Flight to Eternity

8/10/2019 Flight to Eternity

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About the Author

Raymond John HarrisonAKA Ray studied Sociology atBath Spa University.

The author lived for most of his life in the little village of

Shrivenham, in Oxfordshire near to Swindon, and not far fromthe ancient Ridgeway track.

He is now hoping to become a full time writer.

Ray lives with his wife, and has two daughters, and twograndsons.

One day he hopes to walk the whole of the ancient Ridgewaytrack before he too becomes ancient himself.


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Dedication

This book is dedicated to my two daughters Deborah andLucy, and my two grandsons Joseph and Maxwell.


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Acknowledgments

Many thanks must go to Nicola Cornick who encouraged meto write the book, and Andrew Maxwell-Hyslop my editor for

his great patience, and understanding in the editing of it.


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Authors Note

This book is of pure fantasy. Names, characters, places, are

either the product of the author's imagination, or if real, areused in a fictitious situation.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 15

Garib Cometh

CHAPTER TWO 22

Prusania

CHAPTER THREE 30

The Crystal Hall

CHAPTER FOUR 37

Maya Land

CHAPTER FIVE 50

Journey to the Elvish Lands

CHAPTER SIX 63

The Traitor Cometh

CHAPTER SEVEN 76

Return to the Future

CHAPTER EIGHT 86

Rocket Man

CHAPTER NINE 95

The Holy Land

CHAPTER TEN 101

Escape from Hell

CHAPTER ELEVEN 112

Flight To Eternity

CHAPTER TWELVE 119

The Hypogeum


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CHAPTER 1

Garib Cometh

Sara and I were sketching at the Wayland Smithy mound onthe ancient English Ridgeway track when we encountered an

injured tall pixy type person with pointed ears who had been

injured by a purple clad-warrior whom he had killed. His namewas Prince Vanu and we took the injured Prince back to my

fathers Manor House in nearby Winton village. We bandagedhis injured leg and then after a week set in motion buying

tickets to India for Sara, myself, and Vanu who had told us he

was from the northern highlands of India. Just who was thisboy? Sara was off to Bhutan to find Nirvana, and I was

intending to join my fathers army regiment in India for my

military service. Once we landed in India we took a train totake us up into the Indian highlands after the long sail from

England to India aboard HMS Victoria.Sara, please lets get back to the present and get some

well-earned sleep. We can sort out getting off the train with a

long-eared pixy boy in the morning, I said.

Pixy person, thats not very nice calling me that, Vanu

replied. Most people around here look like me except theydont have pointed ears. If I can keep Joshs jacket pulled up

around my ears, and perhaps even wear what you call a tophat, they will never notice me until we reach my homeland.

Im not sure that a local boy wearing a Harris Tweed

jacket and a top hat is not inconspicuous, I responded. It


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sounded good to me so it was to be the top hat trick again thathad worked on the boat trip from England to India. All right,

so lets try it again and remember Vanu poke your earscompletely inside the top hat this time, I implored.I reached

up to the luggage rack and retrieved my brown leather hat box

and placed it on the seat. Inside the box inscribed with thename Herbert Johnson, London, was my top hat. I took it out

and put it squarely onto Vanus head pulling it right down over

his ears.

An excellent fit, I remarked as I took a step back, and

looked at him. What a nice hat you have on Vanu, I wish I

had one like that? I joked.

He took it off and I put it back in the box. We now settleddown for a few hours well-earned sleep then we woke at

daylight as the train approached the small town of Simper inthe highlands. From here, onward travel would be by mule.

Josh, just before the train stops, open the outside door and

then grab hold of my hand, please, I think we should go

incognito from here,Sara said.

As instructed just before the train slowed to a completestandstill I pulled open the door and we threw down our small

cases, and my hatbox. Sara then grabbed hold of Vanus handand I grabbed her other free hand and we all jumped onto the

railway track below. Although it was the first train of the

morning, there seemed to be no one around. We gathered our

belongings and followed the track out of the station towardssome old ruins that we spied on our way in. Sara thought the

ruins would make an excellent place to stay in private for awhile. Here we could draw up a plan to work out how to avoid

meeting any more of Vanus purpleWarriors again like at theWayland Smithy cave or the Dark Witch he talked about. The

ruins were made of granite which reminded me of Avebury

and Stonehenge in our England.

