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# Slayer's Awakening –

# Legends from the Imagination

# By H.L. Nguyen

Copyright 2012 by H.L. Nguyen

Smashwords Edition

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# Prologue

# The Past, 1953 AD

With a quick glance at the date Jacob Sands thought, Hey, today's my birthday. If you knew him, he was 24. If you didn't, he was 43.

Jacob sat and enjoyed the rest of his newspaper at the local café. He took a moment to watch the compact cars pass by the immaculate gray stone fountain. He counted how many times the water streams leaped from rock to rock. He looked dazed, lost in a moment where no one else existed.

"Will that be all for you today?" The waiter said.

"Excuse me sir," The waiter said in an Italian accent.

Jacob shook off his daydreaming look.

"Sir..." The waiter said again.

"Yes. I'm sorry what did you say?" Jacob said.

"Oh, yes, that will be all for me. Wait, can I just have one more cup."

"Very well sir."

The waiter filled his cup one last time before giving him his change. Jacob took his final sips and continued staring at the streams, finishing his thought process. Feeling satisfied, he got up and threw the change into the relaxing fountain. The nostalgic flopping of the water reflected to his younger days of skipping rocks at the lake.

Just before Jacob walked down the busy street, away from the green and white striped awning, he briefly stared into the sun and continued to walk. He waved his hat for an instant, just to feel the cool air across his neck.

He headed down towards the nearby church wanting to meet someone he had never seen before, but would recognize instantly. If he were a local there, they would recognize his black case with the silver handle he always carried. When he reached the white stone church, he read the sign on wall: SAN PIETRO. He gently pushed against the dark brown wooden church door. He noticed a man dressed in white with a glowing aura outlining his body as if a four-year-old child colored him in yellow.

"Hello Bishop," Jacob said.

"Hello, what can I do for you today?" The Bishop said.

"It is not what you can do for me, but what can I do for you?" Jacob said while setting down the case on the table. "I heard you been having some trouble of late. I am here to make it all better. Just have a seat."

"I don't understand. What troubles am I having? What are you going to do? Who are you?" The Bishop said.

Without answering, Jacob opened his case and after a couple of seconds, a bright white light filled the room. When the blinding light dimmer to the normal setting, the Bishop was standing alone.

"Master Sands, I don't think they are here. We must be going the wrong way," Said a pudgy elf with pointy ears and dark hair. Many people knew him as Jacob but it seemed as though in this world he was given the title of "Master" A title fit for a hero.

"I don't know Jelly; I have a feeling this has to be the right way," Master Sands said.

As they walked along the path, the tranquillity of the moon's reflection in the darkened lake gleamed beneath the rippling surface. It was a cold night, and Master Sands felt the light breeze tightening his face, but the weather was mostly gloomy there. He tried to swat away the trails of golden streams glittering nearby. They bothered his brown eyes, which his shaggy, dark red hair slightly covered as it grew covering the tops of his ears.

Master Sands marched along the path in his silver armor adorned with a black trim border and silky white cape. One would think the clunky armor would make a maddening clatter, but the well-fitted suit did not make a sound. The only sounds they heard were the operatic sounds of insects telling their story for anybody that wants to hear it. Master Sands looked ahead and became aware of the tall white stone churches. There were several of them standing throughout the long pathway.

"Ah Master, I still don't believe this is the right way. We must turn..." Suddenly, a black shiny arrow, passed through Jelly's body sporting a brown tunic and green sleeves, hitting Master Sands in the left shoulder. Then, a slow rush of blood dripped down the silver and black metal shell.

"Arrgggg! I guess they found us," Master Sands said as a large transparent bubble covered up the entire area.

The intense pain trickled up and down his arm. He gripped the wound knowing it would reduce the damage. His training was extensive. Then, he heard the twine of the bow and another black arrow zipped across the night's air. Judging by the trajectory of the flight, it looked like it came from the church bell tower. As the arrow approached him, his eyes dilated giving him a slight visualization advantage. Then in an instinctive shift, he swung his sword cutting the second arrow in half.

"I guess it's time to party. I love it when I crash one," Master Sands said while running for the gap between the rocks. The dive proved to be painful reminder. With his back against the rock, he grimaced out his next step.

Jelly ran towards his Master, rustling through his black bag and picked the golden ball from his entire collection. He hurried over and smashed it on the injured shoulder. When the golden ball shattered into several pieces, it released a dark maroon liquid, which then percolated into the armor. He watched as the unorthodox arrow popped out and hovered in the air for a moment. It suddenly flipped around and shot back. At that moment, the blood moved in a reverse direction trickling up the arm and back into the Master Sand's body as if someone hits the rewind button. After a couple of seconds, there was a loud thud in the background; it looked like a man that was dressed all in white fell from the towering trees in the distance.

"You have any more of those in your bag of tricks?" Master Sands said.

"Yes master, just one more," Jelly said.

"Great, keep it handy as I take care of the other one."

Feeling like a new man, Master Sands peeked over the rock and found an outsized individual dressed in all smoldering black. From what he could see, the large man had chaotic black hair and a gray deranged face. He held a heavy sledgehammer, with a sharp blade behind the hammer's head and had every intent of using its destructive capabilities.

"You killed brother! Come you coward," The large man's spinning head made the some of his words fade out.

"So this is what Bipolar Disorder looks like. I would have figured for something different. Man, they get uglier as they mature. Don't they?" Master Sands said. Master Sands summoned his helmet and jumped out confronting the man in black.

"You pay for killing brother." The large man said.

"Oh stop with your whining. If we are going to fight, then let's fight," Master Sands said.

Amidst the spoken words, the large man grinded his yellow teeth and charged. The swings of the sledgehammer came brisk and hard. Master Sands veered up blocking the overhead attack. Though the defense was standard, the powerful attack almost broke through the defensive hold. Nevertheless, the large man missed on his first attempt at Master Sands' head. However, the instant second attempt, a swift upswing, caught Master Sands in the leg. Master Sands grabbed his bloody mess and hobbled away. With no time to recover, the large man charged him again. As he again mirrored his first attack, Master Sands had the foresight to use a patent defensive parry, a baseball power swing. It effectively collided with the sledgehammer, leaving it flying into a tree. Feeling anguish, the large man decided to try a hand-to-hand combat technique. The right-hand haymaker connected with Master Sands' face sending him stunned and crashing to the ground. The large man stormed towards his lying opponent and went for a swift kick to the gut.

In the background, Jelly trembled with each blow to the body. He felt horrible because there was nothing he could do. After several kicks, Master Sands finally grabbed his foot and swept the other leg. The large man went down with a thud. Master Sands hobbled along the side pouncing with purpose. Gaining the ground advantage, he fiercely struck his opponent's face. With his sword in his right hand, he pummeled the large man with his left fist. However, the large man just laughed and smiled with each crash of the fist. It was apparent that they had no effect. Master Sands stared and wondered what to do next. Then, the large man lifted him and tossed Master Sands several feet into the trees. Master Sands staggered got up and found the large man charging him again.

Man, he just doesn't want to quit, what is he on? Master Sands wonder.

As the large man ventured closer at great speed, Master Sands yelled "Plantar Fastis!" A light beam emerged from the base of his sword and shot out of the tip. The beam struck the large man accelerating his legs. His legs kept pumping looking like he did not have the capacity to stop. Then with such great velocity, the large man later found himself stuck splitting a tree in half. To add insult, Master Sands cut his right arm creating a much more painful experience. This gave Master Sands sufficient time to regroup and run back to Jelly.

"I hope you have what I need," Master Sands said.

Jelly, with the red vial ready, threw it towards the waiting hands of Master Sands. With a quick drink, he felt the course of energy run through his veins resulting in the healing of his leg.

Master Sands looked back and found the large man missing. He turned to the left to find the large man still in his angered state, but this time, with his misplaced weapon. Master Sands was again surprised at the large man hasty stealthiness, after his successful weapon's "search and rescue" efforts.

Then with another charge from the large man, he continued his rampage. Master Sands anticipated the show of aggression and waited for the right moment. Next, Master Sands spun counterclockwise with his sword catching the blade of the sledgehammer and pulling the large man forward. With a quick counterattack, he spun the other way cutting off his head. The large black-dressed man fell to his knees and turned into ashes. Feeling proud, Master Sands strutted over to his assistant.

"Did you see that? Did you see how well I took care of the Teck? I learned that from Archer. What number is that for me? I should be in the top three, right? You know I always say this, but we make a great team." As Master Sands continued to boast about his victory, a white-dressed man hurtled his pike from behind.

"Master Sands, behind you!" Jelly said.

Master Sands instinctually knelt. He saw the small spearhead slide off his shoulder nearly missing his cheek. Then in one motion, he flipped his sword up reversing his grip and thrust it through the large man's heart. The large white-dressed man collapsed on his back, took one last breathe, and turned into ashes.

"Does that count as three?"
Chapter 1

# The Past Future, 2008 PE

It was foolish to think that one person can make a difference. Truly, one person cannot make a difference, but one heart can.

Griffin Northern stood in the middle of the forest with his eyes closed. Most people knew him as Griff, a bluish elf with passive tendencies, green eyes, and black hair from the Pentune Territory.

It was hard to concentrate and focus that day. The process of Kala was a lengthy yet dangerous one. When his father did it for the first time, it almost killed him. Every Nepateen had to go through it, but everyone told him that he was too young to attempt the process. However, this world was once peaceful and has now turned into a treacherous haven for greed and resentment. The only way to survive is to grow up quick.

His Father always said the best way to be one with the forest is to think about the worst moment in your life and let that feeling enrage you. Let it pollute your mind with anger and irritate your veins. When you reach your boiling point, a point you cannot stand anymore, stab this feeling in the heart. This is how you get the forest energy you need to complete Kala.

Griff closed his eyes and pretended that nothing else existed. Then, large shadowy figures came from behind the tall trees and crept along, leaving black smoky trails. Everything about them screamed dangerous and evil, even the weapons they carried. Each of the shadowy figure grabbed an arrow from their quiver. They loaded their crossbows and took their aim. Once the initial arrow left, the rest them sets off like a chain reaction.

Griff finally opened his eyes and found the barrage of arrows heading his way. He closed his eyes again and as the arrows gained closer, his body turned into a clear gel. He looked like a huge jiggling display of clear Jell-O. Each arrow struck the gel structure, penetrating deep. Then, a single sonic boom pulsed from the middle, punching each arrow out. As the arrows shot back passing through each shadowy figure, they disappeared into a black mist. However, one figure avoided his early demise by hiding behind a tree. Griff, still in his gel state, finally turned back into his normal self. Still with his eyes closed, he pulled an arrow, grabbed his bow, and shot it with a curving like motion hitting the last shadow behind the tree. The process of Kala was finally finished. He can now defend himself.

Griff smiled and looked down reaching for the parchment on the ground. He began to read the letter. He found the parchment earlier in the day while searching for food. He knew what it was before he opened it, which prompted his early decision to begin the process of Kala.

Suddenly, another bluish elf swung down from a tree branch and snatched the letter from his hand.

"Hey, give that back!" Griff yelled as he chased down his thief.

The thief released the flexible branch at the perfect moment and somersaulted forward. Griff continued to chase the thief throughout the forest, but the thief was too fast. Frustrated, Griff grabbed his arrow and aimed for the branches at the top of the trees. He tensed up and focused hard. The aim had to be perfect. The released arrow was just able to snap off a branch. He happily watched the branch crashed down on the thief.

"Okay Kore, give it back," Griff said as stuck out his hand.

"You know how lucky you are. It is not everyday people find the invitation to become a Calic," Kore said as she handed the parchment.

"I know, that is why I want it back," Griff said.

Suddenly, the trees flashed red and then back to their natural green color in an alarming fashion.

"Kore hide. The Spiters have crossed the border," Griff said.

They both ran to a tree and hid in their trunk. They both put their hands on the tree and turned the tree into a liquid state. They were able to walk through the bark as if it was their home. Once inside, the watery bark turned back to normal.

They crouched down frighten. Two goblin-like brown creatures emerged from the bushes and sniffed the area. They were carrying silver sickles in each hand. As they walked around the area, they breathe deeply as if the black leather armor was too tight.

"Evkiz, I know there are some here. I can smell them," A goblin-like creature said.

"We better hurry Cina. They'll be here soon," Evkiz said.

They walked toward the bushes taking a swipe searching for any hidden body. They knocked on different tree trunks in the area.

"The flashes are bothering me, can you make that stop?" Cina said.

"Shut up and keep looking. We don't have much time. Lord Tristan needs a body to test the orb," Evkiz said.

Then Kore sneezed.

"I found one," Cina said.

They ripped off the bark, revealing a frightened Kore.

"Grab her and let's go," Evkiz said.

As Cina grabbed the elf by the arm and lifted on his shoulder, Griff popped out of his trunk.

"Let my sister go. You dumb loofs," Griff yelled.

"Look at this one. He'll be perfect for the sacrifice as well," Evkiz said.

Evkiz moved closer to grab Griff. Then, Griff took an arrow and shot towards his head. Evkiz was able to grab the arrow before hitting him and threw it back at Griff's legs. The fast counterattack left Griff on the ground screaming.

"You didn't know I could do that did you little one?" Evkiz said.

Evkiz reached down for Griff and suddenly, an arrow hit him in the arm.

"I guess you missed that one," A person with white wings said.

Evkiz did not seem bothered by the arrow and threw his sickle at the winged person hovering in the air. The sickle flung along passing the winged person, but boomeranged back clipping the leg.

"The reinforcements are here. We have to move. Leave the big one behind," Evkiz said. He grabbed the sickle as it returned to him and they both ran away carrying Kore with them.

"No, stop, bring her back," Griff said as the goblins disappeared in the forest background. "Damn."
Chapter 2

# The Past 2008 AD

The oncoming sea of red-coated guards galloping in one hypnotic motion was more than enough to intimidate anyone. Their elegant ride created a whirlwind of dust along the dirt path. Behind them, the trees stood basking in the glow of the sunny day. After a long ride, they reached their destination of the two-story Victorian house with the red door. The head guard dismounted his horse and focused on the purpose of his visit. With harmful intent, he marched towards the red door, kicked it down, and continued with his rampage followed closely by his entourage of bandits.

"Halt! By order of the Cardinal, you are under arrest for treason. Drop your swords and turn yourself in." The head guard demanded as he pointed ahead.

"We don't live by the Cardinal's rules," Athos said. He turned to whisper to his comrades.

"What are we going to do? There are fifteen of them and only three of us."

"Those are my kind of odds." A moment of silence fell upon them. "Come on brothers. All for one, and one for all!" Porthos said. They came with their swords entangled in the air; and with one deep breathe, they shouted at the top of their lungs and charged the crowd of guards in the foyer. From above, the slight speckle of blue on the eastern side of the room seemed less of a challenge for the enemy. On the western side, the sea of red seemed overbearing, but they preferred not to advance, instead stand their ground. With a quick charging burst from the Musketeers, they met in the middle and the conflict began. The sounds of the fight made beautiful music to the surrounding areas. Clashes of the swords moved fluidly like poetry in motion.

The well-trained red-coated guards had favorable odds, but their training did not teach them how to fight with the Musketeers. They did their best standing their ground, but one by one, the guards fell with extreme pain.

In minutes, the group of fifteen diminished to seven. With the declining numbers, the head guard knew he would be next. As the fight continued, he ran into another room. When he reemerged, a beautiful young blonde maiden stood between him and the fight. Translating body language can be difficult, but holding a person against her wishes was not difficult to understand. Her eyes told the story of terror as they both move from the room. She tried to fight back to release herself from the grips of her capturer, but his strength denied her. Her body trembled as escape was impossible. However, with the sharp dagger to her throat, it was wise not to make any sudden movements.

"Drop your swords or she dies!" Yelled the guard. He brought the dagger closer to her throat showing the Musketeers he was not messing around. The extremely sharp dagger became visual bargaining tool when a small cut appeared.

"Please, help me. I don't want to die." Feeling powerless, the beautiful maiden cried for help with tears running down her cheeks. The Musketeers could see the terror in her eyes, the quivering of her lips, and the blood from her neck. The pleaded cries gave the Musketeers no choice but to surrender.

Clang...Clang...Clang.

"Okay you win, as you can see we are unarmed. We have done our part; now let the maiden go," Aramis said.

"Ha! Do you think it would be that easy?" The head guard's unsettling laughter puzzled the Musketeers. With a devious glare, he gestured a quick nod. The Musketeers looked at one another with confusion. Suddenly, the old chandelier came down from above as quick as lighting, striking them like an innocent bystander walking in the rain. The Musketeers did not even know they auditioned for the part of the fool.

One of the less wounded guards got to his feet and went unnoticed by the Musketeers. He sneaked his way to the base of the chandelier's rope anchor hoping for an opportunity to seize the moment and when the moment came, he slashed the rope. Now, the Musketeers stand unarmed and trapped; probably two of the worst circumstances that could happen when dealing with this sinister adversary.

"As I said before you are under arrest," The head guard said.

The Musketeers trained for years as one cohesive unit. They learned to fight within close quarters, watching one another's back throughout the fight. The three of them fought as one, and now they stand trapped as one. Standing between the rings of the old chandelier, they felt their life would be over.

"It looks like the end for us," Athos said.

"I think not!" An unknown voice shouted from above the rafter.

Everyone swiftly looked up.

A silhouetted figure stood above the hand railing on the second floor. In a hero's pose, the blue cape he had on wave through the air, but the wind was nonexistence. As the clouds dispersed from the outside, the sunlight reached the second floor from across the room, from the decorative glass plane, identifying the silhouetted figure.

"Oh, it's Traveler Sands," The maiden said with great joy.

"Curses, I hate that guy," The head guard said as sparks pop from his mouth.

Traveler grabbed his sword and in one graceful motion, he swung down, kicked the guard in the shoulder, and knocked the dagger out of his hands. The young maiden ran for cover to the nearby table. The head guard jumped to his feet, pulled out his own sword, and prepared for his attack. Traveler paused, quickly winking and smiling to the Musketeers, letting them know that everything was going to be okay. Afterward, Traveler walked up to the head guard, fixed his right glove and then his left. He wiggled his left arm and quickly made three swipes of his sword. Traveler then raised his hand as if he was a magician saying "Tada" after a successful magic trick.

"Ha, you missed. There's not a scratch on me," The head guard said.

"You really think so," Traveler said as he polished his sword with the side of his sleeve.

The head guard looked around with confusion and then looked down at himself. Without realizing it, he was disarmed and the buttons were cut off revealing his hairy chest. The head guard turned a glowing red.

"Someday Traveler, I'll get you!" The head guard said waddling out the door. The other guards left the building kicking up a dust trail as Traveler's swordsmanship convinced them that they did not have a chance. Then, Traveler turned his attention towards the trapped Musketeers. He bent down and easily lifted the chandelier.

"Thanks Traveler for saving us," They all said while shaking his hand.

"Aw, it was nothing guys. It's all part of the job," Traveler said.

The young maiden peeked out hoping the danger had faded away and then without hesitation, she ran towards Traveler. She kissed him all over his face, as a show of gratitude. The different shades of red of her lipstick hid his natural embarrassment. As they held each other, the Musketeers turned and walked away giving him some privacy after a job well done. Finally, alone, Traveler held the beautiful maiden tightly in his arms, as a frame would hold up a striking painting.

"Oh, Traveler thanks for saving me from the clutches of evil," She said as she paused from the long embrace. "Oh, by the way do you know where my car keys are?"

Huh, there were no cars in the 1600's. Traveler thought.

"Come on, where are the car keys Traveler? Traveler...we are going to be late...Traveler...!" The maiden voice faded away.

Traveler Sands jolted from his daydream, an obsession he has done quite often when he has time to himself. He stared at the upside down title that rested on his chest, The Three Musketeers, a fabulous book about teamwork and loyalty. He closed his eyes again trying to return to that positive state of mind, which he loved so much, but his attempts were futile. He blinked a couple of times trying to get a focus on his surroundings, but instead he realized he was sadly entering the realm of reality.

Traveler hated seeing the living truth in front of the mirror every morning. He could not stand that he did not excel in anything else his family excelled in. Therefore, he turned to the items that made him happy, which happens to be the comfort of his books.

At that age to even today, he loved to read. "Frameworks of the 1950's Automobile," "The War Hidden behind the General's Eyes," and "The Science of Basket Weaving" were some titles he would randomly pick up at the library because he wanted to challenge himself. However, his favorite books would have to be the classics tales, as written by great authors such as Charles Dickson, Alexander Dumas, and J.D. Salinger. It allowed him to escape the harshness of the real world and transport his mind to a familiar safe haven. Though the places were in his imagination, the important point was that they were under his control. However, more importantly, Traveler developed an uncanny ability of speed-reading from an early age. He would be able to go through a book and retain the knowledge within a few minutes. His parents never knew how this came about because none of them liked to read.

Traveler could not recognize it before, but his mother stood above him giving him a weird "answer me" look. She kept nudging him and asking for the whereabouts of the car keys. Traveler never purposely tried to be unruly. He tried to be helpful and courteous whenever he could; however, he gave a typical teenage shrug and answer, which appeared rude.

"I don't know Mom," Traveler said.

Frustrated, she walked away giving her typical mother wave, signaling how useless teenagers can be. At the time, he did not know it, but this was the moment where it all began.

The Present 3015, AT

"Wait, wait, I don't get it," A child said with his hand way up in the air.

"Umm, sorry child, can you say that again?" The storyteller said.

The crackling fire made it difficult to hear anything other than the sound of his voice.

"I said I don't get it. You need to tell the story right," The child answered.

"You don't get what my child?" The storyteller said.

"He doesn't look like the Luminati Savior." The rest of the children nod in agreement. "Yeah I thought he'd be bigger," Another child said.

The storyteller slowly stares at each one of them and watches their eagerness for answers. Then, he stares off into the night's horizon. He feels the balmy night press against his cheek; he hears the slight rustling of the tree, and feels the warmth of the campfire. Then he raises his staff and increasing the intensity of the fire. The children flinch back surprised with his actions.

"Storytelling can be the most challenging thing people do," The storyteller said. "They have to choose their word carefully and project them at the right moment. One misplaced word or sentence can change the mood dramatically, sometimes unknowingly altering the integrity of the story. Once that happens the moment is lost forever. However, my father once told me that one of the greatest tools a storyteller can have is a powerful character or a hero that can transcend the course of time. Well, this is my powerful character, before the Luminati Revolution. I knew him even before that time. I know him now when I am telling this story, but nobody knew the things he had accomplished."

"I still don't get it," A child interrupted.

"Patience my young ones, this is just the beginning. Please let me continue. You would not know it just by looking at him, but this young man is the savior. You just have to just look pass his scrawny arms, skinny chicken legs, and flimsy body. Just trust me when I say, this young man is special," The storyteller said.

There was a puzzling look amongst the children sitting in the crowd.

"You don't believe me; I don't blame you. Just listen and watch. I will make a believer out of you yet. In the 232 years of my life, I have never seen anybody as amazing as him. This is going to be an amazing journey of Traveler Sands," The storyteller said.

"Okay," The children said in unison.

"So, where was I? Ah yes, right here."

The Past 2008, AD

Traveler was part of a typical family with everyday problems, but this summer was not a typical summer for him. He did not know it yet, but this summer would be his first step of his long adventures.

Traveler was not tall or athletic like the rest of his family. Let's just go down the family tree. Traveler's father was an active military member that lettered in high school football, basketball, and soccer. Traveler's mother was a track and field star that broke most of the high school records in long distance running and short track sprints. And we all know about the superstar status of Traveler's brother; if you don't I will explain later. With a list like that, who can compete? But Traveler tried his best to fit in. There was a time when the entire family tried to teach him the game of soccer. They thought how hard could that be, all he had to do was kick the ball and run. They still do not know how it happened, but that day, somehow he managed to kick his own leg, swept himself to the ground, and dislocated his shoulder-- just unlucky I guess. They spent the rest of the day teaching him how to play wastebasket ball in the emergency room.

Traveler did try his best at every attempt, but just could not keep up with his family. He was certain there must have been a mix up at the hospital. Another theory he developed was that in some far-fetched way, a bunch of ostriches must have raised his ancestors. It just skipped a generation here and there. (I know it sounds silly, but that's how Traveler's imagination works sometimes) He did not want to believe it, but every conversation was a huge feat in itself, he had to extend his neck and lift his chin a little farther up than his normal range. This often led to mild situations of muscles strain. Needless to say, he tried to avoid long conversations.

Even though Traveler's conversations with them were at times brief, they were able to notice his short, dark red hair that just grew long enough to cover the tops of his ears and bits of his eyebrows, which gave them a perfect view of his beautiful brown eyes. Countless times, people have told him he bears a great resemblance to his beautiful mother, Mary Sands.

June 20, 2008, was the first day of summer or some might say Summer Solstice. Many schoolchildren lose focus counting the days left of school and dreaming about their summer adventures, but not Traveler. He loved being in school. For one, it was the one place Jake could not torment him and two, he felt a sense of accomplishment there. This year the principal and his teachers decided to let him skip a grade. He begged the school not to tell his parents. He convinced them the news would sound better coming from him, and he fought with himself day in and day out, on whether his parents needed to know. There was only one force that stopped him from furthering his higher education, and that was--Jake.

Jake was the big man on campus at his high school. How big? Well, if the President of the United States happened to drop by his high school, the secret service agents would quit their assignment immediately and join Jake's security team. He was the star athlete, and everybody worshipped him. To give you an example of his star status, he had his own parking spot, napping privileges, and his own nutritional coach, in other words a personal chef.

Next year, Jake would enter his senior year. College scouts would be coming from everywhere to sign the next big thing that happened to college football. Some sportswriters have wrote that he was "pound for pound the finest specimen of a pure athlete" Traveler knew that Jake could not afford any distractions and his little brother joining him in high school would definitely be one. Nevertheless, that was the least of his worries. Traveler had other ideas on his mind. He was beginning to realize that his life was not the typical family life. It all started with a trip to see his grandfather.

On the way there, Traveler's family did their best to pass the time. Traveler's father was limited to the amount of activities he could do, but he had his own special way of passing the time. He would often listen to classic rock stations at a higher decibel level than his normal vocal range, and when a great song came on, he would tap furiously on the steering wheel. His rhythmic beatings were never in beat with the music, but he did not care.

Mary never liked the radio stations he had on, so she would pull out her iPod shuffle that was loaded with classical music. She tried to swoosh her hands with the beat of the music, acting as if she was in control of every note the orchestra played. She could have done this for hours, and sometimes she had too.

Jake did his best to pass the time as well, but at Traveler's expense. Jake and Traveler never got along. Like oil and water, the two did not mix well. Jake hated Traveler from the moment he came into the world and tormented him as much as he could. You see, Jake was a spotlight hog and loved being the center of attention. Even at the somewhat mature age of seventeen, Jake still makes every effort to torture Traveler.

His parents never knew what was going on. For all they knew, they had two little angels in the backseat. Mary pulled out her ears buds and said,

"Honey, it has been a long time since you have seen your Dad."

"And if we have left at 0700 hours like I wanted to, we could have been there sooner and now, we're stuck in traffic," Traveler's father said while tightening his grip on the wheel. He could not find a song on the radio that he liked for quite awhile.

"Honey, don't snap at me. I didn't put all these cars on the road," Mary said.

Suddenly AC/DC "Thunderstruck" came on and his mood lightens up. "I'm sorry Babe. You're right, I haven't seen him in awhile. I get a little guilty when I don't." He paused. "I love this part." He needed to slam his imaginary crash cymbal. "You know, I try to be the best son I can, but there is only so much I can do," Eric said while mouthing out the words to the end of the song.

Traveler's father was Major Eric Sands, a United State Air Force officer. Serving his country was, at times, challenging. Being stationed all over the world, deployed to unknown areas, and exposed to stressful work environments could sometimes take a toll. However, the benefits can outweigh the negatives. The best part of his job, the part he loved the most, was the vacation time. The man loved to travel. His travels led him to the best seats in the house. Viewing the aesthetic historic buildings and beautiful landscaping through his eyes was better than any high definition television set. One of the most memorable viewing pleasures he had was in Germany. This was where he met Mary.

After five hours of driving and being stuck in traffic, they finally reached San Diego. Once the car stopped, everyone except Major Sands tried leaving their seats. They clawed at the door handle trying to escape their confined spaces, but the door did not open. They kept pulling and pulling, but it still did not open. Major Sands finally unlocked the doors using the driver's side master button. They all got out and took a minute to sigh with relief, stretched their arms, shook their legs, and then headed over to the building. The sign at the front of the building said THE SAN DIEGO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER. There were plenty of pine trees, green grass, and flower gardens all over the property. This place even had a flagpole in the front, like the picture on the front of their brochure. The place looked as normal as a 1950's white picket house on the outside, but normal was not the word used for the people that were admitted.

They reached the front desk counter.

"How can I help you?" The snide nurse said.

It was obvious the nurse behind the desk did not like her job.

"We're here to see Jacob Sands," Mary said.

"Fine, fill this out," The nurse said. "I need you to fill out sections one, two, four, five, and sign your name at the bottom. When you're done, give it back to me. Got it?"

"Umm, I think so," Mary said while trying to remember the sections.

Mary took a seat. She stared confusingly at the form and shared her frustration with the family. However, when the completed forms returned to the nurse, her mood lighten just a little.

"Someone will be with you in a minute. Go back to your seat, please. And have a nice day," The nurse said.

After five minutes, some orderlies came and escorted them to another room. They were big burly men wearing light orange scrubs. Traveler was convinced that they were former entertainment wrestlers trying to find a new career path. The orderlies patted them down for weapons and told them to wait in the next room. From entering the room, they could tell that it was very cold. It was not cold as in the temperature, but cold as in depressing and gloomy. They looked around and saw a rainbow of colors in a dark drab background as if a painter attempted to start their masterpiece on a dull blank canvas, but did not finish because of internal creative struggles.

Once inside, it was not that hard to distinguish which were the friends and families, and the patients. Different from the orderly's uniforms, the patients wore light blue pajamas with numbers printed on the upper front right side of their pajama top. Some of the friends and families talked to their patients by the tables while others talked in the corners of the room. Traveler's family managed to find a vacant brown couch.

As Traveler's family waited, they did not know what to expect; they did not know who would be coming out of those double doors. They had not seen Jacob in months and as they sat and hoped for the best, the doors opened. He stood at the door deceptively looking as if he opened it unassisted; the family stood up and waited to greet him with positive open arms. However, when they saw a tiny part of the orderly's light orange scrubs, the flicker of hope was knocked out like a sucker punch in the gut. Their disappointment burst through their eyes.

Grandpa Sands stared ahead in his catatonic state while being escorted across the room because he could not walk on his own. Judging by the way he gingerly moved towards the couch, it looked more like a shuffle rather than a walk, as if a wounded animal would move trying to keep up with the herd.

For years, Traveler heard phone calls between his Dad and Grandpa's doctors. It was always the same message. "He's not responding to the treatment, the doctors think he has brain damage. It has been ten years. It's time to let him go." Major Sands would get into constant arguments over the phone.

Traveler was only three years old when his grandpa first went into a catatonic state. Major Sands was on a deployment to the Middle East when Grandpa Sands got sick. This was a big shock to everyone because Grandpa Sands was an active person. At the age of 50, he could have run circles around anybody half his age and sometimes he did. Mary Sands had to take care of the hospital bills and the transfer to San Diego. It was the least she could do for him since he was always a big part of their lives. Grandpa Sands helped Traveler's parents with everything from baby-sitting to lending them money for a down payment on a new home. He was always around the kids when they were growing up. He has been a good man.

Once Grandpa Sands sat down, Mary quickly wrapped herself around his arm. She remembered the doctors telling her that he has no brain wave activity and it was a miracle that he has been alive this long. She did not care. With each visit, she gave him a big melodramatic hug, acting like a defibulator hoping she could snap him from his cationic state. Major Sands asked the orderly off to the side to inquire about any of his recent activities. The orderly said Grandpa Sands has been doing the same thing for past ten years. He could not feed or bath himself. He just sits in front of the window not moving an inch. Major Sands dropped his head with great sadness; he wished there were more he could do.

One hour went by, Eric and Mary could not make their sentence flow well. As they continued their conversation, they would sometimes pause in midsentence searching for the right word to fill the gap. In their minds, it was as if they were asking for a line from their theater director after a mental block. They realized how exhausted and hungry they were. They told the children to keep talking to Grandpa while they went to get lunch. Jake did not like that at all. He turned to Traveler pounding his fist. Once their parents left, Jake lunged over and gave Traveler several punches in the arm.

WACK! WACK! WACK!

"Ouch! Stop that. Why did you do that for?" Traveler said while rubbing his arm.

Jake mimicked back in a falsetto voice, "Stop that. Why did you do that for?" He continued in his normal voice. "I don't want to be here and it's your fault."

"Please, stop with the negativity. Grandpa can feel that."

"Why don't you feel this?" Jake threw another punch. "It hurts doesn't it?"

"I am going to tell dad about this."

"Shut up and stop being a wimp! Grandpa is a veggie now. They should have pulled the plug and collected the money years ago."

"How can you say that? Grandpa is still alive. He probably heard you."

"So what if he..." Jake drifted off from his sentence because a girl from behind distracted Jake's attention. When it came to girls, especially cute girls, he always had a knack for finding them even if he could not see them.

"Hey little brother, what do you think about that girl over there?" Jake pointed to the beautiful brunette with the nurse outfit.

"I don't know anything about girls. I am only thirteen." It did not matter what Traveler said, in a blink of an eye, Jake had already left his seat and pursued the beautiful brunette. Alone, Traveler continued his conversation.

"Hey Grandpa, did you know that they are going to let me skip a grade. Mom and Dad don't know yet because I don't really want to go." Grandpa Sands stared off in the distance with his catatonic look.

"Grandpa, I just know you can hear me. Someday when you wake up, I'll be the first one here to greet you back to the world." Traveler gave him a hug and something mysterious happen. Grandpa Sands' right arm flinched with just the slightest movement.

With Traveler's eyes wide open, he quickly released his arms. "Grandpa? Did you hear me?" He looked for Jake, but he was nowhere in sight. Then Traveler shook his arm. "Grandpa, I know you moved a little. I know you're in there. Please say something." He pleaded with him, but Grandpa Sands did not say anything. He did not even move another inch. Traveler saw the one glimmer of hope slipping away. Abruptly, Grandpa Sands grabbed his arm. With extreme shock, Traveler looked up at his face.

Grandpa Sands head shook up and down like a jackhammer. His eyes changed color. They were no longer brown; they had turned into a deep fiery red. Traveler looked down and felt his grip getting tighter and painful, which made Traveler want to scream out, but he could not. The grip got tighter and tighter. Grandpa, you're hurting me. Traveler thought. He tried to loosen his grasp, he looked around hoping for any aiding bystanders, but nobody did. Then, Grandpa Sands took his free hand to grab Traveler's hair forced his head to stare into Grandpa Sands' eyes. Grandpa Sands' fiery red eyes slowly jumped out like a 3D movie and the room began to spin. Limb by limb, Traveler's body went numbed. The room spun faster until Traveler saw the darkness in his own eyes.

Traveler started to come around. He felt as if he just went twelve rounds with the Heavyweight Champion of the World. He started to get his vision back. All he saw was different shades of color that were blurred. He tried shaking off the dazed feeling he had. He glimpsed at the clock. Twenty minutes had passed by, but he felt like he was out for a couple of seconds. "Whoa, what just happened?" He said to himself. He looked at Grandpa Sands still in the same catatonic state. Traveler could not explain it, but the room got quiet, a little too quiet. It was as if someone hit the mute button. Then, a sudden sensation shot down his back and the chatter of the room returned. He stared into Grandpa Sands' eyes.

"Grandpa, did you just talk to me?"
Chapter 3

# Sell the House

Traveler's parents carried the intoxicating food while walking through the hallways. Traveler could smell the food coming in from the front of the building and knew instinctually that it was hamburgers and fries.

"We stopped by Burger World. We know how you kids love that place," Mary said while placing the food on the coffee table.

"Mom and Dad, you'll never guess what just happened!" Traveler said.

"What?" Major Sands said.

Traveler flooded his parents with anticipation as he jumped up and down pointing at Grandpa Sands. He eagerly told them about the flinching and the grabbing. He even went through a small reenactment. It was a good thing the performance had only two audience members because he was not very compelling. Nevertheless, he was convincing enough for a jaw-dropping feat. They both turned and looked at Grandpa Sands. Major Sands shouted, "Dad, what did you say? It's me, Eric. Dad? Dad!..." With his emotions running high, Major Sands got louder and louder, which brought much attention to himself, attention that invited some unwanted guests. Two orderlies quickly pounced on him, trying to calm him down. As they held him, Major Sands tried his best to free himself from their strong grapple. He kicked his feet in the air, yelling at the top of his lungs and begging to let him go. The orderlies did not know what to do, but were about a couple of seconds away from declaring him insane. Mrs. Sands and Traveler just stared. They did not know how to stop a person that just reverted into his childhood's terrible two phase.

Finally, Major Sands gazed into the horrid looks on Mrs. Sands and Traveler's faces; he realized his "I'm crazy" behavior was not helping the situation. He decisively calmed down and explained to the orderlies that his son heard his father speak. With all the commotion going on, Mrs. Sands finally realized that someone was missing.

"Sweetie, where's Jake? Did he hear Grandpa speak too?" Mrs. Sands asked.

Traveler shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know where he is." Just as he said that, Jake came walking through the door with a stupid grin on his face. Mrs. Sands gave Jake the evil mother's glare and snapped him back.

"Where have you been?" Mrs. Sands demanded. Jake saw the food on the table and leaped forward helping himself.

"Well Jake, are you going to answer me?" Mrs. Sands demanded again.

"Hey, you forgot to get some dessert," Jake said.

"Jake, shut up about the dessert! Where were you?" Mrs. Sands demanded. Her cheeks did this weird bouncing movement every time she lost her patience. That was the only way they could tell if she was mad, and they stuck out.

"Okay," Jake explanation came out muffled with the food. "You don't have to yell. I was in the walking yard. I needed some fresh air."

"Traveler said that your Grandpa spoke and you were not here to hear it."

"Oh Mom, Traveler is lying," Jake defended himself. "It's obvious he's trying to get your attention. You know he's always trying to get people's attention."

Traveler looked on with disgust because Jake was about to get his way again. The lies he told were always believable to Mrs. Sands. She turned around.

"Traveler, are you lying to us?" Mrs. Sands said.

"No, I swear to you. He spoke to me," Traveler pleaded.

"Okay, then what did he said?"

Dang it, Traveler thought. Traveler looked up into the air and tried to remember the words, but they were lost in his mind.

"Ummmmmm, I don't really remember. I kinda of blacked out."

"What do you mean you blacked out?"

"I mean I blacked out and Grandpa spoke to me."

"Traveler, you're not making any sense. You need to start telling the truth or you're going to be in big trouble."

"But, I am telling the truth."

Jake was snickering at the table. He knew what was about to happen next.

"Traveler, you leave me no choice. You are grounded for a week, that means no TV, no books, and no outside activities.

"But, you gotta believe me."

"This decision is final, Traveler."

Just like that, Mrs. Sands' final decision was like writing on a stone tablet, permanent. Traveler stomped away leaving his food behind. Eating was the last thing on his mind, but as he walked away, his stomach growled and rumbled. Apparently, his stomach did not agree with him. Traveler walked back to the coffee table. He gave a quick look at the couch and saw his mother rubbing Grandpa Sands' shoulder. Traveler grabbed a hamburger from the table and walked away again. As he began to unravel the hamburger's colorful wrapping, he thought, I wished I could remember what Grandpa said to me. He paced up and down the room, desperately trying to clear his name, but he just could not remember.

Visiting hours were over and Traveler's parents decided to spend the night in a motel before heading back. While driving on the interstate, Jake snapped out of his iPhone trance by something on the radio.

"Pops, turn it up, I think they are talking about me."

Major Sands reached for the volume knob.

"This is Mike Hurley with the pine talk," The sport radio reporter said. "I have to say news travel pretty fast in this city. Have you heard of this kid from the sandy beaches of Santa Monica? In my career of national high school sport reporting, I have never seen a kid like this. His name is Jake Sands. Some sportswriters have deemed him a football God, a legend in the making. But I wouldn't go that far; let's just say he's a sports prodigy. So, the buzz about him is that he can do amazing things on the field.

Sports fans, you need to see this kid in action to believe how unbelievably awesome he is. He can run through tacklers like a bulldozer. Also, like the great Joe Montana, he has the clutchness of throwing the last second touchdown to win the game.

So, why am I talking about a kid from some no name city? Well it's simple folks, the All American High School all stars game is playing in the San Diego University stadium this year. And guess who is first on the ballot?"

"Pops, how come you didn't tell about this all-star game?" Jake said.

"This is the first I have heard about it," Major Sands said.

"Sports fans, at the age of seventeen, his six foot four, 230 pounds muscular frame; makes him an athletic individual force. I also heard his 40 yard time is a lightning fast 4.2 seconds. To put it into poetry terms, he is the perfect height to weight ratio for the game of football. And-" The sport radio reporter paused in the middle of his broadcast. "Hold your ears people; I guess his popularity reaches further than I had anticipated. I just got this tweet from Sarah on Fifth Street. It says 'Don't forget to mention his perfect ratio of spiky brown hair and piercing blue eyes.' Well Sarah, the fact that you listen to my show, puts a smile on my face.

Well folks with that text message I will end this segment by saying this. This kid has it all: the looks, the popularity, and the talent. As the old cliché goes, women want to be with him and men want to be him. And you know what, you can put me on that list too. This is Mike Hurley and you're listening to the pine talk."

