The civilizations that lived on the edge of the Over-realm\u2019s Eastern continent were rather flat when it came to the terrain. As such, there was extraordinarily little of Wysper City that was safe from the fog and snow. On top of its seaside location, the city was the second leading city in terms of rail traffic, with the Sacchrinda Kingdom being the foremost leader. As Arsha predicted, because of the weather, more than a few trains had to be cancelled and the businesses that depended on the railway rushed to get their last shipments out to the ports so they could be exported to the other continents or to the other Realms. Lardeth and his lovers were staying at the Felomphas\u2019 castle and he was looking out the balcony of his room during the night. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. \u201cYes?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMay we come in, my little princess?\u201d called Roomef\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSure, Mama,\u201d replied Lardeth. Roomef, Endram, Domamfem, Twayfar, and all of his lovers entered the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe looked at the calendar,\u201d explained Arsha. \u201cYour mom explained what this week also meant to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThinking about your dad?\u201d asked Endram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you referring to yourself?\u201d quizzed Lardeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m talking about your actual father, the human that was King before me,\u201d replied Endram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Yeah, I was,\u201d sighed Lardeth. \u201cI thought I\u2019d be over this by now, but I still miss him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe all do,\u201d assured Roomef. \u201cWhen one loses a family member, you never really \u2018get over it\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI frankly wish I met him,\u201d remarked Endram. \u201cHe sounded like a good man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith a fault that led to his downfall,\u201d muttered Twayfar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwayfar!\u201d hissed Roomef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDownfall?\u201d asked Gorfanth. \u201cWhat downfall?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe reason why he died,\u201d replied Lardeth. \u201cI told you guys about it, I\u2019m sure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can\u2019t say as I\u2019ve heard the story,\u201d countered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot me,\u201d supplied Malnar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m not familiar with the story,\u201d rumbled Gorfanth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMe neither,\u201d finished Foresna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think I\u2019m the only one who knows the story,\u201d mumbled Falnii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo you guys…want to hear it?\u201d asked Domamfem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDomamfem, consider what you\u2019re doing,\u201d warned Roomef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019s right, Mama,\u201d declared Lardeth. \u201cWe\u2019re not gonna change history by ignoring it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDid your father…do something wrong?\u201d asked Malnar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh yes, he did,\u201d confirmed Lardeth. \u201cMy father, a human named Yentil, was once an engine driver for the Great Wysper Northern Railway. Even when he was King, the Railway still called on him to help out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI love Yentil dearly and miss him so much,\u201d continued Roomef, \u201cbut, without question, he was the most boastful man I had ever met!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe always went on and on about his \u2018spotless record\u2019,\u201d explained Twayfar. \u201cAlways going on about how he had never once been late! More often than not, it put us all to sleep!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut the real kicker of it,\u201d supplied Domamfem, \u201cwas that it was all true!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTrue?\u201d asked Arsha. \u201cI\u2019ve been around a few railways before and I find it hard to believe that anyone could have a spotless record.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo did I,\u201d remarked Roomef, \u201cbut the Railway\u2019s manager gave me his official record and it was, indeed, spotless. Somehow, he had always delivered his trains on time and without fail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe also wasn\u2019t shy about calling out an engine\u2019s crew if they were late,\u201d continued Domamfem, \u201ceven if they were his co-workers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd his fire-woman, a Frostik named Entam, was just as boastful,\u201d supplied Lardeth. \u201cI remember her prattle when she visited. I always believed that their arrogance led to their downfall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSounds like they suffered a fatal accident,\u201d guessed Malnar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAccident, tragedy, take your pick,\u201d answered Twayfar. \u201cIt was about 200 years ago when Dad and Entam had to take a late-night express passenger train. They suffered a delay and couldn\u2019t get out of the station fast enough when they were finally allowed to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow, when the Great Wysper Northern Railway was in operation,\u201d elaborated Domamfem, \u201ctheir main line went around a mountain and it had a sharp two and a half por deep ravine. With so many twists and sharp turns, you HAD to take it slow or else fall. Sadly, that night had weather like tonight. With poor visibility, icy rails, and Dad and Entam\u2019s desire to maintain their spotless record, thus causing them to go at a criminally reckless speed, it was small wonder what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…They…they crashed?\u201d gasped Foresna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe train jumped the track at the first sharp bend,\u201d confirmed Lardeth. \u201cThe engine and coaches must have bounced at least a por forward once they hit the bottom of the ravine. My dad and Entam died in the impact, but that wasn\u2019t the worst of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m probably tempting fate here,\u201d gulped Malnar, \u201cbut what\u2019s worse than that?