“Why?”saidEmmanuel,revertingagaintohisnormalcheekyself.“Noreasonatall.Perhapshediditjustforfun!Maybeheishidingdowntheresomewhereierandwhenyouguyshavefottenalbouthim,hewouldclimbuptotheshoresneakilyandscareyoualltodeath.Itwouldbefun…”Mr.Kaffeekhelittlefellowwasjestinginhisownfoolishmanneranddidnotpayanyattentiontohim.Lookingatthesurfaceofthewaterhisexpressionsuddenlygedtooneoffearandpointingatsomethingierheasked,
“Lookyouguys!Whatisthat?”
Thecalmsurfaceofthekebrokeshasargeheadrosefromuhewater.Itdidnotappeartobehuman,butratherlikethatofsomestrangemonster,withasingurhornoopofitsheadandafacemadeindistinctbythesemitransparentmembracoveredit.Butthefacebehindithadonlyonehugeeyeseemedtoshihbrilliantiyasitlookedaround.Mr.Kaffeeandhislittlegroupoffriendssteppedbackrehension,butIleenandViorantowardsthekewavingtheirhands,shoutingandscreamingwithexcitementahatmonster-likeheadkeptmovingslowlyaelytowardsshore.Thidheavyshouldersappeared,followedbyamuscurchestthattainedendlessenergy.Asittinuedwalkingslowingupthebanks,apowerfulwaistwasseenthatthoughslimcouldemaciateunimagirengthwhentwistinginmotion.Mr.KaffeerealizedthatthismustbethelegendaryCyclopsthathehadheardsomuchaboutbuthadneverbeforeseen.Suddenlyanurebrokewaterwithlongpigtailwoundarouhroat,theendofwhichwaschedbetweeeeth.ItwasDeannawhoseskillsuerwereparabletoanymermaid.AsCyclopswalkedhecarefullytookoffthesemitransparentmembraneonhisfadhaoDeanna.Thetwoofthemwalkedslowlyupthebanksofthekewhichslopedgentlyupwardsverygradually,afactthatwouldbeveryhelpfulteroheyraisedthegoldpathebottomoftheke.Cyclopswaswetthroughandthroughthoughitwashardtotellwhetheritwasfromthekewaterorhisow.IleenandViorusheduptohim,eachholdingontooneofhisarmsandtheyswarmedtowardstheopenfire.Cyclops’shugeeyegnquisitivelyatMr.Kaffeeandhislittlegroupandthenheproudlymovedhistallmuscurbodyonwithoutgivinganyaowledgement.NeverbeforeinhislifehadMr.Kaffeebeeedwithsuchcolddisdainwithacutdirect,sohewasgreatlyaffronted.HisfriendswerealsoinsedandlookedangrilyatCyclops.WhattheywerenotawareofwasthatCyclopswasnotanormalsocialcreatureandthereforeneverpracticedsuchsoicetiesasgreetingpeopleandchattingwiththeyclopswalkedovertotheopeoreoffacrispybrowhembthathadbeenroastingforalongtimeaearingintoitandchewingwithgusto.Thenholdingupabarrelofliquorwithbothhands,heguzzledgreedily.Astheliquorflowedintohisbodytheytransformedbygeometritegralintththatprodulimitedpower.MedusawasbusyanizihousandsofwarriorsoftheKingdomintroups,eachgroupinchargeofonelongthickropethatcameupfromthebottomoftheke.Theyshoutedrhythmicallyinunisonastheypulledwithalltheirmightattherope.Ofcoursethatwasonlyarehearsal.Laterohedredgingprocessreallybegins,theywoulddosoinearhemagichorse,Lightning,neighedloudlyandfppedhiswingsimpatiently,eagertostart.Mr.KaffeelookedalroundandsawthatthtofhimontheoppositeshorewasamajesticstructurethathesurmisedwasthenewpagDimitri’sloyalservantsCreativityandImaginationhadbuildforhimoftheirownaccord.Fromtheoutside,thepaorelikeafortress.TurningtohisoldfriendWhiteFairywhowasstandingbesidehimandwhowasentrustedwiththejobofreceivingaertaininghimandhisfriends,hesaid,
“Youknowwhat?Idon’tthinkthereisanythingwecoulddotohelphereandIfeelwewouldonlybeafootandintheway.Sowhydon’tyoulendustwoboatsandwewillrowacrosstotheothersideofthekeahenewpace.”WhiteFairynoddedinagreement.Callingtotwoofthewarriorsshegavetheminstrus.Theyleftandsooncamebackeachrowingasmallboat.Mr.Kaffeeandhisfrieonboardandrowedtowardstheoppositeshore.