Jake could not help but smile as well and went back to his iPhone apps.

They found a motel that was off the interstate. The building that they chose was definitely not a four-star hotel. The place looked like a dump. The neon sign had a coat of dirt and dust; the lights were out on some of the letters. Instead of reading DRIVE-IN MOTEL, it read D_I_E-IN _ _TEL. They could barely see the exterior of the building and the lighting was subpar at best.

It was late on a Thursday night and there was not any trouble finding a room. Then again, it was hard to imagine people swarming to a place like this. The man behind the counter looked like he had not slept in years with dark circles under his eyes. What was strange was that his dark circles matched his dark hairstyle. As Traveler walked past him, he felt his skin tighten causing the tiny hairs to stand on end. He turned back at the man behind the counter. The man looked back giving a weird half smile. Traveler could not explain it; something did not sit right.

Traveler's parents checked out two rooms for the night. As they walked in to room twenty-three and twenty-four, Mrs. Sands made sure Traveler was aware that his grounding was still in effect and told Jake to enforce it. Jake welcomed the chance to enforce anything on Traveler.

The kids finished unpacking their nightclothes and settled down in their room. As Traveler got ready for bed, Jake walked over to Traveler and punched him in the arm.

WACK!

"Oww, what did you do that for?" Traveler said while rubbing his arm.

"Because I am bigger than you, that's the way the world works. Plus, you deserved it because you almost got me in trouble with Mom and Pops," Jake said.

"Well, I'll have you know that I am the one that got grounded," Traveler pointed to himself.

"I don't care what happened to you," Jake said pointing back at him. "I had a nice moment with that nurse and I came back to see Mom giving me that glare. You know I don't like that glare. Now that moment is ruined, thanks."

"Mom told you to take care of Grandpa and I. And if you had been there, you could have heard what Grandpa said."

"Look bookworm, I don't care if Grandpa did back flips off the couch; when I see something that I want, I go for it. It's not my job to watch your every step. I'm only looking out for number one-" He balled his hands into a fist and lifted them towards his body with his thumbs pointed at him. "And that's me," He then pointed back. "And stop telling me about your stupid story with gramps talking to you. You got Mom and Pops in a big uproar for nothing,"

"He did talk to me Jake!" How could he say these things?

Traveler could not take it anymore. He ran towards Jake and attempted to tackle him, but it did not work. Jake stuck his hand out as if he was stiff-arming a linebacker from an opposing football team. Though Traveler's actions were rational, it had a comical outcome. Jake had his hand on Traveler's head pushing him at an arm length away and Traveler swinging his arms at the empty space between the two of them.

"Is that the best you can do? I'll give you some props for trying," Jake laughed and shoved him towards the ground. With Traveler on the ground, Jake rested his massive foot on Traveler's chest. It was just enough pressure to keep him down. Jake had enough constraint not to crush his little brother. However, Traveler did not see it that way. It reminded him of an episode he watched on the nature channel, when a weak lion challenged the alpha male of the pride. Remembering the fight did not go well for the weak lion, in hindsight, his attempted attack seemed to be a bit premature. Traveler knew that irrational thoughts and rage was a horrible combination when dealing with stressful situations. Jake continued his dominance by placing his hands on his knee, increasing the pressure.

"If you're so sure he talked, then what did he say? Huh?" Jake asked.

"Jake get off me, I can't breathe. Please." Traveler wheezed out the words as best he could; he could barely raise his voice to a normal level.

"Stop being so dramatic, if you can talk, you can breathe."

Traveler was surprise at times, with Jake's cleverness. However, he was not surprised at his strength.

"Jake- your foot- please."

Jake sighed and lifted his foot away from his chest. Traveler gasped with relief and scurried away to the nearest opening, catching his breath along the way.

"Well bookworm, what did he say?" Jake asked again.

Traveler stayed silent. He got up and walked away.

"That's what I thought. You deserved to be grounded." WACK! Jake lunged over and punched him in the arm again. Traveler did not say anything this time. He rubbed his arm and hopped into bed. There was not much Traveler could do. His next best alternative was to get some rest, so he closed his eyes and slept.

As the night settled down, Jake managed to fall asleep within seconds of hitting his head on the pillow and without a couple of minutes; he had a stupid grin on his face. Traveler always had trouble sleeping; Jake was the cause of that. Sometimes, when Traveler went to bed early, Jake got bored at night and committed the usual brother-to-brother nightly pranks. Some of the acts he pulled were placing Traveler's hand in warm water, putting toothpaste behind his ears or shaving cream in his hand, the usual old fashion pranks. When Jake got courageous enough, he preformed all three at the same time. There was a period, of several months that Traveler and his parent thought he had a bed-wetting problem. It would not be a problem if he was five years old, but he was eleven.

As usual, Traveler had trouble sleeping that night. However, Jake was not the cause. Traveler tossed and turned all-night, but he was not awake. Small beads of sweat ran down the side of his forehead. He moved his head violently from side to side as if he was trying to wake up. His eyes closed as if he was concentrating hard on something. There were quick flashes of different visions; they moved too fast from him to recognize them. With each flashing vision, Traveler's head kept hurting. His brain could not process that much information in that short amount of time. The final flash was a vision of his grandfather, of course, that was the one vision he did recognized. Traveler woke straight up and said, "Grandpa."

His whole body was drenched with sweat, but the pain was gone. He got out of his bed and walked over to Jake's bed.

"Jake, please wake up. I need to tell you something." Because of his lack of upper body strength, shaking his brother's body was a difficult task for him. Just imagine someone trying to shake a gorilla from a tree.

"Leave me alone you dweeb, can't you see I am trying to sleep." Traveler walked away discouraged.

"Wait a minute," Jake said.

Traveler turned around and as he did- WACK! Jake punched him on the arm.

"That's for waking me up in the middle of the night."

The punch knocked him to the ground, but filled with energy, the strike did not have much effect or perhaps he was still numbed from the previous attacks. It did not matter to him; Traveler got up and hurried over to the door. He walked over to his parent's door and pounded on it.

"Mom, Dad, I need to tell you something!" Traveler said.

The door opened. Major Sands stood there scratching his head with a sleepy look on his face.

"What is it Traveler?" Major Sands said.

"Dad, I remembered what Grandpa said."

♦ ♦ ♦

Eric had just finished brushing his teeth, and hopped into bed.

"What are we going to do with Traveler? With all the books he reads, he's starting to imagine things," Mary said.

"I don't know babe," Eric said. "I have a couple of choice words once we get home. But, I was thinking, Traveler isn't the kind of person who would lie to us."

"Well honey, he never told us what your dad said," Mary said

"Look, I don't know what to do with him right now. We'll just stick with the grounding for now," Eric said while yawning with his hands in the air.

"Okay. I hope I was not too harsh on him."

"No honey, just stick to your guns. By showing your weakness you could reveal your opponent's strengths." Eric always spouted out words of wisdom whenever the mood stuck him.

"Oh, there was one more thing I wanted to tell you. I have a lot of vacation days coming up. If I don't use them, I'll lose them. This is perfect timing since the kids will start summer vacation in two days. I was wondering what you wanted to do for summer vacation. I was thinking about going to Japan."

"Japan, I think that is a great idea." Mary's eyes lit up. "I have never been there before. How much leave do you need to use?"

"I have to use 60 days worth of leave. Let's talk it over with the kids and see what they say."

Their conservation ended and they went to sleep. Just an hour into their sleep, a loud banging on the door woke Eric up. The sudden shaking of the bed woke Mary up too and she shot upright.

"What was that?" The sound frightened Mary.

"I don't know I'll go check it out." Eric was not afraid, in fact, he was not afraid of anything. He was a tall athletic person. His broad shoulder made him look bigger than he was. Actually, from top to bottom, he had defining muscle features that would make Navy SEAL jealous. He had a bald look that made him an aerial dynamic making people think he was faster than he really was. It did not hurt that some of his military training consisted of hand-to-hand combat. He once bragged that he could make a man fall to his knees with his thumbs. Of course, his family never witness that and they hope they never have to. As he got closer to the door, the noise got louder, but the noise he heard was a familiar one.

♦ ♦ ♦

Major Sands opened the door slowly. "What is it Traveler?" He said.

"Dad, I remembered what Grandpa said." Major Sands' eyes almost popped out of his socket. "Come in kiddo. Have a seat." Traveler walked over to the chair and sat down. By this time, Major Sands noticed the dampness on his son's clothes.

"Traveler, did you pee in the bed, again?" Major Sands said.

"No-, I'm thirteen. I- don't- do that anymore," Traveler said.

"Okay, so go ahead son. What did he say?" Major Sands asked

"H-h-he said sell the house," Traveler said as he gathered his breathe.

"What??? Say that again?"

"Grandpa said sell the house."

"That was an odd thing to say. Was there anything else?"

"Nope, that was it Dad." There was a short pause. "Dad, what house is Grandpa talking about?"

"I don't know. I think he was talking about his house in Lake Arrowhead. Since Grandpa's episode, he doesn't live there anymore, but all of his stuff are there. We have a house sitter that comes by. About once a month, she turns the water to clear the pipes." Eric massaged his forehead. "Why does Dad want to sell his house that he grew up in? We have to go back to the center."

"No, if that is what he said, I don't think he is going to talk again," Mary said.

"But..." Eric said. As strong as he was, he could never win an argument with Mary.

"No buts" Mary said. "Since you have some leave coming up, instead of going to Japan, I think we should go up to Lake Arrowhead and clean up the house to put it on the market. I mean that is what your Dad wants. Now let's go back to sleep and talk more about this in the morning. Go back to bed Traveler."

"Okay, Mom."

Traveler walked out of the room and closed the door. It felt good to clear his name. As the cool night air blew on his arms, he shivered a little before walking towards his room. He went for the handle and realized that with all the excitement, he forgot to grab the card keys. He knocked on the door.

"Jake it's me. I forgot the keys. Please open the door," Traveler said.

The door did not open.

He tensed up conserving the small amount of body heat he had left; he thought it would make a difference, but it did not. He was starting to realize how cold it actually was. He tried knocking again, but this time with two hands and louder.

"Come on Jake, wake up, and open this door it's cold outside."

Jake was awake and heard everything Traveler was saying. He snickered and stayed in bed. Traveler continued to knock as loud as he could. He had a feeling the neighbors were peeking out through their curtains. The last thing Traveler wanted was to be a bother to anybody else. However, he was cold and wanted Jake's attention. Finally, after 15 minutes, Traveler leaned back on the door giving his legs and arms some rest, but he did not give up on the knocking. He still managed to keep knocking, using the backward underhand technique. It was his last desperate attempt to get Jake's attention.

Suddenly, the door flung open, catching Traveler by surprise; he went backward fast, waving his arms in the air. With a big thud, his butt hit the floor hard. Jake just stared down at him for while. He noticed the slight redness on Traveler's knuckles. He could not help it but smirked. Traveler pushed himself up and as he did, Jake pushed him back to the ground with his foot. Jake chuckled.

"Do you mind?" Traveler said at a piercing, but reserved glare.

Traveler slowly got up, but was pushed back down again.

"No, I don't mind," Jake said.

I hate you Jake. Traveler carefully pushed himself up again, but Jake stepped back allowing Traveler to get up. Traveler turned and headed for his bed. Then, WACK, Jake's punching force was so great Traveler tripped forward losing his balance. Luckily, he landed on the bed. Jake walked to his bed chuckling along the way. Traveler turned to look at Jake.

I wish you never wake up again. Traveler thought.
Chapter 4

# Hidden Heroic

Beep...beep...beep...

Traveler reached for the alarm clock and blindly fumbled around with it. Refusing to cooperate, the alarm clock then skidded across the nightstand falling off the other side. Traveler sighed.

Beep...beep...beep...

Traveler reached down again and pulled all the plugs out of the outlet, thinking that would be the end of the noise.

Beep...beep...beep...

Now that Traveler was fully aware the noise was not coming from the alarm clock, he opened his eyes and saw the menacing smoke filled the room. He could hardly see his hands in front of his face; he had no idea where the fire was coming from. "Jake get up!" He yelled. He waited and when there was no reply, his head spun nervously. In his frightened state, he pictured several of different worst-case scenarios. One of which was Jake leaving the room just to save himself. Thus, he took matters into his own hands. He remembered a passage from "Dangerous Situations, Possible Solutions" about the dangerous nature of fires and knew he did not have much time. He slid to the floor avoiding the smoke as best he could and crawled over to Jake's bed. The looming smoke made it difficult to navigate, but he did not have to go far. He reached to the top of the bed and moved his hand side to side, up and down, and attempted to search for any signs of a warm body. After just feeling bedsheets and blankets, he realized Jake was missing. Now he needed to enforce rule number one of the book– "Do not panic."

Starting to realize that he was the only person in the room, Traveler's next choice was to get the heck out. He crawled towards the front door, but the chaotic heat pushed him back. He did not know what else to do. The smoke swarmed around his body causing his eyes to squint and tears to run down his cheeks. The violating smoke made him cough uncontrollably. Amidst all the danger he was in, he visualized what a smoker's lungs had to go through. He imagined the smoke wrapping itself around the lungs, as a large python would do, constricting the lung's air supply into a silent submission. He realized that his imagination was beginning to turn into a reality. The oxygen faded as Traveler started to display signs of passing out. Unexpectedly, a rolling wave of black smoke came his way. The remaining smoke was still thick and Traveler's vision was still blurred, but he noticed a figure emerging from the dark clouds. Before he could get a chance to recognize who it was, he collapsed to the floor.

♦ ♦ ♦

After Traveler went to bed, Jake tried to go back to sleep, but that was easier said than done. He tossed and turned, smacked the pillow a couple of times, and tried covering his eyes, but he was in an unfamiliar spot. He tried confusing his mind with different sleeping tricks like skeet sheeping, but that did not work.

He politically tried to bargain with his mind persuading it to stop thinking, but that did not work. Diplomatic qualities were not a part of his list of strong attributes. There was no reasoning with it; his mind was on an one-person mission to avenge itself against the individual who interrupted its REM sleep.

He tried to mold his mind for the theatrical debut of the play "The Revengeful Act – an one-person portrayal of a mind on a mission," but his stomach decided to have a sudden case of stage fright; ruining his plans and for that reason, the intermission had the untraditional start.

Jake had never been up this late before; he knew the importance of sleep and understood its healing properties. He trained himself to develop a sleeping pattern that would repair his body and mind, thus kept him injury free for the previous three seasons. Consequently, with his body awake at a time where he should be sleeping, a devastating outcome cropped up from the miscommunication.

One example would be his need for nourishment. His stomach constantly bellowed at him, believing it was time for breakfast. Suddenly, his survival sense kicked in, giving him a vivid image of a bunch of vending machines downstairs near the lobby. As he made his way to the lobby area, he passed by the laundry room and caught the sight of a cute blonde girl folding her clothes. He decided to ditch his hunger needs. Of course, the blonde hair girl could not resist his charismatic charm.

♦ ♦ ♦

It was a good thing that Major Sands was a light sleeper. When he heard the blaring beeping that came from the other room, he popped opened his eyes with a slight head flinch. His curious eyes would not let him go back to sleep. He carefully removed himself from the bed, making sure not to disturb Mary's slumber. The noise led him outside.

When Major Sands opened the door to investigate the disruptive sounds, he realized what was in-store. Major Sands saw a blazing inferno gorging up the door. He watched as the rioting flames engulfed the wood leaving a path of destruction behind it. The fire struggled to stay alive as it played leapfrog, along the stationary wood frame. The orange yellowish flames waved fluidly through the air as it tried to lasso a fresh piece of wood or any flammable material nearby. This provoked a sudden vasoconstriction in Major Sands' body, which caused his heart rate to increase, his pupils to dilate, which in turn, activated his body's fight response.

The fire tried to understand the concept of conformity, but the sizzling trails and the intense radiance, in the dead of night, hardly goes unnoticed from a distance. The naive fire did not know that it was risking someone's life nor did it care; like most things, all that mattered was staying alive. However, Major Sands could not stand by and watch the blazing flames take its next victim. The surge of hormones secreted by the adrenal glands revealed a hero's complex lodged at the back of his brain. He ran and grabbed a fire extinguisher, and then with a few passes of the carbon dioxide gas, he blew out the flames on the door.

Once the suffocating gas subdued the fiery leech, the elevation of his adrenaline caused him to bully down the door, and with one strong SWAT kick, the momentum rallied his entrance. He stood at the entrance for a moment and saw a circus of intense decoration surrounding the walls. With the smoldering door beneath him, he fixated at the disorder in the front. The searching possibilities were endless, the danger was limitless, but he knew the stakes and leaped to the chance of saving his sons.

Major Sands shielded his face to avoid smoke, but what he was trying to do was buy more time to figure out his next move. Mental blocks were never that common with him. He was always aware of his surroundings and with that, when any spontaneous problems arose, a solution came afterwards. Just like a chess player's mind, he was always two or three steps ahead of the game. Yet, this was different; with the lives of his sons at stake, his emotions and judgment were set on the same frequency, blocking the quick response time. Although the emergency resolution was slow, he thought of using his hands trying to fan the smoke away giving him a chance to increase the visibility. However, the dissipated smoke remerged as if the dark clouds were imitating an airy version of quicksand. Even though the smoke was able to conceal his vision, it could not deafen the sounds of the room. This gave him a chance to level the playing field. He closed his eyes and concentrated on his other senses. He tried to listen for any signs of his sons' voices. He concentrated hard, but the next thing he heard was the crackling of the ceiling behind him. He knew his moments were far and few from in-between. He finally was able to hear a faint cough and cautiously walked towards it. However, when the ceiling crumbled behind him, the fiery hailstorm of stucco caused him to speed forward. He opened his eyes for just a split second and through the meshed smoke screen, he noticed a little sparkling rhinestone, leading his feet ahead of him. As he got closer, the smoke dispersed and he recognized Traveler's colorful pajamas from a couple of hours ago. He was glad the wizard pajama was on sale last weekend because the rhinestone at the end of the wizard's wand guided him to Traveler's lifeless body.

♦ ♦ ♦

Major Sands lifted the limped body and hurried him out. However, there was a spark of uneasiness in his eyes as he carried his son to safety. When he placed Traveler down, Jake was nowhere in sight. He had a choice to make: attending to Traveler's medical needs or go back inside and look for Jake. He was just about to make his decision as Jake came running down the hallway. Major Sands' relief level just came back down to a four. What he wanted now was to get it down to a zero; for that, Traveler needed to wake up. As Jake hovered over Traveler's body, huffing and puffing, he had a slight look of concern. Jake saw the fire from the laundry room and came sprinting over. It was the first time he showed any compassion for his little brother.

"Is Traveler okay?" Jake said while trying to catch his breath.

Major Sands did not know how to answer. He watched his son lay on the concrete pavement hoping for any movement. A bobbing chest, twitching legs, blinking eyes, or any shifting would have been great, but the stubborn body refused to cooperate. The sight of blue coloring on Traveler's lips gave Major Sands more than enough reasons to force his hands into action. His emergency medical training was minimal, but effective enough. He positioned Traveler's body for the first stages of CPR. He leaned in grasping the nose with his right, lifting the chin with his left, and with one deep breathe, he angled in aiming for the mouth. However, at the point of contact, he refused to resuscitate. That was because the sprinkling cough followed by a stream of black smoke gave Major Sands his cue to impede his heroic act. Major Sands was relieved when Traveler's skin color and consciousness return to that state of originality.

Mary, up from her sleep, surveyed the scene. Even with the blaring beeps, she did not wake up; she was a heavy sleeper, but the commotion was too much for her to ignore. When Mary saw Traveler in the arms of Eric, covered with black ash, she realized what she had slept through. She dashed out, giving Jake a quick hug, and moved her attention to Traveler. She carefully peeled Traveler away and gave him a long, big hug.

"Oh, my baby boy, don't worry, mommy's here." Traveler squirmed a little, but he could not get away for her motherly instincts.

The smoke made Traveler a little light-headed and disoriented. He wanted to speak, but he had difficulty. As Mary wiped away the ashes from his cheeks, she noticed his need to voice himself.

"What is it Traveler? What did you want to say?" Traveler looked up to both his parents "Mom, Dad- I don't think I want to start smoking."

Everyone laughed.

After a couple of minutes, they heard a familiar wailing from a distance. As the emergency vehicles rushed in to surround the building, EMTs hopped out and charged into the scene. Traveler did not know if it was the lack of oxygen, but it seemed like the emergency team were moving in slow motion, as they do in the movies. As they ran towards the stairs, Traveler waited for the heroic background music to surface and defined the dramatic moment. He hoped that a director would come out of the bushes and yell, "CUT! That's a wrap." He did not want to think this was real; he did not want to believe that he almost had a brush with death; he wanted to be back in his bed dreaming the entire ordeal. However, the music never came, the director did not say "CUT," and this event truly happen.

The emitting colorful lights from the vehicles, acting like a bug zapper luring people away from their rooms. They came and watched in great numbers with attentive amusement, as most people do, when the EMTs treated Traveler and Major Sands with an oxygen mask. One of the spectators happened to be a doctor and because of his inquisitive nature, he was ethically binding to the situation. Therefore, he offered his services and examined the two of them. He determined their status was nonthreatening and deemed an overnight hospital stays was unnecessary.

The fire inspector managed to weed himself through the crowded area and entered the blistered room. He stood in the middle of the newly decorated room; as if an interior designer decided to go with the Cajun Art Nouveau look, which originated in Chicago around 1871.

As he positioned himself in the focal point of the room, he hoped to find anything that seemed out of place. He smelled the unnatural accelerate in the air, he noticed the half-burnt match near the doorframe, and saw the nearest electrical outlet was in the other side of the room. He did what he was trained to do, but any rookie could have came in there and figured it out. He walked out of the room disappointed at the challenge he just undertook and informed Major Sands of his preliminary findings.

The night overcame with happiness by its lengthy engagement; that was partly because on this particular night it was quite popular. The night decided to hold on to its last performance with the family standing and staring at the empty ravished room. Each of them had their own things that played out in their minds. Jake wanted to know if the blonde hair girl was still there. Traveler worried that he was going to have long-term damage to his lungs. Mrs. Sands wondered if all of them could fit into her room. Major Sands hoped that he did not have to pay for that burned room. Sometimes great minds did not think alike.

They stood and had a merry-go-round of thoughts swimming throughout their head; the motel manager came by and offered his assistance. He gave them the best room at the motel, on the house. It was not a villa at a fancy hotel, but it was good enough for the rest of the night. They tried their best to get a good night rest, closing the curtain on the night's performance with an exhausting, but happy conclusion.

The next morning they got back on the road and headed home. The silence was deafening because nobody said a word. Mary, sitting close to Traveler in the backseat, could not resist giving him several engulfing hugs after a couple of minutes.

"Mom, stop I am okay," Traveler said while pushing her away.

"Okay sweetie, I'll stop. But you need to promise me to stay out of harm's way."

"Okay, Okay, Okay, I promise."

Traveler wished everybody would leave him alone and stop asking if he was okay. He already let them know the fire did not affect him. He just figured it was an accident. He was just glad to be alive. However, his parents knew the truth.

Jake, seating in the front passenger seat, was enjoying his blueberry Pop Tart. He loved them so much that he always had some in his pocket wherever his goes. However, he could not shake off an unusual feeling he had at the back of his mind. It was a persistent feeling that would not go away. On the night of the fire, when he walked down the stairs, he saw the same person at the front counter passing him by. The individual was dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt, with black pants and shoes. The only thing that stood out was his pale face with the dark circles under his eyes, and Jake swore to himself that he recognized that face from before. At the time, passing that person did not mean anything. Jake figured he was trying to check up on someone or kick someone out. However, from the laundry room, he saw a person dressed in the same outfit running away from the fire scene. He did not know if that was the same person, so he did not want to make a big deal. He just continued chomping away at his tasty treat.

Major Sands did not let last night's event weigh heavily on his mind. He had other things to worry about, his father. The real problem was the use of his vacation time. He wanted to convince his family to go to Japan instead of using his vacation time to fix his father's home. However, the final decision relied with his family, so he finally broke the silence.

"Okay listen up, I am only going to say this once." Everyone jumped a little. They were not expecting anyone to talk. "Here's the situation, I have some vacation time coming up in two days. I want to know what the entire family thinks we should do. But, before anyone speaks I'll just tell you my plans first." He took a deep breath. "I think we should go to Japan. It's supposes to be beautiful in the summer. What does everyone else think?"

"But Dad, what about what Grandpa said?" Traveler pleaded.

"Yeah honey, I thought we were going to fix his place up." Mrs. Sands seconded the idea.

"Look, I don't take a lot of vacations. I don't want to spend my time off working," Major Sands explained.

"But honey, your Dad has done so much for us. After not speaking for years and then telling Traveler to sell the house, I think we should do it." Major Sands turned to Jake for the final vote. "Jake, what do you think?"

"Grandpa lives closer to us than Japan and doesn't he live next to a lake? I am down for the water sports." His idea of a water sport was watching girls swim in the lake.

"Okay, three against one. We'll go to Grandpa's house." Major Sands said in disappointed baritone voice.
Chapter 5

# A Case with the Silver Handle

Three days later, Major Sands got his leave paperwork and they were off to Grandpa's place. They were heading to Lake Arrowhead, California, a city near Big Bear, where city dwellers would ski once or twice a year.

Lake Arrowhead was not a populated area but the people there liked it that way. It was where the rich and famous would sometimes hide away from the sprawling paparazzi and fans. It was where people could get away from city life, a way to come back to nature without giving up indoor plumbing.

Pulling into the driveway, Traveler could not take his eyes off the dirty old white house. Traveler assumed it must have been a beautiful house before the move to San Diego, but through years of maintenance neglect, the house looked creepy. The two-storied house stood in the middle of a poorly kept lawn. Getting out of the car, Traveler walked through the grass. It grew as high as his knee. He noticed several brown spots in the lawn hoping it was from lack of water. He saw overly mature weeds soliciting their presence along the side of the house. The vines that wrapped around the house gave it the illusion the earth wanted to swallow the house whole.

The only things that looked new were the items lying on the ground next to the house. The stacks of lumber towered over Jake as he passed by. They came in all different shapes and sizes. Major Sands walked over and checked the number of buckets of white paint he had. Curiously, Mrs. Sands asked, "Where did all of these things come from?" Major Sands had the foresight to call ahead for supplies.

"Okay everyone front and center!" As Major Sands' family lined up, he could not help but feel a little familiar with his surroundings. He grew up here, creating many childhood memories. He stared at the lofty silver maple tree at the western side of the house, and then a sudden flashback of him planting that tree with his father.

Now watching his family here, he could not help to be a little nostalgic. He turned back to his family and continued with what he had to say.

"The next two months are going to be long and hard."

"Really Dad? I thought we were on vacation," Jake interrupted.

"Listen up; there'll be plenty of playtime after the work," Major Sands said. "We don't have a lot of supplies here, so we have to make do with what we have." General confusion set upon the family. "That means we have to do more with less. Alright?" Everyone nodded. "So I'm going to be tasking everyone with different jobs, and yes I know what everyone is thinking. Don't worry; nothing on these cards is hard. It is all cleaning and minor repairs." He pulled out a bunch of index cards; from what they could see, he had more than four. "Once you have finished with the task on your card, see me for the next one."

Traveler hoped for something easy, something inside. "Come on, house dusting." He crossed his fingers until his turn; He picked a card. It said "THE ATTIC."

"Dad, I would like to trade."

"Sorry kiddo, the cards are not transferable and can't be redeemed for money. What you picked is what you get and..." Major Sands looked at the card, "...and I need you to clean the attic."

After handing out the cards, Major Sands knew the family needed to rest after a long car trip. The family rushed into the house. He heard the stampeding of their feet as they went into their rooms and dropped off their personal belongings.

"EVERYONE HAS FIVE MINUTES TO UNPACK AND MEET AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEPS FOR DINNER!" Major Sands shouted.

Five minutes later, everyone met at the bottom of the steps and fell into a straight line. Once Major Sands had everyone present, they headed out the door. Major Sands remembered this great Italian restaurant in town called "Poppy's" and hoped it was still in business. When they got to the restaurant, they saw that it was still in business; in fact, the line wrapped around the corner.

"I don't remember this place being so popular," Major Sands said with a puzzled look.

"Honey, do you really want to stay in this long line?"

"Yeah, I used to work here," Major Sands said trying to avoid the dirty look. "Maybe the owner is still here." Major Sands walked to the front and unexpectedly, a man with salt and pepper hair dressed in a nice light green shirt and black pants with an apron, personally came out of the restaurant and greeted Major Sands. He had a big smile on his face.

"Oh my, is that you Eric, I remember when you used to work for me that one summer. You were my best delivery boy." The owner with a thick Italian accent had many words of praise.

"I remember that I was your only delivery boy," Major Sands smiled.

"Okay, let just say we had good times that summer. Eh. Good to see you again my friend." They gave each other a warm embrace as they rekindled their friendship.

Major Sands motioned for his family to walk over to meet his estranged boss.

"Hey Poppy, this is my family," Major Sands said as he pointed.

Poppy hugged each one of them as they were a member of his own family.

"Oh my Eric, you-eh have beautiful strong children. And your wife, she's a one-eh pretty lady."

Mrs. Sands covered her cheeks hiding her embarrassment.

"Hey, your family don't have to stand in line anymore. Follow me." As they followed him, they felt like they were part of a mafia family getting the VIP treatment. He led them to a nice plush red velvet booth near the kitchen. "I make-eh our famous dishes here for you, your beautiful wife, and your little-eh bambinos. Okay. Just seat here," Poppy said.

Traveler could feel that something was not right with Poppy. He had this glowing aura around him as if he was highlighted yellow by a four-year-old child. He noticed it when he was outside, but did not think anything of it. When Poppy came back with glasses of water, Traveler reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"What is it bambino? How can I help you?" Poppy said with delight.

"I am so sorry Poppy; we didn't raise him to be so rude." Mrs. Sands turned to Traveler, "Traveler, let him go, if you need something just ask."

Traveler did not realize what he just did. He knew his mind wanted to see if the glowing light was real, but his body decided that it needed to be sure. He let go of Poppy's wrist, but before he did, he noticed the glowing aura did not go away.

"I am sorry Mr. Poppy." Traveler looked at his drink. He had to think of an excuse fast. "Umm, I was wondering if I can have a milkshake," He blurted out.

"It's just Poppy little one, and I am sorry bambino. I don't have milkshakes here. Let me-eh tell you what, I can bring you something much better. Okay?"

"Poppy, we don't want you to go to too much trouble for us," Major Sands requested.

"For you-eh, it is no trouble. It is your home too. I like-eh to treat my family." Poppy walked away with a skip in his step.

"Traveler, what has gotten into you?" Mrs. Sands pleaded.

"I'm sorry mom, it won't happen again...Mom, can you tell me if Poppy is glowing to you?" Traveler asked.

"Hmm, yes I think he is. He seems to be glowing with happiness to see your father again."

"Is that all you see?"

"Traveler, what has gotten into you? Why are you asking these questions?"

"Never mind."

Traveler turned away and drank his water. It was hard to explain that his arm had a mind of his own, but his mind has been acting strangely since the fire. He saw more people glowing around him. In addition, he had a heightened sense of smell. He noticed the difference with himself when he was at the gas station coming to Lake Arrowhead. He thought it was strange that he knew the restroom needed toilet paper before he entered. When he was in line to pay for his drink, he knew the cashier ran out of one-dollar bills before he paid. He also noticed that some of the customers were glowing just as Poppy did. He did not know what to make of it at the time and he still did not know.

A couple of minutes later, Poppy came out with a tray full of different foods and drinks, each one of them looked more appetizing than the other did. As he slid the plates to the middle of the table, the wonderful aroma dispersed through the air.

"Poppy this is too much, we didn't bring enough cash." Major Sands looked at his wallet.

"Hey Eric, shut up your mouth, your money-eh is no good here." Poppy paused. "Well, your money-eh is no good here, today. Okay. Now shut up and eat." Poppy continued. "Here are your stuffed mushrooms, seafood toasts, and eggplant treasures. I'll be-eh back for your entrées. Enjoy."

After 20 minutes of eating the delicious food, Poppy came out again. He came out with more food and drinks, but he was not alone. There was so much more food than before in addition to a cute brunette. She was wearing an uniform like the rest of the girls in the restaurant, off-the-shoulder white ruffled blouse, black leather belt, and a red and white checker dress. She had her curly hair tied up giving a wonderful view of her face. She was not wearing much makeup; she had this natural beauty like Mary's face.

"Hey Eric, do you-eh remember this one?" Poppy pointed to the lovely girl. "She-eh came back and turned my restaurant into a madhouse. I love-eh it."

Poppy sat the tray down and passed out the food.

"Hi Eric, it has been a long time. I would have came by earlier, but it is little busy here," The lovely girl said in a soft voice.

"Stephania. Wow, how long has it been?"

"Twenty five years"

"Really? I didn't think it was that long ago."

"Hey Eric" Poppy said with a smile. "I remember she-eh used to follow you-eh all over the place when you worked here, like-eh a little lost puppy."

Major Sands got up from the table and gave her a hug.

"I see that you and your father are doing well here. I remembered you used to be this high to me when I started working here." Major Sands stuck out his arm and leveled it to his waist. "And now, look at you. You look so grown up."

"Yeah, my bambina, she's a all grown up." Poppy gave her an one-arm hug. "Okay. I go back to the-eh kitchen. Let me know if you need anything. Okay."

"So you must be thirty-one now," Major Sands said.

"Nope, you may want to try again. I just turned thirty," Stephania said.

"Wow, so what have you been doing?"

"Well nothing, I live here with my daughter."

"So you have a kid?" Major Sands said.

She nodded.

"How old is she?" Major Sands said.

"She's ten," Stephania said.

"Where is she? I would love to meet her," Major Sands said.

"She is at home with her grandma," Stephania said.

"Well, this is my family." Major Sands turned and pointed.

He went on and introduced Stephania to the rest of the family.

"Okay, it was nice to meet everyone. I have to get back to work." Stephania grabbed a pen from her pocket and bent down to grab Major Sands' hand. "It was good to see you again. I'll take you up on your offer." She wrote down her phone number.

"It was good to see you again too. I will call you when we settle down."

"Hope to see you soon," She said walking away.

WACK!

It was not Jake this time. Mary leaned over and punched Eric in the shoulder.

"I don't like what just happened," Mary said.

"Honey, what do you mean?" Eric said.

She gave him the glare.

"Oh babe, don't be jealous," Major Sands said. "Kids, help me out," Major Sands pleaded for some back up.

"Huh." Traveler looked up confused. "did you say something? Sorry, I was not paying any attention. But could you get the recipe for this pizza from Poppy? This is the best pizza I have ever eaten," Traveler said with sauce all over his mouth and fingers.

Without any help from Traveler's comments, Major Sands turned to Jake who was staring at Stephania leaving.

"Pops, she looks hot for an old lady," Jake said.

Mrs. Sands' glare had somehow gotten bigger.

"Okay, okay, look. Let's not be rude. Poppy went to all this trouble for all of us. Let's try to finish the rest of the food and we will go. Yes?" Eric said.

They went back to their dinner, but it was not a surprise that they did not finish the main course. Poppy came out to check on them.

"Poppy - that was delicious – but – but we can't finish." Major Sands could barely speak.

"No-eh problem my friend, I'll pack up the rest. Okay. You can eat all of it for your breakfast. Eh," Poppy said.

When the night was done, the air seemed a bit lighter around them. They headed for the door satisfied with the happy Poppy escorting them out.

"You-eh come back soon, okay," Poppy said.

"Yes, we will come back soon," Major Sands said.

The next day, Traveler stared at the entrance to the attic. There was a nagging feeling that lingered around. He intensely looked at the small red plastic ball hand down from the attic's entrance. He shifted his eyes side to side following the plastic ball that was pushed by the drafty house. Finally, he gathered himself and reached up to pull the ball down. As the stairs unfolded, they creaked slowly seemingly trying to hide their old age. He climbed each step carefully, being aware the stairs have not had much attention and could snap under his weight.

Entering the murky attic, he felt the dampness in the air. It had a musty smell. It reminded him of that time when he helped his neighbor wash his dog. He tried to hold his nose, but the smell was overpowering. He glanced around the dark room. From what he saw, he could tell that nobody had been up there in years. He carefully moved towards the only visible light source hanging in the middle of the room. The floorboards squeaked every time he stepped on them. If he listened carefully, they each had their own particular tune. Traveler wondered if he could play his own rendition of chopsticks. As he got closer, he noticed thin shiny lines in the middle of the room. The light entering from slight cracks in the attic's walls highlighted them ever so slightly. The spiders must have felt the need to Feng Shui their attic by adding white to the appropriate areas. He tried to avoid the cobwebs. However, his attempts of bobbing and weaving were useless, the natural Halloween decorations stuck to his head and he managed to take the rest of the structure with it. After he managed to get through the minor obstacles, he pulled the string and lit up the room. Traveler looked in disgust as he saw the floor moved a little; he could not help but be quite repugnant with the blatant speckles of dust hovering around the room. But when he overcame his initial aversion, he noticed the misleading first impression the attic had given him. The size of the attic was roomy.

He remembered his father telling him not to move anything out, just dusting and organizing. He grabbed hold of a tablecloth and with a flick of his wrist and arms, he flipped the sheets and uncovered a piece of furniture, boxes, and storage chests, creating a small dust storm in the process. He hastily tried to put on the mask he brought with him, but fumbling around with it as he coughed out the dust. He finally managed to secure the mask on and went back to work. Though his lungs were safe, his eyes tear up, he wished he had brought the goggles that came with the mask.

Maybe Grandpa has some goggles in these chests. He thought.

The nearby brown treasure chest caught his eyes. The old, worn out leather chest looked like it had been through a lot, but still had its luscious antique shine. He had a feeling that something must be important in there. He grabbed a chair nearby and as he opened it, he felt a rush of memories hit his face. He grabbed a worn out gray shoebox, flipped the top, and reached for the stack of photos. As he flipped through the past of his grandpa, he found many surprising things.

In the last photo, he saw a figure that had a similar resemblance to Traveler. In the photo, he saw the figure that stood next to a fighter jet name "The Golden Ticket" The individual was wearing a medal around his neck that looked just as shiny as if he might have seen it in real life. He recognized the last name on his uniform and knew who he was.

"Wow, Grandpa must have been a famous fighter pilot," Traveler said.

He set the shoebox down and grabbed a bigger box. When he opened the lid, he gasped with excitement when he saw Grandpa's flight suit and fighter jet helmet. He reached down to the bottom of the box and grabbed the entire outfit. He peaked around for anyone that could be watching him and did what any kid would have done in his situation.

The uniform seemed to be big on him, but he did not care. He looked at the mirror and felt a great energy running through him; it was a good feeling. He strapped on the gray helmet with the retractable visor and thought while looking in the mirror - Man, I look like a fighter pilot. He snatched a stick and ran around the attic acting like a fighter jet. He pretended to maneuver around the tall boxes and different pieces of furniture. He accidentally knocked over a bunch of boxes starting a domino effect and then pretended to crash-land into the chair.

He was a bit sweaty pulling off the helmet, but had a great smile. He looked around and saw the mess he created, but continued to smile as he cleaned it up. As he picked up one of the boxes, a small black case with a silver handle dropped out. As it fell, the silver handle sparkled its way down to the ground; he could not escape from his curious nature. He picked it up and walked over to the chair, but once he grasped the silver handle, there was a lowly rush of voices as he walked back to the chair. He thought his mother was calling him but the voice did not feel right. He quickly looked around trying to figure out where the sounds were coming from. He tried to make sense of what they were saying, but he could not. It sounded like a group of people wanting to talk all at once.

At first, he could handle the small chatter, but when the voices grew louder and louder they turned into a thunderous herd; the head-splitting sounds were too painful. The noise level seemed to rise higher and higher with each stride towards the chair. He immediately dropped the case, and raised his hands to cover his ears increasing the pressure of his hands as an attempt to create a soundproof barrier, anything to ease his painful eardrums. On the other hand, there was no need too. The second he released the case, the voices grew silent. He was even paler and sweatier than before, but a bit intrigued; however, at that moment, being in the attic did not feel like a good idea. He gradually back peddled towards the exit, making sure to avoid another surprised vocal attack. When he was close enough, he sprinted down the steps leaving everything the way it was.

Moments later, Traveler saw his mother in the kitchen fixing up lunch. He tried to warn her of the voices in the attic, but...

"Traveler, what do you have on?" Mrs. Sands asked.

Traveler completely forgot that he still had on Grandpa's flight suit.

"It belonged to Grandpa; I just wanted to try it on," Traveler said.

"I don't think your dad is going to like that. Why don't you show him?" Mrs. Sands said.

"But Mom, I have something to tell you," Traveler said.

"Go see your father first," Mrs. Sands said.

He sensed that it was not the right time to tell her about the extra guest in the attic.

"Okay, where is he?" Traveler said.

"Check the front yard," Mrs. Sands said.

Traveler made his way outside and saw his dad sitting in the hot sun, sweating through his shirt as he tore out the old wood.

Dad, look what I found in the attic," Traveler said.

Major Sands turned and laughed a little.

"Doesn't look like it's your size." Major Sands paused. "Did you know that Grandpa wanted me to be a pilot? He made me wear that for a week to see if he could change my mind. It looks good on you."

"So I can keep it?"

"Sure, I am sure Grandpa wouldn't mind, but don't ruin it, okay? Hey, since you're out here, can you give me a hand?"