It was eerily silent and there was a gentle drizzle falling.As we penetrated deeper into the ruins we found ourselves

walking through lush green-and red-coloured grass. Suddenly


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a huge flat rock came into view. We sat down on it feelingquite tired after the long train journey. Vanu now relaxed a

little, but he still had on my Harris-tweed jacket and my tophat.

Suddenly a small figure appeared around the corner of the

rock. At first sight it looked like a small boy, but it was in fact

a dwarf who plumped himself down beside us dressed in abrown leather jerkin with yellow trousers, and carried a small

bag and a thick wooden stick with an eagles head engraved ontop. Do you mind if I join you? he said. You all look so

sad.

Vanu took off my top hat with the lapels of my jacket

falling open to reveal his pointed ears. The dwarf was quitetaken aback and backed away from us. He stopped and stood

in front of us, hands on hips. Hello, what is this, apixy man?Is he one of yours?

Vanu drew himself up. I am not a Pixy, but my people

have pointed ears. I am Prince Vanu from the land of Maya, I

am one of the Elves from the highlands of the Dukedom ofMaya. And who exactly are you, Mr Dwarf?

I am a Manish dwarf.

Manish, is that your name?I asked.

No, my name is Garib. Manish are my peoples name,

and we are the hereditary slaves of the Rajah of Japer. I

escaped from the Rajahs gold and I am now on the run fromthe dwarf-beaters, his evil henchmen.

Hello Garib, I am Josh and this is my friend, Lady Sara.

Garib had shoulder-length ginger hair and a curly ginger

beard. I could also see twelve-inch biceps on his upper armspoking out from underneath his leather jerkin.

I escaped here as it is a great place to hide from the dwarf

beaters, Garib continued. They tell me strange lands existbeyond the boundaries of the tree line over there. There is talk

of flesh-eating monsters living in a lake, and they say it is a

cursed as anybody who enters there has never comes back so


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nobody enters beyond the tree line.Garib explained that hisdwarf people were enslaved to work in the gold and silver

mines for the cruel Rajah, and death was the only way toescape.

To tell you the truth, I stole some shoes from the chief

overseer to buy food from a local Japer person. Now the dwarf

beaters are after me as the shoes were inlaid with gold andsilver threads. Selling anything outside the mines containing

gold or silver is punishable by death. The dwarf beaters wouldnever think of looking for me here as no one ever comes here.

So beyond here are dangerous lands and ghostly hidden

valleys Sara, so it looks like well be safe in these ruins as

people are afraid to come here. So are we happy to stay for awhile? I asked. Vanus killer Warriors and his tales of the

Black Witch frighten me even if they are only after Vanu?

Talking of Warriors we may actually be the next item ontheir menu when they come looking for him, Sara responded.

Now look, you people, I really have to join my father for

my Army service. Its really nice being here with you all, but I

must get back into Simper town and hire some transport assoon as I can, I said, trying to sound convincing.

Listen everybody, there may be some Warriors on the

way here soon, warned Prince Vanu forcefully.

Why, what do you mean more Warriors, and why here?I

asked.Over there the tree line marks the start of the old

dukedom of Maya, so the Warriors can easily reach us here,

said Vanu.

But how would they know we are here? I muttered.

Garib the dwarf interrupted the conversation. Look, talk

of blood-lust Warriors if you like, but I am as strong as five

men and can protect you from any Warriors, Dark Witches, ordwarf beaters. Just look at my arms, let me join you in your

quest and I will be your servant, and protector for life.


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Actually Josh, we could do with some strong-armprotection, couldnt we? responded Sara.

Yes indeed, but an instant miracle to cover up old long-

ears and fast away from here would be even better, I replied. ,I may be able to help you there, said Garib. I didnt just

steal shoes, there was also a robe with a small hood attached

containing silver threads which should cover up old long ears.

Garib groped around in his bag and pulled out a black topwhich he showed to Vanu. This was meant for a dwarf, but

should be good enough to cover up old long ears, and at leastits better than nothing! he remarked. Then he gathered up the

short robe and twirled it over his head and said, Come along

pixy boy, try this on, before throwing it at Vanu.

