Volume One Chapter One Pre-teen Stories
Prologue Story
Lasta Coop The Christmas Thief
It was in the middle of the nineties there was a fat old woman that hated her descendants so much that she ensured that they paid with the families favourite thing; Christmas. As it was said that it was on Christmas day that their progenitors met and on another that they fell in love. Yet it was also said that this progenitor was also born on Christmas too. The name of this villain was Lasta Coop. She would, in the dead of night past midnight, crawl up from her secret place under their house, which was underneath the cellar and was like a complete house under theirs, and would take all the presents and Christmas food and take them all back to one of the many rooms where she lived. Which she built each time she ran out of space to put all of the stolen goods.
This all changed one night before Christmas eve. When she was in a deep sleep in the bottom room in her housing structure, where she slept upon a single mouldy mattress that was falling apart. One that she knew that she would have to replace soon. Along with the electric heater, fridge and freezer.
In her dream she was walking in a strange graveyard in the dead of night. She noticed that the gravestones were in two rows and in the middle was a well trodden path marked only by blue stones. She was holding a bouquet of white roses and she was in a wedding dress. As she walked on she recognised the names on the gravestones as the people she had met and those who were her enemies.
Soon her white roses turned red as her dress turned grey. Soon it became darker and darker until she was at the end where she was in nothing but black and her roses were just as black. From their heads flowed blood. Blood she neither wanted nor asked for. She never wanted to walk this path of blood but fate had decided to put her on this. All she wanted was to return home and live a normal life yet she had been denied that ever since she was a child.
She stopped in front of the gravestone in the centre of the last row. Then her eyes dropped to the gravestone in front of her and it had a name on it that she did not expect; hers! She looked back up to see none other than the Grim Reaper in front of her, his scythe dripping with fresh blood.
“Tomorrow I will come for you Lasta Coop and I will take you to see my master.” He said as she woke up screaming.
What was that! Just what was that? Was that a vision? How? That’s utterly impossible! I can not die! I am immortal!
Then she had an emotion that she had not felt in a century; fear! This was soon followed by uncertainty.
But what if I can? What if it is? But I do not want to die! I refuse to die! I will not die!
“I will not die! You hear me?” She shouted as she shakily raised her old wrinkly fist as if punching an invisible enemy.
“Joseph, did you hear that?” Asked Mrs Cooper.
“No Joan.” Her husband replied, sleepily. “Get back to sleep.”
“But Jo, I definitely heard something.”
“Maybe it’s Santa, delivering to us our first child.” He continued sleepily.
“But he’s not due to come here until tomorrow night!” She replied. “And when does he visit us? All the presents that we lay down or even he lays down all end up disappearing. Also, I can’t have kids thanks to that botched surgery.”
“Mmm… Yeah you’re right, like he ever does.” He complained.
She had forgotten that she was supposed to keep quiet so that they did not know that she was down here. After all, even though this was her home, she knew that should her descendants find her, she would not be able to stay for much longer. Not to mention the questions that they would have for her, and by the size of her stomach she knew that they would know who it was that ate all their Christmas food!
She stayed awake for the rest of that night so that she would not have another dream like the one that she had. She remained awake until she closed her eyes for a light nap until some pain woke her up. She knew that it was night so despite the pain in her ribs she climbed up the stairs and lifted the door that had concealed her for so long and got herself out. This was a bad idea for some reason the pain in her ribs only increased, but she forced herself to soldier on and climbed up the stairs that led to the living room and she felt a drop of something spill onto her inner thigh. Suddenly she knew what was going on.
When did this happen? The last time that I did this it was centuries ago. She wondered as the pain became too much for the old woman and soon she fell on the floor crying out as the pain intensified. Soon she was in tears as she heard the Coopers run down the stairs.
Oh what luck! She thought to herself.
“What the Hell’s happening here?” Asked Mr Cooper.
“It doesn’t matter yet Joe! That old lady. She’s going into labour! Quick get an ambulance! Now Joe!”
“But where did she come from? Who the Hell is she anyway?”
“Joe, we can ask those questions later when the babies come. Now do as I say!” She snapped.
She turned to the old woman.
“It’s alright, it’s alright, push, push. I’ll be here, I’ll be here.” She said as she held onto her hand that gripped her tightly and she rocked Lasta to help the baby come through.
Lasta looked up at the woman and recognised her.
“Mother?” She asked as she closed her eyes for a moment.
“What was that Miss?” She asked as the husband came in.
“Lasta, my name is Lasta Coop, and I want my final descendants to have my last name, not yours! Please give them my last name!” She begged as she drew her last breath, just as the ambulance sirens came.
“I think she’s dead.” Her disbelieving husband remarked.
As the doctors came it turned out that they had to get the corpse to the hospital as soon as possible, and there they cut a pair of twins out of their mothers womb before they could suffocate. Fortunately they did this in a nick of time for both children could be saved. One was a girl, the other a boy.
“So what will happen to them?” Mrs Cooper asked the nurse.
“We shall have to take them to a home.” He replied.
“Do they have to, I mean can we not adopt them?” She asked.
“I can’t see why not, if you fill out the forms and get yourself evaluated.” He explained.
This part did not take that long and when they returned home they got what they truly wanted above all that they wanted, two children, the girl they named after their mother, and the brother Latso Coop, after Joseph Cooper’s father, and in honour of the old stranger’s last request they kept her name.
Lasta Coop and the Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny was hiding his second egg, as to respect what Jesus Christ had done two years before. He wanted to mark this as an annual moment. It was his way to symbolise the new life he had given to the humans. Which was why he was gifted with near human intelligence. When he heard something behind him the next thing he felt was pain. Then everything went black.
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It had been five years since Lasta Coop and Latso Coop had been adopted by Mrs and Mr Cooper. They were walking to school for the first time. Even though they were five they were quite knowledgeable in things that sometimes surprised and shocked their adopted parents. Such as when Lasta had her bracelet stuck around her wrist she knew to use water to get it off.
Then there was her odd ability to be able to read when she was only three and a half! It seemed that both had taught themselves how to read. It seemed that at the age of two both had noticed that the letters and words mean something. So they observed their parents closely to see what they said and matched their words to the letters and words on the page. During this time they had taught themselves how to speak by reading a dictionary to each other like bedtime stories.
What did she do when she could do this? She read basic books on a whole range of things. Afterwards, Lasta mainly, would put the words into practice. Both had an eagerness to learn all they could, about everything that interested them. For Latso it was the history of weapons and warfare. For Lasta it was about nursing and fighting.
“So, do you think that we’ll learn anything today?” She asked her brother out of a childish curiosity.
Latso shrugged.
“I dunno. After all, do you remember what mum and dad told us? That the children here don’t even know how to read nor write. So I don’t expect so.” He replied with a smile.
“Anyway, why don’t we race there, last one's a rotten egg!” He called
He said as he broke out into a run.
“Not on your life!” His sister called as she too broke out into a run.
Then when he had turned a corner she felt herself fall down a back portal with green electricity surrounding. She then fell and fell until she spotted that there was green below. Then she landed on the grass. She looked around and spotted that she was in the middle of a field and she could tell by the temperature that she was not in Britain, in fact the place seemed to be somewhere near Rome.
“Here, let me.” Said a strange guy as she felt herself being pulled up from the ground and gently let her down on her feet.
“Thank you, sir.” She said, as she suddenly felt slightly weak like she had run a mile and had pushed herself too hard.
“You’re very welcome, young Lasta Coop. Could I interest you in a quest?” He asked.
She looked up to a man with her black hair and deep blue eyes. He had a pale and handsome but gaunt face.
“What's in it for me? And how did you know my name anyway?” She asked as she panted.
“One, whatever you ask for, and I know your name because I am deeply connected to your future, however I must not divulge that information to you for that would be destructive to everything.” He said, as he brushed her off and looked at her mouth.
“Neat, but what should I call you?” She asked.
“Le Tempestas De Venire, or LTDV if you prefer.” He said, bowing low to her. “After all, I know that you prefer acronyms to names that are too long for you.”
“So what’s this quest that you spoke of?” She asked.
“The Easter Bunny has been captured by his greatest rival the Easter Duck and it is up to you to rescue him.” He said as his body rose up.
“Okay, but what’s in it for me?” She asked.
“Anything that you wish, but I will only give it to you when the quest is done.” He said as leaves engulfed him and then when they were gone so was he.
After reading books like The Chronicles Of Narnia and all Wizard Of Oz books (which shocked her mum and dad when they found out about the other fourteen) Lasta now knew what to do, but the question now was, how to do it? She then felt a leaf rest on her head and she heard LTDV’s voice in her head.
“You must go to his castle located in the middle of the Forest Of Sacrifice, where you must sacrifice something of value to get in.” He said.
“Then all you need to do is follow the lapis lazuli road.” He said as the wind picked up and blew it away.
She walked down to the path and she then took out her gold plated locket that belonged to her biological mother and hung it on one of the trees. She then followed the road made up with shards of lapis lazuli. She picked one up knowing that her adopted mother would love it as a gift. She then pocketed it and then set off in a light jog just to cut down time.
When she got to the place her mussels were aching, but she pushed on and climbed a tree to get a better look of the place. She could feel some splinters in the palm of her hands that once she was at the top she picked out with her nails. She then looked up at the castle as she then looked down to see just how high the castle wall was and how smooth it was too.
Looks like I can’t climb over that and judging by the number of guards placed out of the castle means that fighting my way in is just as out of the question. When was that on the table? After all they would be properly trained unlike me, who has nothing but a bunch of books to reference. Which means there is only one thing that I can do...
“I surrender!” She said at the gates as she raised her hands to get the gesture across.
All of the guards looked at her as if to question her.
“I came here to steal the Easter Duck’s gold. Found it too hard.”
“Seize her!” Shouted one of the guards.
“But she is only just a little child!” Argued one.
“And then eat the duck for my lunch.” She added just as her stomach growled coincidently. “I’m hungry!”
“You know what, I suddenly do not care that she is a child!” He said with anger in his voice.
Soon they were on her and she had chains on her and was in a cell before she could even say anything else. Now that she was in she knew that she would have to think of a way to get out of the cell and then find the Easter Bunny then get out of the castle before she was even spotted.
