Category: Adventure

Posted on

MYSTERY OF THE LUSTARAY
CLOCK GHOST: PART ONE

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

The minute hand ticked with a dead echo, the sound dying fast into the blood red night. Flickering red moonlight splashed over Cade’s short dark hair falling low over his intense gaze.

“You ready?” Cade asked.

“Let’s go,” Blake answered, running his hand through his short, choppy blonde hair. Cade slowly broke a smile as the two kids slowly opened the old, creaking gate, glowing like a soft orange fire. The dark orange lit up School of the Arts appeared ahead past the heavy, twisted gardens full of large green and blue leaves spiraled around. The second hand groaned slowly, echoing through the empty air, groaning slowly around and around as the two 12 year olds crept up the dark orange glowing brick path narrowly cutting through the garden.

Just then black figures flashed across the sky overhead. The kids ducked down, crawling ahead in the deep shadows. A chilling wind pushed down on them. The image of the dark orange clock appeared. The minute hand left a burning orange glow. The second hand blazed across the clock face with empty darkness between them. The ghost cried out across the sky. The kids looked up to find themselves inside the garden room of the school, locked inside…

We’ll get back inside the School of the Arts in a moment. The mystery to solve is how can they get to the Lustaray Clock, and how can they escape? What’s the secret of the Lustaray Clock? Knowing that answer will be a strong clue for how to escape this haunted school. Can you figure it out? Check out the post called:

DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE: WHO IS THE LUSTARAY CLOCK GHOST?

This post will give you a description of the School of the Arts which will offer clues to the mystery. Check out the prophecy at the end which offers the key clues to finding the answer for the mystery. Click on this link to check it out:

https://dadestarmysteries.com/darkcorner-land-featurewho-is-the-lustaray-clock-ghost/

Let’s get back to the story, but be prepared, you might not escape…

The kids gazed up at the massively high marble black walls in the gigantic room, dimly lit by numerous dark orange candles hanging from the trees throughout the hall.

“How did we get in here?” Blake whispered. Cade just flashed him a wide-eyed, confused expression. The dead hands ticked on and on and on.

“Over here,” Cade whispered, ducking into a narrow, twisted path between dark twisted green trees called Deyvas. Chilling winds whistled through the glittering green leaves, barely lit by the dark orange candles hanging from the twisted branches curling around.

“What?” asked Blake.

“I said, ‘over here,'” answered Cade. The minute hand pounded against the wall on all sides, dying into the chilling silence.

“No, I heard that.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Because you said something after that.” The tragic groaning circled back around, never ending, never finding relief.

“Maybe I said something clever about the trees.”

“Did you?”

“I don’t know.” The deyvas closed in, falling down over the path ahead. “Back up slowly.”

“That’s what you said?”

“No, that’s what I’m saying now.” The distant ghost groaned through the massive dark chamber with the turning second hand.

“How do you not know what you said?”

“I don’t know. You remember everything you’ve ever said?”

“In the last thirty seconds? Yeah.” Dead whispers shot out from the high balconies holding more Deyvas, hanging far over the edge with long candles pulling them low over the black marble floor. “Did you hear that?”

“Yeah, it’s them,” Cade answered in a low voice. Heavy trees closed in. Candles lit up just ahead of them. The ghost cried out again in a voice searching in the dark. The kids found a narrow path cutting ahead where more whispers went back and forth. The clock groaned louder around them. Two long dark pools appeared ahead, reflecting the flickering candle lights with a single round table between them. The kids slowly crept ahead. Just then the dark orange clock appeared high above them.

“We found it,” said Blake as the kids gazed up at the clock groaning louder and louder around them. A chilling wind rushed down through the dark twisted gardens. Most of the candle lights went out. Whispers grew louder around them. The kids pushed ahead as the branches closed in.

“Stay focused on it,” said Cade, “stay focused on it.” The clock grew brighter and brighter, burning in a dark orange fire until all around them went completely dark.

“What’s going on?” Blake whispered.

“I’m not sure.” Just then eerie, sour sounding fiddle music started up around them with a cheerful but off-key melody. Green glowing ghosts began to appear, dancing in swift, sharp motions ahead of them, stretching far to the left and right seemingly endless. The kids backed up against the cold dark wall. The hidden clock ticked quietly with distant dead echoes. “I think we’re farther away.” Cade nodded strongly.

“Let’s get past them,” said Cade. The kids jogged along the wall, staring down at the designs of twisted ghostly faces, hiding from incredibly tall people looking down at them from high towers, gazing down from the balconies. Dark orange crystal chandeliers floated around in the murky dark air high above the dancing ghosts. Blake gazed out at the many complicated scenes of politcal debates and battles across the black marble floor barely lit by the dingy lights flickering to the fast, stumbling rhythm of the floating music. After several minutes the floor turned dark before complicated designs of dances and games spread out across the floor under the dancing ghosts.

A bright green ghost appeared suddenly directly ahead, mopping the floor. He held out his hand, letting go of the mop as it froze in place. His rugged face turned on them. The kids spun around and flew back down the wall.

“Should we cut across the floor?” whispered Blake.

“I’m not sure.” Cade glanced back. The old ghost started tapping his feet to the rhythm of the music and the mop fell back into his hands. Then he started gliding fast towards them.

“How are we getting away?”

“We have to disappear. Follow me.” Cade kept glancing at the dancing ghosts, moving in wide circles. “Now.” Blake slid across the floor as Cade disappeared. He turned right. Cade flew between two dancing circles. Blake sprinted after him, staying low to the slick floor. The kids took a sharp turn cutting between two more groups of dancing ghosts. “See?” Cade turned back momentarily, with a smile, “They’re too focused on their dance, as long as we don’t cut between them.” Blake glanced back at the empty darkness.

“He’s long gone,” he said, nodding rhythmically. The kids swerved to avoid another group then sprinted between several more groups before reaching the far wall. They turned around, leaning back against the cold wall, vibrating to the barely audible dead ticks of the distant clock. They could only see the dancing ghosts across the vast floor under the dingy floating shine. Just then the old ghost appeared again. The kids started to run, but he held out his right hand and they fell back against the wall.

