Return to Restoria: Book One of the Crystal Chronicles

By Sean Samu

In an alternate dimension, a single planet spins through the darkness. Restoria, once torn apart by bitter civil war, is quiet again. In ancient times, clans battled for land, power, and wealthuntil a visitor from another dimension brought peace to the lands. Known as a human to some, he was a savior to most. But now, the threat of war has once again darkened the skies and dreams of the Restorians. They await the return of another human to save them from this new era of darkness.

On Earth, five friendsMark, Sarah, Tom, Lucy, and Jasonpass the time as the school year ends dreaming of their summer vacation. Unaware of the civil war brewing in another dimension, they have no idea that they will spend their break on a war-torn planet far away from their reality.

But thats what fate has in store. Guided by Trifus, a wise tree spirit, the teens must find the courage to embrace their special powers before they face the dreaded witch Renalta, the cruel leader of Restoria, who has enslaved her people. In their journey, the teens must battle fierce ogres, escape powerful monsters, and find a way to prevail. Here, nothing is as it seems. In order to survive and return home, their only hope lies with finding the mysterious Crystal in time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Oct 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9781491711705

Sean Samu

Sean Samu’s love of books and writing began the day he learned to read. At eleven, he began the two-year process of writing and illustrating his Crystal Chronicles series. He was born in Orange County, California, and currently lives with his parents and younger brother, Ryan, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

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Copyright © 2013 Sean Samu.

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This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4917-1169-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-1171-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-1170-5 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013918981

iUniverse rev. date: 10/17/2013

CONTENTS

Prologue

Part One

Mark’s Flaming Will

The Portal

Trifus

The Green Twister

The Pyramid

Frozer

Part Two

The Water Bearer

The City of Mophada

The Sea Palace

Quabbo, the Blue Glob

Team Dreamers

Part Three

The Quaking Earth

Earthquake Canyon

The Blue Hills

The Underground World

The Great Labyrinth

The Ascent

Part Four

The Hurricane Soul

Hurricane Valley

The Demon Xoral

Baltonian’s Return

The Lightning Power

Clone Battles

Leorex

The Burning Desert

Part Five

Overpowered

The Black Mountains

Castle Renalta

Part Six

Overblast

Nadza

Part Seven

Dragon Fights

Fire Dragon

Water Dragon

Earth Dragon

Air Dragon

Lightning Dragon

The Final Battle

Epilogue

A Revelation of the Past

PROLOGUE

There are two dimensions. One holds the Earth, the Sun, and the Solar System as we know it. The other dimension holds only one planet, the planet called Restoria.

On Restoria live the Restorians. The Restorians each have the ability to awaken the elemental powers of water, fire, earth, lightning, and air. On this planet in the ancient times the people fought over the land, but one day a human came from Earth and stopped the wars, and peace came upon them. One outlaw clan, though, waited in the dark for the opportunity to arise and rule Restoria. This clan eventually died out, leaving only one survivor. This lone survivor arose, conquered the planet, and plunged Restoria into an era of darkness.

Now the Restorians wait for a new earthling to bring back the peace.

PART ONE

MARK’S FLAMING WILL

CHAPTER 1

THE PORTAL

Ring, ring! It was the last day of June and summer vacation had begun. The five friends left the schoolyard for the last time until September. They didn’t want to go straight to their homes; instead they wanted to find something fun to do on their first afternoon of summertime freedom.

Hey guys, want to go over to Krunberry Lake? said Mark. I’m ready for an adventure. We can look for frogs and check out the beaver dam.

I don’t want to do that, said Jason. It sounds boring. I’ve been there a million times. Nothing ever happens over there. It’s just a dumb lake with a bunch of trees. There must be something more exciting we can do.

What do you expect? said Lucy. Lightning to come out of the sky?

Yeah—that would be cool! replied Jason.

I wouldn’t mind going over there, said Tom. Maybe we can build a fort out of rocks and stuff.

You always want to play in the mud! ribbed Lucy. I’d rather we make a kite and see how high we can make it fly.

Okay, you guys, interjected Sarah. It’s only the very first day of vacation. We’ve got all summer to do whatever we want. Let’s just all agree to walk over to the lake and see what’s going on over there. Maybe we can get a boat. I think that it would be fun to row across the water.

Not without our parents, cautioned Tom.

Then it’s decided, announced Mark. Let’s check out the lake. No boats. If it’s boring we’ll go somewhere else.

