The Adventures of Ceberis: Rise of the Guardians

By Callie S. Hitchcock and Dama Power

The Adventures of Ceberis: Rise of the Guardians is a book about a boy named Ceberis, and the beginning of his adventures in a kingdom called, Landscaping. The story starts with twelve-year-old Ceberis as a servant to a cruel master. When he seeks a way to escape this life of servitude and abuse, Ceberis is caught for the millionth time. After barely escaping an unthinkable punishment, Ceberis finds a silver door in his masters mansion. But the door was actually more than what it appeared. The silver door was actually a portal that transported Ceberis to another world; Landscaping.
In this new land impossible things happen. The land changes every few days. One day a mountain could be on one side of the land, the next, it could be on the other. Unusual creatures live in this changing land. There are flying-fish, giants, and terrifying monsters that only come out at night. Upon arrival in Landscaping, Ceberiss soul is somehow linked with the soul of one of the lands four Guardians. The boy discovers that he now has these amazing powers, and that every sense is heightened.
But its not all fun and games. A sorceress is out to get the throne for herself. If she has control over the land, she could alter it in any way she chooses. Now Ceberis finds that he has to help to save the throne, and find the other Guardians before its too late. But how can a servant, a princess, a fishmongers son, and a mysterious stranger save the world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 28, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453562208

Callie S. Hitchcock

Callie Hitchcock has always loved a good story, even before she knew how to read. As she grew older, Callie wondered what it would be like to make her own story. She was twelve when she decided that she wanted to be an author, and started working on Ceberis that next year. Today she lives in Conewango Valley, New York, with her grandmother. Callie’s love for animals, nature, fantasy, and adventure inspired many of the ideas in the Rise of the Guardians.

Book preview

The Adventures

of Ceberis

Rise of the Guardians

Callie S. Hitchcock

Copyright © 2010 by Callie S. Hitchcock.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010912486

ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-4535-6219-2

ISBN: Softcover   978-1-4535-6218-5

ISBN: Ebook       978-1-4535-6220-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

85888

Contents

Chapter One

The Beginning

Chapter Two

The Village

Chapter Three

Evil Plans

Chapter Four

Fishing

Chapter Five

Un-knightly Injustices

Chapter Six

Barlon’s Test

Chapter Seven

The Great Escape

Chapter Eight

Help From A Friend

Chapter Nine

Flying-Fish

Chapter Ten

The Egg

Chapter Eleven

Provisions

Chapter Twelve

Magnesia

Chapter Thirteen

Friendly Competition

Chapter Fourteen

Changes

Chapter Fifteen

Struggling to Survive

Chapter Sixteen

A Risky Expedition

Chapter Seventeen

A Tragic End

Chapter Eighteen

Gliderboarding

Chapter Nineteen

Black Magic

Chapter Twenty

Coming of Age

Chapter Twenty-One

Influence

Chapter Twenty-Two

Spreading Darkness

Chapter Twenty-Three

Plans Gone Awry

Chapter Twenty-Four

A Different World

Chapter Twenty-Five

The Book of the Guardians

Chapter Twenty-Six

Off to the Wizard’s House

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Solidarity

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Paint World

Chapter Twenty-Nine

No Turning Back

Chapter Thirty

The Wizard’s Pet

Chapter Thirty-One

Gems and Stone

Chapter Thirty-Two

Determination, Desperation,

and A Warning

Chapter Thirty-Three

The Witch of the Woods

Chapter Thirty-Four

Not Tough Enough

Chapter Thirty-Five

A Duel to the Death

Chapter Thirty-Six

The Eternal Slumber

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The Sorceress Darmica

Chapter Thirty-Eight

The Dawn of a New Era

Chapter Thirty-Nine

A Tearful Goodbye

Chapter Forty

Revenge and Lordship

"We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise

if we have waited in darkness."—Unknown

Chapter One

The Beginning

The small room was dim, and the only light came from a single candle. Ceberis, a boy of twelve, sat alone in the cold room. It was only the size of a small walk-in closet with stone walls and no windows. The boy waited until the servant outside the locked, wooden door was asleep. Then, after counting the floorboards, he lifted a loose one in the center of the room, and from the small compartment he pulled a wooden box only three inches long and two inches wide. With the little light that he had, he unlatched the box and set to work.

