger ran into their bedroom. "Bad dream, that's all" both kids' faces were red and tear stained. Neither seemed eager to separate from their parents. "Is everybody ok?" Andrew ran in behind Challenger. Both children started crying again. "I think we can handle it" John said. "Thank you, George" Marguerite said.
"Mummy?" Will started to ask. "Just for tonight" John said. The next morning, everything seemed to return to normal. After breakfast, Marguerite, Veronica and Finn were preparing to travel overnight to the Zanga village to do some trading. Kate and Will, forgetting the night before, eagerly followed Arthur and George into the lab for a science lesson while Roxton cleaned the guns and started boiling the silver nitrate they needed for bullets. "You boys behave yourself, I don't want to see the house looking like a pigsty when I get back" Veronica said. "Yes, dear" Ned replied as Veronica kissed Abby. "Are you ok?" John noticed the look on his wife's face.
"I guess, maybe the day out will help" she replied. "Be careful, fire two warning shots if there is trouble" he told her. "You too" she said, gathering her pack. "What happened last night?" Finn asked as they walked. Marguerite related the dream to both of them. "Are you sure that Sinthar is Mr. Yardley?" Veronica asked.
"It makes sense, the pendant glowing yesterday when he got sick, the dream, the kids crying when he walks in, my mother somehow still living in spirit form. We all know that this plateau has many mysteries. Did your mother say thing besides the information about the pendant?" Marguerite turned to Veronica. "No" Veronica lied.
"Are they in bed?" George asked, coming up from the lab. "Just about" Ned replied, checking on the children one more time before joining the men in the dining room. "Care to join me gentleman?" Sinthar carried the bottle of brandy. "I'll get the glasses" Roxton started to get up. "No, allow me, you've been fine hosts" Sinthar chuckled pouring the sleeping potion into their glasses.
"That's strong, what's in it?" the brandy burned in Malone's lungs. "Just brandy" Andrew replied. "It's working, soon Marguerite and her children will be mine" he watched all three men dropped like flies. Walking into the children's room, he paused, looking at the Malone children. "Children of the protector" he was tempted. "No" he decided, "the protector still lives, she would be too formidable an opponent, for now anyway". Dropping the sleeping stones into their beds, he walked toward Roxton children.
He was tempted to kill them right then and there, but what pleasure would get out of it? "Mummy? Daddy?" Will woke up. Seeing the man standing over them, he started crying, waking Kate up also started crying. "You two behave and I'll give you a treat," they both continued to cry as he dragged them out of their beds. "Daddy?" Kate tried to call out to her father, who was unconscious. Muttering to himself, both children fell silent as he picked them up and walked into the elevator.
"No, no" Marguerite slept fitfully, dreaming. "No!!!!" she woke up screaming. "Marguerite, what's wrong?" Veronica and Finn rushed to her bed. "We have to return to the tree house now, they're in danger" she stumbled for her pack and pistol. "Marguerite, we can't go now, you know it's not safe to walk in the jungle at night" Veronica tried to stop her. "When is it safe? My children are in danger, either you come with me or I go by myself" she was insistent. "Marguerite, can it wait till the morning?" Finn asked. "No Finn, it cannot" she remained firm. "Marguerite, please. We'll be well-rested and ready to fight. We can't do anything now, even if we wanted. At first light, we'll go" Veronica finally convinced her.
Inside the bubble, the men watched helplessly. "No!!!" John screamed as he watched his children being dragged away. Pounding on the shield, he tried to break it with his fists, but he couldn't. "John, there is nothing we can do" George tried to calm him. "George, those are my children he is taking. Marguerite was right and I was a fool" he grieved. "We were all fooled" Ned attempted to comfort him. "How do we get out of here?" George asked, feeling for an exit panel.
"I've been trying to figure that out for some time now" a figure said. All three turned around, guns aimed and ready. "They won't work here, believe me, I've tried everything" the figure walked into the light. "I'll kill you" Roxton tried to grab the man, but George and Ned held him back. "You are?" Ned held John back while George cautiously approached the man. "Andrew Yardley. Lord Roxton, I have no intention of hurting you or your companions. In fact if you know how get out of here, it would be greatly appreciated" Mr. Yardley said.
"How did you get stuck in here?" Ned asked. "A better question is, how did you get on the plateau?" John asked. "A former professor of mine was in school with the current editor of the London Tribunal, the paper that Mr. Malone is supposed to be writing for. I was sent with an expedition to find you and bring you back. Unfortunately, we didn't anticipate the dangers and many of us where killed. I was the last survivor; well I was the last survivor until one of those nasty beasts thought I was a tasty meal. That thing, Sinthar offered to save my life and in return, he put me in whatever we are in while he used my body" The real Mr. Yardley explained.
"Marguerite, slow down" Veronica and Finn tried to keep up with the older brunette, who seemed to be flying through the jungle. "We can't" Marguerite replied, still running. The two blondes were out of breath by the time they reached the fence. "Hurry up" Marguerite was impatiently standing by the elevator.
Sinthar watched as the women started into the elevator. "You know what to do" clones of the three men appeared. Inside the bubble, John turned around and screamed "Marguerite, no!!!" as the clones took their places. "Tell me how to get out of here now, before I rip you to shreds" again he had to be held back. "And I told you, if I knew how to get out of here, I would, but I cant" Mr. Yardley charged back.
"Do calm down, Lord Roxton, it's rather unbecoming of a man of your station" Sinthar, in his true form appeared. "You're responsible for all this" Challenger accused. "Very good professor, it's nice to see that your intelligence has some uses" was the sarcastic reply, as John charged at him. "You can't stop me, Lord Roxton. Lord Dalphton couldn't, what makes you think you can" Sinthar lifted him up and dropped onto the cold, hard ground below.
"Monster" Ned tried to stop him, but he too, was unable to stop him. "Careful, Mr. Malone, don't take it for granted that the protector is still living" Sinthar threatened. "You'll pay for this" Mr. Yardley threatened. "We had a bargain, if gentleman excuse me, I have a job to finish" he disappeared. "Marguerite, no!!!" he screamed against the barrier.
"See, everything is fine" Finn said. "Good morning how was your trip?" Malone and Roxton eagerly greeted their wives. "No, it isn't" Marguerite ran toward the children's room. "John, where are the kids?" Marguerite asked. "They're fine, relax" Challenger said. "Finn, Veronica, back away" Marguerite pulled out her pistol. "Put the guns down, Marguerite" Sinthar appeared, still in human form as Veronica and Finn, walked beside Malone and Challenger who aimed their guns on them.
"Give me, my children, you bastard" Marguerite again aimed on her gun on him. "Shoot me, Marguerite and they're dead" Marguerite didn't see John behind her, holding the pan. The world became black as she crumbled to the ground. "Gentleman, I thank you for your cooperation" Sinthar lifted an unconscious Marguerite as clones disappeared and Finn and Veronica collapsed. "No!!!" Roxton screamed as the barrier between the two worlds disappeared.