Sky blue rising sword shaped towers in city known for great music
Wide open tower school with numerous balconies and waterfalls
Sleek blue crystal floors and walls, tons of elaborate gardens
He’s slim and short with floppy blonde hair and shimmering
eyes, and always wears insanely bright neon green, blue, and gold.
Creative, caring, fun, sings awkward, loud, but fun and fast
He is obsessed with castles, has read every book about castles.
His dream was to be a great singer and build the greatest castle.
LAST SEEN:
It was during lunch at 12:15 PM in the dining hall with seven grand bright blue glass windows. Dark blue lights splashed through the windows from fiery blue clouds passing by fast over the city. Three tall heavy Daymair Trees with numerous neon green leaves set in the far-left corner casting sleek dark shimmering shadows leaning to the rightbranching out within the centers.
Brian was having his lunch, sitting with his friends when a teacher stood at the front and made an announcement. She said, “Coming up next Friday night will be a concert in the auditorium. Featured singers will be Macy Caldeyar, Brian Delmayar, and Shawn Seldemar.”
Brian was next seen gazing around the dining hall. He walked fast over to the Daymair Trees. He stood behind them for several minutes. Then he walked out, gazing intently toward the front, holding something in his right hand, waving it around. Several bright, blue-tinted lights streaked across the sky. Brian turned toward the windows, then pushed past the tables and chairs, working his way toward them. Brian accelerated past the last row of tables, hitting the wall between two grand windows, then disappeared.
Black clouds powered across the late dark afternoon sky. The student with short sandy hair rising up in rows, shifting out left and right, gazed up at the high grand blue stained glass window in the shape of a towering spear with several ridges at the top. His solemn, intense gaze drifted slowly down the dark blue marble wall, his blazing eyes searching, searching across the smooth, glossy surface where only shadows of students reflected. Pale blue criss crossing lights turned dark blue fading into falling shadows over the wide silent classroom. When the reflections disappeared instantly, the student sharply looked away. He sighed before turning back to his game hidden by his math book propped up open on his desk. He flicked a small paper ball across the paper. Another sigh slipped out as the paper ball just missed the small circle drawn in the corner. He glanced up nervously at his teacher droning on at the chalkboard about some kind of math puzzle. The student turned back to his game, his eyes dancing as he energetically scanned the paper. He set up the “ball,” then did a curving flick. It spun, moving right, then slowly, slowly spinning back left, landing right in the center of a small blue circle. “Yes,” he whispered. More dark shadows fell across the silent classroom. He gazed up at the empty blue wall under the window, and his smile quickly faded. That’s when he heard singing coming from the street outside.
It’s Christmas time in the Kingdom of Cadendas, City of Heyvas Caradames. Something dark and mysterious is happening in the schools. The aliens’ power has grown strong, and a final sinister plan is in motion. But the DadeStar Revolution is on the move as well, and Casey Cardade is working on something secret. Can you figure out what it is? Can you figure out what it will do? Leave a comment below if you have a guess. Tell us if you figured it out. The clues will be there. Click on the link if you want to check out the author’s facebook page and read the top pinned post of a bible study showing the mysterious story of Christmas:
Now, let’s get back to Cadendas on a cold, dark night before Christmas Eve.
Down below, on the dark blue marble street under the deep gold lamps holding out in the darkness of the late December afternoon, a small crowd of citizens stood at the edge, under the shadows of massive deep blue shimmering glass towers with grand blue stained-glass windows casting soft gold flickering lights from candles set across the bottoms. Dressed in all black, holding small dim gold lit candles, the citizens began to sing slowly and solemnly, the song, Ring Christmas Bells. They sang the eerie song slowly, with the melody rocking back and forth, but falling sharply. Their angelic voices echoed between the gloomy dark towers lit only with small candle clusters in the windows. The song had a somber mood, a haunting sadness about relentless loss. But deep within, was a strong sense of urgency, as they sang it faster and faster, their voices rising between the towers, echoing throughout the City of Heyvas Caradames in the Kingdom of Cadendas. Their voices sounded a warning, yet deep within, the song had a mysterious hope, waiting, waiting for someone to arrive, waiting for a light to appear out of the deepest dark…
Dim gold light flickered to the rhythm of Ring Christmas Bells outside in the far corner. “Ready for this Josh? Ready…” The light suddenly went out, crushed by a flying soccer ball. Josiah looked sharply away as the light crashed to the glossy blue floor.
Josh ran a hand through his sweaty sandy flattened rows flashing a concerned look that rolled over ending with a casual shrug. “Oh well.” He sprinted past Josiah appearing and disappearing in the dark orange filtered lights moving right and kicked the soccer ball around the long black marble table, cutting around Casey sitting at the corner. Josiah flashed around the other corner.
“That’s the third light we’ve broken in the last thirty minutes,” said Josiah.
“We just have to be more careful.” Josh dribbled over to the shimmering right corner of the table by the window. Gloomy dark orange moonlight splashed through the three towering grand blue stained glass windows as the solemn mysterious singing continued outside. Josh faked left, cut right, slid, then shot back left and kicked it up past Josiah. The ball flew across the table knocking over the blue flower pot holding several bright red roses. Josiah buried his head in his hands. Josh watched as the ball bounced off the table and just missed the space under the far left window. Then he hung his head. “We just have to find a way to avoid breaking things,” said Josh.
“There has to be a way,” Josiah echoed solemnly.
“You could just stop playing soccer in the room,” said Casey, still staring down at the project he was making.
Josiah and Josh exchanged sharply confused looks.
“What’s he mean?” asked Josh.
“I have no idea,” answered Josiah. Just then, David and Callie entered the room. They stopped for a moment, shaking their heads at the broken glass at various corners of the room, now dimly lit by two clusters of dark gold candle lights.
The four of them sat down at the table joining Casey. Josiah greeted them brightly, but his smile faded as he took in their grave expressions. “We’re going to lose more of them aren’t we?”
“I’d like to say a prayer,” David began, “before we get ready for the show. Join in if you want to.”
The mysterious angelic singing continued rising outside the dark blue windows casting stretched dark orange moonlight into the cold room. The gold candle clusters in the windows barely lit the city falling under heavy cold darkness.
“Dear God,” David began, “our students are struggling more than ever. They feel so much pressure to succeed, but when they do, no one notices. They sit quietly in the darkness while their friends just pass by. They succeed, but then their teachers and their parents just want more and more and more. They don’t know where to turn so they reach out, but they are turning to the bright promises of the aliens, to the secret paths to find great prestige. We ask you to be with us here in Cadendas, to be with us tonight. We also ask you to be with Cade, Blake, and Drew on their mission. We ask you to give us the power to show them the light. Help them to find hope. Help them to see their true worth, like the shepherd watching over his flock in the field at night, away from the city lights, taking care of his field, in the heavy darkness, the only place where a light can really shine, to be seen by a great, dedicated witness. Help them to have the vision they need to see the way in front of them, instead of going for the secret paths. Help them to see the light. Thank you for this night. Thank you for bringing us together.”
Later that night, Josiah, Casey, Josh, David, and Callie stood out on the balcony, gazing across the stadium-shaped city of dark blue towers lit only by dark gold candles in the deep blue windows. Josiah glanced at his pocketwatch: 11:59. “It’s almost time,” he said quietly, shuffling his shoes up and down, then out sideways, dancing under the fiery dark orange moonlight. Fiery gold lights reflected in the deep blue river running down the center of the city far below. Casey sighed as Josh kicked the soccer ball over and over against the balcony wall. The five of them gazed up solemnly. A slim triangular neon blue alien ship blazed across the sky. Intense dazzling gold dust spread out across the dark orange haze. Josiah’s bright eyes shot left and right. His gaze fell as he noticed the many students standing out at various balconies, staring up intensely at the alien lights.
He sighed heavily, turning to David and Callie. “There are even more of them than before.”
“What we do now?” asked Josh. The dazzling gold lights across the sky formed brilliant stars. All the students stared directly at them.
“How do we get them to stop staring?” asked Josiah.
“With this,” Casey answered, pulling out the finished project. He put up a large dark blue shimmering stained-glass window.