Well first thing’s first, I think that I need to get these off my wrists. I’m gonna have to wash my hands after this.
Scratch that! I’m gonna have to wash all over after this!
She raised her wrists to her mouth and started licking them until she had a band of saliva and then pushed it off. Soon they were both on the floor. She picked then up knowing that they would come in handy later. She then looked up, fortunately they seemed to believe that she was still not that much of a threat enough to place guards at her door.
It seems that because I’m a kid they don’t take me seriously enough. This is good.
She then checked the door to see if it was locked, but as it opened she knew that something was up. Even though she was five she knew that this was suspicious. She ran and ran when she came to a door she jumped and there he was, she looked around, wondering where everyone was. She then took a slide out of her hair and broke it. She then looked through the keyhole and tested the door for traps and to see if it was locked. After she was satisfied she started to pick at the lock. It took her longer than she thought but she opened the door.
“I’m Lasta Coop and I’m here to get you out of here.” She said and soon they were running in the hallway and again, there seemed to be none in the halls nor outside. Her eyebrows were beginning to ache out of the pressure that her frown gave off.
Why aren’t anyone trying to stop us? Is something going on?
When they were out of the Forest Of Sacrifice, Lasta spotted that her locket was there. Where she had left it. She reached out to retrieve it but the branch retreated into the trunk. Getting the message she walked on. They then walked to where Lasta met LTDV. She then looked back and spotted a shadow in the sky then...BOOM! The Easter Duck's castle was no more.
“Was anyone in that?” The Easter Bunny asked.
“I..I dunno...Wait, you can talk!” She exclaimed.
“Yes, and you need to get back to your home time. But as a thank you, I bestow upon you immortality, however this will come into effect on your eighteenth birthday, however if you become completely evil before this day, you shall be robbed of your immortality.” He said as the green portal opened, sucking her back in.
“But what happened?” She shouted back at him.
“I think that you will find out when you are older!” He called as she came out the other end.
Lasta Coop In Space
A year had passed since Lasta Coop rescued the Easter Bunny and, despite telling everything to everyone and having the wounds to prove it, not one person believed her, not even her twin Latso. Although they did enjoy her telling them, and loved all the detail in her descriptions. They also liked to discuss them too, which confused her but what confused her more was the fact that they always asked her where she got her ideas from. Regardless of how many times she told them they continued asking that.
Then a week after her sixth birthday party she was in the garden when she spotted a light surrounding her and with it came an odd heat. It was not a dangerous heat but a welcoming one, like when you are cold but this was summer so it was odd. She felt an odd sense of security as she felt the weight decrease from her feet and soon she was in the air. Travelling up into the sky until she felt herself dematerialise and with a flash she was gone!
The next thing that Lasta saw was a dark room with coal black walls that looked like they were made of black glass. As she breathed the air felt uncomfortable in her lungs and had a mild smoky scent. She could feel the gravity was pressing heavily on her but not enough for it to become unbearable. She looked down the hall and could see flashes of light down the hall. She heard a deafening noise as her ears painfully popped.
She was about to turn round fully until something threw a punch her way which she was able to dodge. Then another one quickly followed however she could not dodge this one.
“You are far younger than I remember, Lasta Coop.” She heard a deep breaking voice say. “Well, regardless. I-”
She then saw a flash and then he was gone! Then a hand extended to her. She took it and was pulled up. She looked up at the one who helped her. The creature had beautiful navy blue scales like a fish or snake but the edges of each scale glowed light emerald. It’s eyes were white with only a horizontal slit shape to identify where the pupils were. It was wearing bulky clothing made of material like plastic and leather.
“Lasta.” She corrected feeling nervous.
“I am so very sorry, however he escaped from our prison.” Said a whisper-like voice.
“What on Earth are you talking about? And how do you even know my name anyway?” She asked.
“Well, my name is Detor and that was Otb, I know of you and your legends. Otb, is an evil alien that had just recently escaped from the Intergalactic Planet Prison or IPP for short.” He explained with a mournful tone. “He was once a vessel of hope and ridicule on his home planet. The one with silver eyes and purple flesh.”
“So, is he dead?” She asked.
“Hardly! He is your enemy, and he will try to kill you until you turn eighteen and become immortal.” He replied. “However, you will have to face him and his traps designed to kill you in order to go back to Earth and leave what you Earthlings call the Back Knight.”
“And do I get a reward if I survive?” She asked.
“You get to live and go home.”
“Ha! Thanks a lot!” She remarked sarcastically as Detor started to vanish.
“Good luck!” He said as he disappeared completely leaving her to wander the Black Knight.
Wonder where it came from? Is it alien, or is it from some lost time where all humanity had access to technology far beyond when they should? Well maybe, maybe not. What if this was built by magic, or what if it comes from a different world entirely?
She heard her stomach start to rumble as she started to look for something to eat. That was when food presented itself, almost magically in front of her. It looked like a purple mixture of jelly and jam. It smelt like a fruity icing. She felt her mouth watering as her eyes felt like they were watering too, as they threatened to let out tears of joy.
She walked up to the food but she then doubled back when she saw glowing white eyes looking at her and as she did she spilt the food which burnt a hole in the floor below her like it was made of acid! She let out an instinctive scream. She only stopped when she heard Otb’s laughter which reminded her that her scream was nothing but entertainment to this foe.
So she got up as he ran away and they ran from one room to the following room. Then he suddenly turned round and as he did she saw that he looked like a boy in his middle teens just with dark purple skin that looked as if it was almost turning black but with white glowing eyes. He had long crimson locks with a fringe that sat just below the jawline. She may have been far too young to appreciate it but she could not help but notice that he was not only close to a human but also had a face that maybe someone older would call handsome.
Then he smiled, showing off his pointed blindingly white teeth. She was about to run at him until she heard a noise behind her and spotted that the doors behind closed and as her head turned back she broke out into a run as the doors ahead slammed shut! She banged into them then as she started to breathe fast she felt that the air was getting thinner and thinner. She soon realised what was going on.
She lay down and held her breath and closed her eyes and extended her arm and then waited. She soon felt her lungs tell her to open her mouth to let in some air, however she knew that if she did tat then she would die, after all her immortality did not come into effect until she was eighteen and to become immortal she would have to reach it to eighteen. So regardless of how much her lungs thirsted for it.
Then as soon as she heard the doors open she scrambled to her feet and ran through the door until she felt herself slam into the floor! She tried to get up but it seemed as if her weight had somehow increased. She then spotted that the door across was open and she had to slide herself to it. As she did she could feel her weight increase again and again. She started to feel her muscles ache and threatened to quit on her but she knew that if she could just get to the door then she would be fine. Then as her chin skimmed the floor she was out and she felt her body become lighter and lighter as she passed through the doors.
Lasta felt herself shaking as she tried to get herself back under control. Then she felt something hit her in the temple. She found herself on the floor as the pain sunk in as she spotted Otb above her holding a blunt knife she touched her temple fortunately for her the blade had not pierced it. She quickly dived out of the way before another assault could touch her she then got to her feet and charged at his loin hitting it with her fist. Then she felt a hand pull her hair and a knee in her gut. She collapsed as saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth.
“Well you have only brought this upon yourself. You know, if you had done what I had said we would not even be in this situation.” He taunted.
“What are you talking about?” She asked.
“Oh, oh! You are not the Lasta Coop that I met, no, you must be her younger version. How very interesting.” He said as he knelt down to her and looked at her.
He then stroked her left bottom eyelid, his eyes glowing with something that resembled a malicious curiosity.
“You have identical coloured eyes. No, you are not her at all! You are just a girl, barely a child, but too old to be a toddler. Yes that is what you are!”
Lasta Coop could feel his breath on her face as she gripped onto something and pulled. She was about to hit him with it until she felt something shudder. She lost her balance and soon she could feel Otb’s weight on her. She felt her arms being pinned down.
“Now, now, now, stop that.” He whispered in her ear. “Now-”
Suddenly she felt his weight decrease and he was fading before her eyes. Soon she was back home wondering what happened.
Probably triggered a teleport system. She deduced as she walked home to get something to eat.
Lasta Coop In Fairyland
A year passed and Lasta had begun to realise that nobody believed her when she told everyone about her last two adventures and her parents had been considering sending her to a therapist to find out if there was anything wrong with her. So she started to keep quiet about her adventures and started to pretend that they never happened, although she used other ways to tell people about them by portraying them as nothing more than just stories.
Then one Saturday, she found herself alone, her parents and Latso were out shopping at a car-boot. She had noticed that her tales of adventure had started to drive a rift between them and the guys that he had hung around with recently had driven that rift even further. So she would usually find herself watching whatever was on her favourite channel Toonami, which was on a new Sky box, which had just recently placed an advert stating that it was going to fuse with Cartoon Network.
I hope that this will not affect Teen Titans...
She then found herself feeling tired and her eyelids dropped. When they did, a light moved closer towards her and then it shone brighter and brighter, until it revealed to be a tall woman with green fly-like wings. She picked her up and took out her emerald wand and from the tip a green light sparked and leaves came from it. They spiralled around the two until there was a mini-tornado. Then the leaves turned red and they were gone!
Lasta woke up in a gold chair filled with a leafy pattern with a comfortable red material that she could not identify. She looked ahead at a man with muscles that could take down an elephant and hair that seemed to be made from gold with gold eyes to match with flakes of sunlight making his eyes light up.
“Who are you?” She asked as she looked behind him to see a pair of wings that looked like a three pointed leaf that was painted gold.
“I am the King La Fey, or King Elric.” He said, bowing politely.
“Well…Urm… hi…Why am I here?” She asked, trying to mask her anger with bashfulness.
“I have a quest for you.”
“What's in it for me?” She asked, her eyes narrowing.
“One wish that your heart desires.” He replied.
She looked aside pretending to think about it.
“What's the quest?” She asked.
“There are four lost stones of Fairyland, that I have lost, if you do not find them then nether my son or daughter can be born into a world of safety, after all, if these stones in the wrong hands-”
“Fine! I'll take it!” She snapped, not even wanting to know what would happen.
“Thank you.” He said as he gave her a scroll. When she rolled it out it was a map of Fairyland she had noticed that the place was made up of two wings one was light green and the other dark.
