Trunks of Ages: The Seven Seals

By Mary Beth Frank

The future world of Armistoria, and its beloved king, is in peril. Its people are being deceived into a soulless, hopeless eternity by an evil force known as Asheron and his followers, the Sepulcher. In time past, what some call the present, fifteen-year-old Sebastian Hanks and his five siblings, the children of two famed archaeologists from Cornell University, can be found at their home in Ithaca NY. Until now the children have been living careless lives, with no knowledge of their destiny in a future world. One evening, just before Christmas, six mysterious trunks arrive in their attic. Suddenly finding magic in their lives, Sebastian is forced to lead them on a mission to find a key that will unlock the secret inside the trunks. Along the way, they meet Gina, who becomes a close friend and confidant, and Cyrus, a mysterious man who insists on protecting them. Not sure who to trust, the children find themselves unexpectedly in danger, being chased by unknown enemies. Sebastian and the others discover they are the key to saving Armistoria and must use the trunks to search for seven seals that, when united together, can provide everlasting peace to the human race. But will they be able to find the seals before they fall into the wrong hands? Will Asheron’s evil follower, James Tildon, overpower them? This is an amazing journey of Sebastian Hanks and his siblings who find themselves in an unexpected world of magic changing their lives forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mary Beth Frank
• Release date: Jun 15, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458041739

Mary Beth Frank

Mary Beth Frank is a stay at home mom in Fort Wayne, IN. She loves being mom to two wonderful boys. She and her husband also have two dogs including a very spoiled Chihuahua. She has been writing, creating, dreaming, acting, singing, dancing, and anything that requires some imagination since she was born.

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Trunks of Ages:

The Seven Seals

A book about taking leaps of faith

By Mary Beth Frank

Copyright 2014

Smashwords Edition

Contributing editor, Ruth Albright

Graphic Artwork, Jeff Frank

2nd edition; © 2014 Mary Beth Frank

1st edition; © 2011 Mary Beth Frank

Smashwords edition

This ebook is for your enjoyment only and is not to be shared or distributed to others. If you would like to give a copy to another reader, please purchase additional copies at www.smashwords.com. If you are reading this and have not purchased your copy, please return to www.smashwords.com. Thank you for respecting the hard work of an Indie author.

Special thanks to Greta Ehlers and Pam Jordan for critically reading and offering constructive advice. Thanks to Jeff Frank for helping me go through one last rewrite.

Thanks to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whose spirit called me to something beyond myself and forced me to step into a mission that required me to rely on his powers and not my own.

This book is lovingly dedicated to my husband who encourages my dream of writing for the youth, who compassionately listens to my ramblings about plot ideas, and who patiently waits while I always have a part of myself stuck in the imaginative world of The Hanks family. You are my heartbeat.

The events and individuals in this book are fictitious and do not represent anyone specific. While the children’s names have been borrowed, with permission, their personalities and character are not real.

Table of Contents

Prologue

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Twenty

Twenty-One

Twenty-Two

Twenty-Three

Epilogue

Prologue Egypt

May - Eight years earlier

The sun was setting over the horizon as Jerold and Beth Hanks climbed out of the mouth of the cave they had been exploring for the last several weeks. Beth shook the dust from her long wavy blonde hair, and tried to clear the dirt from her bright blue eyes; eyes that dazzled everyone she met. Her husband, Jerold, tall and lean, had thick neatly cropped black hair. Together the couple looked more like they belonged on a red carpet than in the mouth of a cave in the middle of the Egyptian desert. Jerold grabbed his canteen and began dusting off his boots, when shouts from deep within the cave captured both of their attentions.

What is that? Beth exclaimed, eyes quickly darting from her husband back to the cave.

I don’t know, but we’d better go check to make sure nothing’s happened. Jerold grabbed Beth’s hand and dashed back inside the cave, dragging her behind him. Within a few feet, darkness surrounded them. Jerold flicked on his head lamp, and then fumbled to help Beth with hers. Together they continued into the darkness heading toward the sounds deep within.

When they reached their crew, they found out what the commotion was over.

Beth gasped, The trunk. We’ve finally found the first trunk!

Jerold was beaming inside, knowing that this was the beginning of a remarkable journey. We had better call Tildon. He’ll want to hear about this immediately.

The Hanks oversaw the crew, as they carefully chiseled away at the cave wall that surrounded the remainder of the trunk. Once the trunk was freed, Jerold and the men carried it to their camp, just outside the mouth of the cave.