Within the box were twenty-eight thin slabs of stone and a small blue figure. He took them out of the box and set them on the wooden floor. His emerald-green eyes looked over each thing individually.

First, he looked at the stone slabs. On each was a picture. There were seven groves of trees, seven mountains (all snowcapped except for one), six slabs that resembled water, five for plains, one village, one castle, and a temple called, the Hidden Temple of Vallen.

After that he picked up the blue figure. It was a blue wolf-like creature. It had a really shaggy tail that was long enough to cover half of its body. The fur on its chest, stomach, tips of his ears, tail, and paws was a dark blue. The creature had pointed ears with fur that hung from the tips. Long black claws were at the end of each paw, but Ceberis’s favorite part about it was its fantastic green eyes. His father had once said that the iris of each eye was made of real jade, giving them their fierce and powerful look. He had also said that the creature was called, Ceberis, the Mystical Guardian and that he had named him after this creature.

All of the slabs and the creature called Ceberis was all part of a game called Landscaping, and in this game the creatures would be sent into life changing adventures.

His father had known everything about the game, and had been the one to teach him how to play. In this game, all someone needed was the creatures, slabs, and an imagination. Anyone could play it. First you would set up the land in any order you wanted. Then your imagination would take over and all that was left was giving the creatures their own adventures. Ceberis used to have many creatures, but on a day three years ago he had lost his creatures, his father, and his freedom . . .

From that day on, Ceberis tried to escape but each attempt ended in failure, and that’s why the door was locked and Dagon (his master’s most trusted servant) sat guard in front of it. As he was thinking about what order he would make the land, the snoring stopped and Ceberis knew that Dagon was waking up. He quickly put the slabs and the small figure of Ceberis, the Mystical Guardian back in the box and again put it in the compartment under the floorboards. After the game was put away he wrapped himself in the thin blanket that he had been given, and blew out the candle. The small, cold room was plunged into total darkness. As Ceberis laid there with his eyes closed he heard Dagon once again begin to snore, and shortly after he too fell asleep.

* * *

The following morning he awoke to the click of the lock and a pounding on the door.

Get up, Ceberis! Dagon yelled, Master commands our presence in the Dining Hall!

Ceberis pushed off his blanket and left the small room. Dagon had been waiting, and the two proceeded down the hall. He and his guard went through two narrow hallways, passing other servants and many rooms as they went. Then they descended a curling stairway and found themselves in the Dining Hall.

It was the size of a ballroom, but the ceiling wasn’t as high and it wasn’t nearly as elegant. The walls, once covered by bright, vibrant wallpaper, was starting to peel and fade. The polished floor was scratched, and the table took up almost half of the room. It was covered by a white, stained tablecloth, food piled upon food covered its entire surface, and in a large chair at the end of the table sat a very fat man. He was their master, Lord Boalivo.

Master, Dagon said with a low bow, You wanted to see us?

Boalivo cut a large hunk of pheasant on the plate before him, and shoved the entire thing in his mouth. He chewed for quite a while, and then wiped his greasy lips on the tablecloth before he acknowledged their presence.

Yes, he said in his harsh rumbling voice. I’ve been told that the larder has run out of stock. The usual boys I send are off running other errands. I want you to go into town to replace it.

The man then pulled from his pocket a list of groceries. The list was longer than a broom and folded over several times. From his other, he pulled an envelope full of money. He handed the list and envelope to Dagon, who then put both in his own pocket.

Ceberis sighed. A trip for Boalivo was an all-day affair. It required a lot of heavy lifting—particularly for him, as Dagon refused to carry anything. He hated shopping.

His master heard his sigh and turned on him. Ceberis tensed under the man’s cruel stare. Boalivo often dealt out harsh punishment for the slightest things. The fat man glared at the boy for nearly a full minute, and then turned back to his favorite servant.

If this ungrateful sewer-rat tries to escape again, the large man said to Dagon, Then you are to report to me immediately.

Yes, Sir, the boy replied.

