Pinnikle: The Lost Truth

14: Of the flashings of life which come before death

This chapter and the one preceding were told by Time himself. They were compiled to show you the power of a moment, and remain in the royal library along with the rest of the Chronicles of Pinnikle. Of the events which took place within the longer part of ten very slow seconds, on the 18th day of Radia, year of Pinnikle: 1,229.

The moment before death is the moment few of us are familiar with. Life flashes before one's eyes to remind them of the gifts it gave, as they are about to lose them all. In this moment, wonder and Fear compete. If you have ever been at life's end, you understand.

The man's eyes close to focus on the flashes of life, and he hears a little voice in a memory: "Daddy! haha, betcha can't get me!"

Two days ago, they raced around a stony mountain city, dashing through swarms of laughing, happy people! She was six and a half years old. The little one had brown, wavy, wild hair, green bright eyes, and a giggle that made everyone's heart warm! This is a memory of his daughter. His mind races, and a tear falls from his face into the rapid water as he hears another voice, older and soft.

Sweetly, the second voice echoes through his mind, "Hey love! come read to us!"

His darling sits in their bed, closely beside their sleepy, smiley little girl; who peeps out from under her parents' bedding. He walks in, seeing his wife in all her brilliance. Her full face glows. Her smiling cheeks dot with elegant freckles, and her bright icy eyes are crystal blue... Her shimmering brown hair falls, not a strand out of place. She is the most beautiful nix he has ever seen - and more beautiful than the majesty of stars above.

He looks into her eyes, and is interrupted by his daughter, "This one, daddy!" she squawks.

She is like a happy little lump under blankets beside his wife. Clumsy and innocent, like many children are, she is. She rustles under the blankets, and pulls out a book that she had hidden. The book is about Lucidia, the one and only kingdom in all of Pinnikle. It is a massive and sprawling place, carved into the mountains below the snow. In it, queens and kings have written about discoveries, stars, mysterious things, and wonderful things. It has always been his daughter's favorite book.

It is the end of their little girl's birthday. She had been celebrated well by her parents, and the whole city. You see, this little girl is a princess, and her father is the king. And on that very night, like many others - tired from long days and responsibilities - the king finishes reading a passage of his little girl's favorite book. It is about something they call the spectacle of lights: the most glorious celebration in all of Pinnikle.

His daughter falls asleep, curled up to her mother's chest, and he lays beside them, becoming lost in the eyes of his love. The three are the happiest of families. The lovers whisper about each-other's day - eyes locked, and hands interlaced over the little breathing lump of blankets. Their family rings rest close, close as their hearts for one another.

— The man in the water - the king - smiles, forgetting his peril. He feels his ring, and a loving tear falls from his eye, into the raging water. Still lost in his memory, he cries sweetly, then embraces it yet again —

He hears his wife whisper, "What did you discover today?"

He answers: "I was in the library, and found a very strange book... allegedly written by a wizard."

"Wow! What was the writing like?" She says softly, with bright eyes.

He whispers,"The book was empty, except for one page near the center! On it, magic ink described a darkness, and had some riddling instructions."

"What did the page say!?" She asks, stroking their little girl's hair and cheek.

He recounts the words from the page: