Exercise Your Imagination! Do you like stories with mystery and suspense? Well, if you do, keep reading and enjoy Eggcentricsagas. If you are just joining Eggcentricsagas, start from the beginning: A La Mano: Part 1-The Treasure
The little girl asked her grandmother as they walked next door, “Why are you being so nice? Bringing over lasagna?”
Ravenna answered, “My lasagna is tasty, isn’t it? Don’t you want your friends to eat a good meal rather than frozen TV dinners?”
Zerlinda replied, “I want Myrtle to have your delicious lasagna.” Pausing, she emphasized, “But I don’t like Mason, and neither does Magic. That boy pulls hair and throws rocks. He deserves awful food.”
“Honey, don’t say that. Sometimes people don’t know any better.”
They had arrived at the front door. “Baba, he and his grandpa are just mean!” Zerlinda whispered, and then rang the doorbell.
While they waited, Ravenna replied, “Well, maybe we can inspire them to be nice.” She smiled at her granddaughter.
Herman answered the front door and then looked curiously at the covered casserole dish in Ravenna’s hands. “Hello! Come in! What’s this?” he asked as he ushered them inside.
“I know Janelle is out of town and thought you might enjoy my lasagna,” Ravenna answered. “Should I put this in the kitchen?”
“Here, let me take it,” Herman offered, and then motioned to the furniture. “Thank you. Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?”
Taking a seat in one armchair, Ravenna answered, “Sure. A cup of tea, perhaps?”
“My pleasure.” Herman smiled, took the lasagna, and went to the kitchen.
Myrtle appeared. “Hi Zerlinda! Is it story time, Mrs. Mariposa?”
Before she could answer, Mason bounded into the room. “Yea! What happened to the gnome and prince? I think they should fight the fairies instead of smiling at them!” he said vehemently.
Zerlinda frowned and rolled her eyes. “You would.”
Mason sneered at her. “What do you want him to do? Play dolls with the fairy queen? Boring.” He pretended to snore loudly.
Zerlinda put her hands on her hips. “Nobody cares what you think, Mason!” Then stuck her tongue out at him.
“Yea, shut up, Mason,” Myrtle chimed in, and linked arms with Zerlinda. “We don’t want you around anyway for story time!”
Frowning, Mason shouted, “No, you shut up, Myrtle! If you know what’s good for you,” and shook his fist at her.
Right then, Herman re-entered the room. “Hey, boy! What did I tell you about bullying your sister?”
“Sorry, Grandpa.”
Ravenna offered, “Perhaps we should go.”
Herman clapped his hand hard on Mason’s shoulder. “Nonsense! What do you say, Mason?”
“No stay. I’ll listen quietly.” Plopping down in the corner of the large sofa, the boy crossed his arms across his chest. Ravenna indicated the girls should sit with him. They complied but distanced themselves. When the children quieted, Ravenna spun her tale.
“By being cooperative, the Fairy Queen granted their wish. Immediately, Goban and Thaddeus were transported across Dawn and into the Sun Kingdom. They found themselves in a circle with three paths leading away from it as the spokes radiate from the hub of a bicycle wheel. In the middle of the crossroads was a statue that had three faces. Each face, looking at the path ahead. The little stone cherub was humming to itself and ignoring them.
As all the pathways seemed the same, the gnome addressed the aspect of the statue that pointed towards them. ‘Hello, my friend. Perhaps you can help us.’
The chubby child became attentive, smiled sweetly at him, and answered, ‘Certainly.’
‘We were wondering which road is best.’
‘Not my decision. Ask the other,’ it replied and nodded towards one side. So, the gnome and boy moved around to talk to this face of the statue. Strangely, it was the same as if they hadn’t moved at all. ‘Excuse me, but which path should we take?’ Goban asked it.
‘Not my decision. Ask the other,’ this face said and performed the same motion as before.
