The Stolen Star

THE STOLEN STAR

By

Neonila and Halyna Franko

Copyright 2013 by Neonila and Halyna Franko

Smashwords Edition

Translated by Simon Geoghegan

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

*****

Table of Contents

Part 1

The Dark Powers and Their Plan

The Family

Ben

Michael

Part 2

Michael and Ben's Adventures

Journey into the Past

The Princess's Ring

Michael and Ben's Souls are Strengthened

The City of the Robots

The City of the Angels

Part 3

The Sisters

The Visit to the Secret Island

The Sisters Adventures on Board the Ship

The Island of the Blessed

The Dark Powers are Unmasked

Part 1

The Dark Powers and Their Plan

Demons were scurrying to and fro like an agitated flock of black crows croaking:

She is returning to Earth! She is going to have to return to the Earth!

But then everything went calm. Mountains were stretched out as far as the eye could see. A high tech lift had been sunk into one of the highest peaks. Judging by their appearance some very important personages were descending in it right down into the bowels of the earth. One of them kept repeating the demons' refrain:

This time she won’t succeed in getting away from us. We have devised a plan to keep her soul under our control.

Do you have the plan with you? asked the other passenger.

Oh yes... the former replied eagerly.

Okay, we’ll see in the council chamber, but the most important thing is conspiracy, confidentiality and caution.

The lift came to a stop deep under the ground. They passed along a wide brightly lit corridor furnished on both sides with beautiful and exotic plants. Two guards stood sentinel at the council chamber entrance. They were pressing various buttons and all was quiet. Suddenly, the walls reacted to the visitors' life force and a security all clear rang out. The important looking personages went into the council chamber. The chamber was furnished with the most amazing antique furniture. Next to the walls sat elegant and comfortable reclining ottomans and the centre of the room was dominated by a large table. Soft chairs with ornately worked back rests had been placed around it with a magnificent throne at its head. The chairs placed closest to the throne were intricately decorated with complex coats of arms in the finest precious stones; those nearer the exit were more modest in style.

The personages sat themselves down next to the throne, which for the time being was unoccupied.

Give me your plan, ordered the first more senior demon. Here it is, if you please, each page has been mounted in a special frame and you can see it all here.

The document’s author obsequiously laid the file in front of his senior.

The big wig nonchalantly thumbed through the opening pages, stopped abruptly and in an irritated voice asked:

I don’t understand! Where is the Princess? What sort of team have you got together here? What do we need this for? The junior demon literally crumpled:

We… He stuttered. …We have put the whole family under surveillance because many of her close relations have rushed to voluntarily join her on the earth:Volunteers?! the big wig asked in surprise. I have never heard of such a thing. This is something new. So they are going back to Earth of their own free will and not under orders… Well, we’re going to have to deal with this you know."

We will most certainly sort this out; we will sniff everything out and report it back to you. But judging by what we already have, we have covered absolutely everything. The whole family is being researched... They have any number of obstacles facing them. However, there is one little snag that might put a spanner in the works. As you know, the Higher being has given a special and wonderful gift to each family. Well, the thing is… they have… the junior demon began to hesitate and lose his thread of thought under the icy stare of his boss.

And what is this thing? The boss asked angrily.

Yes, yes, I’ll explain. As you know their family line has a star that shines on them and through them. Well, that wouldn't be a problem if that is all it did. Unfortunately, the thing is… this star has magical qualities. It protects the whole family and supports them, even those who aren’t exactly perfect and have the potential of letting their guard down and going slightly astray. And this is where the problem lies.

Well, just take the star out then! Do I have to explain everything to you! barked the boss.

Yes, yes, a most perspicacious comment sir. All eventualities in this case have been foreseen and accounted for. And we have come up with a contingent plan. We need to get this star, their star, to work for us. But as you see that is all covered on pages three and four of the report. The boss seemed satisfied.

Excellent! Well done! Splendid!

This was high praise indeed.

The lick spittle was so relieved that he had found favour that he prostrated himself on the floor and began to polish the boss’s shoes. At that moment there was a ring and the boss rushed to answer the highest of the highest, his most majestic of majesties.

