The Anomaly

I waved my hand and the dimensional portal opened.

“We’re not walking through that are we,” Alex asked. I sighed. This was going to be a long trip. As we walked in, I noticed that something was horribly wrong. We were warped in portal and we were heading to a time. Not the one we wanted.

“What’s wrong,” Calvin yelled.

“I don’t know. Hang on to me though.” We went to a time in 100 B.C. A time in Bagdad.

We landed on some sacks and Alex flew off my hand to perch himself on a plank.

“Well,” Calvin said as he sat up, “at least it wasn’t sand. But where are we?”

“Would you like the truth or do you want me to lie?” I seriously didn’t want to tell him. I knew this place. It was like a far off memory.

“I would like you to tell me the truth.”

“Well, let’s just say I know why the Gods dressed you like that.”

“Why?” His expression was unreadable but I could decipher it. It was total confusion and anger.

“We’re on a ship and if I am not mistaken, this is Sinbad’s ship.” It was the Chimera.

“Who in the world is Sinbad?”

“I’m Sinbad.” A very sweet voice said in English to my left. I turned my head a little to realize that there was someone there. He was leaning casually on a pier to hold up the room we were in. I remember his face because I knew him pretty well. My dreams, past life. He had perfect facial characteristics. Almost angelic. His expression was amused, completely different then Calvin’s, who was stunned. Sinbad was in the same kind of clothes as Calvin’s except he had a blue vest and he was like my dream completely. He had seas in his eyes and an athletic body. He looked really cute.

“Now. Who are you?” He pushed himself off the pier and stared down at us.

“I’m…” I was cut off.

“I know you, Maeve, but who is he?” (He knew a lot of English)

“Maeve? I’m not… Oh no.” Calvin was staring at Sinbad, his expression ran to disapproval.

“What’s wrong Zoë?” He never stopped his continual gaze at Sinbad.

“Who is he? Are you okay, Maeve?” My mind was trying to wrap itself on what was happening. This was too weird.

“Uh… Sinbad, this is Calvin. Calvin, Sinbad. Calvin, I think I’ve returned to my past life.” A fake smile I tried to put on my face didn’t work so well. Calvin stiffened like a toothpick.

“Uh, Zoë?” Alex asked in my mind.

“What!?”

“Could this be part of the mission?”

“No. This would be considered a detour. I’ll fill you in a bit later.” Sinbad didn’t take this as strange. He went on staring at Calvin. Calvin took it as a wee shock. He stiffened up again. Talking to a hawk around Calvin is not a good idea.

“Oh,” Alex said a little apologetically, “Just wondering.”

“Great,” I muttered. I raised my arm and Alex climbed back onto my glove.

“Sinbad, we are having trouble!” Some voice from up above us.

“I’ll be up, Jahangir!” Come on. We have to be near land.” Sinbad walked through the doorway he was blocking and the sounds that there were steps.

* * *

We ran up the steps and into the night sky. There was a crew doing the ropes to the mast and sails. The sails were made of a cloth that wouldn’t let air go through it without pulling it out. I forget what it is. A guy, a little bit fatter than Sinbad, was holding a bar that controlled the steering on the ship.

“Jahangir, what’s wrong?” Sinbad asked to the fat guy. Jahangir looked like he was fighting the bar. The sails were flapping but I didn’t feel any wind. Not even a light breeze.

“The sails are flapping around, but there is no wind. The tiller is taking control of it’s self.”

“This is bad,” Sinbad muttered to himself and then spoke up, “Take a soundy! We have to bring these sails down!”

“Why? I thought land was what we were looking for?” I was the one the asked. Weird to me.

“But we’re sailing blind,” he said as he tugged at the ropes for the sails but they wouldn’t drop. Calvin went for his sword and slashed at the ropes. They cut but the sails wouldn’t give.

“Sinbad! The water is getting shallo… Whoa!” A sailor yelled as we hit the floor of a reef. Everyone fell except me. My reflexes kicked in and I quickly grabbed a rope as Alex clenched his claws into the glove.

“We’ve hit a sandbar!” Sinbad yelled at the crew and got up. Everyone was hanging on. Probably thinking ‘is it over yet?’ Sinbad came over to me and released a ladder over the starboard side.

“With my calculations, we should be near Abaria.” A guy in a pale linen shirt with a brown vest and orange, baggy pants announced. Calvin got up and stumbled over to me, rubbing the back of his head.

“That hurt,” he muttered.