"Okay, I'll take it off and put it my room." Traveler ran upstairs. As he came close to his room, Jake came out of his and they collided.

"Well looky here, where did you get that?" Traveler tried to avoid Jake's question and walked towards his room.

"Don't be rude." Jake quickly grabbed his arm. "So, where did you get it?"

"Leave me alone Jake, I found it in the attic and Dad said I can have it."

"I don't know about that. It doesn't seem to fit you. I think it's more my size."

"Dad!..." Traveler tried to yell for help, but Jake covered his mouth.

"Listen you nut, I don't care about the uniform. I just need to borrow it, okay. I need it for a date. Once I am done I'll give it back."

"You promise?"

"Yeah, yeah, I promise. Now give it up."

"You have to pinky swear."

"Shut up, I'm not twelve. I'm not doing that."

"Do it or I'll tell Dad."

"Okay, Okay, pinky swear." They both held out their little finger and grasped one another.

"Remember, you know it's bad luck to break a pinky swear." Traveler said.

Jake remembered; the last time he broke a pinky swear with Traveler, he ended up in jail one night.
Chapter 6

# Traveler's New Friend

As the sun rose, shedding light on the residents of Lake View Lane, the morning had came and gave them a fresh start on a brand new day. The street was bristling with activities. Garage doors would open commencing breadwinners to another eventful day at work. Some retired seniors would breathe in the morning air as they power walked along the side of the street, waving their hands to anybody they recognized. Homemakers would stare and watch the beautiful morning horizon as they gathered their newspaper. Children tentatively walked to the street corner waiting for their daily ride to summer school. However, there was no rest for the Sands' family. They would begin the day as they did for the past few weeks, remodeling Grandpa Sands' home. What was once thought to be an abandoned haunted house, with dedication and hard work, it turned into a house that could be on the magazine cover of Dream Homes with the subtitle "Homes that people don't know about, but wished they won the lottery to buy." Dog walkers, joggers, and bystanders would come by from their daily grind, stop for a moment, smelling the proverbial rose, to take notice of the transformation that took place; they could not help to be a little envious.

Grandpa's house seemed to be floating on a cloud with the new coat of white paint. The newly redesigned flower garden gave the house some color instead of its boring deprived look.

Major Sands replaced most of the rotten wood and the shingles on the roof, strengthening its foundation. It was a good thing too, because last week, it rain. If he did not replace the shingles, they would be installing a new swimming pool in the living room.

The hard work paid off, resulting in a beautiful house. However, after spending many painstaking hours fixing the house, they did not feel right to sell the house immediately. They wanted to enjoy their work. Therefore, they all voted and agreed to spend the rest of the summer vacation in Lake Arrowhead.

Even though the house has been through a lot, their work was still not finished. The last thing that they needed to do was to clean the attic and the landscaping. Major Sands handed out the last of the responsibilities for the final changes. Major Sands and Jake worked on the landscaping in the backyard. While Traveler, took take care of the front lawn and the attic. Mrs. Sands had the responsibilities of the backyard gardening and the decoration inside.

The neighbors around Traveler heard the whirling of the motor, smells of the fresh-cut grass, and saw the heavy panting, but still did not do anything to help with Traveler's efforts. He had an ongoing struggle with nature's carpet. Grandpa's lawn was still as high as Traveler's knees, which made it difficult to move across. Combined with an ineffective mower and Traveler's rubber band arms, the tall grass did not feel like cooperating with him. This made him wonder how barbers felt when they had to cut children hair.

With each thrust of the subpar lawn mower, it felt like rolling a rock uphill. He was determined to please his dad by finishing his tasks, but he did not know it would take an hour to shear half of the lawn. In a family that was full of athletic men, he wished that he had a sliver of their strength.

As he worked for hours mowing the front lawn, putting the final changes into a long day, he noticed something in the corner of his eye. Somebody was sitting on the rocking chair on the neighbor's front porch. Traveler has been there for weeks fixing the house and had never seen this person before. Upon closer inspection, it was a young girl. The rocking lured Traveler even closer. However, the rocking was not the reason he got closer. He saw her turn the page of her book and smiled. The movement looked so graceful. He could tell that she was enjoying her book. He could not help but notice her light blonde hair swayed back and forth like a pendulum on a grandfather clock, luring him further than before. She had this glowing aura around her. It was as if the sunlight highlighted her body, making sure it stood out to everyone. He took a couple more steps with the lawn mower. He had never seen anyone like her and thought the most beautiful girl must have dropped from the skies. His hands slipped off the handle, leaving the mower to still running in place. With his eyes on the girl, he walked towards the hedges dividing the property line.

As Traveler got closer, the girl noticed something different and looked around. He ducked below the hedge line thinking that he was out of the view. However, his legs were very visible to her. She caught the sight of his legs and just smiled; then she went back to reading her book. Traveler decided to peek just above the hedge line to see if she was still watching. He caught a glance at the cover of the book; it was a "Tales of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens.

"Oh, he's my favorite author," Traveler whispered to himself.

Traveler continued to stare. He could not take his eyes off her; she was just so beautiful. He did not want to seem like a stalker, but the longer he stared the more he realized he was beginning to be a stalker.

Jake and Major Sands came to the side of the house and dropped off some branches they had just trimmed. They noticed the lawn mower engine was still rumbling with nobody pushing it.

"Do you know where your brother is?" Major Sands said.

Jake looked at his father thinking that was a stupid question to ask him. "No Pops, I was with you the entire time."

They went to investigate. When they reached the lawn mower, they looked around for Traveler and noticed him staring at the girl on the porch.

"Hey Pops, look over there."

" I think he has a crush on that girl. I know that look. I had the same one for your mother." Major Sands said while turning off the lawn mower.

"I don't want to hear about your love life with mom. Geezz, it just doesn't sound right. Yuck." Jake left with a disgusted look on his face, while his dad stood and watched.

"My son's first crush, my they grow up so quick." And as he said that, a brown object came whizzing by his ear. The whistling football headed right for Traveler hitting him squarely on the shoulder, knocking him down. The football managed to bounce over the hedge after its surprise attack. Traveler's face turned red immediately. He could not remember a time when he was this embarrassed. He got up and ran into the house.

Jake hit the ground laughing hysterically. Major Sands furiously walked over to Jake. "Why did you do that!?"

Jake, still on the ground laughing, did not know what to say. He shrugged his shoulder.

"I don't know. I saw the football and decided to throw it. Did you see that throw? It was right on the money. Bullseye!" Jake said.

Jake turned his hand into a gun and pointed right at the spot where he had hit Traveler. Major Sands' furious mood did not change.

"This is unacceptable. I'll deal with you later," Major Sands said pointing to Jake as he walked towards the house.

"Come on Pops." Jake stopped laughing, "It was just a joke."

Major Sands opened the door finding Traveler on the couch with tears running down his face.

"You're okay kiddo," Major Sands asked.

"Yes sir." Traveler said while fighting back his tears.

"Look kiddo, I'm going to punish him for embarrassing you like that."

"No, it's fine. He's just going to hit me in the arm for getting him in trouble."

"I know he torments you, but my older brother did the same thing to me. So I got stronger and that made him stop."

"I'm not like you. I've tried."

"I am sorry; I don't know what to say. I know you are too young to realize it, but adversity is all part of life. It's how you deal with it that makes you who you are." There was a slight pause. "Look, between you and me, I'll make him removed that stump in the backyard by himself. You know how he hates hard labor."

"Okay," Traveler said in a depressing voice.

That did not make him happy. However, Traveler felt an unusual presence in the room. He looked over in the mirror and saw a reflection of the beautiful girl in a light blue sundress standing in the doorway. He could see her pleasant blue eyes staring right at him. It turned out the football incident was a blessing in disguise. He quickly cleared his throat and repeatedly wiped the tears from his eyes. Major Sands got up and introduced himself.

"Hello, my name is Eric Sands. How can I help you?"

"Hello Mr. Sands. My name is River Robins. I think your son dropped this football on our front lawn." She showed the football to him.

"Thanks for bringing it over. It belongs to my son right over there."

When Major Sands pointed over towards Traveler's direction, he jumped to his feet and straightened up. They both walked over to him.

"Hey son, this is River, I think she wanted to give you something. I'll leave you two alone; I have to get a stump out of the ground."

As Major Sands walked away, Traveler gave him a worried look but Major Sands ignored his son's silent cries for help and walked off. The awkward silence made the situation far worst then he thought. Traveler wished he had tagged along on one of Jake's fishing trips (at the mall) and maybe he could have picked up some social tips. But, he was never invited and now River stood in the living room staring at Traveler, waiting for him to say something. When Traveler slowly looked up and caught eyes with River, he swiftly shot them back down and blushed. He has never started a conversation with a girl; heck, he had never even spoken to one, but standing before him was this beautiful girl and he has no idea what to say.

"Hi," River said breaking the ice.

"Um...Hi" he said still looking down at his feet.

"Is this your football?"

"Ahh...noooo."

"No, umm... okay, I am sorry, I'll leave."

She turned to leave.

"UMM...WAIT!"

Traveler did not realize he was shouting. River jumped a little and turned back around.

"It's my brother's football. I can give it to him." Traveler said extending his arms, but staring at his shoes. She handed him the football and waited for Traveler to say something. When he did not say anything, she shrugged her shoulders and turned to walk away.

"Okay, bye."

Traveler froze; he did not know what to say next. He did not want her to leave, but he could not think of anything to say. He needed to act quickly.

Say something you fool. He knew that saying anything would be better than saying nothing.

"I like your hair!"

Traveler covered his mouth in disbelief. River turned around and gave him a half smile.

"Umm...thank you?"

She made a quick 180 degree turn and walked a little faster towards the door. Traveler could not believe he just said that. He realized the last thing on her mind could be how weird he was. Just as she walked out of the door, he quickly blurted out.

"Charles Dickens is my favorite author!"

She stopped in her tracks and twirled around. She felt comfortable to enter the house again, but just as she walked into the house, she heard a familiar voice bellowed over the distance.

"River! It's time for lunch!"

"I am sorry, I have to go. Bye." She waved and ran back to her place.

"Bye," He said to himself while waving at the empty spot at the doorway. They exchanged greeting, they shared a moment, and she left as quickly as she came. He had the football, which felt awkward in his inexperienced hands. He wanted it out of his sight; however, the throw barely reached half the distance to the couch. With River gone, he knew he had missed his chance. Feeling horrible, he sat back down on the couch.

"Stupid Traveler, I like your hair. What were you thinking?" He realized that beating himself up would not changed the outcome. Then, his eyes lit up.

"Oh man, she doesn't even know my name."

Feeling defeated, Traveler walked towards the backyard door and saw Jake with his shirt drenched with sweat. In the sweltering heat, Jake worked tirelessly on the stump. He did his best swinging a big heavy ax, chopping up the stump into little pieces. The misery on his face said it all. Jake hardly got punished for teasing Traveler because he hid his actions well. So watching Jake's punishment brought some happiness back. He saw his father in the corner of his eye watering the plants that Mrs. Sands grew. He rushed over.

"Dad, why did you leave me alone? I did horrible in there."

"What happened?"

Traveler explained his recent experience with River.

"Look kiddo, give it some time and things will work out. Just don't think about it anymore." Major Sands went back to watering the plants.

Thanks dad. He thought sarcastically.
Chapter 7

# Learning Latin

Dinnertime came around; the wonderful aroma of the freshly cooked food gathered and lingered towards the back porch. The men of the family, forced to sit on rusted lawn chairs after a hard day's work had no other alternative. With limiting choices, they were obligated to adapt. However, they made the most of an unpleasant situation. They covered up the imperfections with fluffy towels, which served as a dual purpose, hiding the corroded embarrassment and adding comfort. This gave them the perfect vehicle to sit, relax, and watch the sunset in a serene setting.

Unexpected smells from the kitchen hits them like a sack of bricks. The luring aroma peeled them from their chairs and led them inside. If the Olympics introduced a new sport called culinary precision, Mrs. Sands would win the gold and silver medals in the same event. She knew how to pair the different ingredients into one complete meal. Sometimes, she amazed herself.

Like always, Jake came to the table first and quickly tried to snatch a drumstick from the plate, but Mrs. Sands' catlike reflexes slapped his hand away.

"Ouch Mom, that hurts," Jake said.

"You know the rules; you need to go wash up first before you sit at my table," Mrs. Sands said.

Traveler and Major Sands came wandering in later.

"What's for dinner?" Traveler said while salivating.

"Oh, it's just chicken and potato with some vegetable; nothing too fancy," Mrs. Sands said.

Major Sands glanced over at the uneven plate setting.

"Are we expecting a guest?" Major Sands said.

"Oh, I forgot to mention it. I met this wonderful person at the farmers' market today, a Mrs. Robins," Mrs. Sands paused to check with herself to see if she was right. "Yeah, I think I got that right." She nodded with approval. "We got to talking and started up a very friendly conversation. I found out that she's living right next to us." Traveler's ear perked up a little to listen in. "Well, she told me that her granddaughter is visiting her for the summer and she doesn't like the food she cooked."

She explained that Mrs. Robins is a vegan and on a gluten free diet. "So she asked me what I was making for dinner and when I told her, she asked me if her granddaughter could come by for lunch and dinner."

"Did you say yes?" Major Sands quickly interrupted.

"Of course, I said yes. I mean, who am I to turn down a guest?" Mrs. Sands said.

Traveler started to get a little worried because he knew exactly whom she was referring to.

"I also thought since she is around Traveler's age that they could hang out. You know, like a play date. So the both of you, go wash up before the guest arrives."

Traveler could not believe his ears. Did I just turn five years old again? What was my mom thinking of setting up a play date for me? Nevertheless, he knew better than to argue with her before dinner. The last time he did that, he did not get to eat at all. He followed his Dad up the stairs thinking how this night would turn out.

Traveler had to look somewhat decent for his guest. Instead of heading to the bathroom, he decided to make a detour to Jake's room. Walking into the room, the decorations distracted him. Instead of staring at wallpaper, posters of women filled the gaps of the wall. Traveler turned to the top of the dresser. He did not know what he was looking for, but he knew it would be here.

Jake had a massive collection of different types of colognes and hair products. Some made in Europe, others from China; Traveler once overheard Jake talking to his friends that he would only use the European ones on his dates. They were the ones that smelled the strongest. He did not remember which ones were the European ones, so he just picked up any hair product at random. Reading the label it said, THE REAL LOOK. The model with jet-black spiky hair looked overly happy on the label. He had two of his index fingers pointing at his hair with a big grin on his face. He opened the top and the pungent smell hit his face almost knocking him out.

"Gee, this stinks. It smells like rubber tires."

As he squeezed more hair cream onto his hand, he got a weird feeling. He turned his head towards the door and there he saw Jake looking much bigger than before, standing at the door.

"Hey doofus, what are you doing in my room? You know you don't belong here," Jake said.

"Jake, it's not what you think." Traveler put his hands behind his back. "I wasn't stealing anything."

"Then what are you doing in here? And show me your hands," Jake demanded.

"Please don't hit me. All I wanted to do was borrow some of your hair stuff," Traveler said.

"Really? Do you even know how to use that stuff?" Jake asked while chuckling. "Who are you trying to impress? Grandma isn't here and Mom is already married." Traveler's silence was expected given that he was trembling.

"So you want to borrow my stuff? Huh. Well, you can forget about it. As a matter of fact..." Jake lunged forward putting him in a headlock. "There's a special price for being here right now and it is time to pay up." Jake gripped his own hand, and then proceeded to do his signature move, "the knuckler."

"Jake, stop that please. It burns."

"Okay, I'll stop, but you can never come in here again. Not even to save my life. And you better not touch my stuff. You understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." It was somewhat hard to talk with Jake still applying the knuckler, but Jake let him go.

"Okay butt head. This is strike one for the night and you don't want to know what happens when you get to strike three."

Jake walked out of the room pointing at his own two blue eyes and then shot back the same two fingers at Traveler, indicating that he was always watching. However, Traveler did not listen to him. He knew he risked getting another beat down, but he did not care. With Jake in the bathroom, he quickly squeezed out a huge clump of hair cream and ran into his room.

Traveler came down the steps, looking clean and refreshed. His appearance was very different from before. He also changed his shirt for the occasion. He came down with a blue and white stripped, button-down collar shirt and khaki pants; the clothes he wore to church sometimes.

However, when he reached the bottom, Mrs. Sands' eyes lit up, a reaction he hoped to see. Unfamiliar with styling, Traveler used up all the hairstyling cream and attempted the spike look like his brother, but the result was different. The gleaming shine from his hair could have help planes land at night. The light clothing and his skinny stature made him look like a candle with his head lit on fire. In addition, his hair was no longer red. The excessive amount of cream turned his hair into a deep black.

It took every ounce of the muscle in Mrs. Sands' face not to laugh.

"Oh Traveler..," Mrs. Sands said.

Traveler knew a compliment or complaint had to be coming, but a knock at the door interrupted the moment.

"Oh good, she's here," Mrs. Sands said with delight as she rushed over to the door.

Even without the sun, Traveler still saw the glowing aura around her. She looked pretty wearing a pink dress with a white band wrapping around her waist. She walked in wearing black shoes and white knee-high socks. Her light blonde hair was in a ponytail with a white bow holding it up. Traveler could not believe it, but she looked more beautiful than before.

"Aww... don't you look beautiful. You must be River," Mrs. Sands said.

"Thank you Mrs. Sands, thanks for inviting me over. I could not stand another day without some kind of meat," River said.

"It's my pleasure, darling," Mrs. Sands said. "I am around these knuckleheads all day and it feels nice to have a female presence. Why don't you have a seat here and we'll get started with dinner."

She pointed to a chair that Traveler usually sits in.

"Mom, that's my chair." It was not like Traveler to be so territorial like that, but he would have never thought he would be seeing River again. He wanted to be in a comfortable spot.

"Traveler be nice to our guest and have a seat."

Major Sands and Jake finally came down and saw their invited guest.

"Well hello again Miss Robins, how are we doing this fine evening?" Major Sands said.

"Good Mr. Sands, I am really hungry," River said.

"Well don't you worry about that, Mrs. Sands will take care of you."

"Okay, enough with the chit chat," Mrs. Sands said with a blushing face. "Everyone have a seat before the food gets cold."

Just as Jake sat down, he glanced at Traveler.

"Hey butt head, what's that in your hair?" Jake asked.

"Watch your language around guests Jake," Mrs. Sands said quickly.

"Okay Mom," he turned to Traveler again and with a low grumbling voice asked. "What is in your hair, Traveler?" Jake said.

Traveler tried to inch down a little further underneath the table. "Nothing is in my hair," Traveler said.

"Traveler, I told you not to touch my stuff. Anyways you look ridiculous," Jake said.

"Look Jake, this is no way to act in front of a guest. Your mother worked hard on this dinner. Show some respect." Major Sands attempted to defuse the situation.

"Sorry Pops." Jake looked over at Traveler again, but with fiendish eyes. He held up two fingers, his index and middle, indicating it was strike two. River did not know what to do so she just sat back in her chair drinking her water, watching the whole thing.

When the tension subsided, everyone dug in to his or her meal. There were ahhs, ooos, and mmms, all around the table, but the enjoyment stopped for just a minute when someone made a request.

"Mrs. Sands I was wondering if I can have some ketchup," River said which unknowingly opened an uncomfortable subject.

There was a collection of utensil clattering, a few small gasp, and then all eyes turned towards Mrs. Sands. She swallowed her food slowly, put down her utensils, and rested her chin on her hands.

"Honey, I'm just curious, why do you need..." she tried to force herself to say the word. "...ket-chup?" Mrs. Sands said in the kindest way, but had a small undertone of irritably. The rest of the family was surprised at how calm she was.

"Umm, did I say something wrong?" River asked while looking around uneasily at the men. "I am sorry if I offended anyone." River felt as if she was in the middle of a minefield.

"Oh no honey, don't worry, I just wanted to know why you need..." she cleared her throat. "...ket-chup," Mrs. Sands said.

"Umm." River said more nervous than ever. "I just saw the potatoes and usually I eat it with potatoes."

"Did you try them before asking?"

River frightfully shook her head no.

"Can you please try them? The only reason I say that is because I don't allow ketchup at this table."

River quickly tried the potatoes and the tension on her face slowly melted. There was a large smile afterwards.

"I am sorry Mrs. Sands; these are the best potatoes I have ever had."

"Thank you dear. Oh, I hear you like to read. Traveler loves to read too. Don't you Traveler?" She winked at Traveler. Traveler froze midbit of his meal and gave her the "what the heck" look. She thought she was helping, but she made matters worse for him.

"I know he won't mind sharing his books with you," Mrs. Sands said to River.

Traveler realized his mother was not going to stop and turned his head to hide his glowing cheeks. He did not know if he was angry or embarrassed.

"After dinner, why don't you and Traveler go up to his room and see his collection. The rest of the family will take care of the dishes," Mrs. Sands said.

"Okay Mrs. Sands," River said.

They made their way to Traveler's room but the ten-foot trip up the stairs felt like an eternity. Traveler was still at a loss for words.

As they got closer to his room, River decided she needed to break the ice again.

"What kind of name is Traveler?" River asked.

"Well, what kind of a name is River?" Traveler sniped back.

"I am just trying to make a conversation."

"I see, I am sorry, I am just nervous."

"Well, talking helps."

"Well, it's actually an interesting story. My dad was backpacking throughout Germany, where he accidentally bumped into my mom and her ice cream cone. They tell me it was love at first sight. He repeatedly apologized for making a mess and afterwards, they went to a café and talked for hours.

When my mom came back, she kept telling that story to her friends. My mom referred to my dad as "the traveler." From what I hear, it sounded mysterious and thrilling. And when she finished telling the story, they would all gasp and flutter their eyes."

Traveler noticed the same effect the story had on River.

"So when I came along, they never thought I would be born on the day that they first fell in love with each other. Both of them thought it would be special to name me, Traveler."

"Wow, that is a great story. So let's go see those books," River said.

River walked up the stairs until Traveler had a sudden epiphany. He had forgotten about it until now. He tapped lightly on River's left shoulder. When she turned around giving an over the shoulder look and flipping her light blonde hair in the same movement, Traveler had this small tingle sensation traveling down his body.

Still beautiful. Traveler thought. "Instead of seeing my books, do you want to see something cool?" Traveler asked.

"Sure," River said.

"Up in the attic about a couple of weeks ago, I saw something that looks really old. Do you want to go up there and see it?"

"Sure. It sounds mysterious."

They had changed their plans and headed to the attic, which was still dark and musty from Traveler's lack of attention. They reached the middle of the attic and in one single movement, Traveler stirred the darkness with the one and only light source. Again, a lowly rush of voices entered Traveler's hearing radius. If he was alone, he would immediately march down the stairs, but he had company this time.

"Did you hear that?" Traveler asked.

"Hear what?" River became a little frighten by the question.

"Those voices."

"No... Do you hear voices Traveler?"

"Ummmm... Of course not." He bent down to reach for the black case with the silver handle he found earlier.

"What's inside the case?" She asked.

"I don't know I walked away before I could find out," He said.

He placed the case on the table and again, the voices got louder and louder. His hands trembled, reaching for the clasps. He had a feeling deep down that this was a bad idea, but he unlocked the case anyway. CLICK. CLICK. The sounds were tensed enough causing Traveler to flinch. He slowly lifted the top and the voices stopped. They both stared into the case.

"That doesn't look cool," She said.

The case lined with black velvet had an outline of a mirror. Inside, they found a mirror with an intricate handle design that wrapped around the edge.

"River, look at it. It looks really old," He said.

"I am looking at it. And no, it doesn't," She said.

The mirror's shiny appearance made it look deceivingly new. He lifted it out of the box, glancing at himself in the reflection.

At least the mirror works. He thought.

Then, River shrieked forcing him to drop the mirror. Traveler gasped thinking he just broke a 100-year-old piece of a family heirloom. Yet, when it hit the floor, it just bounced up and landed flat on the ground without a scratch. Traveler was relieved.

He turned to River.

"What happened?"

"I saw a spider."

"Where?"

"Over there."

"Really, come on River, that's a Daddy Long Leg spider; they don't hurt humans."

"So, it's still creepy."

He bent down to pick the mirror up with a tighter grip this time; he brought it up to show River. She grabbed it.

"You know what's funny?" She said as she fixed her hair in the reflection. "I had a pet tarantula back at home and one day I got rid of it because it started scaring the heck out of me. I don't understand."

Afterwards, she turned it over, checking out the intricate backing.

"Wow. It must be really old. Look at the writing on the back."

Traveler grabbed the mirror to look at the writing.

"It looks like Latin." River said with assurance.

Per obsidendi coram me ego tibi monstrabo tuum verum proelium

"Awww ... I never learned Latin," Traveler said with disappointment.

"Well lucky for you I did."

Traveler's eyes lit up with excitement.

"So, can you read what it says?"

"Sure."

She grabbed it and looked at the back of the mirror. "BY BLOCKING MY SIGHT, I CAN SHOW YOU YOUR TRUE FIGHT."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"Where did you learn Latin?"

"My mom, she majored in Latin in college. She also teaches it at the University."

River explained that her mom was a chaperone on a college field trip to Rome this summer. She could not go along because the school would not pay for her and so her grandmother took her in for the summer. She explained her situation in more detail, but Traveler was not paying attention. The mirror had more of his interest. He closely examined the intricate patterns and began spinning its handle. Then, that same action allowed him to notice an engraving of an eye on the back of the mirror.

Hmm, blocking my sight. He thought.

He covered the eye with his thumb and glanced at it. Nothing happened. A brief moment had passed and...nothing happened again. Traveler was sure this was the answer. He looked at the mirror with despair, searching through the crevices for another solution. Suddenly, the mirror glowed in his hand. The mirror was not defective; it just needed time.

Though Traveler expected something to happen, it scared him a little. He watched two small stars that appeared at the bottom of the handle. They grew a little brighter as the seconds passed. They ascended along the handle intertwining themselves like a double helix. The two stars raced along the handle until they met in the middle, then splitting into two more stars continuing around the path until it reached the top. The stars meeting at the top were a sight to see. For when they collided, they burst into a tiny dust of light settling into the cervices of the design. Next, the front of the mirror sparkled red, displaying a small showcase of fireworks. Mesmerized by the fireworks, he curiously turned it over. Expecting to see his eyes was the natural thing to anticipate, but the mirror glass had turned into some form of deep dark glass. It was as if someone took a permanent marker and blacked out the entire glass. Intrigued by the light, River stopped her story and fixated on the mirror too.

"What do you see Traveler?"

"I don't see anything, there's no reflection. There's nothing here but a black glass."

"Really, let me see."

Traveler held up the mirror giving her a perfect view of the black glass, but the glass was not black anymore. She saw her own reflection as clear as water; however, something strange happened. The mirror flashed this white light around the edges. The attic began to feel like it was spinning, but the room was not spinning. Traveler's body kept twisting starting at his feet. He had confused facial expression because he thought he would feel pain, but there was none. The moment felt forever, but to an outside observer it was only a brief moment.

Traveler's body rose in mid-air and continued to twist. His body kept twisting right into the engraved eye until he was thin as a rope. He looked like a tiny human tornado getting smaller and smaller as he entered the mirror's eye. When the mirror's eye blinked, Traveler disappeared from the room. The mirror spun around several times in midair before falling to the ground. One would think it would break into a hundred pieces, but it did not. When it hit the ground, it bounced up and right back into the case.

With Traveler departing the attic, River stood in the attic alone.
Chapter 8

# The Black Bag

"He, he, he..."

Traveler laughed when he felt a wet ticklish sensation behind his ear. He tried to push it away, but it came back.

"He, he, he...stop that it tickles."

He opened his eyes and realized a deer mistook him for a salt lick.

"Shoo. Go away," He said waving his hands.

Traveler sat up. He looked around, but his recent trip made him a little dazed. He shook his head to gain some composure back. He felt this intense pain in his head. It felt like someone took his head, jammed it in a dryer, and set the machine on high. He tried to get a gauge on the surroundings, but his vision blurred from the dizziness he endured from the vortex travel. After a couple of blinks, he noticed that he was not in the attic anymore. He sensed that he was in the middle of a lush green forest with pine trees and grass all over the place. The road nearby paved with goldbricks, shined with positive energy. The rich vibrant flowers planted up and down the side of the road, gave the place a playful feeling. He could smell the freshness in the air and felt the lively sunshine beating down on him.

"Did I get sucked in the Wizard of Oz book?" Traveler knew his surroundings looked familiar, but it was only familiar in his mind. He got to his feet more confused than ever. He did not know what to do. He looked up the path and saw a never-ending road. He looked down the path and saw the same thing. The only logical action was to pick a side and walk.

Walking along the path, he could hear the birds cheerfully chirping. There were scarlet tanagers, white doves, blue jays, and little brown finches to name a few. They kept chirping a playful tune as they decorated the pine trees with gold and silver banners. He looked on the other side of the road and saw cute little woodland creatures playing in the forest. Everywhere from bunnies, squirrels, and cubs would run around doing absolutely nothing, but being cute.

Unexpectedly, a group of ten deer came bursting out of the forest and romped down the road in unison. With each gallop, they looked like the Blue Angels flying in a precision formation during an air show. They galloped with the beat of the birds' music. At one point, they all did a 360-degree spin in the air. Surprisingly, the group of deer walked up and one of them licked his hand without hesitation. The place was a bit too happy and feminine for Traveler's taste.

Traveler walked for what had seemed like hours and had not reached the end of the road or any changes in the scenery. The chirping bird did not stop flying around decorating the tree; the woodland creature kept running around being cute; the group of deer pranced around in unison. Nothing changed. A simple-minded man would have gone crazy by now. Finally, he was startled by some rustling sounds in the bushes. He started to get that weird feeling that someone was watching him.

Suddenly, a loud twig snapped, which made it more evident that someone was watching him. He turned towards the noise and noticed the large bush moving fiercely from left to right. His body was riddled with decisions, his legs wanted to run away, but his mind wanted to see what would happen next. However, whatever was moving before had now become closer. His muscles tensed up and forced him in a crouched position. He figured that if his legs did not want to run, he would be ready for anything that came his way.

Traveler watched and waited. Then, the large bush just stopped...

Unexpectedly, a deer jumped out with his two curled front legs first. Traveler fell backward trying to avoid the flying hooves, but the deer hurdled over him cleanly. He laughed as the deer romped away joining the others. He got up and dusted himself off. Then out of nowhere, he felt someone tackling him from behind. Traveler tried to flip around and as he did, he could barely see his face because of the sun glaring down on him. All he could see was someone with pointy ears wearing a green hat with a feather sticking out. He was as tall as Traveler was, but a little pudgy. He had on brown tunic with green sleeves and legging. Though he did not look the part, he was quick on his feet.

"Ah Master Sands, you finally came back. I was not too sure, but I know it has to be you." He paused and placed his hand in Traveler's chin. "However, you look different now. You look a little smaller and younger. Did escaping the dragon's prison do something to you? And how did you escape from the dragon's prison?" The pointy-eared person had many questions, but when he bent down he revealed he had characteristics of an elf.

"I don't know who you are and I don't think dragons exist." Traveler held up his hand shielding the sun from his eyes. The bent down elf got in closer to look at Traveler.

"Ah Master Sands, it is me your trusty Calic Jelly. I saw the beacon light and rushed right over."

"Calic, what's that? Where am I?"

"Oooohhh Master, we have to leave Kapricia and get back to the Kingdom so we can get you taken care of. I be thinking the years of imprisonment has made your mind go mad."

As Jelly rummaged through his black bag, Traveler was on his feet and dusting himself off again.

"Stop, I am not going anywhere unless you tell me what is going on?"

"But Master, our Visorist can mend your wounds."

Traveler was more confused than ever as he did not recognize any of the words Jelly said. Calic and Visorist, what do they mean? Traveler thought. "Look I am not hurt, I just want to know what is going on here," Traveler said.

Jelly opened his mouth with the explanation waiting on the other side, but the ground shook. The tremors had gotten larger and louder. Traveler turned his head in all different directions, searching for the source. He felt the ground shake, but saw no one around him that could make such a thunderous sound. Out of nowhere, a black spider, with hairy legs, materialized out of the sky and landed within several feet of Traveler and Jelly. The spider was the size of an elephant, but had the quickness of a cat. They happened to be more frightened of his red creepy eyes, all eight of them. As the spider's eyes stared at their prey, apprehensive as a collective group, they radiated terror. Traveler's first instinct was to run, but Jelly grabbed him by the arm and made him stand his ground.

"Master, you know the rules; if he sees you, then it is too late. You have to fight him to help our kingdom." After he said that, a big bubble surrounded all three of them. One of the deer did not escape from the bubble in time. It tried to cross the path of the spider unnoticed, but the results were unsuccessful. With one quick swoop, the fangs clamped down and sucked the blood out. Traveler cringed at the aftermath. The bubble stretched out to the size of two football stadiums and was about ten miles high. It trapped anyone that did not escape in time. Then inside the bubble, the golden road disappeared and the green grass turned into a dusty ground. Traveler knew what Jelly meant by being too late.

"Why don't you fight him and I'll watch." Traveler felt trapped. He tried to run through the bubble force field, but the cruel bubble denied him of the early exit. The ground did not feel as comfortable as before. The bubble rippled as if it mocked him for the escape attempt.

"Master, you know I can't touch him and he can't touch me."

"How am I supposed to fight him? I don't know how to fight. I am used to getting beaten up, not beating someone else."

The ground shook again; the spider had taken a couple of steps closer. A seismic wave rippled throughout the ground. The perched birds flew away, but they could not leave. Some of the trees nearby uprooted from the ground because of the rippling effect. Traveler teetered from side to side, but was able to regain his balance. Meanwhile, Jelly rummaged through his black bag and pulled out a long silver sword. He flung it up in the air and it landed blade down. The handle sparkled from the gleaming silver.

"Your sword my master, I believe this may help you in your victory."

"I never used a sword before." Traveler did not have a clue about any sword fighting techniques, but when he went to grab the handle of the sword, a sudden surge of sensation ran through his body. He had a sense of empowerment. To his surprise, he lifted the sword and felt he knew how to use it. He wielded the sword with two hands smoothly and raised it up to his ear. His eyes veered to the right staring straight at the sword.

"Whoa. How did I do that?"

Traveler had never held a weapon in his life. He gets nervous holding a chef knife, cutting carrots while helping his mother in the kitchen. Blood did not set well with him. He could not believe his eyes. He had only seen these moves in the movies and thought about it in the books he read.

Traveler was too busy admiring his beginning sword-handling skills that he did not notice two enormous hairy legs coming towards him. At the last second, he managed to roll away. Again, surprised at the reflexes his body had. Nevertheless, he was a little late. He felt an unfamiliar sharp pain in his right arm. He quickly grabbed it. When the pain did not go away, he looked at his hand. It was something he has never seen before, but he did recognize it. The blood dripping from his hand, made him nauseous. He tried to pull it together.

"Come on Traveler. Remember when Jake broke his arm skateboarding? That was gross too. Now focus."

The self-inspiring pep talk did not help much, but the important thing was that he did not pass out. He realized the hairs on the spider's legs were not hairs at all; they were razor-sharp black fibers. He got upset and angry, which was something that he was not used to feeling.

"Arrgh, Jelly what do I do now!"

"Charge him!"

"Charge him with what?"

"Master, you need to charge him and attack with the sword."

"What? I don't know how to use this thing."

The spider attacked again.

Traveler managed to get away unscathed. He looked at Jelly desperately seeking his advice, but Jelly scrounged around his bag ignoring Traveler's plead for help.

Traveler stood there with his dirt-covered body staring at the spider. He knew he had to take matters in his own hands.

"Okay, this shouldn't be too hard. I've seen this done on T.V. and it did not look so hard there." He tried to rotate the sword with one hand as he had seen on television so many times. However, the fancy move did not look so fancy. The sword just flopped out of his hand. He hurried to pick it up. "Okay Traveler, no time for the fancy stuff. It's time for action; this better work," He said to himself.

Traveler charged the spider, yelling at the top of his lungs. He pumped his legs as fast as he could. When he reached the spider, he swung the heavy sword. But the spider lifted his legs from harm's way and thrust them at Traveler, knocking his sword behind him.

Traveler was not too surprised the move did not work. The spider again attacked back, but he ducked from the counterattack avoiding the scary legs. Realizing he was defenseless, he turned around and ran, picking up his sword in the process. It was a good thing that he ran because the spider tilted his head back and spewed out this white foamy mixture from his mouth. Traveler looked back noticing a white substance nearly missing him; he could only assume that it was his webbing. He reached his original spot and looked at Jelly. This time Jelly held up a crystal ball.

"Here Master, this should help you."

"What do I do with this?"

Jelly sighed. "You throw it at him."

"What will it do?"

"It is a versatile trinket. It helps you gain the advantage in a battle."

"How many of these do you have?"

"Just that one, so use it wisely Master."

Traveler gained some confidence back. He turned around, but the spider was nowhere in sight. He had the foresight to look up. The spider's aerial attack took him by surprise, making him shift backward avoiding a crushing death. In his retreat, he slipped on a pebble. Several events happen on his way down. He simultaneously dropped the crystal ball and flipped the sword in the air. The crystal ball shattered upon impact and a large amount of liquid came releasing out. The sword struck the ground with the handle landing first, leaving the sword's blade upright. Then he hits the ground hard with his butt.

From the dusty cloud, emerged the spider walking towards him. The slow creepy walk ran chills down Traveler's back. Then the spider stopped and tilted back spewing his white substance. This time, Traveler confirmed it was webbing. He tried to free himself, but the more he struggled the worse it got. He could feel the sticky webbing filling every gap of his body. It reminded him of the time when Jake duct taped him to a tree and played William Tell.

The spider, staring down at his prey, prepared for the final kill shot; he lifted his head revealing his sharp pointy fangs dripping with drool. Traveler knew he was a goner. He closed his eyes preparing for the worst. A couple of seconds had passed.

I thought dying would hurt a lot more than this. Traveler thought.

He opened his eyes. He could not believe it. Even with his eight eyes, he did not see the clear liquid beneath him. Traveler concluded the spider must have slipped on the liquid.

But what killed him? Traveler thought.

The spider rolled over in agonizing pain revealing Traveler's sword. Traveler could not help but smile.

The spider tried to get to his feet, but his legs gave way and came crashing down. Jelly came over to Traveler's feet, holding a bottle and uncorked it with his teeth. He poured a green syrupy mixture over his body.

"Peww. Jelly, this smells like rotten eggs."

"Sorry Master, it is mantis urine. I know it smells, but it is the only way," To Traveler's surprise, the webbing dissolved.

"Well done master, but you need to go finish him off. Conjured Tecks can heal," Jelly said.

"Teck? Well done? I didn't do anything. He killed himself," Traveler said.

"It is okay. A victory is a victory. Now go and finish him off."

"So, how do I do that?"

"You need to cut off his head."

"Cut off his head? I never killed anything before except for my hamster. I still think Jake had a hand in that."

"Master, hurry."

The spider tried again to get to his feet and almost succeeded. Traveler hurried over to the spider and grabbed a hold of the sword. He tugged and found it difficult to remove. He was reluctant to place his hand on the spider's body for leverage, but he displaced his dreadful fears. Yanking out the bloodstain sword slowly made Traveler queasy, and as the blood dripped away, the spider shrieked and grimaced. Traveler walked to the head, lifted his sword up, took one last look, and closed his eyes. When he opened them, the head was detached from the body. A couple of seconds later the spider disintegrated to ashes.

"Jelly, you need to tell me what is going on?"

"Master, you need to come to Codextrius."
Chapter 9

# The Path of Trials

Traveler had never been on a winning side of a fight before, not that he gets into many fights. Nevertheless, he felt good about himself. He tried to wipe off the dirt and sweat on his face as he walked over to Jelly. His new soiled look was good on him, as if he was born for this.

"Okay, Jelly how do we get to that Cody-deck-us place?"

"It is pronounced Code-deck-tree-us."

"Yeah, Codextrius, that's what I said."

"Well, normally you would go from your world. However, in an emergency like this one, I can take you back with me. Where is your Smoke Ryder?"

"I don't know. What is it?"

"Master, you have to grab it at the beginning of your trip. We need to go back."

"But that's an hour away."

"No need to worry, I can get us there much quicker."

Jelly looked deep into his black bag of tricks. He pulled out two chariots with white-winged horses pulling them. They looked like little toys as he placed them on the ground.

"I don't think I can fit in that thing," Traveler said as he stared at the two chariots the size of a hamster.

Jelly sighed. "Don't worry, just stand on them."

"O...kay..." Traveler gave him a weird look, but carefully placed his foot on one of the chariots. To his surprise, it did not crush into little pieces. The second he placed his other foot on the other chariot, he took off. Going the speed of sound did not agree with him; he screamed and wailed his arms in the air the entire time. He felt as if his face wanted to peel off his skin. He looked down at the chariots and was amazed at the tiny white horses galloping along the road. It was a good thing the ride did not last long; another ten seconds and Traveler would have puked all over himself. After a minute, he arrived at the beginning of his journey.

Where's Jelly? Traveler wondered.

He turned and saw him standing near the Smoke Ryder.

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I blinked," Jelly said sarcastically.

"How come I can't do that?"

"Master, there are more important matters at hand. Walk over here."

Traveler walked over and standing near him was a golden stand with the familiar intricate design, like the mirror, holding up a crystal ball.

How did I miss something as shiny and beautiful as that? He thought.

"Master, this is your only way out of here. You need to grab this ball at the beginning of your trip. If you lose, it you can never go home."

