Episode 101: The Shattering

The story follows two young princesses who witness an amazing cataclysmic event and must team up with various heroes throughout Atheria to bring their world back into balance.  

After witnessing a rainbow shatter in the sky, two princesses go on a journey to investigate the phenomenon by traveling into a frost giant’s cave and with the help of some dwarfs and a lost stranger discover something amazing.  

Transcript

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Episode 1: The Shattering

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a princess named Nea and a princess named Lulu, and they lived in a big castle in a land called Atheria. And they loved to play with friends and go on the most amazing adventures. They were courageous and brave and always ready to help out. 

One fateful night, they were outside star-gazing on the grass, talking with each other about their latest adventure, when out of nowhere up in the sky something amazing happened; something that had never happened ever before. There, in the night sky – among the stars there shot across the sky a rainbow *woosh*. But not like anything they’ve ever seen before. It was like a group of shooting stars all together like one big rainbow, lighting up the sky. Only they didn’t stay together like a rainbow, in one single moment they shattered *crack* and started shooting out across the night sky – all the colors of the rainbow, and even some others – all in different directions. It was like nothing you’d ever seen before.  

At that moment, once the rainbow pieces had fallen to the ground all over Atheria, Nea and Lulu looked at each other, eyes wide open – hardly believing what they saw. With nothing else left to see, they ran back to their castle talking over and over about what they’d seen and heard.  

They had no idea what happened or what could cause such a cataclysmic event like this. It was so special and it seemed so magical. So unbelievable.  

The very next morning they went to the library and they tried to find as many books as they could about this rainbow shattering in the night sky. But unfortunately none of the books said anything about this and when the asked around, no one else had anything that seemed to make sense. Some people had already been in bed and didn’t see it. Others who saw it said it was the beginning of a new time of peace, while others had the opposite thoughts – like it was a time to be afraid.  

Since Nea & Lulu didn’t quite know if anyone had any better thoughts then themselves, they decided to try to follow the closest star that fell near the castle. They ran through the back fields, around the Fox Tail Lake, where they could’ve sworn one of the stars fell – and they looked around all day but they couldn't find anything on the ground. So they decided to head back home for dinner before it got too late. 

The next morning they woke up and went out for a walk together, talking even more about what had happened. And as they were walking in the eastern gardens, they heard a noise behind the shrubbery.  

“Shhh. Lulu, did you hear that.” Said Nea.  

Lulu just stood there looking at her sister, acknowledging that she heard something. 

Then from the bushes came a low, bold roar – one the girls had heard before many, many times. One that would normally scare the pants off of someone. Someone who didn’t know where it came from.  

“Tuck, is that you?” said Nea. 

From within the bushes emerged a large furry lion. His slow growl got louder and louder until it grew into a full on roar. The two girls stood there as the power of the lion’s great roar caused their hair to dance in the wind.  

“Did you see that colorful shooting star rainbow thing last night?” asked Lulu. “It looked like it shattered into a million different pieces.” 

“Yes I did. In fact, that is exactly why I am here.” He said. “Something has gone wrong, something very big, and very important. You two are going to need to prepare. That rainbow has been an important part of keeping Atheria safe and this land healthy. We’re going to need your help.” 

Nea and Lulu looked at each other in the eyes, nodded at one another and looked back and Tuck, standing just a teensy bit taller.   

“What can we do?” they asked. 

“There, over in the Frost Caves, at the base of the Mt. Willow, one of the shooting stars fell - the blue one. And I need you to go retrieve it. The star was found by a frost giant and was taken down into the depths of the caves. I need you to go down and get it from him. But know there is another one headed down there who may be lost. I need you also to find him and the star both.” 

So Princess Nea and Princess Lulu set out immediately. They traveled most of the day and since they were so familiar with the land, had no problem finding the Frost Caves at the base of Mt. Willow. And they started going down, down, down into the caves looking for this lost person and keeping a close eye out for any frost giants too. 

As they descended further and further down the cave, they heard bunch of low pitched gibberish. A little ways off. Maybe this could be the lost person? They thought. As they quietly got closer, it turned out to be a bunch of dwarfs who lived in the Frost Caves. Now, Nea and Lulu had met dwarfs before, but not these dwarfs. In fact, these dwarfs seemed to do nothing but joke around with each other, poking fun at someone’s nose or the size of their ears, or some other odd feature.  

Nea and Lulu were very careful when they walked up to introduce themselves as they knew there could be a frost giant nearby.  

“Why hello dwarfs! I am princess Nea and this is my sister Lulu of Sparland Castle. Have any of you seen anyone lost? We’re looking for someone … as well as the frost giant who lives deep within these caves.” 

“Good day to you ladies,” said one of the dwarfs. “While we have not seen any other humans today, we do know where the frost giant is. And as you both look to come in peace and are of a noble house, let us help you both.” And with that they pulled out a map of the Frost Caves where certain landmarks, including the frost giant’s quarters were. 

