The Kingdom of Light

<p>Though nearly a dozen years had passed they hadn’t gotten back to Verdura. They supposed they never would. But life had moved on for Joshua Marie Amanda and Steven. For one thing they were all married with at least one kid; and those kids were almost as old as they had been the first time they were in Verdura. They had lives though––truth to tell––lives not as exciting as their times in Verdura had been. Sometimes they struggled to find meaning in the mundane after the momentous events in which they had participated.</p><p>Things had moved on in Verdura as well. Centuries in fact. It had become dark. Almost all the time. And very few of the friends they had known as children remained––even though their lives should have been as long as that of their sun. The remaining people were at odds with one another. Tyranny had overcome most of them madness––so it was said––the rest. Enemies had multiplied and triumphed.</p><p>And once again it was the children who were sent to help. Or maybe they were sent mostly to watch. Because as always Ispri had everything well in hand. Or did he? The world was breaking up dissolving before their eyes. There seemed no way to overcome the enemies. There were new enemies they’d never seen and many of the people were enemies.</p><p>So how could they explain this buoyancy they felt? This optimism? This expectation? And how did this new person this little empress of China so she seemed to think of herself and her pet dragon fit into all this?</p><p>Besides of course they’d eventually have to go back to earth. How was that going to work out? Would they get back before Verdura collapsed completely and them with it? This really was their last adventure.</p>