Crystal Chronicles The After Years Chapter II
It was midnight and a Mail Moogle was flying through the night to deliver an important letter. Mail Moogles are painted black with different colored designs such as stars or circles in yellow or green paint. Mail Moogles deliver letters from family and friends in the villages to those who travel in the Crystal Caravan.
Moogles are strange creatures that live in villages and other places throughout the world. They have two small feet, a pair of black leathery bat wings on their back that they use to fly, and a small antenna on the top of their heads with a red ball of fur or "pompom" attached to the end of it. Their bodies are large round balls covered in soft white-tan fur. They do not have any hands, so they carry most things with their mouths. Their ears are long and cat like and the Moogles always say the same word when they end their sentences "Kupo".
The Mail Moogle was on its way to the base of Mt. Vellenge where the Tipa Caravanners where silently dreaming. Louis was fast asleep with his head in Shivisal's lap, while Shivisal was also fast asleep despite the fact that she was leaning on the back of the caravan. The moonlight gently covered the sleeping Selkies in its soft white glow as the Mail Moogle approached them.
"Hey, wake up you two, Kupo. I have a letter from Elder Roland, Kupo." The Moogle landed near Louis and began poking at his face in an attempt to wake him. Finally, Louis began to stir and after a couple more pokes, Louis finally woke up and realizing that something was in front of him, he jumped to his feet and hurried to locate his weapon.
"Hold, hold on Louis! I'm just a Mail Moogle, Kupo!"
Louis with his weapon in hand and ready to strike stopped, and a after a few seconds of looking around and gathering his thoughts, he gave deep sigh of relief. The Mail Moogle quickly flapped its wings and rose to deliver its letter to Louis who then took the letter, opened it, and began to read.
To our dear Caravan:
Everyone in the village including myself, are nervous, especially since we received a letter from the Shella Caravan explaining what they witnessed and how you both came down from Mt Vellenge exhausted and barely able to stand or speak. No doubt, you, our caravanners, have played a significant role in these recent events however, none of the other Crystal Caravans' have seen, nor heard from you since you descended from MT. Vellenge. I send this letter with the hopes and prayers of our village for your safe and swift return.
Roland
Louis writes a brief reply saying that he and Shivisal are on their way home and that they apologize for not sending a letter sooner. Louis then gives his reply to the Mail Moogle who was waiting patiently at his feet. With the reply in its mouth, the Mail Moogle was on its way back to Tipa.
Louis, still not completely awake, looked up at Mt. Vellenge for the first time with the miasma gone, to see that the moon was shining brightly on the mountain. Shaking his head and stretching Louis turns and sees that Shivisal was still sleeping soundly despite Louis being startled and causing a commotion. Smiling and thinking to himself of how beautiful Shivisal's hair looked in the moonlight he walked over to Shivisal, bent down and gently brushed aside some of her hair that was in her face. Then gently he lifted Shivisal up and laid her down inside the caravan wagon. He then walked around to the front, and gently petted the Papaopamus, and after waking it up and feeding it a couple Star Carrots, Louis then attached the reins and climbed into the driver seat and with a big yawn, grasped the reins and gave them a light pull. The Papaopamus snorted as it began to pull the caravan and soon the Tipa Caravan was on the long road back home…
Momo Phiy, Louis' little sister, is 13 years old and is a part of the Raccoon Tail race. Every child is a different race when he or she finally reach age 10. In fact, it's rare to have two children from the same race growing up in the same village and it's even rarer for two children to be the same race in one family. They might look the same when they are little but by the time they turn 10 years old, their race is easily recognized.
The sun was just beginning to rise over the Village of Tipa but already some of the children were running around and playing. Momo Phiy was walking with her friend Deh Tiy, Shivisal's little sister, when suddenly one of the kids started yelling, "They're home! The Caravan is coming over the bridge! They're home!" Every time the Crystal Caravan returned, it was always cause for great celebration and villagers from the youngest to the oldest would come running from their homes to welcome the Caravan.
Momo runs up to her brother and hugs him tightly as she says, "I'm so happy you're finally back home. When I saw that bright light, I was worried that something bad had happened to you. I'm so glad you're safe big brother." She then burst into tears of relief as she continued to hug her brother. Momo tends to be too emotional for her age but she looks up to her brother and loves him very much.
Louis sighed as he sat up then; gently pushing his sister back, he noticed the flood of tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes had already turned red because of her crying. Then Louis said in a calm soothing voice, "Now, now, don't cry little sis. You know I'm not going to die that easy. Besides I always have to tell you about mine and Shivisal's newest adventures don't I?"
Momo stopped crying and lifted her head to look her brother in the face. He smiled at her, placed his hand on her head, and began to mess her hair up.
"Big brother you know I hate it when you mess up my hair! Why don't you mess up Shivisal's hair as you do mine? It's not fair!"