As the girls were about to leave, one of the older dwarfs signaled Lulu to come close to him. The other dwarfs looked at ever so closely and he nodded, signaling he had made an important decision.  

“If you dare to go see the frost giant, you ladies will need this flute. I reckon neither of you speak giant.” 

The girls both shook their heads. They had heard in their adventures mixed stories about giants. Some had said they were a brute force, angry and destructive. Others had said they had been rescued by giants and that in fact, they were protectors of the land. Since Nea and Lulu had never met one before, let alone talked to one, they weren’t sure which side to believe.  

“Well,” said the dwarf, “There is a tune that you can play, in front of giant’s that will put them to sleep. It’s a special tune that is meant to bring much calm and peace to the atmosphere and with giants, it works wonders. We use it all the time when he comes up here, and he can get awfully angry. Now let us teach it to you.” 

And so one of the smaller dwarfs, pulled out a similar flute and played a little ditty, and it went like this: (whistling sounds). 

“If you play that tune the frost giant will go right to sleep. Now, we haven’t seen anybody come down here other than you ladies. But, we do know that on the far side of this cave on the eastern side, there is a little oasis, a watering hole, an underwater spring. And it’s filled with special fairy water. Sometimes, explorers come looking for it because it's magic. It’s marked on your map, right here.” 

And with that one of the dwarfs pointed it out.  

So Princess Lulu and Princess Nea decided they would check it out. And they went down into the cave, it winded around, and for a few minutes, they got lost. But luckily, they looked back at the map and eventually made it into the oasis. When they got there, there was a boy sitting in the oasis. Filling a flask full of water.  

When they got closer they recognized the boy as their friend, Prince Paul! “Paul! Paul! What are you doing here?”  

When Paul saw them, a large smile grew on his face. “Well, I got lost trying to help Tuck. He told me that there was -- there was something special this cave that I needed to find so I came here to get fairy water – only now I don’t think I can remember how to get out.” 

“Maybe we can help. We have a map that the dwarfs who live in this gave us.” 

“Great!” replied Paul. 

“Only there’s one other thing. We also have to get this falling blue star from the frost giant for Tuck!” 

“From a frost giant!” said Paul. 

“Yes, but we have this flute!” Lulu said, holding up her instrument.  

Paul rolled his eyes. “I guess it wouldn’t be the first time you guys had a crazy idea.” 

“No, Paul – it’s a magic flute. It puts him to sleep!” said Nea.  

Paul looked at Nea, then at Lulu and then back to Nea.  

“Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’ll keep my dagger close.”  

So three adventurers follow the map down to the base of the cave where the frost giant’s quarters were located. As they crept up on the calm giant, they quietly got as close to him as they could.  

Just as princess Lulu was about to pull out her flute, Paul unsheathed his dagger making an odd ‘clicking’ sound as it slid out.  

The frost giant turned around and growled the most loud and obnoxious thing you’ve ever heard, “[Garble, garble, garble]?”  

Nea and Paul stood there, frozen while Lulu calmly pulled out her flute, and slowly began to play the tune. As the giant saw the flute and began to hear the tune, his eyes widened and then slowly became heavy. He started to yawn, and then yawn again. In fact, he couldn’t stop yawning until he fell over flat – right there on the ground. Well, not really on the ground – luckily he had bunch of pillows on the ground that he was just about to fluff and he fell on those.  

Now as soon as he fell to the ground, the three kids ran over thought, “Where's this blue star that fell?” And they began looking all around. They looked in all the furniture in the room and behind the giant himself but with no luck. There were a few other rooms they were about to search when Paul noticed something glowing in his pocket. As he stepped closer the blue light radiating from the giant’s pocket got brighter and brighter.  

As soon as Paul opened the giant’s pocket, a bright blue light shined out of it and nearly blinded the three kids. And Paul reached in and pulled out a bright, shining blue crystal that seemed to pulse with Paul’s own heartbeat. 

“This must be it.” Paul said.  

Nea and Lulu nodded and the three of them headed out of the cave. 

As they walked out of the Frost Caves, Tuck was there waiting.  

“It looks like you three have found it.” He said nudging Paul’s hand that held the blue star. 

And as Paul pulled it out of his pocket, it was still glowing. When Tuck saw that the star was glowing in Paul’s hand he shook his head and nudged Paul’s hand with his nose.  

“No, Paul of Cedar Landing this falling star was meant for you.”  

Paul looked at the large beast, a little confused “What am I supposed to do with a glowing crystal like this?”  

“You will find out soon enough. Another is coming and she will help guide you on your path. It is just getting started. Finding this crystal is just the beginning for you Paul of Cedar Landing.” And then he looked at the two sisters, “and I presume for the two of you as well.”  

As Tuck left the three adventurers, Paul didn’t know why or what it all of this meant, and neither did Nea or Lulu.  

But that would be for another story. The end.