“There’s land,” Sinbad pointed to the starboard side, “could that be it, Parviz?”

“It is. Behold,” the clouds around the land thinned out and green lights flickered in the shadow of the island, “the kingdom of Abaria?” He looked confused.

“What’s wrong with this picture,” Calvin asked.

Just then, I heard a bit of the ladder hitting the side of the boat. We drew our swords. A knight, with sword wounds in positions where his stomach and up on his right side of his chest, came aboard. He stood up to reveal a white suit of armor that was blood stained, then he toppled over and fell at the stairs to the tiller.

“You… Must…Not… Land… Here…” He stuttered, “I have seen the dead walk, the dead bleed… There are ghost here…” He laid his head back and stopped breathing. Parviz went over to the knight and put two fingers on the knight’s neck.

“He’s dead, Sinbad.” Sinbad sighed.

Calvin whispered something to me like ‘What in the world is going on here?’

“I know this boat, Sinbad and this crew,” I whispered back.

“I don’t mean that. What is wrong with your time-traveling powers?”

“Let’s go on land. Jelani, Parviz, Jahangir, Maeve and Calvin. Let’s go. We need some food and water.”

Jelani, I’m guessing, was the African, with throwing daggers across his chest, who was quiet.

“I’m not sure Calvin,” he stared in disbelief, “but it is scaring me too.” Honestly it was. Just thinking of where we might end up next was my worst nightmare now. We lowered a row boat down and the expedition team boarded. Sinbad helped me down.

With some gentle rows, we headed for the shore. As we hit the beach, Alex volunteered to go scout around.

“Be careful,” I said. He nodded and flew off. Calvin stayed at my side the whole time.

“You don’t believe all that mumbo jumbo, Sinbad. Spirits aren’t real.” Parviz said as we continued to walk into a forest in front of us.

“Ghost are real, Parviz .” I said immediately. Calvin stared at me in disbelief. Apparently, he forgot about the gods. Parviz fell silent as we continued to enter the forest.

“But come on,” he said right out of the blue, “There has to be a scientific reason behind all this.” A ghastly neigh was heard after he was done. We all jumped.

“Those aren’t ghost. They’re men.” I had a feeling after Sinbad realized what it was, that this would be a fight. I drew my sword.

“Why can’t we just go to another time,” Calvin asked as he pulled his sword out.

“I need to my energy to restore. And I can’t do it here. Watch.” I waved my arm and the dimensional portal didn’t open. The horse sounds started to get closer and yelling from the riders sent a chill down my spine.

One rider was swinging a mace around his head like an Indian. They came toward us in a fast pace and started to swing their swords at us. Trying to cut our heads off. I decided to fight before fleeing. I ran away from the horses’ hooves. One that passed me, I grabbed the saddle and knocked the rider out of the saddle with the butt of my sword.

The fight broke out and the sounds of swords got to me. It was loud ringing in my ears. One blew his horn and they all retreated.

“Wow. Quick fight,” Calvin put his sword back in his scarab.

I heard Alex’s cries and heard his voice. “What happened?”

“Long story.”

“Well, I just saw a boy in a desolate village.” Then I heard the sob. It was loud and not easy to miss.

“What was that,” Sinbad’s uneasy voice said behind me.

“Maybe it is a ghost trying to lure us into a trap.” Jahangir’s strong voice said.

“No! It’s a boy. Lead us to him, Alex.”

“Yes ma’am.” He flew off toward the north.

* * *

We all ran as we followed Alex. He was agile. We were walking through a graveyard when Alex stopped.

“It sounds like the sobbing is coming from right here.” Parviz looked a little confused as he stared at the ground.

“But this isn’t the place. It’s coming from over there.” I pointed to a fire lit place just beyond some trees to my immediate right. I started to walk over before a firm grip caught my arm.

“No.” Calvin’s whisper was serious but I didn’t listen. I wriggled out of his grip. I know when to listen to someone, just not this time.

We walked into a seriously damaged land. The ground was littered with bodies of soldiers and regular villagers. All of them looked as though they had been slaughtered. I weaved in and out of the bodies to a boy kneeling in a white shirt, white pants and by the looks of it, white hair. I couldn’t get a correct description of him since he wasn’t even looking at us. His back was to us.

“You are strangers to these parts,” he said loud enough to hear, “Welcome to what was Abaria.” He turned around to reveal a 13 year old kid, with an angelic face. His eyes looked swollen and he looked like some of the dead. His deep tinge of red sea green eyes, stared at Alex’s and Alex flew off my hand.