I am no pixy, I am an Elvish Prince, Vanu repliedsharply.

Pixy, Pelvish, who cares? Vanu get it on, and see if it

covers up your ears, do you really want to wear my top hat andHarris jacket for the rest of our time here? I said.

Vanu, come over here, and try the hooded top on over

your clothes together, said Sara. Vanu walked hesitantly

towards her. Now pull the hood down over your head, sheinstructed. Then she stepped back. Oh, what an excellent fit,

it makes you look like a real monk, doesnt it? said Sara.

Garib stepped forward to make a few adjustments after

finding a piece of rope in his bag and promptly tied it aroundVanus waist to keep the hooded top in place.It hides Pixy

Long Ears extremely well, remarked Garib.

I dont like being called Pixy Long Ears, retorted Vanu.

Now, comealong you two lets call a truce, I still want toknow how the purple Warriors are able to track Vanu down, I

said.

Garib, join us, as we could do with some properprotection if Vanus enemy Warriors find us again, Sara

added forcefully.


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Going back to what I was saying, Vanu interjected, Weare very near a part of the old dukedom of Maya. I think the

land we can see in the distance is Prusania, once part of theMaya kingdom, but now independent. However the Warriors

can still use tunnels which end up in Prusania near here.

Suddenly the yellow crystal I found at the Avebury stone

circle and given to Sara now around her neck suddenly flashed.

Oh God, flashing, here we go again just the same as at theWayland mound when Vanu appeared out of nowhere! I said,

shaking my head. It reminded that the purple-clad Warriorwhom Vanu managed to kill before he said would kill him, and

even perhaps us? It seemed the Warriors had some kind of

direction-finding mechanism.

Listen everyone, shouted Vanu. Saras crystal is awarning that Warriors are approaching and as we are near my

homeland there may be many of them. We need to get awayfrom here fast.

I turned to Sara Oh hell Sara, here we are two English

people with a tall pixy boy and a dwarf in the middle of

nowhere, maybe expecting purple-clad killer Warriors to comealong any minute how bizarre is that? And what for Gods sake

is next? Garib, is there any way we can get out of here? Iasked.

Yes, behind this rock theres a small hole that leads into a

cave. At the end of the cave is a long tunnel which I believe

comes out above the tree line in the distance.

Right, lets get going!I shouted.

Long ears, follow me! ordered Garib. I was not sure ifVanu liked being called this, but now there was no time for

delay. We squeezed through the hole at the back of the rock,and reached the end of the cave and stumbled into a tunnel.

Normally I just sleep down here in the cool air out of theheat of the midday sun. Ive have never explored the tunnel or

entered the tree line beyond it, so I do not know what liesbeyond? he informed us.


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Once inside the tunnel Sara shouted out, Hold handstogether for safety! This we did with the other hand being

used to feel along the side of the tunnel wall. We trudged onwith Saras crystal flashing occasionally, drawing us further

down the tunnel and eventually we squeezed ourselves out into

daylight, and headed towards the trees. Thankfully it looked asif the flashing of the crystal was a false alarm, or was Vanu or

somebody else leading us through a certain sequence of events

for their own ends?


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CHAPTER TWO

Prusania

Slowly everything came back into focus as we emerged from

the tunnel, and climbed up a small bank into a forest glade. Wecould not go back to Simper in case the enemy Warriors or the

dwarf beaters were blocking the way. I noticed the trees

around us had peculiar branches with yellow leaves on them.

Josh, these trees are like pine trees, except the branchesare a funny colour and shaped like ripe bananas, Sara

remarked.

Yes, I see what you mean.

Through a gap in the trees we could just make out a smalllake in the distance with small white waves breaking its

surface.

On a recent trip to London Sara had brought somepaintings in London of the area in Germany around the

Peenemunde forest near the Baltic Sea where her German

grandfather Professor Von Hahn had a summer lodge. Thisplace looked very much like it, except for the funny shaped

banana-coloured leaves on the trees. I wondered if this land

was somehow linked to our Avebury and the ancient Ridgeway

track where our adventure and the appearance out of nowhereof the young Prince Vanu.

