Hippocoon land

A loud bag spread out above their heads. Two hooded cloak men lied quietly on ground. Roger walked to the gallery. “Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda, you all are here. It is hard to find you” he called up. He hurriedly made the way step down the stairs. Though his body was big and stout, he moved very fast coming to them and froze as he saw a dead on ground. “Who are they?” he asked softly, looking on Amelinda. “This is Lily and - Aunt Calliope.” Amelinda said hesitantly; “She is Lily’s mother. She saved all of us.” she added sadly.  Between curly hair and bushy beard which almost covered his face were warm eyes. She warmly looked on Lily who was sitting on ground holding her mother’s hand. He decided to keep silent, turned to Heracles, Gwen, Amelinda then turned to the dead Hydra dragon which was not far away from them.  “I dont know how you could kill the dragon but there has one thing we have to do before we leave this place.” said Roger calmly, “Go with me Amelinda. I need your...

“But it don’t mean he died.” said Aunt Calliope. “So what happened to him? Why does not he wake up?” squealed Amelinda. “He was cursed.” she said, “This black fire is the thing which burn soul. Anyone catch it, it will burn their soul till they die. Luckily, spirits of the forest had protected his soul forcing him to stop breathing and prevent the black fire to come his heart. I will put out the fire and then he will wake up.” she said. The she raised her stick closer Gwen’s hand. “Ka-Tha-Ri-Mos.” she spelled. The black fire was extinguished at one. The firefly shaped spirits left Gwen’s wrist scattering to midair then vanished. Gwen’s eyelids twitched. He coughed and then breathed again. He opened eyes and looked at to everyone. “He wakes up. He’s alive.” Amelinda yelled. She smiled happily and hugged on Lily who was by her. Gwen on other hand didn’t understand much. He turned to Heracles, asked by weak voice. “What’s going on? Why does she look so happy?” he said innocently. “We thou...

“Where is Lord, mom?” squealed Lily. “He is there. You can see him. He is a dragon, a monster.” she added, turned to the Hydra dragon which was tied tightly by thorn convolves.  “Swallow your words Miss Calliope. In any shape he is always our Lord.” snapped Elder D. Lily turned and looked on the Hydra dragon with incredible eyes. “No, it’s not Lord.” she squealed. Her body trembled. “Yes, he is our Lord.” said Elder D. “My dear Lord, do you hear me?” the voice spread out the Hydra dragon’s place. “Come here. I need your power.” the Hydra dragon spoke up. Black smoke from the elder was sucked out, flew toward the two Hydra dragon’s large mouths. Then his soul was also pulled out, twisted, divided into 2 and then sucked into the large mouths. The elder fell down, lied still on ground. His face became old and wrinkled. It looked terrible.  “My Lord, what are you doing? We are our servants.” one of the other elders spoke up. “You all also give me your powers.” said the Hydra drago...

The dragon roared angrily. “You have to die. You and all guys you brought here have to die.” it cried. Three heads put together. The dragon’s stomach swelled up it took a large amount of air. The surrounding air heats up quickly Amelinda even saw firelight on its stomach. Three heads opened mouths widely. Fire came from throats. The dragon spat fire toward them. Amelinda shut her eyes at one. Right there she felt someone grabbed on her hand, pulled her back then hugged her and turned her halfway. Air hissed loudly, Amelinda could feel fire surrounded her but she wasn’t burnt. She opened her eyes and looked. Aunt Calliope was hugging her. Her back turned to the dragon, shielding her from the fire. She was as like a mother protecting her daughter. However, both of them were fine. An energy shield had appeared and was protecting them. “Aunt Calliope, we are okay.” she said. Aunt Calliope opened her eyes. She released hands from Amalinda’s body. “This is?” she said, looked into a chain whi...

“I know, my venerable lord. It’s because of your kindness.” said Aunt Calliope in calm tone but honestly his heart was pounding. Heracles’s and even Gwen’s and Amelinda’s were also like her. The dragon had passed the gold pile and was appeared to the sacrificial altar. “Clang!” Gwen had taken a golden coin and tossed on the opposite side. The golden coin dropped down, it rolled, staggered and then stopped far away from them next to a pillar. “Oh, so you are there.” said the dragon. It turned and moved toward the pillar, swung its long thorny tail. “I know you are still here.” Heracles took the chance. He hurriedly untied her. “Stop Heracles, we can’t all leave here. If you free me, you will lose the chance. The dragon will go berserk and we all will die. You three go and let me here.” said Aunt Calliope. “We can not. We came here to save you. We will never leave, if we can not save you.” said Heracles resolutely. Aunt Calliope’s face’s cramped. She didn’t know how to make him give up a...