“What will that do?” asked Josh.
Josiah smiled. “It will magnify our voices so they will hear us.”
As the chaotic lights blazed across the night sky, David began singing Silent Night in a strong yet still voice. As he sang, the intense rush of the alien ships flying over began to fade out. In the second verse, Callie started singing with him, but in an echo. He sang the words Silent Night followed by her angelic, calm voice singing the word Silent in three higher notes, each one falling slightly, then one note lower with the word Night. Her echoing gave a mysterious power to the song, driving the hope within the stillness. Later on, David nodded to Josiah who sang with them, adding a strong, bright vibrance, combining youthful hope and faith with the strong determination holding out strong through the darkness, with a slow burning fire that glows bright through the deepest dark. Josiah smiled when he saw all the students turn away from the intense overpowering lights and turn to their song, listening to their voices, and seeing the gold streaks of light reflected across Casey’s window as Josh kicked the ball back and forth in front of it, creating the visual of a single strong shooting star. Their singing rang out through the cold, dark night, as a strong fire that burns brighter shaped and sharpened by the heavy darkness, and like shooting stars, they lit up the dark corners that had not been seen before. Their shooting stars showed a new way through the cold darkness, blazing a trail of stars not putting on a show, but showing the way…
“Last night, I was playing around in my room, studying for my test, when I took my seventh break. I had been studying for a good thirty minutes. I went back outside and looked up at a dark orange October sky. Dead leaves started falling, spiraling around me when I heard the insanely loud thunder boom. It shot like a single, but massive cannon rippling across the sky. The dark orange clouds split apart like curtains. Some kind of intensely bright light shined from behind the curtains. It was kind of white and gold at the same time. I heard this low humming coming from the fast-vibrating light, but it was strange because it sounded really close while being so far away. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. The dark orange clouds kept passing by fast across the sky, fading as they passed into the light. I just kept staring directly at it. I stared for a really long time until all the sudden I heard a sonic rush. I looked up and saw three slim triangular blue alien ships blaze across the dark sky to the left away from the pulsating light. I tracked them fading out over the horizon. Then I turned back to the pulsating light, but it was gone. It was like a door was opened and closed in the sky. I had no idea what it meant or that I was right…
We can’t really see their faces. They’re blurry, kind of dark flashing. We can kind of see their eyes, especially when they’re watching us. They’re sunken and blank. They don’t have much of a nose. I see lines for a mouth, sort of, but there’s something else, something really mysterious. They don’t show any emotion. They don’t smile but they don’t frown either. No, I’m not talking about the teachers, well, maybe some of them. I’m talking about those who rule our school. But if you look deep into their eyes, you can see something. It’s not emptiness. In fact, there is a deep emotion, a deep desire, greater and more mysterious than any you see otherwise.
My school is really dark. We sit in the shadows. They don’t allow much light, only small dark orange candle clusters in the corners, but never too close, never too bright. They watch us all the time, but I don’t know how they see us. The shadows are everywhere and they’re all really long. They have to be to hide so many secrets. Our school is different. Is your school really dark? I’ll bet other schools have cool, bright lights everywhere. They make ours overpowering dark, all the time, in every room. Our school is run by ghosts. Most of them are almost as tall as us. Some of them wear black robes and some wear black suits. We see them go to our teachers many times, whispering to them, or watching us and whispering to each other from dark corners of the class. There are secret whispers in every corner of this school, and they always go quiet the minute you begin to hear them…”
The DadeStar Revolution continues. In fact, it’s about to really heat up. There are all kinds of alien activities happening. They seem to be planning something, something big. It all starts here. It’s time for the next mystery challenge. Something incredibly bizarre is going to happen in this school. Can you figure out what it will be? Follow the clues. Leave a comment below if you have a guess. Do you think you’ll figure it out? Or will you be shocked?
“My name is Mason Doorvas. I like going from place to place just to see what’s happening, what’s starting up, and I like starting things. Some say I like starting trouble, but I don’t call it that. I call it fun. When your school is as dark as ours, you need some fun at least to light it up. I’m from the Kingdom of Daymardon, City of Heyvas Cadamar. It’s on the map right in the center, where the massive river comes to an end, also right in the center but not the exact same place as our city. Our city is built all together, mostly one massive curved black tower that glows dark orange. It’s like a castle. You can’t see out our dark orange glass windows, but the candles flash to the rhythm of the storms and the alien ships that always pass slowly by. When they fly close you can feel the vibrations through the black marble floor. Our castle stretches between a bunch of wide flat bluffs where we have gardens and pools with waterfalls that fall down our walls into pools inside. The pools reflect the dark orange lights that flash when the dark ghosts move fast. We are known for having wide open floors inside that reflect the dark orange stringed lights we have all over the walls. Sometimes you barely see the ghosts fly by, then quickly disappear. Then they hide. I know because I try to follow them, see where they are going so urgently. One time I followed a ghost, and it led to seeing something I still can’t explain…
It was another dark, dreary day in class, listening to our teacher drone on about graph charts and pairs of rams or something like that when it happened. I don’t know what any of that has to do with math or why should I care, but whatever. As the rains poured on outside and the dark orange lights danced into the cascading shadows, I kept drifting off. I decided I needed to stay awake for more important things, so I brought out my game. It’s a really simple game. I have a wide open board, and flick a small ball around, and the goal is to try the best trick shots-off the four corners, hit the ceiling and back down, off the back of the student in front of me…anyway, I was playing that when I saw the student in front of me suddenly get up and leave. I was worried he was going to report me for hitting him with my ball a few times but he walked straight for the stairs. That’s when I saw the flash…
I slipped away and followed the fast-moving shadow. Down below some well-dressed students kept passing by fast across the hall, fading as they passed into the dark orange falling lights. I saw a black flash disappear down the staircase. I sprinted after it. Dark orange lights flickered fast all around. The lights blurred past me blending in dark orange streaks on both sides as I took the steps the usual way, surfing down the side railing. I’ve actually never taken the actual steps down. I heard ghosts singing from the upper balconies. They sang a high-pitched bouncing melody that kept rising slightly but falling sharply. I saw a dark flash down to the left on the third floor. I sprinted down the wide dark gold shimmering steps. The ghosts kept singing a fast-paced slow falling melody, drifting, searching on and on and on, but fading into the heavy darkness. I reached down to the second floor. A heavy cluster of dark orange lights set on one of the round tables in the study area. It was a wide-open floor with tables set around a dark blue pool reflecting the dancing dark orange lights. That’s when I saw him…
Coby Dooray was sitting at the table with all the candles. He was studying a book really intensely. I walked down the last steps toward him. He was just staring at it, with a deep, empty gaze. Dark candle clusters reflected in the still dark pool from the balcony above. The massive black clock on the wall ticked slowly. The hour hand dragged across the clockface hidden in the shadows reaching, groaning as it dragged across the clockface. A bright light flashed past the grand dark orange crystal window just above the balcony. I saw two ghosts standing there, gazing over the edge with slow searching dead eyes surrounded by clusters of dark orange candles with dead shine. The ghosts’ singing suddenly dropped to a low tone, sounding more hollow and distant. As I reached the study area, I saw Coby suddenly get up. I followed him. He walked straight toward the high rising dark orange shimmering wall directly under the balcony. I glanced up. The two ghosts stood completely still among clusters of dark orange candles. I called after Coby, but he didn’t answer. He just walked slowly toward the wall, like he was marching down the aisle in a wedding, gazing directly ahead. I gazed around at the empty dark orange wall under falling shadows, trying to see what he was looking at. I got past the tables and began to see Coby’s reflection in the marble wall. He just stared directly ahead with a deep, empty gaze. I saw a tear stream down his face. I started to say something, but I stopped. He just kept walking, straight toward the wall. I stood there and watched, searching over the glossy dark orange marble. But I couldn’t see whatever he was seeing. Then, I couldn’t see him. He walked into the wall, and disappeared…“
“I call it the mountain of secrets. The aliens are keeping a dark secret. But it’s not just them. I’m convinced your parents were keeping a dark secret after their expedition to Izmad Peak.”