As long as we’re home by five-thirty, said Tom.

While they walked over to the lake they talked about what activities their parents had planned for them during the school break.

Our family is going to Niagara Falls, Sarah said.

I’m going to go to Disneyland, which seems pretty cool, said Mark.

My mom and dad want to take me to explore the caves, said Tom. There’s a word for it. Speel—

Spelunking, offered Lucy. "It means to explore caves. Did you know that the air in deep caves is the same temperature all year ’round?

Caves are dark, said Jason. I don’t like the dark.

Just carry a blazing torch, like they do in the monster movies on television, said Mark.

Some caves have big underground pools and rivers, said Sarah. And in the water live all sorts of interesting creatures. Some of them never see the light of day. They don’t even have eyes.

How do they know where they’re going? asked Mark.

They just sort of feel their way along, replied Sarah.

It’s like being in a whole different world, added Lucy.

Once they reached the lake they lay down on the soft grass. A cool breeze stirred the leaves of the trees. The sky was a brilliant blue.

Okay, announced Jason. I’m bored. Let’s find something to do.

Jason’s right, said Lucy. There’s nothing to do around here. I wish something exciting would happen!

All of a sudden they saw a bright flash of lightning.

Hey, said Mark, How could there be lightning? There’s not a cloud in the sky.

There must be a storm somewhere, said Tom. Maybe we should go home.

Do you feel the wind? said Lucy. It’s really picking up.

I feel drops of rain, added Sarah.

From all directions at once it seemed that dark clouds grew in the sky. The air grew chill and the brightness of the green grass was replaced by dull shade. As the sky quickly darkened, the kids felt a sense of fear.

What’s that? shouted Sarah, pointing towards a dark purple vortex descending from the turbulent sky.

It looks like some kind of portal! exclaimed Mark. Why is it coming towards us? He had no time to finish before he was sucked into the whirling purple twister.

One by one the kids were taken up into the vortex. Sarah was the last; she tried to hang onto Jason’s foot as he was sucked in, but instead of pulling him out, she was sucked in too.

CHAPTER 2

TRIFUS

As if awakening from a dream, the five kids found themselves lying on the ground under the branches of an enormous tree. The kids blinked, sat up, and looked around them.

Hey, said Jason. What is this stuff?

He ran his fingers through the bed of pink grass.

I don’t know, replied Mark. He stood up. What happened to the storm and the twister?

They all stood up and looked around. Above them stretched a curved green sky in which flew tangerine-colored birds, and the air was filled with an aroma of magnificence. Surrounding them were great fields of blue and red flowers, and at the ends of the fields were rows of tall spiky blue trees. From the distance came the sound of a gurgling creek.

They were astounded at the event that just occurred.

What happened? said Lucy.

We all got sucked into a twister, said Mark, and we landed here.

Yeah, but where is here? asked Sarah. It looks normal—sort of—except for the weird colors. Like someone messed with the color control on the TV set.

Okay, said Jason. This is stupid. I’m going home!

Which way is home? asked Sarah. And anyway, there’s more going on here than just some weird colored trees. Look at what you’re wearing!

What do you mean? retorted Jason. You should talk—you look pretty strange yourself!

Lucy, look at yourself! said Mark.

Why? asked Lucy. Looking down, she saw that instead of the jeans and t-shirt she had worn at school, she was wearing a chest plate closed in a leather dress, almost like a warrior girl with a grey skirt.

Each of the kids looked at themselves and their new costumes. They each had a chest plate bound to a brown leather dress. On their feet were shiny black boots.

Mark was wearing a red crimson chest plate that had a fire emblem on his back, a red helmet like the Roman warriors, and red leggings.

Sarah had a blue sapphire chest plate and a sky blue skirt. Jason had a yellow and blue chest plate and similar helmet and leggings. Tom had a greenish brown chest plate and a similar helmet and leggings.

Wow—these are cool outfits! exclaimed Jason.

I don’t know if I like them, said Tom. Do they have pockets? He started patting his leggings.

This fabric is super soft, said Lucy. Must be expensive.

And they’re color-coded too, added Mark.

I wonder where our normal clothes are? said Tom. I had a quarter in my pocket. I don’t want to lose it. He walked around the base of the big tree, but didn’t find any of their clothing.

All right! yelled Jason. Whoever pulled this joke on us better come out!

Yeah, added Tom. We’re gonna kick your butt!

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