The lord put more food in his mouth and ate it quickly before he spoke again. I have ordered a team of horses and a cart for you to take. It should be ready in a half an hour. He belched. I expect you back before noon. Dismissed.

Dagon bowed again, and shoved Ceberis towards the stairs. His guard herded him back the way they had came, and as they were passing his closet-sized room, he was pushed in and the door was locked behind him.

Ceberis knew that Dagon was going to his own room on the third floor. Dagon’s room was at least four times bigger than Ceberis’s, and the window on the back wall (barred like all of the rest) looked out upon the lush lawn outside of the house. Unlike Ceberis, Dagon actually had a bed, a dresser, and a nightstand. He knew that, as every morning, Dagon would then crawl into his bed and quickly fall asleep.

Ceberis took this time in the dark to think about his next escape attempt. After his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he took the wooden box from its compartment under the floorboards and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he waited for Dagon’s return. But as he drew a plan in his mind, he did not think about what would happen if the plan failed.

* * *

They left the large stone house a half an hour later. The two night-black workhorses that were hitched to the wagon went down the cobblestone road at a trot. It was a hot summer day in Saytora, and when the rusty iron gates of the town came into view, Ceberis was greatly relieved. Through the long hot ride, he had grown anxious. In his mind he had replayed the plan many times. Now that they were close, he would soon put that plan into action. Not that it was a very well thought-out plan. Perhaps that is why he was so anxious to get there. Or maybe he was just excited at the thought of freedom.

Soon the wagon pulled up to the stable. The Stable-Master would take care of the horses and cart while they were gone. As they walked through the crowded market, Dagon made sure that Ceberis was in front of him. But he couldn’t keep watch over him forever. When Dagon looked at the list and back up, Ceberis was gone.

He looked around frantically. He knew that his Master would whip him for this. He looked everywhere that he could think of. His dark eyes scanned the faces of strangers and near the booths. He looked under a parked wagon, in and around the town’s well, and many other spots that could easily hide a twelve year-old boy. He came terribly close when he looked inside of the woven baskets that had been placed near the weaver’s booth. He was ready to give up when he saw two feet sticking out from the bottom of a rug hanging not three feet away. He crept up to it as silently as a cat, ripped it down, and grabbed Ceberis by his light-blue hair. Ceberis’s escape plan was foiled once more, and he was taken immediately back to the dreary house of his Master.

* * *

When Mr. Boalivo heard of the escape-attempt he was fuming. Not just because Ceberis had tried to escape again, but also because he would have to skip lunch, because they had not brought back any groceries.

As soon as he was told, he ordered Dagon to drag Ceberis to one of the three parlors. He had some servants light a fire in the large hearth and bring him his cattle brand.

Ceberis was afraid that he knew what his angry Master was about to do.

Do you know why people brand cattle, Ceberis? Mr. Boalivo asked, his beady brown eyes staring at the brand in his fat hand.

Ceberis nodded, knowing that if he didn’t give an answer, he would also be whipped on top of the punishment.

Then I assume that you understand that when a cow runs off, then it can be found and returned to its owner. Consider this as a reminder that you belong to me!

The fat man thrust the brand into the fire, sat in his large bed-sized armchair to wait for it to get hot, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Ceberis struggled to free himself from Dagon’s stone-hard grip. He had watched how the cattle branded by the other servants would bray and thrash in pain. He would not be marked as livestock. Thinking fast, he hit Dagon in the face with the back of his head and ran.

Dagon wasn’t too quick to follow. Blood dripped from his nose. He knew that his prisoner had broken it. After getting over the sudden shock he took chase. Ceberis ran for the door, but his pursuer sped ahead of him and blocked his only way out of the house. The servant continued to chase him until he was cornered on the top floor.

Ceberis felt that this was it. He could hear Dagon coming closer and closer by the second. It was then that Ceberis saw the door that would lead him to adventure. It was a door he had never seen before. It was on the wall at the end of the hall, almost touched the ceiling, and made of what appeared to be pure silver. Without hesitation Ceberis opened the door and bolted it shut behind him. For now, he was safe.