“That is the map of Fairyland and it shall help you find them, it will give you clues and hints on where to go, I can not use it for unfortunately it was designed by a human so that only a human can use it.” He explained. “If I could read it I would be doing this myself.”
Lasta nodded and set off. She looked at the map and spotted that a cave was glowing on it. So she deduced that that was the place where she needed to be. After putting away the map she headed to where the cave was. It seemed to be a state forward trek through a beautiful forest. She let her mind wander as she looked at the greenery which was nothing like the forest that she was used to. It was not only green it was emerald green and so quiet that she could hear the stream wherever it was and she could hear the sound of laughter and child fairies having fun and playing like there was no tomorrow. The lighting was rich and gentle like the whole place was filled with a light that she could not quite explain.
When she came close to the place she could feel the cold presence of something evil but she tried not to focus on that as she came to the cave. She then spotted that the scroll that the map was on lit up and on the rolled up side words glowed a colour in between green and turquoise.
Child beware
Danger is in there
Protected by a riddle
Let not your mind
Fall into a fiddle
For the answer you must find
She looked up and spotted the riddle immediately. It was engraved and coated in a layer of moss surrounded by an overgrown rose bush.
Find My Name
My Shadow
My Twin
My Apple
My Bin
What the heck does that mean? And how on Earth can I even find the name of this poem?
Hold on! Remember what you read about code?
Yeah! Sometimes a code is hidden by following lines! Good, now I need to figure out what the-
No, that would not work, after all the first two letters are all the same!
But the three after are not.
Oh, yeah!
What do they spell?
“Stab!” She exclaimed.
Then she spotted something breaking in front of her like glass, but something told her that it was not glass, probably some sort of magic barrier. Regardless, something told her that it was safe for her to go in. Which she did, then the scroll glowed the colour the words did but now they were gone and the whole thing was fully lit like it was radioactive. She did not have to go in far, for the stone was right ahead of her. A clear blue stone with a white snowflake lay inside.
She picked it up and let it fall into her pocket as she turned around to get out of the cave. When she was out of the cave she opened the map to see where she was to go next. She spotted that a forest was now glowing. Then she looked at what the forest was called; Mankiller Forest. Her heart skipped a beat slightly as she could only imagine what would await her there. She bit her lip as she let out a deep breath.
She followed the map and before she entered Mankiller Forest she looked at the map to see if there was anything that it would give her to help her through this but all it did was give her the most unhelpful poem that she could ever think of.
Here I can help you not
If you are fool and fearful
You will stay and rot
Be like those merry and cheerful
See the truth of the trees
Songs of the heart
Voice of the breeze
And then you will part
Thanks a lot! She spat out of spite as she took her first step into the forest. Then she felt something hit her in the back as the roots jabbed at her. Yeah, ‘if you are fool and fearful’ what a bunch of nonsense!
She could only dodge the attacks of the tree branches and the roots that clearly wanted to impale her. She ducked thrice and jumped thrice. She did this trice until she spotted a pattern they were only coming at her in threes, three branches, then three roots, three branches again. So she knew that her window was when the branches came at her. She jumped to the floor then flipped under them and then she spun to avoid the roots. Then the branches came at her again, she waltz stepped to avoid it then she did the same with the other two. Then the roots came again and soon she spun again, just the other way to avoid getting dizzy. She again waltz stepped, again she did this the opposite direction. She did this until the trees suddenly became less frightening and she lost herself in her dancing. Then before she knew it she was now in the heart of Mankiller Forest.
On a stone was the next stone, this one was green with a leaf inside. She then took it and let it in the other pocket. She then opened the map, the next place that it highlighted was a place that was called Desert Of Determination. She rolled it back up and then there were yet more words on the scroll.
In the Desert your
Determination becomes
Rewarding to you
So, you’re doing haikus now? She thought sarcastically as she danced her way out of Mankiller Forest.
She followed the map to the Desert Of Determination. She spotted that the grass thinned out and the sand was becoming more and more. Soon it started to get into her shoes and socks. Her lip curled feeling just how uncomfortable the sand-grains were she soon found that the place was getting more and more hot as she walked on. Soon she was sweating and she could smell the scent of her sweat. Then the sand that collected in her shoes started to feel warmer and warmer until it became hot. Soon she felt the grains burning her feet as sweat had come out of her skin. She started to feel tired as the heat started to take its toll on her energy. As she swallowed her saliva to keep herself hydrated she could feel it was getting dryer and dryer. She could feel the temptation of just sitting down but she knew that she would have to go on, for she knew what would happen if she sat down for just one second.
Her vision started to go blurry as her legs threatened to give way. She forced herself to focus onwards and soon her determination rewarded her as she saw on the horizon an orange dot and soon she could tell that as she came closer and closer the stone became more visible. So she kept her eyes fixed on the stone, driving everything to getting closer and closer to the stone. Soon she was able to see that it was in the centre of a stone circle. In the centre of the stone was a flame.
When she finally got to the place she was able to pick it up and put it in her pocket. She was about to move on until a man appeared in front of her. He was dressed in a black cloak and had black leather gloves on. His face was hidden in the darkness of his hood. Lasta wondered how on Earth he was not hot underneath what he was wearing.
Then he took out a clear, glass-like stone with a cloud inside; the final stone!
“Congratulations for coming this far Lasta Coop, and as you can see I have the final stone of your quest. I will give it to you if you can tell me what each stone represents.” He explained.
“Well, the first one was blue, with a snowflake in, so I’m guessing that represents water, the second was green, with a leaf in, so that must represent Earth, and this one,” She patted the one that she had obtained. “is orange which has a fale in, so it must be fire and the one that you have is see through, like glass or diamond, and it has a cloud in so, air? Together they must represent the four elements.”
She heard a sound like a laugh, or a sigh, or both. He then tossed the stone to her. She reached out to catch the stone but it hit the tips of her fingers and then rolled into her arms.
“You pass.”
He then placed a hand on her shoulder and the surroundings changed to the King Elric’s castle.
“So, you have succeeded. Now what is it that you wish?” Asked the king behind her.
“Proof that all that I can bring back to mine so that everyone will believe me.” She replied.
The king nodded as he rose from his throne like he had been trained to do so gracefully. He then covered her right eye and closed his eyes. He then muttered something underneath his breath, and her eye felt hot and tingly, but it did not hurt. Then she removed his hand from her eye and when he did it revealed the colour had changed from brown to silver, not grey-silver, but actual silver!
“Now they shall believe you.” He said as she gave him the stones.
Soon she was back and she was in time to see a repeat of Dragon Ball Z. She looked at the time and she spotted that she had been in Fairyland only three hours!
✴️
“So, that went well.” Said a man that simply went by The Watcher.
“Well, she must be trained for what is to come when she nears the day of her immortality.” Said the King.
Strange Case Of Otb
“Look, I know that you say that your right eye changing its colour is due to...The Fairy King changing it with magic, but are you sure that it is not anything in your life that could be causing this? Maybe a traumatic accident?” Shadi asked.
She was a professional therapist that fled from Pursa as a young child when the country became dangerous for someone like her. She had dealt with children of all ages that were deeply troubled. Mainly after seeing how it affected his parents.
The eight year old with blond-brunette hair and one brown eye and the other silver let out a huff. She looked aside in an annoyed anger. If she was like most children her age she would have thrown a paddy and only, seemingly, proved the woman’s point. She felt her lip curl just wishing to do nothing but knock her out.
She just simply shrugged with her folded arms.
“Oh, I don’t know. How else can your eye miraculously change from brown to silver, a colour that ordinary humans don’t have?” She asked, calmly with only but a hint of sarcasm.
“Oh, I don’t know. Anything can happen these days.” She explained.
“What, like apparently anything these days can cause cancer?” She sighed.
She let out a short laugh.
“I’m sorry, I forgot that you’re far brighter than most children your age.”
“And not all children my age had any attempts on my life!” She laughed absurdly.
“But, apparently you’re immortal ain’t you?” She asked.
“No, that kicks in when I’m eighteen.” She corrected.
She sighed as she left the session and soon she was feeling the familiar sensation of teleportation. She spotted the darkened hallway and knew that she was back on the Black Knight.
“Lasta Coop, I have a job for you to do.” Sang, a familiar voice.
Sighing slightly, trying not to groan, she knew she was in danger, on yet another adventure that nobody was going to believe.
“What do you want, Otb?” She shouted, irritated.
“Well, what do you think? I want revenge and to do that I want to kill you, however I am not an unfair hybrid, I will give you a chance to live, only if you pass my tests.” He said as Lasta spotted that there was something different in his voice. It was almost robotic, almost like he was trying to hide his emotions. Maybe he did not want to appear too much like he was enjoying himself.
Wonder why that is? Well, whatever is going on I’m just going to have to go along with it until I can find my way out of here then I can go home. She thought as her eyes dropped to the door ahead of her.
Knowing that this was the only way to go forward she walked over the door which opened automatically. Then she came to three doors, one with a red light surrounding, one with amber and the last green. She smiled, noticing the colours were like traffic lights.
“Now solve this first task to get you one step closer to me and, possibly, home.” Otb’s voice came from the speakers.
“I am good, I am bad,
I am happy, I am sad,
I am the colour of envious sin,
I am the colour of the first win,
I am the colour of snake also,
And for some I mean go!”
What? Lasta’s lip curled as she thought about the riddle as carefully as she could, her mind tracing every word. ‘I am good and bad’...Well that could mean anything, ‘I am happy and sad’...Also, anything…’I am the colour of envious sin’...Why so envious? Wait! Envy, snakes, go that’s it!
“It's green!” She concluded as the green door opened leading her to the next test that Otb had planned for her.
She found herself in another room with four doors but above the doors were words in white light. From left to right; ignis, ventus, aqua and finally terra. She sighed. Again? Seriously? What riddle is he going to give me this time? Well whatever it is it'll lead to the next room, I'm just hoping that it isn't another riddle like these two...It'll get really boring really quickly and I really need to get home...
“Alright, Otb, what's the next riddle?” She asked, clearly demonstrating her annoyance.
“Patience, why you have hardly changed much.” He commentated.
“Well I am soever sorry, but you don’t have to get home by a specific time.” She replied sarcastically.