“You can’t outrun me,” he said in a raspy voice as the kids struggled to move from the wall, but they were frozen in place. His eyes glowed in a dark, dead green stare.

“What do you want?” asked Cade.

“How are you going to find the Lustaray Clock?”

“Who says we’re trying to?” asked Blake.

“That’s why everyone enters here, looking for the secret clock. Everyone enters this school with big dreams, but they all turn to nightmares.”

“Who are you?” asked Cade in a low voice.

“I was a janitor here when this school was open. I died 30 years ago. I’ve been here ever since. I have to clean this entire floor tonight. They demand that this floor shines under the lights for the party.” Blake and Cade exchanged highly anxious looks.

“You do realize you don’t have to do this anymore right?” asked Blake. “I mean, you’re dead.” Cade nudged him hard in his side. “What? He is,” Blake answered as he felt the clock’s dead ticking heavier and heavier behind the wall.

“I don’t have a choice,” the old ghost answered. “I can’t get any other job. They won’t let me leave, and I don’t know how to escape.”

“But you’re…”

“Life continues on after death, it’s just a lot…quieter. We continue as spirits. They told me I have to do this job while I’m here, and I just can’t leave, but I’m not sure why. I just can’t leave. Ghosts can get stuck in different places for years and years, maybe never escape.” His sad, empty eyes turned downward as he dragged the mop slowly across the floor.

“Is there a God? Have you seen Heaven?” asked Cade, shuffling his feet across the slick floor as the eerie, sour music continued around them.

“I don’t know if God or Heaven exists,” the ghost answered, leaning heavier on his mop. His dark eyes began to reflect a slow hand turning, circling slowly around and around. “We don’t know yet.” The dancing ghosts and the dingy lights turned to a murky, gloomy glow behind him. “But I wish I could leave, but I never could, watching the students building their projects, creating new dances, creating amazing designs, I always thought I could do something like that, but every time I got started, it just got too complicated, they never wanted it, it was never good enough, never good enough…”

“They’re gone now,” said Cade. “The students are gone.”

“No,” he answered, with a crooked smile, “some are still here, still trying to finish their projects, especially him.”

“Who?” asked Cade.

“The one who is stuck in the underground classroom where the Lustaray Clock is. He was obsessed with it, couldn’t stop staring at it.”

“You mean the Lustaray Clock ghost?” asked Blake. “He was a student here?”

“That’s right, and he’s been expecting you.”

“What do you mean?” asked Cade.

“Didn’t you realize the real reason you’re here? He invited you, and it’s time, time to meet him.” Cold darkness fell over them. They couldn’t see anything. The emptiness around them was silent until they heard it…

Dead, heavy ticking of a massive clock, with the clock hand groaning as it swung around and around and around, never ending, never reaching it’s destination, just circling around and around slowly in the empty cold darkness, where time never stops, and no one ever leaves…

Posted on

DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE:
WHO IS THE LUSTARAY CLOCK GHOST?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

They say only students can hear it, the Lustaray Clock, hidden deep inside the haunted School of the Arts in Cashes Dade. Late at night, some students can hear it, especially in October. Every tick of the clock sounds like the boom of a cannon. They can hear the other clock hand dragging, dragging slowly going around and around, never ending, sounding like a tragic, ghostly wail over and over. Some students, including Cade and Blake, can also hear the ghost, the one who haunts the Lustaray Clock, the one they say is trapped inside the underground classroom where the massive clock glows dark orange in the dark classroom, set high on the black marble wall. They say there is a dark mystery, a dark secret about the Lustaray Clock. They say you can hear him groaning, groaning with a deep sadness, desperately hoping to escape, desperately hoping to lead someone to enter the school and help him find his way out, or become trapped there with him…

There’s only one way to enter the School of the Arts, through the dark front gate. It’s a confusing, dark twisted school. No one knows how to find the Lustaray Clock. But getting there is only half the mystery, getting out is even more mysterious. There is a secret to finding the clock and finding the way out, a secret the ghost desperately wants to discover. Can you figure it out? We’ll soon find out. But be warned, because the ghost is calling students, students like Cade and Blake, to the school, and you can be trapped in there with him forever if you can’t find the way out.

When you push through, you enter the front lawn covered by heavy, twisted gardens. Then you suddenly find yourself inside, in the garden room. Massive black marble walls rise up really high on all sides with numerous balconies holding twisted dark green trees called Deyvas. Their branches curl around and through eachother with glittering green leaves that whisper in the dark. They seem to grow and stretch around you, closing in on you. Two long dark pools run along the walls with a single round table between them. Large twisted, dead trees grow all throughout the floor holding dark orange-lit candles that whisper when they light up.

The reading room holds massive bookshelves full of large, dusty books. Ghosts appear, glowing in neon green fiery lights, floating up and down the shelves, picking out books, then showing up in the various fancy furniture to read them. There are many pieces of furniture, all with elaborate designs. At the center of the room are two circular couches on both sides of a slick, black chair. It’s best not to disturb them, or they will start whispering to you which might send you to the darker places of the school, where you could be trapped forever…

The ballroom floor has designs of twisted faces, hiding from incredibly tall people looking down at them from high towers, gazing down from the balconies. Dark orange crystal chandeliers float around from the murky ceiling to barely light up the green glowing ghosts dancing to the eerie, off-key music, dancing over the many complicated scenes of politcal debates and battles, and dances and games. Somewhere in the center is the design showing students learning in school. The music can be overpowering, and move you, but it can move you to places you don’t want to go…

The grand auditorium is dimly lit by dark orange lantern lights from the high balconies, where dark ghosts sit waiting to capture any who enter. Every seat displays a different green glowing ghostly face. If you make eye contact with any of them, a ghost will be after you in the dark aisles etched in an elaborate maze. Blood red curtains fly in from both sides across the stage, clashing at the center. When the ghosts begin to sing, the auditorium stretches and stretches seemingly forever, and it is really hard to find the way out…

Cade and Blake are determined to find the Lustaray Clock, which is held in the underground classroom. It’s a dark, empty room with just two rows of empty desks, casting long dark stretching shadows from the dark orange light coming only from the Lustaray Clock. This is the darkest, emptiest room ever found. You feel a heavy despair when you enter here, and a heavy confusion, especially where the crack runs across the floor under the long dark stretching shadows. A sharp, bitter chill fills the room in the complete silence except for the sound of the ticking clock, where the hour hand goes around, forever and ever, never reaching it’s destination. The ghost haunts this room, because he can’t get out, and if anyone enters, he will try to keep them from ever getting out as well…