"Great, now I know. What about this Codextrius place? How do I get there?"

"For now, I can take you with me."

Jelly walked over to Traveler carrying the Smoke Ryder with a red crystal ball. Jelly grabbed his shoulder and in his other hand, raised the two crystal balls and threw both of them down.

POOF!

As the crystal balls shattered into hundreds of pieces, a puff of smoke engulfed the two of them. When the smoke dissipated, he realized the scenery had changed. They both stood in the middle of a different forest. He knew it was different because the stupid animals were not there. In addition, the trees and grass were not as vibrant as the previous forest. The colors were dark green with hints of gray, as if the land's color was fading through wear and tear. In the distance, a large castle stood near the horizon. He gazed up into the blue sky and noticed how gloomy it looked. The sky was also embedded with hints of gray, but the thing that stood out the most was there were two suns in the sky. Suddenly, the pine trees in the surrounding area flashed with red lights. The trees flickered from their natural dark green to bright red as if an alarm had went off. Seconds later, men with large bodies, metal spears, and body armor from head to toe, emerged from the woods. Traveler stood still, paralyzed with fear.

"Intruder, disarm yourself," One of the guards said.

"Gentlemen, there must be a misunderstanding. This is Master Sands. He is no intruder," Jelly cried.

"Windbottom, you know the protocol. If the trees flash, we must retrieve at any cost," The guard said.

"I understand. Take him to the king, if you must," Jelly said.

"Wait, wait. I didn't want to be here in the first place. Now I am a prisoner. Okay Jelly, I want to go home now," Traveler said.

"Master, please listen. Once you see the king everything is going to be fine," Jelly said.

Traveler looked at the guards then back at Jelly. He knew he did not do anything wrong. He wondered if he should be offended. Nevertheless, he raised his arms handing the silver sword to the guards. The guards gave Traveler a present too. The feel of the cold metal shackles near his wrist gave him this guilty feeling. They reached the road and continued along the pebbled path.

Suddenly Traveler asked, "Why did they call you Windbottom?" Jelly answer proudly. "Because that is my name, Zander Windbottom. Jelly is just a nickname."

"Quiet, no talking." The guard persuaded Traveler by poking him in the back.

Traveler looked ahead and saw a man carrying a backpack full of twigs. He wanted to ask for help, but what could this person do that Jelly could not? For a brief moment, Traveler looked back down because his shackles started to pinch, but when he looked back up the man was gone.

"Jelly, where did that man go?" Traveler asked Jelly with the slightest amount of volume.

"What man?"

"The man with the bag full of twigs on his back."

"Master, I don't see anyone."

They got closer to the man with the twigs and found he was not breathing well. Traveler felt the ground beneath him rumble. He looked around and saw the small pebbles and rocks vibrate up and down. Suddenly, a white four-legged creature with red eyes came bursting out of the forest and stamping its way towards them. It looked like a rhino, but he did not have a horn on his nose, just a shovel. It galloped by and in one motion, scooped the man on to his back lifting him up with his shovel. The rhino's back looked perfectly grooved enough to carry many people on his back. Then with the man on his back, it dashed away.

"What just happened?" Traveler asked.

"The man is dying from the dark magic," Jelly said.

"How..."

"I said no talking!" The guard said slamming the end of his weapon into the side of Traveler's gut.

Traveler fell down coughing. He could not argue against heavily armed men; he got up and kept his head down the rest of the way. With each step he took, he could feel the energy drain from him. The shackles did more than restrain him from physical actions. They absorbed every ounce of strength he had left. Feeling weak and dragging, they walked through the marketplace. Traveler looked up at the different people trading for food and different items. It reminded him of the time when his father would take him to a bazaar they had at the military airports.

Once Traveler was in the view of everyone, all actions and transactions stopped. Everyone veered towards Traveler. With his newfound popularity, they continued to point and glare at him as he passed by. Traveler felt like a caged animal to amuse the crowd, a feeling that did not sit well.

As they got closer to the main castle, Traveler could not believe his eyes. He saw people riding around on dragons. They were not the size of buildings like in some books or movies, but the size of large elephants, a manageable size. In the target area, he watched different dragons practicing their shot. They hit their targets by breathing fire, spitting acid, or spraying water. Traveler had many questions running through his mind.

"Jelly, what is this place?"

"This is a place where we train dragons for people like you."

"And what kind of person am I?"

"Patient Master, you'll know soon enough."

"Hey, what did I say before? No talking!" The guard forced his issue again on Traveler's back.

After a while, Traveler noticed the dirt changed into a white marble. He looked up and noticed they were crossing a bridge, which seemed to be made of white bricks with some glowing cement between them. The pillars were as long as the eyes can see. Traveler only assumed they reached to the bottom of the watery moat.

The long bridge led them to the castle's main gates, which looked like they were made of pure iron. However, it shined like steel. Traveler imagined it would be heavy, but two guards moved it with ease. The white stones, which lined the castle walls, were also shiny white as if they just created the castle not too long ago. It too had the glowing cement. Traveler looked up; he could not take his eyes off the brownish black roof that appeared to be made of mahogany. Traveler thought these places existed in books or movies. He never thought he would be able to see it with his own eyes.

Once inside the castle walls, straight in front of him was the main castle. It had the cone shape roofs, the zipper-teeth edges, and the arched windows. Traveler was surprised how similar it looked to the castle of Camelot. It was gorgeous from a distance; it was even better up close. Traveler noticed they did not take him through the front door. They led him around to the back, as if he was a celebrity trying to avoid the crowds. Once inside, Traveler noted the bricks were no longer white but turned into a smooth marble gray color. As they walked to the steps of the king's throne, Jelly gave Traveler some last minutes advice.

"When you meet the king, fall to your knees and bow."

"What if I don't?"

"Then these men will cut your head off."

"Good to know."

The king's chamber looked spacious. The room's decorations were plush as one would think a king would have. A red runner made of deer hind laid from the doorway to the king's private throne. The wall tapestries of the king and his family wrapped all along the wall, but Traveler spotted a bare spot on the wall.

Traveler knew that wall tapestries served a dual purpose; livening up the room with different colors and keeping the heat in. The windows had long dark purple curtains to keep the sun out in the morning. The king had three steps to climb before reaching his throne. The king's advisers made sure that his height was the tallest in the room, even when sitting down. Traveler and Jelly stood at the lowest part of the steps, waiting for the king to greet them. The king entered from his side door. Everyone got to their knees and bowed. Traveler could not help but took a quick glance. The king was a strapping young man, dressed in royal fashion. He had curly dark brown hair and walked upright. He marched to his throne with purpose; with each step he took, he had authoritative meaning behind it. The king did not look happy.

"Who is this intruder that enters my kingdom?" The king ordered.

"If it pleases the king, I would like to introduce myself." Traveler did his best old English impression.

"State your name."

"My name is Traveler Sands." The guards and advisers surrounding the king's chamber gasped. The king's eye shifted to crowd's reaction.

"Liar, the only Sands that is allowed into my kingdom is Jacob.

Traveler did not know what to say. By this time, he stopped his impression. "Umm, that's my name. I don't know what else to tell you."

"Wait my king," Jelly said. "My beacon went off when this person entered Kapricia. That could only mean one thing; Master Jacob has returned from the dragon's mouth."

There was that word again. Kapricia, what that heck is that? Traveler thought.

"I am sorry Windbottom. Our forest says otherwise. This is not Master Sands. If it was then our forest wouldn't label him as an intruder." The king seemed firm with his stance.

"The Visorist can heal his body." Jelly pleaded because he knew he could not be wrong. "The forest could have detected a different energy, and the years of imprisonment could have distorted it."

"No Windbottom, there is only one way to know," The king said.

"Please Sire; the younger form of Master Sand cannot withstand the pressure of the Paths of Trials. He could die," Jelly said.

"Windbottom, understand that we are at war and if the forest have detected our young visitor as an enemy and by this detection he is marked as an enemy of the territory and must be prepped for an execution. Unless, he can prove who he is." The king said as he turned to Traveler. "If you are who you say you are, then you can prove it by touching the 'Prism of Light'," The king said giving Traveler his only chance to live.

The king gave a nod towards the crowd, one of the bodyguards threw down a crystal ball creating another puff of smoke, and the king's chamber turned instantly into a gas chamber. When the smoked cleared, they emerged in the middle of the forest again.

"Traveler, you must go down the Path of Trials and prove yourself. Then you may go home." The king pointed to an opening path into the forest.

Traveler looked at Jelly "Okay what do I need to do?"

"Master, this is the path you need to take to prove who you are. At the end, when you see the Prism of Light, you need to lift it over your head. If you pass the test, then you are Master Sands. Unfortunately, if you are not the person who they think you are, then they will mark you for an execution," Jelly said.

"Execution- what- wait, I don't understand?" Traveler said.

"Well, Execution means-"

"I know what it means but- hey..." The king's guards pushed Traveler to the start of the path before he could get a chance to veto the idea, "...that hurts."

"If you find the Prism of Light, then we will know your true fight." The king gave his last command.

There was no way that Traveler could outmuscle the guard, however, that did not stop him from trying. He tried to turn around, but the grip of the guard was too tight. He tried to enlist the aid of Mother Nature by digging his heels into the ground, but that left him with sore knees and dirty shoes. There was no way around it; the guard was determined to finish his task. Traveler made his final attempt of resistance by raising his hand and unbelievably, it worked. The king commanded the guard to stop and Traveler asked,

"Umm, what if I don't want to go?"

"Then you will be arrested as an intruder and be hung," The king said with a firm voice. "Our Kingdom is at war and our territory is not open to unfamiliar kinds. Everyone that enters our land is an enemy, we trust no one. We have learned our lesson."

Now, his last chance to go home remained on his owns terms. "Okay, I guess it's do or die," Traveler said.

The guard finally reached the beginning of the path. He shoved Traveler into the opening. Traveler stumbled forward a little while giving a dirty look towards the guard, as if he was saying sarcastically, "Thanks." He stared down the path. It looked like a long winding dirt path with falling leaves. It gave the impression of being like something you would see on a Hallmark greeting card, with the captions saying, "If I wasn't so naturally breathtaking, you wouldn't trust me."

"Good luck kid." The guard's words and shoulder tapping gesture startled Traveler causing him to finch. He turned back staring down the long path again. He mustered up the courage to take a couple of steps forward. Suddenly, his nerve got the best of him; he decided to turn back around. It would have been a great plan, if it were not for the forest trees rooting up from the ground and closing up the entrance. He was on his own again. He slowly took a few small steps forward, and he did not know what to expect or where to go. He had this feeling that he forgot something. In a way, he did not forget anything because he never brought anything with him at first. All he had was the clothes on his back but he still felt naked. He wished he had a map or even a weapon, anything to fill the naked void. However, still feeling the emptiness, he marched on.

Traveler walked for a while until he reached a fork that had three different pathways. He just stared at the pathways. He did not know where to go. However, he did feel a little different, all of his senses seemed to be in a higher dimension. He could smell the dirt on the path and the leaves on the trees. The air around him seemed to have a different smell. At the fork, the three pathways had different scents. He could not explain it, but one path smelled better than the other paths. He continued down the path that had the best scent. It was the obvious choice. He realized that this must be some test, but a test for what?

Traveler reached another fork in the path. This time, it had four different pathways. He stood for a moment and sniffed the air, and nothing smelled different.

"Why can't everything I do be easy?" He said to himself.

He needed to find someway to fill the prolonged quietness. He stood there staring at the four pathways desperately trying to find clues. Then...

Swoooish!

A feathery touch graced across Traveler's ear. To a common person, it could have felt like a fly buzzing around the ear, but he essentially avoided a deadly blow to the back of his head. He instinctually avoided the fatal shot and hit the ground preparing for any looming ambushes. There was a momentary silence; he spied to the left then the right. Just above his eyesight, the arrow attached itself to the tree's trunk. He pushed himself up, hopped to his feet, and walked over to the arrow, which happen to have a note wrapped around its shaft.

The arrow had a slick design. The feathers that guided the arrow had a spiral pattern with alternating colors of red and black. He gripped the arrow and gave it a strong tug. It did not move. He tightened his grip and pulled even harder. It still did not budge. Traveler had inadvertently gotten himself involved in a tug-of-war match with the tree's trunk. Frustrated, he placed his feet on the trunk trying to create more force. Now gripping with two hands, he closed his eyes and pulled with all his might. His bulging undeveloped bicep muscles tensed up and the beads of sweat dripped down his neck. He sounded like a wounded moose trying to pull himself out of the mud. Suddenly, gravity forced him to the ground. After an intense struggle, he managed to uncork the arrow. He raised his hands in victory and gave a few words of unsportsmanlike behavior, which cannot be mentioned in this story.

With the victorious prize in his possession, he separated the note. In one hand, enclosed the brown tattered note, and on the other hand, clenched the shiny black shaft of the arrow with a red tip. For a moment, he could feel the arrow in his hand, but after a second look, the arrow dissolved into ashes and floated away with the wind. He unrolled the note looking forward to his prize.

Ut levissimo tenebrae of nox noctis dies et adveniens, sed adhuc remanere tempore crescit. Si adhuc ignarus stuck in principio sit amet.

"What! You have got to be kidding me! I DON'T KNOW HOW TO READ LATIN!" he yelled pumping his fist at the sky.

Traveler never got this agitated before, but with his recent victory, he now felt cheated with the negative outcome. Nothing was going his way and a person can only take so much. In his angry state of mind, he threw the note on the ground. With his hands on his hips, he stared at the four pathways and went straight into his newly created not caring mode. Unexpectedly, a gust of wind lifted the note up and into the air. It floated above Traveler's head. He had the foresight to look up and noticed the writing had changed. The note dangled in the air as if it was teasing him. He reached up for the note that was just within his grasp and brought it back down to read it. It still had the Latin writing that haunted him in the beginning. He was just about to reenact his angry melodramatic monologue, but he stopped. He held the note up and found the writing had changed into something he could understand.

As the darkest of nights and the lightest of days comes and goes, still I remain as the time grows. If ye is still stuck without a thought, at the beginning is a good start.

Traveler's eyes lit up. He stared at the big gray rock in his sights. He walked over and pretended to model for Rodin, which is one of Traveler's favorite artists.

"Hmmm, the darkest of nights and lightest of days...," his eyes moved up a little trying to analyze the riddle. "...at the beginning is a good start."

He tapped his finger on his forehead and suddenly, his eyes lit up again.

"I got it; they must be talking about history."

He looked at the four pathways and saw that one of them looked much different from the others. He could not explain but one of the paths looked more animated as if it was pulsing like a heartbeat. The choice did not seem obvious, but the pulsing path called to him as if it was sending out a hypnotic message. Traveler trusted his heart and stepped forward. A slight nervous trembling lingered as he continued his test, but his confidence soared when the note disappeared in his hands.

"I guess that is a good thing."

After a few hours, Traveler found himself on his knee, gasping from thirst. He kept wondering if he went down the right path. He argued with himself thinking if he should backtrack, but powered through. Little by little, he crawled along the path hoping for an answer. He lifted his head occasionally making sure he did not direct his head into a tree. When he looked up for the third time, he saw a babbling brook.

"YES," He said hoarsely to himself.

He did not have the energy to get up, so his other alternative was to crawl his way to the water source. He moved his arms and knees as fast as he could until...SLAM.

"Not again." He said rubbing his head.

The dehydration decided to play tricks with his mind. There was nothing else to do, but keep moving and hoping to bring life back into his body.

Down that path, his eyes ventured upon another obstacle. The grassy opening was much like the previous ones; the two suns still beamed down on the fresh green grass with various sized grayish, white rocks in scattered random places. He was relieved to see the little grassy knoll. The only difference is that this opening had five different paths that forked out to several directions and a watery oasis off to the side. His eyes dilated while taking in the view of the wet salvation. He crawled as fast as he could toward the pond and submerged his head into the water. He drank the cool soothing liquid so fast that it went through his mouth and nose at the same time. For when that happened, he popped his head out and coughed out the rest of the water. He was not at all bothered by the moment.

The coughing was drowned out by a delightful melody coming from the tops of the trees. There was a large area of vibrant green leaves and bits of brown branches that stood with white doves perched singing their hearts out. They looked like white polka dots in a natural fabric pattern.

Traveler walked to the middle of the low grassy terrain. It looked just as nice as a putting green on a golf course. He noticed a sad looking tree. It was the weirdest tree he has ever seen, it had no leaves; it was just bare down to its dark brown bark. It looked malnourish and underdeveloped, however, this tree had a purpose. This particular tree was not used for any other purpose other than to be a perching station for the other doves. Yes, there stood five doves with different feather patterns than the ones on the treetops. Their tiny feet clenched on to the branch not moving an inch. The doves turned their heads looking in every direction. They each had their own patterns that resembled letters of the alphabet. It spelled the word "CAGED."

"Maybe this has to do with the book, 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'."

There was a metal bucket on each side of the tree hanging on a small nub. Inside, there was a sea of red berries filled halfway up.

"I guess I have to feed these birds."

He carefully reached in and picked a berry. He had to be cautious because he did not know what to expect. He stared at the birds and noticed them looking at the berry. Traveler shifted his hand to the far right and the birds followed with their heads. Then, he reversed left and the birds' heads did the same. He found it amusing, but that lasted for seconds. He flung the berry up with his thumb giving it the right amount of trajectory towards the group of birds. The nearest one, which happened to be the dove with the letter "D," ate it with one big gulp.

After eating the berry, the bird did something majestic. They must have been specially trained birds because he fluttered his wings and opened his beak sprouting out sparks of light. Slowly, a series of musical notes pealed through the forest. The dove sang a perfectly pitched musical scale.

Traveler could not help but smile after hearing the elegant notes. However, his happy moment struck with an unforeseen interruption. Unexpectedly, two arrows shot out of the trees. Both arrows were aimed right at Traveler's head. However, just before the attack, Traveler's body vibrated causing his body to duck involuntarily for cover; the spastic reaction had a positive outcome. The two arrows narrowly missed his head but managed to give a small trim off his hair near his ears, a look that his barber could be proud of. From the dirt ground, he pushed himself up and brushed his hair back checking for a sign of blood. Glad that he was okay, he dusted himself off and pointed to the recently fed dove.

"Well, I shouldn't feed that one again."

He took a moment to reflect. He had heard that music before but he could not remember where or when. He decided to feed another bird. He grabbed another berry and threw it at the bird with an "A" on it. The bird sang a series of notes again and this time, three arrows came at him in different directions. He barely saw them coming and tried to jump out of the way. The arrows managed to graze him on his arm and leg. He grabbed his wounds and grimaced in pain.

"Okay. I definitely shouldn't feed that bird."

He knew the puzzle had to deal with music and it reminded him of the time his mother made him take music lessons. He wished he paid more attention.

Traveler's mother went through a phase where she wanted one of her kids to learn music. Since Jake was involved with sports, that left Traveler to carry the load. His mother insisted that he learn to play the piano. Even with long hours of practice, he never enjoyed the piano. He could always find the right note to play, but his timing and coordination did not mix well. After a month of playing the piano, Traveler and his mother decided it was not for them.

"Hmmm, I fed the "D" and "A" bird. What do these two letters have in common with music?" Traveler said. "Since I heard musical scales, I think this has something to do with key signatures ...Hmmm the key of "D" has two sharps and the key of "A" has three sharps. I've got it. I hope this works."

Traveler fed another berry to one of the birds and looked around preparing for his evasive maneuvering. There was a moment the slightest movement could have made him panic. However, in this case, nothing happened and the nothingness was well received. He let down his guard and watched for a change. The birds that perched all around the trees flew in the air and gathered at one pathway. They sang their song again. He was happy to hear that sound again because now he had his answer. He was a little cut up but still alive as he walked through the path.

After his recent successful outcome, he fervently walked along the path with the song "Staying Alive" playing in his head. He reached another low grassy terrain, but it was a dead-end. The grass opening did not allow for another path.

"Finally, this must be the last spot," He sighed.

When he reached the middle of the opening, the surrounding tree behind him merged closing the path. He stood in the middle for a brief moment, but nothing happened.

Traveler spotted a large brown object nearby. It was a large stump with the surface as smooth as silk. He also noticed a carving impression on the side and recognized that it looked like a handprint, but it was not a normal four fingers and a thumb handprint. This handprint had only had two fingers with one of them looked like a thumb. He tried to force his hand in the finger grooves, hoping that would be the key to the puzzle. He tried a different combination, but after several attempts, he realized his actions were useless. However, it finally dawned on him the fingers were pointing in a direction.

He walked toward the wall made of tree branches intertwined with leafy green vines. He carefully reached into the wall and slowly sifted through the vines. He did not know what he would be looking for, but he had a feeling that he would find it if he saw it. And within a heartbeat he noticed something that didn't belong, a long shiny black volcanic branch. He had seen something like this before in Mr. Miller's science's class, but it was a rock instead. Mr. Miller explained that this rock was called obsidian, which was a black volcanic glass. It looked so beautiful and glossy when he saw it for the first time.

Now, Traveler was able to recognize it in a tree branch version. He reached and with a tight grip, he tried to pull it down. At first, the lever would not budge, but he was persistent and pulled down with all his might. The lever finally gave up and started to descend slowly. Once the lever reached the bottom, there was a slight quake.

Traveler nearly lost his balance, but he was able to see a glowing light coming out of the tree stump. A pedestal, which had the same intricate design he had seen before, had arisen from the stump, carrying the glowing light higher and higher. As the object rose higher, the light grew brighter, almost blinding him.

"This must be the prism of light," He said as he raised his hand to cover the overbearing radiance.

With the loss of one of his visual senses, he pushed forward. He found it difficult to navigate his body toward the one vital task he needed to complete. It was not because he could not see, but rather he felt this invisible force pushing him back. He reached a point where he felt that he could not move forward any more, but the final task was just within his reach.

With the outreach of the final prize, it required him to stretch his skinny arm as far as he could. This resulted with the loss of his temporary sunglasses he had used earlier to avoid being overpowered by the light. He had to turn his head slightly to the right and barely kept his eyelids open. The tiny slit was just enough for the luminousness environment; it was important to him to keep one eye on the prize and the other away from the dazzling radiance. The extension of his arms and the forward lean of his body was just enough of a reach for the prism. At first, he could not find the prism, but through his determination, he managed to grasp it with a strong grip. He triumphantly raised it above his head and looked around, but nothing transpired. He continued to hold up the prism, but something was not right. He smelled a differentness in the air; a differentness that he had smelled before, and a tingle sensation came down his back. All of these signs pointed to something negative, which caused him to bend his knees involuntarily causing his body to drop with the prism of light in his hand. Then, the prism of light shattered from his hands releasing tiny sparks of light bursting in all directions. He saw a shadowy figure with a large red sword that he had swung at the prism of light, but the shadowy figure swung for his neck.

The trees untangled themselves and emerging from the trees were Jelly, the king, and the rest of the people. They all cheered and ran to him, but he stepped back avoiding the cheerful mob.

What did I do that was so great? Traveler thought.

He was not used to the proper etiquette of a happy crowd that wanted nothing more but to carry him on their shoulders. As a collective group, they walked over to the awaiting king. There was a moment of silence. The king raised his sword and pointed at Traveler. He flinched, but then relaxed when the king said,

"You have passed the Path of Trials. You are an Electus."

The crowd cheered again and set him down. Jelly ran up to him with great happiness on his face.

"Traveler that was magnificent! You passed the Path of Trials faster than anyone before you. You are not Jacob Sands, you are much better."

"I don't understand. How long does it take to pass the Trials?"

"The fastest person that went through the Path of Trials did it in one day, which was Jacob Sands, and you did it in under 12 hours."

Traveler wanted to be excited about the news. He had never done anything to make people excited. However, he did not feel so good. He was exhausted and felt his legs buckle beneath him. He wobbled a little and finally landed face down into Jelly's arms.

"I guess the little guy could not handle the excitement." The head guard said to the king.

"I guess not Radius," The king said.

"Jelly, take Traveler to the infirmary and give him some medical attention," The king said.
Chapter 10

# So Grandpa is not in San Diego

Traveler struggled to open his eyes. He found himself underneath his soft white sheets covered by his thick periodic table of elements bedcover. He expected different surroundings because the last thing he remembered was his adventurous journey through the forest. He raised his arms giving out a loud yawn, but found it not that liberating. He could feel his muscle throbbing in parts of his body that have never hurt before.

"That was one crazy dream I had. It felt so real," Traveler said.

He heard the patter of footsteps and soft whispers outside his door.

"Mom, Dad, is that you?" He yelled.

He anticipated his parents to answer, but the footsteps continued pass the door. Traveler was just about to flip the sheets and head out the door when a man with green eyes and long black hair, wearing a bright white robe with a hood entered the room without using the door. The walls of the room slid open like shower curtains. He grabbed the chart that was at the end of his bed and flipped the page.

"I guess you're up, we had a bit of a scare, but looks like you are all better," The man with green eyes said in a soothing voice.

"Where – how – what are you doing in my room?" Traveler panicked.

"Whoa, settle down there. Relax, you are in the healing wing. There is nothing to be worried about."

"If this is a hospital then how come you're in my room?"

"Traveler, these are charmeleon curtains. They help with the healing process," He continued to explain, "People with positive attitudes heal faster and these curtains put you in a familiar area." He went over to the curtains to prove his point. "See."

Traveler was flabbergasted. The entire wall wave side to side like window curtains on a windy day. Even though it was the most remarkable thing he has ever seen, he preferred to be in his real bed with real walls and his mother in the kitchen cooking the most wonderful homemade chicken soup ever. Besides his current symptoms, homesickness should have been on the charts.

"Wait, my parents must be worried sick about me. I haven't been home in hours... I have to go home!" Traveler said.

"Traveler, don't worry. You mustn't worry so much. The time in your world stops when you are here," The green-eyes man said.

"It does?" Traveler said with a mystified look.

"Yes, many of our Electus go on a journey for days, weeks, or sometimes months. So not to raise any suspicions, the mirror stops your time. You'll learn more about it when you go to Academy."

"Academy?"

"Traveler, the important thing now is you need your rest."

"Are you my doctor?"

"Well, I am one of the Visorist here."

"Umm, can you tell me your name?"

"Caleb..."

Just as he said that, Jelly came charging through the curtains.

"Traveler, Young Master, you are up," Jelly said

"Well, it looks like you have a visitor." Caleb turned to Traveler. "Whenever you feel like it, you can get out of this bed."

"Thanks Caleb."

As Caleb headed out of the room, a series of clicking noises followed afterwards.

Traveler noticed the uncommon appendages sticking out of the white robe. Whoa, a centaur. Traveler thought.

"Young Master, you are going to miss your party. Everyone is waiting for you. Hurry and get dressed," Jelly said.

Traveler saw the new clothes sitting on a chair and in a short instant, he was dressed and walked through the curtains finding Jelly sitting on the bed and chewing on his nails.

"You know that's a bad habit." Traveler said with an appalling look.

Jelly wiped his slobbery fingers on his clothes.

"Young Master, another bad habit is being late for a king's party. You could get hung," Jelly replied.

"Well then let's get a move on," Traveler said.

They both ran out of the hospital wing almost knocking Caleb down in the process. They reached the entrance to the great mess hall. Traveler stared in awe at the humongous double doors that were tall enough to fit two basketball players that stood on top of each other. The doors did not have any knobs to open them; the only things available were these large brass circles.

The doors had a decorative plane in the shape of a half circle covering both doors. They grabbed a door handle and pulled with all their might. As the door opened, Traveler saw large amount of people sitting at round wooden tables. The main table was the only table that had a white tablecloth.

Suddenly, a sparkling light came trickling down from the top of the doorframe. Traveler was hesitant to walk through it. Jelly explained to him that it cleans people before they eat. Traveler felt the sparkling light touch his body. It was a little ticklish, but the sensation felt rejuvenating. Traveler smelled the lemony zestness after walking through it. The king signaled for the both for them to sit at the head table. On the way up, the other guests kept staring and pointing as if Traveler was some big movie star walking down the red carpet.

"Jelly, why are they staring at me?" Traveler said tapping Jelly on the shoulder.

"Because they think you are the one to end this war, The Savior."

"I don't think I could get used to this."

"Well Young Master, you should not say those words. Electus are confident and being you is the best thing that could happen to this place."

When they both reached their chairs, the king stood up and made his announcement.

"Now that our guest of honor is here," the king said pointing towards Traveler with all five of his fingers. "Let us begin the party." After an arousing cheer, the king raised his hand quieting the crowd. "I hear that our chef Krispen Culinare has design a wondrous meal for this occasion. Let's eat and be merry!"

The king pulled down on the rope that was near him and the top of the ceiling opened. A glitter of light came raining down. When the sparklets of light hit the plates and goblets, it materialized into a gorgeous meal and tasty drinks.

Traveler knew only one person sitting at the main table, but that did not stop him from enjoying the celebration. After settling in, each movement he made seemed like an inner struggle with himself. His mind and body were not on the same wavelength. The day filled with uncommon activities meant Traveler's muscles still ached, and the food was nowhere near enough to replenish his strength to recover from soreness. However, when he concentrated hard at the food in front of him, or the lack of it, the scarcity of the meal bothered him. He inched his eyebrows closely together and shifted his eyes up to the left. Jelly noticed his different demeanor.

"Traveler, is there something bothering you? Are you not hungry?" Jelly asked.

As it was he was starving, nevertheless, he did not want to be rude and complain about the measly portions. He felt cheated which caused him to search for answers. Using his heightened senses, he looked across the room. He found it relieving that everyone had the same portion.

Traveler tried to savor each bite of his succulent chicken and sighed with relief after every sip of his drink. When he finished with the small portion he had, he frantically looked around the table as if he was a dog looking for that extra piece of meat to satisfy his animal urges. Then, a tiny particle of light came down ever so softly. It swayed a little to the left and right like a snowflake would do. When it reached the plate, it expanded to the size of the plate and shrank back down to nothing, leaving behind another delicious meal. His eyes widened with amazement. He realized he was wrong, which was something that he was not accustomed to feeling. He grabbed the food and shoved it in his face. Something so small never felt so great. The goblets too had the same experience. They would also refill themselves when a tiny particle of light engulfed the cup, leaving behind this flavorful honey drink the locals call Ebok. The endless food and the bottomless drink kept the party going.

As the celebration continued, different accents and laughters rumbled throughout the mess hall. No matter what level of volume the voices were or how much spilled wine people wore, nobody complained. Most of the guests had a story or joke to tell, which gave people reasons to laugh and cheer their way off their chairs. The celebration went well into the night. He looked around to watch the other people enjoying the party. He noticed the absence of Jelly. He searched around vigorously for his green feather cap. He managed to get a glimpse of him leaving out the side of the door. He excused himself from the table and pursued his newfound friend.

As Traveler walked out the door, he was taken back by the striking colors. It looked like a Jackson Pollok painting, but more organized. He never realized how a certain arrangement of the flowers' colors could be so beautiful. He noticed Jelly sitting underneath a rainbow of flowers. He walked along the stone path and sat next to him. For the first couple of minutes, not one word was spoken.

"So..." Jelly raised his hand, cutting off Traveler's words.

"Young Master," Jelly began. "My heart filled with joy when my beacon illuminated after ten years. I never thought I would be able to see Master Sands again."

He paused. Traveler did not know if he needed to say anything. Jelly reached inside his pockets and pulled out a necklace. It was made from a long thin leathery string and in the middle was what appeared to be a large tooth.

"Your grandfather, my master, gave this to me on our first journey. We fought a two-headed dog and I recognized a weakness in the dog's neck- something overlooked by him. He flung his body and stabbed the weak point and the dog fell. He grabbed two teeth from the dog's mouth and he told me that I deserved one of them."

"So my Grandpa was some warrior," Traveler said.

"Yes, he was an Electus, one of the best."

"So you knew him before he went catatonic."

"Well, I was the reason he went lost."

Traveler filled his body with confusion and anger.

"Jelly, you need to tell me what happened."

"Yes." Jelly took a deep breath in. "I spoke to him in a dream and told him I knew where Terrorene was. He had not fought in a longtime, but he insisted on going. I told him where the source was and he entered the mind within minutes."

"You mean with the mirror?"

"Yes that is the key to Kapricia."

"Oh, so Kapricia is the place of people's minds."

"Yes," Jelly said. "We entered this mind that was very heavily guarded. It takes on the form of Alzheimer's disease in your world. Master Sands knew the risks and prepared as best as he could. We walked for days, in a mind filled with traps and Tecks. We fought each of them with extreme precision, not wasting an ounce of energy. He was not rusty one bit. It was not until we reached Terrorene fortress that we started to weaken ourselves. He suggested that we alert the other Electus, but I insisted we move quickly before Terrorene moved to a different mind. We searched the large fortress. We almost gave up until we found him. Terrorene was a hard person to pursue and every Electus' sole purpose is to find and kill him. He is the main source to ending the war. Master Sands quickly lunged forward and tried to attack him. But Terrorene seemed to expect our visit and blocked his attack."

"Who is this Terrarnene?"

"No Traveler, it is pronounced Tear-a-nee," Jelly said. "Terrorene is the leader of the Darthinia." Traveler received the information with a perplexed look. "Jacob had almost captured Terrorene, but Terrorene's pet red dragon busted through the wall and tried to eat him."

Traveler gasped, "So my Grandpa is dead."

"No Young Master, Terrorene's dragon was a prison. He struggled in the mouth of the dragon. I saw fear on his face before the dragon closed his mouth and swallowed him whole. I tried to give him his Smoke Ryder but Terrorene grabbed it in midair. There was nothing I could do, once Jacob was in the belly, I disappeared from Kapricia." Jelly stopped talking and hung his head in shame. "I told Master Sands that I would keep his Smoke Ryder safe with me. If he still had it, we would have been able to escape. It was my fault we pursued Terrorene without help; it was my fault he was without his Smoke Ryder; it was my fault he got caught."

The story stopped and Jelly's eyes seemed drained. "I thought he had somehow escaped when you enter Kapricia. But you probably had the same energy as your grandfather and the beacon got confused."

"Wait a minute. My Grandpa is in San Diego, not in some red dragon's stomach prison."

"No Young Master. In the Kapricia world, if you die, then you die in your world. If you get captured, you lose your control of your mind, body, and spirit."

"I thought time stopped in my world."

"It does, but when you die or get captured, your body returns and time continues."

"So if time continues here, then do I get older when I go back?"

"Oh my young one, you have many questions. You'll know more once you attend the academy. However, the easy answer is the body in your world doesn't change but you grow much wiser and stronger in your mind."

"I see."

Jelly lifted the necklace over his head and began to slip it on, but stopped.

"Traveler, I think this belongs to you more than it belongs to me. Do not worry I have another one."

Jelly slowly reached over Traveler's head and laid the necklace down on his collar.

"Thanks Jelly."

"I think it is time we go back to the celebration."

They both got up feeling a little better. As they walked back to the party, Traveler asked, "So Jelly, are you going to be my helper?"

"I don't know Young Master. That is not up to me to decide and it is not helper, it is Calic."
Chapter 11

# The Electus Struggles

When they came back to the party, it was as lively as ever. Everyone was enjoying the party. Minstrel skipped around playing their wonderful tunes. Jester mastered the art of multitasking by walking and juggling lit torches. The wine and Ebok flowed throughout the night making sure that everyone benefited from the party. Jelly and Traveler went to the head table to find their seats, but what they found was the king missing from his throne.

"Where is King Gavel?" Jelly asked the Queen.

"Hello Jelly, do not be worried. He will be back soon. But he did ask if Traveler would join him in his chambers," Queen Gavel said.

"Did you hear that Young Master?" Jelly said.

"Yeah, I heard it. Just show me the way," Traveler said.

Traveler made his way to the king's chambers. As he walked along the hallway, different portraits caught his sight. They were not pictures of past Kings or Queens. They were pictures of knights. They hung on the wall telling their stories in a nonmoving cinematic way as if they were optical illusions giving people different views. Some of them were fighting large seven-headed creatures. While others fought with demonic humans, which look as if they came from the depths of volcanic lava, with charred skin and large bloodshot eyes. One of them caught his attention. It looked like Grandpa Sands at Traveler's age. He noticed Grandpa intricate black and silver armor, silky white cape, and sparkling silver sword. He knew he recognized the silver sword from before. Traveler was glad that he had some family resemblance. He continued down the hall thinking very highly of himself.

As he got closer to the king's chambers, he heard loud scribbling. He turned the corner to find a woman with black hair tied up in a bun. She had on dark black glasses and wore a nice red outfit consisting of a jacket and pencil skirt. She was sitting at a large beautifully crafted wood desk.

I don't remember seeing her when I was here the first time. Traveler thought to himself.

He stood there and watched the different events that were about to transpire.

"Sorry the king's time is valuable. He is booked up until next month. Write back again in a month. We appreciate your letter please write again. Goodbye," The girl said with a high-pitched attentive voice.

From faraway, she looked like she was talking to herself. As Traveler got closer, she grabbed a piece of yellowish parchment and placed it in the basket labeled OUT. Then another piece of parchment materialized from the air and landed on her desk. She looked down to read it and started to talk again. Suddenly, a white feather quill jumped out of its ink holder and started scribbling words by itself. Traveler finally figured out the quill was writing what she was saying.

"Yes, the tomatoes are ready for the public punishment..." She looked down for the response. "...No they are not big tomatoes. The best we could do is Roma. Sorry better planning on your part could have prevented this. We appreciate your letter please write again. Goodbye."

She grabbed the letter and threw it into the basket. Then, she glanced up and noticed Traveler standing watching her. Her eyes widened as if she found her long lost friend.

"Oh hi there, you're Traveler right?" Traveler tried to answer back. "Yeah you are, aren't you? Oh my gosh, the whole planet is buzzing about your presence. They say you are the one," She said in high-pitched excitement. Traveler tried to say something, but... "I hope you are the one, because I am tired of this war. It is a lot work for me. Just look at my eyes. Anyways, the king is expecting you. Please have a seat and I'll let him know you are here."

She picked up some pixie dust from the cup that was near her and blew them off towards the king's door.

"Oh by the way, my name is Sandy Pepperton. I know that it doesn't sound medieval, but I am not from around here. I get a lot of weird looks when I say my name." She noticed the pieces of yellowish parchment next to her started to overflow a little. "Oh my gosh, a secretary work is never done. I am sorry Traveler. I can't chit chat anymore I have to get back to work."

Traveler shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the chairs. He noticed the pixie dust was still moving through the air in a long sparkling stream. It did a couple of loops and went through the king's chamber doors.

This place gets weirder and cooler by the minute. Traveler thought.

"Hello General, the dwarfs are not done with the weapons. They tell me it is going to be another day..." She waited for a response. "...I am sorry, but I just relayed the information that is given to me. If you have a problem, you are more than welcome to write to them. We appreciate your letter, please write again. Goodbye," Sandy said.

Suddenly a red piece of parchment emerged from the air and landed on her desk. "Traveler, the king is ready to see you. Please walk on in and good luck to you," Sandy said.

The door opened without physical assistance. Traveler waved goodbye to Sandy, thinking he had made a new friend. The king quickly rose from his seat to greet Traveler. Traveler was happy to see the king, but also observed a bunch of people dressed in fancy medieval clothes leaving from the different doors.

"Traveler come in and have a seat," The king said. "I just ended a meeting with my advisers. They tell me you have heard many rumors. You may even have questions about me." The king sat down next to Traveler and began talking to Traveler in a soothing voice. "Do you know why you are here?"

"No I don't, but I do believe I earned the right to have some questions answered," Traveler said as the king nodded. "You called me an Electus from before. Is an Electus a warrior of some type?" Traveler asked.

"My young man, you have much to learn. I can tell you that Electus are the people that we use to fight against the Darthinia."

"Are those the people you are at war against?"

"Yes Traveler, their leader is Terrorene. He was an original Elder, but got greedy with power and tried to take over the Elder Council. The other seven Elders, fed up with his ways, exiled him. He vowed revenge as he walked away from the Territory."

"So, what does that have to do with me?"

"Terrorene got his revenge. He found a way to travel into the nearest planet that was inhabited by humans, which happens to be your Earth, and grew an army. He would enter your people's minds and create different types of Teck inside."

"Is a Teck a type of monster?"

"Yes. A Teck is created by Terrorene and attaches to Earth people's minds. When that happens, they instantly appear in the realm of Codextrius and amassing in Terrorene's army. The longer they are inside the stronger they become. Tecks can take on many forms of minor or major mental disorders such as phobias, depression, and mood disorders. When the Tecks grow stronger, they become serious mental disorders like Alzheimer, Schizophrenia, and Dissociative disorders."

"Really? I never knew that Terrorene caused all of these mental disorders?"

"No, some of the mental disorders are very real, but the majority are not. The Elders managed to help the Electus to identify which ones to attack by making them glow."

So that is why I saw Poppy and the rest of the people glowing. Traveler thought. "So why didn't you attack the Darthinia before they got stronger?" Traveler said.

"The Elders didn't know. Since Terrorene separated from the Council, they didn't think he would be strong enough to take on the rest of the Elders. However, they were wrong and he attacked first. He came quick and strong. The attack took everyone by surprise. We didn't even have a defense setup. This was a peaceful world. There is no need for weapons here at the time. Terrorene and his army easily captured the Center Castle. When the attack was over, they had taken over three fourths of Codextrius and the only thing that saved us that day was the cold mountain range. The Darthians don't like the cold weather. We were able to retreat and create an army quickly."

The king began to tear up a little.