“Well I am soever sorry for being such an inconvenience, but do you want to know the difference between you and I? Only one of us has a choice to be here and I can end you at any moment.” He replied, adopting her tone. “No matter I will provide you your riddle;
“I am the grass,
I am the trees,
I am the place of your birth
I am the place of your death,
I am the ground which you walk on,
What am I?”
She sighed as she raised her eyebrow.
Is he even trying? She thought as she walked to the door with terra written above.
Then she spotted a long tunnel that had a line of water dripping from it. She knelt down and spotted that it was longer than she thought. She closed her left eye and with her silver eye she could see that there was another room on the other side. Soon she could see something sparkling on the other side, like stars. Soon she knew why there was a line of water at the bottom of the tunnel.
“As you can see there is a tunnel and I know that leads to the next room. As you can see the water on the other side, it is only going to rise. Now here is the task, get to the other side, before the water rises to the top and drowns you.” He said again in that robotic tone.
Lasta nodded as she turned to walk back but was greeted by the door. Now the message was clear. She had only one option, she bit her lip in frustration. She had no choice but to turn back and climb inside. Her index finger on the line of water and her finger retracted. It was ice cold! Her heart raced and her face had no colour in it whatsoever.
What the heck have I gotten myself into this time! I’d take the-JUST GET INSIDE!
She felt her palms on the bottom of the narrow tunnel. It was fortunate that she was so small, for if she was average sized this would be a whole lot more difficult. As she travelled through the tunnel she could feel the water rising and her knees were getting numb. She could see her breath clouding her vision. Her school trousers were now soaking and she could feel her hips and legs shaking. She had started to cough as the cold entered her lungs. She soon was breathing uncontrollably rapid as she could see the water reach her elbow.
What? I thought that I had more time than that! Just how fast is this water rising anyway? She looked up ahead and her heart started to sink into the water below. COME ON!
She had no choice but to hurry up, but she started to feel colder and colder. Then the parts of her body that were underneath the water were beginning to hurt. She looked up and took her eyes. She started to feel the water underneath her chin. She placed one hand and foot in front of the other. Now her whole body was under the water. Then when she did not expect it she slipped under the water. Soon she was under the water and she knew that she had to stand. She could feel the ice cold water hit her. Her legs could move and she tried to stand but her legs missed their target. Her lungs were screaming. She tried again and this time they hit the floor. Soon she drank in the air like a soundless scream.
The doors opened leading to the room where Otb was. Her eyes were boiling with rage and she ran at him and then gave him a punch.
“GO TO HELL!” She shouted as he went flying.
When he hit the floor he looked around.
“Where in the Universe am I?” He asked as his eyes dropped to the girl.
He then stood and rushed at her. She just barely dived out of the way. She then tried to hit him in the knee but he blocked her and took her by the collar. Soon he was breathing on her.
“What in the Universe happened to me? Is this one of the other enemies that you have?” He demanded.
“I don’t know! I don’t know what you’re talking about! I don’t have any other enemies other than you!” She shouted.
“Really?” He asked, almost unconvinced.
He looked aside as he threw her across the room. She was about to land but then she felt something dig into her stomach causing her to urinate. She then felt herself flying in the cold air as she felt something in the curve of her back as she smacked into the floor. She was soon tasting blood as she looked up and spotted the teleportation leaver.
She spat the blood out of her mouth as she rose up knowing exactly what she was going to do. She ran to the leaver but was soon cut off as Otb kicked her in the rib. She cried out in pain as she heard something snap. She dived to the left risking more damage to her rib but she cartwheeled and jumped to the leaver and soon she was back at home. Where she collapsed.
Lasta Coop And The Tooth Fairy
Lasta was nine when she was wiggling her first loose tooth until it came out. She spat out blood that followed and ran to the toilet to clean the tooth. She closed her mouth to keep the blood in and grabbed a roll of toilet paper and spat out the blood into the sink. She then rinsed the paper underneath the cold tap water and stuffed it in her mouth. She felt the grim absence of her tooth as her gums recognised that there was not a tooth there any more.
“Are you alright honey?” She heard her mother ask.
Her father looked at her with slight suspicion. After all, the girl was nine and not once did he ever recall her losing a single tooth. Her twin, Latso, had lost his fifth tooth in the theme park that they went to seven months ago. The first tooth when he was five like ordinary kids his age. Yet nothing from her. He had become worried about this.
She looked behind her to see her in her black and yellow silk dressing gown. Her mother’s eyes dropped to the clean tooth on the flat ledge of the sink next to the soap. Then she looked at her grinning missing tooth. She smiled.
“Looks like you were the first to lose a tooth...Here, let me!”
She walked over to her daughter and took out the toilet paper and flushed it down the lue. She then took out some baby wipes and cleaned her mouth and chin. She then took out some cotton balls.
“Now open up.” She said as Lasta obeyed.
She then cleaned the inside of her mouth.
“Now, I want you to clean your teeth then put that in a small bag.”
“Right, urm...why?” She asked.
“So that the Tooth Fairy can collect it.” She laughed.
Lasta too started to laugh, more out of irony than anything else.
“So, will you ever tell me what happened last year?” She asked.
“I told you I got into a fight and I ended up in the sea.” She replied.
Her mother nodded as she left her daughter to her own devices. When that was all done Lasta let her tooth drop into a silver bag that was more like a tiny sack, with purple butterflies on them. She smiled as she slid the tooth underneath her pillow.
“Mum, how long will I stay gummy?” She asked.
“Not too long, but don’t worry, you won’t be like Granny Joannna...Well not for a long time.” She said as she left the girl to her dreams.
She remained in slumber. Her dreams, mainly were her fighting nameless and faceless enemies, but the interesting thing about her dreams was the fact that Otb was always there fighting by her side. The only thing that was anything like the real Otb was the fact that he would always deliver a snide comment or two. She was in the middle of a fight when she was shaken awake.
Her blurry sight could see a big light in the room. As it became clear, she could make out thick golden blond hair and brown eyes that looked perfect in every way. It was all too clear that she was looking at a perfect creature who had perfect teeth and crimson wings like a fly but two pairs of them.
“Who are you?” She asked in awe.
“I am the Tooth Fairy, and, Lasta, I need your help.” She said, gravely.
Otoh!
Lasta sighed knowing what this would lead to.
“No.” She muttered quietly to make sure that she did not wake up her parents and brother in the rooms next to hers. “Please, don’t get me wrong, it’s just I’m only nine and a half and I have not only seen more than I want to but, last time I had an adventure, I was almost killed. So no, you’re going to have to find an older version of me instead.”
“I am afraid that I can not do that child, for I am bound to the present and can not travel in time like you can.” She explained.
Lasta frowned and jumped up at that.
“I can do WHAT!?” She exclaimed.
“Yes, however for some reason, your brother does not. So if this is your choice then I am bound by the Fay Code to respect it. If you change your mind however,” She explained as she tossed her a pound with a dragon on it. “Just bite on it. If you need any help, flip it and then bite on it.”
With that she flew off into the night as Lasta rested her head on the pillow. She lay there, just listening to the ticking of the clock just looking at the coin in her fingers. She waited for her mind to become foggy so that she would drift off into sleep, but that did not come.
She heard something fall in her room. Shrugging it off by thinking that it was going to be something that was bound to fall. She was about to turn back around until she saw something out of the corner of her eye which before she knew it. She quickly had dodged out of the way just in time. She spotted that her pillow was in tatters!
What!
She then felt something hit her in the back and she was on the floor. She then felt herself lifting in the air as her eyes spotted the pound coin, then something that seemed to be made of living darkness. She then felt something in her gut but when she was on the floor she gripped the coin and looked up at the creature as she flipped the coin and bit it.
Then as the creature slammed its hand down a light appeared and when it died down she found herself in a forest. She looked around and recognised exactly where she was. For there was not a forest on Earth with such vivid green leaves.
“So, you changed your mind?” She heard the Tooth Fairy say.
“Yeah, kind of hard not to when you're being attacked.” She scoffed.
“By what?”
“A monster that seemed to be made of living darkness.”
“Oh, that was not a monster, well not an ordinary monster. It was the worst kind of monster, a demon, although, fortunately, it was a minor one.” She explained.
“And you thought it was a good idea to bring a kid like me along?” She laughed bitterly.
“I know but you-”
“‘Are my only hope'’? Well I’m sorry to say but I’m no Obi Wan. Anyway, as I have no choice in the matter, what’s the quest? And please be quick, I do want to get back home before my parents wake up.” She said. “And get a good night’s sleep!”
“Well, an evil sorcerer by the name of Morn stole every child’s first lost tooth, and with them he can do any number of things!” She cried. “He would even sell them to many people who would use them to cast cruel curses, people I hope that you never have to ever meet.”
“And tell me, does this Dark Lord Morn, he doesn’t have black hair, pale skin and blue eyes does he?” she asked.
“Yes, why?”
Lasta pointed behind her as a man behind her. He had cosmic blue hair and piercing blue eyes with a dark right around the eyes. He appeared like he was in his late twenties and had high cheekbones wearing ice cold beauty. He wore a black cloak with black trousers and shirt.
He outstretched his hand as a blinding light burst out of the palm of his hand and engulfed the Tooth Fairy. Suddenly she too was the same colour of the light and she was pulled back to the man as she decreased in size. Her face was frozen in a silent scream as she was pulled further and further back. Then, when she was almost a spot the size of Lasta’s thumb nail the man closed his hand and when it reopened there was nothing in it other than a tooth. With horror Lasta realised what had happened.
No! What was that? What did he just do? How did he do that? Why did he do that? No, is he going to do that to me? Oh, he is! No, no, no! I have to get out of here before he can. Why did he do that? What does he want? Her thoughts raced.
“What did you just do?”
He looked at her.
“Don’t worry, she's not dead. I only sent her away. Although she will wish that she was killed by me.”
The rest of his body turned to her
“Well, thank you Lasta, you have given me everything that I need, see I knew that Tooth Fairy would come to save you if I let my demon loose. Now I have her, I have no need of you for now. Now that I have seen what you can do, soon I will control you, and everybody that can dream.” He laughed as he lifted up his hand.
She was about to run but she found herself unable to move. She tried and tried but not even her eyebrows could move to blink!
“Now, stay there like a good little girl, oh, and don’t worry about being in that position forever, after all, it will wear off in half an hour, by which time it would already be too late.”