Someday the students will be called by the clock
To find the dingy classroom closed by a heavy lock
The young student failed in the art school
He tried too much, to make everyone else a fool
But one day he will return, to finish what he begun
He cannot escape, nor can anyone else, until it’s done
The way through is revealed by the name Lustaray
Fight through the heavy confusion to see one way
If you try to see the light all at once, you will fail
Go through the center and you will prevail
They all want to shine like a brilliant light
This is where you will find the way that’s right
But lights only shine in the dark night…

Posted on

CHARACTER FUN FACTS:
IS CADE MAYSON A GHOST?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Cade Mayson is constantly disappearing, and reappearing, though many times he will reappear far, far away, and you have to wonder, is he a ghost? There are different reasons why people call him a ghost. Sometimes he is just so fast, he can get from one place to another way too fast to be real. He’s also really sneaky. One of Cade’s favorite things is to quietly sneak up on someone and just all the sudden be standing there. It can be quite creepy. Cade also hides really well, then just shows up seemingly out of nowhere. He likes scaring people, and for that reason, and a few secret ones, his favorite holiday is Halloween.

Before we learn more about whether Cade is a ghost, it’s time to reveal the mystery challenge from the last post. Did you figure it out? Are you ready to find out? Where did Jake hide his gold? Here is the answer:

He hid his gold in the underground of the Kingdom of Cadendas, City of Heyvas Caradames.

Here are the key prophecy lines that offer the clues:
The message of the ghost who sings opera is the key
You must listen close to the bright music of all three
Turning it around then following to the end is the key
You’ll know you found the secret when you find the letter C
In the end, the secret is best kept by the light
Follow the directions to figure out what’s right…

Cade has remarkable speed, and it becomes the most mysterious in the game of tag. If you’re it, don’t try to get Cade. Everyone tries to get Cade, because no one ever has before, but it’s hopeless. One time in a game of tag in a courtyard in the city, under a fiery red evening, a kid had Cade cornered. Cade started to do his fake-out dance, and the kid got himself ready for him to make his move, thinking he would keep trying to fake one way then fly the other, but Cade just went for it, sprinting right past him. By the time the kid reached out to tag him, he was long gone on the other side of the courtyard. How does he move that fast?

One year, before the aliens invaded, the kids at school were planning the next Halloween Party, and Cade wasn’t invited, to the planning that is. He was more than welcome to the party, but he was not allowed to be in on the planning anymore because he has way too many crazy ideas, many of which got way out of control. We’ll find out more about that later. But the kids decided to have a secret planning meeting at a secret location which was the roof of the school at midnight. They had been really quiet about it and told no one. They checked every time they talked about it to make sure Cade was nowhere in sight. But when they finished their meeting on the rooftop, and got ready to leave, there was Cade, standing there smiling brightly in the flickering moonlight.

The biggest reason people think Cade is a ghost, is because he seems to appear and disappear out of nowhere, something only ghosts can do. One time on a class trip into the mountains, they were all gathered at a large lake. Several of his classmates went exploring down a long narrow valley. They thought Cade was going to join them later, but they kept looking back up the the grassy slope with no trees and didn’t see him. Several kids slipped on the slick grass on the way down the long slope, but eventually they made it to the end. The two mountains on both sides were really steep with slick black stones. When they reached the end, they glanced back again and still didn’t see him anywhere. One kid asked another if they thought Cade would try to climb the steep mountain rising in front of them. They all spun around when they heard a voice answer, “I think he would.” It was Cade. How did he get there?

Cade doesn’t just act like a ghost, he goes looking for them. Check out the next post to see if you can solve the mystery in the post titled:

MYSTERY OF THE LUSTARAY CLOCK GHOST

Read the story about the time when Cade and Blake went exploring the old school set deep in the mountains that students claim is haunted. What they find will shock them. But more importantly, will they be able to find their way out?

Cade Mayson is on a secret mission to start a revolution against the aliens. He doesn’t just want to take back his school and his country that’s been burned to the ground, he wants them off the planet, by any means necessary. There is a lot of mystery about these aliens:
Who are they?
Where did they come from?
Why are they here?
How did they get so advanced?
What are those neon lights flashing rhythmically in the darkest nights?
What scares them?
No one seems to know the answer to any of those questions, especially the last one, except Cade…

Posted on

THE DEEP SECRET THAT LIES BENEATH

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Where did Jake Dasmayer hide his gold? They say he hid it in a secret place in the underground network throughout DarkCorner Land. Check out the last post:
DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE:
WHERE DID JAKE HIDE HIS GOLD?
This post describes the places where he mysteriously appeared and disappeared. These are your clues for which Kingdom and City did Jake hide his gold in their underground network? The challenge for you will be can you figure out which kingdom’s underground did he hide his gold? The last post offers clues while the Darcoure Prophecy will reveal the clues and lead you to the answer, if you’re clever enough to figure it out. Leave a comment below if you have a guess and why you think you know. See if you can figure out which kingdom and the three sets of prophecy lines that offer key clues for the answer. A set is two lines that rhyme. The answer will be revealed in the next CHARACTER FUN FACTS FEATURE. Can you figure it out?