It had been three years since he had come to live here as a servant, yet he had never before known of this. He followed the long, torch-lit corridor until he came to a great stone chamber with a clear pond in the center. Several different creatures were painted on the walls, and when he saw a picture of Ceberis, the Mystical Guardian he knew that these were creatures in the game of Landscaping.

He walked closer to get a better look, but he tripped on a loose stone. The game fell from his pocket. The latches of the small box broke as it hit the stone floor. The slabs fell out in a pile, and the small figure of Ceberis, the Mystical Guardian somehow flew into the pond.

Ceberis dove in after it without a second thought. It had been the only thing that he had left from his father, and it was his most treasured possession.

The water was as warm as a bath and as clear as crystal, but all that mattered to Ceberis was retrieving the small figure. He reached the bottom and grabbed the toy. Pain shot up both of his arms, through his shoulders, and spread to the rest of his body. He tried to surface or at least drop the small figure. He could do neither. When it felt like he would explode, the pain subsided; he rose to the surface, opened his eyes, and forced his aching limbs to carry him to shore.

At first all was blurry, but then he could see that he was no longer in the secret passage. The sun began to set over this place. He was at a lake surrounded by wide-open plains to the west, and a thick forest to the east, its leaves almost bare and the trees alive with the colors of autumn. All of which was surrounded by mountains. Across the plains he saw a small village. It was much like the one that sat near the market back in Saytora. A large castle sat just beyond it, resting on the slope of a mountain, looking almost as if it were part of it.

He thought that perhaps whoever lived in the village would tell him where he was, but something tore him from his thoughts. He leapt to his feet when he heard it. He’d heard a loud, bone-chilling sound, coming from just across the lake.

As he stared in the direction of which the noise came, he saw a dark figure running towards him. It was drawing nearer with each breath that he took. It did not look human and despite himself a sense of fear took root inside of him. If he took off for the safety of the village, whatever it was, at the speed it traveled, would’ve surely caught him. So Ceberis ran into the forest, and as he did he noticed that something about how he ran was odd. He looked down at his feet.

‘Paws!?’ he thought. The word never escaped his mouth.

He tried to stop, but as he did he went into some form of hyper speed. He ran faster than he had in his entire life. The trees and foliage flew by in a blur. He couldn’t stop running. If the beast was still chasing him, he had left it far behind. But at the moment he wasn’t thinking about the creature that hunted him.

Ceberis zigzagged left and right, trying not to hit one of the large trees that stood tall and firm around him. As he swerved, just barely missing a giant maple, he collided headfirst with his destiny . . .

He looked ahead of him and was shocked to see a stone building. In one of its massive pillars, just in front of him, was a large broken spot where he guessed he had hit it. The building was tall, but not quite as tall as the trees. The red-shingled roof rested atop three thick stone pillars on each side, four steps led into the building, and a faint glow leaked out from the inside. Oddly enough this looked exactly like the Hidden Temple of Vallen.

As if it had grown from the air itself, the loud noise erupted throughout the forest again, and because he could think of nowhere else to hide, he ran up the steps and into the building. The inside looked much bigger then the outside and was lit with several candles of different size and color. The floor was polished marble, a large granite tombstone sat in the back, and four statues were behind it.

Ceberis slowly approached the tombstone. Chiseled into the rock was some form of odd writing, but as he stared at it, the strange symbols began to glow. The stone began to shake! Ceberis turned back to run. There was a faint popping-sound, and as he turned around again to find out what had happened, he saw that the tombstone in the back of the temple had disappeared.

In its place was a beautiful but transparent woman who had long, flowing blond hair that resembled gold, and eyes that reminded him of polished cherry wood. Her complexion had a soft glow to it, and she wore a long white dress that covered her feet.

Welcome, Ceberis, she said, I’ve been waiting for you.

Ceberis was about to ask the transparent woman how she knew his name, but when he tried only a loud barking noise escaped from his jaws.

‘What’s happened to me?’ he wondered.

Allow me to show you, she said.

The woman put her hands together and slowly dragged them apart. A shining silver mirror instantly materialized and floated in the air. When Ceberis gazed into it, all he saw was himself, nothing unusual. But then he saw Dagon, and it was then that he realized that this was a flashback. He saw the whole thing: his flight to the door, how he was chased to the top of the house, his entrance into the odd chamber, his trip, his game’s fall upon the floor, the dive into the water to retrieve his small figure of Ceberis, the Mystical Guardian, and finally the thing that he hadn’t seen.