He laughed as he raised his hands and flew away leaving dead vegetation in the quake of his shadow. Lasta sighed as she glared.
Looks like I’m just going to have to prove you wrong. She shivered as she followed her dead vegetation. I cannot believe that I have just landed myself in yet another adventure!
She then reached the end of the road and she was surrounded by dead trees and dried out soil that felt more like powder than soil. Ahead of her was a tower that had a dark atmosphere. With a door almost hidden by interwoven vines with leaves with the skeletons of their leaves.
She walked on and picked up a stone next to her and threw it at the door. She waited for a while until she was sure nothing would happen. She pushed the door open. She then was greeted by a staircase. She closed the door behind her as she passed through and ran up the stairs right to the top. Where there was another door. She poked the door before she touched the handle and opened the door, where she spotted the tooth that she knew was the Tooth Fairy on a red velvet pillow on a black wood table.
So...That’s why a raven’s like a writing desk...I want one!
She walked right up to the tooth and as she reached out and touched it and as she picked it up the tooth lit up like a light and took the form of the Tooth Fairy.
“What’s-”
“No time, we have to find those teeth before-”
“I knew that you would come like the foolish child as you will always be. Why do you think that I ignored you? Because I knew-what are you doing?” Morn said as Lasta walked to leave.
“Oh, we were about to leave and take all the teeth while you were telling us your whole plan.” She said as if he was being foolish.
“Oh, just that eh? Well never you mind, after all-” He then found himself having to dodge out of the way as Lasta threw a lit torch at him. “WHAT THE HELL!”
“Thought that you could kill us using a simple small torch?” asked an unnerving voice as the demon that attacked her in her bedroom appeared at the top of the stairs. Quickly Lasta looked around for something else to use against the demon. Then her eyes zoomed into a barrel which, she hopped, was wine. She soon was running towards it and she looked back at the Tooth Fairy.
“Look I’ll take care of the demon and you take care of him okay?” She shouted.
“Oh! You will take care of me? How very humorous!” The demon taunted her as she knocked over the barrel and kicked it like a football and hit the demon with it and as he flew back and the contents of the barrel splashed all over the demon. Lasta kicked him over and then fell down the flight of stairs and then collided with the lit fire!
Lasta heard his screams from the top of the stairs as she turned to watch the Tooth Fairy as she hit him in the stomach. She then followed it by a graceful high kick and as he flew at Lasta she dodged out of the way and before he could befall the same fate as the demon, he used his magic to force himself off the wall and hit Lasta in the back of the head. When she was down she felt pain in her hair as her head was being forced upwards. She felt a blade at the base of her throat and Morn close enough for her to see his features. He had deathly pale skin that cast a grey shadow and blue-black lips with black veins visible from the corners of his mouth, almost as if his mouth was locked in some off painted smile. His black eyes where it should be white and his pointed nose that looked as if it was sculpted out of crystal, by an OCD artist.
“Well, let me tell you one thing, Lasta Coop, regardless of how this plays out it will no longer matter, for if I lose here today, I will have won.” He whispered.
“Morn, you coward!” The Tooth Fairy shouted. Morn laughed as she turned to the Tooth Fairy.
“What did you expect me to do? After all, it would hardly matter what you will do. I will have her in the palm of my hands.” He taunted as he stroked her throat with the blunt side of the blade.
“And what do you mean by that?” She asked.
Morn laughed as he pulled her hair higher forcing her to use her hands to hold herself up.
“You will see.” He said as Lasta hit him in the stomach and as she coughed the Tooth Fairy hit him with her magic blast. The Tooth Fairy came to her aid and then they spotted a trap door when they pulled it up a heat like no other hit them in the face as they spotted the teeth below all turning to ash in front of their eyes.
“Looks like that going down’s a bad idea!” She commentated.
The Tooth Fairy nodded as she picked up the girl and flew out of a glassless window to safety.
“Sorry about your teeth collection.” Lasta apologised.
“No worries, they are better destroyed than in the wrong hands.” She replied.
“So, what did you think that he meant by, ‘it would hardly matter if he won or lost’?” She asked.
“I do not know, but look let’s get you back before witching hour.” She said as she used her magic to get them back to her bedroom. The Tooth Fairy took out her wand, which was gold with a golden tooth at the tip and waved it. Soon everything was back to the way things were.
“Oh! I almost forgot!” Lasta exclaimed as she felt under her pillow for her tooth, as she felt nothing, she lifted up her pillows and her stomach sank. She then looked all around her room getting more and more panicked by the second. When she looked back at the Tooth Fairy she was just as pale as Morn.
“Tooth Fairy, did you get my tooth?” She asked with the calm tone of voice that one would use when one was hiding a storm.
The Tooth Fairy's jaw dropped.
“So...That was what he was after....” She concluded. “Lasta I want you to stay here as I will go back to Fairyland to find it.”
“But it’s my tooth! You know what they can do to me now!” She shouted.
“Yes, which is why I must go to look for it without you. You will only become a liability if you came with me.” She explained.
“Right.” she said knowing that she was right. “But make sure that you get it back as soon as possible!”
The Tooth Fairy nodded as she left. Lasta spent the rest of that night biting her nail as she dared not sleep...
Lasta Coop And The Sandman
A year passed and Lasta had started to develop dark shadows under her eyes and she was thinner and smaller than most her age. She had spent the whole year trying not to fall asleep due to her fear of Morn sending her night. Yet she would always find herself falling asleep in the end.
One morning after Lasta had fallen asleep sooner than she wanted, her mother tried to wake her to go to school but the girl did not wake. She tried again. She checked her pulse, she sighed relieved. She was still alive but she was scared as she tried it again to wake her but, again this did nothing. She checked her pulse again.
Steady. That’s good. Now the question is, why is she not waking up?
She then was about to call the doctors until she looked back and to her confusion and horror a wound spontaneously opened up on the ten year old’s cheek! Then another and another. She could do nothing but run down the stairs and scoop up the girl and attend to the wounds.
“Joseph! Joseph! Call the hospital! Something’s happening with Lasta!” she screamed and within the hour she was in the ambulance.
“Bizarre...if I didn’t know any better I would say she is trapped in a state of unconsciousness.” Said the doctor as he looked at the girl as another wound opened and then blood dripped from her back.
“What? How?”
He was about to say something when he more erupting all over her
“WHAT THE HELL!”
✴️
The night before Lasta climbed into bed as usual and as usual she felt her anxiety build in her chest as she fought her tiredness yet, for some reason it was far too powerful this night, so she closed her eyes earlier. She felt her mind relax into the world of dreams and as the shapes of her dream took form the first thing that she noticed was the colour. It was like real life and then something massive was about to hit her when she spotted sand drived it away and then in front of her was a man who looked as if he was controlling the sand which cut through the creature like small knives and the creature fell by her feet.
“What the-”
Lasta looked up to see a monochrome man in a silver suit.
“Lasta...No, you, you are the younger. Ah! Your timeline is difficult to follow...No! Wait! I now know why you are here. You told me about it...The evil sorcerer Morn...He’s trapped you here using your tooth.” He said. “She...YOU! Told me to help you...”
“Who are you?” She asked.
“Well, I am Sandman and the fact that you are here means that this is the version I am meant to help most of all!” He introduced. “And by that I mean you take care of the Dream Demon, forged by the combination of the seven original ones from the days of old.”
Lasta nodded.
“Right.”
“And when facing him try not to fear, it will create a door in your mind and do not doubt that you can defeat it.” He said.
The journey was long and by the time they reached the place Lasta had to take a break to rub her feet. She looked up at the tower which was made of black as if it was moulded into the shape that she saw before her eyes.
That looks better than the other one. She admitted as she felt a creeping dread slowly take i's seat in the pit of her stomach. She then felt something rise in her chest as she felt her heartbeat and breathing pattern increase.
I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be here. Please get me out of here! I don’t want to be here! Please Morn let me go! It’s not my fault let me go! I just want to go home! She thought as she felt something choking her from inside her as her vision started to blur. She blinked out a tear and, out of fearing looking weak, she wiped it away before the Sandman could see it.
“Are you ready?” He asked.
“Does it matter?” She asked. “I'm never going to get home without going in there and facing whatever it is that Morn has to offer. Plus, the sooner this is over with the better, after all I do need to get up.”
She then stood to her feet and brushed herself off. She then turned and walked through the doorway. To a room of nothing but darkness with traces of silver skulls with sharp teeth and bones of monsters all around. She spotted that the room was littered with debris which cut into the soles of Lasta’s feet.
“Close your eyes, it will help you see.” Sandman said.
Lasta nodded as she felt something yank her up by the back of her neck and for a moment she felt herself in the air and then she felt herself falling and she was about to land on the debris but just at the last moment she was tossed into the air again and then she fell onto the debris back first! Pain entered her whole body like an electric shock, one that sent tears down her cheeks as she backed away, cutting her palms and soles.
“No! No...no...no..No...NO!” She shouted as she saw the Frankenstein’s monster looking creature before her.
Her eyes opened out of her horror of it all.
“Well, well, well! Looks like we have a weak one!” She heard a voice say.
“I know, she’s just a poor, poor little child far from home!” She heard another.
She felt herself hiccuping as her arms shook.
“She's quite pitiful, I wish that we could keep her here forever, that is until he comes.” She heard another.
“But you heard the boss... She has to die.” She heard another just as her arms gave way and she landed on her back again.
She then saw the shadows of what seemed to be a claw. She closed her eyes for a moment to see what she was looking at. Seeing that it was a claw of what looked like a dragon she then dared to look up to see that the demon had more than one head, it had six! What was worse was how close it was to her head!
“NO! Don’t-DON’T! You-please!” She cried as she tried to raise her arms but the demon pushed her arms away.
“Oh...Don’t worry, it won’t be too painful!” Said the fifth head as he twisted his head.
“NO PLEASE!” She cried as sand-grains hit the demon off her.
“Leave her alone! You need not kill her, your master is gone!” Sandman shouted.
The demon raised one of his eyebrows and nodded. He then leaned in and whispered in her ear.
“Maybe next time.” He laughed as he pulled away leaving the trembling girl.
“I am afraid that I could not get your tooth but I can say that you can wake up now, but when you do, you shall need to rest and recuperate” He said.