“That’s what the old man in Dascade Iris told me. It’s the part I keep replaying in my mind over and over again. I have to find it.”
The next book in the Cashes Dade Ghost Strikers series is out now. Read below to prepare yourself for your next adventure. Click on the links at the end to buy the book now.
The aliens are on the move. Now they have a new weapon attacking the BlackStar Students with a mysterious light at the top of Izmad Peak. It breaks them down, messes with their minds, and they begin to believe they really are losers. The more they stare at the light, the stronger the belief, the worse their vision becomes, and that’s when they fall…
People try not to stare at the light, but they study it constantly, because from all distances, the light never moves. Yet, every time climbers reach the final push to the top, the light completely disappears, and it’s too dark to reach the top. How does it disappear for them, but not for anyone else? The key question is, what object is shining from the distant summit?
Cade, Blake, Drew, Josiah, and Casey are on a mission to figure out how to reach the top to destroy the light. But the aliens aren’t the only ones keeping a dark secret. Cade is keeping one as well. Not only is it holding him back, it could take him down…
They stare up at the top trying so hard to see what glows Yet the only way to reveal the light is to wake up the echoes
The heavy dark clouds built up more and more across the December night sky. Massive wide triangular alien ships hovered just within the clouds, shimmering deep blue, with pale green lights shone through the dark crystal windows. A deep hum cut across the silence of the night. The ships formed a wide circle. Several aliens appeared in the front windows of one ship. They were slightly taller than the tallest humans, with slender arms pointing out. Their half moon shaped eyes burned bright white, staring down. Deep humming grew louder, sending shockwaves through the blood red sky. Waves pumped out through the dark red clouds. In an instant, the ships lit up bright flashing blue. Intense, white lights shot out, down to the ground, lighting up the three kids…
The kids believe they have found the location where the Christmas Ghost Express will begin. Which one do you think it is? That answer is about to be revealed. If you haven’t yet, go back and check out the previous post titled: The Christmas Ghost Express Part One to see the clues. Also, if you want to see the real magic of Christmas, a story from the bible, check out the top post on my facebook page at:
Cade, Blake, and Josiah still have to find the exact point where the Christmas Ghost Express will appear, but they have a bigger problem, the aliens found them…
The intense white alien light crossed the other alien light over the narrow valley cutting to the right between the spiraling mass of towering mountains. Several towering evergreens with cone shaped tops called Mayers lit up intensely blue, glowing bright in the chilling night. The two narrow, triangular alien ships in burning blue shine hovered just under the fast flowing red clouds, one on each side of the valley.
A slim shadow powered ahead through the dead bushes and flattened grass sliding to a stop at a high rising Mayer in lush red leaves. He turned back, and gave an impatient wave. Another shadow flew straight up, barely missing several Mayers, didn’t flinch and slid fast to a stop. Faint, energetic singing started up, singing a sad song, sounding distant. His bright eyes almost glowed in the dark under the glittering red star shaped leaves.
Deep humming grew louder from the two ships. A few bright stars appeared momentarily through the fiery red passing clouds. The two kids stared across the lower shadow covered valley.
“What’s he waiting for?”
“Who knows.”
“They’re going to light up any minute.”
“I know.”
“Did you try waving for him?”
“Like ten times already,” he said with a long sigh. Chilling wind rushed down through the pass between the massive peaks touching the rough clouds. Several more alien ships lit up past them. They dropped down low over the lush blue, red, and green evergreens. Chilling winds rushed through the forest, blurring the glowing colours in a bright mass. Their stale lights splashed down through the tall spiraling branches. Shadows spread out left and right.
“Come on, Cade,” Blake said, agitated.
“They have us surrounded,” said Josiah, gazing up at the hovering deep blue ships. He got down low, staring across the bright green forest floor covered in golden flowers barely lit under the roaming alien lights. “When’s he going to get here?”
“Knowing Cade, he’s probably standing right near us right now, waiting for just the right moment.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, he does it all the time.”
“Not all the time.” Josiah jumped. Cade appeared between them with an amused smile. Blake just rolled his eyes.
“How we getting out of this?” Blake asked, gazing up at the hovering ships. Search lights shot out into the forest. “Get down.” The kids got down low.
“We need to get through unseen,” said Cade staring at the bright colourful masses lit up in the roaming lights.
“Really?” Blake said, shaking his head. “Thanks for that brilliant idea.”
“What I meeaannnn, is we need them to only see the trees, not us.”
“I don’t get it.”
“I think he means we need to look like trees so they think we’re trees and not us,” said Josiah, nodding energetically. “Yeah, I don’t get it either.”
“I think you do,” said Cade, with a smile.
“We’re going to dress up like trees?” asked Josiah. “These aliens figured out how to build ships and fly across the universe only to be fooled by three kids dressed up like trees?”
“No,” said Cade, digging into his pack, “we don’t have to dress up. We wait for the wind, carry these coloured lights, I think I have the ones we need in here, hold on…” Josiah watched the crossing shadows anxiously.
“I think there are dark spirits out there, too,” he said quietly.
“We just have to go fast,” said Blake.
“When the winds hit, we light up, and fly past them,” said Cade with intense eyes. Blake checked his pocketwatch: 11:30.
“We’re almost out of time,” he said, “and we still haven’t found the exact spot.” Several dark figures appeared momentarily in the crossing alien lights. Josiah gazed out at the rising mountain on their left, leaning to the right with a misty circular peak.
Light rain started falling, sounding like quiet applause through the forest.
“We’ll have to hold out until the winds pick up,” said Josiah, gazing up at the nine hovering ships in a wide circle.
“I don’t know if we’re close enough to where they start,” said Blake, looking down the valley to where various creeks shimmered under the breaking moonlight. They spread out in various directions, spiraling down the mountainsides. Light gray mist curtains fell over them in the soft rains.
A massive sonic boom rocked the sky just overhead. The ships hummed loud, with shrill whistling overpowering the valley. The lights grew more intense, like fires, roaming fast in all directions. The kids watched anxiously as the ships started dropping, rising, flying fast from one side to the other.
“We need to go now,” said Josiah. Blake shook his head. “They’ll find us any minute now.”
“No, they won’t,” he answered calmly. “They don’t know where we are. That’s why they’re searching. Look at them. They’re just trying to overwhelm us, get us to panic. We need to hold down, wait this out.” Then he checked his watch: 11:40. “But we don’t have long to wait.”
“We’ll get our chance,” said Josiah. Cade stared out at the distant pool at the top of the valley surrounded by rough, dry rocks rising up on all sides. Dark mists fell over the valley peak, creating small ripples that turned to strong waves reaching further and further out.
“Where are they going to appear?” asked Cade. “What makes the most sense?”
“Somewhere dark and secret,” said Blake. “The song was hidden in the four letters, hidden in dark feelings.
“I mean, the song is about being like Israel,” said Josiah, “small, surrounded by enemies, but standing strong anyway, holding out in the storm.”
“Just like Cashes Dade,” Blake said quietly, looking up at the swarming alien lights.
“I GOT IT!” Cade jumped up. Blake pulled him back down.
“How about you tell us instead of them, okay?” said Josiah.
“Sorry. So, it’s about how they appear deep in the storm, the darkest terrain, right? Get it?” Cade was met with two blank stares. “The terrain? Terrraiinn. RAIN.”
“Where though,” said Blake, “it’s raining all over.”
Cade looked up in the falling light gray mists, then pointed to the distant pool under the heavy dark mists. “That’s it, right there.”
Blake checked his watch: 11:50. “We need the winds.”
“No, we don’t,” said Cade. “They only appear in the hard rains which means the more we go up the valley, the harder it will rain.”
“It’ll work,” said Josiah.
“Let’s go then,” said Blake, cracking a smile.
“You mean let’s roll,” said Josiah, nodding confidently.
“No, you’re both wrong,” said Cade. With eyes lit, he whispered, “Showtime.”
Blake lit up three sparkling candles shooting out blue, red, and green lights. The three of them did the ghost striker handshake, bumping fists, then drawing their hands back flat and fast going, “Shhhhh.”
