Verduran Pentology

Kentucky, 1836. Joshua and Marie were only going to tour Mammoth Cave. Amanda and her Daddy's slave, Steven, were only going for a picnic in the cave. Only the way out didn't lead out. It led in. In to another world where they were desperately needed to save the lives of dozens of women and children. But, it wasn't what they thought. It wasn't against an army. The army only wanted them to fight... something else. Something worse. Something worse than their worst nightmares. Will they defeat it? Can it even be defeated? Will the rocks cry out to help them? And where, is that glowing bird, the one they saw killed, the one who lit up the sky not long after? The only one who can get them back home. Will he come? Join Joshua, Marie, Amanda and Steven in their first Verduran adventure. Or, maybe their last adventure. Anywhere.

Dalat was Prince Regent. But he didn't think about it because it was too far in the future. He thought about the game, beating his opponents. And not simply winning, but crushing them, completely humiliating them. But then disaster struck. His father's entire empire collapsed. Enemies took every city. Judgement came. The kingdom was proclaimed ended by some being that seemed to be a sort of Lord, even though it was only a bird. His father was struck dumb and deaf, motionless, empty, but not dead. Well, someone had to take charge. And he, Dalat, was supposed to be the one. He determined to be king, no matter who stood between him and the crown. No matter that he knew nothing about being king. No matter that no greater crisis had ever faced the kingdom. So he grasped the crown and put it on himself. But the crown took him to another world, another life, a multitude of other lives, each one more difficult than the last. They were designed to train him, to prepare him to be the king he ought to be. But would he learn? And could it make a difference to his people?

Maybe the world wasn't ending, but it sure seemed like it. Maybe someone was telling the truth, but it sure didn't seem like it. Nothing was as it should be. Water wasn't wet. Holes weren't for falling but for floating. Light came from below, not above. They were kids. Too much was being asked of them. Would they even survive? Life had moved on for Joshua, Marie, Amanda and Steven. They hadn't gotten back to Verdura for nearly twenty years. They were married with kids almost as old as they had been their first time in Verdura. Things had also moved on in Verdura. Centuries had passed. It had become dark. Almost all the time. Only a 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 few remaining people were at odds. Tyranny had overcome some of them, madness--so it was said--the rest. Enemies had multiplied. Once again, children were sent to help. The world was breaking up, dissolving before their eyes. They had no idea how to overcome old enemies or new. So how could they explain this expectation they sometimes felt? This optimism? And how did this young woman from China and her pet dragon fit in? Besides, of course, they'd eventually have to go back to earth. Would they get back before Verdura collapsed completely and them with it?