“‘Recuperate’?” Lasta asked.
“Yes for the injuries that you have sustained from this will appear in the World Of Awakening. So you must rest up.” He explained. “And one last thing before you go, when Morn binds you to an enemy if ether of you are to survive, you must learn to work together, and if you retain any selfishness you will become your mother.”
“What do you mean?” She asked as she woke up.
She looked around and spotted that she was lying on her stomach and as she looked up she saw her adopted mother. She felt a stinging pain in her back and as she raised her hand and looked at the palm she knew that it was not an ordinary dream.
WHAT! I’m bleeding? Does that mean that I could have died? In my very own dream? If so, then I really do need to get back that tooth and destroy any other teeth that I lose. C’mon Tooth Fairy what the Hell are you doing?
Then she quickly realised that she was in a hospital.
What am I doing here?
Lasta Coop and Her Tooth
Lasta and Lasto Coop were going to turn thirteen in no less then four days so as they sat on the landing both were excited as they both rein-acted the adventure that she had lost her tooth to the evil Morn. It had been two years since she had her last adventure and Lasta had started to breathe and sleep easier and happy of having a normal life. She was thinking that her adventures were over now and she had been able to live the life that she had always wanted all this time. A normal one, one without adventures that nobody would believe, without therapists telling her that she was either mad or so troubled that she had invented these ‘adventures’ to cope with whatever was ‘really’ happening.
“I wonder why you always have these adventures and not me.” Lasto asked out of the blue, she could not quite tell if this was out of envy or curiosity.
“I don’t know... Wait, you believe me?” She asked in disbelief.
“’Course, after all, I hear you sometimes...Calling me... I can’t describe it, it’s like whenever you have your adventures I always feel a tugging feeling in my chest, like I know that you're in danger. Almost like an instinct.” He explained. “And really uncomfortable.”
“Why haven’t you told me?” She asked.
“Dad told me I was just being irrational whenever I would feel these things, and, until now, I believed him.” He replied. “Probably a psychic link or something, like in those books we read about the strange things twins do.”
Lasta nodded as she hugged her brother. At least she was not the only one who knew now. At least she would have someone to talk to that would not think that she was crazy and maybe later on down the line let other people know by publishing it all in a book and get rich or something... Oh, she could only dream...Oh, if it came true then she would be able to talk to everyone about it and not be called crazy.
She then heard a knock on the door and her silver eye pulsed as she heard a heartbeat sound in her head.
“Oh no!”
She looked aside hoping that this would not lead to yet another adventure. She had just been able to settle with her normal life as it was. She did not have the time or want to go on another adventure!
“Lasta! Who is this man?” Shouted her mother with an anger in her voice that was subdued by a tone of politeness. Quickly, Lasta closed her eyes in dread before she ran to her feet and down the flight of stairs only to see none other than King Elric the King La Fey standing in front of the door!
“Your majesty?” She asked.
“Hello Lasta Coop.” He said as if he wanted to get straight to his point with his undying voice of authority.
“Not that I am not honoured by your presence, but what are you doing here?” She asked.
“To tell you how to get your tooth back.” He replied.
“You know where it is?” She exclaimed, with her eyes lightning up for a moment.
“Yes, which is why I am here. That and to tell you what you need to know to get it back.” He said with a stern, troubled look that one would give when one had been brooding too long. “For it is who currently has your tooth that is the problem.”
“I already know about Morn.” She replied, rolling her eyes.
His frown deepened as he looked away in a pained look in his eyes.
“I am afraid to inform you, it is in Morn’s hand no longer and the one who has it now is worse by far.” He said. “And I do not think that it is wise to have such a conversation outside. I would hardly want for ordinary people to know of the existence of my people, not after they almost caused the extinction of my people just as they did with, what the people of today now call, dinosaurs.”
Lasta looked at her mother as if to ask if he could come in with her eyes. Who looked back at her as if slightly confused. Lasta then returned the look with one that told her that the man was safe to put her confusion at ease. Knowing that her intuition had just told her to trust her adopted daughter she nodded and moved aside and gestured that the Fairy King could enter. He nodded to her out of gratitude.
“Thank you Mrs Coop.” He said.
“‘Cooper’ I’m Lasta’s adopted mother, she had her birth mother’s last name out of the respect of her last wishes before she died.” She corrected.
When they were all sat. Lasta started by explaining who King Elric was and about the tooth.
“So, who has the tooth?” She asked after concluding everything that she had to.
“A fairy that goes by the name of The Witch of the Unseelie.” He replied.
“The what?” Mrs Cooper asked.
A frown appeared on King Elric’s forehead. He let a sigh out of his mouth as he closed his eyes out of dread. When he opened them again he looked aside out of what looked like shame.
“The Unseelie court, they are the evil fairies, some are responsible for nightmares and other damaging things.” He explained.
“And you expect me to let Lasta, my Lasta, to go up against this woman?” She scoffed and if looks could kill, King Elric would be dead.
King Elric curled his lip out of disgust at himself, as desperation entered into his eyes.
“She has her first tooth and that leaves her vulnerable to her spells, one of which has been cast, so only she can retrieve it and she can only do that with your permission however you can not come as the other part of the spell.” He explained suppressing his anger.
“And have you tried to do it yourself or lifted the spell?” She asked.
“Would I be here if I have not?” He snapped. “I hate sending children into danger, if it is not training. Training of which I know that they can handle and her age suggests that we are in her debt after how much she helped out Tooth Fairy.”
Mrs Cooper's look changed as she looked at Lasta as if for the first time. Lasta knew that now there was no denying that her stories were not fabricated and that she had been telling her the truth all this time. Then guilt stung her eyes as she realised that she had not been able to protect her daughter and worse, thought that she was mad. Her eyes rested on her silver eye as she was asking herself why she had not noticed it sooner. She had to look away knowing that regardless of her choice she could not protect her. Only she could.
“Lasta do you wish to go?” she asked, trying to keep herself composed.
“No, but I know that I haven’t a choice for I know I don’t have to tell you why.” Lasta said.
Mrs Cooper closed her eyes out of fear for what she was going to be forced to do, something deep down told her that if she sent her daughter with this man then she would never see her daughter ever again. She knew that either way she was putting her daughter in danger. She felt her eyes fill with water.
Adopted or not she is my daughter and all this time I have been letting her down. I’m a complete failure as a mother!
“If she dies...” She growled.
“That would not happen.”
“It could, I'm not eighteen yet.” Lasta corrected.
“Just...Bring her- home safely.” She whispered as she hid her eyes from them.
With that King Elric placed her hand on Lasta’s shoulder and leaves eclipsed them. The last thing Lasta saw was her mother hiccuping and the chair in front of her wet. She wished that she could comfort her but that would only delay her getting her tooth back. As she got a sinking feeling that she was not going to see her mother for a long time.
When the leaves cleared she stood in front of an emerald path that sat in what looked like a post apocalyptic landscape that seemed to kill off all light and life that entered. It had dead trees with an absence of leaves that twisted and turned. Some of their branches seemed to merge into one another like twins that were joined by a limb, but unlike them, Lasta knew that this was unnatural.
“This is as far as I can take you, I am afraid. I am sorry, I can never find the right words to describe how much I wish I could go instead of you.” His voice was thick with regret.
“I know, and I know why you could not tell mother the whole truth, that this is a trap that I will have to spring.” She responded as she took her step forward. “This is how things pan out anyway.”
With that she moved on further on the emerald path. She could feel herself growing cold as she shivered, spotting a crow on one of the conjoint branches. It had blood red eyes and she knew that they were looking directly at her with a cruel curiosity.
She felt her mouth becoming dry and her stomach growled.
Why did I not grab something to eat before all of this? She thought as she spotted a bowl of mint green custard covering a jam roll. It was her favourite pudding, she had often wondered why her school had stopped serving it and had longed for her mother to make it for her.
Wow! My favourite pudding! Lying there...In the middle of the road...
This would be the part where her common-sense would have kicked in but her stomach had blinded her to this. She sat down as her mouth watered as the sweet, sticky armours entered her nostrils. She picked up the spoon and as she looked closer at the pudding she spotted that there were no bugs in it. She spotted a line of ants who, she would have thought, would try to steal some for their queen but no, as they crawled towards her they then changed their direction and circled around her. She looked back and as she gulped she placed the spoon down and got to her feet. She kicked it over like a footballer does a football. It landed on the ants and they all steamed up and disintegrated with a hiss like a dying scream.
This only confirmed that the Witch Fay knew that she was already here and it told her that she knew a great deal about her.
Now the question is; how much did she know about her? Did she know everything about me or just enough or both? What about mum? Did she know enough to know that she would be forced to allow this? Does that mean that she was trying to use mum to get at me? If so then how cruel is this woman? Never mind that, what the heck am I getting myself into?
As she approached a castle made of steel bricks and with a set of large double doors that were painted brown with a black demon gargoyle that held a ring in his hand like one would when holding a weight before holding it above their heads. It had crooked seven crooked towers that disobeyed the laws of physics. It had battlements that were pointed and sharp, laced with poison, no doubt.
As Lasta approached the double doors she spotted with utter horror that the paint on the double doors was not paint at all, but long since dried blood! She was about to open the door but as her hand reached out the doors opened, with her heartbeat rivalling that of the speed of sonic as past through the doors. She tried to calm herself by slowing down her breath and trying to imagine something pleasant but knowing that it would not work she opened her eyes.
Ahead of her was a man in the middle of the dark hallway. He was clothed in grey and brown rags that might have looked quite impressive at one point but now their colour and value faded as the man's old eyes filled with tears. His matted hair was grey with white highlights filled with dirt and, Lasta had no doubt, had lice.
“What is wrong sir?” Lasta asked as she approached the old man, ignoring her disgust. He looked up at her his eyes maddened by something.
“Get away child!” He cried.
Lasta reached out her hand to give him comfort.
“No! Don’t- Don’t touch-”
As soon as she touched him he screamed as a snake tore out of him like a dagger and launched itself at her as another snake came out and another. The old man fell down, blood flowing out of his mouth. Realising what had just happened she ran as the army of snakes slithered after her and as she reached a room she looked back. Only to see the snakes turn to each-other and struck and ate themselves until there was only one left which seemed to grow and then adopted a humanoid form.