Josiah blazed through the forest. Dark ghosts closed in on him. They reached for him. But he sped up faster right past them. Alien lights flew around. The rains fell harder in the cold night. Blake got down low charging up the valley toward the pool. Several dark spirits crossed his path. He faked left, faked right, then sprinted right for them. They got in position. He sprinted faster, launched off a rock and kicked out his feet as he landed on them, knocking them flat.
Blake smiled and waved goodbye charging up the last slope. Cade swerved right, then shot out left, slid to a stop, then shot back right, slanting up the slope. Blake checked his watch: 11:58.
The alien lights fell away behind them. Dark rain curtains fell hard over them, in strong waves, pushing them back. Their lights went out. Then the singing began, but not from above, from ahead. Cade and Blake heard a single, bright teenage voice singing in a slow rising melody:
“Sometimes the darkness falls down in waves.
But I wait until the silence of the night.
We are surrounded by our enemies digging our graves.
But like Israel we have a mysterious power to fight.
We have suffered so much rejection and pain.
But I find peace and truth in continuing to do what’s right.
It’s hard to see hope in the deepest dark terrain.
But that’s when I hear their singing, glowing bright.”
The kids drove hard up the final slope. Glittering moonlight splashed across the creamy blue waters. A mysterious bluish-gold light appeared. Blake looked at his watch as he and Josiah reached the pool: Midnight. They turned to see a line of dark spirits blocking Cade’s way up the slick slope.
“He can’t get past him,” said Josiah.
“You want to bet?” asked Blake, pointing. Cade broke a wry smile. Then he started slowly up the slope, through the hard driving rains. Water splashed with every heavy step. He slanted right, then turned left, faked right, then started running harder left. The dark ghosts linked arms, held their position strong. Cade moved up left, then turned directly toward them. He sprinted right at them, gave them a wink, then kicked up tons of water at them.
They looked around confused as he dove right under their grasp, sliding far on the slick, watery grass. Then he heard it, deep humming in a fast driving rhythm. The voices, all different types, sang out:
Christmas lights are here, Christmas lights are here, Christmas lights are here.
Cade joined them just as the ghosts appeared, singing, with bright faces, glowing gold riding a long, blue carriage with all kinds of pictures and designs painted on it. The kids got on board. Alien lights blurred and faded fast into heavy darkness behind them. They flew above the first massive peak, staring out across several more peaks shimmering blue under the breaking moonlight of the Christmas night.
The clouds turned blue around them, breaking around them, their glowing lights shimmering under the bright moon above them. Cade, Blake, and Josiah just stared up in wonder at the bright, glittering star cluster shaped like a massive spiral above them. After a few hours they turned their intense gazed down at the dark, empty, frozen landscape below them as the singing continued:
Christmas lights are here, Christmas lights are here, Christmas lights are here.
A small village appeared in a wide spiral. Candles glowed in the windows. Citizens stood out on their balconies.
“I wonder which home is that kid’s,” said Josiah, “You know, the one into all the stars and planets?” They looked down at the various homes. One was full of numerous bright candles, flashing to the rhythm of the ghost song. Another large home had multi-coloured candles forming shapes of the mountains as seen from above, stacked up on the roof. Another home had many colourful candles showing all kinds of spiraling clusters in the windows, strung out across the outside and through the trees all around. Another home had bright, glittering candles in every window, forming a person in some kind of action: one showed a baker, another showed a singer, another showed a miner, while another showed a play actor, and another showed someone building a set, while yet another showed someone drawing.
The express slowly drifted down while kids danced energetically, in different ways, cool ways not seen before to the ghosts’ singing:
Christmas lights are here. Christmas lights are here. Christmas lights are here.
“This is such a lonely place,” said Josiah.
“Yeah, but who else gets to experience this?” asked Cade. The other two nodded.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Blake as they landed. Loud cheers broke out, filling out the village. Then they began singing Silent Night as they swayed their candles, in all kinds of shapes and colours. They swayed them in cool waves, and as the second verse started, some sang a higher echo of the chorus, like angels. After the kids made their deliveries there, the people of the village all jumped on board, riding to Carolmire, the Christmas city.
They arrived into the gold glowing city of small old time shops and homes made of bricks with candles glowing in the windows.
“There’s something going on with the aliens,” said Blake. “They’re building something massive.”
“Austin said the DadeStar Revolution is starting to catch on in the schools,” said Josiah.
“We just need to stay focused on the next mission,” Cade said quietly. The students and their families, all the people of the northern village and Carolmire stood together, sang, and danced to the song, Joy to the World. Their bright voices began in the small town of Carolmire, in the cold darkness, but then rang out in slow rising waves reaching far out through the silent night.
There’s something happening in the schools of DarkCorner Land, something secret, something big. The aliens run the schools of DarkCorner Land, and they have high expectations for every student. Imagine having an alien in your classroom at all times, watching you, staring at you. But you have no idea what they’re thinking. Maybe you think your own school is really run by aliens! Maybe you think your teacher is really an alien. Maybe they are… But in DarkCorner Land, you still have human teachers, but what would be the principal for them, they just call them the School Leader, is an alien. Imagine seeing the teacher go over to the alien watching the class and the alien points to you. Then a messenger will tell you what the alien wants you to know, and it’s probably not good.
They are really strict about behavior, and make students do large amounts of schoolwork every day. They challenge every student to succeed, but only in a certain way. If you’re great at art, they don’t care because they don’t see how art offers any answers for the dark illnesses. If you’re great at sports, they don’t care because they see those activities as a waste of time altogether. If you’re great at music, they don’t care because how will that solve the dark illnesses? If you’re great at history, there’s nothing there about dark illnesses so they see that as a waste. If you have really cool ideas, are creative, can make things, you guessed it, they don’t care because they see themselves as far more advanced than us so they don’t see how some kid is going to figure something out about the dark illnesses if they haven’t. They only believe the subjects of math, science, and reading about their civilization are important. They have now unveiled what they call “The Path to Freedom.” It’s a written document sent to all the kingdoms, including the new Cashes Dade. The aliens claim that this is the way to lead all the people to freedom from the dark illnesses that come from the dark spirits who haunt the land. But students like Cade Mayson, Blake Candade, and Drew Marsher think it’s a big lie…
It’s time for the first mystery challenge. This will be a two-part mystery challenge. In this post, we’ll look at the aliens’ document about “The Path to Freedom.” We’ll see how they explain it in their own words, and how they try to prove that they are the ones to save the people from the dark spirits. Then, we’ll see the response from Cade and the other students who believe the aliens are lying. The answer will not be revealed in the posts, you’ll have to read the rest of the series to find out who’s lying. But after the second part, we will reveal a key clue that hints at the answer. Can you figure out who’s telling the truth? The clues will be there. Decide what you think. Leave a comment below if you think you know the answer and tell us what clues you think you have seen. Are the aliens really lying? Could Cade and the ghost strikers be lying, or might they just be mistaken? But maybe the real question is, if the aliens are lying, why?
THE PATH TO FREEDOM
We have the greatest empire in the universe. We saw your planet in our explorations and saw a planet in great distress with many problems. Your schools were a complete mess. You students fight each other constantly. You are so greatly divided, in so many ways. You have contests fighting over who has the best pictures. You hate those who play for or cheer for other teams. You get jealous of those who are popular on stage. You break up friendships about what happened in the past. You ignore those who stand out too much. Meanwhile, you can’t even come together to fight deadly illnesses…
In your dark corner kingdoms, you are haunted by dark spirits. We have captured some of them and put them to work for us. But the others are still free, developing stronger dark illnesses that overtake you. First, they give you terrible nightmares that seem all too real. You become scared of what you might become, a loser all alone. Then you see things that aren’t real, you begin to see only darkness and everyone and everything becomes distorted and dark. You look in the mirror and see a twisted, dark reflection that makes you feel inferior to everyone else. Then it shuts you down until you can’t move, you have no desire to do even the things you used to enjoy, and finally it leads to death. But we have the answer. That’s why we’re here, to save you, if you’ll trust our way…
The answer is in our schools. If you have what it takes-intelligence and discipline, you can achieve the high standards that will lead to finding the answer for how to defeat these dark spirits and overcome their dark illnesses. When you understand high math and science, then see how we used that to build our supreme towers and cities, you can discover the answer. You can chase after dreams that turn into ghosts. You can go run around in the mountains or the hills or the fields and play uselessly, finding nothing, there’s nothing to find out there, or you can reach high, sit still and study our way to find the real answer. The choice is yours…
The aliens are working on a secret project. Austin, Ryan, and Cameron are now allies on a mission to find out what the aliens are doing. The aliens claim they have to work on finding the answer before the dark spirits do which is why they must be secretive. They claim they must find the answer without letting the dark spirits figure out how to respond and overcome them. The kids work in the shadows, trying to find their way to gain strong positions to discover what the aliens are developing. Maybe the aliens are developing some kind of new weapon to destroy them all. But the kids are working on figuring out how to defend themselves against any alien attack.