So, they moved around the circle once more and asked the new, yet identical, face again. ‘Excuse me, but which trail should we choose?’ Receiving the same answer, they arrived back at where they started.”
Herman entered the room and gave Ravenna her tea. “Thank you,” she told him. Sitting down in the adjacent armchair, her neighbor drank from his mug of coffee. She took a few sips of tea before asking him, “Shall I continue the story?” Before he could answer, the children answered in unison, a resounding yes. Ravenna laughed and continued.
“Frustrated, Thaddeus pulled Goban aside and whispered, ‘This statue isn’t helping at all. Perhaps, I should threaten it,’ he suggested and patted his knife in its sheath.
The gnome shook his head. ‘No, no. This is Fairy Magic. I should have figured that the Queen wouldn’t make it so easy. It is an illusion. We must figure out how to get the right answer.’ Meantime, the stone cherub had gone back to humming and ignored them.
The gnome approached it again. ‘Will you answer our question truthfully?’
‘Certainly.’
‘Which way is the best to go?’
‘The best way is to read the signs,’ the statue advised.
‘The signs?’ Neither Thaddeus nor Goban had noticed signs before, but they looked up, and, sure enough, there were three signposts. They read Thisaway, Thataway, and AnyWay.
‘That’s no help!’ Thaddeus exclaimed. He realized he must figure it out by himself. It was his quest, was it not?”
Ravenna took another couple of sips of her tea.
“So, Thaddeus stroked his chin and contemplated the problem. Maybe the scroll had the answer. The prince got out the scroll and read it again. ‘Cut through the Dark and the One Light shall be found.’
After replacing the document, the teenager looked carefully at each road. They were all the same. Hazy, they disappeared in the distance. All the paths seemed to lead to nowhere. Which one to take? Maybe that’s the illusion, the prince thought. Perhaps, there is something at this place that I am not seeing.
Thaddeus stepped up to the statue and asked, ‘What is here that I am not seeing?’
‘Use your imagination to go where you want,’ the statue answered.
So Thaddeus closed his eyes and imagined that he knew the path to complete his tasks. He envisioned the way appearing to him and walking down it. When the prince opened his eyes, he was still in the same spot. However, there was something different about the crossroads. He noticed something that he had not seen before. A fine netting of glimmering, dark energy formed a dome over them and covered the forks in the road. A giant bubble enclosed them. That is when Thaddeus knew it was time to use his magic knife.
Without saying a thing to the gnome, the teen removed the knife and lunged at the bubble before it disappeared. A hole torn in the barrier, the black net dissolved away. The statue gone, only one road remained. In its place was a placard with writing.
Thaddeus read the notification out loud. ‘To find the One, travel this road. Once you pass the village of Beacon, you continue 1.5 kilometer until the pathway forks. You will see a small graveyard on your left. Pass through it. From there, continue 1.5 kilometers more and stop just before the Bridge of Sol. On your right, written signs will appear. This will lead you to a wooden bench, a small well and stone steps that lead downhill. You will come to another path at the bottom of the steps. Follow the slippery slope past the waterfalls and into the shade. At the foot of the mountain, there you will find sigils on the rock. The Hidden Doorway will appear.’
‘Well done, my boy!’ Goban congratulated the prince. His face beaming with pride at his accomplishments, Thaddeus smiled at the gnome.
Surprised, Goban smiled back. ‘M’lord, your face is so… different!’ The gnome chuckled. ‘Since Hummingbird got left behind, I suppose I am your guardian now.’ The small man in the red cap motioned to the road. ‘Shall we begin the Quest anew?’
Ravenna finished her tea and looked at her watch. “Well, we’d better get home Zerlinda.”
Not surprised that the kids looked disappointed, Ravenna had to suppress a grin when she looked at Herman. His face had the same expression. She gave him a cordial smile.
“Maybe you could come back again tomorrow,” he suggested. “For tea and story time.”
Next: The Myth of Madame Mariposa No. 2: Part 4-Into the Depths