DARCOURE PROPHECY
There’s a secret that lies far below
You must be willing to go down so low
But really this is not what you’re looking for
Bright flashing underground music will open the door
The elite won’t believe the miner can be smart
But they’ll never go to see his underground art
He seems to have no great talent or skill even to mine
Yet he hides a great secret for how he crosses the line
Some mysterious force within drives him to find the deep
Yet even more mysterious is the great wealth he won’t keep
The miner will soon reveal the elite’s great flaw
It will happen when they remember what they saw
He’ll be seen as simple-minded and too mysterious, too alone
But he’ll find what none of them can through deep stone
Turning it around then following to the end is the key
You’ll know you found the secret when you find the letter C
The lady of the opera only sings in the dark cool
Cold mist rolls across the creamy blue hidden pool
She hides herself behind the curtains flowing bright red
But the student from the balcony won’t forget what she said
You must go deeper where the lights die out
Then you will find out what the secret’s really about
The message of the ghost who sings opera is the key
You must listen close to the bright music of all three
The Crestmay Trees dance like ghosts in the moonlight
But near the top of the massive peaks they fight
Only climbing high can you see them hiding from sight
The sky will turn to ice when the arrows fly through
The one who hides will go deep into the blue
He lives for the deep underground places
The real secret will be revealed in their faces
They wish with a deep desire to go so high
But they don’t realize how he can fly
In the end, the secret is best kept by the light
Follow the directions to figure out what’s right…

Posted on

DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE: WHERE DID JAKE HIDE HIS GOLD?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Everyone in DarkCorner Land knows the story of Jake Dasmayer. Jake was a miner when the people first came to these haunted lands. He was from the Kingdom of Daymardon with the City of Heyvas Cadamar. He had rough, long dark hair with a hardened face. He was a mysterious person, really quiet and secretive. If he says something to you, you might not hear it because it will be quiet and kind of a shock, but you better listen because if you ask him to repeat himself he will just turn and walk away. He was a great miner, able to figure out how to get anywhere and find anything. They say he found gold, a lot of gold, and hid it somewhere in a secret bunker deep within the network of underground tunnels in DarkCorner Land. The question is, where did he hide it?

Jake Dasmayer seemed to disappear after he supposedly found his gold. No one knows where he went to live, but he mysteriously appeared in various places. Check out the page DARKCORNER LAND to see the map of where these places are located. As mysteriously as he would appear, even more mysterious would be his disappearance. Every time people tried to track him down, and every time, he slipped away…

His first appearance was in the Kingdom of Masondom, in the City of Lunas Everias. Masondom is a kingdom of northern ranchers where they raise animals and a few crops. They’re known for being awesome horse riders. They hold unbelievable races and events where people do all kinds of tricks while riding fast. The entire city is built into the hills, mostly going far underground. They’re made out of heavy clay they dig up in the land. Jake showed up at a general store, standing in one place for long moments, tapping his feet and his hands at his sides at a slow, steady rhythm until finally deciding on a fine, orange coloured blasting powder. Some people whispered about what mysterious music was he listening to since no music was playing?

Close to this kingdom is an underground compound made of clay. It’s a massive oval-shaped cavern with ten outer circular underground rooms on the outside border. Fancy lamps with fast-paced flickering gold lights barely keep this underground complex lit.

Another place Jake showed up was at a mining shop in the Kingdom of Daymindon, City of Heyvas Camaras. The city is made of massive spear-shaped towers of blue and white dazzling marble set among the mountains, rising higher and higher blending together and with the towering mountains. This mining shop is located at the top of the tallest mountain. It’s the busiest and most popular place in the kingdom because of the high over-look and restaurant with the hopeful, energetic, fast-paced fiddle music. Jake tapped his shoes and swayed to the soaring music as he picked up a pick ax. Several citizens followed him directly out of the shop getting ready to follow him down the long winding staircase inside the mountain, but when they entered the staircase only a few seconds after him, he was gone…

Daymindon has a vast underground tunnel network lined with dark orange lit lanterns that sway in the chilling winds. It’s a vast maze leading to many distant chambers.

Jake’s final appearance was in the Kingdom of Cadendas in the City of Heyvas Caradames. Cadendas is a musical kingdom where people go to the mountain tops and sing in choruses back and forth. The city is made of pure blue glass with the most unusual designs built in circular rows around and through the mountains connected by various rope bridges. You have to be pretty bold or crazy to walk across the rope bridges going high over the valleys. They sway a lot in the winds. It’s kind of like a roller coaster ride. Would you go across them? Leave a comment below and let us know if you would or what similar crazy things you’ve done. Jake appeared in the mining shop near the mountain top, shuffling his feet in a varied pattern on the blue glass floor. He bought a shovel when people cornered him. But he pushed through the crowd and went flying down one of the rope ladders disappearing into heavy mist…

There’s a similar underground network connected with the rock solid, smooth stone tunnels digging deep under the mountains of Daymindon booming in a slow, steady rhythm. It’s dimly lit by the same dark orange lantern lights swaying to the bright, energetic, fast-paced music echoing through the halls from all directions. No one ever found him again, or his gold…

Posted on

WHAT IS THE OPERA SINGER’S SECRET MESSAGE?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH”

Austin Candor will never forget the first time he attended a show at the Dascade Iris Playhouse. Bright moonlight spilled across the massive three-layered castle-like complex glowing bright blue in the chilling night. Austin is relatively short and slim with short dark brown hair that shifts slightly to the right just over part of his eyes. Though on this night he had it coloured blue. It glowed in the moonlight. His bright, energetic eyes shifted sideways as his face twisted in anxiety. He didn’t like how it was built, it looked like it was leaning and too heavy on the top like it could collapse at any moment. He’ll never forget that night, because he’ll never forget what he saw.

Floating bright gold chandelier lights floated by as Austin entered, then left, then re-entered, then left, then re-entered the first hall, just practicing his fast exit. He noticed a lot of intriguing places as he kept getting away from his mom to explore the playhouse. In this story, the mystery challenge for you to solve will be what feature of one of the playhouse rooms is the Daycoryay Prophecy talking about? A feature could be a light, a clock, a table, a tree, a window, something like that but it will be mentioned in the story below describing Austin’s adventure in the playhouse. There will be something significant about the feature described. First read the story, then check out the prophecy after to see if you can figure out what feature the prophecy is describing. The feature offers a clue about who the opera singer is and where she comes from. Leave a comment below if you have a guess. The answer will be revealed in the next Character Fun Facts post. Can you figure it out?