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery man, woman, and child in those coaches died as well,\u201d answered Roomef. \u201cThe tragedy ruined the railway\u2019s image forever, thus leading it to close. Some of the engines and rolling stock were sold to Imperial Rails as well as some of the branch lines and main line, but the mountain path had its rails ripped up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDad\u2019s engine and the coaches were scrapped after the bodies were recovered and interred at the cemetery,\u201d continued Twayfar. \u201cBut that\u2019s not the end of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d asked Malnar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on, Twayfar!\u201d snapped Lardeth. \u201cNot that again! I thought you gave it up a hundred years ago!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow many mountaineers have seen it?!\u201d argued Twayfar. \u201cHow many?! They can\u2019t all be wrong!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey can\u2019t all be right, either!\u201d countered Domamfem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are you guys talking about?\u201d asked Arsha. Lardeth sighed before continuing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s believed that every year,\u201d he explained, \u201caround the time of the accident, the ghosts of Dad, Entam, and the passengers ride a spectral train, desperate to make it to the journey\u2019s end so they can move on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGhosts? In the Over-realm?\u201d asked Malnar incredulously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake it from someone who survived a Wraith,\u201d supplied Arsha. \u201cThe only time you\u2019ll ever see a ghost occur outside of the Under-realm is if Oyed\u2019s had a hand in it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven then,\u201d continued Malnar, \u201cghosts in the Under-realm are pretty uncommon unless you\u2019re in the Belsnath citadel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you, Malnar, Arsha,\u201d bid Lardeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust out of curiosity,\u201d interjected Falnii, \u201cwhen…?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis week,\u201d replied Twayfar. \u201cSo look out if you\u2019re planning to visit the mountains.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwayfar, stop that!\u201d snapped Lardeth as he jabbed her arm with his elbow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLardeth\u2019s right,\u201d supplied Endram. \u201cYou\u2019re going on about nonsense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, you DON\u2019T believe Yentil\u2019s ghost can manifest here?\u201d Gorfanth asked everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomehow, this twit does!\u201d remarked Lardeth as he pointed to Twayfar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLardeth!\u201d snapped Roomef.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Sorry,\u201d he mumbled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn any event, Lardeth IS right,\u201d assured Roomef. \u201cYentil\u2019s ghost has NOT manifested here. Now, I don\u2019t know about you lot, but I\u2019m going to bed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat sounds like a good idea,\u201d yawned Endram. \u201cTomorrow\u2019s Lardeth\u2019s Tour\u2019s End Ceremony and we need to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed! Good night, my dears!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGood night!\u201d everyone bid as Roomef, Endram, Domamfem, and Twayfar left the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think we all better hit the hay,\u201d declared Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy bed\u2019s always open for everyone,\u201d offered Lardeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat sounds excellent,\u201d sighed Falnii happily. Everyone went into Lardeth\u2019s bathroom and changed into their nightclothes. They then brushed their teeth and then they laid down on the mattress. Zephyrs never needed blankets as their clouds always kept them warm at nights. Falnii and Lardeth combined and expanded their clouds to wrap everyone into it. Soon, they all drifted off to sleep, at least, they all tried. Falnii couldn\u2019t sleep, her mind still on the story of the death of Lardeth\u2019s father. She tossed and turned between Gorfanth and Lardeth. Gorfanth felt her moving and so moved to face her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomething wrong, Fluffy?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can\u2019t sleep at all,\u201d mumbled Falnii. \u201cAll those people gone, an entire railway closed, Lardeth having lost his father, it\u2019s just too much!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all right,\u201d soothed Gorfanth as he pulled Falnii closer to him. \u201cLardeth would tell us if it affects him really bad. He\u2019s open like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…Yeah, he is,\u201d agreed Falnii. \u201cIt\u2019s just that…no one should die like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo,\u201d agreed Gorfanth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c…You mind if I just rest my head on your chest a bit?\u201d asked Falnii. \u201cI need something to calm me and your breathing tends to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s if you can hear my breathing over Arsha\u2019s snoring!\u201d grumbled Gorfanth. Falnii sat up and looked at Arsha. She was, indeed, snoring loudly and annoying Lardeth, Foresna, and Malnar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Arsha?\u201d quizzed Falnii. \u201cI thought it was a large group of Dryads taking a late-night jog.\u201d Malnar couldn\u2019t take it anymore. She jabbed her elbow into Arsha\u2019s side, waking her up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhuzzu…?\u201d yelped Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy don\u2019t you take a decongestant?!\u201d growled Malnar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are you talking about, Bonfire?\u201d asked Arsha sleepily. Foresna then sat up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou snore like a congested elephant!