Paper

Every Key has it’s Door

The valley stays cool under the morning sun. Sheplon is a quiet place where the air is clean and the land is beautiful. Beneath the slightly frosted Red Maple sits a small house, where a man named Kaleo finishes his last bite of breakfast. He works in the cotton field like most of the village people do. It’s not the best job, but it’s way better than the time he was working nights patrolling the outskirts of the land during the war against the Woodlanders. Kaleo grabs his bag and sets off out the door.

Kaleo is a quiet man. He doesn’t have much in his life, but ever time he goes to work he gets to see his only friend, Tawnee. Tawnee and Kaleo always stand next to each other while working. Today was no different. Kaleo walked down the path to meet with Tawnee, then left for the fields.

While Kaleo was working he started to sweat, and his vision started to fuzz. He tried to shake it off, but suddenly everything turned black. Moments later Kaleo awaken to see Tawnee holding his head up trying to talk to him. “Are you alright?” asked Tawnee.  Kaleo stays quiet as he tries to remember why he was on the ground. “Kaleo!” Tawnee says.

“I saw something.” Kaleo gets up and starts to run towards the woods that surround Sheplon. Surprised at what Kaleo said, Tawnee quickly follows. Running through the cotton they went. As they reach the wood’s line they start to slow down.
“What are you doing?” Tawnee questioned.

Kaleo replied, “This is what I saw. Look here!” Tawnee came closer as Kaleo entered the woods. Kaleo was frantically scurrying around looking for something it seemed. Suddenly Kaleo turned around to show Tawnee.

“A key?” Tawnee said. “What’s that for?’

“I’m not sure.” Kaleo answered as he turned back around to and started to look around again.

“Kaleo, we need to get back to work, so we don’t end up getting laid off.” Explained Tawnee. Kaleo agreed and they turned around to get back to work.

Later that night Kaleo laid in his bed replaying what he saw. He was unable to understand how or why that happened. His eyes finally started to get tired. His body finally started to relax. He slowly fell asleep…

Kaleo woke up in a cold sweat. His heart was beating and he was short of breath. It happened again he thought. “I know where the door is.” Kaleo whispered to himself, but hesitant to go look for it, he gave in and left his house. Kaleo stopped by Tawnee’s house to tell her what happened.

“Wait, so tell me again. What happened?” said Tawnee.

“I was sleeping and I saw the door. It was in the woods. I know how to get there. It was just like what happened earlier with the key.” explained Kaleo. “Come on! We have to go see what this is?”

Tawnee and Kaleo left the house and ran to the woods. The stars lit the path to the woods, and then it turned dark. Tawnee stood close to Kaleo, carefully stepping through the rough. Kaleo searching through what his dream had showed him, until he stumbled through the trees to a small area completely cleared out except for one tree. They stopped moving and both stared. Quietly they stood. Kaleo amazed that this was the door he dreamt, butterflies filled his stomach. Anxious to move on, he tip towed towards the door. Kaleo grabbed the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. Tawnee and Kaleo looked at one another, then opened it.

“What is this?” Tawnee broke the silence. A light shined from the door. There was grass, trees, mountains, and houses. An old man standing by a river turned around and waved for Kaleo and Tawnee to come in.

“Hello friends. I am Caradog and I brought you here.” said the old man. “This is Flabell.”

“So why did you bring us here?” Kaleo asked.

“All in short time my friend. Please come follow me to my home and I will explain everything.” Caradog replied. Tawnee and Kaleo agreed and follow the old man.

Tawnee and Kaleo entered Caradog’s house. They all sat down and Caradog started to explain, “So I brought you here because you are our village’s savior. We need your help. There is an evil man named Apep. He is a powerful being and is trying to take over Flabell. He wants to raise his arm of the undead using The Book of the Dead. Will you help us?”

“I would love to, but I am not sure what we can do. We are just simple village people. We don’t have much to offer.” Kaleo said.

“I can give you some compensation. Just name it and I will do my best,” pleaded Caradog.  Kaleo and Tawnee looked at each other and asked Caradog to go away so they could talk to each other.

“There is no way we can do this Tawnee. We barely even know this man and this Apep guy, he seems like a pretty dangerous man,” whispered Kaelo.

“Kaleo, we need to help his man. He needs us. These people are doomed if we don’t do something!” yelled Tawnee. Kaleo gave in and told Caradog to come back in.

“Thank you friends! Before you leave for your journey I will give you a few things to help you.” Caradog handed Kaleo a potion, “This a mysterious remedy. I am not positive what it is used for, but the story says that the savior will know when to use it when the time comes.” Then he turns to Tawnee and hands her a map that shows the path to take that leads to the top of Thaowgore Peak. It is a frigid land with many dangers. Waiting at the top is a Temple, which holds The Book of the Dead.

Caradog says his goodbyes and sends Kaleo and Tawnee on their journey. Kaleo and Tawnee leave Flabell and starts traveling towards Thaowgore Peak.

Kaleo and Tawnee walked through the woods just as the map showed them too.

Just before they arrive at the base of Thaowgore Peak they, noticed a bridge that separates the land from the mountain. As they walked closer to the bridge they saw what kind of condition it was in. Pallets missing and the ropes splitting, this wasn’t an ideal bridge to cross.

“I don’t feel safe crossing this Kaleo.” Tawnee complained.

Kaleo responded, “Come on Tawnee it will be fine. Just tread lightly.” They proceeded onto the bridge. With every step the boards creek and the ropes stretch. Almost there their hearts start to relieve as they get close to the end. Just before making it to safety the ropes behind them snap. Instantly, the bridge swung out from underneath them. Kaleo reached for the bridge as Tawnee grabbed on to Kaleo. Thankfully he got a hold of the bridge and was able to hang on during the fall. Kaleo and Tawnee carefully climbed up the bridge to the bottom on Thaowgore Peak.

