Into the veil of the night, the young wizard had to reconnaissance that of which hunted them.  

With careful steps, the young wizard moved through the night toward the cracking of twigs.  He then felt a stone near his left foot as it had parked down from a quiet march forward.  He then lifted the stone and tossed it in a westerly direction toward the denser side of the forest. The stone did its job well, creating noises of false escapes. The hunter then revealed itself, trying to chase the noise down.  The young wizard then returned to camp.

Alston waited back at camp with the empowered frost and flame sword, ready to fight and doubting himself all at once.  The young wizard returned with a slight concern on his face, which Alston had not yet seen in his new friend.  They whispered in the dead night.

" It's a shadow mantis, a very large one.  Something is strange about it.  It does not look natural, nor does it want to hunt for small prey. It must stand at least 6-7 feet high.  We have to go for the head.  I will distract it with my staff. There is an invocation of light that I will use to draw it near me. It will be fixated on my light for a short moment until it realizes that I am holding the light. In that time, I need for you to do your wild swings on its legs from behind. As the shadow mantis falls, strike the head as hard as you can. Remember, I have invoked your blade with immense power. Trust in yourself and then trust in the blade. There is no time.  Ready yourself, Alston."

Alston readied himself with so many questions he wanted to ask the young wizard as well as himself. But the questions never came, nor did he know what to ask.  He then saw the young wizard walk forth holding his staff upright. " Luminis Sados."  The young wizards staff burn brightly in the night.  Like a small sunrise in the dark forest. Alston then heard the nightmarish scamper of the very large shadow mantis.  It stood over the young wizard with gleaming yellow eyes as it was in a small trance looking into the light. Alston knew it was time.  He gripped the enchanted sword with both hands and closed his eyes. He called courage and bravery from all places, but none of them answered. He then opened his eyes and saw his boys sleeping behind the young wizard. Courage then called, and Alston came in swinging at the legs of the entranced shadow mantis. With war screams or fear screams, Alston swung his blade. The blade gleamed white with frost, then red with fire as Alston swung the blade widely.   Burning and shattering the hind legs of the shadow mantis it fell on its side, screeching and unholy voice through the forest. Alston then spun around swinging the blade true through the head of the shadow mantis.  The screeching stopped, and black blood poured out of the headless body of the shadow mantis.

Alston woke in the middle of the night to a strange hum like sound.  As he sat up, he saw the young wizard already standing upright with staff in hand. Both of them begin to whisper only.

" Alston, there is something hunting us.  Keep the boys covered in the blanket. Get your sword and bring it here to me quietly." Alston took two steps toward his sword when he heard the cracking of twigs and something drawing near.  He was maybe four more steps away from his sword. He began his silent march yet again toward his sword. One step, two steps, three steps, and four.  Alston then picked up the sheathed sword and then made his way back to the young wizard. Again, the cracking of twigs grew louder and signified that something was near and closer than before. Alston and the young wizard both walked slowly and quietly toward each other. As they finally met up another cracking of a twig reveled that whatever was hunting them was only about 30 to 40 ft away now. Again, in whispered conversation Alston and the young wizard formulated a plan.

" Unsheathe the sword Alston. Hold it right there. What are you doing? I am no swordsman. All I can do is swing widely. That may be all we need my friend. Keep the sword still." The young wizard then touched his staff to the blade and whispered an invocation upon it.  " Ignitis Frostias Armos " The blade of the sword begin to glow crimson and deep blue, white.  " The sword is empowered Alston. Even with wild swings you are a formidable force.  I am going to move toward the hunter. I must see what it is to gauge what we do next. Stay right here" Alstom felt a surge of new courage course through is very soul as he held the empowered blade. But not without fear. The young wizard walked into the curtains of night to see what the hunter in the shadows is.