Beth hummed as she brushed away the dust covering the top of the trunk so she could examine it more closely. Not very tall, the trunk was oval in shape, rather than the standard rectangle found in most trunks. It was bright blue in color and bore no unique markings of any kind. Disappointed, Beth frowned as she examined it. After all these years of searching, she had been expecting the trunk to be ornate, more elaborate in nature. Beth brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. As she bent down to take a closer look at the trunk, it was then she noticed a gold plate on the front, with E, D, H inscribed on its face. Finding this interesting, Beth scribbled down the letter into her notebook, along with a few other notes about the trunk that she wanted to research later.

She stood looking for Jerold, sighing in frustration at his continued absence. Jerold had asked her not to open it up until he returned from the cave, where he had gone to retrieve the rest of their gear. She squinted at the bright desert sun, sat down and put her canteen to her lips, letting the cold water saturate her dry mouth. She thought back to the time they had first met Tildon. Jerold had surprised her with tickets to an antiquity gala in Boston. It was held by one of their long-time associates from Cambridge, who was showcasing his newest finds from Greece. The night was unmemorable, except for the part when they were leaving. As they were claiming their coats at the coat check, a very ordinary man, with light gray hair and a skinny mustache, walked up to them and introduced himself.

I do apologize, as I see you are heading out, but I’m afraid I’ve not had the privilege to make your acquaintances. I’m James Tildon. Most colleagues of mine just call me Tildon. Tildon stuck out his hand to Jerold and Beth as they looked at him with quizzical eyes.

Jerold flashed him a smile. Well, Tildon, it’s a pleasure. I’m Jerold Hanks. This is my wife, Beth.

Beth looked at the man and nodded, tired from the night’s events and wanting to leave.

Yes, I know. I have heard a great deal about you and your family. Beth could have sworn when he said family a dark shimmer flashed through his eyes. She found herself suddenly shivering in the warm room. Tildon continued, You see, I’ve been looking to hire an archeological team to help me with a quest that has become my personal obsession. After much research and many inquiries, it seems your knowledge and talent is just what I’m looking for.

Jerold smiled, amused at the strange man and his bold approach. I’m sorry, Tildon. We have a commitment to Cornell University and aren’t available for quite some time. Beth nodded in agreement.

That is a minor detail I have already addressed. I have a dear friend on the board of the University, and he thinks this is a project you should consider. Of course, the school will receive recognition for your outstanding work. Tildon smiled and Beth suddenly found herself intrigued.

What’s the project? she asked, her voice hard and sharp.

Tildon turned his gaze toward her and narrowed his eyes. Let’s just say it's a project that will alter the course of mankind forever.

Jerold laughed. Impossible.

Tildon shook his head, suddenly very serious. My friend, there are many mysteries in this world that man has chosen to ignore because they are too difficult to accept. Should you work with me, you will be unveiling one of the most remarkable mysteries of the ages.

Jerold and Beth looked at each other, not sure what to make of this man standing in front of them. Tildon reached out and shoved a card into Jerold’s coat pocket.

Think about it. Call me when you want to begin. Tildon abruptly turned and walked away, leaving a bewildered Beth and Jerold at the coat check.

Beth smiled, hearing the men return, and thought about her first reaction to Tildon. She hadn’t liked him at all. She could still say that she was uneasy around him, but he had grown on her. They had spent their first two years working for him from Cornell, doing research on the trunks and trying to dig up any clues from ancient worlds and their histories. There were many conference calls, back in those days, as Tildon never seemed to be able to visit Ithaca, New York, where the Hanks lived.

Beth looked up to see Jerold as he entered their tent dropping the last of their gear into a nearby crate. He quickly turned and grabbed her around the waist, playfully spinning her around imaginary music. Pulling her close, he kissed her softly on the lips. Like a little girl with her first beau, she giggled at his celebration.

We did it! We found the first one! Beth beamed at her husband, eager to open the trunk.

Jerold smiled down at her, his black hair covered in dust. Now, only six more to go. He winked at his wife and chuckled.

Well, Mr. Hanks, shall we open the first one? Beth asked, not being able to contain her curiosity any longer.

Turning from her, Jerold began to examine the trunk himself. He frowned slightly, as he studied the oval shape.

Beth walked over to him and put her hand on his arm. Nothing really exciting, is it? It’s so ordinary. I thought it would be much different.

Jerold rubbed his hands over the trunk’s exterior and let his fingers trace the letters on the gold plate.

He looked at his wife’s notes, sitting next to the trunk. Do you think they're initials?

Uh-huh. Beth said, nodding.

Jerold ran his hand to the front of the lid and tried to flip open the locks. Unsuccessful, he grabbed a crowbar and tried to pry the lid open. It wouldn’t budge. Beth frowned, curious why the top couldn’t be pried open. Next, Jerold got a hammer and tried to knock off the locks. It didn’t work. After a couple of hours of attempting to open the trunk, the Hanks finally gave up; deciding they'd continue their when they returned to Cornell. They had the trunk carefully packaged in a large crate, after which they began tearing down their camp, ready to head home.

