A Life Beyond by Mark Church (ebook reader web TXT) 📕

the woods, crashing through branches as Lillie pulled him along at such a speed that his feet nearly left the floor,

'LILLIE WAIT!!' shouted Daniel as he struggled to keep up with his sister, then as Daniel spotted Lillie and Harvey standing right at what looked like a flight of huge steps in front of them they were met with the sight of a huge looking building looming over them. They all gasped at the same time as they realised they were one step nearer to the truth.

'Castle Erwin!!!' Daniel shouted excitedly, they reached the edge of the steps and as they started to climb up Harvey was just behind them looking up, all of a sudden a strange purple looking colour filled his eyes completely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Thirteen

The Home From Home

 

Looming over their heads stood the Castle Erwin, a huge battle scarred looking structure that took their breath away.

As they climbed the huge steps which led directly up to the castle it seemed that it was tall enough to reach the sky and beyond, its sheer size cast a huge shadow over the surrounding land and over the town of Erwin which sat there like speck on the landscape due to the sheer vastness of the castle. Five broad, round towers can be seen surrounding the castle, they seem to reach twice the height of the castle walls and are connected to them connected by reinforced thick heavy walls made of silver stone.

Large looming windows were scattered generously around the huge walls with smaller windows around the lowest part of the castle, along with what looked like small holes set at different areas along the walls, possibly lookout posts of some kind.

A great gate with enormous wooden doors and large protects those in need of aid in this hard to get to mountain pass. Across the gate was the shape of a huge shield which would split in two when the gates were opened, and on the shield there was what looked like the figure of a huge winged bird stretching across its width of. The castle doors seemed like the only way to access the castle but it's not the only way in as with most castles of this size there would normally be secret passages used by those inside the castle for whatever they were needed for.

Carts, boxes, tents and various trade goods are stacked were packed outside the castle, ready to be moved on. This castle has stood the test of time so far and despite knowing some very rough times which were getting more frequent as the years rolled by but the castle still stands as proud and protected as it has done, it looks like it will do so for many years to come with aid of a little more new protection.

'Are we there yet guys?. I’m shattered!!' Harvey moaned as he knew he couldn't go much further,

'Come on Harv it's not that far really, time we started working off some of that food!!' laughed Daniel who was almost bounding up the steps ahead of him, desperate to get to the castle,

'It's alright for you Mr ‘I'm Number One’, we can't get up there as fast as you so I'm sorry if I'm stopping you from getting there any quicker!!' Harvey seemingly getting slightly annoyed with Daniel with every step the trio too.

'Oooo what's up with him?' Lillie laughed as she knew Harvey wasn't the best climber in the world,

'You can be quiet as well Lillie!, Not everyone is as good at stuff as you, jeez you're both getting on my nerves now!' Harvey sniffed as he struggled to climb the huge steps upwards, not letting Daniel or Lillie see his face which was seemingly buried in his top, his eyes still an odd looking colour.

'Let's just stop talking to him sis...at least we can't annoy him if we don't speak, anyway it's not that far now, I can see the top!!' Daniel pointing to the top of the steps which seemed to level out onto grassland and on towards the castle itself,

'Good don't speak to me!!!' came the whimpering sound from behind them as they both decided to push on ahead and wait for him at the top.

As they finally reached the last stone step they sat down together, watching as Harvey struggled with each step but the land itself caught their eyes, they could see over to the woods where they had just come through and down to the town of Erwin which looked so small in comparison to when they were actually there, it looked so silent from up by the castle too.

A stunning sunny haze filled the sky, bright colours bounced off of every part of the land, their faces filled with a warm feeling making them forget about the climb they had just had to do,

'Wow Lillie this place is so beautiful!!, look how far you can see!!' Daniel pointing out to the horizon where what looked like the sea sitting there like a painting on a canvas,

'It's stunning Daniel...I hope it stays like this though, from what Lucas told us this place is getting worse, I feel like we are here for its protection' Lillie smiled slightly at the thought of staying here for whatever purpose they were needed for.

'Think we need to get a move on though, let's help happy up the last steps then we can get going' Daniel leapt up from the stone step and thrust a hand out to Harvey who was now up with them,

'Thanks mate, I thought I was going to fall!!' Harvey laughed as they pulled him up the last step, Daniel and Lillie both looked at each other puzzled at the way Harvey was with them now,

'So what was with the attitude towards us a minute ago Harv?, thought you didn't want to talk to us'

'Eh?, what are you going on about Dan?, I don't remember saying a word to you!!' Harvey puzzled look seemed to confuse them both as he stood in front of them smiling away now,

'You had a right go at us!!' Lillie said as Harvey looked even more lost now,

'Still not got a clue what you're on about Lillie!!!' Harvey replied as he marched off up the slight hill towards the castle doors whistling to himself happily,

'Come on then…' he shouted to the other two, waving his arm at them, gesturing them to join him at the top of the hill,

'Let's go see what's inside here then!' Harvey said as off he strode with Lillie and Daniel just staring at each other in utter disbelief at Harvey who seemed to have forgotten the attitude he gave them earlier.