Louis stops irritating Momo and glances over at Shivisal who was busy talking with her own little sister. He smiles as he remembers all the times he helped Shivisal comb her hair out and get it straight.
Momo, no longer worrying about her hair, looks up and pinches her brother's cheek to get his attention.
"Big brother are you taking care of your new bandanna? No 'accidental' rips in it this year?"
Momo grinned as she stressed the word, "accidental". She only meant to tease her brother about his last bandanna but Momo noticed tears starting to flow from her brother's eyes. Louis still had regrets about the last bandanna and the events that where caused by the "accidental" rip.
Momo, startled by her brother's reaction, looks around nervously, trying to think of what to say to cheer her brother up when suddenly, Louis grasp her right hand. He pulls his sister close, hugs her, and whispers in her ear, "Sorry little sis, I'm just tired right now. So much has happened and your big brother is just confused. I know you were just teasing me so don't worry."
"Oh, OK. Big brother are you…"
Momo stopped mid-sentence as Elder Roland, the Eldest man and leader of the village, walked towards Louis and Shivisal. Every village has one "Elder" who is the oldest and wisest man or woman in the entire village. They are highly respected and well loved by all. As children, we learned to listen to the Village Elder whenever he spoke and we respected him for his wisdom and good judgment.
"Louis, Shivisal, welcome home our dear Caravanners. As always it is a blessing to have you both return home safely. No doubt, you are both tired and hungry from your long journey, so please go rest and relax with your families. I have much to ask of you, but the questions may wait until you have both rested up. When you are both ready, please come speak with me at my home."
Louis and Shivisal both thanked Elder Roland and promised to speak with him before the day's end. As Elder Roland left Louis' mom walked up, greeted Shivisal, then she turned and hugged her son.
"Welcome home Lui, as usual you have grown so much since I last saw you. I have missed you while you have been on your adventures but I am proud that my son is fighting to protect our entire village."
Louis gives a low, irritated sigh and gently breaking free from his mother's grasp and turning red with embarrassment he mumbles, "Mom I told you that I don't like that nickname, it's just not manly, and why do feel the need to say it in front of Shivisal…"
Suddenly, Shivisal cuts Louis off as she teases him saying, "But Lui, it's such a cute name, I think I'll just call you that from now on…" Shivisal gave a big yawn and thinking to herself, she thought about going home and taking a short nap. "Well I'm going home now; just don't forget that later we need to speak with Elder Roland… LUI!"
Louis groaned as Shivisal walked away laughing. Sighing Louis sarcastically said to his mother, "Thanks a lot Mom. Now that Shivisal knows my nickname, she won't let me live this down… ".
"Sorry sweetie I forgot you told me not to call you that anymore. I tell you what how about I make your favorite drink as my way of apologizing, will that do?"
Louis looks at his mother expectantly as he ask, "You mean a bottle of Frothy Milk? Hm, well ok, Shivisal would have found out about my nickname sooner or later, but let's go home now, if we take any longer sis will go crazy like a Cactaur."
I love frothy milk, especially when I drink it with a Stripped Apple…
"Say Louis, come give your old man a hand at the forge why don't you? I could really use a hand getting caught up on my orders."
"Sure dad, it's been awhile since I helped with your work. Alright I'll take care of crafting the weapons, you make the armor ok dad?"
I always enjoyed helping dad at the forge when I return home with a full chalice of myrrh. Through my travels, I have actually become a better blacksmith than my father is. Of course my father is proud about my achievements since I actually forged the legendary Selkie weapon the "Queen's Heel" for Shivisal and myself. However, for some reason I'm anxious, it's as if something just isn't quite right with my home. Since I started my journey, I've always enjoyed sleeping against one of the trees on the hill next to my house. Now as I lay here resting in my usual spot, I feel uneasy. The crystal lies just in front of my house but it seems so dull now…
Louis lets out a slow sigh, then jumps to his feet and shouts, "Dad, mom, I'm heading to Elder Roland's house now." Jumping down from the hill Louis stares at the crystal for a moment, then shakes his head to clear his thoughts and heads toward Elder Roland's house...
My name is Shivisal I am the daughter of the village tailor. My house is made from wood, bricks, stone, and straw, as are all the houses in the village and like most of the houses, it's rectangular. The house rests cozily in the side of the hill that stretches out behind our village. I would just go out my front door and circle around to the right side of the house where the path up the hill is. In fact, I can easily touch part of the roof since the path is directly behind the house.
The funny thing is the hill looks like someone pointing straight ahead. The tip of the hill is a sheer cliff that overlooks the ocean, which I would always visit before setting out on my journey each year. A few natural steps here and there but mostly worn smooth in the middle creating a nearly straight path to the top of the hill. The tip stretches out past the back of the village, and is the most beautiful and calming site, especially when watching the sunrise and or set over the village and ocean.
