The story so far:Aniket and Fortune are heading towards Lady Laura Lucklina’s castle by a boat steered by Omen, who answers Aniket’s questions on his future.
“If not the sports captain, will I become the vice-captain?” Aniket asked hesitatingly.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap. The oars hit the side of the boat five times.
“Five taps mean MAYBE,” Aniket frowned. “Why aren’t you sure about that?”
“What a smart guy Omen is. He is not committing himself,” Aniket whispered to Fortune.
“Don’t ask so many questions, Aniket,” Fortune scolded. “Omen dislikes being asked more than three questions at any time. After that, all his answers will be MAYBE. Let there be an element of surprise when school re-opens tomorrow. If you know everything that’s going to happen beforehand, there will be no surprise in life.”
Strange sights
Omen avoided the large and dangerous rocks and brought them safely to the island on which stood the golden castle, with its minarets, turrets and a diamond-studded tower towering above the wall. Aniket looked around. They were surrounded by water on all sides. He was finally on Destiny Island!
Laura Lucklina’s diamond-encrusted tower looked heavenly. Aniket couldn’t take his eyes off it. Beside it, the magnificent golden castle paled in comparison.
A large yellow fish, the size of a small boat, swimming near the shore turned towards them. “I’ve been waiting for a long time to see you all,” she said, diving back into the water immediately, without waiting for a reply.
“That’s Patience, Laura Lucklina’s pet fish,” Fortune said. “You are lucky, she spoke to you. She greets very few visitors.”
“Is she dangerous?”
“Not at all, but she is aloof like her mistress.”
While walking towards the castle’s main gate, Aniket saw several sea-shells. But before he could pick them up, a large, ferocious black scorpion approached him.
“Don’t come near, I’ll bite you,” the scorpion said.
Aniket shivered.
“That’s Anger, another of Laura Lucklina’s crazy pets,” Fortune said.
Patience, who had heard Anger issue the warning, said, “Don’t be rude to the visitors,” she said softly.
“Mind your own business,” the scorpion rebuked.
As the scorpion and the fish argued, Aniket and Fortune sprinted towards the castle’s main gate.
“Oh no,” the scorpion groaned, on seeing the visitors run away. Not able to keep pace with them, Anger soon gave up the chase and returned to fight with the fish. But Patience had disappeared, as her mission of distracting the scorpion had worked. The visitors had reached the castle gate safely.
A gnome dressed in blue dungarees stood outside the castle’s main gate, holding a long black spear in his right hand.
To be continued...