What is a lie? The key point to remember about lying is it doesn’t mean you’re wrong, it means you know the truth but tell something different, something you know is wrong. Those who lie tend to hide. They hide their actions so they can hide the truth. So, who’s hiding? The aliens are hiding their actions, being really secretive, but Cade has something to hide as well. He is keeping a deep secret, and it’s not what you think…
Cade Mayson and the ghost strikers are about to find themselves locked in a struggle between the BlackStar Students, who believe in exploring new ways and new ideas, and the WhiteStar Students, who work for the aliens. But there’s another ghost, a WhiteStar Student secretly working for the aliens, who is scheming against them.
MYSTERY OF THE COLDOR CRYING GHOST is available on Amazon. To buy the book, click on one of the links below:
Cade Mayson has just received a mysterious invitation:
Cade Mayson,
A new play run by the aliens is about to begin in Dayascade. But the students are in grave danger. The aliens have a sinister plan for them. I need your help; you and your friends. I know who you are. My country needs the Glittering Fountain. The aliens stole it. They have it hidden deep in the school. They’ll only bring it out on stage during the play. That’s our chance. We must make a great escape with this before all the stars go dim. We have to save the students, help them escape the punishment. If you help me pull this off, I’ll lead you to the one you’re looking for, someone who knew your parents, someone who can help you on your quest. Meet me at the top floor balcony of the Devon in Dayas Caradames on Sunday night, April 17th at 11:00.
There is a mysterious puzzle to solve in order to find a ghost locked in a secret room in the school. The following prophecy offers clues as to how to solve the puzzle which will lead to figuring out which object in the school can be turned to find this room the ghost cannot escape.
There is a glittering puzzle to solve to set them free
You must put all the pieces together to reveal the key
Each piece will appear as a glowing word when you stare
Each one look to what inspires you, the answer will be there
But do not be deterred by the one single spelling error
The first piece will be found where the student plays
How does this visionary lead them through the haze?
The second piece is where the popular student can fly
But you can’t see it, blazing through, from so far up high
The third piece is where the grand symphony plays fast
Look for the answer to be found in the ship’s mast
The fourth piece is around the bend where the aliens lie
The head-strong student tries to reach, but too high
The fifth piece will be found through the missing sign
The student stares at the glitter, blind to the design
The sixth and final piece will be found inside the show
When the bright students dance at once, follow the glow
The trap will be set where the students believe they can go
The true way out for them will be the door lit by the glow
The ghost who haunts the halls is locked in a cold gloom
Solve the puzzle to find where he must live out his doom
Some object in the school can be turned to find his room
Then you will hear his message to avoid the intense light
The stars must be determined to show the way in the night
The greatest tragedy is not failing to reach the glittering peak
It’s when you miss the chance to go after the glory you seek
When you hear the ghost crying in the dark, then you’ll know
The aliens with their brilliant light are afraid of the stars’ glow
But if you don’t find the ghost in time, Cade will die in the show
Check out this guide showing the layout of the school. Do you think you know where the secret entrance might be?
LINCON BEREEN SCHOOL:
1ST FLOOR:
GRAND CENTER HALL
*CENTER ROTUNDA-GATHERING
*ROUND STUDY ROOMS
2ND FLOOR:
*CLASSROOMS
3RD FLOOR:
*STUDENT HOME ROOMS
4TH FLOOR:
MASSIVE CIRCULAR HALL
*GRAND AUDITORIUM
*GRAND DINING ROOM
*GRAND STUDY ROOM
*GRAND BOOKS ROOM
*GRAND VISIONS ROOM
There’s something mysterious about this ghost, and about the play being run by the aliens. They have a sinister plan for the students in this school, the ones they don’t consider “elite.” Do you think you know what they have planned? Here is a description of the ghost:
Brendan Diyas:
*He was a music teacher who could never quite figure out how to arrange his students. He was one of the top ranked teachers with highly successful concerts famous for strong music from up high. Many of his students went on to great success as musicians, even in the great concert halls of Arapreshday.
What happens in this school will change their world forever. The aliens have a trap waiting for the ghost strikers. Can they solve the mystery? Can they lead the students out before it’s too late?
The first boom shook the mountain. The second crash rocked the upper slopes. Several more nailed the peak. Fires rained down over the lower forest. Alien ships blazed across the night sky in all directions, crossing right past each other, seemingly switching places instantly. But David and Callie stood still at the fort top.
A sonic boom, followed by a brilliant flash knocked Josiah to the floor. He put his hands over his head, shaking. Relentless booming started up from all directions. The sounds overpowered each other, drowning out everything else in the chaos. Then Josiah felt a hand on his shoulder.
He began to hear calm, peaceful singing, a bright voice with a mysterious power. Callie sang quietly, yet her slow rising song could be heard among the rocking booms. He stopped shaking, sighed heavily, then looked up at David holding out two lanterns, swinging the left one slightly back and forth, while flashing the right one.
Josiah clapped several times, then stared closely at the stones holding the DadeStar flag. While the fires fell and the attack raged on, he stared closely at the stones, waiting.
“She always sings to keep them calm,” he heard Drew say.
“That’s not the only reason,” said David. “She sings over the sounds of the blasts because the sounds of the alien weapons can make the young kids really sick. Callie sings so they hear her instead.”
“Then they won’t get sick.”
“That’s right.”
Josiah kept staring at the stones, then the jagged blue glowing lights appeared. He ran his hand over the rough black stones. Looking closely as the alien lights flashed overhead, he saw the jagged lines line up, then blend together in a single, pure blue shine.
“David, David, I got it.” He hurried over to him, nearly bumping into him. Cade, Blake, and Drew gathered behind him. Talking incredibly fast he continued, “It’s these stones, the ones we build the fort with, but it’s how they’re built. It’s how they’re built. It’s probably because you took so much time with this pile, you fit them together exactly right, a puzzle, you know? It’s a puzzle like my dad said, well, that’s what he meant. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.”
Josiah looked up at David, who stared back at him with a seemingly confused gaze. “Oh, you didn’t get any of that did you? You see, it’s these stones, the ones…”
David held up his hand. “No, I got it.”
Then he swung the right lantern in a slow circle as the fiery blue rays struck all over the lower mountain. He raised the left lantern high in the air, flashing it a fast pace. A few moments later, several soldiers hurried up to him.
David quickly gave them the instructions to pass down to all the miners and some soldiers, to reinforce all the fort walls and tunnel entrances building the stones by fitting them together by the jagged glowing lights.
“I’ll go help them,” said Josiah.
“Yeah, we all will,” added Cade.
“Are you guys going to be able to hold the fort long enough for us to get all the walls re-enforced?” asked Josiah.
David nodded, but held up his hand, saying, “Hold up one minute.” He gazed up at the cluster of alien ships hovering low in the sky. Around them were several ships flying around erratically. “It’s a distraction.” David gazed around at the upper slopes behind them. Sunday Evergreens waved slowly back and forth in the passing winds.
Dark shadows darted in and out between the slick black rocks across the high slopes near the peak. A few gold lights sparkled among the rocky clusters just down to the left of the peak.
“Will they try another surprise attack?” asked Josiah.
“If they find a vulnerable spot,” said David.
“That spot near the pointy rocks is vulnerable,” said Josiah. “But they’re not hitting it yet.”