Austin saw the lights flicker as they passed by. He shook his head with his eyes slanting and moved faster ahead. Then he heard music playing. He walked along the wall, running his hand along the smooth crystal blue, just making sure it was solid, and found a large rounded door, glowing with a burning blue light. It had a picture of a face with only eyes glowing bright green. Austin stared at the face, then looked away, then turned back, then looked away, started to open the door, then turned back, just making sure the ghost face wasn’t watching him. Finally he pushed into a massive dining room. The floor was made of blue and white dazzling tiles. Flickering moonlight spilled through the gigantic grand blue stained glass windows. The light moved constantly across the room over a table with a fancy white cloth made with a design of dancing citizens and shiny dishes set on the table. Austin wanted to look out the window, and the table was really long, so he jumped up on a chair, rolled over the table then jumped over another chair. He was about to look out when he heard clanging behind him. He spun around fast. Forks, knives, and spoons were moving, clanging on a dazzling white plate, with a flower pattern engraved in it, in a complicated musical rhythm. Austin backed up against the window feeling the passing lights. This time he dove under the table, jumped up on a chair and launched himself to the door. He hurried out, glancing back several times at the green ghost eyes, staring directly at him.

Later on, Austin found himself in a small square room with really tall walls rising high. They all held dark, dusty books. Moonlight grew brighter shining through the sky window with a pattern of red, blue, and gold crystals. The light splashed down the walls. Various books began glowing in rhythm to low, booming music coming from the creamy blue spiral shaped pool in the center of the room. Austin glanced to make sure the door was close. The slim, tall door was still glowing with a burning gold light. He turned back to see one book showing a sword, another book showing an arrow, and another glowing book showed a city tower. But it was the ghostly singing, that led him to check out another room.

Austin slowly opened the fancy creaking door, with blank ghostly faces painted on it, glowing with a green light. Austin told the door to stay quiet, but the door didn’t listen. He crept along the wide circular wall of the massive ballroom with a marble white floor that had elaborate designs throughout. Bright flickering moonlight splashed through the rising grand stained glass windows. Just then a chilling wind rushed into the room. The windows went dark. Austin leaned back against the wall looking around sharply in the complete darkness. Then he heard it, a grand piano playing in the room, a sad song with a bright, energetic melody fighting through with sour notes. The piano lit up in a glowing blue light, floating around in the room. Austin slowly inched his way toward the door. Moonlight started streaming through each window one by one. One lit up showing a blue ghost staring down, another lit up showing a green ghost looking up, while another one lit up showing a a ghost staring ahead with fiery eyes. Just as Austin turned for the door, he saw a ghostly lady in a white dress glide across the floor and leave the room…

DAYCORYAY PROPHECY

When the lightning finally strikes the tower

When the dark hand finally points to the hour

The clock will slowly, slowly turn to reveal the time

Look for the ghosts’ plan to turn on a dime

The key will be to look at the three ways

They are the ones who don’t appear in the days

Read the revealing clues line by line by line

Make sure you see what’s missing in the shine

You will not want to miss what’s coming soon

It will strike like lightning out of a clear sky at noon

The shadow elite sit up high in their tower

They’re waiting and preparing for the darkest hour

The aliens have a secret plan no one knows about

Ghosts whisper in every corner ready for the shout

The ghost leans against the cold wall flinching at every tick

Blood red moonlight will slowly light up every brick

Students with determination and intense fire

Who find new ways to climb higher and higher

Are the ones the aliens want to shut down

Through the glittering lights of the crystal crown

But these students are the ones who found the clue

Maybe the aliens are afraid of what they can do

A lady sings hidden by the mist over the pool

She sings so her dream-like song reaches the school

She can’t be seen, but only heard in the moonlight

She only sings bright opera in the darkest night

She seems to have a message for those across the blue

There’s always a way through

Posted on

CHARACTER FUN FACTS: WHAT SECRET DID AUSTIN DISCOVER?

“THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH“

On a blazing red March night, 12 year old Austin Candor made his way fast out of Daylustar. He hurriedly got in his boat docked at the Caras Dayermore docks near the alien school entrance. Reflections of bright golden star lights danced across the creamy blue pool. Austin drove his boat fast down the channel through the gloomy city. Green ghostly faces stared at him with completely blank faces through dusty dark blue crystal windows. Austin glanced at them with a half-curious, half-anxious expression before shaking his head sharply and looking away with a wave as if to make them disappear. He soon pushed his boat into the fast moving current down the massively wide river.

Sleek blue triangular alien ships blazed across the sky in various directions over Caras Dayermore leaving trails of fire across the night. Austin kept glancing back seeing bright alien lights roaming, searching the city, as he moved fast out of Marcaydas. He tried to process what had happened. The aliens hyped up the concert so much, inviting citizens from every country to attend, saying they would see the greatest concert the world has ever seen with unbelievable talent. But the aliens had something much more sinister in mind with this concert. When Austin found his way out of his dark dream, using his intense observation skills to figure it out, he discovered the real reason for the concert. They were looking for something, something they were missing…

Before we continue with this intriguing kid from Dascade Iris, it’s time to reveal the mystery challenge from the last post. The question was which city in the dark dream should Austin go to? The clues were there, were you able to pick up on them? Did you figure it out? Here is the answer:

The second city

Austin is all about speed. He hates it when he has to slow down to check things out, like making sure a bridge is going to hold, or making sure he kept certain doors open or closed, or checking to make sure he has a good escape plan if the place he’s inside of should collapse. But otherwise, he’s a kid on the move, and he moves fast. Sometimes he will just fly past you appearing like a lightning streak shooting by. He never really walks, even when he’s walking it’s pretty much a jog. Good luck keeping up with him because he will break into a run at any moment and just sprint up the path or up the steps. In fact, he’ll run up anything no matter how steep.

He also has great parkour skills even though parkour hasn’t been invented yet where he’s from. He likes to find the craziest and most fun way to get from one place to the next; jumping from table to table, running along the railing going up the staircase, climbing up shelves and jumping to his desk in school. Sometimes, he takes it too far, like trying to scale the school wall by stacking up boxes and trash cans thinking he could climb up those to get to the second floor window and enter his class that way. It didn’t end so well…the first time anyway…but by his seventh try he managed to find sturdy enough trash cans and boxes to stack so he could make it, and it only took three hours. There may be a time in the future when he will need his speed skills and parkour skills to get away from dark spirits.

Austin is also a really fast talker. He transitions from one topic to another to another amazingly fast. It can be quite difficult to follow if you’re not used to it. Funny thing is, if you ask him to repeat himself, he’ll look shocked like he can’t believe you couldn’t understand it. If you tell him to talk slower he’ll look even more confused. Many times he gets upset at his friends for supposedly forgetting something important he told them when most likely they just missed it since he says so much.