“Nothing iss wrong Lassta Coop. Well not with me, but with poor Army hiss fate wass ssealed the moment that you touched him.” He laughed.
“Who are you and what are you talking about?” she asked.
“Sssnator, ssservant of Sssalynara, the Witch De La Fae.” He introduced bowing as he came in and Lasta could not help but back away as he approached. “And she placed me insside Amry sso that I could lead you here. I was not to come out until you touched him.”
Now he had her backed against the wall and as she shook she looked around for something to help her but as she did it became clear that there was nothing. She could only shake as he wrapped his hand around her neck and slowly raised her in a way that made it far too clear that he was not trying to kill her. She hit his arm again and again as the door closed.
She spotted a woman at the door. She had cold beauty and her face was the colour of untouched snow and eyes like deep, clean water. Her lips were the same as her face with only a grey tint. Her hair looked like water in her night with a blue shine and clothed in an elegant black and red garment that made her look deathly thin. Her ears pointed and stretched out pointing behind her where she wore a pair of crystal earrings in the shape of an elongated tear.
“Snator, lay her down on the table.” She e said with an authority that made Lasta freeze up with fear, but at the same time, it was calm which got to her. As she felt herself fall to a table in front that she did not see before. She saw Salynara walk over to her before she did anything. She raised her hands above her and closed her eyes.
“I command all body parts,
Other than brain, lungs and heart,
Stop all movement
Until the order is sent.”
Suddenly Lasta could not move and lost all feeling. She knew that she was not going to get away from this. She was at Salynara's mercy and she could do nothing. She tried to move her limbs but nothing. She tried again and again to no avail. Now her breath had synchronised with her heartbeat.
What is she going to do? Is she going to kill me? Oh! She is! She’s gonna kill me! She’s gonna kill me! But I don’t want to die! I have to get out of here! I have to run away. I have to find a way to break this spell!
“Now, Lasta Coop, tell me why you have come.” She said.
Lasta tried to open her mouth but she knew that it was useless. “Oh!” she laughed as she touched her throat with her index and then her lips. Suddenly, all feeling came out from them and she could move her lips.
“To get my tooth back and destroy it and go home.” She replied.
Salynara laughed lightly as she started to play with her hair in a way that made her eyelids feel heavy. Soon she was fighting to keep awake. It was all too clear what she was trying to do. Lasta felt herself tearing up as tears flowed from the corners of her eyes.
“Now, now, now. It's okay to be wrong. For you are here because I was able to control you so that you would come. I only involved your mother to get you to admit to yourself why you had no choice but to come and, hm, hm, to get to you. Then there was that desert that I used to help you know just how much I know about you.” She explained knowing that she was nothing but confirming what she had already deduced. “In-fact I must admit that I am quite impressed at what you have done and barely a teenager nevertheless! So what I was thinking, is why do you not forsake all that is good and your past and become my apprentice?”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then you will never go home ever again.” She said, as if she was stating a fact.
“You-you're not gonna kill me are you?” She asked, letting her fear escape.
“No, worse, I will cut you off from your home.” She replied as she placed her tooth down within an inch from her pinky finger, again twisting the knife. Lasta looked away knowing that either way it was all too clear that her feeling of not coming back home was true. Either way she was going to have to accept whatever consequences she was going to have with whatever choice she made.
I am going to have to do this the way mother would want me to.
“Then I’m never gonna go home either way after all you’ll never let me go home for fear of me not coming back.” She replied her voice was filled with acceptance for whatever was going to happen.
“So this is your final answer then?” she asked.
“Yes, I will not do it! Not on my life! Is that what you want to hear?” She snapped.
“Exactly.” She said as took up the tooth and a knife and slowly let it drop to the girl’s flash and cut deeply into her hand. Lasta cried out with pain as she twisted the blade. Soon she was sobbing. Smiling, she then took it out and then let the blood drip and coat the tooth. She closed her eyes as she closed her hand and when her eyes opened her eyes were crimson.
“Forever you will rome,
By this tooth you are cut from home,
I seal away this curse,
By destruction make it worse,
Of first tooth lost,
Will be the cost,
Once this tooth of yours is gone,
You cannot return by self or anyone!”
With that her eyes turned back to normal. Suddenly Lasta was crying again in pain as the gash burnt and throbbing. She suddenly felt herself regain control of part of her body by which time Salynara just looked her in the eye and engulfed her tooth in black flame. She could only watch as the tooth became ash, and the ash became nothing. Then the pain in her hand flamed up, like, as if she was in the middle of a fire. Soon she was looking at the floor saliva and snot streamed and mixed with her tears as she gripped her hand tightly.
“What do you want from me? Why me? Why don’t you just leave me alone?” She wept drenching her hair as her forehead rubbed against the stone cold floor. As she looked back at her hand which had no blood nor burn. Now it had a jet black X spanning from the base of her index finger to the top of her wrist.
“I will never leave you alone and do you want to know the worst part?” She asked as she knelt down with both knees together. She then leaned over her and whispered into her ear. “You will never know why.”
Lasta looked back at her and then hit her. She then hit Snator and ran. She ran to the doors and out of the gates. She just ran and ran until she was back in the Kingdom of King Elric. She ran past everyone and then she burst into his room. Her eyes filled with tears.
“So, did you get your tooth?” He asked as he turned around to see her.
His eyes widened as he knelt down.
“What happened?”
She tried to say but all she could do was collapse into his arms.
✴️
When she woke up she looked at her hand and then found that she was clean. She was greeted by a fairy that led her to King Elric. There she explained what had happened and showed him her hand. He looked at it with a stern look on his face.
“And, honestly, all I want to do is just go home and be left alone.” She concluded.
As he nodded he waved his hand and she was eclipsed in grass blades and leaves.
The next thing that she saw was an orange sky with two half moons, one was purple and the other green. The neon silver grass waved in the breeze as she could smell new and unfamiliar armours entered her nose. It was all too clear that she was not on Earth!
Otb’s First Encounter
Lasta knew that her senses were not lying to her, she really was on another planet! She crouched down and rested her hand on the neon silver grass. She jumped slightly as she realised the grass felt like wet seaweed. When she turned her hand over she saw that there was a neon silver liquid that seemed to help the pain that the X on her hand brought her. She then spotted that the liquid sank into her pause.
Interesting, I wonder what planet I’m on? Does this mean that I’m really cursed? Does this really mean that I can’t go home? No, I will go home, and when I do, I will tell mum everything that I see along the way. I wish that I could bring her along on one of my adventures, Latso too. He’ll love that!
This put a smile on her face at the thought. She even let a faint giggle escape her lips which disappeared the moment she turned around and spotted Otb running at her!
“Hey!” He shouted as he ran at her.
Fearing what he would do to her she turned and ran.
“Stop! You have to stop!”
She turned and then tripped up and she felt something heavy hit her head and the next thing that she knew was darkness. When she woke she spotted that her head was covered with something as she touched it she felt a hand grip it.
“Easy girl, easy.” She heard Otb say gently, with a younger voice than she was used to. “You were almost hit by a bomb!”
“Why are you helping me?” She asked suspiciously.
“Why would I not? I mean what on Zennotropalice were you doing in the Kelito region anyway?” He asked.
“What?” She asked, confused.
He gave a slight sigh and smiled.
“You are not from Zennotropalice are you?” He deduced.
“No.”
“Well, Zennotropalice is at war at the moment that mainly involves the Tricenta and the Kelito people.” He explained.
She nodded, still looking at him suspiciously.
“And how long has this war gone on?” She asked wanting to know more about this Otb, that clearly has not met her yet.
“Abouts three hundred zelz, although it temporarily came to an end when my parents came together and be-wedded then had me, so that makes me a Kelitotricenta, however the war became reignited when my father, a Kelito killed my mother and then I was left behind, so I can be quite the outsider. Life may be rough on me, but life is life I guess!” He said with acceptance.
After learning this Lasta knew that this was not the Otb that had tried to kill her twice and lost her fear of him. In fact, she could see that they were similar ages. There must have been two years difference at least.
It seems like we’re alike in the outsider part. I mean my biological mother too died, and she was an old woman! Although I don’t know anything about my father. She thought but refrained from saying this to him.
“Well at least you have a home.” She said optimistically.
Then realised that now that she was cursed he had more than her.
He smiled wider and nodded.
“So, do you have a home?” He asked.
“I do, but thanks to an evil fairy I can’t go back there.” She admitted.
“What planet is it on?” He asked.
“Earth.”
“Wait, Earth, as in Sub-Terra? The Forbidden Planet?” He asked.
“Why’s it forbidden?”
“You do not know?” He asked almost without a voice.
“Know what?”
“What zel is it?” He asked. “What year I mean.”
“Twenty fourteen, why?” She said.
“Then the WGE has not happened yet...So that means that I cannot tell you.” He said as he rested his thumb on his chin.
“Why not?”
“Spoilers.” He laughed. “Anyway, here, eat this.”
He handed her a bowl of a lime green goo with dark green balls in. It smelt sweet and reminded her of honey. She took her spoon out and scooped up a spoon full of the food which turned blue and it rose to her mouth. Feeling slightly disgusted she closed her eyes and her mouth closed around it. To her surprise it tasted like blue-berry jelly. When the ball popped in her mouth she soon had the taste of strawberry jam!
Otb smiled.
“Typical! Of all the food of this planet, Tiririki is the only thing that you Earthlings, all would be willing to eat!” He laughed to himself as he looked out at the deep burgundy sky. “Anyway, it seems to be getting dark. Scene as you do not have a place to sleep, you are going to have to stay here.”
“Thanks!” she said, surprised at his kindness.
Is this really the same Otb that had tried to kill me twice? If not, then what happened for him to change? If I can find that out then perhaps I could stop it before it even happens.
✴️
Later that night Lasta woke from a nightmare that she suddenly could not remember. She then heard a metallic whooshing noise that came from the door. She spotted Otb leaving with an anxious look on his face. Lasta, as silently as she could, climbed out of bed and followed him. She tailed him until she came to a forest with blue trees with crimson leaves. When he stopped she took the initiative to climb a nearby tree and hid herself among the leaves. Something told her that she did not want him to know that she was there.
