The Emerson Chronicles
Author:© WebNovel
Chapter 1
BOOK ONE: The Elyrian
Grandpa's Secret
Ace Halder had one more night to take his chance. All it would take was a bit of courage and a little curiosity. He fidgeted with his sheets. He twitched, squirmed, and kicked his feet as his brain wrestled his gut. What if it wasn't worth it? What if it was? Grandpa's knack for mystery had him reeling with anger.
Is it a room full of ancient treasure? A key? A safe?
What if it was something stupid like work documents or bills? If they caught him sneaking around, Julie and Tamara Peppercorn would wake everyone on the ship and do so with glee. He'd have nothing to show for it either. But if Grandpa's secret was good.juicy.he could have the Peppercorns eating out of the palm of his hand.
"Just tell us what it is, Ace!" He smiled wickedly at the thought of it.
"C'mon. We'll do anything! Anything!" Oh, Ace thought. Anything?
Chores.
Allowance.
Ace's heart leaped a hundred feet in the air. What did the Peppercorns get for allowance? Had to be upwards of a hundred credits a week. Uncle Marcus was the best basketball player on the Genesis Sabercats, and he was more than generous to his daughters. And wife. He had them spoiled rotten. So, on top of being filthy rich, the Peppercorns were fortunate enough to still have a dad and mom. They could use a lesson in living like a Halder. Ace and his brother, Cameron, didn't have the power to give said lesson. But . . .
Grandpa's Secret.
Now persuaded he take his chance, he threw off his sheets and placed his feet on the damp surface. He listened to the ocean slap the side of the ship, watching his brother's hammock above him rock gently in kind. He glanced to his left to find Julie and Tamara sound asleep in their hammock bunks. He thanked New Realm's Age he had the bottom bunk. There would have been no way to sneak from the top one unnoticed. He stood and inched his way toward the door. The boy stepped on a loose wooden panel, and it creaked. He grit his teeth, squeezed his eyes shut, and lowered his head like a turtle retreating into its shell. One of his eyes crept open, the other followed. No one seemed to be disturbed. He sighed with relief.
The boy stuck his hand forward and inched the door open, squeezing himself through the crack and into the hall leading to the Officer's Meeting Room. From the open cannon deck behind him, the yellow moonlight lit splotches on the rippling windows in the door. Family pictures, ropes, and candles hung from the ratlines dangling on the hallway of dark wood. He squinted at the door to his left, where Grandpa and Grandma lay sound asleep. His heart pounded in his chest.
He was all in now. No turning back.
He looked back at the Officer's Meeting Room and stepped quietly across the hall. The wood moaned, and the ship gently leaned one way, then the other. There was a tiny thud and creak with each of his steps.
Maybe that's why Grandpa picked an ancient Earth ship. To keep people from sneaking.
It was a curious thing. With all the money Grandpa had from something he called "investing," he could've bought a ten-million-credit yacht. Why pick a rickety ship from some ancient world? Ace recalled the day Grandpa had bought the ship. Among the dozens of hover craft yachts with expensive accessories, Grandpa walked straight to the ship with stained sails and rotting wood.
"It's full of rich history, Ace!" Grandpa had said. "What if it belonged to pirates before? That'd be exciting, wouldn't it?"
Ace hadn't thought so. He preferred hologram TVs and luxury furniture. Instead, yearly vacations with Grandpa consisted of swabbing the deck and various carpentry tasks disguised as "arts and crafts." In all of which the Peppercorns consistently outperformed him and his brother. Ace snapped back to the moment. This was the last day of vacation. The last chance to see if he could uncover Grandpa's secret.
The last chance to have something over the Peppercorns.
He was only a few steps away when he fell to the ground as the stern leaned to conquer a small wave. It tilted just enough to catch him off guard and send him tumbling across the deck. His back smacked against the very door he sought to break into. The ship splashed back in the water and calmed once again. Ace sat wide-eyed, back against the door, facing the open cannon deck lit well by the full yellow moon. He anticipated Grandma Martha opening the hall to the Captain's Quarters and preparing him for a whipping. It would be the end of him. But seconds later, the gentle sea was all he heard. He swallowed a lump in his throat and stood to his feet.
His knees wobbled as he regained his composure. When he turned around to face the door, he noticed something strange.
There's no lock.
Where had the lock gone? Had Grandpa removed his secret? Ace hadn't imagined one from before, had he? Of course not. He for sure saw it the first day they had set sail. As always, the grandchildren had rushed to see the ship the minute they arrived at Grandpa and Grandma's house. Ace had been the first one to head for the Officer's Meeting Room when he noticed the lock on the door.