Ms. Cine Margaret Alston, my Cousin who has an open mind
But it was her Mother, Ms. Stephanie ***-Alston adding Wisdom combined
Ms. Cine who went on to achieve a Masters in Public Administration
It was her consistent class presentations being illustrations
Hard as they were, Ms. Alston stayed the course
It was her Mother’s encouragement and plenty of inspiration
But it was the everyday of God taking the wheel in driving Ms. Cine into a commodity of theory, Concept, Adaptability, Analytical and understanding
However, higher and greater education is knowledge with another milestone of Ms. Alston becoming an Honor student and achieving beyond her own expectations
But it was Long Island University Downtown Brooklyn Campus getting all the indications
Graduates all together waiting for their name to be called
LIU being my philosophy, “You are now successful to become true business scholars and achievers all will see, and as you depart through the final exit doors, it will be LIU and education you all did pursue
You are our products and our method of education your investment at LIU
A time you had some doubt
But you applied effort and we prepared you in the technique in how you will achieve
It doesn’t matter in the area of concentration
We instilled the discipline of what graduate education is all about
So hold your head high with pride and dignity and, say LIU  loud
I graduated and I am proud
Throw your graduation hat up in the air
Walk on Graduates and our blessings in your future endeavors for you to preserver.

As blood poured out of the shadow mantis body and onto the ground the sun rose to vanquish this horrible night. Alston stood there absolute still gripping the enchanted sword tight.  

Alston had small tremors course through his hands in an intermittent pattern like response.  The tremors soon faded away and his hands no longer shook. Courage had infected his blood and killed away the doubt and fear he had.  The blade gleamed crimson, blue and white. This came as a surprise to the young wizard. Such evocations cast upon weapons only last a few uses.  This blade however seems to retain the power.  " Alston, may I see the blade? " The young wizard ask the new warrior if he could observe his blade while all together ease his mind that everything is okay.  Alston then looked at the enchanted blade he carried about with him on their travels.  It had always been just a sword. Normal and nothing special. Just a weapon to carry about on travels for the little inexperienced protection he could provide with it. Only now it was an instrument of power.  An emblem of one's courage gained. Not only did this sword **** the shadow mantis but also carved out a new warrior inside of one whom wasn't. The young wizard understood this in a moment realizing why the sword has not lost its enchantment. For Alstom and the sword have ascended together. The young wizard then remembered what he had told Alston before the shadow mantis arrived. " Trust in yourself and then trust in the blade." The young wizard may have inadvertently invoked the spirit of this man, this father, and also invoked the sword and somehow bonded them together spiritually. Many invocations used by the lineage of wizardry are mostly discovered by accident.  This happens to be another moment.  Only the young wizard did not understand how it happened. It was quite difficult to remember every detail which is important by all measure.  The position of his staff, his stance, the tone of one's voice, and the emotion given.  So much was happening at the time there was no time to remember it all.  Perhaps just an early morning breakfast and the start of a journey together could render some lost memories.

Alston gave the enchanted blade to the young wizard with a smile as he walked toward his sleeping boys to wake them and start breakfast.  The young wizard held the enchanted blade and turned to Alston. " Your new blade needs a name."

The young wizard and his new friends journey together finally reaching the purple river waterfall "Violet Cascade." Conversations ramble on through the morning sun.

" My boys and I have been calling you Mr. Wizard. So, what is thy true name? " The young wizard cracked half a smile and spoke out.
" Although I do enjoy Mr. Wizard! My name is Solan."  Both the boys smiled, and Liam spoke out. " So, Mr. Solan it is!" Solan smiled and laughed. " No just Solan will be fine."  