Uheluminousmoowosmallboatsreachedtheirdestination.RichardandBigOjumpedoutaheirboatstothewoodenstakethatprotrudedoutofthewaterwhileMr.Kaffeeaherswalkedontothedodmadeforthenew,magnifitpace.Fromafar,theyhadthoughtthenewpacelookedlikeafortress.Nowthattheywererightbeforeit,theirimpressionwasfirmed.Uheluminousmoontheysawahighandthickwallwithsecuredefeifications.Thehighwallwasstuddedwithsentrypostsandfirmfortifications.Fromthehalfburnttorchesandunlitmps,theycouldseethatnormallythispcewasheavilyfortifiedandguarded.ItwasonlybecausethedredgingofthegoldpaeededallpossiblemahateveryonehadbeeotheGiantMountaintohelpwiththeprocessandthepacehadbeeemptyuhemoonlight.AloudnoisewasheardwhenMr.Kaffeepushedopentheheavypacegatethathadbeeajarandeveryonewalkedintoearedtobeaminicity.Fagthemwasthegrandioseandmagnifitpace,beforewhichwasargesquarewherethewarriorsnormallydrilledandexercised.Owosidesofthecourtyardwerebarrackswherethewarriorslived.Thisminicitywasequippedwithgranary,stablesandwatersource,abletoresistoutsideinvasion.Mr.Kaffeeandhisfriendswalkedthroughthesquareandcametothefrorahepacedecoratedwithintricatelysculpturedbeamsandfabulouspaintings.TheywalkedintotheformalhalndsawthatKingDimitri’sgoldthronearaiseddaisinthemiddle,withtwelvefortablechairsoneachsidepreparedforhistwenty-fourbeauties.Thestyleanddecorationsweremuchthesameasintheoldpacebutonagranderscale.Thesidehallswereusedfordiningandotherlessformalcelebrations.Davidcouldn’thelpclighistongueinadmirationsaying,
“Let’shinkaboutowningsomagnifitapaceasthisone.Iwouldbetentjusttobeabletosleeponthiscarpet,sosoftandplush.”Mr.Kaffeesmiledanddidnotreply.
“Whyisthispacesoheavilyfortified?”askedRichard.“Aretheyafraidofaninvasion?”
“Don’tfettheKingdomofDreamhadbeeninvadedbybarbariantribesandtheoldpacewasburnttotheground”repliedMr.Kaffee.“Soitislogicalthattheyputextrastressonfortificatioheyrebuilt.”Thewholepacewaspletelyemptywithnotraceoflightorsoundofotherhumanocts.TheonlyheyheardwastheirownfootstepsasMr.Kaffeeledthemfromroomtoroohepacewasathreestoreybuilding.Whentheyreachedthetopfloor,theycamefacetofacewithhugeFrendowsopeninguptoavastverandadecoratedwithbonsaipntswithatrulymagnifit,panoramicviewoftheStarMoonLake.SuddenlytheneighingofahorseandMedusa’svoiceshoutingordersbrokethesilence.Mr.KaffeerushedtotheFrendowsopehegssdoorandeveryooutontotheveranda.TheysawMedusawithathickropeinherirondLightningwithahickropetiedoverhisbody,bothfppingtheirhugemightywingsastheyasdedslowlyuptowardsthesky.Ontheshorethousandsofmightywarriorsshoutedrhythmicallyinunisonastheypulledwithalltheirmightattheirrope,theirunitedroarsastheyexertedtheirutmosteffortresouheskies.Thedredgingofthegoldpacehadnowformallybegun.