“Are you alright Tawnee?” Kaleo asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. You?”

“Yeah.” Kaleo ended. Taking a break after the near death experience, they build a fire. It was nightfall and it was getting chilly. They decided they would be able to make it up to the top of the peak by the next night, so they made shelter and rested for the long day that had in front of them.

“Kaleo…Kaleo…” a faint voice whispers.

“Huh? Who is it?” answered Kaleo.

“It’s me Caradog. Listen to me. The potion you have will make you act like a drowning tree.”

“What do you mean Caradog?” Kaleo said. There was no answer. The dream made Kaleo wake up. “Tawnee! Tawnee wake up!” Kaleo yelled as he started to shake her shoulder. “Caradog spoke to me!”

“Wha, What?” Tawnee said, “What are you talking about.”

“Caradog contacted me in my dream. He said that the potion will make you act like a drowning tree.” Quoted Kaleo.

“I’m not sure what that means, but it doesn’t sound good.” Responded Tawnee. They set off up the mountain. The closer they got to the top of Thaowgore Peak the lower the temperature got. Snow started to trace their footsteps and the wind was picking up.

“Are we close to the top yet?” Kaleo asked Tawnee.

She took the map out and opened it, “Yes it’s not much further. We got this!” she responded.

Moments later… Tawnee yelled, “Look there it is!” And there it was. It was the temple. “This is it Kaleo. Are you ready?”

Kaleo took a deep breath then looked over at Tawnee and replied, “Hell yeah! Let’s do this!”

They walked in through the entrance of the temple. While slowly traveling slowly through they studied their surroundings, statues of snakes and serpents, and torches hanging on the walls that illuminated every step. Kaleo and Tawnee kept walking onward through the room and approached a hallway at the end. Skeletons lined the floor of the hallway and cobwebs covered the ceiling. They proceeded on through watching each step carefully. It wasn’t long till they reached the end of the hallway, but that wasn’t the only thing that ended. They looked in the next room and saw The Book of the Dead placed on a podium at the complete opposite side of the room.

“What are we going to do Kaleo?” Tawnee asked.

“I’m not sure Tawnee.” Kaleo kept thinking. “The potion you have will make you act like a drowning.” Kaleo replayed it over and over through his head. “ Tawnee I know what it means!”

“You know what, what means Kaleo?” She responded.

“What Caradog was telling me. I understand it. Trees don’t drown! They float in water!” Kaleo explained, “The potion will make me float. I will be able to cross the gap.” Quickly Kaleo drinks the potion and waits. “Nothings happening.”

“Why isn’t it working?” Tawnee said.

“Hold on, I have an idea.” Said Kaleo as he walked towards the end.

“What are you doing Kaleo!?”  Tawnee yelled,”Don’t!” Kaleo took a step off the edge of the floor and stayed afloat. “Thank god you’re alright! Hurry and grab the book so we can get out of here!?” Kaleo walked over to the book and examined it. It was completely black and it looked as if the words on the pages were written in blood. Quickly Kaleo grabbed the book and came back to where Tawnee was standing.

“Great! Now we have to book let’s leave this place.” Kaleo said. They turned around and walked out of the hallway. When they got to the other room there stood a tall man. His skin was grey and his eyes screamed of pure evil. “Who are you?” Kaleo demanded.

The man answered. “I am Apep. I am seeking The Book of the Dead. And it seems like I’m just in time for you to give it to me.”

“Never!” cried Tawnee.

Apep looked into Tawnee’s eyes and said, “Oh really? Well how do you plan on getting out of this temple?”

Caradog’s voice came back. “Kaleo use the book. Use the Basnish Darkness spell.”

Kaleo opens the book and Apep starts to charge at him. Kaleo quickly starts flipping through the pages searching for the spell. Apep dove towards Kaleo just as Tawnee pushes Kaleo out of the way and takes the blow from Apep. Kaleo rapidly skimmed through more pages until he say the Banish Darnkness spell. He read,

“I banish you once,

I banish you twice

I banish thrice

No more will you darken my life.”

The book started to glow. A wind filled the room and voices filled the air.

“What did you do?” yelled Apep. The dust swirled around Apep and he started to fade as the book swallowed him whole.

Kaleo ran to Tawnee, “Are you alright?” he asked while reaching to help her off the ground.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s just get out of here as soon as possible.” She said.

They brushed off the dirt from their pants and walked out of the temple. Then ventured back down the mountain and headed to Flabell to meet with Caradog.

Once they arrived at Flabell they went to Caradog’s house. “Why hello! Good to see you!” Caradog said when he opened his door. He welcomed them in and sat down. “I see you brought The Book of the Dead. I’m so grateful. Thank you. Is there anyway I can repay you for your troubles?”

“Well I was thinking,” Kaleo replied, “would you be able to give us a house to stay in? Tawnee wouldn’t it be awesome to live here? It’s beautiful! We don’t have to work. We will be free!”

“I can’t do that! Everything I have is in Sheplon.” Tawnee retorted, “We can’t just disappear. What would the people think? “

“Don’t worry about the people, think of all the things we can do here. We have the time to do anything.” Kaleo argued. He looked at Tawnee waiting for a response.

“You know what Kaleo, I don’t have much back in Shaplon. Everything I have is right here, with you.” Tawnee smiled, “I would love you live here with you, I’m ready to start my new life with you.”

“Well, I’m sure I can arrange something that you will be satisfied with. I happen to be brother’s with the greatest carpenter in all of Flabell.” Caradog suggested. Kaleo and Tawnee reach for each other’s hand and nodded as faith filled their hearts.