"I was only a kid," The king said. "The attack killed the one I loved most in the world, my mother. My Dad lost many people because of this attack. He tried his best to protect his people, but could not. People say he died of a broken heart. So, from his death on, I vowed that when I become king, I would take back our land and restore Codextrius to its peaceful ways. I hope it is not too late."

The king continued to stare at the ground. The story created painful memories, which caused his tears.

Too late for what? Traveler thought. "So how do Electus help?" Traveler asked.

"Electus is the only way we can fight the Tecks in earth people's minds. If we kill them here, they dissolve into ashes and remerge in their castle. The only way to kill them is to eliminate the original Teck. However, to end the war, the ultimate goal is to slay Terrorene."

"Can't you slay Terrorene on Codextrius?"

"No, the Elders blocked Terrorene from entering back to Codextrius. He is trapped in Kapricia."

"Why don't you just enter the mind yourself?"

"We have tried that. Many of our people died traveling to your people's minds. However, the Elders did find a way. People from your earth can travel into your own people's mind. The Seven Elders sacrificed their body and created seven mirrors, then put their souls into them. They scattered the mirrors throughout your Earth. These mirrors are keys to traveling into the minds of your people."

"So let me get this straight." Traveler said. "Tecks are created by Terrorene, who is also the leader of Darthinia and used to be an Elder." The king nodded. "The other seven Elders created these mirrors to travel into earth people's minds." The king nodded again. "Now, people from earth who can travel into people's minds are called Electus and they are used to help you in your war with the Darthinia."

"Yes, Electus have been around for a long time. Anyone that was wise before his or her time, such as child prodigies, was probably an Electus. For example, Galileo Galilei, Christopher Marlowe, Karl Benz, Lucretia Maria Davidson, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Albert Einstein they were all Electus."

"Really?"

"Yes, and because of them, we fought back and took back half our realm, and now you are one of them. They are still stronger than us, but you may be the one to stop and end this war," The king looked at Traveler for a moment.

"Your Highness," Traveler said with ambition in his voice. "I just want to save my grandfather. I don't want to be a part of this war. How do you know I am the one?"

"We don't really know if you are the one to stop this war. However, that fire at the motel was no accident. Terrorene tried to kill you. If that is the case, you are in grave danger."

The spoken words did more than leave Traveler with a surprised look and speechless; he realized the fire was an assassination attempt.

"We don't know how he was able to control your people's actions, but yes, Terrorene tried to kill you. We fear that his magic is advancing and he is getting desperate. He knows about the prophecy of the second Sun. If he tried to kill you, then you must be the one to stop the war. I believe once your Grandfather was able to connect with you, Terrorene tracked you down."

"Wait, my grandfather connected with me and what is this Second Sun prophecy?" Traveler quickly blurted out the questions.

"Traveler, you need to calm down. I'll answer your many questions." The king raised his hand trying to ease Traveler's mind. "Yes, your grandfather connected with you. While trapped in the dragon's prison, he managed to use the rest of his magic to contact you. He knows now that it cannot wait any longer."

So that's why I had those visions. He said to himself.

"Wait, what did you say?" The king said.

"I said that is why I had those visions," Traveler said.

"You need to come with me quickly," The king said as he grabbed Traveler's arm and dragged him out the door.

"Wait, where are we going?"

"We are going to see Sedders. We need to get those visions out of your head before Terrorene takes them away."

"What do we need the visions for?"

"Traveler, those visions can help us find your grandfather."

The king lugged Traveler down the hall where they reached a metal door. The king gave the metal door a series of specific knocks as if he was putting in a combination. Afterwards, the metal door opened slowly by itself.

"Is this room a safe of some kind?" Traveler asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say so. This room belongs to Sedders. He is like a handyman where you come from," The king said.

BOOM!

The walls shook just as they walked through the door. They witnessed a small explosion with a large cloud of gray smoke.

"Sedders, are you okay? I need to see you."

Cough. Cough. "Yes, great successes!" Sedders said.

"Sedders!" The king said.

"Yes, my king, I will be with you once I am able to see you."

Traveler watched the smoke dissipate and saw a brown tree-like person. He had large green spiky hair as if his hair was imitating an explosion. His brown skin looked rough like tree bark, but as he got closer, it looked smoother. He was about the same size as the king. When he got even closer, Traveler noticed his gimpy walk.

"Traveler, this is Sedders. He is from the territory of Terrala, a Terarium," The king said.

"Do people from your land look like you do?" Traveler said with a weird look.

Sedders took a second to adjust his glasses. They were big and round. They barely fit on the bridge of his nose.

"What do you mean? I think I look like everyone else. Who's to say I don't look normal? What if I think you look different? I don't even know you, but you are truly offending me right now. I was just thinking to myself - How rude can this person be? Wait, stop."

Sedders raised his arm and held his palm in front of Traveler's face. Then, he turned around and wrote something down on the table. "Note to self – give wits facial emotions," Sedders mumbled to himself.

Traveler noticed Sedders' speech pattern was extremely fast as if he needed to get his thoughts out before he forgot them. Sedders then turned back and around. He examined Traveler's face closely. "Why are you here? I need to know why you are here. He must be a spy trying to get to my inventions."

"Sedders! Look at me and focus," The king said.

"I am sorry your highness. I get so worked up when I meet someone for the first time. I think everyone is out to get-"

"Sedders!"

"Sorry sire. How can I help you?"

"I need the Chaser."

"Yes Sire, I'll set it up," Sedders said to the king. However, as he walked away he began to mumble again. "I can't wait to fire this up again. It has been so long. I hope it works. I hope he doesn't have the same result as that elf..."

"Traveler, let's go into the next room," The king said.

"Wait, is this going to hurt?" Traveler asked.

"I am not going to lie to you. Yes, it is going to hurt. But it is going to be over quick," The king said.

They both walked into the next room and found a chair sitting in the middle of the room. Above, a metal bowl was attached to freestanding contraption.

"That looks like an electric chair," Traveler said.

"What is electric?" Sedders said. "How do you know words that I don't know about. You must be smarter than I must be. I thought I was the smartest in this territory. I can't believe I don't know that word."

"Sedders quiet," The king said.

Sedders humbly went back to setting up the machine.

"Traveler, I know I said this would hurt, but there is no need to be scared. In fact the more scared you are the more it is going to hurt. Now have a seat," The king said.

"Yes your highness."

Traveler sat in the chair while Sedders attached the metal bowl to his head.

"Okay, I am ready Sire," Sedders said.

"Fire it up," The king said.

There was a sudden clatter of metal and then the sounds of gears turning. Traveler felt this coldness inside his head. It had the same feeling as getting brain freeze. He grabbed the arms on the chair and began to squeeze. He tried to think about something else, but his head got colder and colder. The pain was too much. He tried to lift his arms to take off the metal bowl but he realized his arms were now tied to the chair. He started to shake as hard as he could, trying to free himself.

"Traveler, relax. It is almost done," The king said.

"Your-r-r Highne-ne-ness. I ca-ca-n't sssstand it. It wh-really hurtsss."

"Just a few more seconds."

Suddenly the whites in Traveler's eyes turned icy blue and his body shook.

"You will never win," Traveler said in a deep dark voice, then collapsed in the chair.

"Sedders, did you get anything! We need to hurry!" The king said.

"No. Sire. Sedders said.

"Quickly turn it off!"

Sedders pressed the red button that was near him and the machine began to wind down.

"Traveler, pull yourself together," The king said as the chair restraints untied themselves.

Traveler eyes were still icy blue. He began to shake violently. The king grabbed him and placed him on ground.

"This has never happened before. What do we do?" The king said.

"I don't know sire," Sedders said.

Suddenly Traveler's body began to arch up with his head and feet only touching the ground. He stood in midair for just a second until he crashed down. Once he hit the ground, the color returned in his eyes.

"What happen?" Traveler said.

"You passed out. But now you are okay," The king said.

"Did you get what you need?"

The king looked at Sedders to find him shaking his head.

"I am sorry Traveler we didn't get it. Terrorene must have removed it before we could get it. He must have set a trap of some kind."

"Am I okay?"

"Yes, you are fine now. How about we go back and I'll answer some more of your questions."

"Okay."

They both got up and left Sedders' room. As they walked down the hallway, Traveler asked. "Your Highness, you forgot to tell me about the Prophecy."

"I see, hmmmm, the second sun prophecy...the day you turned twelve, a second sun emerged in the sky. Before the Elders sacrifice themselves, they said when the second sun appears, a new day will come and the war will be over soon."

"Hey, can't you come to earth and use our weapons? We have atomic bombs, machine guns, and large tanks."

"Traveler...let's have a sit and I'll explain some more." The king had gently laughed then shook his head. They reached his chambers and took their seats. "Spoken like a warrior. Your weapons don't work here. As the king, I know everything and I have been to your world. I have to say that it is quite loud there and I would not go back. However, I know of your guns, tanks, and bombs. Our magic can easily repel them. The Elders taught us how to take the power of light and turn it into magic we can use. We used this magic to grow food, transport items, and defend our kingdom. Since the wood and rocks are natural gifts, magic can't affect it in any way." The king grabbed his head and sat on his throne. "Traveler that is enough information for one day, I understand this is new to you. I promise once you start your training your questions will be answered. I just wanted to let you know why you are here. Also, I want you to accept your duties and help this kingdom. It is the only way to save your grandfather and your family. I'll give you the night to decide."

"Thank you, your high..." Traveler said, but was interrupted by the king's raised hand.

"Jacob always called me Archer. I hope you can do the same."

"Archer...I don't know if I am ready for this." Traveler got up from his seat and walked towards the door. Then he stopped and turned around. "But what if I die?"

"I am sorry Traveler, I can't answer that question. Please take the night to decide."

Traveler should have had a great night's sleep without worrying about Jake. However, there was too much going on in his mind. He flung the sheets and hopped out of bed. He grabbed one of the candles he had on his nightstand and the candle lit up without the use of matches. However, it was not a fire light it was more of a star light; Traveler walked down the corridor. He did not know where he wanted to go, but anything was better than lying in his bed. He made his way down to the second floor by way of the spiral staircase. At the bottom of the steps, he glanced at the large double doors. He glanced at the sign ARCUS and opened the door carefully. He saw the massive amount of books filling the room. There were two floors of books. Something caught his eye in the back of the Arcus. It was a glowing parchment in a glass display near the wall. He went over to look at it and stared at the plaque. It was in Latin, so he could not read it.

He glanced behind the glass display. He noticed a large map hanging on the wall. He reached up to feel the material. It had a paper-like texture but felt more like cotton as if it was made from large sheets of money. He took a couple of steps back and revealed that it was the realm of Codextrius. However, it was not a normal map like the maps in his geography class. This one displayed many colorful lights in many different locations. He stood intently staring at the map as if an art critic would study an inspirational painting. Unexpectedly, one of the lights disappeared, as a candle's light would by a strong gust of wind. He continued to gaze and the lights continued to disappear slowly one by one.

Suddenly, there was a soft voice behind him.

"The answers you are looking for are not in this room, Traveler."

He turned around and saw a woman with long dirty blonde hair. She had a long green grown with gold trimmings.

"Do I know you?" Traveler asked.

"Do not be alarmed, my name is Elwyn Gavel."

"You don't look like the Queen, so you must be Archer's Sister."

"Yes, I knew I would find you here. I have to say that great minds do think alike. Your grandfather wandered to this same place on his first night."

"Really, what was my grandfather like?"

"He was a good and kind man. He did a wonderful job, but I am sorry Traveler. I am not here to talk about your grandfather."

Traveler stared back at the map and then back at Elwyn.

"What do the lights represent?" Traveler asked as he pointed at the map.

"Traveler, this is the map of Codextrius. The lights you see there are the souls of the individual who live on this land," Elwyn explained.

"So what does it mean when they disappear?"

Elwyn walked over to the map and gave it a light touch.

"This map is special. When the light disappears..." Elwyn lingered in her thoughts before continuing. "It means that someone has died."

"But how can this happen? Are we fighting right now?"

"Terrorene has found a way to steal small amounts of energy from this land and its people. He uses that energy to power his dark magic. Given enough time, he can steal your life away."

"But I thought he was stuck in Kapricia?"

"Yes, there is a powerful crystal ball that lies in the heart of his castle center. From there, it continues to drain energy. However, we have found a way to slow down its effects and so it only concerns our aged inhabitants."

"So people are dying as we speak."

"Yes. But I am here for another purpose. I am here to give you this," Elwyn said as Traveler looked down and saw a journal.

"Traveler, I gave this same book to your grandfather." "I see the same qualities in your grandfather as I do with you. This will help you with your adventures." Traveler grabbed the journal and tried to open it. "This is not just any book. This book is made with paper made from the illuminati trees."

"How do you open it?" Traveler asked.

"You have to open it with a key."

"What key?"

"Once you have figured that out you can begin your journey."

Traveler looked at Elwyn hoping to find the answers in her eyes. He loved puzzles, but this was too much.

"Traveler, get a good night rest. You have a big day tomorrow. Just remember you are never alone," Elwyn said.

With that said, she disappeared into the air. Traveler had to blink a couple of times before he realized that she was gone. He ran towards the door and looked out to see if she was out in the hallway. She was nowhere in sight.

He looked at the book, trying one more time to pry it open. After his failed attempts, he went back to his room. He took one more look at the diminishing lights on the map and closed the door.

As Traveler turned the corner, he accidentally bumped into the king.

"Well, hello Traveler. What you are doing up so late?" Archer said.

"Umm, I couldn't sleep. I was thinking about your offer?" Traveler said.

"Have you decided yet?"

"Well..." Traveler paused grabbed his neck and looked down at the ground hoping that would buy him some more time.

"Go on and speak," Archer said.

"Well Your Highne-" Traveler said, as he was cutoff.

"Traveler, I have asked you to call me Archer."

"Right. Well Archer, I want to help your kingdom. But I am worried that I would fail."

"Well, that is a valid concern. I understand you are scared, nevertheless Traveler, we need your help. It is not proper for a king to beg, however, I can make an exception."

Traveler smiled a little thinking about a man with his power groveling at the knees.

"Well, you don't have to do that. I saw the map and I don't want to see so many lives die if I can do something about it. Therefore, if you say I am the one to end to war, then I will accept your offer. In the same process, I can free my grandfather."

"Very well," Archer said with a soft smile. Little by little, you can feel his stress just melt away. "Just understand that you will be tested to the fullest of your abilities. The road will be a difficult one, but trust yourself and you will succeed. Jelly will escort you to get your uniform and weapons. You will be back in a week and start your training with the rest of the trainees. Once you finish with your first year, you can start entering people's minds. Now go get some rest."

Traveler walked away. In the back of his mind, he thought, I hope I know what I am doing.
Chapter 12

# One Size Fits Only a Few

Terrorene Territory

"Is everything thing in place?" The curly dark-haired man said.

"Yes Lord Tristan. Everything is the way you asked," The green goblin with the goggle said.

"Good Switch. Those Elders think they have outsmarted us. We will show them our true power," Tristan said.

"But Lord Tristan, our spies have reported that they have found the true Electus. What about the- the- prophecy?" Switch said.

Tristan turned around and flung his hand, slapping Switch in the face. "Shut up about the prophecy! It is not true. I am not going to let this one boy ruin our plans."

"Sorry my Lord, I have spoken out of place," Switch said.

"It's okay Switch. Once my plans unfold, Terrorene will be freed and we can take back the land from that ignorant king and his band of fools," Tristan said.

Luminous Territory

The morning light shined through the curtain creating a serene setting. Traveler was still snuggled in his bed resting comfortably. Given everything that happened, he still had an amazing night's rest. Then, the door swung open with Jelly bursting in the room.

"Good Morning Young Master!" Jelly screamed.

"What time is it?" Traveler said with a groggy look.

"Young Master, it is time for you to get up. Today we will get your armor and then you can go home."

The excitement was beaming from his eyes. This is a new feeling for him. He dressed himself in a pair of brown pant, white shirt, and brown vest, a common outfit in the realm of Codextrius. He walked out finding Jelly outside the door waiting with his fingers in his mouth, again.

"Can we get something to eat before we leave? I am hungry," Traveler said.

"I knew you would say that Young Master. Here take this," Jelly said while holding out a round blue pill.

"Please I am really hungry. This is no time for jokes."

"It is not a joke. It is your breakfast. You like blueberry pancakes don't you?"

"Yes, but all I see is a blue pill."

"You need to learn to trust me."

"Okay."

Traveler took the pill and popped it in his mouth. Then, a rush of blueberry pancake flavor hit his mouth. His eyes widen increasing the surface area of his smile. He continued to chew the pill and after the blueberry flavor had ran its course, he tasted the cooling liquid of milk down his throat. The large lump rolling down Traveler's throat gave him a reason to sigh with relief.

"Wow that tasted great," Traveler said.

"See, I am prepared for everything," Jelly said.

"So are we using the crystal balls or are we taking those tiny chariots?"

"No Young Master, I have a surprise."

"Surprise? Umm Okay."

"Again, trust me."

Traveler and Jelly walked down to the castle door. Traveler could hear immense pounding causing the castle floor to shake. As they got closer to the entrance, the doors glowed into a bright orange red color. Traveler reached for the door handle but Jelly pulled him back. This made it more obvious that they should not touch it. However, Jelly kicked the door open and revealed what was making that irritable racket. They stared at the two massive dragons standing on their hind legs. The one on the right had a light lustrous cobalt color while on the left, stood a dark glistening ruby one. They were already larger than their handlers were, but when they rose, they created a tidal wave of red and blue; it generated another reason for needing to use the bathroom. The dragons continued their stubbornness by flapping their wings, creating a wind tunnel effect that knocked down Traveler and Jelly.

"Aaaaaaaahhhh," Traveler screamed while crawling backwards.

"Young Master, what is wrong? Where are you going?" Jelly yelled.

"I am getting out of here." By this time, Traveler got up and ran inside another room near the main hall.

"Traveler, come back here."

"Are you sure? I don't want them to eat me."

"You need to stop believing in the fairytales you read. The dragons you see around here are trained. It is the wild ones you have to worry about."

Traveler slowly walked back to the main door hugging the inside castle wall. He peeked outside to get another glance at the two dragons. Once the dragons saw Traveler's head, they made a strike motion as if they were going to bite his head off. Traveler ducked his head back inside.

"Please Traveler you are embarrassing me," Jelly said as Traveler popped his head out again. "I present to you, Penter and Rout."

"Rout is the red one," Jelly said.

"Are we riding these things?" Traveler asked.

"Yes, I thought it would be beneficial to have an early start on your dragon riding training."

"You have got to be kidding me. I don't even know how to ride a horse."

"Young Master, I have seen you ride a bike. If you can do that, then it is just the same."

"How do you know I can ride a bike?"

"Aaah, don't be alarmed, but I have been watching you since you were born." Traveler still had the confused look on his face. "Young Master, just hop on and you'll see your natural talent shine through the dark of despair."

"Huh?"

"Please get on the dragon."

"Okay."

Traveler got up and timidly hopped on the dragon. Jelly mounted the ruby dragon with ease as if he has done it many times before. However, the cobalt dragon disliked whatever Traveler was doing. It stood on its hind legs while flapping its wings again. The fury of the dragon caused Traveler's loss of balance, which resulted in a hard landing.

"I thought you said it would be like riding a bike. I never fell off like that!" Traveler yelled.

"Aah, he sensed your timidness. Dragons are confident creatures; they want someone confident to ride them," Jelly said with a smirk.

"You know you could have told me that earlier." Traveler walked towards the dragon's head. "Look Draggy, sorry I mean Penter. I have never even seen a dragon, but I'll try being more confident. Please go easy on me." The dragon seemed to understand. He then flicked his head, knocking Traveler down for the third time. As Traveler hit the ground, the dragon shook his head up and down as if he was laughing.

"Good, that means he is ready," Jelly said.

"You sure?" Traveler asked.

"Yes, he is playing around with you and now he trusts you. Hurry up and get on him. We have a schedule to keep. Oh, make sure you hold on tight to the reins. You don't want to fall off."

Traveler carefully got on the dragon's back and felt more at peace.

"Okay here we go, just follow me," Jelly said clicking his heels.

Jelly and his dragon took off. The cloud dust trail left behind made Traveler spit out the dirt. Traveler tapped his heels, as Jelly did, and up in the air he went. He felt like the same sensation as he did when holding the weapon. It felt like he knew what to do.

Traveler always wondered what it would be like to ride a dragon. As he flew, he tried in his head to describe the experience if he ever wanted to tell somebody. It was hard to describe; the only way he can explain the experience is that it felt like he was riding on top of a rusty airplane.

They flew for a while with Traveler putting the death grip on the reins. Occasionally, Penter's body would veer to the right, getting off course. Traveler tried to adjust to the thunderous flapping, which distracted him. However, just like anything else, there was a learning curve. Afterward, Traveler seemed to get the hang of it and adjusted on the fly until Jelly raised his hand letting Traveler know he wanted to stop.

"Traveler, look over there. You see that mountain?" Jelly said.

"YEAH, ARE WE FLYING OVER THERE?" Traveler asked.

"You don't have to yell, speak in your normal voice. Sound travels well in the air."

"Sorry, I didn't know."

"It is okay. No, we are not flying there; those are the same cold mountains that saved the people of Codextrius from the first attack. That is also where the Stella Rider works."

"Do they do what I think they do?"

"Yes. Our magical powers come from the energy of the light."

"I know, the king told me about your magic." Traveler interrupted.

"Well, the Stella Rider's job is to harness the energy of light. Stars, like the sun, are too powerful to capture. However, the weak ones are the ones we want. They serve no purpose to the universe anymore, but still contain enough light energy to light up an entire city in your world. Stars are just balls of light energy. One star has enough light energy to produce enough magic for one month. We cannot just grab all the light energy. It would create a black hole and suck this world in. However, if we grab the light energy and harvest them before the star collapses, then it would do nothing. So we just grab what we need and release the star back into space."

"Really that sounds really cool. What do you do when you capture that light?"

"We harness that power and convert it into our magic. Light is energy in motion. At 186,000 miles per hour, we change the light waves. We manipulate the light energy into a specific wavelength by passing it through a certain object. Then, this energy is converted into magic. Afterwards, the magic is placed into large metal barrels for transport. This metal is the same metal used for your armor."

"Sounds like a great job."

"Actually, it is the most dangerous job here; I am sure you have heard of supernova. You know, exploding stars. That is just us trying to capture unstable stars that have lost all of their energy. However, the good thing is that for us, we have the equipment that can grab the energy the supernova creates. You notice some of the stars in your world are different colors. Well, that is because of us taking some of their energy away."

"Jelly, you have to take me there."

"Sorry, not today Young Master. First, we have to get you dressed and gather all your equipment. But I will take you there sometime."

Jelly left the area, but Traveler was hovering around staring towards the mountains. Jelly turned around to find Traveler lagging behind.

"Traveler, we need to be back before nightfall," Jelly said.

"How come?" Traveler said.

"Because it is very dangerous and we could get lost at night," Jelly said.

"Okay. Hey, what if Terrorene gets a hold of the magic?" Traveler said.

"We do not have to worry about that. Terrorene harvest his magic from living things and turns it into dark magic. The light magic we protect and harvest, he cannot use. Nevertheless, does not mean he cannot take it away and prevent our use," Jelly said.

"I know."

They flew for a while longer, then Jelly pointed down to the empty meadow and they touched down in the middle of it.

"What are we doing here? I thought we were going to the Armory."

"Young Master, we are here. This is Ignis."

"I don't see anything."

Jelly walked over to a large vibrant tree with a hollow trunk. He knocked three times. Unexpectedly, a little head popped out.

"Zander, my favorite fufmet. Where's that drink you owe me?" The dwarf said with a rough accent.

He sounded like Santa Claus would sound like if he were a mean drunk in the military. He had small scars on his face, but it was hard to find them because of his rough skin. He was wearing a helmet that was shaped like a bullet with a smooth chrome finish. Chain mail hung off the bottom edge of the hollow bullet helmet covering his entire neck and ears leaving his face fully exposed.

"Erios, I did not think you're on duty today," Jelly said.

"Yep," Erios said. "They change my times around so I can spend more time with the kids. That turned out to be a bad idea. Those two rug rats have the energy of ten men. I am getting too old, but I refuse to show it in front of them. Anyways, what do you want?"

"This is our new Electus. We are here to get him suited up."

"Sorry Zander, I have to ask you for the password."

"Of course."

Jelly leaned close to Erios' ear as if he wanted to whisper the words. However, that was not the case. Jelly wrapped his arm around his neck and lifted him out of the tree in one drastic motion. Erios did his best to free himself, but Jelly applied his other arm, interlocking the two of them, and using it for his squeeze leverage. Erios desperately flared his arms at Jelly's head, but the slight loss of consciousness only allowed for a couple of slaps to the face and pathetic taps to the shoulders, none of which did any good. Erios' arms finally gave up and wilted down followed by his eyelids. Jelly released his sleeper hold. It appeared to have done its job. Erios' lifeless body leaned next to the tree. Traveler stared into the whiteness of his eyes, the darkness in his mouth, and his unmoving tongue. He was befuddled at what had just taken place.

"What did you do? I thought he was a friend," Traveler said.

"Young Master, don't worry. There is no password. This person is a spy." Jelly turned to the unconscious dwarf and kicked him. "Whomever you are wake up and tell me whom you work for?"

Jelly kicked him again with a slight nudge. Suddenly, blue blood drizzled from Erios's ears and nose; Jelly stepped back surprised at what he had just seen. The blank stare turned nervous and his skin ran through different stages of color. Jelly turned to watch Traveler's reaction. He was just as white.

"This can't be good," Jelly said as he went to do a pulse check on Erios's neck.

"Ha ha ha. Chatgo." Erios pointed at Traveler and Jelly.

"I am sorry Zander, I just could not hold it any longer. I saw the look on his face and I couldn't hold it," Erios said.

"It is okay Erios. You held it long enough. You almost had me with blue blood; it was a nice touch. I did not know you can do that," Jelly said.

"Yeah, I learned how to do that from this Nepateen I met at a dice game."

Traveler was not laughing. "Can we get my things now?" Traveler said.

"Geeish, what is with this guy? Touchy," Erios said.

"Do not be hard on the child. This is all very new to him," Jelly said

"Okay. Just let me go inside," Erios said popping his head into the hollow tree. "Let me see, where is that level? Oh here it is. And..." The hollow tree slowly split in half. "...Viola."

As the tree opened, it unleashed a wave of surprises. It felt like an entire city just appeared out of nowhere, but in fact, this city had been thriving for hundreds of years. There were laughter and conversations all over the streets. There were greetings mixed with small disputes. The roads were filled with people walking up and down the sidewalk. Traveler saw a family with four kids carrying baskets of groceries behind their mother. He could not take his eyes off the youngest member behind the pack who was carrying an apple. If you have ever seen a long line of ducklings following their mom, then you would understand how cute this was.

The buildings inside this secret city were much nicer than the king's castle. The roads were shiny and much smoother too. He felt as if he was visiting his Uncle Henry who lived in New York City. Though the place did have a New York Times Square feel, there was one thing that was different for sure. This place was inhabited entirely by dwarfs.

"Have fun at the armory," Erios said.

"Thanks Erios," Jelly answered.

Traveler and Jelly walked throughout the city; everyone around them could not help but stare at them. It was hard not to stare since everyone else was half their size.

"Jelly, what is a Fufmet?" Traveler asked.

"I am what you call in your world a mutt. My father was a dwarf and my mother was an elf. That is why I have these pointy ears."

They reached the entrance of the armory. The half cylinder windowless building had a modern look, slick and glossy as it was made from pure metal. It was the size of a baseball stadium. Traveler knew that because there was a plaque with a 3D embossed picture of the entire building with a mountain in the background bolted to the wall. The gray brick wall stood tall and shimmery. The material between the bricks caused the glistening as if they used molting metal as cement. This place was well protected because only a minimum amount of the building was exposed beyond the wall. It was just enough to account for the door.

"Here we are," Jelly said.

"This place has no windows," Traveler said.

"Yes, Traveler," Jelly said. "This place holds all the weapons and magic for all the territories not controlled by Terrorene. The dwarfs here put up the best security they could make for this place. You can't go in unless you work here or the king invites you."

"How do we get in? The door is like four feet tall and one foot wide," Traveler asked.

"Ah yes, that is one of the security measures we take. Just place both hands on the building's wall and the building will do the rest," Jelly answered.

Jelly showed him first and then Traveler placed his hand on the only part of the building that protruded, feeling a cool touch, a material he had never felt before. It felt like a type of metal with a darker color. He felt this icy electrical sensation running throughout his body. He tried to take his hand off the building because it started to get a little painful, but his hands were stuck. His body started to vibrate faster and faster until he turned into a colorful mist and seeped into the building's slender doorway. Jelly entered afterwards. Once inside, they merged back.

"That was not fun," Traveler said.

"Well Young Master, people just have to get used to it," Jelly said.

Traveler and Jelly walked through the door and found themselves in a room bustling with dwarfs. They walked through the crowded room avoiding sparks of heat flying in all directions. Jelly pointed in the direction they needed to go because the loud banging did not allow them verbal communication. Traveler surveyed the long line of dwarfs upstairs rolling transparent wheel barrels full of ore into black pots. Once the pots were full, dwarfs in special suits carried them in a bluish white flame. The molten ore turned into a dark black liquid mess, which was then carried into a gigantic vat with the base spout on the first floor. Some of the hot liquid spilled over the side, which was swept by these small four-legged white creatures with a shovel for a nose. The fire burned intensely throughout the day. When it looked like the fire would go out, teams of two dwarfs carried in large trees on their collective shoulders into the tree burning stations. Once the station was refueled, the bluish white flame increased its intensity. The room looked chaotic, but seemed organized. They walked up the steps to the second level, which happened to be much quieter.

"Jelly, what is so special about this particular armory?"

"Oh Young Master, the armor you are about to receive is made from a special metal called Nasus ore that was created by the seven Elders and the fire used to melt the metal was made from the illuminati trees."

"So what is special about the metal?" Traveler asked.

"It is weightless like a feather, but strong as steel. It only grows in this mountain."

"Metal doesn't grow," Traveler interrupted.

Jelly continued. "This metal does and will never diminish in quantity. However, the metal only grows here. Also, the illuminati tree only grows here. That is why we have to hide this place from everyone. The Elders knew how resourceful this place is and went to great lengths to protect it."

"Wouldn't the city be easy to find with that one hollow tree in the empty field."

"That is what we want our enemies to think. The city moves within the Ingis' meadow and you have to pull the right lever on the right part of the day to gain entrance to the city. If the wrong level is pulled then you have to wait until the next day."

"Oh I see, how come I see only dwarves here?"

"They are small enough to reach the area most people can't to mine the metal. Moreover, they also have an uncanny ability to forge and smelt the metal with ease. They have the best craftsmanship when it comes to making weapons. King Gavel gave them a vast amount of land and promises their safety here as long as they mine the metal and harvest trees."

"So they work for free?"

"Traveler, there is no money on this planet. Everyone here works on a barter system. If we don't have it, we trade for it."

"What about me? What can I do to get some stuff?"

"Young Master, your job is to save the world." They just stared each other for a minute. "Everyone here will give you anything you want to keep them alive."

"I see."

"Now, follow me."

Traveler took one last look and followed Jelly into the next room. The room was filled with different sized fire pits with tall stone pillars on both sides. One would think the room would be dreadfully hot, but it was surprisingly cool. Traveler looked in amazement at the white greenish color of the blaze; it was uncommon to see any other color but orange or blue. Hanging over the different pits hung these black pots like the ones he previously saw. They were also bubbling with the black liquid. The pits were aligned in a symmetrical circle with the largest pit in the middle. The even amounts of the pits would mirror each other along the wall accented with different weapons of all shapes and sizes. The middle pit seemed large enough to fit a rather tall person. Jelly pointed to a pit that was nearest to them.

"I want you to put your hands in here," Jelly said.

"What? Are you crazy? You want me to burn myself," Traveler said.

"Young Master, as I said before, these fires are burnt from the illuminati tree. They don't affect skin, just metal."

"Okay Jelly. I trust you."

Traveler closed his eyes and slowly extended his arms into the greenish fire. He did not feel the heat from the flames as he thought he would, but felt cool water running over and engulfing his hand.

"Traveler, I need you to make a fist and hold still."

Traveler heeded the words and clinched his fist. Jelly pulled a rope that flipped the black pot slowly. A small steady stream of molten black liquid came pouring down over Traveler's hands. Traveler panicked a little, but he trusted Jelly. The entire amount of liquid covered his hands and wrists, with not one drop of it hitting the fiery floor. It trickled into the grooves of Traveler's palm, wrapping itself around the fist and wrist. Once it was level, the metals hardened and changed color. It turned into a light glossy silver like gauntlets and dark blue bands around his wrist.

"Okay Traveler you can pull your hands out." Traveler just stared in amazement. "What do you think?" Jelly asked.

"How come they changed into a blue color?"

"The metal matches the color to your personality. It molds itself to a state that you are comfortable with." Jelly stared at the gauntlets. "...and it looks like your favorite color is blue."

Traveler nodded in agreement.

"Now, let's get the rest of your armor," Jelly said.

Next, Traveler stepped into a different pit and Jelly spilled some boiling metal on his shins and feet, receiving his greaves and metal boots. That leaves the neck guard, breastplate, and helmet. He entered the middle pit, which had a fire that rose as tall as the ceiling. It was more than enough to cover his body. This time, when Jelly pulled the rope, the metal covered his entire body. Traveler did feel weird with the black molten metal covering his face. He thought he would not be able to breathe, but he did breathe just fine.

After seconds, the liquid shaped itself and then hardened into a metallic finish. Traveler looked at himself in the mirror. The armor was silver and blue in a great fashion. His neck guard had spikes giving him a Lion's mane making him look bigger than he actually was.

"How do I take these things off?" Traveler asked.

"You don't," Jelly answered.

Traveler had a confused look on his face.

"Young Master, the armor is a part of you now. It will protect when you need it the most. To remove it, you must relax and it will disappear."

Traveler closed his eyes and the front of his helmet disappeared slowly revealing his smile, and then finally uncovering his head. Afterwards, his armor gradually disappeared section by section, revealing the clothes he first wore when he entered the room.

"Awesome," Traveler said with a kid in a candy store look.

"Good Young Master, you are coming into your own and becoming a great warrior." Jelly said. "If you need the armor back, just relax and it will reappear. Someday it will be a reflex action to make your armor appear again."

Traveler closed his eyes and a light ran over his body, leaving a piece of the armor he saw before.

"Let's get your sword and shield," Jelly said.

Traveler and Jelly walked over to the adjacent room. There, he saw two heavy looking stones on a metal table. There was another black pot hovering over the two stones.

"You need to stick your hand inside of these stones," Jelly said

"Okay," Traveler said.

Jelly pulled another lever and the metal liquid poured down into the stone chamber. Traveler could not see, but he knew something good was being made.

"Traveler, when the process is done you will have your sword and shield."

"Ummm, I can't pull my hands out."

"You are supposed to lift them and smash them at the wall over there."

"Ummm, I can't lift them up. I guess you forgot that I have rubber band arms."

"Young Master, you are stronger than you realize. However, I will help you."

Jelly walked over to the corner of the room and grabbed the sledgehammer.

"I would advise you not to move."

Traveler closed his eyes. Jelly heaved the sledgehammer to the highest point of his swing and smashed down on one of the stones, turning it into a thousand pieces. Traveler opened his eyes and saw an astonishing looking sword in his hand.

"Don't get too excited Traveler, I have one more to hit."

Traveler closed his eyes again and when he opened them, he saw a small shield attached to his wrist. He then stepped back and brushed off the rest of the pebbles. The first thing he noticed was his sword. It looked like it was three swords put together; the middle was metallic sliver, and the edge of the blades looked like sapphire. The sapphire blades were longer than the main blade. This made it look like a two-pronged fork. The handle was made from the same material, but the sword guard looked very sharp curving upwards instead of downward like normal swords.

He looked at his shield and was not too impressed. It was not that big, from what he had seen in the books he read. It was a mixture of metallic silver and sapphire, just like his sword. It looked like the entire shield was made from a piece of sapphire crystal with a metallic silver cover design. It had a weird face with three holes in its head.

"I'm loving this sword. What is it made of?"

"I have already passed that information to you. Remember?"

"Oh yeah, growing metal burned by the illuminati tree. What about this blue stuff? I have never seen this before."

"They are sap crystal. I knew your favorite color was blue, so I embedded it into the different parts of the sword. I am glad you like it. It is my own design."

"Thanks, so you make weapons too?"

"Yes, I am part dwarf."

Traveler swayed the sword side to side. He felt the lightness and moved it easily through the air. It felt like it was an extension of his arm. He looked around for a sword holder.

"Where do I put the sword when I don't need it?" Traveler asked.

"Ah, this is my own special design too. The sword can shrink down into your metal wristband. Just raise your arm straight up and open your hand."

Traveler raised his arm and opened his hand. The sword shrank down into a silver cylinder and emerged into the wristband.

"Whoa. I didn't expect that. What about this shield? I don't know much about fighting, but I think this is too small."

"It actually expands out. It only does that when you want it to. It works with your mind. Also you can shrink down the shield into your wristband."

Traveler looked at it and pretended to block an attack. The shield grew another three feet with a sap crystal. It was not a round shape like the ones in the Roman war movies. Its shape looked like the Air Force logo, but mean looking.

"Traveler if you look at your belt, it could hold several crystal balls, such as your Smoke Ryder. The crystal can shrink down to the size of a marble and slip right into the slot on your belt. There is also one more thing you need to know about the shield. It is a boomerang," Jelly said.

"Huh? Really? Let me guess, this is your design too."

Jelly nodded.

"How does that work?" Traveler said.

"Well, just swing your arm like you want to throw it. The crystal won't hurt you. Test it out. Try to grab that bottle over there."

Traveler looked at the bottle that was across from the room.

"Jelly, you are crazy. That's like 50 feet away. I can't throw that far."

"Trust me. Traveler go ahead and throw it."

Traveler raised his arm up, took aim, and made his limply throwing motion. The shield flung off his arm and zipped across the room. It spun toward the bottle and grabbed it with the bottle centripetal force to capture it. Then once the bottle was secured, the shield zipped back toward his arms. Traveler did not know what would happen. He braced himself by putting his arms up to cover his face. After a couple of seconds, he noticed the shield back on his wrist with the bottle stuck to it.

"Wow. That is the coolest thing I have ever seen. You have talent Jelly."

"Well, thank you. It is time to go home. You need to get out of that armor."

"Can I look at myself before we go?"

"Yes, but we don't have much time. I'd like to get back before nightfall."

"Thanks for everything."

Traveler looked at himself in the mirror in his full battle gear. He noticed it had an extra accessory attached to his back; a blue cape waving without the wind. So, this is what superheroes feel like. He thought.

"I am ready to go. Do I get to name my sword and shield?" Traveler said.

I am sorry Traveler; I already have a name for them. Your sword is called Clasher and your shield is called Testudo."

"Those are much better than my choices," Traveler said.

They left the Ingis' meadow the way they came in. As Traveler hopped on his dragon, he was as happy as one can be. They flew for a while without realizing how much time has passed by. Traveler recognized that he was up in the air alone with Jelly. This would be a perfect time to express some things that concerned him.

"Jelly, do you mind if I ask you some questions while we go back."

"Sure, I don't see the harm in that. It will make the time go by faster."

"Can you explain the Path of Trials to me?"

"Aah yes, the Path of Trials is an ultimate test. It is supposed to mimic the same attributes as Kapricia. Many have taken the test and few have made it. It is a difficult test and there have been times where people collapsed and died. However, it is a way for the king to gauge your abilities. I almost gave up when I entered the path for the first time. You have to finish the test within a week, but I was in there for a month. They give you an option to give up, but if you use that option, you can never retest. You can take as long as you like, but if you go down the wrong path, you will get lost. It raises awareness of your abilities once the test figures it out."

"So what are my abilities?"

"What did you do to pass?"

Traveler thought long and hard. There were lots of things I had to do.

"Traveler, since we are talking. Let me ask you something," Jelly said. "Did the king give you a choice to accept or decline the position?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Traveler said.

"You understand that you are starting your training very late."

"What do you mean?"

"I have been doing this for a very long time. Most of the Electus who began their training start at a very young age."

"So thirteen is not young enough?"

"Well, most Electus start at the age of 5 or 6. The reason for that is because children around that age are extremely gifted with their imagination and they are easier to train. It is rare that we train anybody pass the age of 8."

"What's wrong with starting at my age?"

"Hmm, most Electus end their career around the ages of eighteen to twenty-one."

"Why eighteen to Twenty-one?"

"Well, by that time most Electus' minds are too cluttered with information which leaves no room for their imagination strength."

"I don't understand."

"Having a strong imagination play a heavy role in the world of Kapricia. It allows you to use everything as a weapon. It takes concentration and time to master it."

"What about my Grandpa?"

"He is different, he is special."

"Maybe I am special."

"I hope so...Wait," Jelly said as he stopped and feverishly looked around. "I do not recognize anything." Then Jelly turned white just like when he pulled that prank. "We need to get to the ground now."

"Why, what's going on?"

"I think we have crossed the Darthian's border."

"Why don't we just turn back the way we came?"

"There is no time. We need to get to the ground now."

Jelly steered his dragon and swooped down. Traveler followed looking mystified. He finally realized why there was no time. The clouds around him turned into a sinister black haze. It blocked Jelly's dragon path and quickly spun around him. The dragon looked scared out of his mind; you could see it in his eyes. Jelly tried to regain control of his dragon, but the dragon lost consciousness and went limped. Traveler just sat and watched the horrible event. He decided to make his way to the ground before the black smoke came after him. However, Traveler suffered the same fate.