I think we have entered the land of King Petrus ofPrusania who worships the pyramid shape, announced Vanu.


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Absolutely fantastic; I visited the pyramids in Egypt withmy mother to get away from the English winter to ease her

arthritis, I responded.Then I turned to Sara, OK, so wevehad Wayland Smithy along with a purple clad Warrior and the

appearance of Prince Vanu out of nowhere, and now we have

just come out of a long dark tunnel. So whats next for usnow:fire-breathing dragons?

Dont speak too soon; you never know what might

happen next, she remarked. I was thinking about my studentphilosophy days at Oxford and about how we are the current

inhabitants of earth, and have managed to survive wars and

plagues. So hopefully we should be tough enough to surviveanything fate has to throw at us.

Listen everyone can we be quiet for a minute? It looks

like we are inside somebodys private estate and I can heardogs barking in the distance, announced Sara.

So can I, I added, cupping my hand to my ear.

Garib was a little distance away brushing himself down

after falling over some branches. When I looked upwards I

could see a blood-red moon and a red sun in the sky at thesame time.

We started walking down the forest path towards a lake

when all of a sudden we could hear the dogs barking again,much louder this time, and then came a whooshing sound

directly above our heads. Suddenly out of the trees appeared

two massive dogs being restrained by two large men wearingArabic-type clothes. One had a set of arrows and a curled

shaped bow on his back like the one Vanu was carrying when

we met him at Wayland Smithy which he used to kill hisenemy Warrior. Vanus bow had unfortunately been broken by

one of the lads from my fathers estate who was messingaround, with Vanu lacking the tools and the know-how to

repair the bow.When the dog men called out to us, Sara looked at them

intently. I think theyre speaking in an old form of German. Iused to study German when I was younger with my


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grandfather Otto, she said. She paused to listen again, andtold us they were calling us Outsiders and said we were

trespassing and should follow them or they would set the dogson us.

Suddenly a giant eagle circled over our heads which did

not seem to be with the dog men. What do we do now Sara?

I asked.

Keep your mouth shut and follow them, and do as theysay. The dogs look like they could bite off your arm.

We set off, with the dog men behind us. Suddenly one of

them pulled an arrow from his quiver and set it on his bow.Look Gustine, food flying overhead.

Excellent, let the bird have it, said the other dog man.The giant eagle turned away just as the archer loosed his

arrow. It missed the giant eagle by inches which let out a highpitched screeching noise as it flew off into the distance. The

archer was unhappy with missing the bird and prodded in the

back with his wooden pike. We were then moved towards thelake by the men down a forest path which covered in blue

flowers.

We turned a corner to see a large wooden bridge with

watchtowers on either side. This led to an island in the middleof the lake on which stood a small pyramid. Suddenly a

trumpet sounded and a band of men dressed in long white

robes riding giant green-striped hyenas galloped across thebridge. They pulled up in front of us with curved swords at the

ready. We must have looked quite a sorry site Sara and I inour typically English clothes, Garib the dwarf in his, and Vanu

looking like a monk.

Sara had tucked the yellow crystal inside her blouse as weapproached the bridge. The riders shouted at us again in what

sounded again like old German. Sara said the first thing that

came into her head remembering her younger days living inGermany with her grandfather. Im lost. Can you take me to

the nearest police station? she said nervously in German.


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They looked at her as if she was completely bonkers, but itmust have struck a note with them for they lowered their

swords, after which one man who seemed to be their leaderstepped forward. He wore a black turban on his head beset

with a golden snake clasp and on his robe two black crossed

swords on his chest. Just before he reached us, he turned andaddressed the dog men who lumbered off back into the forest

with their dogs straining at the leash.

The soldiers took Garibs eagle stick off him, sheathedtheir swords, and led by their leader ushered us across the

wooden bridge towards the island and the pyramid shape in the

distance. We had only the clothes we stood up in as our smalltravel cases had been abandoned at the flat rock in the ruins

outside Simper. I wondered would anybody find our luggage,

and come looking for us, or would they presume we had beeneaten alive by wild animals?

