The World Outside The Shell

Chapter 10: The Future

The flashes of lighting cast long shadows in the room. I sat at the table and watched the magic of the StarGlave draw the map. I watched the Lake of the Lost Kingdom flood the landscape like ink spilled on the page.

The turtle was a small drawing in the center of the lake.

Lady Ri appeared as a line drawing in one corner, holding a turtle shell in one hand and a silver pen in the other.

I said, “Is it possible Lady Ri is the cause of the floods?”

The line drawing of Lady Ri stopped writing and looked up from the map. The familiar voice said, “I can hear you turtle. “

The window to the outside world opened and a cool breeze entered the cottage. The edges of the map began to glow red then sparked, burning quickly. I rushed to lift the flaming document off the table as smoke filled the room.

The turtle shell drifted over the lake in a slow turn, descending close to the surface and I tossed the map into the water, but not in time to save the map as the landscape became shrouded in a thick fog. I imagined the turtle returning to the skies. I looked down as the fog lifted and the landscape was gone, no lake, no mountains, no land features in any direction. I was too stunned to move and said, “Did I save the world?”

“No turtle, you washed the ink off the page and restored the world to an unchanging landscape. The lines burned into the map are visible once more”

I heard footsteps and turned to see a blurred figure clouded in mist, wearing a white robe similar to the lost companion. The figure was standing inside the cottage, dripping wet and laughing.

“The flood was out of my control,”” said Lady Ri as the figure came into focus. “The one with the power to restore the world is you. In returning the map to the Lake it was no longer possible for me to redraw the lines. The rain stopped. I have no reason to continue the quest.”

I searched the cottage for another map and the door to another room opened. I found a collection of scrolls in a trunk.

Lady Ri shrugged off the discovery without comment. She removed the cloak and sat down at the table.

I opened a scroll at the table, and compared the map with memories of the previous world. I said, “The map appears to be a copy with one exception. I wonder if the others are similar copies?”

Lady Ri stepped closer to search the map and realized the Lake of the Lost Kingdom was surrounded by a city. She said, “The lake was never the location of a city in all of world history. The old city was located in the plateau above the hills with a single road leading to the temple of the StarGlave. I understand why this information is not familiar to you, since we have yet to leave the valley. ”

I read the information surrounding the city and found the words ‘After the Flood‘ in the description.

The feeling of calm became a storm of human activity. I stood up and looked outside as thousands of people climbed into the valley, descending into the lake region and setting up camp. I said, “Are you interested in founding a city? The people need a leader and a place to call home.”

Lady Ri said, “Gromm will become their leader. I want to stay here with you, turtle.”

© J. Bateman

Concentrikey © 2024