The two dragons tumbled down, smacking the ground, which killed them instantly. The impact cushioned Traveler and Jelly as they plummeted to the ground; they got up a little dazed.

"What was that?" Traveler said.

"Shh. Keep your voice down. That was the Spectic. It hovers around the border and catches people that cross the border."

"How did we cross the bor...?"

"Traveler, stop with the questions. We need to go back before..."

Jelly stood there with his eyes wide open.

"Before what...Jelly."

Traveler felt something was not right. He did not want to turn around because that would probably prove he was right. There was a lowly growl in the background. He turned around and saw two large gray creatures with long white hair. The third member of the group was not a creature and looked human. They were wearing black armor that looked malicious and strong. The human seemed to recognize Jelly.

"Windbottom, it is nice to see you again."

"Tristan."

"That's Lord Tristan to you and I told you that I am not going back. I am on the winning side now."

"We are not here for you Tristan."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Why don't you drop your sword and I'll tell."

"Oh Windbottom, you don't have a chance with me."

"How come I can't summon my armor?" Traveler said tapping Jelly on the shoulder.

"Because you are not properly trained yet," Jelly said.

"But what about that spider?" Traveler said.

"Traveler, when you are in Kapricia and your life is at stake, your natural fighting instinct kicks in. It gives you a slight ability to fight. However, anywhere else you have to learn to be a skilled fighter. Moreover, anybody could have defeated that spider. It was a young Teck."

"But..."

"If you two are done bickering," Tristan said. "I'd like to continue with what I have to do."

Tristan snapped his fingers and the two ogres behind him blew two darts, knocking Traveler and Jelly down.

When Traveler and Jelly woke up, they found themselves tied up with no possibility to escape. The two ogres dragged them along as if they were walking their dog with Tristan leading the pack.

"Why don't you just kill us now? What are you waiting for?" Jelly yelled as he struggled through the ropes.

"You don't think much of me do you? I know a prolific Electus when I see one. I am going to kill you in the middle of the town so that everyone knows that my brother's fight against us is useless."

Somehow, Jelly managed to roll to his stomach. He motioned Traveler to cut his ropes with his teeth. Traveler leaned forward, but then an arrow flung by cutting Jelly's bonds. Jelly got up and kicked one of the ogres into a tree. Tristan turned around and found Jelly up on his feet ready to attack. Tristan took out two stones and threw them at him. The two stones flew towards him at great speeds, then a piece of rope materialized and attached itself to both rocks. The rope flung itself around Jelly's legs making him vulnerable again. Tristan looked at the other ogre, "Well, attack you idiot."

The ogre charged with his club and Jelly was seconds away from getting a deadly blow with the club. Then, an arrow came out of nowhere and knocked the club out of his hand slamming into his forehead. The ogre lied motionless. The other ogre got up from his recent attack and grabbed Traveler by the neck lifting him up easily as if he was a rag doll. Traveler's feet dangled in the air struggling to free himself, which was hard to do still confined in his bonds. However, he was able to slip in his mouth near the ogre's finger and bite down as hard as he could. A wailing growl screamed out into the forest, but Traveler could not hear it. He was able to free himself, but because of his attack, he found himself flying fast into a tree trunk. Traveler lied helpless and unconscious.

The ogre grabbed his club and went to strike Jelly on the ground, but just like his partner, the ogre found himself on the ground. Once Tristan saw the second ogre on the ground, he retreated out of the forest. Suddenly, a white-winged person stood in front of Traveler and took one more shot with his bow and arrow. After a short moment, there was a loud thud.
Chapter 13

# Meet at Poppy's

Traveler started to regain his consciousness. He looked up and saw a blurry figure. It looked like an angel. The person had white wings but also wore a black vest and dark pants.

"Alveoli, your help is most grateful, but please your entertainment is not needed. I hope you did not kill him," Jelly said while untying the ropes.

"Nah. It was a sleepy arrow. He'll be out for hours," Alveoli said as he walked toward Traveler. "I was patrolling the border when I heard your girlish screams." Jelly was not amused with that comment. "I was just kidding Windbottom. There is no need to get bent out of shape. Besides, how did someone like you cross over to the Terrorene Territory?"

"Tristan must have planed it. He must have used the Polar Leap to change the sky's direction. Why would he be here?"

"I see, so you got duped. Wait isn't that against the Assiento Alignment. Anyways, that's not like y..."

"Watch out!" Traveler yelled.

Feeling defeated, the first ogre pushed himself off the ground and gave a dirty look to Alveoli. Ogres are not known to be smart creatures, but he knew what he had to do. With his bulging bicep he picked up the heavy gray rock over his head. He ran over to his mortal enemy looking to bludgeon him to death. Luckily, Traveler's watchful siren gave everyone a heads up. Jelly grabbed the rope that bonded his legs and leaped up towards his determined foe, wrapping the rope around his neck. The ogre fell to his knees in an instant, and then turned into ashes.

"Man, these Teck heal quicker and quicker every century, don't they Windbottom...I guess we are even," Alveoli said.

"Yes. We are always even," Jelly said.

Alveoli then bent down to untie Traveler's bonds.

"So you must be Traveler. Well, thanks for the heads up. Anyways, I heard so much about you. Are you okay?" Alveoli sounded like Traveler's Uncle John, whom was a professional surfer living in Malibu.

Traveler tried not to stare, but he could not take his eyes off the white feather wings.

"Hey Windbottom, is this kid okay?"

"Yes, he is fine. Flying into a tree does not agree with him. Please give him some time or maybe the smell of your body odor does not agree with him as well."

Alveoli quickly turned to Traveler.

"Is that what it is?"

"No Al-ve-oli...Are you an angel?

Alveoli had this confused look on his face.

"What's an An-gal?

"Traveler, he is an Aeroan," Jelly interrupted.

Now Traveler had the confused look

"He is not very smart, is he?" Alveoli said.

"Please, do not be hard on him, his training is not complete. Here Traveler drink this," Jelly said while handing him a vial of a red liquid.

"Why didn't you say so?" He turned to Traveler. "Hey kid, you know what an Elder was, don't you?"

Traveler nodded and felt his small bump on his head die down.

"Well, one of the Elders was an expert with air. Her name was Auraus. She gave certain people in her territory the gift of these wings. They are hard to clean, but man I love them," Alveoli said.

"Alveoli, can you help us reach our destination?" Jelly asked.

"Sure. I bet you're going back to the king's castle. Well, I'll be happy to help, but I don't know if I can handle two people if you have to come along."

"Are you saying I am heavy?"

"Just to let you know, I didn't say that, you did."

"Please do not be mean in front of the child."

"Ah Jelly, don't be sensitive, I was only joking around. Come on, let's go before more reinforcement comes."

They both held on tightly and up they went. As they glided, Traveler noticed the flapping on his wings. It was majestic, and in a way, somewhat hypnotic.

Nightfall was upon them when they reached the castle and after that eventful day, they were glad to be home.

"Thank you for the ride," Jelly said.

"Yeah, it's not a problem. I'll see you at the tournament."

"Okay bye," Jelly turned to Traveler. "Traveler, tonight after you wake up you will be in your home. But be forewarned that you cannot tell anyone about this place. If you do, you will be exiled and won't be able to save your grandfather."

"How about my family?"

"No, not one person."

"Okay, Okay."

"When you wake up this morning be prepared to search for a note."

Traveler swiftly went to his room and snuggled right between his sheets. It was exciting to go back home. He did not want to leave the coolest place he has ever seen; however, he did miss his family.

Traveler woke up the next day in his bed. He thought he would be in the attic where he first entered River's mind. He looked to the right where his nightstand was and saw an envelope. It was old and had a sepia look to it. It had a wax seal, looking official. He cracked it open and read it.

Dear Traveler Sands,

You have proven yourself worthy, so your time has come. You have been invited to train with the Royal Calic Force in helping our cause. You have to report here within one week of receiving this letter. Further instructions will be detailed to you in due time.

Good luck and Great Honor.

King Gavel

Press your thumb here, when you have understood your path.

X

He pressed his thumb on the mark and the letter separated into many small pieces of light and dispersed away. Traveler was so excited. He felt as he had been accepted into a secret exclusive club. However, he had an unsettling feeling. The hit he received from slamming into the tree did more than knock him unconscious. It knocked some sense into him. He realized that he almost died last night. He realized the offer he accepted could lead to his death. Yet, he missed his family much more as he walked down the steps. He even wanted to see Jake again, but something just did not feel right. The loud clanking noises from the kitchen were not normal. "Mom doesn't usually make that big of a racket." When he reached the kitchen, there was a big mess with every kitchen drawer opened. Pots and pans were all over the floor. He turned to see his family sitting at the table. They did not look like themselves. They looked like they had not slept for weeks. They had dark circles under their eyes and their hair was a mess.

"Good Morning."

None of them said a word.

Traveler never got the cold shoulder before, but then he noticed the intense scribbling displaying in front of him. He did not know what to make of it. They must have been writing the entire night because there were three carefully neat stacks of papers in front of them. He hustled over to the table, picked up one of the papers, and read, "Meet at Poppy."

"Mom... Dad... Jake..." He walked over to Major Sands and snapped his fingers in front of his dad's face. "Dad. Are you okay?"

Traveler watched nervously as this entire family continued to write the same sentence repeatedly on all the pieces of the paper until space ran out. He realized they were not going to stop. He tried to prevent them from writing, but when he tried to take the pencil away, they growled and gripped even tighter. He grabbed the finished paper again and noticed the "T" at the lower right corner on every sheet.

"It has to be Terrorene!" Traveler said.

Traveler remembered Stephania writing her phone number on Major Sands' hand. He grabbed the free hand and nothing was there. He went looking for Major Sands' cell phone. He looked inside the database and found Poppy's number. He hit send.

"Hello." A sweet woman voice was on the other side. "Yes, um, can I speak to Poppy?" Traveler asked.

"I am sorry dear. He's at the hospital," The sweet woman said.

"Oh I am sorry about that. Do you know why he is there?"

"Do I know you, sweetie?"

"Maybe, my name is Traveler. My father is Eric Sands."

"Oh you must be Jacob' little grandson. You know he always talks about you. Well, I am Poppy's wife, Maria."

"Well, Maria is your husband okay?"

"The doctor said he had a panic attack and should be fine. They're keeping him overnight for observation. He collapsed at the restaurant. You know that man works so hard at that place. I keep telling him that he needs a vacation, but does he listen to me? Noooo." Traveler was beginning to think that she was not going to stop. "I'll tell him that he should let Steppy take care of that place but..."

"Maria," Traveler said in a high voice to interrupt her.

"Yes sweetie," Maria said.

"How long is Poppy going to stay there?"

"They are releasing him today at noon."

"Thanks, bye."

He hung up the phone before Maria could say her goodbye. He ran upstairs and got dressed. As he walked out the door, he remembered that he forgot the most important thing. He ran upstairs to the attic, grabbed the case with the silver handle. He then ran over to River's house and knocked on the door.

"Good morning," River said as she answered the door. She stood at the door wearing her flannel pajamas.

"Good morning. Ummmmm, I was wondering if you can give me a ride to the hospital."

"Traveler, it is a little too early in the morning for favors. Don't you think so? Hey, is that the mirror case? What are you doing with that? The last time we used that thing, you disappeared."

How did you know I disappeared? No, never mind about that. Traveler thought. Traveler started to think that getting this ride could be harder than it was going to be. He also noticed that she was not glowing anymore.

"Please River it is important. I need to go to the hospital. Look, I promise I'll explain everything to you if you can get me a ride to the hospital."

"Alright, are you sick or something? You don't look sick."

"River, I don't have time to play 20 questions. My family is in trouble."

"Okay, I'll go ask my grandma. Stay here."

Traveler stood at the doorway with his arms crossed and tapping his foot. It felt like the longest time before River came down dressed in jeans and a pink t-shirt with the most fantastic thing he had seen all day, the keys to the car.

"Okay, let's get in the car," River said.

"Are you going to drive? What did you tell her?" Traveler said.

"I told her that I need to go to the hospital and she said why."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her the vegan eggs this morning made me sick."

"So you lied for me."

River smiled a little. "Well, it did make me a little sick, but they always do. Have you tasted vegan eggs? It's basically powdered tofu."

"Nope sorry, but thanks for helping me."

River's grandma came rushing down and hopped in the car. She drove them to the hospital. When they got there, Traveler got out of the car and stormed through the doors. He reached the front counter a little out of breath.

"Hello, can you tell me which room is Poppy's room?"

"Hello, welcome to the Lake Arrowhead General Hospital, how can I help you?"

Traveler hated repeating himself, but he remained composed.

"Can you tell me where Poppy's room is?"

"Do you have a last name?"

"Umm, No. I don't know his last name, but how many people can be named Poppy?"

"I don't know, I'll check the database." She punched some keys into the computer, but it kept making a beeping noise. "I hate when it does this." She turned over her shoulder and called for another nurse. "Hey Maggie. Could you help with this piece of junk?"

"Give me a minute?" Maggie yelled back.

"I am sorry little boy, but I am new here. I don't have a log-in account yet."

"Umm, okay."

This is what Traveler was really thinking. YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME. HOW CAN I HAVE THE WORST LUCK? WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET ANYTHING DONE? By the end of his internal rant, Maggie had came over and fixed the problem.

"Umm little boy, we have no Poppy admitted to this hospital."

"What? Is there another hospital in this town?"

"Nope, this is the only one as far as I know?" She turned to the direction of Maggie. "Hey Maggie, this is the only hospital, right?"

"Yeah, that's right Liz."

"I am sorry little boy. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

He did not know what to think. He was just about ready to throw the case out the glass window. By that time, River and her grandma came in. Her Grandma did not seem have the worried look on her face anymore.

"You know, maybe Poppy is a nickname. I'll look in the system and see if there anything close to that name," Liz said.

"Yes Liz, please try that," Traveler said.

Liz typed some things into the system and found a hit.

"I think this might be him. Pompeo Costa. Room 224."

"Great thanks." The pressure building up in his head finally managed to seep out of his ears.

"Oh wait. Are you a family member?"

Traveler tried to think fast, but he could not lie.

"No. I am just a friend."

"Sorry we don't allow anybody that is not a family member unescorted to see the patient. I can't let you in."

"I really need to get in."

"Sorry, rules are rules."

Traveler hung his head and walked over to River.

"So, is he here?" River asked with an eager look.

"How did you know it was a he?" Traveler asked.

"I took a guess."

"Well, yeah he is here, but they won't let me in."

"Do you know what room he is in?"

"Yeah, they put him in room 224, but I can't get in."

"Traveler, that shouldn't stop you from getting into his room."

"But, they said..."

"Traveler, I don't care what they said. Look. I'll distract them and you can sneak in."

"Can I do that?"

"Of course you can, this is America isn't it?"

"I guess."

Traveler was reluctant at first. He has never broken rules before.

"Traveler, are you ready?"

"Yeah, let's do this."

"Grandma, can you get me a soft drink?"

"Sure sweetie."

River turned to Traveler. "It's show time."

River was brilliant. The emotional tears that came from her eyes almost made the entire room burst into tears. For those five minutes, she was at the front counter and all eyes were on her. The diversion was set and everyone took the bait. It was time for Traveler to play his part of the plan. Of course, sneaking through the main doorway was done effortlessly.

"Never mind, there she is," River immediately wiped her tears and skipped back to her seat.

Traveler crept along the hospital, hugging the wall as best he could. He often wiped his forehead from the condensation that collected from his newly acquired amateur spy status. A status that made him tense; he frequently found it difficult to lie, cheat, or steal. His moral compass always pointed north. The walk-by stares from the staff and some security members gave more than enough of a reason to feel exposed. However, everyone in the hospital was busy with his or her own work. Traveler just greeted them with a nod, letting them know he was supposed to be there.

Okay 200, 210, 220, 223, and 224. Traveler thought.

Traveler slowly opened the door to find Poppy sitting and watching television. He still had an overwhelming glow around him. This time Traveler understood what that meant. Poppy turned towards Traveler with his eyes wide open.

"Hey, Little Bambino. You come a-eh visit me in the hospital."

"Yes Poppy, it is nice to see you."

"Little Bambino, what can I do for you? Did you not like the food I made?"

"No, that's not it. I need your help."

"Sure, anything for my family."

Traveler opened up the case and revealed the mirror to Poppy.

"Hey that is a nice mirror you got there."

"Yeah it is an antique." Traveler rubbed the eye and activated the mirror. He moved the mirror below the bed so Poppy would not see the different little bright flashes.

"So, what is this thing you wanted me to do?"

"Can you take a look at this mirror for me?"

"Sorry, I don't know how this can help."

"Don't worry Poppy, it would be a big help to me if you look into this mirror."

Traveler raised the mirror and showed it to Poppy. The same flashes of light happened and Traveler twisted into the tiny tornado again. Just like before, the mirror spun in the air, bounced on the ground, and hopped back into the case.

Traveler woke up from the ground again. He still had the pain in his head, but he recovered faster than before. He blinked a couple of times and noticed the world around him. It was dark and cloudy. It looked like a small villa in Italy. There were many buildings in the surrounding areas. There were ravens flying everywhere. Traveler turned around and behind him, he found the Smoke Ryder on the intricate stand. He walked over and grabbed it. There was some rustling in the bushes near him. Traveler was a little scared, but the head that popped out was a familiar one.

"Jelly!"

"Young Master. What are you doing in Kapricia? You know that you can't be in here yet."

"I know, but my family is in trouble."

Traveler explain about the writing this morning.

"I hope you can explain that," Traveler asked.

"The dark circles are a sign that Terrorene got to them. This must be a trap. That means Terrorene is here. I must warn the other Electus," Jelly said.

Jelly was just about to leave when a bunch of ravens perched in the trees around them.

"Oh no, this is not good. Traveler, close your eyes and keep them closed."

"Why?"

"If you stare into his eyes, he can steal your mind."

"Okay. But what if he attacks me?"

"Just do it quick, before he shows up."

Traveler closed his eyes tight. Jelly stood frozen with fear. A shadowy figure came slowly from the villa. The figure walked tall along the dry dim ground. There was a slight black mist giving a ghost-like appearance. He looked like a nightmare living in a 3D shadow with black ravens flying out of his back as though the ravens lived in his hazy appearance. The ravens began to hover around Traveler.

"Jelly, it is nice to see you again," Terrorene said with a deep crackling voice. He's scared. Kill himmm.

When Terrorene spoke, other soft voices came with his voice like echoes in the deep ravine.

"Terrorene, you can see me?"

"Jelly, please don't flatter yourself. I am the most powerful Elder of all," He is the besttt. He turned to Traveler "You must be the famous Traveler Sands," Don't trust himmm.

"Are you going to kill me?" Traveler said with his eyes closed.

"Kill you? Ha ha ha ha," Ha ha ha haaaa. The evil laugher sent a chill down Traveler's back. "Traveler, you think of me as some kind of monster. No Traveler, I am not going to kill you. But I do think that we have too many people here," Yesss, attack him.

Terrorene threw his staff and it whizzed by Traveler hitting Jelly right in the chest. Traveler heard the thud and groaning; he bent down trying to find Jelly's body with his hands. He felt his foot and guided himself up to Jelly's hands.

"Jelly, are you okay?"

"It is okay Traveler. Remember, I can't die in this world, but be careful and take this." It was a black hood with a crystal ball it in. "Put on the hood, it will keep your mind safe." Traveler rushed to put the hood over his head and opened his eyes. He could barely see through the hood.

"What is the ball for?"

"It lets you use your armor before your training. Don't worry about me," With that said, he dissipated through the air.

Traveler got up from the floor and threw down the crystal ball. POOF! When the smoked disappeared, he was in full battle gear with the black hood on.

"Traveler, there is no need for this. You can't kill me. You don't have a chance," He is toooo weaakkkk.

"I just want my grandfather back."

"And that is why I am here." He paused for a moment. "I am not the monster people made me to be. I just want to go back home and rule my land." It not fun here anymoreee.

"The land that you stole."

"NOOOOOO," a dark force shot from Terrorene's hand, hitting Traveler in the chest. He felt his chest tighten and the air leaves his lungs. "Don't you ever talk to me like that!" Blasphemeeee.

Traveler tried to talk but he could not breathe. Then, his breath slowly came back as he coughed out his words. "I am sorry Terrorene."

"That's better, you need to show some respect to your elder," Respect the eldeerr. Traveler did not see the expression on his face, but from the body language, it looked like he made a joke. "Traveler, all I want to do is go back Codextrius. With the other Elders gone, I can take the fight. But there is this certain difficultly that keeps me here." It is the barrier.

"I am not going to help you."

"But that is where you are wrong. I think we can both benefit from this situation," Give usss a chanceeee. Traveler's body began to tremble ever so slightly. "Traveler, all I want to do is go back to Codextrius and take back what was rightfully mine and in return, I'll give you back your grandfather," Everything will be normmmmal.

"What do I have to do?"

"All you need to do is retrieve a piece of parchment and give it to me," It is too easyyy.

"What kind of parchment?"

"It's the kind that breaks down this horrible barrier that is holding me here!" Horribleee barrieerrr. There was a bright flash of lightning and a rumbling thunderous sound came afterwards.

"And if I do this, I can get my grandfather back? What about my family?" Traveler said.

"They are no longer of use to me. I just used them to get you to me," Pawnsss in the gameeee.

Traveler stood there long and hard trying to figure out what he should do.

"If you tell anybody about this, I'll know. I have a spy in the castle. I'll kill your grandfather first and then your family, leaving you all alone like me," Spiesss everyyywhereee. They will be no moreeee.

"Please don't kill anybody, please." This was too much for Traveler to handle.

"So do we have a deal?" Take the deaallll.

Traveler found himself next to Poppy's bed. Just like everyone said. Time had stopped.

"So little bambino, you said something about a mirror?"

"Never mind Poppy, something else came up."

He stood up and walked out of the door. He did not even say good-bye. Traveler walked out to the waiting room. River ran straight to him.

"So, that didn't take long. What happened?"

"I am sorry River, I can't tell you. Can you please take me home?"

"Sure." She turned to her grandma. "Hey Grandma, it is time to go home."

Traveler walked slowly toward the front steps. There were a million thoughts roaming throughout his head. He walked past the kitchen and noticed his family sitting and eating their breakfast as if nothing happened.

"Hey Kiddo, I don't remember you leaving the house. Did you want some pancakes?"

"No, I'll have to pass. I am not hungry. I am going to go up to my room."

"Okay, just come down when you feel like eating." Traveler continued to walk up the stairs slowly. He heard the faint yelling from the kitchen. "Don't forget to clean that attic!"

"Okay Dad!"

Traveler slammed his body on the bed and thought about the recent events that just happened.

"What do I do?"
Chapter 14

# Don't be Afraid of the Purple Shoes

Weeks followed, Traveler woke up and found another scroll on his nightstand.

Traveler Sands,

You are invited to attend at the Royal Calic Academy. You are about to embark on a journey that many have done before your time. This place will give you the understanding that you need and guide you on your path to victory. Reveal your reflection to the world and show us your true fight.

King Gavel

The smooth parchment felt warm in his hand, but it was not the paper that was warm; it was the excitement of the journey he was about to embark on. He quickly rolled it up to its original state and placed it on his desk. He turned back around to find a large mirror appearing from out of nowhere. Its design looked much similar to the smaller one, which made him think to pull it out from under his bed. As he pulled out the mirror, he activated it as he did before. He had a feeling that he knew what to do, but did not know why. He walked toward the larger one and saw his reflection. He looked at the smaller one in his hand and it was black like from before. He then faced it to the larger one. The smaller mirror jumped out of his hand and spun in the air. It was a little frightening. The glass of the larger one started rippling then revealing an image of a castle, the same castle in Codextrius. Suddenly, he felt something pulling him towards the reflection. At first, he resisted, but then he finally let go and found himself jumping through the rippling glass. The smaller one did a little spin in the air and bounced right back into the case with the silver handle.

Traveler found himself standing in a room that looked much like his room in Santa Monica, but much bigger. He opened his closet and found that all of his clothes changed into the common clothing that people wear around Codextrius. He began to get dressed when Jelly came bursting through the door.

"Young Master, I have great news. I get to train with you," Jelly said.

"I don't get it. Is that a good thing?" Traveler said.

"Yes, the only way I can pair up with you is if I get to train with you. Now I am a little older than before, but I have a few tricks they haven't seen yet."

"Great. I wouldn't mind if you are my assistant."

"We call the assistant Calic, remember. Anyways, when you are done getting dressed, head down stairs to the formation."

"I have a question, does everyone get their own room?"

"No, just you and me. They rest live in a dormitory."

Traveler headed downstairs and listened to the loud chatter coming from the foyer in the castle. He saw many people and there were many different kinds of races there. There were Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Aeroans, and many other races he did not recognize. He stood in the back watching the party scene come together.

Then, a tall big-shouldered man opened the side door. He stood there with outlandish purple shoes as if he was making a fashion statement. He seemed to hover over the group watching the chatter amongst the crowded foyer. Even with the purple shoes on, the other people did not seem to notice him. He stood there for a couple of seconds and smiled. He cleared his throat and then let out this big voice.

"LISTEN UP!" The big-shouldered man said.

Just like that, the room came into a silence. They turned around and waited to see what would happen next.

"I NEED EVERYONE TO HURRY UP AND FORM TWO LINES OUTSIDE," The big-shouldered man said.

Traveler could feel the castle shake a little when he spoke. It was hard to tell from the yelling, but he had a slight Germany accent. Everyone walked out of the tall castle door assumingly headed into the formation. Traveler overheard some people talking in the background.

"My brother told me about this guy," A trainee said.

"What did he say?" Another trainee said.

"His name is Aiken Gantrick; his is the toughest Magister in Codextrius."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Well, in a way it is good. The people that he has chosen have known to have done great things."

"DID I SAY WALK? I BETTER SEE EVERYONE IN LINE IN 10 SECONDS," Aiken yelled.

Everyone scurried out the door like cockroaches in the presence of a lit room; once outside, they hurried into the line.

"TIME'S UP," Aiken said.

He snapped his finger and everyone froze. Traveler moved his eyes back and forth, for that was the only thing he could move. He tried to move any parts of his body, but it was as if someone flipped the off switch in his brain. He stood in a tranquil state along the line because he was able to find a spot quickly, but one trainee was not so lucky.

"Well, I spy with my little eyes, someone who didn't follow my instructions," Aiken said veering his eyes on the person.

Aiken walked over to the end of the line and stood right beside the trainee that was in his runner's pose. If he had just one more second, then he would have made it. However, he did not and Aiken was not happy. Aiken tapped him on the shoulder and watched the person stumble a little as if his leg fell asleep. The trainee then stood straight up waiting for the next command.

"What is your name dirtbag?" Aiken asked.

"Jater Hesta," Jater said.

"Are we friends now? I don't think we are friends. Do I need to know your first name? Your first name is always..." Aiken rocketed his face towards Jater's face. "...TRAINEE!!!" Jater stumbled backwards on to the ground once he heard the words. "So, what is your name now?"

"Trainee Hesta," Jater said while getting back up.

"Good. I am glad you can follow instructions, but you didn't follow my earlier instructions. Did you?" Aiken said.

"But..." Jater tried to speak, but was cutoff.

"I didn't ask for any explanation. You don't deserve one," Aiken said

Jater remained quiet, while Aiken looked at him up and down. The sweat dripping down the side of his head showed signs of emotional fear. Aiken snapped his fingers and everyone could move again.

"Listen up everyone. Who thinks I should let this person stay?" Aiken asked.

One person raised his hand. Aiken's eyes shot right toward her. He pointed his finger and motioned the person to come over.

"You, front and center," Aiken said as the other person ran up as quickly as he could. "Both of you stand here and face the line."

They both lined up and watched the crowd in fear.

"You both don't have what it takes," Aiken said.

Aiken clapped his hands and both trainees burst into little balls of lights. The rest of the trainees could not do anything but gasp.

"LISTEN UP. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OPINIONS IF YOU ARE WITH ME."

Traveler could not speak for everyone, but he felt like he had been on a big roller coaster ride. He felt the anxiety lingering around the group and the vocal sound, forcing the tiny hairs on his neck to stand up.

"My name is Aiken Gantrick. I am your Magister this year, and that means you will call me Magister Gantrick. The reason you are here is because you have found this parchment and it states..," Aiken read the parchment aloud.

"This is one of one hundred; if you have this parchment in your possession on this date you will receive the opportunity to gain a position with an Electus, a prestigious Calic. Understand that only one will be chosen and the road to the prize will be long and difficult. You will learn everything an Electus will learn so the two of you can work in harmony. If you have the courage to continue, then come to the castle and show us your true fight." Aiken looked over at the rest of the trainees. "Okay everyone, with that said, this is your last chance to leave before you suffer from my wrath." Aiken looked around. "No takers, huh? Well, it is your funeral."

Aiken folded the parchment and placed it in his pocket. "Listen up, there are three other brigades here in Codextrius and you guys are the newest. My job is to take you to the next level and your job is to make me happy. If I am not happy, then you don't belong here. It is just that simple."

He continued to walk around the group of eager learners.

"You may also notice that I don't speak as most of you do. I used to be an Electus from Germany. I was an English teacher before I was asked to stay behind and train. I accepted and everyone benefited. My job is to weed out the people that don't belong and I have to say I do a good job of it. When you address me, you will end your request with the word Magister Gantrick. I need Traveler Sands, front and center!"

Traveler sprinted to Aiken and almost ran into him. He was able to stop after a slight bump and stood straight up.

"Front and center, Sir," Traveler said.

"We are not in the military, don't call me sir," Aiken said.

Traveler was confused. From the way Aiken talked, he assumed that this was basic training.

"Traveler you knucklehead, just stand and face the line," Aiken said.

Traveler did as he was told and dreaded the situation in the process. He did not want to end up like the last two people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Electus for this year. I know it has been a long time since we had one, but this is him in the flesh."

Everyone gasped as his or her eyes lit up, then a small chatter fell upon the lines.

"SHUTTTT UPPPPPP!!!" Aiken shouted.

Traveler felt his eardrums rattle a little. It was different hearing Aiken's loud voice standing next to him.

"As you all may know, if more than one is able to finish the program, the best job we have for you is the king's personal guard. However, as the parchment said there is only one person here that can be Traveler's Calic." Aiken looked down at Traveler. "Traveler you can go back to the castle to get something to eat."

"How come you are being nice to me and mean to them?"

"Traveler you are an Electus as I was. This program is for you."

"So I don't have to do any training?"

"No you will, but P.T. or physical training for you commoners is something you don't have to participate in unless you want too. I have to shape these people up through my grueling workout and you don't have to because you are stronger than you think. You just need to brush up on the techniques. Come back here in one hour." Traveler shrugged his shoulders and walked away. "Okay you little nuggets, we are going to take a nice lovely jog." The line of people groaned. "Around the country." The groans got louder. "Ahh, that's music to my ears. Now, if anybody breaks the formation, then you are out. Oh there is one more thing. We have to do something about those dreadful clothes everyone is wearing. From now on, everyone is going to have to wear the uniform."

Aiken pulled out a white, smoke-filled crystal ball from his belt and threw at the feet of the trainees in the middle of the line. POOF! When the smoke separated, everyone was wearing white track pants with a black stripe along the side of the leg and a white polo with a crescent design in the upper left part of the shirt.

"This is your uniform for the entire year. This will let everyone know that you're a first year trainee. So let's head out."

With the brigade taking a forced scenic tour of the country, Traveler ventured back into the castle to have a wonderful breakfast.

Traveler came back to the courtyard only to find the rest of the brigade struggling to stay upright. He stared ahead as he watched the other candidates laboring back after a long run. It was a funny sight to find Aiken not laboring in anyway, but behind him, everyone had exerted a great deal of energy, sweating through his or her uniform, and undertaking the monumental task of gasping in the precious air around them. Surprisingly, Jelly, as round as he was, did not break a sweat as well. The formation finally halted and Aiken gave them a quick once over.

"Alright everyone, we only lost two people. Good job," Aiken said. "Everyone, shower up and go get some breakfast. Meet back here in ten minutes."

"Ten minutes," Everyone said in unison.

"Yep, ten minutes, and your time starts...now."

There was a mad rush towards the castle door. It looked like an episode of the three stooges that Jake used to love watching.

"Do you think everyone can get down in 10 minutes?" Traveler asked

"Yep, I can do it in less than a minute," Aiken replied.

He pulled out his sword, did a spinning maneuver, and was clean in a matter of seconds. He took out a tablet from his pocket and popped it in his mouth.

"See, less than a minute," Aiken said.

"Isn't that cheating?" Traveler asked.

"Magic is not cheating."

Jelly walked up all dressed and cleaned as well.

"You see Traveler, Jelly is finished. You have a lot to learn."

"So, what happens next?"

"Well, I am going to send them to the history of Codextrius and then we're going tree dancing."

"Sounds fun."

Traveler sat in a circle with the rest of the group. They were all staring the middle part of a large diamond on a pedestal. Aiken came over to the huge diamond and rubbed it a few times.

"Everyone listen up. What I am about to show you only a select number of people have seen. This is a brief history."

The diamond flashed a white blinding light and an image appeared in 3rd dimension form. The whole chamber turned into a functioning town with the brigade immersed right in the mix. Then, a ghostly figure came into the room from the diamond. He started to narrate in a deep somber voice.

"This is Codextrius. An enormous body of land that covers most of this planet we call Dextrius. This was a very peaceful nation. We live amongst all kinds of races. Elves, dwarfs, ogres, goblins, and etc..."

Traveler continued to be very intrigued with the story. It was like a virtual reality movie.

"There was another planet in a different galaxy called Sisitdyne. They were millions of years ahead of everyone, even this planet. However, brewed with corruption and deception, their civilization got greedy, which brewed a civil war. The eight Elders of the planet left the corrupted planet. They wanted nothing more than peace but peace, was never in sight. They brought their wisdom and knowledge to the nearest planet inhabit by peaceful life forms.

They traveled far and wide and managed to find a planet to their liking. It happened to be Dextrius. They love the peacefulness and simplicity. Once they arrived, they went their separate ways to bring a better way of life. Each of the Elders was an expert in his or her own field of energy. Their names were Terrorene - Darkness, Lumonus - Light, Ignis - Fire, Pentune - Water, Auraus - Air, Terrala - Earth, Decibella - Sound, and Panis \- Animals.

They shared their knowledge with the different regions of the land and the people there loved them for it. However, Terrorene, over time, became greedy and wanted to steal the rest of the powers.

Terrorene and his people were sealed off from the rest of the territories. And then, Terrorene's people grew angry. They were all inflicted with the same greediness. If the rest of realm did not want to share, then they would take it by force. The nearest land to them was ruled by Panis. They were surprised with the attack and were overrun. Only a few were able to escape. Paralyzed with fear, the rest of the country fled to the other side of the mountain as they found the Darthians did not like the cold mountains.

After it was over, Terrorene had taken the middle castle, Panis' knowledge, and three quarters of Codextrius. He found a way to grow his army that could surpass the elements of the cold mountains. He traveled to the nearest planet that harbored other life-forms, which happened to be Earth. He traveled inside earthling's minds and developed different types of Tecks, helping to amass his army.

The seven Elders came together and conjured up a force field to block Terrorene's path back to Dextrius, leaving his body stranded in Kapricia. This slowed down the progress of the Darthians. For without his presence, the dark magic is weaken.

The seven Elders knew what they needed to do. They sacrificed themselves, put their souls into the mirror, and spread it across Earth. That is how Electus began. Their last words before their sacrifices were, "To bring back peace, Terrorene must be killed".

The ghostly figure entered back into the diamond and the virtual reality image disappeared. Everyone in the room cheered.

"Good, I am glad everyone is pumped up. I need everyone to meet in the courtyard. It's time for the first lesson," Aiken said.

"Do I get to come too this time, yes?" Traveler asked.

"Yes, this time you get to come along," Aiken said.

The first brigade stood in line as they did in the morning. They felt the cool breeze, the warm sun, and the whispers of the trees. Aiken stood motionless in the foreground. The first brigade stood there hoping for Aiken to say something, and at last Aiken spoke.

"Today's first lesson is Tree Dancing." He grabbed a green ball with a tree on it from his belt and threw it down. POOF! In a matter of seconds, the entire brigade was in the tall wide tree.

"This is my assistance for the day." Aiken pointed to the right of him, but nobody was standing there. Then, he waved in a figure eight motion and someone emerged from thin air. It looked just like him but it was very transparent.

"I want everyone to watch me. I am going to demo an actual fight. Then, I'll teach everyone how to do a simple move. You got it?" Aiken said.

"Yes Magister," everyone said.

The fight began. The two individuals fought each other attacking and blocking each other with ease. They moved up and down the skinny branches without so much as a stumble. The clone did a jump attack, but was easily blocked. Then, Aiken spun around doing a sweep motion causing his clone to fall off the branch. Everyone gasped as they saw the clone fall into the bottom abyss.

"And that is how it is done. Everyone pair off and I'll show some moves."

There were almost five requests to be Traveler's partner.

"Traveler, can I work with you?" The trainee asked.

"No, Traveler fight with me," Another trainee asked

"Hey, I asked him first," Another trainee said.

Traveler was not used to this attention. Traveler just closed his eyes and pointed. In the excitement of being picked, the bluish elf with green eyes and black hair stuck out his hand and greeted his new partner.

"Hi, my name is Traveler Sands," Traveler said.

Griff spoke as if he was star stuck. "Oh, I knooww who you arrre. You donnn't have introdducee yourself. My name is Griffff Northhhernnn,"

Traveler noticed his even voice cadence, but it was not monotone.

"Hello Griff, you can calm down, I am nobody special."

"Okay, but don't be too hard on me during practice. This is not my specialty."

"It is okay Griff, I am new at this too."

Aiken walked over to Traveler. "Listen up. These are the four basic moves. Study these and you can evolve to be a great fighter. Everyone break off a branch from a tree," Aiken said.

Everyone stumbled on the bough trying to break off a branch. Some of them almost lost their balance in the process. Once everyone broke off a piece of the tree, the group watched closely as Aiken displayed the moves.

"On defense, block up and block down. Offense, overhead swing and side swing," Aiken said.

"Is that it?" Traveler asked.

"Yep, master these moves and you will be the best fighter ever. Now, practice with your partners," Aiken said.

They all took turns practicing the offense and defense. It was hard enough to practice on the ground, but to practice on a branch that is as wide as a balance beam felt awkward.

"Wow, I can't wait to tell my brother that I am training with an Electus. He is goin to be proud of me," Griff said.

"Who is your brother?" Traveler said.

"Oh, he is nobody special. But, he is in the third brigade," Griff said.

"Where is he?" Traveler asked.

"Well, from what I hear after the first year, they sleep and train in different areas in the clouds. And the first year, everyone trains in the castle," Griff said

"I see, I guess the training gets harder as we go along the way," Traveler said.

"Yes, his class started with 100 people and whittled down to ten people. I sure hope I make it to the end."

"So which territory are you from?"

"Well, my family is from Pentune."

"Is that why you are so blue? Do you know any water tricks?"

"Well, I know one." Griff held up his wooden stick and right before Traveler's eyes, the stick turned into a freestanding clear liquid. Traveler stuck his hand out to touch it, but the stick immediately turned back into wood.

"Wow, that is neat. Can you turn anything into water?"

"Well, almost everything; I can't turn living moving objects into water and I can only have it stay liquid for five seconds. My family could hold it for up to a minute. It was a gift from Pentune and my family members are the only ones that can do that."

"Well How-"

"Squad, listen up." Aiken interrupted Traveler's question. "It's almost time to go. But, I need to show you something. So gather around."

The rest of the squad carefully hopped along the different tree branches.

"Okay, I need a volunteer. Who thinks they can take me on?" Aiken asked and found that nobody wanted to raise his or her hands. "Alright, you hop on this branch." One of the members of the brigade carefully hopped over. "I know it looks scarier up here, but you have to learn about the fundamentals of balance and power. There are going to be times when you have to fight in tight places."

Aiken yanked off a branch from the tree and snapped it in two. He waved and changed it into two wooden swords.

"We are going to start off easy. I want you to attack and after the fifth hit, I am going to counterattack." He turned to everyone else. "Everyone keep an eye on what I do."

The trainee did several attacks and each time he swung the sword, Aiken blocked each one of them. When he did the counterattack, the trainee forgot all about it. The combination of the dazing hits and the surprise attack caused him to fall off the branch. He regained just enough consciousness to grab the nearest tree's limb on the way down. Aiken did nothing but looked down. The individual hung for his life, but his weight and gravity did not cooperate with any of his lifesaving efforts. Everything happened so quickly, there was not enough time for anybody to react. Everyone grasped the moment he fell down. Without any reactions from the others, Traveler dove in and tried to save him, but missed within microseconds. Also, Traveler did not realize how small the branch surface area was and had fallen off as well. On the way down, he was able to land on a thin piece of wood, and then started to glide on the branches. His balance was amazing. The falling trainee managed to grab another branch on the way down, which helped slow down his descend. Traveler was able to glide down the tree, stopping on a strong branch near his body and he pulled him up. Once they were safe, they wondered how they would get back to the top. Aiken watched the entire scene then snapped his fingers and a puff of white clouds appeared emerging with the two of them at the top.

"I wish you had not done that," Aiken said.

Gee what is with this guy? Traveler thought.

"Thanks for caring" The trainee said.

"Just watch," Aiken said.

Aiken jumped backward off the branch and plummeted to the ground. Traveler and rest of the group watched in horror. They gasped as they watched him stand in midair.

