Chapter 1
The Earth Cave
Act 1
Lagath – um
Aaron lay where he was for a moment after he came to. He was surprised to even be alive, let alone lying in a mound of straw. He looked around at his friends, who, though not yet stirring, were obviously alright.
Looking at the large stone walls, Aaron notices that there isn’t a hole in a ceiling as he had expected. In fact, there is no obvious way he or his friends ended up in this room, other than the open doorway with the large wooden door.
He continues looking at the stone walls forming the roughly circular shape of the room, and notices that there are chains lying in the floor. Not sure what those are there for, he starts to see the large latch on the outside of that door, the massive iron bars covering the tiny window that let in the light he was seeing by, and the shackles hanging on the wall. Just then it dawns on him that he, and his friends, are sitting in a dungeon.
“Where are we, Aaron?” Asked Sarah, interrupting his thoughts. “A dungeon, I think.” Answered Aaron. “A dungeon!” Shouted Peter, awaking from his sleep, “Let’s get out of here.”
Aaron woke Mary and led his friends out through the door he saw earlier. They walked down a winding staircase and into a grand hallway, their footsteps echoing as they went. They awed at the tapestries hanging on the walls around them, and the giant windows between, lighting the whole hall in blinding sunlight, as they stepped cautiously through the castle that was around them.
On the floor was a brilliant red velvet rug that extended through the hallway for farther than any of them could guess. The ceiling arched over them, looming well out of reach, and causing all of them to feel very small, in addition to the confusion they already had. They stopped walking and took it all in. The walls, the great windows, the tapestries, the rug, where were they?
The children heard the sound footsteps coming towards them from somewhere down the hallway. They froze, unsure whether they should see if the owners of the footfalls would help them, or run and hide, and if so, hide where?
While still trying to decide, three men turned the corner at the end of the hallway. One was dressed like a king, the other two, like dignitaries of some kind. Aaron twitched, preparing to either defend himself and his friends, or run.
The three men continued to walk and talk, not even noticing Aaron and his friends until they were just a few feet away. “What have we here, king Raiken?” Asked one of the dignitaries. “I don’t know.” Boomed the king in response, “How did you children get in here?” “We don’t know sir,” Said Aaron timidly, “but we came to this room from the dungeon that is up the stairwell over there.”
The dignitaries looked at each other for a moment, and then one of them spoke angrily to the king. “Your highness,” he began, “are you trying to hide something from us? Are you such a man to imprison children?” ”No!” Shouted the king, “There is some mistake. Guard! Come here this instant.”
A guard came running from deeper in the hallway. Standing at attention in his bluish colored, steel armor, which was polished to a brilliant sheen, the guard announced his allegiance, “O’ king Raiken, king of Lagath-um, live forever for I am here to do as you command.” “Enough!” Responded the king, “I must know who imprisoned these children in the upper dungeon without my authority. Tell me now.”
“I do not know, your highness,” said the guard, “I know every prisoner who is taken into your upper dungeons, but I have never seen these children in your courts before.” The king looked down at the floor, deep in thought. “Well,” Questioned the other dignitary, “what say you king Raiken? You have thoughts on this matter, do you not?”
“I do.” The king said with a short pause, “How did you children escape from my dungeon?” “We walked out, sir.” Responded Aaron. “The door wasn’t locked,” Sarah added quickly, “it was wide open.”
The king stood silent for a moment. “You children are from the world above, am I right?” Asked the king. Aaron nodded. “Guard!” Yelled the king, startling everyone, “Take these children to my entertaining quarters, get them some descent clothes, and make them ready as royal guests. For tonight I am having a feast and will answer their questions then.”
<+>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<+>
Aaron and his friends walked behind the guards, which were in escort ahead of them, to the dinner feast. The dining room was very large, like most of the rooms in the castle, and decorated with brilliant chandeliers, stained glass windows, and most prominently, a huge painting depicting the king himself sitting on his throne and arrayed in the riches that belonged to him.
“I am king Raiken and that is what I want you to call me,” declared king Raiken as they began their dinner, “So, what is it that you want to ask me first?” “I want to know where we are.” Said Peter. King Raiken leaned back in his seat, and cleared his throat.
“The story is much longer than this, but you are in the world formed by the Creator, that is called Salem. This world is very different from the world you knew. Here, there isn’t any death from famine or war, only scars and sufferings. You will eventually die from old age, but until then you will only suffer.
“More specifically, you are in the countryside of Lagath-um, in the capital city which bears the same name. We are an average sized country of around 1 million, with an army of 350 thousand men.
“This is my short and much abbreviated version of where all of you have ended up, and I hope that it was a satisfactory answer. Now then, ask your next question.”
“You said that we can’t die from war or famine.” Aaron said, “Does that mean there isn’t any war here in this world?”
“No,” responded king Raiken, “unfortunately it seems to augment war, making it easier for countries to fight. When one ‘dies’ from war, they instantly become sand. Sometime later they appear in one of 70 ‘Villages of Refuge’, usually the one nearest where they died. Once there, they may or may not be in a coma, and must still recover from their wounds.
“I know how hard all of this is for you children to understand. I was once in your position too. Most elders here stumbled upon this world as you four did. The population here was pretty sparse until perhaps, 40 years ago. Now, most of those you will meet were born here.”
“Is there a way to leave this place?” Mary asked. King Raiken lowered his head, thinking deeply about his reply. “Most would say there is not any way to leave, but I know man who would tell you otherwise. A man who claims that, with help, he could send everyone to the other world. Are you all interested?”
“Yes!” Came the emphatic answers. “Good,” said king Raiken, “He isn’t here, but if you will do a small favor for me, I will tell you where he is, and make sure you children get to him.”
Act 2 coming after the break!
