A Hero, A Team, and a Story [BOOK ONE]

Chapter 5: Letters to Nowhere

The four looked at each other, and then the book. They opened it slowly, and a note fell out.

"Huh? I've never seen a note like this before. It's written in the numbers code, I've never studied that one." Pen picked up the note. It read...

08 05 12 16 13 05 15 21 20 15 06 08 05 18 05

20 08 05 18 05 09 19 14 15 05 24 09 20

-07

"I know what this says. I wrote codes like this to my team members back when I worked with them. It says," Henry cleared his throat and took the note, "Help me out of here, there is no exit. It's signed by... G?" Henry put the note back in the book.

"No clue who that could be, though it sounds familiar..." Cloud sighed, "Let's just read the book."

It was filled with an absolute fountain of knowledge. It even told the tale of how the soulstones were scattered.

"Okay, there's a map here. So, we're here, in the library," Alchemist guided her hand across the page, "And we left the cavern, you didn't happen to pick up a grey cage-lamp, right?"

"Yeah, I still have it," Pen pulled out the lamp, "Why do you need it?" Without speaking, Alchemist snatched the lamp from his hands and pointed to a dark blue spade-shaped gem on the base.

"This is one of the four soulstones! We've had it all along!" She attempted to pry the gem off of the lantern, but to no avail. "Huff... huff... Can someone... help me with this?"

"I think I can! I might have enough magic energy to cast Lightning Dagger, it could pry it easily!" Cloud smiled. They placed their nub-hand on the gem as they started to turn grey. "Lightning... DAGGER!" a surge of lightning shocked the lamp, and the gem popped into their hand, no damage done to it.

"Impossible. You cast a Neek Spell, and no damage was done to the recipient," Alchemist was shocked, literally and metaphorically, "How do you do it? Are Cloud Neeks more concentrated? Tell me as much as you can!"

"Whoah, hold your horses, Alchemist. Cloud can only take so much," Pen grabbed a confused, yet proud, Cloud, "Also, great job on getting the Gem, Cloud!"

Suddenly, the gem started glowing. It burst into a ray of light, and a blue penguin wearing cracked glasses and a messed up lab uniform fell.

"Mmmmh... where might I be...? A library?" The penguin spoke.

"Hello, I'm Pen, the Hero, and this is my team!" Pen stuck his hand out, "Do you wanna join us?"

"Hello Pen, I'm Gary the Gadget Guy, but you may call me G," Gary said, "Thank you for the offer, but I must decline. I will stay here." He stood up and adjusted himself. "Good luck on your quest. At least, I assume you are on a quest?" Cloud nodded in response. "You must be looking for the soulstones? Well, I hope you do... I wish to see them again."

"We will not let you down, Mister Gary Sir!" Cloud had a determined look on their face.

"Just a note, beware of my lollygagging brother Vampire Cookie." Alchemist warned.

"We'll find them, I promise!" Pen said. And off they went...