Solan then turned to Alston and asked of his journey.  " May I ask why you are travelling to the castle city?"  Alston smiled faded and explained their journey.  " Our town of Egnur was destroyed by an army of dark creatures.  My wife Miria and the boy's mother woke us in the night. She was part of the watch and a great fighter.  She took us out of town and instructed us to get to her sister in Oinotna.   As we fled our town, she went back to help the other soldiers get families out.  It was the last time we saw her. Kanan then spoke out about his mom. " Mom is the best fighter ever! She can kick anyone's ***! " Solan smiled and agreed. " I'm sure she could! " Alston then spoke. " I was a woodsman. I could build anything. I once built Miria's father a weapon shed, and she came to observe my work. It was at that moment we fell in love with each other. A warrior and a woodsman.  She was way out of my league. But the stars aligned that evening. I suppose we were meant to be." Alston smiled and looked to his feet as he followed them on the journey.
" May I ask why you journey to the castle city Solan?" Solan then explained.
" The monsters and the creatures. The attacks on towns like yours and mine. Something is not right with the balance of things.  Even magic and invocations are being affected in such a way we cannot explain.  New spells are being discovered at an alarming rate. While creatures never seen have somehow come to life with malice and hate. The lineage of the wizards will be gathering at Oinotna for a council of thoughts. Wizards from all over the lands are making the same journey I am.  Hopefully together we can find this imbalance." The sound of Violet cascade sang through the air.   Alston then spoke out. " The waterfall. We must now head west down the blue and green trail. Should take about a day to reach the bottom of the mountain.  Solan then smiled. " I have a better idea! Frostias Platformais Sliadia! Translation (Ice bridge slide). A huge ice slide fell to the bottom of the waterfall in a beautiful spiral formation.  Without hesitation Solan slid first with screams of joy echoing across the ravine as he slid to the bottom of the waterfall.  Alston and the boys followed with both screams of fear and joy!

The screams of fear and joy echoed throughout the ravine where the Violet Cascade waterfall fell.  Solan awaited Alston and his boys as they slid down the spiral ice bridge with a smile on his face.

Alston and his boys reached the bottom of the waterfall with eyes wide open with fear only to scream with joy and laughter.  Solan begin to laugh with them as he helped them on their feet. Alston then then turned to Solan.  " We must have saved a day in a half sliding down the waterfall like that! Yes, my friend, we can follow the riverbank to the gold dusk road bridge.  We should be able to reach the bridge at a steady pace by midday."  Leaves begin to fall beginning to write the lyrics of an autumn song soon to have melodies and verses. By midday the gold dusk road was reached.  The bridge was alive with caravans, vendors, tents, fires, small battalions and the moving of folk throughout the land all trying to reach the castle city of Oinotna.  Solan then spotted a Council of wizards deep in discussion smoking silver grass. Solan spoke out to the group.  " I will go into discussion with my fellow coven members and seek out knowledge of what they have experienced as well as share what we have seen. Very well Solan, I'll find us a place to camp nearby and find us some food. Alston, if chicken is burning somewhere please fetch me a thigh. Very well!"

Solan approached the Conclave of wizards as the smoke of the silver grass swayed through the air like a magical haze only dreams could conjure. Solan knew of three wizards there in discussion.  Rizen, from the coven Sun-wind. They wore the color red throughout the lands. Wizards that specialize in fire and wind spells. Olian, from the coven Metals of the light. Wizards that specialize in invocations, blessing weapons with immense powers and abilities. They mostly cloaked themselves in the color gray.  And finally, Tersia, from the coven Wings of the moon, Sorceresses specializing in the magic of water and healing. Wearing a pale white moon colored cloak.  As Solan arrived a wizard in a gold cloak called out to him " Solan from the coven 3 Stars shine." Solans coven had only three members which the other two members being his brother and sister.  3 stars shine specialized in ice magic as well as combustion magic.  " Come and sit with us Solan, Join the discussion."  A clump of silver grass was given to Solan as he fetched his pipe from his pocket.  He huffed up a huge smoke cloud and added to the magical haze that swirled about and joined the discussion.

" Your new blade needs a name." Said the young wizard to his new warrior awoken friend.  The blade gleamed with magical permanent glows and luminescent courage.  It also seemed lighter in weight when Alston held and wielded it.  

Liam and Kanan awoke from their slumber oblivious to the cursed night they slept through.  Alston stoked up fire and broke out the pans for cooking.  Eggs sizzled to both the boy's delight.  The sun broke through the clouds and the young wizard soaked it up in his staff. He walked back toward the campfire to the smell of eggs sizzling under the morning sun.  Alston retained his fatherly appearance, and the warrior was hidden and dormant inside the new unlocked chamber of his soul.  Birds sang their morning melodies and rabbits hopped to an unheard song of nature.