"You see, this is a training site. There is a net here to keep you from falling to the ground. I think that is enough for today." He threw his sword towards the crowd of students, and then the sword turned into this bright blinding light. When everyone's vision returned, they were back in the courtyard again.

"Everyone is dismissed for the day. Be lined up here in 0700 hours," Aiken said while motioning Traveler to come forward. "Traveler, can I talk to you?"

"Yes."

"I think there is someone you should see."

"Really, who?"

"Come back here in the morning."

Traveler went back to the room. After getting cleaned up, he noticed the journal on his desk. He still had not figure out how to open it. He sat down to remember what Elwyn said. He remembered that she said it had to be opened with a key. He wondered what she meant by it, because there was not a visible lock. Traveler thought that maybe it was a code or another way to say a word.

"Hey, what if I translate the letter into numbers? 11 – 5 – 25. Maybe it is somebody's birthday. No hmmm, I bet it has something to do with music. If you keep on adding the numbers, the outcome is five and the fifth letter is E. So, I probably have to use the key of E to open it."

He looked around for anything that could play music. When he did not find anything, he ran to Jelly's room. He noticed that Jelly's room looked nothing like his room; it had white marble walls and wood flooring.

"Jelly, do you know anything about this journal."

"Ah, it looks like the same journal that your grandfather had."

"Well, yes it does, but it is not."

"Young Master, where did you get it?"

"Archer's sister Elwyn gave it to me?"

"Traveler, it is not nice to lie to me."

"How can I lie if that is what happened?"

"It is not possible. Elwyn has been dead for quite some time."

"What?"

"Yes, it is true. She died chasing down Tristan to get him to come back."

"That's horrible."

"So, how did you get the journal Traveler?"

"That is not important, but I think I know how to open it, but I need something that plays music. Do you know what I can play the key of E with?"

"Well, I do have this recorder."

"Do you know how to play it?"

"Yes, Young Master."

"Can you please play the key of E for me?"

Jelly grabbed his recorder and gently blew into his instrument. There was a gentle sound and Traveler looked at his journal. Nothing happened and Traveler asked him to play again.

"It is not working." Traveler was about to give up all hope when Jelly suggested that he play a song.

Jelly gently blew into the recorder again. Wonderful sounds came out. It was peaceful and soothing. The best thing was the journal started to glow and got a little too hot to handle. Traveler quickly placed it on the table. The journal shook and flipped opened to the first page. Traveler went over to see what was on the first page. He noticed a handprint outline. He was a little scared to put his hand on the book, but he knew he had to do it. He slowly moved towards the book and placed his right hand between the outline. After a couple of seconds, a sudden electric sensation ran through his arm. He could not move. His eyes shined with pure light hiding behind his pupils.

Traveler did not know what was going on and then he heard a woman's voice.

"Traveler, you have opened the Journal of Life. You have to display patience and aptitude. You no longer need the key to open it. Just place your hand in the center of the cover and the journal will only open for you. Please record your journey with this book and when you are gone, your stories will live on throughout the course of history."

The voice stopped. Sparks flew from the journal, which made Traveler fly across the room crashing into the wall.

"Are you okay?" Jelly asked.

"Yeah I am fine," Traveler said as he got up slowly and walked towards the journal. He grabbed it from the table. "Thanks for your help Jelly. I think I got it from here."

"You are welcome."

Traveler opened the door and ran into his room. He jumped on his bed and placed his hand on the center of the journal. The journal glowed just as it first did. Traveler opened his bag and grabbed a pen.

"Where do I begin?"

He did not know where to start so he wrote his name. But when he finished his words, it seeped into the journal and never remerged.

"How am I supposed to write if the letters don't stay in the journal?"

He sat and thought about the different adventures. Then, he noticed as he thought, the words started to appear without him even writing them. He finally got the idea that the book wrote all his thoughts down.

My first encounter of my new adventure started with the discovery of the mirror in my grandfather's attic. Then finding out about Jelly...

He continued to think and the book continued to write. He was able to get a full page until exhaustion set in. He closed the book and went to bed.

The next morning he went down to the courtyard and found Aiken talking with another person. He had golden blonde hair and deep blue eyes. He looked well fit and athletic.

"Hey Traveler, this is Radius," Aiken said.

"Hi Traveler, do you know why you are here?" Radius asked.

"You know I have been getting that question a lot this past week," Traveler said.

"Well, I don't know why they asked you those questions before I did, but you are here because you have potential to be great at this game," Radius said.

"What game?" Traveler asked

"I'll explain it later," Radius said.

"Traveler..." Aiken interrupted. "You have amazing balance. I saw it first hand when you glided down that tree during training. I am going to leave you two alone; I have to go and take care of my first brigade since today is conditioning day. Pay attention to Radius."

"Yeah, pay attention; I don't like to repeat myself. So let's start with the basics. This is a lime," Radius said while pulling out a glowing light from the bag.

"You mean like the citrus fruit," Traveler said.

"No, it is spelled the same but the meaning is different."

Radius held up an oval object that looked like the shape of a football. It looked as though it was made with glass that was filled with light, but it was made purely of light.

"How do you play the game?"

"It's like a chariot race."

"I see."

Radius pulled this skateboard-like object with no wheels. "This is a Navi. You stand on the Navi that is tethered together by long reins to your dragon. You race around this track trying to grab the lime that is in the middle of the track. Then, you race to the other side and throw the lime at the target called a baffle." Radius then pulled a medium gray target shield from the bag. "This is a baffle. It is called that because it is known to frustrate people, since it moves so fast."

"I see. So I just grab the lime and throw it at the baffle."

"Yes, when the lime is picked up, the other person has to kick the Navi underneath and fly on the back of the dragon. Afterward, the racer has to fly backwards trying to stop you from scoring. No matter what, once you cross the start line the lime disappears."

"This is cool, it sounds like fun."

"It is great fun; you get ten passes on the track to score and whoever has the most points wins. If there is a tie after the final pass, then the race continues until the next person scores."

"So why do people play this game?"

"It is a very prestigious sport and extremely enjoyable to watch. Why don't give the lime a toss," Radius said while throwing the lime at Traveler.

Traveler went over and grabbed the lime. It was lighter than a football. He felt he could throw the lime one hundred yards down the field. Traveler reared back and threw it as hard as he could. The lime went about five feet away from him. The lime may have acted lighter than a football, but it was heavy as a medicine ball leaving his hands. Radius turned away to snicker as Traveler turn a little red.

"Oh man, I have a lot of work ahead of me."
Chapter 15

# Why is the Green Scorpion Always Angry?

As the first brigade gathered in the classroom, expressions of soreness lingered throughout the room as they had no problem at all articulating their emotion without the presence of their Magister.

"I can't feel anything in my body anymore. I can barely lift my arm," One trainee said.

"I don't know how much longer I can take this," Another trainee said.

"I didn't know it was going to be this hard," Another said.

"I wondered why he asked us to be in here," Griff added.

Outside in the hallway, Jelly and Traveler went to class having an intense argument.

"Jelly, I don't think I want to do this anymore. I realized if it wasn't for Alveoli, I would be dead right now," Traveler said.

"Oh Master. You must not quit. You are the only hope," Jelly said.

"Even the king said that I might not be-" Jelly quickly raised his hand to cover Traveler's mouth.

"Master you cannot say those words outside that room. People need to believe they have a chance," Jelly said.

Meanwhile, a dark-skinned muscular Aeroan and a slender curvy bear walked down the other hallway having their own intense argument. It was a strange sight to see with this Aeroan for he was not normal because most Aeroans have large white wings on their back. However, this Aeroan had white bumps where the wings used to be. As for the bear, she was from the territory of Panis and there was nothing strange about her.

"You know, if he wasn't a Magister I would kick his butt," The Aeron said in a rough voice.

"Yeah, I would love to see that. You don't have a chance in the world," The bear said in a soft raspy voice.

"I am just as good of a fighter as he is," The Aeroan said.

"Wait, who was the one that fell off the tree during training? Hmmm, I do believe that was you, train-nee Cloud-den," The bear said while making a face.

"Oh shut it, train-nee Bal-do," Clouden said while making the face back. "I just needed to warm up."

"So that thirty minutes we spent practicing wasn't enough for you?" Baldo said.

As Clouden and Baldo argued down the hallway, they did not realize anybody was in their way. On the other end, Traveler's focus was on removing Jelly's hand. As the four reached the door, they all came crashing down. They quickly got up and straightened themselves out hoping nobody witnessed their clumsy scene.

"Hey, why don't you watch where you are going?" Clouden said while pointing at Traveler.

"I am sorry friend I was distracted," Traveler said staring at Jelly.

"I apologize as well young ones," Jelly said.

"I am not your friend," Clouden said while moving closer towards Traveler. "And if you are in such a hurry, then go on through," Clouden said while he puffed out his chest towards Jelly giving him a shove through the doorway. Traveler followed afterwards.

"Who was that?" Traveler said.

"That is Danken Clouden. He is the son of Haden. Their dad is a disgrace to his territory, and because of that, their family lost their gift of wings.

"Aww, that's sad," Traveler said.

Clouden and Baldo straightened themselves out again before entering the classroom.

"I can't believe how rude people are," Clouden said.

"Don't say that. They are important people," Baldo said.

"Who? The old elf and that weakling of an Electus. I know all about him."

"What do you know?"

"Never mind about that, it is not important right now. What is important is what you said before. Clouden said.

"Oh, you mean how you couldn't beat Aiken?" Baldo said.

"Well, there you go again not supporting me. I still stand by my comment. If Aiken was here, right now, I bet I could beat him in a sword match," Clouden said.

"Oh really?" An unseen, but familiar voice said behind them.

They both turned around slowly and stared down at the purple shoes and then straight up into Aiken's eyes.

"It's a challenge you want huh, Clouden?" Aiken paused. "I have a feeling you are going to be that guy in this brigade. I always have one. The kind of guy that I like to call Hollywood. All talk and no action," Aiken said.

"No Magister, I don't want to be the Holle-wood. Whatever that is? I was just trying to impress my girl..." Clouden said.

"Did I ask for an answer?!" Aiken said stepping towards Clouden. "Now, follow me to the front of the classroom," Aiken said as he motioned and walked to the front of the classroom. "You too little britches, you get to join the party."

Aiken stood in front of the classroom and addressed everyone. "Good Morning trainees, today was supposed to be a learning day. There wasn't supposed to be any physical training today. However, I think I might change my mind." The whole class groaned. "Don't blame me. Blame Trainee Clouden and his buddy Trainee Baldo ...however, I am going to make a deal. Everything will be determined on the outcome of this task. Clouden and Baldo will do 300 pushups. I need a show of hands. Who thinks Clouden is going to win? ...Okay 33" Aiken snapped his fingers and everyone that raised their hands had a blue "X" on their clothes. "Okay who is for Baldo? ...55." Aiken snapped his fingers again and everyone that voted from Baldo had a Red "X." "Wow almost everyone is voting for the girl." Aiken turned to Clouden and Baldo. "Now you two, you know what you need to do. Also, to prevent anyone from letting the other person win, the loser will be eliminated from the program. Now begin."

Clouden and Baldo dropped their books and hit the floor. They both began pumping away as the entire class watched on. There were plenty of words of encouragement from the entire class. It was like watching a racehorse coming down the homestretch. Around the 270th push up, they struggled to continue. Their arms trembled with each upward movement they had to do, but they persevered through. With about ten more, they were both neck and neck. Then, an individual came walking into the classroom. She looked so lovely in a fluffy brown and white medieval dress. She looked at the two individuals pumping away and then looked at Aiken.

"Stop it, the two of you. Stop it this instant." The woman said in a nurturing voice.

Clouden and Baldo stopped and looked at Aiken.

"Abby, honey, they are almost done." Aiken looked back down and motioned them to keep going.

"Alright, but they better not pass out like from the time before," Abby said.

At the 299th, they were both in the up position, breathing heavily and glistening from the intense workout.

"Come on Baldo, you just have one more to go," A trainee said.

"Clouden, stop playing around and finish her," Another trainee said.

And with one last ounce of strength, Trainee Baldo pushed up with all her might and collapsed to the ground. Half of the classroom cheered.

"That was great. I didn't think the two of you would make it that far. But, a deal is a deal," Aiken said as he brought both of his hands to clap. However, Abby stuck her hand right in the middle and gave him a stern look while shaking her head. "Hmmm, you know, I am going to change my mind. Clouden you are not eliminated from the program. However, the trainees with the blue "X," you owe me a lap around the country after this classroom training."

The other half of the class groaned.

"Trainees, this is the lovely Abby Gantrick, your instructor for today's class."

Everyone gasped.

"Thank you Darling. You may leave me with your brigade," Abby said.

"Listen up you Knuckleheads, if you give her a hard time, everyone will be running until you puke," Aiken said with a vicious look before he headed out the door.

"Don't listen to him children. He may act tough, but he is a big softy in the middle," Abby said. "Okay, today I am your instructor for..." Abby turned to the chalkboard and wrote down the title of the class. They read the words on the chalkboard, which stated, "Advanced Magic."

Abby looked at the chalkboard again and noticed her mistake. She walked over to the chalkboard and made a correction to the title of the class. She erased the word "Advanced" and added the words "The History of." Everyone groaned and whined throughout the classroom.

"Now, now, everyone needs to settle down," Abby said as she grabbed a bunch of books from the bench near the wall.

"Today is The History of Magic," She said while passing out the books. "There are two forms of magic: Enchanta spells and Caddre trinkets. Enchanta spells are performed by saying certain words and using sword motions. However, the more experienced you are, the less words you have to say. Aiken will teach the basics later during your first year. The book in your hands is the first of five parts of Magic; the first part is Caddre trinkets. Who can tell me what Caddre trinkets are?" There was a silence in the classroom except for one trainee in the front. He was a lanky individual with slightly big ears and silver hair. Abby was hoping to see more hands. "If you are having trouble finding the answer, just turn to page one." The class turned the page and still no one raised their hands, except for that silver-haired trainee in the front. "Okay, what is your name?"

"Ma'am, it is Trainee Tailor. Caddre trinkets are magic that can be contained in a crystal ball. Furthermore, the crystal balls are made from the burning of Illuminati trees and the crushed up pebbles of the Tyranic Mountain where the Nasus ore are grown," Trainee Tailor said.

"That is very good," Abby said.

"I would also like to add that I have read every book written about the position of Calic and Caddre trinkets; they are my specialty. Just an interesting fact, other crystal balls that are not made from those items are considered an inferior product and using them would only lead to a short duration of the magic's allure. And..."

"Okay Trainee Tailor. That is enough information... as I was saying..." Abby grabbed a clear ball from her pocket. "Class, this is a crystal ball and as Tailor here has beautifully explained, can only be made from those two items. Caddre trinkets are brewed and contained magic. Certain ingredients are mixed together in a 'shoot' and after that, they are contained in this crystal ball." Abby walked over to a black sheet and revealed what was underneath. "This is a shoot." Abby pointed to what appears to be two golden pipes stuck together and merged into one at the bottom, but the middle was covered up by this shiny black volcanic square rock like the obsidian from the path of trials. The bottom pipe curved up at the bottom making the shoot look like a "J" figure. "This is how magic crystal balls are made." Abby opened a chute and tossed the clear crystal ball in. Next, she grabbed two items, one of them looked like a big sugar cube and the other looked like a tiny star trapped in a marble. She threw the sugar cube in the right hole and the marble in the left. Then, the black rock slab started glowing and changed to various colors. Finally, there was a long rumbling sound. It sounded like large ball bearings going down a metal tube. The crystal ball filled with white smoke popped up and Abby caught it on the way down.

"Class, you have just witnessed the process of Caddre trinkets."

"What did you make?" Griff asked.

"It is a transport ball. Here, I'll show you how it works." She pulled Trainee Clouden from the front row. "Try to come back to this classroom quickly." She then threw down the crystal ball.

"Wait, where am..." Clouden said as the smoke engulfed him, and then disappeared. Everyone was shocked and amazed.

"I hope he gets back in time. Well, I have to move on," Abby said. "Okay class, I have a surprise for everyone. I don't usually do this level of Caddre Trinkets. However, I want to show what you could be up against."

Abby went to her desk and picked up a long green worm that looked similar to a night crawler worm from a glass container. It looked creepy slithering around her hand. She walked over to the other side and there was a box. She tapped on the box and the entire box transformed into a bigger box with different shelving units. She looked around, pulled out different amounts of colored sand, and placed them into a container. She grabbed all her items and walked over to the shoot. She threw the worm into the left side of the hole and all the different colors of sand into the right one. She pulled the same tiny marble star from her apron pocket and tossed it into the right hole. She grabbed her crystal ball and placed it in the chute. The black rock changed to several different colors again, but the rumbling was slightly longer than the making of the transport ball. Suddenly, the crystal ball popped up with Abby catching it again.

However, something strange happened. For when the crystal ball lifted from the shoot, the curtain closed automatically. The classroom went dark. The entire classroom broke into long gasps and short chatters. Suddenly, POOF. The class saw an outline of smoke rise towards the ceiling and there stood a green glowing scorpion. It walked in a confused circle as it was looking for a way out. Then, it stopped and looked at the class.

"Class, I have created a replica of one of the Darthian's Teck creature." The entire class shrieked in horror. "There is no need to worry. This is a hologram. It is not real."

The moment she said that, the scorpion flipped the desk with his long tail. The class did not know what to think. They sat in their seat thinking they would be safe, but how can a hologram lift the desk? They looked at Abby's face, as she was just as surprised as everyone else. The scorpion looked at his closest victim, which happened to be Abby and snapped his claw towards her. Abby was able to move away quickly not to get her arm snapped off, but she received a minor gash near the shoulder. The entire class realized how much trouble they were in and jumped from their seat heading for the back wall. Traveler tried to leave, but he was stuck as if someone smeared superglue all over his seat. The scorpion turned around, saw Traveler, and went straight for him.

Abby ran straight for the corner of the room and wrote on a piece of red parchment that was hanging on the wall. Afterwards, she slammed the note on the wall; the parchment flew from the wall, floated a little bit, and then multiplied into many pieces of parchment. It then disappeared into many flashes of sparkling light.

Meanwhile, the scorpion picked up Traveler's desk with his claws. Traveler sat suspended in the air. He stared down the back of the green scorpion and saw the scorpion was ready to use the stinger on his tail. Traveler sat there at the mercy of this creature. Familiar with finding weak spots, Jelly charged. He headed towards the scorpion's belly and tried to kick it as hard as he could. However, the scorpion blocked it with one of his legs. The scorpion released one of his claws and swiped across his body, knocking Jelly away. Jelly flew across the room colliding hard against the wall. The other trainees managed to reach the side exit. They pulled and pulled, but the exit door refused to open. They realized the door was locked from the outside.

Traveler closed his eyes preparing for what might be his final breath. Then, the classroom door flew open knocking some trainees out of the way. It was Aiken. The scorpion was just about to go for the strike with his stinger when Aiken threw his sword. It flung around and cut its tail. The stinger still managed to be a threat as it flew forward grazing Traveler's shoulder. Traveler looked flushed and then passed out. As Aiken's sword boomeranged back, he jumped in the air, grabbed the sword, and stabbed the scorpion in the back. The desk came crashing down with the grasp of the claws still intact. The scorpion lied motionless and turned into ashes.

Aiken ran over to Abby.

"Are you okay?" Aiken said.

"Yes, I am fine. You need to go see Traveler," Abby said.

Aiken rushed over to Traveler and found him turned into a light green color. There was a loud squeal outside the classroom. Aiken looked outside and saw a large white creature with red eyes and a shovel for a nose.

"The rison is here. Do you need to go as well?" Aiken said to Abby.

"No, I am fine. The rison can run faster with just one person," Abby said.

Aiken carried Traveler to the window and carefully placed him on the rison's nose. The rison flipped Traveler up and he landed gently on the rison's back.

By this time, the entire class had left the room. All that stood in the classroom was Aiken, Abby, and Jelly who was unconscious near the wall.

"I don't know what happen. It wasn't supposed to be real. Someone must have messed with my ingredients," Abby said.

"I'll get to the bottom of this. You need to go to the infirmary," Aiken said.

"Okay," Abby said

Just as Abby opened the door, Trainee Clouden stood there heavily breathing.

"Clouden, what took you so long?" Abby said with a surprised look on her face. Clouden did not say anything. He just looked inside.

"Where is everyone?" Clouden said.

"Everyone went to lunch. Can you let everyone else know that they have thirty minutes?" Aiken said.

Clouden nodded and left. As he walked out the door, he said. "It looks like I missed all the fun."

Aiken walked over to Jelly who was wobbling back and forth. Jelly grabbed the back of his head and looked at Aiken.

"Are you okay?" Aiken said.

Yeah, I am fine. Where is Traveler?" Jelly said.

"He is at the infirmary. The rison took him."

"Oh no. I must go."

Jelly reached the infirmary and found Caleb next to a bed.

"Caleb, where is Traveler?" Jelly said.

"You must have just missed him. He was here a minute ago. He acted somewhat strange. The moment I removed the small amount of poison from his body, he woke up. He was a bit frantic. He jolted up, pushed me out of the way, and ran out the door," Caleb said.

"Do you know where he went?" Jelly said.

"Sorry, I don't know. He mumbled something about leaving."

"Thanks, I know where he is."

Jelly ran out the door to go looking for Traveler. He found him in his room packing his suitcase with whatever material he could see.

"Young Master, are you okay?" Jelly said.

"I can't take it anymore! I'm going to the king and telling him I quit," Traveler yelled.

"Traveler, please calm down."

"Jelly, that is the second time I have been attacked. This attack was inside the castle walls. If I am not safe here, then where can I be safe?"

"It was an accident. These things happen."

"It has been happening to me ever since I accepted the role."

"Young Master, if you leave or stay, Terrorene will not stop hunting you down."

"I don't care. At least, I will still be with my family."

Jelly went over and grabbed Traveler by the shirt. Traveler tried to remove Jelly's hands, but could not release his grip.

"Listen to me; if you don't stop Terrorene, then there will be no family to come back to." Jelly said as Traveler tried to release himself by hitting Jelly's arms. "Stop it. Stop it right now. Can't you see we need your help?"

Traveler stopped swinging his arms and looked into Jelly's eyes. He saw the seriousness in Jelly's eyes. He bowed his head and started to cry. The tears ran down his face on to Jelly's hands. Jelly released his grip to wipe the salty tears.

Traveler looked back up.

"How do you expect me to save the world if I can't save myself?"

"Traveler, it is okay to be scared. But, I will promise you one thing. Trust yourself and you will find your way."

"Okay."

"I will tell Aiken that you are not feeling well today and you will resume your training tomorrow morning."

"Thank you Jelly."
Chapter 16

# Blocked Enchanta Spells can Hurt

Traveler met Jelly in the morning and headed for the courtyard to continue their training lesson.

"Jelly," Traveler said.

"Yes Traveler," Jelly said.

"I am sorry about what I said."

"It is okay Young Master. It is good to have emotion. It is all part of the process."

"Can you tell me if I have done anything wrong so far?"

"Nope, just learn the basics and you can spar later in the training area."

"Good."

"And do not worry about making mistakes. It is better you do them now than in battle..."

"There you are," King Gavel said as he walked over to them. The two guards behind him seemed to be ready for any kinds of ambush. Traveler recognized one of them as Radius.

"Hello Your Highness," Jelly said.

"I came over because I heard about the incident in the classroom," King Gavel said.

"Yes Sire, Traveler is fine. It was just a minor issue."

"Yes your highness, I am fine," Traveler said.

"Okay then. In that case, Jelly, I need you to go to the Terrala and find me a scout. Jelly, it is important that you understand that I need the best one for this reconnaissance task," King Gavel said.

"But Your Highness, what about my training?" Jelly said.

"I'll tell Aiken, not to hold it against you. He'll understand. Now hurry," King Gavel said as he turned to Traveler. "So, how is the training going?"

"Good Your Highness."

"I don't have to remind you. You can call me Archer."

"Sorry, I keep forgetting. I am learning a lot."

"Good, I am about to go on my roundabout. I was wondering if you would like to join me."

"What is a roundabout?"

"Once in a while, I like to walk among my territory and check on my people. It helps me gauge the morals of everyone."

"I see; yes, I would love to come. But, won't I miss my next lesson?"

"I would not worry about that. I think I can get you back in time."

King Gavel gave a nod to Radius, and Radius pulled out a red crystal ball. POOF! Traveler tried to stare through the thick red smoke. Once the smoke dissolved, he realized he was in a marketplace full of people. Everyone stopped and stared at the king, and then just as someone flipped a switch, everyone knelt before him.

"Well Your Highness, you know how to make an entrance," Radius said.

"Everyone please, go about your business!" King Gavel said to the crowd of people.

They slowly rose and continued what they were doing before the king's arrival. "This is more like it. I think I'll head over to the infirmary first."

Traveler had never seen the infirmary from the outside. It expressed a cottage like feel. It was two stories high made with gray brick and a mahogany roof. It had its own separated area far from any social activity and near the back of the castle ground walls. Traveler found it odd that even though it was separated from the main castle by a great distance, he was able to reach his room in a short amount of time.

"Traveler I would like to talk to you about the incident in the classroom and you are the only person I can trust," King Gavel said.

"What is it Ki- I mean Archer?" Traveler said.

"I know we have a spy in my castle, but I cannot determine who it is. Someone is trying to end your life. They mixed tiny bits of black scorpion shells in the sands. That is why the scorpion was real instead of the training hologram."

"Really?" Traveler said with worried eyes.

"Do not worry Traveler. I know you are starting to see the danger that lies ahead. But, I have assigned Jelly to protect you during your training. He is my most trusted and skilled fighter."

"Thank you Archer."

As they got closer to the infirmary, Traveler saw a row of white creatures with red eyes. They looked like the creatures he first encountered when he was in handcuffs. They stood along the gray wall in their own wooden stalls. Traveler recognized Caleb feeding them hay with tiny bits of brown pellets.

"Good day Caleb," King Gavel said.

Caleb finished feeding the creature and patted him on the side of the head. He realized the king was trying to get his attention.

"Good day Your Highness. What brings you here?" He said as he walked over to the king.

"Just on my roundabout; I thought I'd check on things here. How are the numbers this week?" King Gavel said.

"Traveler, what are you doing back so soon? Are you hurt?" Caleb said.

"No. I am fine," Traveler said.

"Uh-hem. My question Caleb," King Gavel said.

"Oh, sorry sir. Not good. My risons have brought many people in this week, some of which didn't have a great outcome."

Rison. Traveler thought. He walked over, grabbed some hay from the bin, and began to feed the nearest one.

"You were probably the one that saved my life," Traveler said. He reached up and began to pet the side of his face. The skin was cool and soothing to the touch just like the cream that creates heat to soothe the aching muscles.

"Is there anything more you need?" The king said.

"No Sire, I have everything I need. I just need you to fix this," Caleb said.

"I know. I am doing my best...." The king said.

Just as he said that, the rison in front of Traveler made a terrible squeal and rose to its hind legs. Traveler stood frozen and scared. It kicked open the stall doors. The stall door hinged around rapidly and knocked Traveler off to the side. Once the door opened freely, the rison burst out in a fury.

"That is the 10th one today," Caleb said.

"That is terrible news," King Gavel said.

"Are you okay?" Radius said.

"Yes, I am fine. What just happened?" Traveler said while getting up.

"These risons are continuously sending signals throughout the realm pinpointing people that have died or collapsed because of Terrorene's dark magic attack or energy drain. Once the rison picks up their signal, then it makes that noise and hurries to pick them up and bring them back here," Radius said.

"You mean like an ambulance," Travelers said.

"What is an am-bu-lance?" Radius said.

"It is what we use to pick up sick people."

"If that is the meaning, then yes, it is like an am-bu-lance."

"Caleb, keep me updated on the numbers. Let me know what I can do to keep the numbers down," King Gavel said.

"Yes Sire."

They exchanged salutes and walked away.

"Archer, how do the rison get over the walls since we are so far from the castle wall's gates?" Traveler asked.

"They jump over the castle ground's walls. But don't worry, the rison knows who is an enemy or not," King Gavel said.

They continued to walk along the path and visited the farmers that lived on the outskirts of the protective castle walls. They looked so tired from toiling away on their land. However, once the farmers saw King Gavel, they rushed over to greet his presence. Everyone was happy to see him.

"Your Highness, please come in to my home and have a snack," One of the farmers said.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have other places to visit," King Gavel said.

"Yes, Your Highness. I understand. It's just a honor to see you."

"Please go back to your work and feed this territory. That is the greatest honor you can bring to me."

The farmer ran back proudly to his field and began planting his crops.

"Archer, how come you cannot use magic to create the food?"

"Don't you remember Traveler; magic can't affect the natural gift of the land. In addition, not everyone can use magic. Only Electus, former or current, have the ability to use magic such as the Enchanta spells. The Calic, former or current, can only create the Caddre trinkets. The Visorist can only create the elite vials. The trinkets and vials that have already been conjured and mixed are the only items regular people can use. Of course, the gifts that were given to us by the Elders can also be used without magic."

"What did Lumonus give you?"

"Lumonus gave our family the understanding of light and dark knowledge."

"Hey, what about the trainees that got kicked out of the program? Didn't they learn about the Enchanta spells, Caddre trinkets, and vials?"

"Yes, but once you get kicked out, every knowledgeable details you learned during the training-spells, trinket formulas, and fighting techniques, disappear from your mind. The only thing that stays is your fighting experience."

"What about dark magic?"

"They have their own set of rules. It is difficult to understand, but Terrorene had the ability to give anyone the use of dark magic. As long as he is alive, anyone under his power has the ability to use dark magic."

"Your Highness, we have to move on," Radius said.

"Yes Radius, I just get caught up in the moment sometimes," King Gavel said. "Well Traveler, ready to move on? Let's go back and see if Jelly has my scout."

They left the field of farmers tending to their crops. After several minutes, they reached the main castle.

"I hope you learned a lot Traveler. I think you have enough time to go back to your lessons," King Gavel said.

"Yes Archer, I learned a lot. Thank you for inviting me on your roundabout," Traveler said.

Traveler ran to the courtyard and fell into the line that was just about finished forming up. Traveler was eager to learn more than ever. There was a small chatter amongst the group, but when the hint of Aiken's purple shoes stepped out of the castle doors, there was an immediate hush. Aiken walked out carrying a clipboard. "Now we are going to learn the other half of magic...Enchanta Spells. I need everyone in the full battle training gear. There are crystals balls at your feet."

Everyone looked on the ground to find his or her crystal ball. POOF! They all shattered their crystal ball as one collective unit and created a storm of white clouds that surrounded the entire courtyard.

A-heck a-heck. We have to find a better way to do this. Aiken thought.

"I need everyone to gather around me," Aiken said.

They ran to the spot, to avoid any more confrontation. "These things are called a Wit." Aiken pointed to the mannequin-like figures. They were clear, but had this light blue outline. It looked weird with no fingers and toes. They looked even creepier with blank faces. "These Wits are training dummies and here to help you with your training, but they will not hurt you." He tapped one of the Wits on his head, and everyone watched it run to the other side of the field. It moved so fluidly as if someone real would move. "This is the first spell I am going to teach you." He turned his body towards the running Wit, aimed his sword, and shouted "Retinaculum!" After the incantation, Aiken's sword slightly shook. At the sight of his sword, a small gathering of light appeared at the base of the handle. It snowballed larger and larger until it engulfed his hands. In a flash, the small ball of light shot from the sword's tip. It zipped across the grassy knoll heading towards the Wit. The light struck the Wit in the back and began to wrap itself around it, causing the Wit to lose his balance.

Aiken turned back to his group of eager minds. "That spell was called Retinaculum. It is a wrapping spell. If at any time you need to subdue a person, just shout out 'Retinaculum!'" Another beam of light shot from the sword and began traveling across to the awaiting Wit that was in the middle of untying his previous bond. The light wrapped around the Wit even harder.

"This is the first spell we teach to everyone because it is the easiest. There are no sword movements involved, so just point and shoot. There are two parts to an Enchanta spell. You have to get them both right. You have to say it correctly and get the sword movements accurately." Aiken began to count off the trainees making sure there was enough.

"Okay, there are five Wits here; everyone get into five groups and take turns shouting out the spell." He tapped on the other four Wits and they ran to their spots. "Oh I forgot. There are counter spells to remove any Enchanta spells you shout. If you are good enough you can actually manipulate the counterspell, but it has to follow the Enchanta rules and you won't learn that until the last year."

The trainees ran to their stations and practiced. Aiken hovered around the trainees offering his advice along the way. Traveler was the first person in line in his group. He stepped up to the front and took his proper stance. He swung the swords sideways just as Aiken did and yelled Rent-nack-calium! However, nothing happened.

Traveler yelled again "Rent-nack-calium!" Nothing happened.

The Wit started to grab his stomach with a slight bend in his posture, indicating he was in a laughing position and the laughing sounds that came afterwards, verified Traveler's assumption. The look on Traveler's face was not an encouraging one. However, an encouraging voice from behind cheered him up a little.

"Don't worry Traveler; most people don't get it on the first try," Aiken said.

"Then, why is the Wit laughing at me?" Traveler asked.

"Oh, Sedder thinks he is funny. That is an alarm letting me know if students are having problems. Show me what you are doing."

Traveler swung his sword and yelled out Rent-nackee-calium!

"I see. It is pronounced Ren-nack-cal-lum. Remember what I said, if you don't get the right tone in the words, it won't work. But don't worry Traveler. Once you get better at Enchanta spells, you won't even need to say them."

Traveler swung another time. "Retinaculum!" A tiny beam of light streamed out of his sword and zipped across the ground. The Wit stopped laughing and waved his arms up, as the light struck him in the right shoulder, wrapping itself around. Everyone in the group gave a loud applause.

"Good job Traveler. Now you can help the other people." Aiken applauded the effort then moved on to another laughing Wit.

"Okay," Traveler said. "Hey Griff, why don't you go next?"

"Well okay Traveler. I'll do my best."

Griff stood and faced the Wit. Traveler could see his sword shake a little. Griff took his proper stance just as Traveler did and yelled out a couple of times Retinaculum! Suddenly a tiny ball appeared at the base and shot out the other end. The light traveled quickly and hit the Wit's sword. Griff got the right words, but he kept his eyes closed the entire time, leaving his aiming a little spotty. The light reflected off the Wit's sword and headed back towards the group. It hit Trainee Clouden and the light immediately wrapped him up causing him to fall to the ground. The rest of the trainees burst into an arousing laughter.

"Alright, everybody needs to shut their mouth," Aiken said. "Acacia!" A red ball appeared and exploded into tiny speckles. Trainee Clouden found the speckles dissolving the thin-lit rope. He got up and stared at Griff. Aiken walked over to Griff.

"Griff, how did you get a spell reflected back? These Wits are on level 1. The Wits are not even trying to block. You used to be a great hunter. I don't know what happen to you. Ever since your sister..." Aiken stopped and realized what he was about to say. He knew the family well and this was a touchy subject.

Griff stood trembling and at a loss for words.

"I am sorry. I know it has been hard," Aiken said.

"I'll do better Aiken," Griff said.

"Alright back to your training. Everyone needs to continue to practice the spells," Aiken said.

When other trainees of the group came to the front of the line, Traveler gave them some pointers when they were having trouble and most of them did have trouble. Unexpectedly, Aiken snapped his fingers and a loud thunderclap forced everyone to stop. "Everyone is doing a great job. I haven't had to kick anybody out today. Any day we have an Enchanta spell class, you are going to learn two spells. Later on, if you know other spells from the book, you can practice them here. The second one of the day is a speed spell. If you use it right, it can be very useful. Watch," Aiken said. He stood in front of the Wit waiting for the right moment. Suddenly, the Wit ran towards him. Once it was close enough, he flicked the sword and shouted. "Plantar Fastis!"

The Wit moved quickly forward running into the rock behind Aiken.

"Did everyone get a good look? Get back to your stations and try it. But, I am going to make it a little harder. I am going to switch these Wits to level two. So be careful. They can block spells now. Just aim away from their sword," Aiken said.

Traveler again was first in his group. The Wit started to move forward. Traveler shouted "Plantar Fastis!" It did not work. The Wit got closer and raised his sword above his head. Traveler yelled again "Plantar Fastis!" Nothing happened. The Wit got closer and swung down the sword. It stopped within inches of Traveler's head.

"Traveler! You are dead. But, don't worry this is why we practice. Try again," Aiken tapped the Wit's head and he ran back to the starting spot. The Wit started to move forward again. Traveler flicked and shouted "Plantar Fastis!" The spell worked and the Wit charged faster. But, the Wit was still far away. Within seconds, the Wit's sword was again a few inches from Traveler's heart.

"You are dead again," Aiken said.

"What did I do wrong?" Traveler asked.

"This spell is all about execution and timing. You have to use the spell at his halfway point," Aiken said as Traveler sighed. "Try one more time. I'll draw a line. Once they pass it, use the spell."

Aiken tapped on the Wit again. As the Wit ran back, Traveler took a deep breath. The Wit started to move forward. It passed the line. Traveler shouted "Plantar Fastis!" It worked but the beam of light was blocked by the Wit and reflected back towards Traveler. He did not know what to do. He placed his hands up and braced for the impact. When the light hit him, his legs started to tingle. They began pumping up and down.

"Umm, Sir?" Traveler pleaded.

Aiken turned around from helping another trainee and saw Traveler's leg pumping up and down. He tried to pull out his sword, but it was too late. Traveler had already left his sight. Traveler's legs moved without him even trying. He ran around the Wit three times and then headed for the castle. Aiken told the trainees to wait there while he chased down Traveler. The rest of the trainees started laughing and chasing after him as well. Aiken looked around the castle area and found a big hole in the barn. When he opened the door, he saw Traveler on the ground in a pile of manure. The rest of the trainees caught up to Aiken and saw Traveler in the barn as well, but with his feet in the air still running. Traveler turned and stared at everyone.

"Umm, a little help here," Traveler said.

"I think we will call it a day," Aiken said

The rest of the students dashed away.

Aiken shouted "Dorsal Fascist!" Traveler legs stopped moving, and he got to his feet.

"I don't think the speed spell is supposed work like that," Traveler said.

"I think I would have to agree with you," Aiken said.

Traveler entered the great mess hall and looked for any familiar face. Across the room, he found Jelly sitting with a bunch of the trainees making grand gestures as if he was reenacting a story. Jelly indeed was telling one of his survival stories when he saw Traveler in the distance and waved signaling where to sit. With that invitation, Traveler walked over and introduced himself to the crowd of people.

"How are the legs feeling Young Master?" Jelly asked as everyone snickered under their breath.

"Umm, they are fine. What were you talking about?" Traveler asked.

"Jelly was telling us about the story of a Teck that had a multiple personality disorder," Griff said. "He and Jacob were attacking this one Teck, but every time he was stabbed, it splits into another person. Well, that is where he left off before you came by."

Traveler grabbed a chair and waited for the story to continue. Once he sat down, a tiny light snow-flaked came down to the empty plate. A couple of seconds later, the plate had a delicious dinner.

"Well, go ahead and finish the story Jelly," Griff said.

"Yes, the master and I were there amongst a crowd of people. There were at least 20 people standing ready to attack us from what our eyes could see. It was very hard to figure out the weak point of this particular Teck. We thought that they would all have the same weak points, but each Teck that multiplied had its own weak points." Everyone gasped as the trainees sat on the edge of their seats. "So, there we were standing there waiting until suddenly one of them pounced on us, but Master Sands was able to kick him back. However, that set off a high chain reaction of every Teck attacking us. We were on the bottom of a very large pile; I stared into Master's eyes, hoping he would have an answer. He had none at the time, but there was a deep fiery glare that came about him and with all his might, he jumped out of the pile sending everyone back. Then, Master grabbed his sword, placed it on his shield, and threw it into the crowd of Tecks. One by one the heads came off and they never split again."

Everyone had the same expression of awesomeness.

"So your master figured it out? Right? But how did he know?" Griff asked.

"Ah little one. I never know the answer to that question. He just knew what to do," Jelly answered. "Okay everyone, go back to your supper. I have to eat my food before it gets cold."

There were small groans from the crowd, but they all dispersed. Traveler watched as everyone scurried back to his or her table and noticed a half-filled mess hall.

"Where are the rest of the people?" Traveler asked.

"Only the trainees in the first years and the instructors eat lunch here at this time of day. The second year and up, eat in a different area. They are called Upgraders," Jelly said.

"Why?"

"The first years are always crowded with different people and the king didn't want the upgraders talking about the training with the first years."

"I see, so the training for upgraders is secret"

"Yes, now be quiet and let me finish my meal."

"Okay."

They continued to eat until Traveler heard a loud clatter of plates. He turned around and discovered Clouden hovering over Griff.

"You know I am tired of getting embarrassed," Clouden said.

"I am sorry Clouden, it was an accident. I am just learning like everyone else," Griff said.

"Well, sorry is not going to be enough for me," Clouden said as he grabbed the apple-pie on the table and smashed it on Griff's head. The entire table of people pointed and laughed. Griff just sat there with a nervous look on his face.

"Hey why don't you leave him alone?" Traveler said getting up from his table.

"Or what? Are you going to stop me?" Clouden said.

"I might just have to," Traveler said with a nervous voice.

"I don't care what they say about you. I think you are a fraud."

"Then, why are you here?"

"I am just here to work for the king. I hate you Electus. Besides, I know about your so-called "powers." You don't have any here. I know they only work in Kapricia."