Chapter 1 The Letter

December 19- Present time

The bell rang, announcing the end of the school day. Instantly there were cheers, laughter, and the scraping of chairs as kids made a mad dash for their lockers, excited for the start of Christmas vacation. Sebastian Hanks slowly packed up his bag, not in the least bit excited for the upcoming break. He scanned his classroom one more time, and took in the Christmas tree in the corner of his ninth grade art class. They had spent an entire art period decorating their classroom with items Ms. Haney had brought from home. Lights hung around the windows, elaborate three dimensional glitter snowflakes twirled from the ceiling, and pen and ink snow scenes were plastered all over the walls. He had been so excited for Christmas this year until yesterday.

Realizing that everyone had bolted out of the room, Sebastian grabbed his bag, slowly making his way to his locker. Kids were gathered around in groups talking about what they were going to be doing over the break. Some were staying in town. Others were traveling with their families to ski resorts scattered across the northeast, which is what most kids from Preston Prep did over the holiday break. Kids were stretched across the hallway like schools of fish. To Sebastian they all looked and acted the same. He never understood the desire to be someone’s clone. Many were laughing, joking around or shouting at friends down the hall. They were making the most of their last minutes together. Others were shoving their books and binders into their lockers, grabbing their bags, while some were pushing their way to the bathrooms to change before leaving for vacation. Preston Preparatory School was the best in Ithaca, as well as all of upstate New York. It had a long history for turning out prestigious lawyers, prominent doctors, respected senators, and even several who had been appointed to presidential cabinet positions. Most parents had very high expectations for a son or daughter who attended Preston Prep. With Ivy League dreams, pushy parents could be seen demanding more from the school than of their own children. Sebastian opened his locker and pulled out his wool coat, trying to ignore anyone around him. In his mind, he was an ordinary 15-year-old boy. He was average in height, at 5’8", a little too skinny for his liking and didn’t think himself anything spectacular. His hair was stick straight and copper in color, his eyes a deep brown that he found boring, and his complexion fairly tan. He was at least glad that he hadn’t gotten with acne like some of the other freshman boys.

Sebastian had a few friends at Preston, but mostly found the kids there too arrogant to hang out with, let alone talk to. He preferred his days uneventful, which meant he worked hard to remain unheard and unnoticed. Of course, he wasn’t lonely, with a sister and four brothers who were always hanging around. The two people at Preston he did consider to be his best friends were Trevor and Brooke. They were from lower-income families, whose parents worked very hard to send them to Preston. Sebastian found them more normal than the rest and had no problem talking to them.

Sebastian shut his locker, trying to be invisible in the chaotic crowd. Suddenly someone bumped into him, knocking his bag off his shoulder and spilling his books and papers all over the hallway floor. He bent over to pick up the mess as quickly as he could, but found a boot standing on one of his books.

Great, he muttered under his breath.

Hey, Sebastian, Bobby Myers called out, Looks like you're planning on doing homework on vacation. What are you trying to do? Make us all look bad? In case you haven’t heard, it’s Christmas VACATION. No homework necessary.

Give me my book, Bobby. I don’t want any trouble; just give me my book back.

Trouble? Oh, this isn’t even close to the trouble I could give you. But maybe I’ll cut you some slack, since it is Christmas vacation. Bobby picked up the book, throwing it to one of his cronies standing nearby.

Let’s show Sebastian where this belongs.

Sebastian watched as the jerk went running into the bathroom with his book. Bobby was the son of a local politician and a member of the Myers family. Everyone knew the Myers were made of old money and mean to the bone, every last one of them. Bobby was no exception. He and his thugs were usually grouped around a helpless freshman boy. Sometimes they were throwing the contents of his locker on the floor or giving him a lesson on how to wear his boxers. Other times they were taking his bags and sorting out the items they wanted from the ones they were going to throw in the trash can. The school’s staff usually turned a blind eye, because his father was a feared man in town and the family had deep rooted connections to the school since it first opened. Bobby was the kid who made students turn around and walk the other direction. Sebastian just wanted to get home without a bloody nose.

So, Sebastian, afraid you won’t have anything to do while mommy and daddy are away digging for some old junk? Oh, don’t worry; I am sure you can find some diapers to change and some bottles to make. Go home and babysit your family, while the rest of us go on vacation and have a great time on the slopes.

