Chapter 24 - With a little help from our friends, we can make our dreams come true.

I lost track of time. But when I think about it, I realized that I can't read time at all, or tell what time it is. I don't even know how to use a clock... Gosh... What am I thinking...? I'm so tired, I'm not thinking straight! I'm still walking though... Still climbing up the spiral staircase... But I'm numb now... I don't talk anymore... I fell silent... I really thought... getting the star crystals is going to be easy... Why has it become so hard...? I fought Undeadwoods... Jellyfishes... And even a Golem Knight... But, I'm still not there... I'm still here... Climbing these long, endless stairs... Sigh... Kaoru... You're so unfair... with that magic... But, If she doesn't have magic... She'll get tired... And I'm sure she's gonna ask me to carry her all the way to the top... Hmmm... Good thing you have that float magic, Kaoru...

As we are ascending the stairs, I suddenly stopped on my tracks and realized something.

"Kaoru...?"

"Yes, Lionel?"

"Maybe... We're going in circles... Maybe... We're lost... The stairs... They all look the same..."

I already have doubts but I kept on climbing... And I don't know why... This spiral staircase... Could it be some sort of an illusion...? A magic trick of the mountain itself to trap us so we can never get out or reach our destination...? If that's the case, we're spending all our time and energy for nothing!

"Oh you worry to much, Lionel. I'm 100% sure we're going the right way! I have Eagle Eyes remember?"

"Yes..."

We continued our ascent... I don't have any choice, now, do I...?

"Lionel!"

"Are we in the Exosfir, now?"

"Not yet, but we're really close. Can you push that stone door, please?"

"Okay..."

I approached and opened the door...

"Whoa..."

"Welcome to the top of the mountain, Lionel! Look at the clouds! Welcome to the Stratosfir!"

I can't believe my eyes... The wonderful sight took my breath away...

We're really at the top of the mountain...

After that long, hard ascent, we're finally here... The mountain is so high, it touches the clouds... You can't even see the ground because it's covered with clouds... It's all puffy white and orange... I can't believe it... I can't get over it... The cold wind, the sea, the sunset, the clouds... Seeing all this and looking at it in this high place takes all my exhaustion away... I'm so happy... I'm really on top of the world!!!

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"Wait... We might fall..."

"Come on, Lionel! Don't you remember what you said about the clouds?"

About the clouds...?

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(Flashback!)

When I was young, I always thought that the clouds in the sky are gigantic, puffy, floating cotton balls. I also thought that the clouds are the source of all the pillows, cotton buds, cotton for cotton shirts, and cotton balls in the whole world. I still believe it today... Man... I could never figure out how those gigantic cotton balls float in the sky and how people gather the cotton... Guess that's why they created airplanes...

Back then, I wanted to fly and walk in the clouds... I always believed that it would be soft and cool... That I will never fall if I stepped on it...

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(Back to the story!)

"What I said before, Kaoru... Is that true?"

She smiled and nodded.

"No way..."

"Yes way!"

I looked at the clouds. They looked so soft and fluffy.

"Lionel, I'm giving you the honor to take the first step into the land of, err, I mean, uhmm... We're in the sky, so... Uhmm... Let me rephrase that, uhmm... Let's see, uhmm... Aha! Yes! Again, I'm giving you the honor to take the first step, into the place where no one has ever set foot before! Welcome to the Cloud Kingdom!!!"

"Whoa..."

This is so grand!

"Go ahead, Lionel."

"Okay..."

I'm really nervous but... This is it man! This is it! My dream coming true! All I need to do now is to take one step...

And I'm gonna do it!

I raised my right foot...

And set it down on the clouds...

"..."

Silence...

The cloud is so soft, it muffled my step... My feet didn't go through and I did not fall...

I can't contain it anymore...

"OH YEAH!!!"

I ran, arms spread wide, my feet stomping on the clouds. I can't believe it! I'm actually running on the clouds!

"HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"

I jumped up and down, this is so amazing! The clouds are so soft and bouncy!

For the first time in our adventure, I quickly grabbed Kaoru's hand and held it tight. I gently tugged her into the clouds and ran laughing. Man this is for real! She's real! It's not a dream!

THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!

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After running, jumping, and playing on the soft orange clouds, we lay down and rested.

"Man! That was fun!"

"And tiring too, but it was fun!"

"Gosh, the clouds are so soft! It's even softer than my bed!"

"What's your bed made of anyway, Lionel?"

"Wood."

We both laughed.

"HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"

"I wish I could bring some back home."

"No can do, Lionel. If you do that, you'll rip the clouds apart. We're really gonna fall."

"Oh...'

Silence...

"Man... It would be really nice to sleep here... The soft clouds, the cool wind, it's really comfortable."

"Sorry, Lionel, but we can't do that..."

She stood up.

"Look, it's almost sunset. We need to move."

"Aww... I wish I could stay here forever..."

With you, Kaoru...

"We still need to get those star crystals and go back home, Lionel."

"I know, I know."

I stood up.

"Kaoru."

"Yes...?"

I held out my pinky finger.

"Let's make a pinky promise."

"O - Kay...?"

She's quite mystified but, she still held out hers and our pinkies interlocked.

"Repeat after me, okay?"

"Okay..."

"I, Lionel,"

"I... Lionel?"

"No! Say your name! Not mine! Let's start again."

"Okay, okay."

"I, Lionel,"

"I, Kaoru,"

"Promise to return"

"Promise to return"

"To Cloud Kingdom"

"To Cloud Kingdom"

"After we get those star crystals"

"After we get those star crystals"

"And sell it for a lot of money."

"And sell it for a lot of money."

"We'll go back here"

"We'll go back here"

"And play all day!"

"And play all day."

"I promise!"

"I promise!"

"Cross my heart!"

"Cross my heart!"

"And hope to die!"

"Uhmm... I think, as a lady, I can't say, 'hope to die'..."

"That's okay Kaoru! I understand! It's the promise that counts! Now, let's go!!!"

"Aye! Aye! My courageous Swashbuckler!"