A Journey of Love and Death Throes

It was the voice of the old lady speaking with her bone, in the manner she spoke to the listener children who were her own grandsons. She spoke seriously of yesteryears, with the tales that had shaped their world. "Once upon a time," she began, her voice strong but heavy with the seriousness of her story, "realms rose and fell as in days of old. Burst into being from ambition and might, these lands, fates wedded to the whims of fortune, saw great wars, through which roars and great victories resounded with shattering defeats, across vast terrains. Among these legendary lands lay Toppa Gozarc, a realm without compare in wealth and good fortune alike. Its warriors were celebrated for their prowess on the battlefield; their victories hailed with splendor and with wonder. Unbroken chains of victory led to envy among the neighboring lands, gazing upon Toppa Gozarc with admiration and longing. A mysterious, fateful turn of events, though, was about to tarnish this golden age of the kingdom." Her eyes wandered vividly around the setting as if painting each scene depicting that golden age of the kingdom. It was then that an old, mysterious woman gifted the emperor this ancient, compass-like instrument, laden with a feeling of oddity, of dubious origin. Thereafter, the hitherto flourishing kingdom of Toppa Gozarc began to decline and was hit by all sorts of disasters. Tragedy befalls: lives are lost, and the land lay ruined as it is haunted by some evil in the forsaken kingdom. "Time to sleep now, my little ones." she added.

"Okay, Granny," the sleepy children's voices chorused as one, moving en masse toward bed and trailing off. Youngest of them, Daisy remained, her eyes wide in wonder and curiosity. The old woman locked warm worried eyes to hers, not noticing that Daisy had not started to turn and leave. "Daisy, what holds your feet, sticking there? What troubles you?" In Daisy's eyes lay hundreds of unasked questions and longing for adventure. "'Granny, I really want to see that cave and—' The old woman cut her short without warning and told firmly although she tried to smile reassuringly, 'No, no, no. That story isn't real, understand? It's just a tale, nothing more.' 'But, Granny—,'" Daisy began, there was a tinge of disappointment mixed with intrigue in her voice. "No more questions about that story, my little explorer. It is time to go to bed," the old lady stated decisively at last. "Okay Gran, nightie nights," Daisy complied unwillingly and went on to her room.

The old lady had already left the room as the storybook was being put in some old, forgotten storage unit. With precision, she locked it away using a hidden code noted in her diary. "This will keep things safe," she murmured to herself, her hands guarding the secret carefully. The years went by and the woman died peacefully surrounded by memories and stories. They had her funeral right there, in her honor, the family giving their farewells to her life. They started cleaning up the house, buzz and ruckus at the verge. "Need a hand, Henry?" Mary called to the husband when they were sorting their things. "Sure," he replied, extending his arm. "Kids, you also," she called to her kids. Mary felt excited, slightly irritated. She then turned to them firmly, "Get ready; soon we'll go to town." Daisy, being curious, asked, "Mom, can I have the keys to the old store? " Mary looked puzzled. "What for? Just want to check a few things," Daisy said, attempting not to appear too inquisitive. Mary handed over the keys after some hesitation, a little more begrudgingly this time, sighing, "Alright, but hurry. Lots to do." With keys in hand, Daisy sped off to the old store, growing more excited with every near step to the dusty entrance. "Wow, it's packed in here," she muttered as she pushed past cobwebs and forgotten items. She lit up the derelict space with her old torch.

Her heart raced as she remembered the secret code in her grandma's diary, "4977." Open came the lock and a book hidden inside. Just as she unfolded it, her mother's call echoed, "Daisy, where are you?!" "Coming, Mom!" Daisy answered and stuffs the book into her bag before going out with excitement and calmness mixed. "Where have you been?" Mary asked smartly as soon as Daisy came out. The deep words left Daisy speechless as her mind had been captured by the rediscovered book. "Well, let's play the game," Henry indicated interest to change the topic. "Anybody comes up with a place, and we'll decide on which one to go." Luke suggested the very first place. "How about Glaci Town?" Then it was Paul's turn to suggest. "What about Crasico Jumbo?" Preoccupied by the revelations of the old store, Daisy suggested rather weakly, "Or maybe Toppa Gozarc." Musing reflectively, Mary contributed her opinion. "I like Toppa Gozarc. What say you, Henry?" Henry gave his nod of agreement. "Good thought. Let's close and pack up and get set for the trip." All this time, as the family was getting ready, Daisy kept on whispering to herself, "I hope everything goes alright." The idea of visiting Toppa Gozarc was so full of excitement and curiosity. At 8 a.m. they planned to leave but, as usual, things got delayed. Hours passed and that night on sleeping, Daisy had a very vivid dream.