Cyclopsateanddrankhisfiledforawhilesohisbothhisstrengthandhisenergywereatitspeak.Mindbogglingstrengthandprodigiousenergycircledinhisstalwartbody.Hecouldn’twaittofinishthetaskingupthegoldpadrestittoitsinalsite,sohecouldhaveafamilyreunionwithhisbelovedwifeEileen,hisdaughterVioandherhusbandEmmanuendfinallybeabletoenjoysomeblessedhomelifeandhappinesshehadneverhadbefore.HewalkedovertothebanksofthekeandspoketoMedusa,WhiteFairy,DeannaandthemagichorseLightning,finaliziailsoftheirpnandcrifyisignsignalstobeused.Thenputtingonhisheadgear,hewalkedwithDeannabatotheke.MedusatransformedintoahugebckbirdandsoaredintotheskiestogetherwiththemagichorseLightniweeheypulledtautthethickropewhichhadbeensplitintwo,onehalfclutchedtightlyinMedusa’sirondtheotherhalfwoundaroundLightning’sbody.JustthentheyfeltstrongvibrationsandshakiransmittedthroughtheropeahatCyclopshadstartedw,sothetwoofthemfppedtheirhugemightywingsandflewhigherandhigherintotheskiesiogiveCyclopswhatassistaheycould.AtthistimeCyclopswasatthebottomofthekeusingallthestrengthofhisbodytomoveoneerofthegoldpace.Ofcourse,mightyandprodigiousashisstrengthwas,itwasstilllimitedwhenpitagainsttheforcesofnature.Hewasabletomakethingsworkonlybymakihebuoyancyofwater.Cyclopssuddeastrongupwardtugandimmediatelyreachedferockhehadpreviouslypreparedandstuckituhetiltedbackrighterofthegoldpace.Hethenbroughte,strongandthickwheeoederofthegoldpace.Hewoulddothesametoallfourersofthepaordertopushituptond.MedusaandLightnimightyshakingfromanothererandquicklypulledmightilyattheropetomakeittautandthenfppingtheirmightywingsdidtheirbesttherintotheskies.Uer,Cyclopsrepeatedhispreviousasandpcedahugestoneunderargewheelonthefrontalrighterofthegoldpace.Deannaswamtothesurfadmadeasignoftwotowardstheskies,meaningthattherighterofthepacehadtiltedabout20degrees.Medusauoodandmovedtowardstherightabout20degreespullihickropewithher,thusensuringthebahegoldpaderwatersoitwouldn’ttilttoomuchtowardstheleft.Afterthatthesamethingshappehetwoleftsidesofthepace,tellingMedusathatCyclopshadsucceededinputtiofthewheelsontotheothertwosidesofthegoldpace.Deannaagainswamtothesurfadcppedherhandstowardstheskies,tellingMedusathatallfourwheelshadbeenputihenturningtoWhiteFairy,shemadesignswithherhandsmeaningitwastimetostartpullingupthegoldpace.ThousandsofnativewarriorshadalsoseenDeanna’shandsignals.TheyshoutedinjoyandnotevenwaitingforWhiteFairy’sorders,theytratedtheirtotattentionandeffortsinpullingontheropeasoneperson,shoutedrhythmicallyastheydidso.Theirpellingandvigorousshoutsresoundedpowerfullyintheuniverse.MedusaandLightningcoordiheirmovementswiththeshoutsofthenativesafppingtheirmightywingsandtriedtoflyhigherandhigherintotheskies.CyclopsaloneremaineduerusinghismoalstrengthaoslowlypushthegoldpacealongthesmoothbedofSunMooowardstheshore.Ofcourseifnotforthenaturalbuoyancyofwater,hewouldnothavebeeodothisasitwouldhavebeenanimpossiblemissiontoaplish.EverystephetookdimihebuoyancyofwaterandCyclopsfeltmoreresistanceasheadvanced,slowlydraininghisstrength.Itwashisgoodfortuthewaterwasverycalmthatdayaerflowuhekewasstable,whichwasextremelyfavorabletothedredgingandtransportofthegoldpace.Asthedomeliketopofthepacegraduallyemergedfromthewater,thenativewarriorsweregreatlyencedbytheimmisuccessoftheirformidabletaskandthousandsofarmspulledevenmorearduouslyinunisonattheirropeahmoftheirsonglikegruntsandshoutsbecamemoreandmoreferventandresonant.
Uhebrightandluminousmoonlighteverythingwasclearlydisabletothenakedeye.Halfthebrilliantgoldpacehadalreadyemergedfromthekeandlookedespeciallymystidmagicalmaghebackgroundofmyriadshtlyburningopehatdottedthendscape.Mr.Kaffeeandhisfriendsstoodontheverandaontheoppositebank,lookingatthisunbelievablesethatening,whichwasclearandvisiblewithouttheuseoftelescopes.
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