“Keep silence Amelinda. Someone is coming.” Heracles spoke up, kept his voice in low. Footsteps come more nearly. From a corner two people walked out. They both looked very normal, wore white cloaks made of coarse cloth. The cloaks had hoods but they didn’t wear. Therefore, Heracles could see their face. They both were men, looked young and having a little softness of a girl. Their skin was white. One of them even wore spectacles. They looked weak, so different with men who wore black cloak.  “Did you hear Miss Calliope did free a girl?” said one of them. “Really? I didn’t know it.” said the other. “Yes, she did. I heard she has freed a girl. I heard from others that the girl is her daughter.” said the first man. “Her daughter.” lamented the second, “So, it’s the reason.” “Yes, I think no one can stand to see their daughter died especially Miss Calliope. She is too kind.” said the first. “Poor Calliope.” lamented the second. “So how is about her daughter? Where is she?” “I don’t kn...

“Worship me as like your god and bring children every year, I will let you live” – that were words the dragon told as people come. Of course, people had no other choice. They went home and turned back with healthy children to satisfy the dragon. Then the dragon fell in sleep and only woke up one time a year when people brought children to come. A lot of children had died.” her voice became husky, “Many years passed. The dragon became greedy and cruel. It woke more times and wanted more children.” she said angrily. “Nobody dares to stand up to him?” asked Heracles. “Of course, people did but there also had people who received power from the dragon.  They always obey and willingly execute anyone who opposes it. The purge has been going on and lasted for many years. It only stopped till all who were supposed to oppose him were killed. The remaining people were forced to obey.” said Aunt Calliope. “So cruel.” Amelinda lamented. “Yes, it’s but we have no choice. Humans are weakly creatu...

“Yeah, we only need to pass the gate, find Amelinda and let’s leave in peace.” said Gwen quickly. He took a giant breath, looked at Heracles. They bowed their head then together stepped ahead. A tunnel with marble stairs appeared as they walked to the place. The light shone down and help them can see the tunnel. It looked high and wide, leading underground. They stepped down and stopped at place the light could reach. They carefully observed through the darkness but they could not see anything. Darkness suddenly moved to their feet quickly something was taken away the light. Heracles and Gwen turned back at one and saw the the trapdoor was being closed. “Heracles, the trapdoor.” Gwen cried. However, nothing could stop the trapdoor not to close. With a loud noise the ground trembled. The trapdoor closed and light was taken away. Heracles and Gwen sank into darkness completely. They became confused. “It had been closed. What must we do now?” squealed Gwen. He turned scared. Heracles was ...

It’s morning. Sunlight shone to everywhere. Heracles and Gwen were lying on a large round piece of metal meticulously sculpted a hammer and an anvil in the central and snakes winding around. The round piece of metal looked like a trapdoor, very tough and heavy that only people having enormous power could take it up. Heracles was lying on his back and his right hand was holding the sword; Gwen’s on other side lying on his stomach. The helmet was still on his head while the metal shield was brought on his back. Kon had vanished. Heat coming from the trapdoor made Gwen wake up. With wincing face Gwen contorted his body to sit up. Whole his body was in pain as though he had just passed a fight. He adjusted the wide helmet and looked. Beside him his friend. Heracles was there.  “Heracles!” he called softly, gently touched on his friend and not forgot to observe around. Heracles woke. He sat up. “Gwen” he said.  “Heracles - look! Where is this place? Why are we here?” asked Gwen, st...

“Ignore it. It will bring itself to us soon” Heracles said in low voice, smiled. Gwen's mouth edges also twisted they kept walking ahead. “Hey boy!” the thing cried. “Whosp! Whosp!...” the noises constantly came out. At last, it popped out from a tree. Then a light appeared and lit up place in front of Heracles and Gwen. Floating in midair above their heads, it was something covered by light and having shape of a child. It looked like a spirit than any creature to them angrily. “Why do you ignore me? I called you both dozens of time. Why didn’t you answer me?” it shouted, looked straight to them.  “You’re right. It really emits silver light.” said Gwen. He smiled.   “I told you I saw it.” said Heracles with a sweet smile on face. “Hey boy! Don’t ignore me.” the childish voice shouted again. Heracles and Gwen turned ahead looked toward the spirit in front of faces. “Don’t bother us. We are busy.” Heracles said loudly. Then he prevented as though he didn’t care much the spi...