She then spotted creatures that looked humanoid but they had purple scales and horns that stuck out from their heads like spiked hair.
So...this must be the Kelito...She deduced. Now I know where he gets his monstrous side from...
“So, if it isn’t little Otb, so, will you tell me why we’re here?” Asked the tallest one, mockingly.
“Tricenta will fall tomorrow, uncle.” He declared.
“And you have a fall guy?” Asked his uncle.
“Better, a fall girl.” He replied. “And get this, she is a child from the Forbidden Planet who claims to have come before the WGE.”
Their faces dropped, like, as if someone slapped them in the face and then they looked at each other with nothing but unease. The tall one looked at him sternly.
“Tell my little nephew, did this girl have a silver eye and a curse mark?” He asked, slightly concerned.
“Yes I saw the X on her palm.” He replied.
“Then we must not do this. Kitalina prophesied that should a girl appear then our defeat and the fall of this planet will be set in stone.” He said.
“So, does she need to be taken care of?” Otb asked.
“Yes, she does, and it has to be the first thing that we do.” He explained.
“Well that should not be difficult, provided the fact that she is already here.” He said pointing directly at her!
Lasta’s eyes widened. How long did he know that she was here? Did he know right from the beginning? What tipped him off? Will they drag her down and kill her? Or will they kill her right there and then? How was she able to escape? ZZZ! Not now, I need to think! ZZZ! Where is that buzzing coming from anyway? ZZZ! She then looked back only to see a gigantic hornet with red stripes instead of yellow.
“My name is Bientayle. I am here on Queen Bieatrice’s orders. Climb on my back if you want to escape.” It said in a buzzing voice.
Already seeing the lasers primed on her she obeyed without question.
“How did you know?” She asked.
“Our future visioner saw that you would be in danger and so I was ordered.” She replied as she dodged a laser and flew.
“How are you able to speak to me? I didn’t see your mouth move, after all.” She asked.
“We Horntell are a telepathic communicative race. I am going to drop you off in my hive.” She replied.
It was not long until she saw a jaded brown structure. When she did she felt herself drop to the structure and as she did she spotted a hole at the top of the structure, like an odd mini-volcano. She then felt herself dive into the hole to see a bright colour that was somewhere between gold, yellow and orange and many gigantic wasps buzzing as they went about their business. As she looked down for the bottom she spotted one even bigger with green stripes instead of the rest of them. She knew who she was as they flew towards her. They were soon on the ground.
As she looked up she could see that she had a crown growing out of her head. She could feel the need to bow her head to this queen and then she told her what had happened.
“I was expecting but also afraid that Otb Arbust would betray the Tricenta to the Kelito, despite then taking in the hybrid child.” She commentated.
“Why?” Lasta asked.
“The Kelito have a specific dark nature about themselves that the Tricenta foolishly ignore and blame their upbringing. They really can not fathom the danger that they put themselves in every time they spare or try to defend one.” The Queen replied.
“Are you going to stop them then?”
“Yes, that is why you are here child.”
“What...I mean why? What can I do? I mean I’m just a girl!” She asked.
“A friend of yours, Mérystoh, told us to ask of you the winning stratagem.” She replied.
“Who’s Mérystoh? Never mind, I’ll probably bump into him later on.” She said more to herself. “Well, I think that we should fly over the place where the Kelitos-”
“Kelito! The singular is the plural like the rest of the races of this planet.”
“Yeah, then target their vulnerable places and dive in for a stinging. Then one of you could go to the Tricenta and tell then what is happening.” She said, her mind focused.
The Queen nodded as Lasta could feel her smile on her.
“Then that is what we will do.” She said.
Soon she was back in the air, but this time she was armed with a stinger. The hive had descended on the Kelito army within hours. They were stinging everything in sight. Soon the army had divided in two making the hive’s job just that much more easier. Then the Kelito used their lasers and Horntell fell like rain. Only to be replaced by their brothers and sisters. The battle was over before Lasta knew it.
They all buzzed loudly, like a cry of victory which became deafening for the girl causing her to cover her ears to prevent future damage! She laughed as she started to feel pain in her pulsating ears. She knew that her ears were about to burst at any moment. She had to stop and looked up at the Queen trying to display her discomfort as she felt something dig into her shoulder. Then the buzzing ceased.
“You! You ruined it! I could have been accepted by my father’s people, but no! That went out of the window the moment that you showed up!” Shouted Otb as he ran to her and punched her.
There were tears in his eyes. She fell back and landed on the neon silver grass. Her head banged against the ground, her head was still fragile from the victory buzz, the bomb and what happened with Salynara so she knew that they both knew just how weak it was. Her vision blurred as she felt his foot in her hip.
“All you had to do was pretend that you had done it and I would have gotten all I ever wanted!” He cried.
She then spotted the next moment these white haired and white skinned creatures with silver eyes.
This must be the Tricenta...She thought as she looked at Otb gave her the look that told her that he was already planning his revenge.
✴️
Later that day King Zelton, the Tricenta king, gave her a device that was a black cylinder with a silver button. It felt like metal but something told her that it was anything but.
“Now, think of the place that you want to go, and press the button.” He told her. “It should take you there.”
“Thank you!” She exclaimed as she thought of home, her mother, her father and brother.
She gripped onto the image as she pressed the button. With a flash she was gone! When she opened her eyes and knew that she was in her time but the first thing that hit her was the cold as her eyes rested on the sea of snow.
Lasta Coop And Santa
Lasta’s eyes stung as their sight rested on the sea of snow as the flakes spun around her like bladed confetti. Her breath rose in front of her as she could feel the ice settling into her bone marrow. A cold sweat sat on her flesh doing little to help her now uncontrollable shivering. As the storm hit deafening pitches, she lost feeling at the tip of them.
Oh! I’m gonna die! I don’t know where I am and I’m gonna die here!
She was about to completely collapse into deep despair until she could feel something hit her head and red dropped to her shoulders. She looked up and spotted black cotton. Her cloak was heavy and warm. She could tell how thick it must be as she pulled it to her.
She then felt two hands gripped her and shoved her on a wooden bench that as she looked up she realised that belonged to a sledge with a golden brace for safety. She looked aside only to see the jolly big guy himself sat beside her!
What’s going on now?
“Here, have some hot coca, or hot chocolate, where you’re from!” He said as he forced the mug in her hands.
She sniffed the steam up and looked back.
“Thank you!” She muttered as she quietly sipped. Soon she felt the benefits of the heat. “What am I even doing here? I mean I focused on home.”
“To help me probably!” He said, apologetically, his voice carrying a warmth and kindness.
“Will this help me get home? Or will the curse-No, I’m not cursed.” She asked.
“I can only promise to try my best to get you home, once the job is done.” He replied.
Lasta nodded.
“So, what’s the job?” She asked, taking another sip.
“To rescue my grandson, Jack from the Buggy Man.” He replied. “Do you remember him?”
Lasta nodded and closed her eyes with dread.
“Yeah, I remember him. It was one of the closest times mum came to believe me.” She said her eyes lit up. “So, are we going to the place or are we going to stay somewhere first?”
“Yes, why?”
“I just wanna get home quicker.” Lasta said. “So why’d he kidnap your grandson anyway?”
“Because it is Christmas tonight and he wants me to stop delivering the presents to children. So if I do not rescue him, then I know if I deliver those presents he will surely die.” He explained. “This way he can keep children and adults alike locked in fear and depression, so that they will be more likely to end up in Hell.”
“And you believe in that?”
“Believe it and know it!” He shouted proudly as they came to a dark cave.
Santa parked the sleigh and they were off. Lasta looked into the black hole that was the cave and ready or not, she took her step into the darkness following Santa closely. He then looked back at her.
“Now I will go and look for the Buggy Man, while you go and look for Jack.” He said with authority.
Lasta nodded and turned to the side.
“And how will I know him, when I find him?” She asked.
“He has white hair like snow and skin that always makes it difficult to determine if he is ill and white blue eyes.” He replied. “And he has no body temperature and I would go down if I was you. After all, he loves putting children into the dungeon, a lot like my evil twin brother. Except, he doesn’t eat them.”
“Wait, you have a twin too?” She asked. “And what do you mean ‘except he doesn’t eat them’?”
“Krampus.” He said with a look of dread as they split. “I just hope that you two never meet.”
She ran to the closest staircase and, seemingly, flew down the stairs that seemed to spiral on forever until she finally found the bottom where there was, a corner where she spotted another staircase that was carved out of the ground. She walked to the bannister and closed her ordinary eye and with her silver she could see rows and rows of cells and in the closest one she saw him.
Quickly she ran over to him and looked at the keyhole and took out one of her hair pins and slid it into the keyhole. It dropped the next moment and the bars opened.
“Where are we going?” Asked a familiar voice.
She jumped as she spotted immediately the Buggy Man at the top of the stairs blocking their way out. She could feel fear quicken her heart as she looked into his eyes. She could feel him looking at her hand and his smile twitched.
“Tell me, after buying it from that Dark Lord Morn and I lost it a while ago, whatever happened to your tooth? Did you get it back?”
“No...” Lasta looked away.
“Did she do something to you?” He prodded.
Lasta nodded.
“Yeah, she-she-she-”
“She cursed you didn’t she?” He taunted with mock pity.
Lasta remained silent as her eyes started to fill with water. The corners of her mouth tensed as she knew that her body was going to betray her. Seeing this caused the Buggy Man to burst out laughing as a tear fell.
“I bet that must have been traumatic. Shame really. I mean it is hardly like you can run back home and cry to your ever worried mother.” He laughed.
“How do you know about my curse!” Lasta shouted before she could stop herself.
This too caused him to laugh even more. During this he then fell and behind him was Santa.
“Grandpa!” Jack shouted as he ran up to him and hugged him. Lasta had to look away out of envy, as they left the cave. They climbed on the sleigh and then Santa looked at Lasta and placed a hand on her head and smiled at her warmly.
“It’s okay, birthday girl!” He exclaimed as he gave her her presents as he pulled the reins and soon they were off. They flew over the houses and soon her eyes rested on her house. Then when she landed her eyes rested on that of her mother’s then her brother’s she lifted her hand to wave. Her eyes welled up with tears as she jumped out of the sleigh just before it touched down and then a light appeared and Lasta was gone!
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