She lay alone in some enormous black space with just one light way on the other side. She felt a ghostly voice from the dark telling her, "Beware of your dreams and aspirations; they are not what they seem." The voice began to fade as Daisy jolted awake, her heart pounding. "Daisy!" she hollered, the echo ringing in their usually quiet home. The clock on the wall showed it was 8:30 a.m. – far too late for both of them. In a great rush, Mary told her daughter, "Sweetie, come on! We gotta hurry!" Daisy walked towards her mom; she was still troubled by a dream that she had the previous night. "Hey Mum, I need to speak with you." Busy with stuff and looking obviously stressed out, Mary brushed off her daughter. I don't have time for this now, Daisy. Just get ready, and we will talk later. Still dazed and confused about the dream, Daisy asked, "Mum, did you call me?" Gaining patience, she said, "No, Daisy, I didn't. You must be tired. I will listen to you later. Now, hug me and get ready." Hugging her mom, Daisy got mixed feelings—half comforted but unease still there. "All right, Mum," she replied and left the kitchen, trying to shake off her bad dream. At the railway station, they hurried toward their next train. "Come on, then, come on!" Henry spurted them on, driving the family through the crowd in the busy terminal. Mary clutched their tickets tightly. Mum, what about the tickets?" Curious Paul burst out. "Don't worry," replied Mary, "I booked them online." They arrived just in time at the departure center; hours ticked away as they made their way towards the train. The Train Officer looked at their tickets and nodded with a smile. "You may pass." As they took a seat in the train, feelings of excitement for the journey filled the family's heart. Daisy sat next to a pleasant looking, elderly lady who offered her some peanuts. Luke found himself sitting next to an old schoolmate, which gave him that familiar face one gets with shared school days.

It was such a wonderful surprise, and so, the both of them went along updating one another with their lives through the sharing of stories about what happened to them after graduation. The unplanned reunion oozed comfort from nostalgia, and Luke had comfortably sat making that journey comparatively better. Mary and Henry burrowed into the cozily cushioned seats of the train, sharing a quiet moment with them as they looked forward to their adventure waiting for them. Their love and knowledge that was felt with sweet, long-suffering views and stolen words. An exchange on the window frames followed the conversation. Deepening their transportational enthusiasm, giving into another scene flying by every second. The boy, Paul, was busy playing his game box. It dulled his brain with its moving people and exciting actions. The gentle sway of the train and hum of tracks set a soothing background as Paul played his game. He leaned forward and touched his game; he was quite engrossed in his attempts at overcoming the various levels and challenges, every now and then muttering under his breath. Outside the train, color and movement just whirled by with a rapid swish. It was quite eventful to be in the train with the outside scenes perpetually changing from the green fields to forests and towns. In the frames of the windows, outside pictures show different aspects of nature, human activity, and struggle. Having been fully awake, Daisy finally felt asleep due to very soothing motion of the train.

She would dream of adventures and explorations in ruins from prehistoric times, where cryptic messages told of secrets that no one had known. For each particular dream, the imagination mingled the stories known with unusual liveliness and brought to life a mystery-laden world of wonder. Daisy was transposed into another world by those dreams, into a world mysterious by itself, consisting of dauntless adventures with elusive riddles and well-kept treasures. It was a thrill of adventure that challenged her courage and wit, and it ended with the feeling of satisfaction and awe. Actually possible adventures in Toppa Gozarc became even more powerful after the dreams of Daisy linked fantasy and real life, raising in her the need to uncover secrets of old. The combination of adventure and might in her sleep calmed her but satiated her with the eagerness to uncover the hidden. While the journey in the train continued, the gentle rhythm from the wheels on the track became the gentle accompaniment to Daisy's dreams. At the same time, her family at home was more than eager for all the fun and games at this destination. In total, pleasant scenes and a tranquil environment inside the train made the journey joyful and unforgettable for all passengers. As they approached their destination, excitement grew, and the journey became another special part of their adventure. The train ride never was a way to get them from this place to that. Instead, it became an intricate and vital part of their trip, to mold memories and build anticipation on what lies ahead.

Almost like a lullaby, the clang of train through the tracks was, as it chugged through the countryside and stopped several times. Now only one stop remained: Toppa Gozarc. Daisy peered outside the window; her excitement was almost hard to keep to herself because this was an important stop in the family's history. When she awoke, drowsiness left her with wide eyes. " Mum, mum, we're at Toppa Gozarc!" Daisy cried, her voice suffused with excitement. That very thrill roused Mary from her light doze with a sleepy murmur of " Just a few more minutes," as she rubbed her eyes. Somewhat tired but noting what the situation was, Mary knew what was happening. The train picked up less speed and for the second time murmurs filled the compartment as passengers were about to alight.

ALL ABOARD FOR TOPPA GOZARC! the conductor bellowed above the racket, good tidings of journey's end. In a moment, the train coasted to a quiet stop, its doors bursting wide as passengers careened out the