Sara and I linked hands as we shuffled over the wooden

bridge surrounded by the green hyena riders, we were buffeted

against the animals backsides as we walked. Men ridinggreen giant hyenas! We must be in some kind of cloud cuckoo

land, Sara whispered to me.

Yeh, oh terrific! So how am I going to join my fathersregiment now ? I muttered.

Josh, dont speak loudly as we dont want them to know

who we are, or where we have come from, she replied.

Suddenly the giant eagle we had seen before circled ourheads then flew off as if to let us know it was still around.

The men riding the hyenas looked at the eagle strangely as

if they had never seen one before. Once on the island we werepushed down an avenue of black lion statues until we reached

two huge upright polished black stone pillars. These formed

the entrance into the pyramid complex itself which was made

of white marble inscribed with fighting Warrior figures on itssurface.

The riders dismounted and the turbaned leader shouted outsomething which made more soldiers appear. They bound our


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hands behind our backs and we were marched away, and takendown some steps and pushed into a kind of empty underground

storage room with a flagstone floor. Then a large wooden doorwas locked behind us.

We all sat down on the floor feeling rather dejected.

Cheer up everyone, said Garib. If someone can loosen the

ropes tying my hands I can free everyone else.

Let me have a go, I said. I knelt down behind Garib andfortunately the rope had not been pulled tight so there was just

enough play to allow me to get my teeth around it.

After a lot of gnawing and pulling I managed to free hishands with Garib then freeing everyone else after which Sara

gave me a big hug which was nice. Garib then proceeded to

open his little back bag concealed under his jerkin whichcontained a small metal knife used to peel fruit. He scraped out

the old mortar of the stone work between our room and thenext. The walls must have been very old, because it wasnt

long before the stonework became loose.

Look, if I can take out some of the stones I can make a

hole into the next room, said Garib.

Eventually he managed to make a hole through which weall clambered into the next room which also seemed also to be

some kind of storeroom. We opened the unlocked storeroomdoor and climbed up a small flight of stairs, only to find

another door leading to an avenue of cat statues leading up to

the white marble quartz pyramid. With soldiers guarding thewooden bridge and us being on an island, we decided the only

place we could hide out until nightfall was inside the pyramid.

So we trooped off towards the pyramid and were just aboutto enter when the entrance steps starting spinning beneath our

feet. We lost our balance and fell to the ground in a dishevelled

heap. Out of nowhere soldiers appeared and surrounded us.

The man with the black turban appeared again, this timewith a young handsome boy walking behind him in a regal

manner dressed in magnificent gold-embroidered clothes, and


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The soldiers started winding a wheel on the side of thecannon which lowered the gun barrel down onto a huge stone

platform. Soldiers then prodded us forward with their woodenpikes inside the six-foot-wide barrel. Sara turned around and

addressed the Vizier, Please Mr Vizier, Id like to make one

last request.

What is it? he exclaimed.

Can you untie our hands so we can embrace one anotherone last time?

The Vizier looked at the King who nodded. Request

granted. The Vizier then ordered our hands to be untied withthe soldiers still forming a guarding ring around us.

We hugged each other and then the barrel was lifted back

to its forty-five degree angle which made us tumble down on

top of each other. Sara, I believe this situation may beconstrued as treading in deep doo-doo, I remarked.

Doo-doo yes, but one good thing there are no blood-

sucking Warriors here as yet, but maybe flesh-eatingmonsters? replied Sara.

Then there was a pause and we waited in silence, I

suddenly thought about my days at Oxford University and a

theory that we were supposedly all descended from God andhow Gods essence is within us.Perhaps God has moved on in

the universe and when we talk to God we are in a sense talking

to ourselves. Talking to the divine essence within us, or to theheavens is what I needed right now to save mine, and Saras

lives.

Then came a hissing the sound of a fuse being lit. Saraquick take out the yellow crystal and give it a good rub, it

might do some good like the old Aladdins lamp trick, Icalled out.

Sara started frantically rubbing the yellow crystal, but atfirst nothing happened. Then we heard a booming sound and

we all shot up the giant barrel and were blown out into opensky with our twirling arms and legs flying all over the place.

Flight to Eternity

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