“What are they waiting for?” asked Blake.
“They say if the glittering gold stones are placed all up that slope, it could collapse the entire mountain, destroy the fort completely,” said Josiah, shuffling his shoes in an odd pattern. Cade stared up at the bright glowing rock clusters pointing up to the dark flowing sky.
“No one would do that,” said Drew, as more fires rained down on the lower slopes.
“Not if they knew that would happen,” said Josiah. “But what if they think those glittering stones will be the answer?”
“I saw some guys checking them out the other day,” said Cade, “They seemed to think the glittering stones are the answer.” Heavy booms rocked the mountain around them.
“What did they look like?” asked Josiah. Cade shrugged. “Were they dressed in old, worn-out white suits?” David kept his focus on the lower slopes, signaling to the soldiers.
“Yeah, that’s them.”
“They wanted to take over the fort, but David said no. Maybe they’re going to try to show everyone how strong the glittering stones are, that they can save the fort. Where would they demonstrate that?”
“Right there,” Cade said in a low voice, pointing to the high pointy rock clusters. Another sonic boom split the sky, pushing down on the kids like powerful, invisible waves.
“They already have some glittering stones up there,” said Drew.
“They’re going to fill up the slope, demonstrate how strong it holds up,” said Cade.
“But the aliens will strike it hard, won’t they?” asked Drew.
“That’s why they’re doing all this distraction,” said Josiah. “The aliens knew David would turn them down, and they knew those guys would look for a place up high, easy for all to see to demonstrate why they should be the leaders.”
“They set us up,” said Cade, “why the dark spirits planted them here.”
“We have to stop them,” said Josiah, turning to David. “The ghost strikers and me, we can stop them.” Intense lights exploded out across the sky in brilliant flashes.
“You mean just the ghost strikers,” said Cade.
“I can help,” said Josiah.
Blake stepped up to him and said, “That’s what we meant. You’re as much a ghost striker as the three of us.” Josiah smiled brightly.
“Actually, you’ll be replacing Drew,” said Cade.
“Hey!”
“Just kidding.”
“You better be.” With a crazed expression Drew added, “Or you’ll have to face this!” He moved his arms around, then threw them out wide, jumping and landing awkwardly in front of Cade.
“Oh, we wouldn’t want that.”
“We’ll need Casey, too,” said Blake. The four kids discussed their plan, then all four of them did the ghost striker handshake, bumping fists fast, then drawing their hands back flat making the sound, “Shhhh.”
Josiah turned to David and said, “Think you can hold down the fort until we get the glittering stones buried?”
David nodded. Then turning to Josiah, he said, “They’re going to try to overwhelm you. Stand strong, wait, and look closely at what you have. Make the most of it, and it will be enough.”
“Cool,” said Josiah with eyes lit. “Let’s roll.”
Bright lights flashed back and forth in the sky. Heavy booms rocked the lower mountain every few moments, sounding remarkably distant. Excited whispers played back and forth across the upper gentle slope. Shadows moved fast. Glittering lights quickly spread over the flat, smooth black stones.
Cade, Blake, Drew, and Josiah waited behind a small cluster of rocks. Josiah got up on one knee, then two, then slid back on his side. The kids watched as the slope lit up brighter next to the intense glowing pointed rock clusters.
“He needs to get here soon,” Cade whispered.
“He will,” said Blake calmly.
“They’re getting really…” Cade looked over to Josiah, stretching out again on the slick grass. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not used to this yet,” Josiah answered, still struggling to find a good position.
“Just do what Drew does.” Josiah’s gaze turned sharply confused and amazed seeing Drew sprawled out in all directions behind the rock. He just shook his head, then laid partly on his side.
Cade looked down slope anxiously. “I don’t see him anywhere.”
“See who?” Cade flinched, turning to see Casey pushing a small cannon up to the rocks. “How did you…where did…” A heavy, dramatic sigh stopped him. Cade turned to see Josiah struggle again to find a new position. Another heavy sigh turned his attention back to Casey. “What is it?”
Blake gazed up anxiously at the dark flowing sky. Several hazy gold and blue lights appeared high above the clouds.
“Can’t shoot from here,” said Casey.
“Better find a place fast,” said Blake.
“Why?” asked Cade.
“They’re here,” Blake said in a low voice. Casey looked around at the slick soggy grass. Cade watched nervously as the slopes grew intensely bright, flashing like glittering gold stars.
“Now’s our time,” one soldier said. Josiah sighed again.
“Now what’s…” Cade turned to see the large rock sliding down slope. He looked even more puzzled to see Casey pushing it. “What are you doing?”
The four kids spread out wide and waited while Casey slid his smooth, shiny shoes in quick, upward motions as he pushed the heavy rock down slope. A few minutes later, Casey shot out three smoke bombs into the upper slopes. As the smoke filled the slope, the five of them rushed up the slope, gathering all the glittering stones. Frantic whispers shot back and forth around them.
“Who did that?”
“That was one of our cannons.”
The kids flew down the slippery slope. They hurried down into the dark, misty shadows rolling across. The kids cut sharp left, passed through a thick cluster of Sunday Evergreens, then snuck into a hidden meadow. Intense alien lights spilled out over the upper slopes behind them, lighting up the pointed rock clusters.
“We need to hurry,” said Josiah. “Casey and I will dig; Cade and Drew bury them deep. Blake, you fill the holes. Let’s move.” The frenetic alien lights over the sky flashed on as the kids worked fast. Blake kept glancing around anxiously at the falling shadows. The alien light beams from three sleek, narrow triangular ships spread out.
“We can’t let them find where we’re burying these,” said Blake.
“You’re right,” answered Josiah. “Go up slope and watch out. Whistle if you see any ghosts approaching.” Blake nodded and jogged up slope. Eerie whistling cut through the night above and behind them. The shrill notes slowly expanded.
Intense lights flashed behind them. The ships drifted out. A heavy boom off to the left of the peak rocked the mountain.
“Keep going, hurry,” Blake called out. “They’re trying to get us to run.” Sour horns blared out. Ghostly whispers played out at various points up slope. “Hurry, hurry.” The battle raged on as the kids filled in the holes.
“I’ll get some miners to build a stone floor over this,” said Casey, before quickly disappearing.
“Then they’ll never get to them,” said Josiah as Blake jogged down to them.
“They’re getting close,” said Blake.
“We can’t be seen here,” said Cade. “Get the shovels, and let’s head them off.”
“We need them to think we still have the glittering stones with us,” said Josiah.
“Let’s go,” said Cade. “We’ll find them, then we’ll lose them.”
The kids crept up slope. Another distant boom rocked the lower slopes. Eerie, low-key whistling shot across the sky from left to right. The blue bulb shaped leaves of the Sunday Evergreens flashed faster and faster in the heavy dark.
Blake waved them to the right. The kids worked their way along the heavy soil. Dirt filled their shoes as they slogged through. Shadows stretched slowly in their direction. The blue lights went still. Josiah turned up to his left. Black, sunken eyes met his gaze.
“It’s on,” he called out. The four kids went flying down the rough slope. “Drop the shovels.” Blake glanced back. Dark spirits in a wide line glided down after them. A few tripped over them. Others swerved around.
“How we going to lose them?” Blake whispered. Dark spirits started angling in behind to their right.
“Keep edging left,” said Josiah, as they sprinted down. His shiny shoes caught quick reflections of gloomy blue moonlight. “We hit the slick grassy slope and once we’re out of their sight, break hard left, disappear into the tunnels.” Several quick three note whistles echoed out behind and ahead of them.
Alien lights flashed across the sky from left to right. The line of ghosts filled out further left. The kids worked their way more and more left. Drew started falling back. Josiah glanced back as dark ghosts closed in.
“Drew, pick up your feet, run on top.” Drew exploded out of the thick soil. Cade flew across low to the ground while Blake powered through, kicking up dust everywhere. Dark gray mists covered the ground. Dark spirits rushed directly from their right.
Josiah watched wide-eyed, then with a quick shake, his blonde sweaty hair flopping to one side, he called out, “Sprint down, then hard left.” The ghosts whispered excitedly. More filled in the line coming down on them. Three quick whistles echoed out several more times behind and ahead. “Now, left.”