“Excuse me young sir, but I heard that Abaria was a peaceful place, blue skies, famous for it’s strawberries,” Parviz explained. He was just as curious as the rest of us.

“It was all that and more while King Alrond was king. But ever since his fall, the kingdom became more of a place of sorrow.” The boy looked around at our complex faces of worry, doubt and confusion.

“What happened?” Calvin’s voice cracked but the others didn’t let that go on.

“There was a big battle, three moons ago, which King Alrond fell. Killed by Draxs. A curse was laid ever since. But I will kill him and this will be Abaria once again,” the boy said as he rose, “He can not sleep while there is another heir.”

“Then you’re…” I started to say before he introduced himself.

“I’m Prince Zander. Heir to King Alrond.” Everybody bowed their head and kneeled. I curtsied as best I could. Calvin wasn’t sure what to do, so he just followed our example and bowed his head.

“You’re lucky to be alive. How did they miss you,” Sinbad asked as he rose.

“I…I played dead.”

“A very practical solution,” Parviz looked amazed.

“A boy like you should be surrounded by friends and laughter. Not death,” I kind of hissed on the last words. Hey. It was the truth. He looked down. He was saying less than he knew. I could tell by the way he was avoiding eye contact.

“With those horse men, you’ll need help,” Sinbad explained.

Zander looked into our faces, confused and then he nodded.

“Come. We must go to my father’s palace on the other side of the woods.” He walked right passed Calvin, who froze up. Then he finally relaxed. Parviz and Jelani started to follow Zander through the trees and Calvin began to follow slowly.

“I don’t trust him. He knows more than he is saying,” Jahangir grunted.

“Alex trusts him. That’s good enough for me,” I said as Alex came back and landed on my glove. Then I started to follow the others. Sinbad was right behind me. Jahangir was more reluctant to join in.

We were weaving around trees, through the amber leaves. The sun had started to rise in the east. We were walking for hours and the sun started to move a little faster to get to the middle of the sky. Sometimes, it sounded like someone else’s foot steps other than our own was pacing in the under brush. The Prince yelled ahead of us.

“Look!” He waited for us to catch up. He pointed to a beautiful, light pink and yellow orchid flower that was blooming. “See this flower? It means that the Tyrant’s hold on the kingdom is not complete.” The flower, at the exact moment he said complete, it started to fold and wilt. “We must hurry. Mother is in danger.” His pale face turned a little paler and he started to walk away.

“Whoa my prince. We have to rest.” Sinbad explained.

“We can’t. Don’t you understand? Drax never sleeps.” He have turned as he said that. But then he started to continue to walk.

“Here we go again,” Calvin muttered under his breath and followed Zander.

* * *

A few hours later, I stopped dead in my tracks. I had the feeling that someone’s eyes were on us. I squinted, looking for something out of the ordinary. Couldn’t find it.

“What’s wrong Maeve,” Parviz asked, the look of concern all over his face.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” I answered and kept moving. Parviz shrugged in the corner of my eye. I definitely decided it was nothing. I couldn’t see anything.

We finally took a break when Alex landed in a covered grove. Zander left the group and we were eating. Alex and Zander didn’t join us. I became worried.

“Have you seen the Prince?” 30 minutes and I finally decided to ask. I first looked at Calvin, he shook his head. I looked at Sinbad and the rest of the crew. Their response was no.

I grabbed my sword and went through the forest toward the sun to look for them. About 50 feet away, there was Zander and Alex, playing the shell game. Alex chose a nut shell on the far left.

Zander lifted it and said, “Cheater. How do you do that?”

“Elementary my prince.” Zander laughed like he understood what Alex said.

I walked over and stood behind Alex.

“Can I try that game?” Zander nodded. I laid down my sword on one side and sat down behind Alex.

“You’re lucky to have Alex. He’s more than just a pet.” That was completely random in my book, but I did respond.

“Yeah. He’s a partner.” I rubbed Alex’s belly and he started to kind of hum a tune. Zander started to shuffle the shells around. I wasn’t really paying attention.

Fortunately, I picked the right one. I giggled. I haven’t had a game like this one for some time.

“You’re very good at this,” I complimented, “I bet this use to be the awe of your friends.” He dropped his head and shook it. “Brothers? Sisters?”

“None that I’ll ever know.”

I sighed. “I know what you are going through…”

“You don’t know what loneliness is. I’ve been through it. I’ll never have friends and now it is too late!”