My house does have one charming feature… It is the fact that I can look out my bedroom window and gaze upon the crystal that sits in the middle between the four houses in the back of the village. Hmm, I wonder what is going to happen now that miasma is gone… anyway; I should probably go to Elder Roland's house and wait for Louis.
Shivisal and I met up in front of Elder Roland's house and with a nod of agreement we knocked on the door. Elder Roland opened the door and invited us both in. Both of us are so nervous we don't know what to do much less think. Elder Roland had us sit in a chair and after what felt like an eternity, he began to speak to us.
"It seems both of you have rested enough, now let us discuss your recent journey. Both of you traveled to the Lynari Desert in search of the mysterious ruling element. Upon finding this element and changing your crystal chalice's to the unknown element, you both set out again to Rebena Plains. You passed through the fire miasma stream to get to the plains but the miasma stream beyond the Rebena Plains has been inaccessible until your latest attempt. Upon passing through the middle of the stream, you both saw a giant green creature with a thin black crescent-shaped horn. Please explain this to me again Louis."
"Of course Elder, once me and Shivisal passed through we came upon a strange village just a little ways from the miasma stream. It was the strangest thing I had ever seen in my life. The creatures were sleeping in weird cocoon like, err well maybe a mix between a cocoon and giant ribs of a long dead monster. At the back of the village, we were able to speak with one of the creatures. It told us that it was a "Carbuncle" and that the Village name was Mag Mell. It spoke of times long ago that are apart of lore that I thought were just simple legends like how all the crystals in every village where once one giant crystal that shattered when a meteorite fell from space. It then proceeded to tell us that all our questions would be answered if we were to climb to the summit of Mount Vellenge. It told us that we should prepare for a long and harsh climb and that at the summit we would begin the greatest trial of our lives."
"I see… and according to you and Shivisal the Princess of Memories is actually called the Princess of light and that she simply nibbles on memories instead of actually eating them entirely. The demon Raiem, a monster, which was part of the meteorite that was creating miasma, and monsters spawning from the miasma… it is difficult to believe but the light you described was so bright that we saw it clearly despite the sun being fully up. Your stories and countless discoveries have given you knowledge that only village elders would know and thus I know you both speak only the truth. You both have such amazing and overwhelming questions that no doubt has caused both of you to become uneasy. Sadly I cannot answer your questions young ones."
"However, if you two wish you may both leave the village and search for the answers to the questions in your hearts. Nevertheless, this decision is yours' and yours' alone to make. You have followed the whispering of your hearts' and have triumphed and been victor to many a harsh trial. Now go home sleep and come morning if you so choose, leave the village. However, I feel your hearts' have already begun to tell you what to do. Good luck young ones and may the light of the crystal protect you on your journey."
After speaking with Elder Roland, we quickly decided that we would meet in front of the crystal at midnight once everyone was asleep. We need to discuss what we are going to do... hmm. Ah here he comes now... wait... what is Momo Phiy doing up at this time of night?
"Don't worry Shivisal, Momo Phiy was awake and caught me packing so I had to explain everything to her. She knows to play innocent, ha, she always was a sneaky one but then again we are Selkies. Anyway, I feel like my heart is saying to leave and find out more about our world. Let's not forget about the monsters if they are going berserk then the world needs experienced fighters to defend it. What do you think Shivisal?"
"Yes, I agree completely. That has been my concern is what about the monsters and villages just because we defeated Raiem doesn't mean everything is going to be ok. I know we just got back but I feel this is something that has to be done."
"I think it's best if we leave now while everyone is asleep. If we were to leave in the morning, it would only make things harder. Oh by the way, I left a note with Mog. He is going to settle down here with my family, so he will give the note to Elder Roland in the morning. Well… let's get going as long as we are together there is nothing to fear. I already know where we should start our search. Let's go to Conall Curach, and go over the stones again."
The moon was high in the nights sky as Shivisal stood next to the drivers seat of the wagon. She was impatiently waiting on Louis when finally she saw him coming from behind the Merchant's house. The Merchants house was the first home directly in front of you when entering the village and directly behind it, separated by a small hill with a few trees, was the Blacksmith's house. Shivisal noticed Louis was carrying a bottle of what was more than likely his favorite drink, a bottle of frothy milk, in his left hand and a fairly small sack of food slung over his right shoulder. As he got within eye sight of Shivisal she shot him a quick look that Louis knew all to well to mean "Hurry Up NOW!".
Finally with Louis and most of the supplies for their journey in the back of the wagon, Shivisal jumped into the driver seat, grabbed the reins that laid there and gave them a quick but small flick. With that the Papaopamus gave a short grunted snort and began to slowly pull the wagon and with that the Tipa caravan began their new journey.