The Distant Kingdoms Volume Twelve: Valouras Bound
Reeks: The Distant Kingdoms
David A Petersen
- VALOURAS-The
- mythical
- island
- state
- to
- the
- far
- north.KASHIR
- –
- The
- capital
- city
- of
- Valouras,
- located
- in
- a
- secluded
- harbour
- well
- away
- from
- prying
- eyes.IMPERATOR
- ARET
- ZINNAN
- –
- The
- rightful
- leader
- of
- the
- nation
- of
- Valouras
- and
- all
- of
- its
- people.Dale
- Johnstone,
- Ricky
- Sorell,
- the
- Dearnian
- guard,
- Banisor
- and
- an
- accompanying
- military
- company
- have
- been
- instructed
- to
- locate
- the
- SCATT
- –
- Self
- Contained
- All
- Terrain
- Transport
- in
- order
- for
- it
- to
- be
- safe
- from
- enemy
- hands
- and
- any
- hostile
- intentions
- they
- might
- harbour.
- The
- entire
- battalion
- travel
- from
- the
- city
- of
- Terrimorter,
- heading
- in
- a
- north-easterly
- direction
- in
- the
- hope
- of
- discovering
- the
- huge
- vehicle’s
- current
- location.During
- their
- travels
- the
- military
- unit
- are
- also
- ordered
- to
- discover
- the
- whereabouts
- of
- another
- squad
- dispatched
- by
- her
- Royal
- Majesty,
- Sinar
- Thellon
- the
- First.
- With
- the
- aid
- of
- a
- local
- Rider
- they
- do
- eventually
- stumble
- across
- the
- other
- unit,
- only
- to
- find
- out
- they
- have
- been
- taken
- captive
- by
- a
- large
- group
- of
- local
- bandits.
- Much
- to
- their
- shock,
- they
- also
- discover
- that
- the
- Rider
- is
- in
- league
- with
- the
- Anhil.
- Thankfully
- the
- captured
- soldiers
- are
- released,
- the
- Anhil
- killed
- and
- the
- rogue
- law
- enforcement
- officer
- arrested
- and
- put
- in
- chains
- for
- his
- return
- to
- the
- city
- of
- Valderhien
- where
- he
- will
- have
- to
- face
- the
- Queen’s
- wrath.Thankfully,
- the
- Rider
- does
- know
- the
- SCATT’s
- whereabouts
- and
- is
- forced
- into
- guiding
- the
- battalion
- to
- its
- location.
- Soon
- afterwards,
- one
- of
- the
- recently
- released
- soldiers
- is
- placed
- inside
- the
- machine
- in
- order
- to
- full
- recuperate
- from
- her
- terrible
- ordeal.
- The
- commanding
- officer
- of
- the
- military
- company
- is
- afforded
- a
- tour
- of
- the
- vehicle
- and
- once
- the
- inspection
- is
- complete,
- Dale
- and
- Ricky
- Sorell
- trick
- everyone
- into
- evacuating
- the
- craft
- so
- they
- can
- make
- good
- their
- escape
- and
- not
- have
- it
- fall
- into
- military
- hands.Once
- they
- have
- indeed
- escaped
- their
- escort,
- it
- becomes
- apparent
- that
- others
- are
- still
- on
- board
- the
- vessel,
- including
- Banisor
- and
- the
- young
- soldier.
- These
- two
- individuals
- vow
- to
- aid
- the
- others
- in
- their
- self-appointed
- quest
- to
- locate
- the
- mysterious
- nation
- of
- Valouras
- said
- to
- be
- to
- the
- far
- north
- of
- the
- Azzil
- Territories.
- During
- their
- expedition
- they
- stop
- to
- aid
- the
- crew
- of
- a
- war
- vessel
- stricken
- by
- a
- recent
- storm.
- They
- eventually
- place
- the
- crew
- and
- the
- senior
- officer
- at
- a
- fishing
- village
- where
- they
- are
- certain
- to
- get
- help
- in
- returning
- to
- their
- homes.Many
- days
- later
- the
- remaining
- people
- still
- on
- board
- the
- SCATT
- come
- across
- a
- picturesque
- island
- where
- they
- take
- some
- time
- for
- some
- greatly
- needed
- relaxation.
- Unfortunately,
- a
- severe
- quake
- and
- resulting
- tsunami
- soon
- put
- a
- halt
- to
- their
- festivities.
- It
- now
- becomes
- apparent
- that
- the
- entire
- region
- is
- under
- the
- influence
- of
- a
- major
- volcanic
- disturbance
- which
- threatens
- to
- erupt
- at
- any
- time.After
- fleeing
- the
- area,
- the
- explorers
- finally
- reach
- the
- nation
- of
- Valouras
- and
- its
- capital
- city,
- Kashir,
- a
- majestic
- cliff
- face
- metropolis.
- The
- local
- people
- attempt
- to
- kill
- them
- on
- the
- spot,
- although
- a
- little
- fast-talking
- by
- Dale
- soon
- alleviates
- the
- many
- concerns
- held
- by
- the
- island
- nation’s
- ultimate
- leader
- Imperator
- Aret
- Zinnan.
- The
- four
- visitors
- to
- the
- city
- soon
- discover
- that
- the
- local
- community
- holds
- an
- incredible
- secret
- that
- if
- divulged
- to
- the
- outside
- world
- could
- easily
- bring
- destruction
- to
- all
- its
- population.The
- explorers
- soon
- come
- to
- understand
- the
- local
- inhabitants
- with
- their
- numerous
- unique
- characteristics
- and
- lifestyles.
- Tragically,
- during
- the
- crew’s
- stay,
- disaster
- strikes
- as
- the
- volcano
- does
- indeed
- erupt,
- bringing
- about
- a
- great
- disaster
- across
- the
- entire
- island.
- The
- SCATT
- eventually
- departs
- from
- Valouras
- with
- its
- crew
- vowing
- to
- do
- what
- they
- can
- to
- protect
- its
- people
- and
- their
- wondrous secret.