“I have Zander. And it is never too late to accept a friendly hand.” I extended my hand out to him. He extended his hand out to join mine. Then when he was about to touch my palm, he pulled back. “It’s okay. You’ll have time to prove yourself wrong.”

“You two are out of time.” I turned my head to see knights in white suits of armor. The one that spoke was from last night when he nearly took my head. I stood up and grabbed my sword. There was only two, big deal, until I brought up my sword. More knights came out of the trees. So I decided to call out.

“Sinbad! Calvin!” I started to knock out guards. A few minutes later, I saw Calvin and Sinbad coming into the clearing with Jelani and Jahangir. Their swords were drawn out and I noticed that Parviz wasn’t with them.

I, unfortunately, got the wind knocked out of me. It felt like the pain of being stabbed but I was butted in the stomach. My arms were pinned back as I leaned forward coughing with a dagger to my throat. My lip was bleeding and I could taste it.

“Stop or the wench dies!” A guy with a battle ax ordered to Calvin, Sinbad, Jahangir and Jelani. They gathered to my left but I noticed that no one even touched the prince. He was still kneeling by the stump where the game was set. “Throw your weapons down. Now!”

Reluctantly, my friends threw down their weapons.

The ax man was in front of the prince. “Now my prince, you die.” The knight raised the ax above his head, ready to kill Zander. Zander wouldn’t run and hadn’t blinked.

“No! Don’t kill the boy! Sinbad! Calvin! Do something!” I was struggling with my captors. Sinbad was baffled and Calvin was just as confused.

Just as the knight was about to bring the ax down, a growling sound occurred. I looked to my right to see a weird looking thing. Even I couldn’t describe it. Linen cloth, feathers and a weird, Aztec looking face. The thing walked past Zander, who fell on his stomach and muttered something. The knights ran as fast as their feet could carry them.

My captors released me and I joined Sinbad and the rest of the crew. I grabbed my sword off the forest floor and so did the rest of them. The knights were log gone before the figure tripped. Under the cloth, was Parviz. I was relieved and I heard the laughter from the crew. I turned my head to Zander on the ground. The laughter drowned as on Zander’s back, was blood.

“Sinbad! The prince is hurt,” but just as I said that, his wound disappeared.

Sinbad and everyone else circle around the prince. Sinbad kneeled on his sword.

“Are you alright?” Calvin was asking as he came to my side.

“I was afraid that my father’s ghost had come back to punish me.”

“Zander,” my voice sounded a little fake on sympathy, “Why would you be afraid of your father?”

Zander sighed. “Three moons ago, during the battle of which he fell, I ran. You wouldn’t believe the breaking of bones, the horses’ screams. I couldn’t stand it. I’m a coward.” Zander bowed his head and sobbed.

Sinbad was going to reach out to pat Zander on the shoulder but then he saw my hand waving to put his down. He withdrew his hand and smiled.

“You should have seen me at my first battle. Norsemen to the left, Banshees to the right, Saber-tooth tigers flying over head. I’ll tell you, I dove for cover faster than you can say ’Ali Baba and the 40 thieves’”

“You hid?” Zander looked up at him in admiration.

“You bet. I didn’t come out till it was clear, about a week later. I know cowards and you are no coward. That is why Drax is quaking in his boots,” his smile widened, “Jahangir, Jelani, did you see the way he stared down the man with the battle ax?”

Jelani nodded.

“Aye! Didn’t even blink. I was impressed.”

“As was I. Let’s keep moving,” Sinbad started to walk.

* * *

Well after an hour, we took another break. Zander walked off, and I decided to follow him. He didn’t obviously see me follow. He went into the clearing about 60 feet away this time. I stayed near the trees. Just out of view. Here comes the weird part.

He mumbled something about being too late and then he started to shimmer in blue light. I narrowed my eyes to see what was happening. He dropped on his knees and started to flicker from having an arrow sticking out of his back and sometimes not. This lasted a good ten minutes, freaking me out.

After that, he stood up and I did the stupidest thing. I walked out of the cover of the trees and toward him. He turned as though he knew I was behind him the whole time as I got closer and closer. I was standing face to face with him and I did another crazy thing. I did what most people wouldn’t do. I tried to touch his chest. My hand was about to touch him and he quickly stopped breathing. My fingers went right through and I quickly withdrew my hand.

“’I have seen the dead walk, the dead bleed.’ The ghost… was you?” I whispered.

