The Chronicles of Argaddon: The Rise of Terbithia

PROLOGUE

     It was already late in evening and the sound of heavy downpour rain covered the silence of a small wooden house in the middle of forest.

     An old, lofty and paled face man ascended the stairs and opened the door of a slender oak room. The room was absolutely obscure and the antique lamp he carried only lights the partial part of room. He wondered when he heard chuckles coming right underneath the small bed.

"My sweet princess, are you there?" The old man asked with wonder.

"Where did that naughty girl gone again?" He added.

      No answer. The old man bested his lamp on the wooden floor before the bed. And he was about to inspect who was the person underneath.

" Whah!!!" The young girl exclaimed as she come out under the bed.

     The old man felt jittery and he couldn't stand for a second. He only sat on the floor and placed his lamp on his front.

"You are naughty, my princess. You frightened grandpa!" He said nervously.

"Hahaha, does my surprise makes grandpa scared??" She asked doubtfully.

" Absolutely my princess, but grandpa is fine. But don't do it again, it's dangerous." He muttered.

     The young girl nodded and felt sorry for his Grandpa. She rose up and sat on her bed.

"I'm sorry grandpa, I thought I'm able to surprise people now." The young girl uttered in a sad voice.

"Nevermind my dear, but why you're still awake?" He asked astoundingly.

"I.... I'm just feeling weary grandpa, I've got nothing to do here. And also, I'm not drowsy." The young girl replied as she lay down on the bed.

"However for a princess, at this hour she should be in bed, taking rest so that tomorrow she is able to rise early in the morning." He uttered in a soft voice as he stand.

"But grandpa, I'm not drowsy. Wait...I'll sleep if you tell me some stories. Maybe some old stories." She said excitedly.

"I don't have any stories, my princess." He beseeched.

"Please, grandpa, please." She begged with meek eyes.

"My princess, Grandpa needs to rest also. Maybe next time my dear." He insists.

     The old man was about to leave the room. He picked his lamp in the floor and hung it in the partition.

"And why is it so dark here?" The old man asked.

"Where are the lamps here? My princess?" He added.

"Argaddon??!...... That's right." The young girl exclaimed excitedly.

"Mother mentioned Argaddon last night while she was talking with the men outside. It was the first time I heard about that word." She added.

" Hmmm... Argaddon?! Well that sounds great!" The old man replied.

"Grandpa, could you tell something about it? Do you know that place or that name?" The young girl asked.

" Is Argaddon a real place? Does it exists?" She added.

"Well my dear, grandpa already heard that name.  They say that it was an egregious myth and a real chronicle. Argaddon was not just a tale, it was an authentic kingdom. And yes, it actually exist." The old man explained.

"Well, but after years, no news came about the kingdom." He added.

"A real kingdom?" She asked surprisingly.

"Could you share something about that kingdom, grandpa?" She added.

     An excitement could be seen from her eyes, the wondrous hidden story of Argaddon makes the young girl awake from a drowsy and boredom moments. She ran to the window of her room and stared at the dark forest  that was in the rear side of their house.

"Grandpa,do you think that the Argaddon stood behind that dark, horrid and mysterious forest?" The young girl asked curiously.

" Well my dear, I didn't know if it still there today. I only wish I could go back to that place." The old man replied.

"Can you tell me what exactly happened, grandpa?" She asked.

"But it's time to sleep. Maybe some other time." He said with insistence.

"But children like me couldn't not sleep without bedtime stories." The young girl complained.

"Ok , ok my dear, but you should linger here, I'm going to find the book that tells about the myth of that kingdom." He uttered.

"Of course grandpa, I'll wait!" She exclaimed excitedly.

     The old man left the room and descended the stairs and went directly to his room. When he entered, hundreds of books are absolutely salient, the same with the manuscripts and scrolls that are in his own archives. Then he began to quest the book.

"Where did I placed that book? I think.... somewhere in this corner." He muttered as he search a shelf that contains many ancient books.

" Found it!" He exclaimed.

     He grabbed an old, dusty flimsy book. The book was stuck in his archives for many years. He blew the dusts that covers the front cover of the book. A title appeared, The Kingdom of Argaddon.

"Well it's been a while my friend, tonight let's reminisce your unfading story." He added.

    He immediately left his room and ascended the stairs again. He entered the room of the young girl and closed the door.

"Woah! Don't be hasty Grandpa." The young girl uttered excitedly.

" Well my dear, here it is. The story of Argaddon." He said while handing the book.

"Who wrote this grandpa?" She asked curiously while opening the book.

"Woah! This one is nice. I think this book was written by the best hands." She added.

"Well my dear. If you mind, I'll be the one to read the story to you." The old man said persuasively.

"Grandpa, it think it might be a great idea. Of course I like bedtime stories." The young girl uttered excitedly then she handed the book.

"Well let's find out what really happened in that kingdom." The old man said then he smirked.