Yes your magnificence, very good your magnificence, everything will be done as you require your magnificence. No, no need to worry, we will deal with it. I wouldn’t dare venture to waste any more of your time…

He put the receiver down and in a totally different tone said:

Let us continue. So, what’s the latest in the world of cosmic research? said the boss turning to his next underling.

When will we find a way into the fifth dimensional universe? I understand the UFO is in full order.

Yes, but we have already tested everything and it’s simply not realistic and then of course, everyone who tries to break into this dimension will have to be reborn, the underling began to explain.

What do you mean – born again? What sort of nonsense is this?! shouted the boss angrily smashing his fist on the table.

Well, this is where you were once in one state and then found yourself... in another, the boffin babbled.

You see, when we die, we have paid everything off. That is, we become different on our journey.

Aha, so that’s how it is. Just remember that you and all those like you were people once upon a time and became demons during the journey from one plane to another. However, I have always been a demon and have never been reborn. Does that mean that I have a chance of becoming someone different? Can I be born again in order to break into this other dimension? Do you understand?

The boss burst into a loud peal of laughter.

Give it the tweaking it needs.

The underling shrank back completely, sneaked up to the boss and quietly whispered:

We have some super-secret material. We came into contact with their UFO. As you ordered us, we are sending them signals that we are from the earth and that we seek contact.

And what are they? even the boss was surprised.

For the time being they haven't come up close but have always flown past us, making some sort of loop and then disappearing. And we suspect, and indeed our instruments confirm that they are not far and have made themselves invisible!

Splendid, carry on as you are, but make sure that you behave like typical earthlings. Like kind, smiling and important scientists and…, of course madly interested in the universe and space. Also continue to keep communicating through every possible channel. Well done! the boss rubbed his hands with anticipation at this possible contact.

For the rest of the meeting, the boss was on great form. He laughed and told jokes and, most importantly, didn’t shout at anyone. Indeed he was most amiable with everyone. As far as all the other questions were concerned such as organising terrorist cells and various religious sects, the most important task was to get things rolling, to undermine people’s faith and use every possible sort of bribery.

We still have a lot of gaps in the arts, I so want them to paint pictures and make films about our people… and their music – it’s all about their love. We need to show that everything can be overcome by money and in the process turn their values upside down. But there is to be no love under any circumstances!

The meeting was drawing to a close when the ceiling suddenly opened and a flock of enormous black birds flew in. They screamed above the heads of those sitting at the table and there could only one possible explanation for their appearance:

A leak, there’s been a leak!!!

Immediately, the portrait of his magnificence that was hanging right above the throne began to stir. It depicted him in all his finery. An immaculate black suit and trousers tucked into elegant boots. In his hands he held a small whip decorated at its base with a huge black diamond. His face was framed by his straight glossy black hair and his beard and moustache formed a pointed triangle. His face was long with a huge nose and the blackest hawk-like eyes, which had strange green twinkle to them. His thin lips were set into a permanent hint of a sneer.

Suddenly the portrait tore itself from the wall and began to beat its underlings around the head. It took on a life of its own and magnificence’s whip flashed in all directions flogging his servants all over. They dived for the floor and lay kow-towing servilely. Thunder and lightning poured forth from magnificence, his eyes flickered with a serpentine fire and he was so full of rage that his thin lips were stretched into a huge grimace from ear to ear. The beating continued for nearly an hour and when the portrait finally stopped and stood itself in the middle of the table, the first deputy carefully lifted his head and said:

Your magnificence, there must be some mistake. There can’t have been any leak.

Silence! screamed the portrait, security has detected a beam, which darted out of the council chamber, passed straight through the thick side of the mountain and in an instant had shot up into the heavens.

Once again the whip flashed in the hands of the boss of bosses.

Have mercy on us, your magnificence but there was absolutely no living thing in the council chamber.

What about the rose in your lapel Deputy! Magnificence thundered.

A rose, what rose? Ah, yes but that was made for communications, said the first deputy trying to explain himself.

Well, where is it now?!

And indeed the rose was no longer there in its place hung a small old fashioned school bell.

I… I bought it for my grandson as a present, he’s just about to start at school and I attached it here so I wouldn’t forget it.

In truth the deputy had no idea whether it was his little bell or not but he had no choice in the matter. He was one of those people who had at one stage had been seduced and sold his soul for allure of money. But today when the portrait had been hitting him around the head a single humane thought flashed into his brain:

Why was there only ever the boss’s portrait in this place and never the boss himself? Did he actually exist at all? Then why did he have to hide behind such a complicated and ornate disguise?