The four of them ate breakfast through the beautiful morning with the boys laughing at the funny faces the young wizard was making at them.  The young wizard also had egg yolk on the sides of his mouth.  Although formidable in the uses of the magical arts the young wizard table etiquettes were not so proper.   Alston then fetched some toy soldiers and horses for the boys to play with while he and the young wizard packed up for the journey ahead. After everything was packed Alston then lifted the sheathed sword and looked to the young wizard.  

" I will name this blade "Awoken." Together this blade and I awoke parts of us that had always been there, yet fear kept them from awakening. Awoken has vanquished that fear.  Now I must learn the way of the sword.  My brother-in-law is the commander of arms in Oinotna.  I will learn from him when we arrive.  Let us journey together my friend."

From the highest to the lowest level I’m living on the weight of the world I stand where all cry from the lightest to the boldest There’s write and there’s wrong In all of my stores, Your greatest fear is a warning Your heart is broken more like abandonment The door is closed And equal can’t be respected And like the softest lullaby I’d ever heard But only lies threatened From the highest To the lowest level I’m living on the weight of the world I stand where all cry In lost love In lost hope you cannot close your eyes without being afraid only to look forward They could not fill They could not ease The mind on instrumental Because the sadness was to deep To understand how The same ones you helped The same ones you love Only leave you alone Living on the weight of the world Traveling on this lonely road I stand where all cry*

-Travis Alston ”

The campfire danced into the night absorbing the conversation the young wizard was having with the father and his two sons.

The four of them ate chicken with broth as the glow of the campfire warmed their bones.  " Mr. wizard sir" One of the boys whose mouth was full of chicken softly started the conversation with the young wizard.  " What were those words you were yelling? I did not understand their meaning." The young wizard whose mouth was also full of chicken had to wait a moment to chew his food and speak properly.  With a giant gulp of a swallow the young wizard explained.  " Those words were invocations or chants.  I suppose a sort of calling or request for me to ask upon nature and the universe that I may borrow their power. The first invocation I used was Ignitis Sol. Which means Ignite the sun. The second one was Ignitis Sados which means Ignite the staff." The young boys both smiled while they ate as they listened to the young wizard talk about magic and invocations.  Their father ate silently and finally joined the conversation. " We are heading to the great castle city of Ointona.  Are you going in the same direction as us stranger?  The young wizard who again had a giant amount of chicken in his mouth had to chew a little faster to join in conversation with the boy's father. With a large nearly choking gulp the wizard answered the father's question. " I am.  Would you like me to join you on your travels to the same destination?"  The father of the two boys answered with a concerned yet relieved face. " Yes, would you please. I am Alston, these are my boys Kanan and Liam.  We owe you, our lives. " The young wizard smiled and uttered out some words almost unrecognizable with again a mouth full of chicken.
  "This meal will be your payback to me."

The young wizard then set his staff down as it begins its watchful eye of the night.    " Let's all get some rest; my staff will keep watch if anything wicked should happen to come our way."

Longevity, the way life is awarded in a blessing
It’s wisdom that contributes to the living lesson
So what 93 so special?
Let’s look at the distinction in read and see
There were two people that were my personal heroes, Donald Coffin and Natalie Alston, who were both 93 and died
They left me the inspiration to stride
The understanding that both provided
Some people say to me, play that number 93 in the lottery
But my thoughts are on maybe and possibly
However, nothing is really guaranteed
93 is not an easy number to reach in life, it is a gift
It is eternity blessings stored
But accounts all from the Lord
So the lottery, don’t be so sure
Yet 93 is a number that no one would ignore
93 for me is encouragement
The legacy of wisdom feeling like nourishment
Live out the full creed until done
But living to be 93 at least I would be still among
Not everyone can live to even reach 93
It is a blessing to see
93 maybe only number
But it is a high digit close to a 100
Live on and think confident
Praying on and be blessed
Avoid stress and be youthful
But the two deceased individuals lived their life out being wonderful
Again, longevity is not easy to reach
But a day by moment being a lesson like a Bible scripture feeling like a sermon preach