Austin also thinks fast and reacts faster. This is what makes him so fun to watch in the plays. At some point he will probably change the lines and the actions in the play and do something crazy. He has a way of showing the others how to respond to it. Sometimes they just keep saying the lines as they were and he finds a way to make that work too. In the future, he might find himself in a crazy play, a play designed by the aliens.

Austin has quite a strong fear of getting trapped, either by getting surrounded by some enemy or a place he’s in just collapsing and getting buried under the rubble. In fact, whatever you do, don’t say the words collapse, fall, trap, or bury around him or he will get really agitated. He’ll stare at you with a gaze like his eyes are on fire until you look away. When he enters a new place, he will check for where the doors are, or windows, and figure out the fastest ways he can leave if necessary. He’ll stare up at the ceiling and structure making sure it’s going to hold up well. He hates lights that are held up by some kind of rope because seriously those could fall at any moment.

Sometimes kids give him a hard time or even make fun of his anxieties and constantly checking things, but when they tell him he’s crazy for acting like that, he just tells them they’re right. He jokes about his need to check the structures and exits, and just has fun with it. Then he lets his cool and fun ideas like entering through windows show kids he really is kind of crazy, but cool at the same time. There’s more to Austin’s speed than just running and thinking fast. His speed means he’s always thinking ahead, and seeing important things before anyone else does, like the aliens’ dark secret.

When Austin was in his dark dream, he heard music playing, but it sounded different. He had never heard music like that before. It had a bright energy that kept rising higher and higher. It was this music that helped him figure out how to escape his dark dream. Ever since then, he’s been watching the aliens closely, and he’s discovered that in one of their towers they’re holding something incredibly valuable to them, and he’s planning on stealing it…

Posted on

WHO IS PLAYING THAT MYSTERIOUS MUSIC?

“JOIN THE DADESTAR REVOLUTION”

As Austin Candor made his way down the massive river toward Marcaydas, the dome of the Concert Hall of the Alien School of Daylustar was lit up in bright neon green lights flashing to the rhythm of the heavy driving music. Austin stopped cold. Brilliant lights from the dome shot out on him. The dancing lights lit him up in a fiery shine. He pushed ahead, holding his hand out to shield his eyes from the blinding lights shooting directly at him. In a daze, he made his way through the murky, dark City of Caras Dayermore, with ghostly faces staring at him from gloomy windows. In a blurry haze, he made his way to Daylustar and entered the Concert Hall where he was directed to his seat. A teenage singer took the stage and began singing a strong, energetic song with a band playing powerful instruments behind him. Neon green lights from the Daylustar Statue of the teenage singer hovering high above the stage started flashing out to the fast-paced booming rhythm. Austin gazed up at the statue, no doubt concerned about it crashing down since it didn’t seem to be held up by anything. Then the powerful musical lights hit him directly and the dark illness took over his mind. As the concert raged on, he became paralyzed and entered the dark dream stage of the illness.

This is the final mystery challenge for Book One of the Cashes Dade Ghost Strikers mystery series. You can find out more about this first story and you can find out how to buy it now by clicking the link below. Check it out:

https://dadestarmysteries.com/cades-revolution-against-the-aliens-is-about-to-begin/

In this mystery challenge, Austin Candor is in a dark dream, the final stage of the dark illness caused by the crystal crown on top of the aliens’ statue of Daylustar. He cannot move. He’s in a dream where he can move around in a dream that feels quite real, yet physically he can’t move. The only way to be healed is if he goes to the right destination in the dream. Then he will wake up and be able to move again. He’ll be free. But if he makes the wrong move and heads to the wrong destination, then he’ll die. The aliens have designed these dreams to mislead students into thinking they are seeing clear clues to the wrong destination. Check out the Camdace Prophecy below for clues to where Austin should go in the dark dream. The answer for this mystery challenge will be revealed in the next Character Fun Facts Feature. Get ready, because we’re about to turn to the next chapter of this mystery series as the stakes get higher. Can you figure it out?

It will begin with our students haunted by bright dreams for each
The key secret for defeating the enemy from the skies is in reach
The dark illness almost has them when they’re hurt by the light
When their eyes light up green in heavy dark, they’re in the fight
Our students move down the school steps in a procession of dread
If they make the wrong move in their dark dream, they will be dead
There’s a secret power driving them to desire the talents of any
They have a desperate wish to be on stage: praised by many
You must figure out how to reach and touch the statue and crown
This crown must be destroyed to heal the illness taking them down
The keys to destroying it are bright, helpful, yet intense in the night
You must be determined, go higher and higher, over and over to light
There’s one path they can’t see every corner when it goes bright
It’ll be the only path that has candles in the windows at night
There’s one way, one path, one hall, that can get to the concert side
This music and determination together is the key to the door to hide
In the Concert Hall the Student will become still
The Intense Rebel must fight through the chill
He must shine, lighting up the dark corner glow
If he fails to see the light, he’ll die in the show

Heavy murky darkness surrounded Austin. He looked around frantically seeing nothing but emptiness. “What’s going on? IS ANYONE HERE? Where am I?” Austin slid his feet along the slick grass. He started feeling around in the darkness, slowly moving up the field. After a long time of feeling around in the heavy darkness, Austin began singing a bright, energetic song. Murky shadows appeared, stretching out further and further away from him as five cities slowly appeared in the distance. Austin stared with a deep curiosity blended with a bright intensity giving a half shrug. “Okay?! Here goes nothing.” He started jogging down the neon green grass field toward the five murky glowing cities.

Austin looked around and said, “Does anyone here have a map? Is anyone here at all? Am I talking to myself? Why yes, Austin, you appear to be talking to yourself. Wow, I think I’m losing it.” Austin gave another half shrug, then with a smile he said, “Whatever, whatever. I guess I’ll see if anyone lives in one of these cities.” The five cities grew more vivid as he jogged up the wide flat field.

