Alesial Kosik
No Going Back
Elina and Keysha trudged along with their teammate on the rocky road to the Ridge. They were on a rescue mission to save the leader of Teen Justice as their leader had been captured and taken over the Ridge to Prague, which was a voyage through the seven seas. Prague was far away from Seleucia, where they had spent almost all of their teen years trying to stop Andron's reign of terror in the land. None of these teenagers knew the way to Prague, the fortress beyond the seven seas in which the wicked witch, Andromeda lived.
Flashback
"The voyage which you all want to embark on is a very long journey through the seven seas…". Elden the sorcerer said.
"We were well aware of this before we came to you, great one. All we ask for is the map to Prague, so we can find Persius and return before the crown is placed on Andron's head…". Alvin whined impatiently.
The old man cast one glance at Alvin and he clamped his mouth shut.
"Do not try to interrupt, young man. Unless of course, you want me to cast a spell on you." Elden warned.
"Like I was saying, this journey is through seven seas, and the map you are about to acquire demands a sacrifice". Elden explained to us.
"What sacrifice could a map possibly ask for?". Keysha asked, staring at the old man.
"The sacrifice would be requested from the Traveller who needs the map". Elden said.
"But we all need the map to find Persius''. Keysha said.
"I know you all need it but what I want to make clear to you is that the item for the sacrifice can only be revealed to the three of you, not me". Elden said moving to an ancient-looking shelf on which were many jars filled with eerie-looking things.
Elden opened the top drawer of the shelf and rummaged through the things that were in the drawer.
"It seems you lost whatever you are looking for". Keysha said.
"Sorcerers don't lose things, we misplace them…".
"Ah ha I told you, it just only needs a little more searching and now I found it". Elden said as he brought out an old dusty paper from a scroll and handed it to Elina.
"How are we supposed to use this old map? It looks like it will tear any moment from now". Elina said, assessing the paper.
"It just needs a little touch and it'll be just good for your voyage". Elden said and touched the paper with his magic wand, the paper turned into a scroll that indicated the starting and ending points of our voyage.
"Wow, can we leave now?". Alvin said finally after a long silence.
"Yes, you all can but you must remember the sacrifice or you all will get stuck in Prague and never return to your homes". Elden the sorcerer said with a note of finality and turned his back on the teenagers.
The teenagers knew it was already time for them to leave and they walked to the door of Coldhaven, Elden's shop. Seleucia wasn't as busy as it would be in the daytime so it was easy for the teenagers to creep back to their hideout before any of Andron's soldiers spotted them. Andron wasn't King yet but after his brother, King Peter IV died seven years ago, the council of elders hadn't been chosen from any of the royal families and since Andron was the most eligible for the throne, he forced his rule on people, succeeded in bending all the council's elders to do his will and in a fortnight, Andron was to be installed, King.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, they got to their hideout and began making plans to rescue their leader, Persius when the map started glowing in Elina's breast pocket. She brought it from the pocket and opened it.
"Everyone comes to see something!". Elina exclaimed, holding up the scroll. And they all gathered around her.
"One of you has to be the custodian of this map when it takes you to your destination. A custodian that would stay with the map in the fortress at Prague. You would be catered for at the expense of your freedom. Welcome to Prague." Alvin read out loud and immediately, a door opened and we all walked into it.
Back to the present
"I hope this rocky trail ends soon, I can't wait to see this fortress and get out of here. By the way, who stays back and becomes the custodian of the map." Alvin asked.
"You stay, you read out the conditions," Keysha told him.
"No one stays back, we get Persius and return home." Elina cut in.
"How do we do that?" Keysha asked.
"We burn this map, and travel back with the aid of this," Elina said as she raised a vial containing a purplish liquid.
"One sip of this, you get to where your heart desires and you are safe from the curse in this map," Elina said, smiling triumphantly.
"Where did you get this?". Keysha asked.
"Coldhaven. Let's go to the fortress." Elina said and they all ran and sighted the fortress in the hills.
The fortress gate creaked open when Elina touched it with the map. All they saw was an endless-looking flight of stairs when they opened the doors of the castle.
"Persius, are you in here?". Keysha called out and in seconds, a scary-looking kind of cage came from nowhere and stopped in front of us.
The doors opened and we walked into the cage. It took us through the stairs to a dark passage filled with many prison-like cubicles in which were many creatures, both small and great.
"This might be where Persius has been kept, we just have to find the exact place where he is," Alvin whispered.
Immediately after Alvin spoke, different creatures began grunting, screeching, and making noises. We walked in between the cubicles looking for Persius when an old man appeared wearing a black cloak.
"Whom do you seek?" He asked us.
"...Persius, he was captured and brought here two moons ago. The map brought us here and we have come to take him back to Seleucia." Elina said.
"He is well, but do you know that one of you has to stay back after his rescue?" The old man asked.
"That, we know old man," Alvin said.
"Very well, then." The old man said and spread his arms and in a split second, he disappeared and Persius walked up to us looking haggard.
"Persius, what have they done to you?" Keysha asked while moving to Persius' side.
"I'm well, but why have you come? didn't you know the price before coming?" Perseus asked while we moved to the fortress gate.
"We know, and have a plan," Elina said and brought out a lighter, burnt the map, and smashed the purple vial on the floor.
"Sorry for the change of plan but Persius thinks staying here and looking after all these creatures is better than going back to Seleucia. We could stay here in this fortress and preserve it, and stop running from Andron for the rest of our lives." Elina said.
"So, we're the keepers of this fortress?" Alvin asked.
"Yes, we are and it's for a good purpose. I promise." Persius said and we walked back into the fortress- our fortress.