Krystle's Quest

By Larry Trivieri

For eons, the Balance of life on Earth has been maintained by the Mother All, hidden away from mankind within the Center of the World, home of the Fairie Folk and other creatures of myth. But now the Mother of All is dying and the Balance is on the verge of being destroyed, due to the evil machinations

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lawrence A Trivieri Jr
• Release date: May 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781735212630

Book preview

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

Copyright © 2021 by Larry Trivieri, Jr.

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data

Larry Trivieri Jr

Krystle’s Quest by Larry Trivieri Jr

Juvenile Fiction / Fantasy & Magic

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021902495

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-7352126-2-3

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-7352126-3-0

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the express prior written permission of the author.

Cover Design: 100Covers.com

Formatting: FormattedBooks.com

Bruncle & Son Publishing

First Edition

Dedication

This book was written for my beloved niece, Krystle Debuono.

I dedicate it to her memory, and to her daughter, Kloe Reese,

and to Krystle’s mother, my sister, Cynthia Ann.

20 percent of the profits from the sale of this book will be donated to Krystle’s favorite charity, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Please visit their website (stjude.org) to learn more about the wonderful, lifesaving work that they do.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: The Leaf That Wasn’t

Chapter Two: Learning To Fly

Chapter Three: The Life Eater

Chapter Four: Mother Nature

Chapter Five: Nightmare And Storm

Chapter Six: Journey

Chapter Seven: Instruction

Chapter Eight: The Quest Begun

Chapter Nine: Prisoner

Chapter Ten: To The Rescue

Chapter Eleven: The Quest Fulfilled

Chapter One

THE LEAF THAT WASN’T

The leaf circled lazily in the mild breeze of the midsummer afternoon, catching Krystle Debella’s eye as she walked through the park. How wonderful it would be to be able to play in the air like that, Krystle thought, wishing that she could. She was nine years old, tall for her age but slightly built, with a pretty face, auburn hair and hazel brown eyes.

As Krystle watched the leaf continue its downward spiral it abruptly changed direction to soar higher and higher until, from out of nowhere, it was joined by another leaf very much like itself. For an instant they spun about in a manner that didn’t match the breeze. There was too much motion in their movements and Krystle wondered what could be causing it. Before she could decide the leaves suddenly disappeared in a sparkle of light. Krystle gasped and spun about, searching the sky to see where they had gone. She was still staring upward when her mother called her name.

What are you looking at? Cindy said, joining her daughter in looking up at the sky. She shared Krystle’s features, and was wearing her waitress uniform on her way home from work.

Krystle had no explanation for what she had just witnessed, but something told her to keep it to herself. She shrugged, although her expression clearly gave away the fact that she was baffled. Hi, Mom. I didn’t see you.

Of course you didn’t see me, you were too busy looking up at the clouds, Cindy chuckled, running her hand through Krystle’s hair. I honked the horn twice for you, you know. What were you looking for, a UFO?

Krystle laughed, embarrassed. No! I don’t know. I was just staring, I guess.

Well, are you done? Because if you are, I thought we could go get some ice cream before we head home.

Krystle allowed Cindy to take her hand, but as they walked on she kept glancing upward, still thinking about what she had seen. Certainly it hadn’t been a leaf, she realized, for no leaf could do such things. What was it, then?

`She was still pondering the answer that night, as she fell asleep.

* * *

She awoke in darkness, uncertain what had awakened her. Then she noticed a faint brightness hovering outside her bedroom window.

Krystle rubbed her nose and sat up in bed. The darkness lessened as she studied whatever it was that she saw. It seemed like a giant firefly looking back at her. Then it was joined by another one. They began to spin about and for the second time that day Krystle gasped. Could it be?

She leapt out of bed to race to the window. As soon as she did, the lights disappeared. She opened the window and stuck her head outside. Where are you? she called. Whoever you are, come back. I promise I won’t hurt you.

She heard laughter, then, in a soft, musical voice, someone said, "Wynra, you were right. She can see us! Ho, this is wonderful!"

Be quiet, Feathertop! another voice whispered.

Krystle searched for whoever was speaking. At first she spotted nothing, but then she noticed a soft glimmer in the bushes below her. There you are! she cried.

It’s no use hiding, Wynra, said Feathertop. She’s found us now. He was laughing as he spoke, so Krystle knew he wasn’t frightened by her.

Come on out, please. Let me see you.

There was a rustling in the bushes, then the glimmer broke into two as the creatures rose up before her. They were no more than three inches tall, one of them a boy, the other a girl. Both had curly, golden hair and skin that was radiant and translucent. The girl wore a sleeveless, multi-colored robe that looked to be woven from flowers. A thin, sparkling sash belted it about her waist. The boy wore only a covering from his waist to his thighs that was green and appeared to be made of tiny leaves. As they looked at Krystle they held their slender arms in the air, as if to balance themselves. Above their ankles pairs of small white wings fluttered like a hummingbird’s, keeping them aloft. Both of them were beautiful, with large, pale blue eyes which glistened with interest, and twin antennae grew reed-like from their foreheads. Krystle couldn’t stop staring at them.