“I can’t pull it out. One of you try to pull it out.” suggested Kon. “Let me try first.” said Gwen. He dropped his shield down. He moved toward the sword. He rolled up his sleeves, grabbed on the hilt and pulled up. It didn’t move. He pulled harder, leaning back. “Agrrrr.” groaned Gwen. He tried his best. The sword showed no sign of moving. After minutes, he stopped, realeasing hands from the hilt.  “Uhmmm, I can’t pull it.” he said, scratching head, “Heracles, try it.” he added. “Let me try.” said Heracles. He stepped forward. Heracles looked at the sword for a bit then he held the hilt by one hand then two hands. Heracles pulled. He started to use strength, more and more. Initially, the sword didn’t move at all. Heracles pulled harder. He didn’t give up. Suddenly, the sword moves a little. Heracles felt it and used more strength. Metallic sounded. The sword was slowly taken out from the rock.  “Ting-a-ling!” The sword was pulled out.    “Awesome, you did it Heracle...

“Step to right a little, Heracles.” whispered Gwen, “Yes, right. Move ahead. Stop- stop, Heracles.” he added then leant face on the window. Suddenly, the window was pushed open. Gwen fell backward and lost balance. He wobbled and then fell on Heracles. They both lied on ground. The window opened completely. A head peered out, looked down and saw them. “What are you doing there? Why do you lie on ground?” a clear voice spread out. Heracles and Gwen looked up and saw a pair of large eyes looking to them. It’s Arian. They still didn’t know how to reply, the voice of her came out again. “What are you doing outside? It’s time to sleep. If you don’t sleep, you will become bad children.” she asked innocently, still looking on them by her round eyes. They quickly stood up. Gwen flattened his clothes. He stepped ahead. “Hi, Arian.” he said, waved his hand. “We are good children. We always sleep on time. However, my sister has gone to somewhere and didn’t come back in time. Don’t you see her? We...

“Do you believe me?” said Heracles seriously glaring on his friend. Look into Heracles’s eyes, Gwen had never seen he is so serious. Still kept silent, he bowed his head. “Will you follow my words?” asked Heracles again. “Yes, I will. But, can you behave as usual, Agassi? You make me a little scared.” said Gwen. “Listen to me Gwen.” said Heracles, hurriedly left the bed coming to the clothes hanger, “You’re Gwen and I’m Heracles. They are our names. They don’t change though others call us by anything.” he stressed, his hand grabbed on his clothes and managed to put in it, “It’s very difficult for you to accept it now” he lowered his voice, “but we have been enchanted. That’s why you and even I can not remember ourselves. Now I can not help you to remember all the things right at one. I only can tell you little by little. However, it took us much time while we don’t have. Amelinda is in danger. We have to go to help her.” he turned back the bed giving Gwen his clothes. “Who is Ameninda?...

“Of course, I know the way. It’s my job. However, there has one position the position is not place you can reach on.” said Dean. He bent down and rummaged something inside wood box laid on ground under the table. Later, he picked up an old rolled parchment. Putting the parchment on the table, he unrolled it. There is nothing but a map. Let Roger see the map, Dean pointed at a red cross on the map. “This is the place.” said Dean, “Don’ you see? It’s not the place you can step on.” he added. Roger didn’t talk he kept silent looking. The red cross Dean was pointing on stayed at the middle of the sea. It’s not island or land it is all the sea. It meant if any of people was transferred to there, they would be dropped in water. “You should be praying for the children not to be moved to there. If they were, you and even I would be in guilt for whole the life,” said Roger unhappily. “I’m very sorry.” said Dean. “I’m not the person you need to apologize.” Roger raised his voice, “People who you...

“What should we tell them, families of the children?” he asked. “We should do nothing.” said Professor Genevieve, “It only makes them worried much when we let them know the truth. We should handle the thing in silence and notify them when the thing finish.”  “You’re right. We don’t need to make the thing turn noisy. I think we should leave. People will see us if we stay here too long.” said Roger. “Yes,” said Professor Genevieve. She pointed her scepter on ground. “Megalono” she said. The grasses grow up strongly and slowly covered entire the ground. It looked like as though there had nothing happened before. Then Professor Genevieve turned to Roger. “We also go.” she said. “Yeah.” replied Roger. A small pop sounded. From the place Professor Genevieve was standing smoke rose covering around her. Later when the smoke cleared, Professor Genevieve had changed into a white owl. Made a hoot, Professor Genevieve spread wings then fluttered up. She flew upon Roger’s head rounds. “See you ...