"Oh, no, no, no," Grandpa Marty had said, his wrinkly hand fastened tightly around Ace's wrist.
"Why's there a lock, Grandpa?"
"I have a . . ." Grandpa swallowed and scratched his head. "Secret . . .
young man. Not for my grandchildren's eyes. I will have to take care of it when we return."
His eyes threw Ace in for a loop; the eyes of an old, worried soul.
Too worried.
Ace turned the door handle and went inside. Had this all been for naught? Had Grandpa already gotten rid of whatever it was he didn't want Ace to see?
He nervously looked around the room. How could he be so dumb? The moonlight hardly shone through the rippling windows with not the slightest effect on the pitch darkness. Should've brought a flashlight. There had to be one around there somewhere. He stumbled around, nearly tripping, but caught himself.
A blinding white light blared in his eyes.
"Ahh!" He jumped back in a fright and fell to the deck. Knocking down a few chairs on the way in a ruckus; sounding his doom. An old man's laugh rumbled in the dark with a frightening familiarity. Grandpa Marty caught him red handed. Beads of sweat formed at his hairline and rolled along his face. Terrible warmth flooded his body as his mind sifted through the possible outcomes. Would he be forced now to do all the chores while Julie and Tamara laughed at him?
"Looking for this?" Grandpa Marty said, wiggling the flashlight and trying to contain his laughter.
"Oh! Uh!" Ace covered his eyes from the blinding light. "Grandpa, I can explain. I was.uh."
"Calm down, Ace of Spades." The old man's tone seemed strangely playful. "I knew you would sneak in here the minute I told you I had a secret."
Ace's insides exploded. "But, I wasn't."
"Oh, spare me, son. I know you better than you know the back of your hand."
Grandpa clicked the flashlight off. Ace stared wordlessly through the dark. No point trying to weasel his way out of this one. The old man had him pegged.
"I told you there was a secret," Grandpa said, "so you would sneak out here. And I have to say, I'm surprised it took you so long. Learning to control your impulses is a part of growing up, I guess. Too bad . . . those impulses will come in handy later."
"What? Why would you want me to sneak into your meeting room,
Grandpa?"
"Because," Grandpa's peach fuzz head cast a round shadow from the timid moonlight outside the windows. The floor croaked as he stepped forward. "The secret is for you, Ace. Not for Cameron, and definitely not for the Peppercorns."
Ace stood to his feet with a wide smile. Something about hearing Grandpa speak ill of the Peppercorns made his heart leap. Not to mention, Grandpa Marty had a secret to share with him. Just him. Like he was Grandpa's first mate!
"What secret, Grandpa?"
The old man stepped forward again and slowly reached his arm around Ace's back. A beam of white light followed the sound of a click. Grandpa shone the flashlight on an ancient Earth Safe Box. Made of wood, about the size of a large book. The light reflected off its golden edges running along the sides and over its arched roof. Ace had seen one of those safe boxes before. He heard Grandpa call it a treasure chest once. Something ancient man used to lock away valuable items. An energy about it fascinated him. The world around him fell dark and silent. As if only he and the chest were in the room.
"Only someone who would dare to sneak around Marty Halder's ship has the guts needed for this task," Grandpa said. Hearing his voice startled Ace back to reality.
"Wh." Ace coughed and swallowed. "What task?"
Grandpa gently nudged him as they walked to the chest, then pulled his shirt sleeve back to reveal a matte black watch. "Now, Ace," he said, "what I'm about to show you is sacred. Rumors of its existence have flocked about Yutara since creation. You must swear to me, before I open this chest, not a word of this will escape your lips."
Ace's eyes widened. Grandpa's adventurous spirit didn't surprise him, but his eyes told of an uncertainty the boy had never seen before. Whatever lay in the chest had no part in legend or myth. Something authentic stirred the air, and the mystery of it persuaded Ace to ignore his reservations.
"I swear, Grandpa."
Grandpa smiled, twisted the top of his watch, and placed his thumb on the ticking surface. Two timid lights blinked from the chest, following a sound like a thunk, and the lock snapped free. Dust pockets formed, and dirt crumbled to the ground as he lifted the top of the chest open. Ace's pulse beat faster. Beams of red and violet shone dimly behind a gray cloth in the chest. Ace's jaw dropped, and he brought his hands to his cheeks. Grandpa reached in, picked up the cloth, and held it before his grandson's eyes.
"Is that . . . ? " Ace said.
"Behold," Grandpa pulled the cloth from his hand. Bright white lights swirled on the inside of the deep red gem in the old man's palm; its rays of rose and violet kindling every corner of the room with wonder.
"The Emerson Stone," Grandpa said.
-- Gift
received