As Daniel and Lillie eventually joined Harvey at the giant doors to the entrance of the castle they stood there in disbelief, the sheer size of the doors had them lost for words, Daniel took a few steps back as he thought he could see something familiar to him,

'What's the matter Daniel?, where are you going?' asked Lillie as she turned around and noticed a strange look on her brother's face, Daniel had pulled up the sleeve on his arm also and was looking at his birthmark then up at the giant doors then back again to his arm

'Ermmmm, I think you need to see this Lillie…' Daniel beckoned his sister over to look at what he could see.

'What is it?, what do you see?' she asked as Harvey also bounded over now,

'Well take a look at the birthmark on my arm..' he thrust his arm out so his hand was pointing upwards, held it out so they could all see it,

'Wow you've learnt how to point upwards Dan!!' laughed Harvey not really knowing what he was supposed to be looking at,

'Shut up Harvey..' Lillie reacted angrily, 'Yes Daniel, I can see your birthmark, but what else am I supposed to be seeing?'

Daniel tensed his arm as if to say ‘look a bit harder’,

'Look closely at the birthmark on my arm then look at the symbol on the doors..' hoping that Lillie would spot it.

Then finally the penny dropped, her eyes lit up brighter than ever before and a broad smile spread across her face,

'It matches!!!!, Oh Daniel I'm guessing we are where we need to be now!!, we've made it!!'

Harvey strode up, grabbed Daniel's arm hard, looked at it for a few seconds then without a flicker of emotion said,

'Looks like something my baby cousin would draw with a crayon!!...I mean it almost looks like that bird thing on the doors but to me it looks like a big splodge',

'Well thanks for that amazing input Harv!!' Daniel felt hurt that his friend couldn't see something so obvious, seeing as they were supposed to be the best of friends.

'So how do you think we get in there then?, I can't see any other way past those doors' Lillie scoured the entire front of the castle for signs of another entrance just as Daniel walked towards the doors and banged on them as hard as he could.

Harvey ran to his friend shouting, trying to stop him from what he was doing,

'What are you doing that for??, what if they want to eat us or something!, I can't face being thought of as someone's free lunch again'

'Shut it Harv...I can't hear anything…' putting his hand over Harvey's mouth was never the nicest thing but he was desperate to listen for any kind of movement behind the doors,

'Well it looks like no one is home Dan, come on let's go, this place is giving me the creeps now, it's so eerie!!' Harvey tugged at his friend's arm hoping he could pull him away but Daniel was rooted to the spot, ear pressed up against the door, when all of a sudden a large ‘clunking’ sound could be heard from behind the doors, what sounded like a rusty lock of some kind turning itself until it opened with a thud, there seemed to be movement and noise now coming from deep behind the castle doors, the sound of footsteps filled the silent air now, the children slowly backed away from the doors as they heaved open little by little, a blinding light shone out from within which caused the children to shield their eyes from it.

They hadn't noticed that a soldier was walking out from between the open doors directly towards them, it was a soldier of double their size wearing what looked like full battle armour, a metal mask with deep dark eye holes hiding glowing yellow slit eyes covered its face as it stopped within a few feet of them, it's eyes seemingly slicing through them as they stood just staring right back not knowing whether to try and run or just accept whatever was going to happen,

'I...I...err...th..think we are in trouble now!!' Harvey said as every part of his body was trembling at the thought of what this soldier might do to them.

Daniel just stood open mouthed staring at the soldier whose armour was glistening in the sun, it's mask bore the scars of many a battle by the look of it, deep scratches and dents covering the surface of the mask, Lillie, on the other hand, wasn't in the mood for any more games and stepped in front of Daniel and marched up to the soldier not in the slightest bit scared, the soldiers head look downwards to where Lillie was now standing

'Look...whoever you are!!, We have been sent here on this journey by lots of people we have met along the way, we are all hungry, tired and above all else totally fed up!!. People are supposedly after us wanting to hurt us and all we want is answers. We didn't ask to come to Erwin, it just happened, so if you could please just tell us what you are and what you intend to do with us then that would be just….well super!!'

'Go Lillie!!!' Harvey shouted from his hidden position behind Daniel as he watched her wagging her finger at