“You wouldn’t have believed me. Your friends wouldn’t have helped me. They think I’m a demon, not a holy thing. Feared by anyone, despised by everyone. Would your friends have helped me if they knew?” Alex came to me and I slipped my glove on.

“I…I don’t know.” He bowed his head. “But why don’t you show who you really are to those knights? Use their fear against them.”

“I can’t. Don’t you understand? I can’t. You have to trust me.” I started to hear laughter from the crew and Calvin. “If you tell them,” I turned my head back to him, “I vow to haunt you for eternity.” I gulped. Scary thought.

We walked back to the camp. I said nothing through the whole thing. Calvin kept asking me what had happened between me and Zander.

“Nothing,” I kept saying.

We finally came to the edge of the forest and a magnificent palace except the clouds seem to loom there and make it dark.

“We need to figure a way in there,” Sinbad’s velvet voice said as I stared at the clouds.

Zander stood there silently until… “No. She’s not safe yet.” He mumbled to himself.

Then, the trees began to rustle like someone was trying to plan an ambush. Everyone drew their swords and headed to the rustling shrubs. Sinbad was first to peer behind them. His bracelet, like Calvin’s and mine, glowed in the sunlight as he pulled back the branches. An old man, white hair, a purple robe and a staff was facing the other way.

In a split second, he turned around to show a wrinkled but kindly face and calf brown eyes.

“My. Prince Zander,” he said in a husky voice.

“Do you know this man?” Sinbad had asked.

“Yes. This is Terrious. My father’s court wizard.”

“And Drax’s to my internal shame. It’s either serve him or be killed,” Terrious explained.

“Terrious. Where is mother?”

“That is why I’m here. Drax has locked the queen in the northern tower above the throne room with a crossbow aimed at her heart. A rope that is connected to the trigger is a pull rope next to Drax’s throne. He’ll pull it if you go barging in there.”

“Nothing must hurt mother. She’s very sick. Her condition is…delicate.”

“We can take the escape tunnel to the training stable near the draw bridge. Come.” Terrious went and led us to a trapdoor under some large branches. Different types mixed. Not hidden very well. I let Alex go so he wouldn’t go underground.

We grabbed a torch and lit it. We started what looked like miles of tunnels. We finally saw, thirty minutes later, a light coming in. We pushed some of our shoulders into the stable. I heard horses neighing and dummies the soldiers probably used. 3 horses, all a different species. Not a lot, huh? Well that was it.

“There has to be some guards here,” Sinbad said as he looked around the wooden room. A wooden door on the right had a stone ring as the hinge seemed to be the way into the palace. Just when Sinbad said that there had to be guards, there were. They were surprised by our appearance and they all looked at Zander.

“You had to ask,” Jahangir said. I held back a snicker. We pulled our swords as did the soldiers.

“Kill the Prince,” one of the soldiers yelled.

“Guard the prince,” Sinbad said to me and started to attack the soldiers. Parviz was doing the same with Calvin at his side. Jelani was throwing his daggers. They knocked them out except one that I punched in the face.

The one that I hit, rose and Zander walked over to him and laid his hand on the soldier’s shoulder. A blue light radiated from his hand and the guard collapsed like the life force was drained out him.

“Come. We can use the terrace entrance into the castle.” Zander had suggested it as he went for the wooden doors with the stone ring around them. As he turned, we started follow.

He walked up some stone steps and said, “We must hurry. Drax will know of this.” Then more guards came at the top of the stairs.

Zander ran to go behind me. Sinbad and Calvin knocked them out. Sinbad called for us to come. We ran through the winding stone steps till one led to the throne room. More and more guards kept appearing. Sinbad was holding off an ax man. Zander ran ahead.

“Follow him Maeve.” I nodded and ran to catch up. Only one guard was in the way. I parried his sword and head butted him. Nodded for Zander to keep going as the guard got up and I punched his face with my sword hand.

Zander stopped in front of a door with the symbol for the throne room. A really weird star like picture. Zander entered first.

“Don’t tell me you came alone?”

I entered the room and closed the door behind me. The throne room had steps that led to a golden plated chair. Next to that chair was an apple-like cord that led to a rope that went through the ceiling. Probably to the crossbow.

In the throne was a brown haired bearded man with a dark magenta robe with gold squares around his chest. He had bags under his deep green eyes like he hasn’t slept in years.

“So, you brought a witch?” Drax had a deep tone in his voice but was a little annoying to me.