Feathertop chuckled, the sound of it musical and enchanting. As he did so, he grew brighter and Krystle knew why she had thought of fireflies. Look at her, Wynra, she’s more startled than we are!

Krystle turned to the girl, too astonished to speak.

Wynra smiled back at her. Please excuse my brother, Krystle, she said. He doesn’t mean to be so impolite.

You know my name?

Of course! said Feathertop. We are not stupid, you know! He winked at Krystle, full of fun and mischief.

But…How?

Oh, it’s no mystery, Krystle, Wynra explained. We heard your mother call your name in the park today.

"Then it was you I saw there! I thought so. But you were so far away."

True, said Feathertop, pointing to his large, thin, pointed ears. But we Sprites are good at hearing!

Sprites? Krystle repeated, her amazement growing with every moment.

Wynra, is she not the most delightful thing! She sees us with ease, yet doesn’t know what we are! In his amusement Feathertop frolicked through the air, glowing brighter as he did so.

Ignore him, Krystle, Wynra advised. To answer your question, yes, we are Sprites. Have you never heard of our kind before?

Only in stories my mother read me when I was little. I didn’t know that you were real.

Hmpf! said Feathertop. So like a Human to so quickly disbelieve!

Well, I believe in you now, Krystle protested.

We know that, Krystle, Wynra replied. That’s why we’re here. What Feathertop means is that usually your kind, the grown-ups especially, insist we aren’t real simply because they can’t see us. We wish it was otherwise but there’s not much we can do about it. Normally when we try to reveal ourselves the disbelief of your kind is so strong it’s almost like a blindness. That’s why discovering you is such a delight for us.

It’s a delight for me, too, Wynra. You and Feathertop being here is fantastic.

Compliments, Wynra, she’s giving us compliments! Oh my heart, it wants to sing a song! Feathertop danced in the air, whistling with exuberance.

Krystle laughed.

I’m glad he amuses you, said Wynra. Others might just find him silly.

He is silly, Wynra, but that’s why I like him. But you still haven’t told me what you are doing here.

It was Feathertop who answered, still flitting about. Why, Little Sweet, can’t you guess? We’re here to see you!

It was strange to be called little by someone she could hold in her hand, but all Krystle said was, Why?

"Because you can see us, Krystle, Wynra explained. That surprised us, but it also made us happy. Still, when we realized this afternoon that you had spotted us, we disappeared."

I didn’t want to, though, said Feathertop. I was having fun.

Yes, and your fun was dangerous, Brother. You know what it could have led to.

Feathertop looked guilty and his brightness dimmed.

I don’t understand, said Krystle. What was the danger? And why is it that your brightness changes?

It’s the way we are, Krystle, Wynra answered. When we are happy or excited our life force glows more strongly. But when we need to be cautious or are concerned about something, it fades a bit. The same thing happens among your kind, but for the most part you don’t notice it anymore.

Oh, said Krystle, not really understanding. What about the danger, then? I don’t see anything wrong about me spotting Feathertop.

Feathertop gave his sister a look, as if to say, I told you so.

Wynra smiled, but for the first time she also seemed sad. There was no wrong in that, Krystle. Your goodness is obvious. But not all Humans are like you. Many people, if they were able to see us, might be afraid and even try to harm us. That’s the danger I’m talking about.

Why would anyone be afraid of you, Wynra?

Because of how we look. Because we’re different. Wynra shrugged. There are many reasons for fear, Krystle.

Krystle understood. She said, Then I guess it’s good that most people can’t see you, even if it’s also too bad. You don’t have to worry about me, though.

We know that. That’s why we’re here. We want to be your friends since you’ve already shown us that we can trust you.

I have? How?

By not telling your mother about what you saw when you first spotted us. Even though it shocked you, you kept it to yourself.

That’s because I was confused.

We realized that, too, said Wynra. But it’s usually when people are confused that they talk the most. We were impressed that you didn’t. That’s why we trust you.

Krystle smiled. I’m glad. But I still don’t see why what Feathertop was doing was dangerous. Not if nobody else in the park saw him.

Ah, but that’s just it, Little Sweet, Feathertop said, winking at her. Even though we knew you wouldn’t harm us, Wynra was still right to be cautious. When my sister saw you’d spotted me, she was worried that others in the park would too. Then there might have been trouble. I didn’t think there would be, but so much is happening these days, I suppose Wynra was right.

"What