He had dived into the water, reached the bottom, and grabbed the small blue toy when he began to change. Blue sparks covered his body, his jaws grew longer, his hands and feet turned into paws, his ears became pointed and grew longer, he developed a tail, fur, and sharper teeth. When he broke the surface of the water, Ceberis saw that he was no longer human, but now he was Ceberis, the Mystical Guardian. The silver mirror disappeared.

You are a Guardian now, the woman said, "In time, you will come to enjoy being a wolf. But it isn’t all about fun. As a Guardian, you must learn to use your powers and to use them wisely. If you don’t, who knows what may befall us . . .

"Do you see these statues behind my grave? Each is a Guardian of our land. Ceberis, the Mystical Guardian of the West, Edinor, the Mystical Guardian of the South, Barlon, the Mystical Guardian of the East, and Denzor, the Mystical Guardian of the North. Together they used their powers to protect our forever-changing land, but one day; at least two hundred years ago, a great and terrible evil spread its hand over this world. The four Guardians came to this temple for guidance, for they thought that I, Vallen, Sage of the Hidden Temple, would have answers.

Alas, all I could do was lock away their souls to await the day that they would join with four noble heroes; however, their imprisonment led to my death. Before I died, I used the last of my magic to delay my departure to the Spirit Realm. Since that day I have waited in the Crystal Palace of the Land of Magic; not entirely alive, but not really dead. Your arrival here set me free from my imprisonment, and now I am a wandering spirit. In order for my soul to be set to rest, you must help save these lands.

‘How?’

Time will reveal your powers. I believe that you already know one; your super-speed got you here. As for what you must do: you will find Barlon, the Mystical Guardian in the village just west of this forest. But beware: evil lurks in the darkness. You must hurry to the Village. Barlon will help you to begin your journey . . . According to an ancient law, he will have to test you in some way, so be prepared for anything. Return here with him when you find him.

‘But why me?’ he asked.

The others asked the same question, she said, "I cannot tell you why. I must admit, I did not expect another child . . .

But fate aside, time is of the essence. You must hurry to the Village. Remember: you have to find Barlon. The Guardians must rise again. Even as we speak, the evil that once sought to conquer the world is struggling to awaken once more.

With that said, Vallen disappeared.

Ceberis left the temple. He couldn’t believe that he had to save the lands, but mostly he couldn’t believe that he had somehow been sucked into the game of Landscaping. Or was it a game? A million questions zoomed through his mind, making Ceberis unaware that night was swiftly drawing near.

Chapter Two

The Village

The moon that loomed high above the trees of the autumn-touched forest was hidden from view by some dark clouds, and Ceberis was ripped from his train-of-thought as he heard the same bone-chilling sound that he had heard at the lake. It was a long moaning noise that sounded like the scratching of glass. It began to get louder. Ceberis had stopped, and saw a quick shadow move from tree to tree, getting closer as it went. Then the creature bounded in front of him and let out once again a loud bellow.

He was sure that it was the ugliest and most terrifying thing that he had ever seen. The structure of its body was similar to that of a crippled old man, but it looked nothing like one. Its eyes were completely white, except for a dark cat-like pupil in each center. It had no nose, only two slits for nostrils. Its many teeth were sharper than daggers. Its skinny body was black and covered with countless scabs. On each hand and foot it had four stubby fingers and toes with long silver claws at the end of each, giving it a look that struck terror into any creature.

It slowly crept towards him and others joined, quickly surrounding him. He turned to run but found himself trapped.

Ceberis whirled back around to face the monster that had first come forth and gasped as it raised its hand to slash, flexing its silver claws that glistened in the light of the full moon. It was clear that the creature hated it’s light by the way that it began to shake as the pail luminosity touched it’s skin, but a bit of moonlight wasn’t about to stop it from killing it’s prey.

Ceberis tried to yell, but as he had, flames erupted from his mouth, turning the creature in front of him into a black pile of ash. The others that had surrounded him fled as they