“A friend,” I said in that tone. Disgust and annoyance. Zander walked down the steps to the front of the throne and I followed his example.

“Weren’t there others?”

“They’re not here now.” Drax let go of the rope and laughed as he got up.

“Surrender the Kingdom, Drax, to it’s rightful heir,” Zander demanded. Drax swung a huge arm at Zander like a mace. Zander ducked and ran to the other side of me. “Still a little jumpy but your mother will be dead soon.” He angrily walked back to the rope.

“Spare the boy, Drax,” I tried to flirt a little as I laid my hand on his shoulder, “I’ll make it worth you while.” I walked away as he turned around.

“You would do that,” He asked, “for the boy?”

“That sounds like too much of a chore,” I pretended, “With a handsome, powerful man like you.” That got his cherries up. Just when he was about to touch my face, he realized, I was only stalling.

“There are more, aren’t there?” He turned, “Yes. There is.” He started to walk back to the rope before I tackled and yelled, “No!”

He tossed me backward as Alex swooped in.

“Get him Alex!” Drax was already in the chair.

Alex dove in and started to scratch at Drax. It was a fight I couldn’t get into. Drax won and Alex retreated through the window. Drax pulled the rope and I heard a sharp snap. That was the end of the queen.

I was really wrong. The next moment, the door opened and an elegant lady in a pink and white laced dress.

“How?” Drax looked confused. Calvin and Sinbad walked in, looking triumphant with the rest of the crew behind them.

“Mother?” Zander walked past me and stood at the foot of the stairs. The other’s walked down to me.

“I’m fine Zander.”

“But you won’t be my prince,” Drax’s deep voice said. Before anyone could react, Drax pulled his sword out of his scarab and slashed at Zander. The queen and I were the only one who didn’t gasp. The sword, like my hand, went right through. Drax tripped backwards into the throne. “You’re dead? But then why can’t I sleep?”

“Because the true heir,” Zander walked over to his mother and patted her belly, “is right here. My soon to be brother. You see, three moons ago, she told the king that she was pregnant. So we didn’t have much time. Mother couldn’t hide him much longer."

Drax was opened mouth. “I’m out of HERE!”

He ran past us and up the stairs. Calvin and Sinbad were about to chase him.

“No Sinbad, Calvin. Let me handle him.” They backed off.

The door slammed on Drax’s face and the room started to dim as the wind ripped through.

“What are those?” Figures of humans that were ghost started to appear. All gloomy and saddened.

“Just some of the people you and your knights have killed,” Zander paused as the tornado made by the spirits swirled Drax, “Yes. It is time. The rest are waiting for you on the other side.”

The tornado engulfed Drax and he disappeared.

Zander stood as if nothing ever made him more confident.

* * *

A few minutes later, the sun began to burst through the clouds. We had our congratulations to both Zander and the queen.

“Don’t blame Maeve,” I heard Zander say, “She wanted to tell you but I vowed to haunt her forever.”

Sinbad laughed, “Just ask better next time.”

Zander walked over to Parviz, “Do you believe now?” Before Parviz could answer, Zander interrupted, “You don’t have too. It is just a thought.” Zander walked over to his mother and Terrious. “Terrious, will you take care of them?”

“I will your majesty.” Zander smiled.

“Mother, will you tell him about me when he is older? Will you tell him he older brother loved him very much?”

“I will, Zander.” I was last for goodbyes.

“Goodbye Maeve. Alex,” he said as he tried to stroke the front of Alex, “It’s sad that I had to die to make friends.”

“You shouldn’t have died at all. I think you would have made a great king.”

“Really? Thanks. Hope your adventure and mission are a success. See you on the other side. Not too soon I hope.” I looked down, smiled and shook my head. Then I looked up again. “Mother, do you think father has forgiven me?”

A blue light dimmed out the room and a figure materialized into view. A soldier with the traditional white color armor and his beard down to his chest.

“Yes. Zander. I think so.” Zander smiled and walked towards the man in the armor. “Goodbye, my son.”

“Goodbye, mother,” then he turned to us, “Goodbye.” He walked and stood beside his father and they both faded with the light. The crew, Calvin and I walked back to the ship.

Alex went for a circle before we left. Calvin and I went to the quarter deck, it was time for us to leave. I waved my arm and the portal opened.

“Alex!” He flew down the steps and, with a huff, landed on my glove. “What’s wrong Alex?”

“Zander.”

“Oh.” I knew Alex was connected to Zander. Didn’t know how.