Today, the boss reminded him of one of the cartoons from his childhood, which was only really frightening the first time he saw it and then stopped being frightening at all when he understood it.

Well, there was no way that the boss was going to turn himself into something real from this portrait.

The poor chap even smiled to himself at this thought but immediately covered his mouth with his hand.

Oh Lord, I only hope no-one noticed.

The vice deputy’s soul was filled with a pleasant warmth. His demonic persona had been suffocating him for a long time. And now he had remembered God, even here in the citadel of evil, this meant that it was time for him to leave these dark and black people.

Before long the deputy had thought up a decent excuse to leave the demons, he got himself a posting in a religious sect. Of course all the others held on to their posts tooth and nail and the deputy's place was filled as quickly as he was forgotten. And that was the second important leak of information that day.

The first part of the plan was to split the family up. As one they wielded a huge and powerful life force and it would be difficult to overcome them. The plan had to be cunning because in order to split people apart you have to do it on a spiritual level as well. After that it’s just a question of divide and rule.

The Family

The family had a life of its own. The parents worked, the children studied at school, grandmother did the housework and the Star of faith shined brightly above them. The family was like any other, but the light of love shone particularly brightly on this family.

During this period grandmother prayed for everyone, she was old and very wise. She was a boundless source of good advice and had a saying for every event that life could throw at you. Grandmother passed her faith on to her family as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. Thanks to her, the family observed all the Christian holidays and traditions. Even though this was at a time when going church could mean risking many of life’s comforts. But God kept and preserved them all.

The children grew up to be kind, clever and generous. The family was untouched by evil. Of course, each member had their own bad experiences, but these were barred at the door of the family home. Then everyone would discuss what had happened together, give their opinion and… everything would carry on as before.

The parents invested their lives and souls into their children. They watched them with great pride. The children were successful in everything they did: in science, in music and in sport.

The happy times continued as the children grew up and began to study in college. The student lectures, exams and, of course, parties passed in the blinking of an eye. The house was always filled to bursting with friends and mirth.

Eventually the girls made their choices and found husbands. Two new people came into the family. The parents welcomed them with joy. They lived on friendly terms and the daughters' husbands had more or less the same values as the family. But their parents were not altogether happy with everything. They began to preach sermons to their sons and pass judgement on everyone else. The children began to harbour secrets from their parents, the previous openness and sincerity in their relationship began to disappear. The family began to experience more difficult times. The family's life force had dissipated and dissolved and its vital aura became a pale imitation of itself. During this period the daughters took a very intelligent and adult position in relation to their husbands. The daughters’ parents did not meddle in their married daughters affairs so as not to interfere in the young people’s independence. But this generosity and nobility only served to deepen the pressure on the family. But what was to be done? Who would come to their aid and where would it come from? Basically, two worlds were rubbing up against each other within one family. Distrust had found its way into the family.

The mother read the Bible from cover to cover. What a wonderful world God had opened up for his people in this book! So much advice, goodness, love and charity! At every opportunity she tried to pass on all these gifts to her children. Her daughters understood, but the others, the husbands, either didn’t understand or disagreed with everything. Faith, it seemed to them, was a sign of weakness.

One of the husband’s parents placed a complete veto on their daughter in law’s spiritual beliefs. And this veto was backed up by a series of threats that the daughter would be cut off from their family.

It was difficult. The father died before his time. The mother remained alone and helped her children silently, patiently and with love.

The old prophet had given her a piece of advice she had never forgotten – never be slow to turn to the Lord. Of course faith never left their home but at that time it took a particular effort to keep all these negative things at bay. And she could only count on herself and her children. After all you can’t tell the local priest everything. If she were to describe every detail it would end up sounding like some sort of thriller.

Everyone worked as hard as they could both physically and spiritually. Natalie was more successful in her work. She mastered the science of psychology, studied human capacities that had been previously remained unknown, spent time in many ancient monasteries and churches and worked her way through so many tomes of literature covering the various branches of alternative medicine that in time she was able to open her own practise.