The kids hurried left as the ghosts up top glided in fast. They felt the slick grass under their shoes. Josiah glanced right. The ghosts were further back. “Straight down. Now’s our chance.” The four kids surfed down the slick slope, pulling away from the chasing ghosts.
A row of large, dark stones ran across the slope down below. Three quick whistles behind them were answered by three quick whistles down below. Josiah glanced back. A heavy line of dark spirits filled in at the top of the ridge, curving in from the far left and far right. The kids stopped cold.
At the bottom of the slope, dark spirits filled in behind the rocks, spreading far left and far right. Josiah glanced around anxiously, breathing hard.
“It’s a trap,” said Cade. “They know we buried the glittering stones.”
“They’ll capture us and make us tell them where they are,” Drew said quietly.
“What we do now?” asked Blake.
“We can’t slide past them with those rocks,” said Cade. “Can we launch over them?”
“Any ideas Josiah?” asked Blake. Josiah knelt down on the wet grass. He closed his eyes for a moment. “Josiah, you with us?”
He whispered to himself, “Stand strong, wait, look closely at what you have.” He stood up, gazed across the dark spirits surrounding them in the flashing lights, then he looked down at his shoes.
“We could try drawing them in,” said Cade, “breaking through a weak point in the line.” Josiah stared down at the curved lines and flattened parts of the soaked grass on the long, gentle slope leading down to the waiting ghosts. Then he slowly broke a smile.
“Make the most of it,” Josiah whispered. “I know how we’ll break through,” he said excitedly. He whispered his plan to the other three. “Let’s roll.” The four kids took off down the slope. Intense lights flashed from left to right. The crowd of ghosts waited. The kids slid faster and faster straight for the row of stones. The dark spirits stood poised.
Just then, the four kids put their hands out, and pushed the large stones down slope, bowling over most of the ghosts. With a wild yell, Drew flew out from between two stones. Two ghosts reached for him. He spun through. Then spun again, kicking his feet out tripping them.
Blake exploded out, lowered his head, and pushed past several slow reacting ghosts. Cade slipped out slowly. Three ghosts blocked his way. He shot left, sprinted right, slid, shot back left, faked right, then as the ghosts fell, Cade waved goodbye and sprinted left. The three kids disappeared into the heavy shadows and reached the tunnel entrance.
“Where’s Josiah?” asked Blake.
“He’s still back there,” said Cade. Three ghosts got in position. Two more fell in line, waiting.
“What if they got him back there?” asked Drew. Just then, Josiah emerged from the stones. He jogged down slope straight for the waiting ghosts. They reached out for him as he approached fast. In a sudden burst, he sprinted straight for them.
In a flash, he dropped straight down. They reached for him, but he slid past. Then he shot straight left. They turned around, but he was gone. Blake clapped as they made their way down the dim, dark orange lit tunnel.
“Yeah, how was that?” asked Josiah, smiling brightly. “Am I a ghost striker or what? That was awesome. We left those ghosts in the dust.” The other three kids slid to a stop. Cade turned to Josiah as the dust fell from the low rock ceiling.
Slowly breaking a smile, he said, “Yeah it was. Just wait until they go back to the aliens and tell them there are four of us now.” The four kids did the ghost striker handshake, then hurried through the dim, dusty network of tunnels.
“It’s quiet. Anyone notice that?” asked Drew.
“I got so used to the sounds,” said Blake, holding his head, “I can still hear them.” Cade shot him a questioning look.
“Are they regrouping?” asked Drew.
“They might be,” answered Josiah. “I don’t think they’re done. I say we get to the fort top and see where things are at.”
“Let’s go,” said Cade.
Sleek, dark purple clouds rolled across the empty, silent night sky. A chilling breeze whistled through the dome top as miners worked hard and fast rebuilding, refitting the stones. It whistled through the small square open window with an arched top, then echoed out throughout the entire mountain below. David and Callie stood together, watching the sky.
“Where did they go?” asked Josiah.
“They disappeared behind the mountains,” answered David.
“You think they know about the stones?”
David shook his head. “We have a chance, but we need to hurry.”
“You think they’ll be back,” said Blake. David nodded.
“Then we better get to work,” said Josiah.
The four kids hurried down the steps and started working. Josiah started singing a fast-paced bouncy song. Intense neon green light lit up the stones.
“They’re back,” he whispered, before looking up. Sleek, long triangular ships lit up in neon green lights covered the sky. A low humming came from the ships. The lights flashed at a slow rhythm. Eerie whistling cut the silence around them. David raised both lantern lights. Various soldiers shouted directions. Shrill whistling expanded fast across the sky.
Green fires rained down far to their right. The explosion rocked the mountain side. Then came the boom, knocking everyone back. David waved his right lantern back and forth. The kids gathered at the fort top, looking over at a gaping hole where the fires hit. A cluster of Sunday Evergreens were ablaze.
“They came back with something stronger,” said Blake. Loud humming grew louder above them. Eerie whistling faded out slowly. The lights flashed throughout the sky as the ships hovered. Neon green fires rained down on the lower mountain off to the left. They braced themselves for the next sonic boom.
“We better get back to work,” said Josiah, “if we don’t finish the fort soon, they’ll overrun us. We won’t outlast them.” The kids started off when neon green light waves spread over the mountain slopes and fort top. It stopped them in their tracks. They fell. The green waves hit them relentlessly.
They tried to move, struggling, but couldn’t. The pounding waves carried the sounds of eerie, high pitched whistling and sour horns. The whistling came from up high, from the glittering ships hovering in the sky for people to look up to them, taking their position in a place they could never reach.
The four kids covered their ears. The whistling attempts to sound sweet, but it’s too sweet, and can’t make music. Josiah strained to see in the intense green waves but could only see murky green lights. The horns blared down on them with strong power, relentless strength pushing them down.
Sounds of working stopped. Sounds of fighting went silent. Neon green lights blurred across the lower slopes. Alien weapons rained down over the mountain, hammering the fort, and breaking down every defense. Flashing alien lights grew brighter across the sky as the ships lowered down, prepared to overtake the entire fort. The soldiers were paralyzed by the alien fires, unable to overcome the intense sounds.
Alien ships fell lower and lower, prepared to overrun the unprotected fort walls. Josiah crawled slowly across the stone deck. Another heavy boom rocked the fort top. Through the fiery green waves, he could barely see the silhouettes of David and Callie. In between, he could just see the murky shape of the DadeStar flag remaining completely still against the punishing waves.
“I found the answer,” said Josiah, calling out to the sky, shielding his eyes, gazing up into the green waves flowing across. “I figured it out. But I never found you. I didn’t hear any message.” Josiah struggled forward a few more inches. “I just wanted to hear you one more time.”
A tear streamed down his face. Another boom rocked the fort. Then he heard her voice. Her voice was mysterious. She sang a dream that drifted right through the frenetic green flashing lights. Josiah began to sit up. Her dream was searching, reaching for somewhere distant, far away.
Callie’s song roamed through the night air, floating, but moving through, not pushed back by the alien waves. Her song played slow and sad, but it was also rising, flying through. While her song was reaching out, reaching high, it was also reaching down to lift up others with the song.
“Stand strong, wait, look closely at what we have,” Josiah whispered energetically, “and make the most of it.” He could only hear her song rising through the lights, completely overpowering the aliens’ noise. He stood up and looked over to see David waving his blue lantern lights back and forth with Callie standing and singing next to him. “Make the most of it,” he said stronger.
“They can’t fight,” said Cade tensely, “they can’t respond.” Josiah looked around at the fort top. He closed his eyes and listened. Callie’s beautiful voice carried through the night, blending with the whistling winds. Josiah watched as the chilling winds whistled through the small square open window with an arched top, then echoed out throughout the entire mountain below.
His eyes lit up. “Stand here, Callie, stand here,” he said pointing to the open window. “Sing here, and everyone else will hear it.”
Blake walked up to David and quietly said, “Sooner or later they’re going to strike here.”
“You guys get back to work,” he answered, “we’re going to hold this fort.” Josiah, Cade, and Drew hurried down the steps.
