The Bright Wood

Chapter 21

Upon nearing the altitude required to travel into the sky kingdom, I paused. I didn't know how to get into the sky kingdom. I knew I could do it because of being a laimer, but I didn't know how. I went to the part of my mind that controlled the magic and imagined myself in the Sky Kingdom, but when I opened my eyes, I was still in the sky over Bright Wood.

Then I remembered that when Nox would take me into the Sky Kingdom, the sky would almost open like a door before we would enter, so instead of forcing myself into the kingdom, I imagined a door opening in the sky that I could enter through. Not a moment later, a purple pulse of light erupted in the sky just above me, and I was almost pulled in. The next thing I knew, I was in the Sky Kingdom, not too far from the castle.

I pushed my wings downward with all my might to gain speed. As I was rushing through the air, I noticed a presence beside me. I turned my head to see Lance flying right by my side. Without slowing, I shouted above the wind, "What are you doing here?"

He shouted back, "I heard that the queen has died, so I came to comfort her. Don't worry, for the war is already won. Dragons ca---" His words ended abruptly and he halted in the air. I looked forward to see what surprised him. I halted as well when I saw that were outside of the city, but Krolyn and Rubel were already exchanging fire. They could be seen in the air, flying around each other and using their magic just as I had seen in the crystal.

It was almost slow motion when one fateful shot of Krolyn's hit Rubel square in the chest, and she began falling to the ground.

Both Lance and I lunged in the air towards her. As she tumbled, her body changed back into its half deer, half girl form, and she hit the ground. First it was her body, then her head. It was sickening to watch, and then, she laid still. There was no movement.

Lance went directly to her. He landed just beside her and scooped her up into his arms, saying, "No, no, no. Come on, come back to me."

I went to Krolyn, who now was on the ground, a look of confusion on his face. He was muttering, "It didn't work. How have I run out of time? I thought it would work."

I landed several meters away from him. "It didn't work because there is one whom you still love." Krolyn turned to me. "Did you forget about me..." I took a deep breath. "Father?"

Krolyn's eyes went wide, and I think I saw the glimmer of a tear forming in one of them. "My- my son." He fell to the ground and burst into tears. Suddenly, the dark blue seeing crystal that had fallen on the ground during the battle began moving towards me, and the teal crystal, which I was holding in my hand fell out and began moving towards the blue one.

In the middle, they connected and a brilliant flash of light covered the entire landscape. Suddenly, I was in a different place at a different time. The edges of my vision were faded as if I was still looking into the seeing crystal, but it was more like I was actually in the crystal.

I also was not myself, but in someone else's body. It was Krolyn's, and he was looking at a nurse who was coming towards him with two precious bundles.

"There are two" said the nurse excitedly. Timeus Krolyn opened his arms as the nurse let him hold his children. "The queen has decided on the names Rubell and Eden"

"Rubell, flower, and Eden, paradise. They are perfect."

The story jumped ahead nearly a year. Timeus and Minah, the queen, were sitting at a lakeside near the castle. They were watching little Eden and Rubel playing with the children of a couple of the Sky Kingdom knights. They were little Lance and Ruphean. The children were playing in the water.