Sophia supported her husband after he had been in an accident with every ounce of the strength of her spirit. She also nursed her son who suffered from stress related illnesses all through his childhood as a result of a mistake made by the doctors during his infancy. She kept her family's moral spirit up during all these difficult times. She also studied and mastered the different languages, cultures, customs and traditions of the various countries that she had been living in with her family.

The mother also did much to help. She was totally responsible for one of her grandsons and supported his spiritual and physical development. She developed in many ways herself. But she believed these merits to be a blessing from God rather than her own achievement.

And the family had great hope for the future. As St. Paul said in his epistle to the Romans:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit?

And the daughters gave birth to children: Sophia had Michael and two years later Natalie had Ben. And it came to pass that the two cousins ended up living in different countries. But each summer they would meet up either in Kyiv or Sofia and often went on holiday together by the seaside. Their mothers continued to be very close.

That summer the cousins had the most interesting and illuminating adventure, but first, let me tell you about the two cousins in a bit more detail.

Ben

Ben lived in Kyiv and that year the plan was to go with his grandmother to spend the second half of the summer in Sofia. His mother saw them to the station. The train arrived at the platform a whole hour later than scheduled and when it was announced that the passengers could board, a scrum began to break out. But to their good fortune their carriage stopped right in front of them and all three, not to mention their three colossal bags, were able to get on to the carriage with the minimum of fuss. They had barely packed their things away in the four bed compartment when an old man with a military bearing and an even older woman joined them. They had tickets for the upper two bunks but they were very keen to have the lower ones. The old lady began to complain loudly about her old age and aches and pains. Ben and his grandmother exchanged glances and Ben offered his place to the old woman, who immediately quietened down.

Ben left the compartment and stood by the carriage window in the corridor. The whole of Kyiv lay before him. He loved his native city. It was the city where he had been born and where he had spent the whole of his childhood. Kyiv was sprawled on both sides of the River Dnepr and the whole place was awash with lush vegetation. Modern buildings stood next to ancient monuments. Kyiv was the home of the world famous Pechersk Lavra cave Monastery, St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral and the landscaped park of St. Sophia Cathedral. Ben often went to the caves at Pechersk Lavra with his mother. This was where many of the most holy monks or Startsi, as they are called in Kyiv, are buried. Huge crowds of people would pass through the underground tunnels in the hope that these holy men would somehow help them. But for some reason Ben always felt sorry for the Startsi. He understood that even after death these holy men gave these huge crowds their divine energy, helping and providing solace to each and every pilgrim.

But who is helping them? thought Ben, they seem so helpless lying there.

And as he went past each tomb he would either try to pat it or say some kind word to its occupant such as:

Rest in peace.

And he felt that this somehow made the Startsi happy.

But the whole of Kyiv is dressed in ancient finery. The noble city’s grey architectural tresses stretch from the Pechersk Lavra and St.Sophia Cathedral Park to the monuments erected to Bohdan Khmelnytsky, Saint Olga and Saint Volodymyr who converted the whole of ancient Rus to Christianity. Further on, down Andrew’s Descent and into the historic Podil region these tresses flow right into the river Dnieper. Of course the Dnieper is extremely old for it was God himself who created this broad and majestic river. As Gogol wrote:

How wondrous is the Dnieper, when the weather is calm and its waves roll fluently on...

In olden times the Cossacks used to navigate its stormy and powerful waves. But what had become of the mighty Dnieper now? It was as if some evil sorcerer had taken a huge sword to the river’s banks and created a wide sea in those places where she had been wounded. The Dnieper had become quite docile. This great Ukrainian river’s strength had dissipated long ago along with the country’s former pride and glory.

How can people destroy such a wonderful piece of God’s work? asked Ben.

We can only hope that future generations, and perhaps you amongst them, will return the Dnepr to its former strength and glory, Ben’s grandmother answered hopefully.

Beyond the window one landscape followed another. Kyiv’s outskirts, forests, fields, villages, stations and towns all streaked past like the thoughts through Ben’s mind.

He had travelled a lot and was already used to the fact that something nearly always happened during a journey. He recalled one incident particularly clearly - despite it having taken place four or five years previously. And now these memories came flooding back - maybe because he was now feeling that all was not totally well with the world, like some ill foreboding.

Ben remembered how once the train was rushing at huge speed as if running away from some sort of disaster. Towns, villages and