Blake turned to David with a concerned gaze. “If any soldiers take a direct hit, the aliens could still punch through and overrun us.”
“I figured out how to know where each strike is about to hit,” he said confidently. “Watch for my signal. If you see the two lantern lights come together going dim, that means you all need to take cover right away.”
Blake nodded and hurried down to continue re-enforcing the fort walls. Josiah worked fast and hard, singing along with Callie’s song, putting words to her song that overpowered the alien attack. As he worked, he kept his gaze on David, who stood firm signaling with the lanterns, and on Callie, who stood still at the window, singing out to the entire mountain.
He kept watching, as the blue lantern lights flashed to the rhythm of Callie’s song across the stones. The lights also reflected across her and David, burning bright blue as they fused together, blending into shimmering blue shine.
Another tear streamed down Josiah’s face as he watched and listened to the brilliant song play, and whispered the words his dad told him:
“You will find my final message at Ghost Peak
There is a mysterious power the aliens seek
Look closely and wait to see the pieces appear by light
Then you can solve the puzzle to hold the fort at night”
Callie kept singing her dream-like song, slow, but driving a hopeful, energetic melody slowly rising, higher and higher through the night. Josiah sang to it, putting words to the song.
“This has been a really long and dark night
The aliens keep on striking us in this fight
We all are working hard to build the fort strong
Once it’s finished, it will hold all night long
I thought we were going to lose this war
But then I heard Callie’s beautiful song soar
The notes kept rising making our hope increase
Her voice was like an angel, her song was peace
Her voice was quiet, yet it blocked out all the aliens’ loud fear
You see, her singing was so beautiful, it’s all you could hear
Then I finally heard my dad’s final message in the night
The puzzle pieces were David and Callie shining bright
His message was not made of words, I should have known
His message became revealed by what the lights shone
I have seen and heard my dad’s final message in what they do
It’s the way they stand strong and firm that shows the way through
The magic wasn’t really in the stones, it was Callie’s song of peace
Her leading, caring that forms a strong foundation that won’t cease
The magic wasn’t really in the flag, it was David’s beacon light
His rock-solid character and leadership outlasting every night
This has been a really long night, and I don’t yet see dawn
But even now, as the alien assault is relentless, our hope’s not gone
Hour after hour they hurt us, overpower us, yet I won’t despair
For when I look up to where they stand, the flag is still there.”
“I’ll never forget that day. My name is Cade Mayson, and this is my journal I write just in case the aliens capture us. I think they want to destroy us all, but for some reason they can’t yet. I don’t really like writing that much, because to write I have to sit down and be still. How do I know this? Well, I tried writing this while playing tag, but my writing looked like this:
So I guess I’m stuck sitting down and writing, as fast as I can, but writing really fast didn’t work so good either. Anyway, I have to write this, so here goes nothing. I’ll never forget that day, when school ended, and I played tag with Blake on the way home. I let him get close three times, and all three times I got away. The best part was when I ran up the side path toward a big burger stand. A lot of people were there. There was no way through. Blake thought he had me. But he didn’t see the small boat running along the channel next to me. I kept slowing down so we were even. Then, just as he was about to get me, I jumped in the boat, and sped to the other side. I laughed all the way home, but I stopped when I got inside, and saw all the furniture gone, except for in my room. My parents were gone, and they took everything with them, except me…
But I think they’re on a secret spy mission to figure out how to destroy the aliens from the inside, and they’re sending me clues. I think the time is coming when the revolution will begin, and we will reunite to fight them together. In my school in Cashes Dade, before the aliens destroyed it, I saw a small painting of a massive tower lit up under a bright, dazzling light shining from the top down reaching almost every corner. The golden lights across the surface and in the windows glowed in the dark. It wasn’t there before. My parents told me about this tower once. They saw it on one of their business trips. It was pretty much the only thing they ever told me about their business trips. Now all the sudden I find it in a hidden hall? I think my parents put it there, knowing I would find it…
Last year, when we fought our battle against the aliens in the mountains, and won, and they couldn’t catch me either, I was really fast. I faked them out so many times I think they’re still chasing me. You should have seen it. I was like a blazing fire that disappears, like a blazing ghost, no, a ghost on fire. That doesn’t make sense. Ghosts can’t catch on fire, so…what was I talking about? Oh yeah, the battle. I saw a clue, a big one. Actually, I didn’t see it, I heard it. I heard a lady singing in the distance, and I thought it might be my mom. She sang opera, with no real words, just pure music soaring through the mountains. The last thing my mom told me was, ‘Take the bridge.’ Our friend Casey told me he heard my mom once in a furniture store where he helped finish chairs. He heard her tell someone else about a bridge, a bridge that connects across great distances. The bridge was music…
Now, I just got this letter:
Cade Mayson,
A new play run by the aliens is about to begin in Dayascade. But the students are in grave danger. The aliens have a sinister plan for them. I need your help; you and your friends. I know who you are. My country needs the Glittering Fountain. The aliens stole it. They have it hidden deep in the school. They’ll only bring it out on stage during the play. That’s our chance. We must make a great escape with this before all the stars go dim. We have to save the students, help them escape the punishment. If you help me pull this off, I’ll lead you to the one you’re looking for, someone who knew your parents, someone who can help you on your quest. Meet me at the top floor balcony of the Devon in Dayas Caradames on Sunday night, April 17th at 11:00.
This is what I’ve been waiting for, exactly what I’ve been waiting for, to talk to someone who my parents would have shared their secrets with. Blake and Drew think it’s a trap, but I don’t. I think it’s my chance to finally solve this mystery…
Sometimes I still remember what it was like with my parents. They didn’t talk to me that much, especially about their business. I heard a lot of whispering. We didn’t spend much time together. I was busy, playing tag, playing other games, exploring, scaring my neighbors…Well, they were gone a lot too. They didn’t seem like they wanted to talk to me, especially at the end, and sometimes I wonder about that. Sometimes I wonder why they were like that. But there’s something missing, something mysterious about it all that I just can’t quite figure out…
They call him the piano playing ghost. They hear him, but they never see him. He plays strong, booming chords with higher, energetic chords played in a fun, fast rising way. Students often gather in the back rows of the dark auditorium just to listen, and many times dance to the bright songs he plays. But they also want to find him. He only plays in the dark, alone, in the chilly silence. Then he breaks the silence, and his music lights up the dark cold auditorium. No one knows why he plays in secret. Why does he hide his music? Why doesn’t he want to be seen? They’ve tried different things; sneaking up on him, hiding on stage, hiding in the upper balconies, but when they try to chase him, he runs, and he disappears, like a ghost…
In the Lincon Bereen School in the Kingdom of Dayascade, there’s a ghost they say haunts the school halls. But in many ways, he’s the one who is truly haunted. He also plays the piano, from the secret Coldor Room where he’s locked up. No one knows exactly where he is, or what object can be turned to find this hidden room. But they can hear him, or rather, they can hear his music. What’s truly puzzling though, is what happens every time he plays. His music starts out simple, with strong, rhythmic booming chords. Then he adds more and more layers, making it more and more complicated with a bright, energetic slow rising song until the sounds start to clash. Then he pounds various keys in anger and the music goes silent…
Ryan Sayvas is a nice, easy going kid. He’s relatively short with short blonde hair in a spiral, and calm, bright eyes. Ryan is really into entertainment and business. He likes talking to people and having interesting conversations that draw lots of people in. He talks fast and energetically, asking a lot of questions, trying to get into interesting discussions that explore the big questions…
Ryan is from the Kingdom of Carsenevas, City of Dayas Cadenmay. You can find it on the map if you click on the page called DARKCORNER LAND. It’s a kingdom well south of Cashes Dade, following the river down to the end. It’s considered a relatively strong kingdom in DarkCorner Land. They’re known for mysterious and cutting edge music that plays in grand rooms.
Here’s one hint about Ryan, he dreams about creating a new, entertaining business that becomes the most popular place in all the kingdoms, where everyone wants to meet. The clues are there, see if you can figure it out. Leave a comment below if you think you know what it is. Do you know? Do you think he’s the ghost?