The first city was a circular shaped city with three layers of rounded towers made of dark gray stone looking like a castle. Each layer was stacked on top of each other like a cake lit by candles at the top. Brilliant lights flashed to the rhythm of deep booming music set along high poles at the tops of the top stack of towers. The lights stretched down, flickering across the rough surfaces of the towers and dark empty windows. A long curving street wound its way through the towers made of rough gray stones.

The second city was built with shimmering neon green towers in a massive cluster. The towers were shaped like spears shooting high into the sky. Vibrations from the music playing from every tall, grand window. The green shimmering streets lit up the city in a bright glowing shine.

The third city was built with several massive broad complexes made with red bricks. Two merged into one in the center with slick red bridges lit up in bright golden lights connecting to various levels over a dark shimmering pool reflecting the bright candle lights in the grand blue crystal windows. On the balconies citizens sang bright, energetic dream-like songs.

The fourth city was built throughout hills winding around in a dark maze of slick, black massively high towers. Dark orange lanterns throughout the winding stone streets lit up the city in a gloomy shine. Deep booming music rocked the dark towers as they swayed back and forth.

The fifth city was built in a spiral up a massive mountain. The towers stood high with arched roofs connecting all of them. They were made with shimmering blue glass. Flickering bright lights flashed rhythmically to the grand music playing from within the tall white crystal windows made with circular designs. Powerful waterfalls rushed down through the city.

Austin’s bright gaze flashed from city to city trying to figure out which city to go for. Will he make the right choice? Austin was trying to make his decision, when he heard music playing, music that didn’t sound like any music he had ever heard before…

Posted on

HOW CAN CADE DESTROY THE ALIENS’ WEAPON?

“YOU MAY BE THE ONLY LIGHT THEY EVER SEE”

The alien stood completely still in the breaking moonlight. He was tall and slender in a blue and white crystal suit with various lines looking like pockets. Heavy organ music pounded within the broad mountain ahead under long reaching shadows. Brandon started singing a fast-paced, repetitive song about a small, fast boat flying against the rapids. Damian sighed heavily as the two 14 year olds mad their way across the wide field toward the booming mountain. The alien looked almost human with blue skin, his face stretched up, looking more narrow. His bright white crescent moon-shaped eyes shifted toward Brandon and Damian. Breaking moonlight lit up their WhiteStar Patches on their shoulders and reflected brightly off their white circular patches on the fronts of their shirts which displayed their credits for accomplishments in the school of Daylustar, each one signified by a gold star. Each of their patches were nearly completely filled with gold stars shimmering in the passing light. A single massive grand crystal window high in the mountainside revealed green lights flashing to the rhythm of the eerie, whining piano music.

It’s time for another mystery challenge. In this one, you must figure out which key question reveals a great clue for how the kids can reach and destroy the aliens’ crystal crown which is set on top of a massive statue that’s also floating high in mid-air. Here are the questions:
What is the crown and statue made out of? Why did they use a crystal crown for their weapon? Where did they get the minerals to build the statue? Why is the statue floating in mid-air? How does the crystal crown work? How does the dark illness work? How do they get the statue to float in mid-air? Why did the aliens choose to build this statue in Marcaydas? Why did they choose to build a statue of a teenage singer?
One of these questions is the answer for the mystery challenge. Leave a comment below which question you think it is and why. Check out the new story to solve the mystery and see whether the ghost strikers can pull off their impossible heist. Click on the link below to find out more about it and how you can buy it today. Can you figure it out?

https://dadestarmysteries.com/cades-revolution-against-the-aliens-is-about-to-begin/

“JOIN THE FIGHT”

Brandon and Damian walked up to the alien standing guard at the door. The alien stared at each of their Daylustar School Patches with sharp, piercing eyes for several long moments. Then he extended his long arm toward the door, gesturing for them to enter. Sour organ chords played strongly through the narrow, massive black stone walls rising high, dimly lit by bright green candle clusters on both sides. Brandon winced at the bizarre chords playing a slow, winding melody at a mixed up rhythm.
“Someone needs lessons,” said Damian, shaking his head.
“Aaaauuuurrrrrgggghhhhhhh.” Damian turned to Brandon with a sharply concerned look.
“What was that?”
“That music is just so…so…aaauuurrrggghhh…hurts my head.” Brandon then closed his eyes, shaking his head as if trying to get the music out. The two kids started jogging up the tunnel curving sharply to the left.
“Where is your brother meeting us?” asked Damian.
“I don’t know,” said Brandon with a shrug.
“What you mean you don’t know?”
“He did not say exactly, he just said, keep going up and to the left.”
“Great,” answered Damian, rolling his eyes. The organ music grew stronger around them. They came to a door on the left with the path turning right, leveling out. The door creaked as Brandon slowly opened it. Dark golden chandeliers hung from the high hidden ceiling. The kids jogged up the steep slope. Brandon began singing the sailboat song.

“MMMmmrrrrggghhh.” Brandon turned to him with raised eyes, taking his song down to a hum. “Not the sailboat song again,” he said sighing heavily.
“I’ll sing it quietly.” Damian nodded rhythmically to the fast driving rhythm of the organ song vibrating the walls on both sides. Brandon sang his bright melody faster and faster as they moved higher up into the mountain. The eerie organ chords grew stronger with a haunting voice singing a sad, tragic melody wandering, searching endless dark halls. They entered another doorway and headed up a wider hall made with shimmering green glass. Various lights exploded out across the walls lighting up the dark flashing hall.

High grand crystal windows revealed neon green lights flashing to the driving rhythm. Just then a dark figure emerged from the shadows on their left.
The older teenager dramatically threw his hood back revealing his long, dirty hair. Damian just shook his head.
“Hey Jake,” said Brandon. Then they both knelt down, high-fived, then jumped back up. “So what do you have to show us?”
“This way,” he answered quietly. The haunting, powerful music grew stronger around them as they entered through a grand crystal green door into a massive cavern dimly lit by elaborate gold flashing candle clusters. Jake led them toward a dark corner where a line of students all with BlackStar Patches began working with various tools.