"Why don't we find out?" Traveler couldn't believe what came out of his mouth. The adrenaline rush made him say things he never would have dreamed of saying.

"Okay." As Clouden said those words, he balled his fist and threw the first punch. Traveler, surprised by the quick attack, did not have time to defend, which resulted in being smacked squarely on the right eye. Traveler still managed to stay upright and the second fist started to come around. However, it stopped within inches of his face.

"Windbottom, you are hurting me." Clouden grimaced in pain as Jelly had a hold of his wrist.

"How dare you lay your hands on an Electus? You know the rules. You could be thrown in The Confinement of Desolation. I just saved your life."

"Windbottom, please let go."

"Yes, however you are lucky that I am not going to tell the Magister about this."

Clouden grabbed his wrist and walked away. He had this glare as if he was going to plot his next plan.

"Young Master, are you fine?"

"Yeah, I am okay. That really hurt."

"You'll be fine the next day. The bruises go away the next day; however, cuts are the thing you have to worry about."

"Thanks Jelly, can you clean up Griff?"

"Sure, Griff come here."

Griff came over and Jelly pulled out a green vial and poured it on his head. The green liquid covered his entire body and expanded into a foamy snowman. After a short moment, the foam suds blew away and Griff was clear of the apple-pie mess.

"Traveler, you didn't have to do this," Griff said.

"It is my job to protect the people, even from the people on the inside. And who knows, maybe you'll return the favor."

They went back to their tables and continued to eat the rest of their dinner.

Later, Traveler saw Griff walking with his friends and approached him.

"Hey Griff."

"Traveler, it is a pleasure to see you again."

"Mmmm, yeah, anyways. I have to ask you a question. I overheard you talking to your friends about Terrorene being trapped in the Kapricia. How do you know this?"

"I have my sources."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we are not supposed to study about Terrorene until the last year, but my father used to be an advisor to the King. My father was a very wise man who can gather information quickly. He found this hidden section in the second Arcus amongst the forest. They had a great deal of information about Terrorene. He told me that Terrorene was trapped when a specific scripture was written on particular parchment. The Elders created a special kind just for him. I believe it was made with a piece of Terrorene's cloth embedded in it."

"How did they get the cloth from him?"

"Hmm, I don't know, he didn't tell me. Well, they were able to get the cloth and read the scripture. After that, Terrorene is now forever trapped in the Kapricia."

"So how does he get back?"

"Hmm, I believe my father said Terrorene has to first read it himself and then destroy the parchment."

"Do you happen to know where it is?"

"Sorry Traveler, I don't know. Maybe you should ask the king. He knows everything. On the other hand, I heard about the storyteller. She used to be Terrorene's advisor and is now living in the Forest of the Unforgotten. A bunch of people often go there and listen to the scary stories of adventures in Codextrius."
Chapter 17

# The Unforgotten White Lion

Traveler waited until the cover of darkness to run his plan. He flipped the sheets and hopped out of bed. He grabbed the candlestick and carefully walked down the corridor. He stood next to Jelly's door and peeked inside. The first part of his plan was complete. He opened the door wider and found no one inside. He walked into the closet and rummaged through his bags. He found the two little horse chariots and tucked them under his arms. He walked down the hallway carefully, but heard some voices arguing down the hallway. He hid in a dark corner and turned off his light.

"You know we can't do this."

"I need to get out of here for a bit."

It was Clouden and Baldo.

"No, we are not allowed to go outside at night," Baldo said.

"I know what the rules are. I need something to break the tension," Clouden said.

"Get back to your dorm room before I tell Magister Gantrick."

"No, you won't because if they catch me, then I get kicked out. And who else is going to help you with your studies?"

"Fine I am going with you."

"Fine."

"How are you going to get past the gates?"

"I know about the secret passage near the well."

"I know about that one too. But how..."

The argument passed over Traveler with him under the cover of darkness. As the gap grew, the spoken words faded away. However, even if he were visible, the intense argument would have blinded their view anyways. Traveler noticed that they argued about something intriguing towards the end. He wanted to know more about the secret passage. Traveler figured the best thing to do is follow them, but he did not want to take that chance and get caught. Besides, he had enough information to get where he needed to go.

Traveler made it outside the castle door and placed the two chariots down he stole from Jelly's room. He told them to take him to the Forest of the Unforgotten, but needed them to head to the passage near the well. In their small stature, they seemed to understand Traveler. He carefully placed each foot on the chariots and took off. They arrived within seconds, and Traveler noticed an outline of a small door in the ground. If people were not looking in the right spot, they would never find it.

He opened the hatch and climbed down the ladder inside. He crept along the enclosed tunnel and with his reliable candlestick, he saw the light at the end. In his excitement, he ran for it. Suddenly, that light turned out to be a vicious white lion. The size of the lion was not big, but normal, just like the ones he has seen at the San Diego Zoo. When it saw Traveler, it gave out a frightening roar near the metal door. Then, it charged him, which resulted in Traveler retreating. He almost reached the opening near the well until the white lion swiped his leg and caused him to stumble to the ground. Traveler crawled backward as the white lion edged forward. He felt the ladder close to his back. He was inches away from getting out, but if he turned around, then the lion would certainly attack. The lion gave him a long stare down as if he was thinking about his next move. Then without hesitation, the lion lunged forward aiming for the head. Traveler closed his eyes, then raised his hands bracing for the collision course. Yet after a couple of seconds passed, he opened his eyes again and found the lion making some chewing motion and putting its paws near his mouth. It looked like there was gum in his mouth.

"Good thing I followed you," A familiar voice said.

Traveler looked up.

"Griff, did you do this?" Traveler said.

"Yup, so where are you going at this time of night?" Griff said.

"I need to find the scroll you were talking about and I was hoping the storyteller would know."

"Well, you better hurry before that sticky ball wears off. Do you mind if I come along?"

"Sure, you just saved my life. I guess we are even."

Griff climbed down the ladder and then walked right past the white lion. As they rapidly paced, Traveler got this weird feeling; he looked and saw the white lion running fiercely.

"Run fast, we have to hurry," Traveler said as he grabbed Griff's arm.

"But..." Griff tried to explain, but Traveler insisted on getting out of the tunnel. They reached the metal door, and Traveler turned the knob.

"It won't open," Traveler said.

"That's not good. But, I was trying to tell you that I have another sticky ball," Griff said.

"Well, get it out!"

Griff looked in his small brown bag. Then, he looked up with a worried look.

"Well, where is it?" Traveler said.

"Ummm, I don't know," Griff said.

"You have to know or we are going to get eaten!" Traveler said.

"Well, it's here somewhere," Griff said as he patted his pockets.

"Griff, there is no time. Let's get this door open."

The white lion was nearly close to the two of them. They both began banging on the door with their shoulders, but the door would not budge. The white lion was now within seconds of eating his next victim. Traveler leaned on the door with a doomed look, until the door turned into water and they both fell through onto the other side. The door instantly turned back into a metal door. Then, a hard thud was soon followed by a booming howl.

"Whew. I forgot you could do that," Traveler said.

"The important thing was that I remembered," Griff said.

"I guess I owe you one now," Traveler said.

"Don't worry Traveler, nobody is keeping score." Griff said still patting down his pockets. "Wait, there it is. I left it in my shoe pocket."

Traveler gave him a dirty look and placed down the two chariots.

"I am sorry Griff. I only have one set."

"What is that thing? I have never seen it in my life."

"I think Jelly made it. I had to steal it from his bedroom."

"Maybe I can ride on your shoulders."

"Sure, hop on."

Griff jumped on his shoulder and Traveler got on both chariots. They took off like a bullet and reached the Forest of the Unforgotten in minutes. They saw a tiny campfire in between the trees and followed it. They reached the storyteller sitting on a stump watching the fire. She was dressed in a black and red cloak covering her entire body. The hood hung over and covered half of her face. She was grasping with both hands on the brown branch-looking staff.

"Excuse me, what is your name?" Traveler asked.

The storyteller did not say anything.

"Excuse, what is your name?" Traveler asked again.

The storyteller raised her staff with one hand. The fire grew bigger and white smoke circled the two of them.

"I don't think she is going to tell you. Usually, when people come here they leave something on the stump next to her," Griff said.

"I don't have anything but this candle stick, the tooth necklace, and these chariots," Traveler said.

The storyteller raised her staff again and the fire roared with the white smoke moving in the shape of a large dogtooth.

"I guess she wants your necklace," Griff said.

"No, it came from my grandfather," Traveler said.

"Okay Traveler, but I don't think you are going to find your answers if you don't give it up."

"Fine." Traveler walked over to the stump and placed the necklace down. They walked over to the long log that was sitting on the ground and took a seat.

The storyteller stood up and grabbed the necklace. She examined it, raised both hands, and began her words.

"This night story of the unforgotten begins as it always does with a sad tale." The storyteller began her story in a calming, but dark voice. "A farmer and his wife lived a modest and happy life, but soon that changed. It was the year of the longest drought, many people and crops suffered from the lack of water. In a desperate attempt to find any source of water, the farmer dug a hole in the well. Determined to find any source of water, he dug and dug until the sun could not reach the bottom. But, he did not find water." As the words flew, the smoke coming from the fire pit began to twist and configure itself into a different picture of the story. "Then, a large storm came and the strong winds pushed their way through the farm. Finally, rain came tagging along, but the strong winds knocked the worried wife down the hole. The rope ladder, which was the only escape from the abyss hole, fell under the weight of the wife. The farmer managed to catch the wife to avoid further injuries. They looked up and noticed the hard rain hitting their faces. The farmer begged and pleaded for the rain to stop, but it did not. It rained continuously throughout the night, filling the hole, leaving them to drown to a watery death never again to see the light of day. Years later, time had passed and they were forgotten. Villages and castles were built on what was thought of as an abandoned land and the two lovers remained stuck at the bottom of the hole forever. The last thing they learned is that desperation can open to many paths, but patience is a virtue."

The storyteller stopped and the fire came down to a gentle wave.

"Thank you my child for coming by and listening to an old woman telling her stories. But, the answer you seek lies within the words that were spoken." Suddenly a strong wind came and blew out the fire, but the embers kept the fire going and when the fire's radiance emerged again, the old lady was gone.

"How did she know the answer? I didn't give her the question," Traveler said.

"I don't know Traveler. Most people come here for entertainment, not to get questions answered," Griff said.

"Do you think she is talking about the passage near the well?" Traveler asked.

"No, that was a tunnel not a hole," Griff said.

"Then, what is she talking about?" Traveler said.

"Well, I heard a thousand years ago the old king wanted to build an escape passage underneath the castle, but the workers stopped when they found a hole. They threw a fire stick down, but they never saw the bottom. They were able to dig around it, but never dared to go down. Maybe you should find that hole."

"Which part of the castle was it under?" Traveler asked.

"I think there is a map in the display case in the Arcus at the main castle that has the answer," Griff said.

"Griff you are so smart, thanks for the help. Let's get out of here," Traveler said.

They found their way back to the castle.

"Griff, I'd like to thank you for your help. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be standing here," Traveler said.

"Aww, Traveler. It was nothing. I need you more than you need me. I lost my confidence ever since my sister was kidnapped," Griff said.

"Who kidnapped your sister?"

"Terrorene's people did. From what I know now, they kidnap people to test their dark orb. This is the main power source to create the Tecks."

"I am sorry about your lost."

"I know she is alive. I just need to be a Calic to find her. I don't think my brother will make it."

"Griff, I will do everything that I can to help." Traveler then gave him a hug. "There is more. I don't think you should come in with me. I have to do this alone. I have a feeling that something serious might happen."

"But-"

"I am sorry Griff. I have to do this alone."

"Very well."

"Thank you Griff."

Griff respected his request and went back to his dorm. Traveler stood at the entrance of the ARCUS and stared at the glowing scroll in the glass display.

"That has to be it," Traveler said.

He uncovered the glass display. He reached up grabbing the scroll, hoping the answer would fall into his lap. He unraveled the scroll only to find a prize-winning recipe for Ebok chicken. He placed the scroll back in dismay, but while he reached up for the scroll's stand, his hands accidentally opened another door. The stone door slowly opened and creaked ever so gently. Traveler stared down the dark tight hallway but could barely see the end because of the dim lighting and the parade of dust hovering inside. Nevertheless, what intrigued him a little was a slight glimpse of a shiny object nearing the end. With his inquisitive mind, he had no choice but to take the initial steps. However, the initial steps were the hardest because of the daunting setting, but after each step, it seemed to get easier and easier. He walked down the long dark hallway guarding his candlestick, which was his only central source of light. He felt this claustrophobic sensation, which he had never had before, so each step he took was quieter than the next. However, the sensation went away the further he was and then he confirmed the sudden boost of open space when his arm moved freely, giving him the ability to walk in his normal stride. Suddenly, the shiny twinkle of light in the blackness ahead caused him to move faster. He reached the end, finding a shiny polished silver handle. He carefully turned the handle and found the back of a man's head sitting quietly in his chair.

"Hello Traveler, I see you found out about the secret path to my chambers," The man said.

"How did..," Traveler said.

"...I know it was you?" The man said. The chair slowly turned. "Because as king I know everything."

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to invade your privacy," Traveler said.

"Do not be sorry. That passage was unknown to everybody. It was a way for me to get to my father's chambers when he was alive. I do not have much use for it anymore. But, the question is why you were up in the Arcus at this time of night?"

"I was looking for something."

"I see ...well, Traveler I do believe it is getting late. I have a big night in front of me. But, I think the answers you are looking for are within these walls," Archer said as he walked out of his chamber.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Traveler said, but the door slammed shut before the king could hear him.

Traveler looked all over the room and remembered the open bare spot that was not covered by the carpet tapestry. He walked over and saw the small nameplate at the bottom. It read "Tristan Gavel." He wondered if that was the same Tristan that tied him up and Jelly. He looked down and noticed a faint pattern on the floor. It looked like a whirlpool. He walked over and stomped on the center of the swirl, but nothing happened. He stomped it again, and still nothing happened. He stood in the center to figure out what to do next, but the floor opened.

Traveler fell down the hole at an insanely high rate. He wanted to scream but something was preventing him from doing it. After falling for several minutes, he saw the floor on the way down and closed his eyes as he tried to brace himself for the crash. However, there was no need as the half a second that he would have took to hit the ground, he was paused in midair a few inches off the ground. Then, he was forced upright by some magical force. He finally opened his eyes and noticed the empty dark black room he was in. He could not see anything in front of him. Then, a white glowing mist came through the walls and formed into several figures. Traveler counted the different figures and saw seven of them appear before his eyes.

"Who are you?" Traveler shouted.

Nobody answered.

"Can you hear me? I said who are you and why am I here?"

"Silence!" One of the figures said with a great, deep overbearing voice.

"Archer was right; this one asked too many questions." One of the other figures said while the other one nodded.

Traveler stood there quietly, not knowing what was going to happen next. The sweat just ran down from his forehead.

"My name is Lumonus and I am an Elder."

"I thought the Elders were dead."

"Yes, Traveler we are dead, but the spirits live on to help the king. This is our private room."

"Oh really, I am so glad you said that. For a moment I thought I was in hell."

"I assure you Traveler, if you were in hell, you would know it. I understand you have a problem."

"Problem. Nope, I don't have a problem."

"Traveler, we know what you are looking for, therefore, we know about your deal with Terrorene."

Traveler fell to his knees and began to shake his clasped hands.

"Please don't kill me. I can explain. He said he would kill my family if I didn't help."

The Elders looked at one another not expecting this reaction from an Electus like him.

"Traveler, we know."

"You do? Great, so now what?"

"Traveler, if Terrorene finds his way back to Codextrius, then this world will be his. Nevertheless, we will help you find what you are looking for because we know you will do the right thing. But, you need to prove yourself worthy."

"How do I do that?"

"You must defeat the white lion. He is the Gate Guardian to the sacred scroll."

The rest of the Elders disappeared quickly into the walls.

"Wait, again, how do I do that?"

The room got pitch-black. Suddenly two stars lit up and shined on the door. Traveler walked over and carefully opened it. Once he did, a white lion pounced out and tackled Traveler to the ground. It was not the same lion he had previously encountered because this one was double the size. It was nearly the same size as the dragon he first encountered. With the lion standing above Traveler, he let out a huge roar. With that roar, he watched that white fur flair up. He saw the lion's paw that was three times the size of Traveler's head, tightening its claws as it gripped into the stone floor. He felt the large glop of warm drool land on his body and face. He realized that he might be in the fight for his life.

Traveler managed to loosen the standing grip and rolled out. He was able and unknowingly summoned his full battle gear and waited for the lion's next move. The lion charged at him with his long claws and Traveler spun to the right avoiding the snarling teeth. Making four long, deep scratch marks across Traveler's armor, the lion made another charge before Traveler could regain a defensive stance. Traveler's shield expanded avoiding the other four long deep scratches. The lion was too fast and it moved through the room as if a slithering snake would. Traveler threw his shield hoping to daze the lion, but the lion swatted it away. Traveler ran for his shield, but the lion pushed him on the shoulder slamming him into wall. The big impact caused him to drop his sword. The lion charged at him once again and in a matter of seconds, it was within a few inches from his face. The lion lunged in for the bite. Traveler put his hands up hoping to avoid the huge teeth. But, the armor did not allow the massive teeth to puncture the metal. Traveler felt the metal squeezing him. It felt like being pushed against the door; a feeling Traveler knew all too well. The lion could not bite through the armor. Therefore, it decided to swallow him whole. Traveler slid down the throat and into the stomach. It was dark, but the sapphire crystal glowed just enough to shine the surrounding area. He noticed the scroll was on the inside. Traveler's lack of advanced fighting skills had been his blessing. He grabbed the scroll and punched as hard as he could against the stomach wall cavity. The lion roared with pain. He continued punching until a huge wave of water come toward him and he held his breath just in time. The water filled the stomach cavity forcing him to come out the way he came in. Once outside, Traveler coughed out the rest of the water and noticed the lion standing above him, but in that brief moment, the white lion roared and disappeared. One ghostly figure came back in the room.

"You have proven yourself worthy," Lumonus said.

"Thank you Lumonus," Traveler said while standing up in his watery mess.

"Just understand that everything has its price. We know you will do the right thing."

"I will."

The ghostly figure disappeared back into the walls and the scroll rose from his hand and in front of his face. It spun around with a glow that became brighter and brighter. He reached up to grab it and once he was able to grasp it, he disappeared.

Traveler found himself in the king's chamber again. King Gavel glanced at his hands and saw the dripping scroll.

"I guess you have found what you were looking for?" Archer said.

"Yes I did, but I thought you left."

"I did, but I came back because I forgot something."

"Well Archer, I also forgot something."

"What is it Traveler?"

"I have something else to tell you."
Chapter 18

# The First Battle

The next morning, Traveler continued with his lessons and lined up in the courtyard.

"This morning's lesson is the Quick Shot," Aiken said. He pulled out a sand-colored ball and threw it down.

POOF!

The rest of the brigade found themselves on an empty dirt ground. They looked around and found nothing in sight but dry dirt everywhere.

"Magister Aiken, what are we doing here?" Clouden said.

"What is your eagerness doing in my face? I'll tell you when I am good and ready," Aiken said.

The trainee backed away and merged into the crowd.

"We are here at the Quick Shot training area," Aiken said. "Your goal here is to shoot the targets, but you have to watch out for the drop zone. Many spots here act like quicksand. It is your job to concentrate and finish your shots. You have to hit five targets before the quicksand area is cleared." He grabbed a bunch of glowing light sticks like the kind the neighborhood watch group passes out during Halloween. He tossed it to the different trainees around him. The powerful yellow glow shined through their hands. Aiken told them to clip their light stick to their belts.

"What you have on your belts are Shimmers. They contain your bow and arrows. Now that you have your weapons, I am going to show you a little demo," Aiken said as he walked in the middle of the dirt field. "First, you need to lock in the ready mode." He grabbed the glowing light stick or Shimmers hanging from his belt. Aiken yanked up quick as if he was starting a lawn mower. The string that was attached to the Shimmer and his belt glowed brightly. Then in an instant, the glowing light stick turned into a bow that was made of white light. It was amazing how the tiny light stick expanded so much. The Shimmer dropped back down to his side and reeled back to his belt. He switched the bow to his left hand, reached down for the Shimmer and again, grabbed a white light arrow out with another quick yank. Suddenly, Aiken started to sink into the ground.

"Always make each one of your shots count. You don't have many arrows. If the light goes out on your Shimmers, then you have no more arrows." Aiken gave out his final advice before he released his first arrow.

As Aiken came down, five different targets popped up from every directions. He hit the first target right dead center, but missed the next target about ten feet to the right of it. Once he missed, he began to descend faster. He managed to recover and hit the second and third target moving side to side behind him. With the two final targets about 100 feet away, Aiken noticed that his body was halfway down. He turned the bow sideways and grabbed two white light arrows. He shot the arrows in the unnatural way, but hit both targets straight center. The group of trainees applauded his effort as he rose back up.

"Thank you, thank you" Aiken said bowing to the crowd. "Well folks, shooting was never my strong point. But, I got the job done. The level was set on expert; but, don't worry, the field knows what your experience level is and will adjust accordingly. Now everyone, there are five stations here. Pick one and start training."

Traveler got up to the station and pulled up on this light stick. He was again amazed at how the bow magically appeared. He felt the warm light as he held it. He carefully switched it to his other hand and grabbed an arrow. Traveler never shot a bow and arrow before, but he felt like he knew what to do. With the arrow in hand, he began to feel this sinking feeling. He noticed how the dirt beneath him covered his feet. He looked up and saw five targets about one foot from each other. He brought the bow up and pulled the arrow close to his face. His entire arm shook as it was getting used to the tension of shooting an arrow. Afterwards, he let go and watched as the arrow was flung straight in a hurry. He was excited when the arrow hit the target. He did not care if it did not hit the center. However, he felt the dirt swallowing him a little faster. He realized he needed to finish the rest of the shots. He grabbed another arrow and shot again. He managed to hit the second and third target, but they were off center. Without noticing, he was elbow-deep in the dirt with two shots to go. Griff tried to come over and help, but when he did, it looked like he ran into a glass wall leaving him dazed on the ground.

Traveler reached inside the dirt and grabbed two arrows. He placed one on the ground and shot the other one in a tight archer formation. He managed to nick the fourth target, but found himself down to the shoulder level in the dirt. He freed his arms, grabbed the last arrow, and tried to maneuver around for the final shot. He found he was unable to go for a traditional shot. In his desperate attempt, he used his one hand to stabilize the bow and his teeth to grab the string and arrow together. He held on tight as he extended his arm, then quickly let go. The arrow's trajectory flight seemed to move in slow motion in Traveler's mind. However, he gracefully missed the target landing a couple of feet in front. The dirt ground finally engulfed Traveler's entire body and head.

Everyone in his group gasped at the sightless body. Traveler felt weird in the ground. He thought he would not be able to breathe, but let out a sigh of relief knowing that he was not dying. Aiken walked over with a little smile on his face. He slammed on the invisible protective glass and Traveler rose from the ground.

"Don't worry Traveler; everyone gets stuck in the ground the first few times. It's not so bad down there once you get used to breathing in the dirt, the worms, and the nibblers," Aiken said.

"Okay, who's next?" Traveler said.

Everyone in the group took a couple of steps backwards.

During lunch, Traveler sat by himself quietly contemplating what his plan was to get home. Griff and a few of the trainees saw Traveler by himself and decided to intervene.

"What you thinkin' about Traveler?" Griff said.

"Oh nothing," Traveler answered.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Griff whispered in Traveler's ear.

Traveler nodded.

"Yeah man, you look like you're in some kind of deep thought," A brownish Terarium said.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we have met," Traveler said.

"I'm sorry, Traveler this is Calene Badek. He is a Terarium from the Terrala territory," Griff said. "He has been my friend for years."

"Nice to meet you Calene. I don't want to be rude, but I need to be by mysel..." Traveler's sentence was interrupted by a loud waving tone. The castle walls started flashing red. Traveler looked around and saw different people throwing crystal balls and disappearing after the smoke has cleared.

"What is going on? Why are people leaving?" Traveler asked.

"Don't worry Traveler; us trainees can't do anything," Griff said.

"But what is that noise?" Traveler asked again.

Traveler looked at Griff and Calene; he noticed they did not seem worried that people were disappearing all around them.

"Our land is being attacked by the Darthian; everyone is leaving for the rally point to gather their gear to defend the position," Calene said.

"Why can't we help?" Traveler said.

"First and second brigades can't help with the fight because it is against the rules. I think they don't want us to get hurt or killed," Griff said.

"Besides, it is time to get back to class," Calene said.

"What do you mean we can't help?" Traveler said.

"Once you hear the sirens and see the flashing of the walls, all the doors to the outside are locked. And people that can leave have the Trinkets to reach the rally point. So, if you don't have one of those, then there is nothing you can do about it," Calene said.

"I just feel useless right now," Traveler said.

"Don't worry. Let's just go back to class," Griff said.

Towards the end of the day, he looked out the window and saw a bunch of people staggered back into the castle. Their comrades held some of them up. Traveler wanted to help so much, but he knew he had to wait. After dinner, he made his way to Jelly's room. He found Jelly playing on his recorder.

"How can I help you my young lad?" Jelly asked.

"Jelly, how do I get back to my world?" Traveler asked.

"You have to wait until the academy training is over."

"I can't wait that long. I have something I have to do."

"Traveler, nobody can leave unless the training year is done. I can get you back there, but I would be in trouble if they found out."

"Jelly, please it involves my grandfather."

"Really? Can I help you? What do you have to do?"

"I can't tell you because of Terrorene's spies. He said that if anybody finds out, then he would kill my family."

"Traveler, it is just us two. I have been with the king for over 50 years. I assure you that I am not a spy."

Traveler found himself confiding in Jelly and told him everything that Terrorene asked him to do.

"And you found the scroll. Traveler you can't give that to him. If you do everyone will die here," Jelly said.

"Sorry, I have to."

"Okay, I'll send you back, but when you reach Kapricia, I am going to be there."

"Fine."

Jelly went over to his closet. There were several bags hung on the door and in the closet. He rifled through his bag, reached in, and pulled out a stick and another recorder.

"Traveler, I want you to have this." Jelly grabbed Traveler's small pouch and secured his recorder.

"Why are you giving me this?" Traveler asked.

"You may not understand this now, but it will be of great value later on," Jelly said as he grabbed the stick from his bed. "Are you sure you know what you are doing?"

"Yes," Traveler said.

"I want you to know that I am sorry." Once the words came from his mouth, Jelly stabbed him in the chest with the stick. Traveler did not know what to think. He saw the stick go into his body, but there was no blood. However, he felt an electric shock run up and down his body. He never had been in so much pain. He let out long cries of screams, but no one could hear him. He slowly faded away. Jelly slowly shook his head and in a matter of minutes, his beacon light went off.

Traveler reappeared in Poppy's mind again. He remembered the same villa when he was there the first time. But, he wondered how he got to Poppy's mind without the mirror.

Traveler crept to the castle and tried his best to go unnoticed. He wanted to scout the area before he headed to the castle. He saw ravens and large humanlike black birds guarding the surrounding area of the castle. They carried long pikes, which were black with metal tips that waved like a roaring fire. As Traveler got closer, the ravens spotted him and began their raucous cawing as if they were acting like a warning signal. Then, the bird guards stood straight up in attention as Terrorene glided out to the front. Traveler quickly put on his hood and waited for Terrorene.

"Traveler is it is nice to see you again. I see that you lived up to your end of the bargain. Give it to me and I'll live up to my end," Yessss, the keys to our freedommmmmmmmm.

"No, I want to see my grandfather first."

"You are not in a position to ask for any request," Young foollllllll.

Traveler lifted his arm to summon his sword. The bird guards lowered their pikes and walked towards Traveler with the intention to prevent his attempted forward progress. Terrorene raised his hand ordering his guards to stop. Traveler threw his sword down jamming the handle in the ground, allowing the blade to freely stand up. He yelled out. "Flamma!" His entire sword lit up into a huge blaze. He slowly moved the parchment closer to the flame doing his best to gain the upper hand. Terrorene flinched toward Traveler hoping to save the parchment from turning into a pile of ash.

"You were saying?" Traveler said.

"Traveler, if you burn that, then I will kill your family," Nooooo, kill him nowwww.

"You are wasting time. I want to see my grandfather."

"Very well," Don'ttttt.

Terrorene clapped his hands, and a bulky red dragon came flying in and landed with a loud thud. Traveler looked at his stomach hoping to see his grandfather, but there was just the dragon's scaly skin. Terrorene took his staff and tapped the dragon's belly. A section of the dragon's stomach magically disappeared but was replaced with iron bars revealing Grandpa Sands sitting inside.

"Grandpa!" Traveler yelled as loud as he could.

Grandpa Sands did not realize the dragon had opened his belly. He turned around, looked and saw Traveler standing across from him. He got up and ran towards the bars.

"Traveler, don't give that to him. It is okay if I die," Grandpa Sands said.

Traveler had a minor case of an emotional occurrence when a light tear ran down his face. Terrorene flicked his staff. A thin black beam came out and attacked Grandpa Sands knocking him down to the floor.

"Silence," Quiet you old mannn. He turned towards Traveler. "You have seen your grandfather. Now give me that scroll," Nowwwwwww.

"Okay." Traveler threw the scroll. Terrorene eagerly reached up and grabbed the scroll from the sky. In his eagerness, the Smoke Ryder flopped out of Terrorene's cloak and revealed it was a jewelry accessory around his neck.

"Now throw the Smoke Ryder and release my Grandpa," Traveler said.

"In due time, Traveler. I need to read what is on here," Freedommmmm.

Traveler did not seem worried because he had a feeling that Terrorene was going to say that. As Terrorene unrolled the scroll hoping to reveal the keys to his freedom, Traveler summoned his shield and threw it in the direction of Terrorene. It spun towards Terrorene's necklace and grabbed the Smoke Ryder. Then, it boomeranged back to Traveler's arm.

Cool. Traveler thought.

Terrorene stopped reading and watched with a dazed look at his missing necklace, but continued to read his scroll.

"What is the meaning of this?" Nooooo.

"I decided to make my own deal," Traveler said.

Then, four figures jumped in out of air. They were the rest of the active Electus. They ran near Traveler and formed a "V" figure with Traveler in the middle. Terrorene was baffled as he slowly backpedaled. "Guards kill them!" It was a trapppppp.

All the bird guards sprinted towards the rest of the Electus. With the sudden change of events, Terrorene and his dragon tried to hurry back into his castle. However, as they fought each other, a sudden quake rumbled through the villa. From a distance, they heard crunching and crashing and everyone teetering side to side. Suddenly, a gigantic rock monster with a Frankenstein-type head lunged over Terrorene's castle. It was the size of a five-story building. It strode right onto the battleground, stepping on the bird guards in the process.

"Have fun with my Panic Teck!" Terrorene yelled as he ran into the castle. One of the Electus told Traveler they would take care of the guards and the Teck. He demanded that Traveler go after Terrorene.

Traveler managed to defeat one of the guards on his way to the castle gates and scurried right underneath the Panic Attack Teck. Walking through the main gates, there were three guards in the hallway. Traveler did not know what to do. He could handle one guard, but his training never consisted of several fighters all at one time. Nevertheless, there was no choice. He charged the three bird guards and clashed with the one nearest to him. Surprisingly, he was able to cut the pike in half and sweep the legs, knocking the guard out. The other bird guards managed to surround him and pounced in for the attack. Traveler parried the pike and struck the bird guard, with his sword handle. Then, he turned his attention to the guard behind him only to find the guard thrusting his pike. Traveler tried to avoid the attack and was able to avoid a fatal blow to the chest; he shifted fast enough and got nicked on the side of his stomach. He dropped his sword and grimaced in pain, but managed to grab the pike pulling it away. With the guard unarmed, the bird guard ran away leaving some feathers behind him. Relieved that he defeated the guards, Traveler bent down to his knees for his sword, but when he did, the other guard went for the execution strike to the neck. As the pike plunged forward, he heard a familiar soft voice.

"Traveler, behind you."

Traveler turned to find the pike spearhead within inches of his face. In a reflex motion, he rolled forward and stabbed the guard in the stomach. He saw a woman with long dirty blonde hair in a long green gown with gold trimmings. It was Elwyn. She held the end of the pike preventing its deadly momentum.

"Jelly told me you were dead. How is this possible?"

"Traveler, understand that you are never alone," Elwyn said as she dissipated through the air.

Traveler felt grateful he was still alive. However, he wondered how a ghost could physically hold back a weapon. He shook off the bewildered feeling and ran down the hallway. He finally reached the end of the castle. He found the dragon sitting as if it was waiting for him. The bulky red dragon breathed out a breath of fire. Traveler ducked behind his shield. He tried to crawl closer to the dragon, but the weight of the fire's force made it challenging. He could see his grandfather from the distance. He was mouthing out some words, but Traveler could not make them out because of the fire surrounding him. When the fire stopped, Traveler did a spin move and yelled out "Retinaculum!" A ball of a light gathered from the base of the sword and blasted out in the direction of the dragon, tying him up with long strings of light.

"Grandpa, I have your Smoke Ryder!" Traveler shouted.

"Traveler, watch out it is a trap!" Grandpa Sands shouted back.

Traveler did not heed the warnings and threw the Smoke Ryder; it felt good coming out of his hand like a basketball player holding his shooting pose after a shot. It was the first time he had ever felt good about throwing anything. The crystal ball had the perfect arc and trajectory, heading for Grandpa Sands' hands, but the good feeling sunk to the bottom as a different set of hands snatched it from the air.

"Jelly. Give that to my Grandpa," Traveler said.

"Ah, Young Master. I don't think I will be doing that," Jelly said.

Terrorene walked out and patted Jelly on the head. Traveler's mouth was wide open.

"I trusted you," Traveler said.

"I am sorry Traveler, but you would not understand. I have to do this," Jelly said.

Traveler was enraged and sprinted towards them. Terrorene thrust his staff and Traveler flew backwards hitting the wall.

"Do you think you are smarter than me? Now, take one last look at your grandfather because it will be the last time," Foreverrrrr.

Then, Terrorene's dragon took a deep breath in and blew out a commanding stream of fire. Traveler ducked behind his shield again. The fire this time proved to be too much. Traveler felt the demanding heat draining his energy. He struggled to advance, but the dragon knew it had the upper hand and walked closer intensifying its position.

Suddenly, the castle shook. Terrorene looked all around the room with bewilderment in his eyes. The bricks of the castle seem to float their way up to the sky. Piece by piece, the roof opened. Traveler looked in relief when he saw the rest of the Electus on the edge of the wall where the rooftop once was. They managed to defeat the rest of the bird guards and the Panic Teck. They knew that once the Teck was defeated from the human mind, anything that was not in the human mind before disappears. In this case, the castle that Terrorene built slowly dissolved upwards to the sky. Traveler watched the other Electus rain down from the open rooftop. They merged into the fiery stream with their armors protecting them. Then, with their collective shield, they were able to help push the dragon's fire back.

As his castle deteriorated, an infuriated Terrorene waved his staff and summoned a double-door sized mirror. The red dragon withdrew its fire attack and walked through the mirror. Jelly took one last look at Traveler and followed the dragon.

"Traveler you will never see your grandfather again," With that said, Terrorene waved his staff again and the mirror gradually shrinks. He walked through the mirror just as it folded in and disappeared from everyone's sight.

Traveler fell down to his knees and cried in his hands.

"I am sorry Grandpa."

Everyone was lining up on the courtyard as he or she did at the beginning of the training year. However this time, there were a few less than before. The withered field dropped to about 70 trainees. Aiken walked up and down watching them. Mainly, he was thinking of what to say.

"Today is a great day for me. You have all finished your first year training. You have put up with my many obstacles including me, and overcame them. I want everyone to go back home and study your Enchanta spells to learn about the basics of the Caddre trinkets and understand why you are doing this. Next year, the next Magister will be a lot tougher than I was. Now, everyone is dismissed."

Traveler walked to Griff and shook his hand.

"I wanted to thank you for everything. You know, saving my life twice. But, who's counting right? Who knows, maybe one day you could be my Calic," Traveler said.

"Thanks Slayer, it was fun letting me tag along with you," Griff said.

"Slayer?"

"Yea, that's what everybody is calling you. Everyone is saying the Slayer has awoken."

"Hmmm Slayer... I guess I can live with that."

"Anyways, I'll train hard to be your Calic."

"I know you would."

Traveler smiled and gave him a hug. He went back to his room, passing by Jelly's room. He saw the empty room much like his empty heart. He could not believe how trusting he was with him.

"Why?" Traveler said shaking his head.

Traveler went back to his room to lay down on the bed. He never knew so many events could happen in just one period. He grabbed his journal and continued to think about the rest of his adventures. After a couple of hours, he glanced up and noticed a large mirror in his sight. There was a note that hung on the frame.

Traveler "Slayer" Sands,

Congratulations, you have completed the first year of your training. You have earned the right to return home. Understand you may not used any of your magical training. We will see you back here when your invitation finds you.

Good Fight and Great Honor.

King Gavel

The mirror rippled showing a reflection of his room in Lake Arrowhead. He was grateful to be back to his family. He walked through and found himself on the other side. He looked at the date. It was the same date when he first left. He was now a year older on the inside, but still thirteen on the outside. He ran downstairs and found his mother in the kitchen. Traveler grabbed her and gave her a squeezable hug.

"What is wrong Traveler?" Mrs. Sands said.

"Nothing Mom, I just miss you."

Traveler saw his father in the living room reading the paper, ran over, and gave him a hug too.

"What has gotten into you Traveler?"

"I just love you Dad."

"Aww, I love you too kiddo."

Traveler unhooked himself and ran outside. He knocked at the next-door neighbor's door. River's grandma opened the door.

"Hi Mrs. Robins. Is River home?" Traveler said.

"Do I know you? Yes, you are the little boy who lives next to me," The grandma said.

"Yes, we met a couple of days ago. Is River here?"

"Who's River?"

"Your granddaughter."

"Granddaughter? I wish. My daughter only has boys in her family. You must have the wrong house."

"I don't understand."

"I am sorry. But, I have to close the door now."

Traveler walked back with a puzzled look. He wanted to ask his dad about River, but the second he walked in, Major Sands asked,

"Are you packed up to go home?"

"No. Don't we have another month?"

"Yes we do, but we have done all we can here. It is time to spend the rest of the vacation somewhere else. So, hurry up. We have to beat the traffic."

"But Dad, I have to ask you something."

"Traveler, go now. You can ask me later."

Traveler walked back to his room and on the way there, he bumped into Jake.

"Hey doofus, remember when I told you not to go in my room. Well, that means the front of the doorway too."

"Shut up Jake," Traveler said as he nudged him out of the way.

"What did you say, bookworm?"

"Did I stutter Jock Head?"

Jake was furious. He reared back, balled his right hand tight, and lunged forward while Traveler's back was turned. Traveler was just about to be knocked down until he sidestepped and grabbed Jake's wrist. He was able to flip Jake on to his back. With a shocked look on Jake's face, Traveler said,

"You have to do better than that."

It was another long car ride. They did not feel right selling the house because of the great memories they had there, past and present. They were on their way to visit Grandpa Sands again. They reached the front desk with the same nurse, filling out the same forms. They entered the dark, drab room and waited on the same brown couch.

Slowly, Grandpa Sands shuffled his way to the couch and as before, with the same help from the orderly. They talked to Grandpa Sands as they did two months ago. They had new stories to tell, but the outcome was the same. Grandpa Sands just kept staring straight ahead without saying a word.

When Traveler's family was done with their visit, they gave Grandpa Sands a hug and headed for the car. However, Traveler mentioned that he had forgotten his book on the table and ran back in. He was finally alone with him.

"Grandpa, I am sorry I didn't save you. I was there and I failed." Traveler gave him another hug. He tried to hold back his tears, but a few small tears leaked. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out the tooth that was in Jelly's empty room.

"I made this for you."

He pinned it behind his shirt making sure it was safe, and then he got up and left.

"Goodbye Grandpa. I will do everything I can to get you back. I won't rest until you are hugging me again." Traveler walked towards the door and closed it behind him.

If only Traveler had stayed there a little longer. He would have noticed a single tear running down the right side of Grandpa Sands' face.

The End

# Epilogue

Unknown Location

"This was supposed to be easy," Failureeee to allll. Terrorene said. "Now go back to my territory and report to Tristan what has happened," Nowwwww.

Terrorene brought Jelly down from the wall. Jelly hit the ground coughing and rubbing his neck trying to ease the pain. He grabbed a crystal from his black bag and threw it down.

POOF!

Terrorene stared hard at the mirror. He could not believe that a young boy outsmarted him. He conjured a glass ball the size of a beach ball. He grabbed a small black light from his pocket and squished it through the glass. The black light reached the center of the ball and grew bigger and bigger.

Terrorene placed the ball of dark light on the ground and it shined so brightly until it dimmed back down. It turned into a tiny black creature, which then ran out the door. It scurried under the legs of a young girl standing at the doorway. The young blonde girl stepped into the room. She slowly approached Terrorene and when he turned around, she dropped her head down.

"I can't blame you for this. I know you did your part. Come here so I can take a closer look at you," Beautiful childddddd. Terrorene said.

Terrorene caressed the young girl's face and brushed back her hair. He lifted her chin up. "Don't worry my dear, I have a new plan. Better than before," The bessttt.

"Yes father, I will do anything you ask me to do." The young girl said. Her sad face could be seen from the mirror in front of Terrorene. She closed her eyes in shame. She knew she was better than this. When her head rose again, the sad eyes were no longer blue, but her original bright green.

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