“The Kingdom of Marcaydas will fall under their shadow
Students will stare in a trance at the new school’s glow
Our schools have fallen into dreary darkness and decay
Our teachers who were once great have lost their way
Their arrogance is masked by a confident appearance
Their greed is hidden by their constant heroic stance
Our leaders have deceived themselves into a new low
They believe they need to be flashy, putting on a show
Our students are being deceived with bright dreams
Yet what they think they will become is not what it seems
They have a great desire to be on stage, the only star
When they begin to fall short, they will fall so far
You will first appear to them during the misty debate
You will know at first, who you can trust for your fate
Two teachers will stand strong against the popular force
They have a mysterious power of strength to stay on course
They have discovered the secret truth to spark the fire
They shine with the brilliant light revealed by Carolmire
Because of her strong direction and awesome song
His hope will not disappear or fade
Because he leads him to the mountain peak despite being so long
He believes in the dream of Cade
The revolution will truly begin in the eerie dark hallway
You and your friends must be inspired, yet not by what they say
You see, the two teachers will not be seen in the fight
But the true elite students will follow them to the light
They’ll be heard singing; notes strong and bright
Despite the challenge, the danger, they’ll stand for what’s right
Their true worth will be revealed soon, in the Silent Night”
The next night Cade and Blake moved up the slope toward the CANDLES Path. A bizarre blue light flashed just beyond the hilltop. Cade started up the slope, but Blake pulled him back.
“Wait a minute,” he said. “I heard something.” The kids got down low, staring up the dark green slope. Birds called out from the heavy forest of Dence Evergreens in the surrounding hills. Chilling winds rushed through. The slanted, dark blue trees swayed in circles looking like ghosts dancing in the night. Dark spirits lined up across the top of the hill. “What we do now?” Cade stared up at them for a few moments, then turned to Blake with a calm smile.
“We play a game.”
“Are you crazy? This isn’t the time for a slide race.”
“I think it is.” Blake stared at him in disbelief. “Slowly go over to the far left and stay low. Wait for my signal, then follow me.”
“I don’t know…”
“Come on, what’s the worst that could happen?”
“Seriously?”
“Just trust me.” Blake sighed heavily, then with a shrug he crawled across the hill.
“Such a convincing argument,” he muttered on his way to the far side. Cade took his blue glowing shell out and held it low by his side. He whispered to himself with eyes closed, then shot up the hill directly toward the dark ghosts. They glided down toward him. Just as they closed in on him, he stopped. Blake watched with raised eyes as Cade dove, sliding down the slick grass with his shell lighting him up. The dark spirits rushed down after him. Then Cade flashed his light down the hill, stopped, and shot up the hill to the left, hiding his light. He waved for Blake and the two kids sprinted up the slick hill. The ghosts kept rushing down the hill past them.
“You know they won’t want to play with you next time,” said Blake.
“Yeah, they’re sore losers,” said Cade, flashing a smile as they reached the top. A few minutes later they reached Carolmire Mountain. Cade gazed up at the bright alien lights shooting up from the mountain top. Eerie organ notes pounded from the high steep ridges along both sides of the rocky path.
“Sounds like the show’s already beginning,” said Blake. Cade glanced up at the dark clouds powering across the night sky. Breaking moonlight began lighting up the dark stone slope ahead of them. “So where are they this time?”
“It’s midnight,” said Cade. Then with eyes lit he added, “We’re about to find out.” He shot up the dark stones, flying up the relatively steep slope.
“I hate it when he does that.” Blake charged up after him. Dark shadows moved in quick bursts along the ridges. Wide, triangular evergreens called Candle Evergreens began appearing in wavy rows going up the slope in the distance far ahead looking like blurry colourful flowing sheets. The kids moved fast up the slope slowly curving to the left toward the distant glowing peak. The Candle Evergreens started coming in clearer ahead with their star shaped dark green leaves. They held candles in various bright colours. “I don’t hear any dark spirits yet.”
“Maybe they fell asleep,” said Cade still flying ahead. After about fifteen minutes the kids made their way around the bend. Chilling winds rushed up from behind whistling through the Candles Evergreens. The rows of lights flashed in waves to the rhythm of the strong mysterious organ chords. There were seven rows in colours of white, gold, green, red, blue, purple, and orange. Blake looked back to see dark shadows creeping up the slope.
“I think they’re after us.”
“Let the games begin.” The kids moved fast up the dimly lit stones. “Stay in the shadows, stay low.”
“We could climb one of them,” said Blake pointing to the evergreens. Cade nodded.
“Let’s get ahead.” The kids pushed hard. Chilling winds pushed harder down on them, now from up the slope. Deep organ chords playing an eerie, roaming melody pulsed through the seven rows. The kids felt the strong rush through the white candle rows directly ahead. They got down low, struggling ahead. Ghostly shapes of white, gold, and green danced in the chilling winds. Cade started angling to the right. “We’ll head up that one,” he added, pointing ahead to the far right.
“Which one?” asked Blake. The mysterious pounding song played a sad, dream-like melody. This music floated through the night.
“The awkward looking one.”
“They all look awkward.”
“The one, this one right up here, see?” Cade pointed as they pushed further right.
“The one with the half-moon shape branch?” Chilling winds kept driving them back.
“What?”
“That one?” Blake pointed ahead to the first Candle Evergreen in the row of completely still triangular shapes under a red glaze directly ahead. Cade sighed dramatically and shook his head. He glanced back momentarily. Dark shadows crept closer towards them. Cade took another sharp turn to the right. Ghostly shapes of blue, purple, and orange danced in the hard driving winds.
“Be ready, almost there,” said Cade with a half-smile, half-concerned, twisted expression.
“Almost where?”
“THE TREE.”
“I STILL DON”T KNOW WHICH ONE!”
“Why don’t you just climb the one I start climbing?” Dark mists started swirling ahead.
“Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?” asked Blake. Cade just hung his head for a moment.
“Let’s move, move, get ahead.” The kids hurried up the stones toward the last row of dancing ghostly orange Candle Evergreens. “Be ready, it’s just ahead.” Blake just shook his head. He glanced back at the distant dark spirits. Then Cade scrambled up the branches of a swaying orange-lit tree. He flew up the wide branches looking like shelves. He got down low as Blake stopped and looked around. He turned back. Dark spirits were approaching fast.
“What are you looking for, a ladder?”
“Do you see one?”
“NO! HURRY UP!” Blake looked around anxiously, then hurried up toward Cade. The kids got down low, huddled near the trunk. Dark spirits rushed past them gliding up the row. Sour horns blared out. Alien lights shot out, lighting up all the colourful dancing ghost-like trees in the chilling winds.
“I think they see us,” whispered Blake. The kids strained to see in the blinding green lights. More horns blew from the upper ridges. Slim, tall dark figures appeared standing in the lights at the top of the ridge across from them. “It’s them,” Blake said quietly. The orange lights kept flickering to the pounding song. The candles around them swayed in a sad, dream-like melody floating through the night. As they watched, dark spirits turned back heading in their direction. More dark spirits rushed up the slope toward them as well.
“Do you think they see us?” asked Cade.
“What does that tell you?” asked Blake pointing to the tall, slim figures on the high ridge. One of them was pointing directly at them.