“What’s going on?” asked Brandon.
“They are mining for more of the gold stone the statue’s made out of,” answered Jake. Several aliens gave directions to the students. Bright neon green lights flashed out revealing bright gold glittering stone rising high up the corner.
“Are they building another statue?” asked Damian.
“No,” answered Jake.
“Maybe they want to build a gold fish bowl, you know, or a gold fish tank for gold fish, or…”
“They’re studying it,” said Jake. “They are working on a new weapon.” The haunting organ song pounded hard through the cavern. Vibrations rolled through the gold walls on all sides at the same time in steady waves. Jake led them toward the corner where the students worked feverishly to break up the gold walls. “When are you planning to make your move on the students from Cashes Dade?”
“The aliens are still working on Cade,” said Damian. “When know where they are staying. When they give us the order, we will bring them in.”
“What do they want them for?” asked Brandon as they walked across the glittering dusty floor.
“The aliens want them working here,” Jake answered. “They seem to think these kids might be the key to developing their final weapon.”
“They think they have some kind of skill in making these weapons?” asked Brandon.
“Not exactly,” said Jake. “I believe the aliens will be using them as a test.”
“What kind of test?” asked Damian.
“To make sure the weapon is effective at destroying the cancer, starting with them…”

Posted on

DARKCORNER LAND FEATURE: WHAT SECRETS LIE WITHIN THE BLACKSTONE MOUNTAINS?

“YOU MAY BE THE ONLY LIGHT THEY EVER SEE”

They waited for the swift darkness of evening to fall over the serene valley. Cade stared intensely at the ghost-like evergreens dancing in the splintered moonlight. Blake glanced up at the raging skies. Neon green lights on massive alien towers danced to the rhythm of an epic song. Dark shadows crept across the lower forest floor. The three kids waited for the signal in the distance. The white marble castle glowed softly in the falling dark. The signal lit up in the distance, shooting up high into the sky. Cade shot up the winding steps. He faked left, then jumped across to another staircase. Blake powered up the narrow steps, skipping as many as he could, counting quietly to himself. Drew flew up the steps almost dancing. Then two distant bright lights shot out in their direction. The three kids hid down at the top of a platform with a circular wall around them. The two fiery gold lights blazed across the night sky, searching, searching for them…

The mountain range that runs along the western coast of DarkCorner Land is called the Blackstone Mountains simply because they are made of black stone, but they hold many mysteries. They run past both Cashes Dade and Marcaydas. Cade and Blake explore and climb these mountains a lot, despite many warnings from the aliens. They are medium-sized mountains, like the Rocky Mountains in America. They are larger than the Appalachian mountains, but smaller than the Himalayas. They have mostly rocky, long slopes that aren’t that steep until closer to the top, then they get rockier and steeper. This is the part Cade and Blake like the best. Most of the blackstone is really smooth.

Most times Cade and Blake have gone exploring and climbing in the mountains, they come across some kind of alien activity. They don’t exactly try to avoid it, but they do try to remain unseen by alien eyes. Sometimes you can see alien lights flashing, reflecting in the smooth black stone faces of the mountains, especially the steep parts. What’s really bizarre is they reflect alien lights that are really far away. One time Cade and Blake were climbing up a relatively long, steep slope that was completely smooth like glass, with only some cracks here and there. That’s how they moved up, by putting their feet in the cracks and working their way up from there. Aliens had warned BlackStar Students not to ever try to climb this mountain, claiming it was too dangerous and took too much skill for BlackStar Students to climb it. After this lecture, Cade and Blake looked at each other and smiled. They knew they had to climb it now and prove that these two BlackStar Students could get it done. But they would soon discover the real reason the aliens didn’t want them climbing there.

This was a really tough mountain. The first long slopes were made of gravel like stones. Cade and Blake realized you had to really dig in to move up without sliding back. Blake figured out the best path to the top was up the grooves. Cade figured out how to move up the glass-like slope leading to the final rocky slope to the top by climbing in and near the cracks where the glass was rougher, and you could get a foothold. As they made their way close to the top, they saw flashing alien lights. Then they began to see dead, ghostly faces appear in the smooth stone. They appeared to be in a circle, talking like they were having a meeting. Then the kids heard one of them whisper something. Cade and Blake raced their way to the top with Cade jumping dramatically over the last stone to reach the top just before Blake who just rolled his eyes at Cade’s unnecessary jump which was followed by rolling over ten times. The kids celebrated, then took a good look around, seeing the lower mountains spread out for miles, but they couldn’t see where the alien lights were coming from. They couldn’t figure out where the ghostly meeting was taking place.

There’s something mysterious happening in the deep mines west of Marcaydas. People see aliens leading lines of BlackStar Students into the mountain going somewhere secret deep in the mines. If you are ranked BlackStar for a long enough time without doing better and moving up to a higher ranking, then you start to receive punishments. These students have to work long hours in the mines with no breaks and no pay. They’ve been strictly warned not to report where they are mining or what’s going on or there will be severe punishments for them as well as their families and friends. There’s something the aliens are hiding in these mines, and the Cashes Dade Ghost Strikers are determined to find out what it is.

The aliens made a crystal crown that is fueling a deadly, dark illness spreading among the students in Daylustar. Soon they will light up the crystal crown which will cause this dark illness to reach all the kingdoms. All the students, especially BlackStar Students like Cade, Blake, and Drew will be in danger of coming down this fatal, mysterious illness if they don’t destroy it before it’s too late. Cade, Blake, and Drew are determined to find a way. They don’t care what they have to do to sneak past the defenses and destroy it. But the problem is it’s set on top of a massive statue, floating in mid-air. How can they reach it? Can they throw something up there to knock it down? Is there an invisible staircase to reach it? Is it an illusion and the crown is really somewhere else they can reach? Is there a way they can knock the entire statue down to bring the crown down as well? How did they make it? Where did they get the gold stone to build it? What are they trying to hide in the mines? Leave a comment below if you have a guess. Do you know how they can destroy the deadly crystal crown? Check out the link below to find out more about the story and see the prophecy that gives clues to how they can destroy it. Can you figure it out?

https://dadestarmysteries.com/mystery-of-the-aliens-daylustar-statue/

“JOIN THE DADESTAR REVOLUTION”

When Cade and Blake reached the top of the mountain, they couldn’t see the alien lights or the ghostly faces, but they could still hear the whispering, and some of it was clear. They heard one ghostly voice whisper this:
“What if they see us here? What if they figure out who we really are?”