\u201d he snapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do NOT snore,\u201d protested Arsha, \u201cand I do NOT believe that you recorded me when I took my nap after Sorsha got my hairpiece away from me! In fact, the video box was from one of Natural Realms<\/em>\u2019 series, Songs of the Whales<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, you\u2019re telling us that whale watchers can\u2019t tell the difference,\u201d snarked Lardeth, \u201cbetween your snoring and the sounds of a 39 kantek, kelp-scarfing mammal?\u201d He got hit in the face with the pillow for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t care what anyone says, I don\u2019t snore!\u201d hissed Arsha as she turned over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDenial, thy name is…\u201d Malnar was interrupted by the door bursting open, revealing Feymay in a nightgown, a facial pack, and curlers in her cloudy hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWILL YOU KIDS KEEP IT DOWN?!\u201d she roared. \u201cSOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Sorry, Mama!\u201d squeaked Lardeth. Feymay left the room and slammed the door to emphasize her point. Everyone then laid back down and uneasily went to sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The morning came and everyone was at an old railway station, long abandoned after it closed. Lardeth\u2019s family stood on the platform as everyone sat in chairs going across the old track. There was an aisle in the center and it extended as the entire crew of the High Sky<\/em> formed the rest of the aisle leading to the landing ramp of the ship. Lardeth then appeared, trailing his belongings behind him in a suitcase and a gym bag. He hesitated in leaving only to place his hand on the hull and wish the ship goodbye and good luck. He then looked down the aisle and saw the entire crew looking at him. After those few seconds, he then headed down the ramp and down the aisle, taking in all the faces of every ensign, lieutenant, commander, and officer under his command. He soon approached the station and set his stuff aside as he knelt in front of his parents. \u201cLardeth Felompha,\u201d began Emfam, \u201cyou have been away from home for five years, serving Realmfleet and expanding your knowledge. What have you learned?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy decisions impacted the whole crew, no matter how small,\u201d replied Lardeth. \u201cIf that is true for such a small scale, I can only imagine how true that is for the entire Over-realm. Still, I refuse to back away from the crown. The people still need someone to assist them in keeping the Realm running and that someone is me. I may be worried about the power I have now, but I won\u2019t live in fear of it. Besides, I know I have people willing to give me a smack upside the head if I go too far. My ultimate lesson is that power is nothing if it isn\u2019t shared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen your tour has been instrumental in your growth!\u201d declared Emfam. \u201cWe have no doubts that you will lead us well when you ascend to the throne. Rise, Lardeth Felompha, Crown Prince of the entire Over-realm!\u201d Lardeth rose and faced the audience as they applauded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you, all of you,\u201d he called. \u201cI couldn\u2019t have gone anywhere without your help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust doing what we can, Your Highness,\u201d replied his First Officer, a Sea Dragon, Commander Standral. The instant he finished; a Merman came next to Lardeth in a water-chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, Captain Engrast!\u201d greeted Lardeth. \u201cWelcome! I take it, you\u2019re taking command of the High Sky<\/em> now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, Your Highness,\u201d replied Engrast. His response was crisp and formal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt ease, Captain,\u201d assured Lardeth. \u201cSpeak freely.\u201d Engrast still considered his words before he spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ve left some pretty big shoes to fill,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI know that the High Sky<\/em> is in good hands with you in the Captain\u2019s Chair,\u201d replied Lardeth. They shook hands and Engrast glided down the aisle as his new crewmates followed him back into the ship. Once everyone had filed out, Lardeth, his lovers, and his family returned to the castle and had dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, what else will we be doing?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was thinking of bringing you guys on a rail excursion to the Nimbus Theater,\u201d replied Lardeth. \u201cThe Three Maidens are performing there and they\u2019ve got Curlandii back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA Three Maidens act with Curlandii?\u201d chuckled Malnar. \u201cI know we\u2019re in for a good time!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s just hope we can get there in time with all the fog,\u201d muttered Gorfanth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIsn\u2019t there a local mana crystal shortage?\u201d asked Falnii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s only because the mine doesn\u2019t have its own shunter,\u201d replied Lardeth. \u201cThere\u2019s plenty of mana crystals, but no efficient system to get it all out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s changing tomorrow,\u201d called Olmarfa. \u201cYaldem Jr. purchased an engine for the mines.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDid he now?\u201d cheered Lardeth. \u201cWell, sounds like the mines are about to be much more efficient!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The civilizations that lived on the edge of the Over-realm\u2019s Eastern continent were rather flat when it came to the terrain. As such, there was extraordinarily little of Wysper City that was safe from the fog and snow. On top of its seaside location, the city was the second leading city in terms of rail […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1439,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,95],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-2772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-2-the-rise-of-living-metal","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2772"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2774,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2772\/revisions\/2774"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1439"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2772"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2772"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2772"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\n