Sebastian didn’t dare look at him, for if he had, he knew that his fist would just end up in Bobby Myer's nose. That was the last thing he wanted to deal with today. So, instead, he just sat there and took Bobby’s incessant teasing and waited for the encounter to end. When Bobby didn’t get what he wanted out of him, he turned around and began looking for his next victim. His entourage followed suit.

Sebastian, are you OK? Brooke came running over to him. She was average height, with long blonde hair. For the most part, she was a typical girl who loved to paint her nails, have her hair done, and shop. However, Brooke had picked up a passion that had set her apart from other girls. At a very early age, she had fallen in love with skateboarding, and was actually very good, although he would never admit that to her. She had placed in a couple of regional competitions and took flack for having ponytails and ribbons in her hair while flying through the air on a half-pipe. In the end, though, the real reason Sebastian liked Brooke was because she was loyal, almost to a fault. Once, she had volunteered to work backstage for the school play, and her mom’s car broke down during dress rehearsals. Even though no one from Preston Prep would be caught dead on the city buses, she rode one every night to get to the rehearsals and performances. The kids still tease her to this day, joking that she is founding member of the transit theater group. It has never bothered her though; she just takes it all in stride, knowing that she did what she needed to do to keep her commitment.

I saw the whole thing from across the hall. He is so awful! I hate that jerk.

Great! Did everyone see what happened? I just wanted to get home without talking to anyone.

Hey, man, you weren’t even going to say bye to the other biggest loser at Preston Prep? Trevor’s big hand slapped Sebastian on the back as he stood next to him with a big goofy grin on his face. He handed Sebastian a dripping wet textbook.

I found this in the john. I’ve heard of people using magazines and newspaper to wipe, but do you really need an entire chemistry book to get the job done? Trevor winked at Sebastian.

Trevor was at least six inches taller than Sebastian, but was awkward with his height. He wasn’t coordinated enough to play sports, but was too tall to not be expected to be a star. However, one minute in gym class with Trevor, and you would know that sports were not his gift. But as bad as Trevor was at sports, he was a legend at video games, especially the kind that required dancing. Sebastian never could figure out how Trevor could be so skilled and coordinated with complicated video games, but so awful at dribbling a basketball.

Thanks, Trev. He grabbed the book and wrapped it in his hoodie and put it in his book bag. No, I wasn’t trying to ignore you or Brooke. I was just trying to get home without any holiday scars. But too late for that I guess. Hey, why don’t we walk over to The Java Board and get some coffee, and maybe we could play some games for a while?

The Java Board was the local café and their usual hangout. Sometimes they went to the skateboard park to watch Brooke do her thing, but Trevor was not allowed there anymore. He had gotten into a fight with a boy who was harassing Brooke and would be grounded for life if his parents knew he was there. In fact, most kids from Preston Prep weren’t allowed near the skate park, but the three of them felt like they could blend in better with public school kids, as well as the Ithaca University students that plagued those parts of town. Most of the Preston Prep students went to Cornell’s campus to hang out. They always felt the Ivy League boosted their image and feelings of superiority. For Sebastian, there was nothing special about the students at Cornell. Because his parents had worked there for so long, he realized the students were no different than anyone else. He found that he was just as happy gaming at the Java Board or hanging out at the skate park, even if he wasn’t great at either. After all it was hanging out with Brooke and Trevor that mattered. Plus, it was always a welcomed break to get away from home and school.

Trevor smirked at Sebastian, pulling him back to the present. Sorry, but no can do. I have to be home to help put up the Christmas tree. We are actually going to manage a pretty decent Christmas this year. My dad got a raise a couple of weeks ago, and my mom has been in the holiday spirit ever since. It’s amazing what a few extra bucks can do to my mother. But, hey, I’m not complaining, as I’ve been the benefactor of her change in mood! I’ll call you in a couple of days; we can hang later. Maybe we could do a movie at the commons or something, OK?

OK. I’ll talk to you then. Have a great holiday.

Brooke was still standing there and noticed Bobby coming back their way. Hey, guys, heads up at ten o’clock. We’ll see you later, Trev. She pulled Sebastian around and started walking in the opposite direction. Hey, I’ll walk with you and get some coffee at The Java Board, but can’t stay for long. I have to pack for our trip to Indiana.

Right, Sebastian sighed, The trip to see your grandparents in Fort Wayne. I forgot.

Hey, don’t look so down. You can’t complain, you know. You always get a ton of presents from your parents.

I know. Sebastian didn’t want to talk about his mood or his family. In fact, he realized he just wanted to get home. Brooke was always a good friend, someone you could count on in time of need. She always had an optimistic view on everything that made Sebastian feel better about things. Sebastian never took her friendship for granted. He looked at Brooke glancing at some girls across the way.

"You know what, let’s just go when you get back and you