The Quest TG - Chapter 2

The Quest

Chapter 2 – Tasks and Classes

As Koral walked, the wind was persistent across the grassland and always at her back. That was a good nudge forward but it meant her hair kept flying over her eyes with the larger gusts. She stopped a moment to search her changed items and decided to use the twine from the folder to hold her hair back. It worked well enough. While she had her stuff out, Koral nibbled on the bread of her sandwich. It was dry but good.

She scanned the horizon quietly till she noticed something had changed in the monotony of the landscape. A section ahead of her was lighter than the other sections and there was the faintest, brown bump, like a flaw in the undulating grass.

Securing her load, Koral hurried along towards the bump. It took her longer than she expected before the bump became recognizable as a structure. A long, double line of a wooden fence traced in front of it.

Koral restrained herself from running the rest of the distance. A metal gate, the rusted color of the wood around it, was open. It was about seven feet tall with no decorations. Inside the fence, a cobblestone path led around a stone well and up to a house.

White shutters sealed the windows. The texture of the house was rough, irregular stone from the base all the way to the roof, which was a darker brown from the walls. Koral reached up and used the door knocker.

She wasn't quite sure what she'd say to whoever was inside but feigning amnesia and asking a lot of questions seemed like a good idea. After a few minutes, she could hear what sounded like footsteps on the other side of the door. She leaned closer and asked, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

Soon after she spoke, a peephole section of the door slid open. A flicker of eye showed through the opening and looked her over. A voice through the door said "Go away" as the peephole slid closed

Koral grimaced and tried to keep the conversation going. "I don't want anything. I just wanted to talk to you. I don't know where I am…"

The peephole slid open again. "Your kind never just want to talk. You're in Rillvale. Leave it."

Koral glared and had to know more. "What kind do you think I am? I'm innocent!"

A high laugh pressed through the door. Koral drooped her shoulders. The bag was starting to press on her. She sighed and said, "My name is Koral. I'm just a high school student. I'm from Brookmoore. There was a huge flash of light and colors in the sky and I woke up in an endless field. I found my way here. I have no idea what's going on…"

Koral resisted tears but the nervous lump in her throat threatened to toss back the bit of bread she'd had. The voice on the other side of the door said nothing for so long that Koral began to turn away. Softly, the voice noted, "…dressed like a dark magic scholar. They aren't to be trusted. Ever. You saying you're not one?"

Speaking through the door, Koral asserted just that. "I don't know anything about dark magic. How I'm dressed is just how I'm dressed."

Quiet followed till the voice asked, "What is a high school student? That's not a class."

Furrowing her brow, Koral asked, "What do you mean by class? I take classes."

A grunt followed through the door. "I know what a student is. But what do you study? What do you do?"

Suddenly, Koral felt like she was talking to her uncle. He always asked these kinds of questions. She sighed to herself and offered about the same answer she gave her uncle, "I take what I have to…history…english…math…health…PE…and an art class this year."

The voice quickly noted, "Your words are strange and make little sense…"

Koral shrugged and said, "Sorry. I guess where I come from is really different from Rillvale."

The voice remarked only, "One possibility…"

And that was all they said to one another for a long span. A slight wind brushed at Koral's back. She glanced around. There really seemed to be nowhere else to go. But she figured she would have to trudge through that nowhere a little longer.

As she turned away from the door, she heard a metallic, sliding sound. Slowly, the door bent open. A pudgy man in worn, brown clothes looked at her through the narrow opening in the doorway. His hair was greasy and dark. His hand rested on the inner edge of the door, ready to slam it shut if necessary.

Koral looked at him passively and didn't approach. He looked her up and down quietly and then noted, "You're smaller than you first seemed." She wasn't quite sure how to take that. Koral bowed her head.

With a lift of his chin and a curl of his lips, the man grunted again and pulled the door open wider. "I'll probably regret this…but come in and sit down."

It was a gesture which Koral accepted with calm relief to show her sincerity. Still, as she stepped through, the man regarded her with a distant, stern gaze. But then Koral was used to looks like that from time to time.   

The floor inside was decorated in small tiles with designs similar to a Celtic pendent she'd seen once. She made her way to a long table with chairs, sat in the one closest to her, and set her weighty bag at her feet.

When the man approached her again, Koral tried on a smile and told him, "My whole name is Koral Strener."

In turn, he folded his arms and said, "You may call me Penrose."

The name was familiar to Koral. She thought a moment that she'd seen the name in the school yearbook once. But she decided it was just coincidence.

Penrose made his way along on the other side of the room to a pot set on a wood-burning stove. He asked, keeping a stern tone, "Will you have soup?"

She accepted some soup gladly. It came in a strange, wooden bowl, had grits in it, and the taste was a little funny but Koral didn't complain. Penrose sat on the other side of the table with his hands folded.

Between sips, Koral asked, "Do you still think I'm dangerous?" Penrose's answer was to pass a bit of bread, which Koral dipped generously in the soup. She didn't usually eat this much before lunch. She chalked it up to skipping her cigarette.

When she was done, she quietly hid a belch and passed the bowl back with a word of 'thanks'.

Penrose set the bowl aside and finally answered, "No. I doubt you're dangerous. But I don't trust you. Not enough to tell you anything more about this area."

Koral leaned back and set her hands on the chair. "Is there anything I can do about that…to show you that you can trust me?" She asked softly. It only occurred to her then that she didn't have any more reason to trust this stranger than he did her. At least she had a dagger in her bag.  

But Penrose made no malicious move. He stroked his forward-folded chin and narrowed his eyes at her. Koral was glad her top, no matter how changed, was thick enough that very little of her chest showed. She lamented the disappearance of her comfy, black bra though.

His eyes didn't linger there. They roamed across her body, settling in particular on her hands. He noted, "Despite that strange color, you have decent hands. I could put you to work farming for a time. That's my class. Or…there's something you could do faster…but it's much harder."

Koral wasn't above a bit a farm work but she wasn't sure if it was a good idea to stay around this place for a long time.

She asked, "What is it?"

He explained, "I have an underground cellar. It's often infested with rats. If you can get rid of…twenty-three of them…that would make the difference."

All Koral could do was stare blankly at him. She had no idea why that specific number. Despite misgivings about killing small animals, Koral agreed to his terms and asked, "Do you have something I can kill them with? And how will you know I killed exactly that many?"

He answered only, "I'll know. And I don't have anything I can spare so far as a weapon."

She asked if she could have a pitchfork but he gave her a funny look. Koral let it go and decided she'd figure something out when she got down to his cellar.

Before he rose, he had one more thing to say, "Touch nothing you see down there in the chests or behind the black rope." Koral agreed.

That settled, he pointed her to the steps, lit a candle in a holder, and handed it to her. By flickering light, she slowly hauled what she had down with her. On a small landing, she stopped and held the candle out. Darkened barrels and chests filled her sight.

She left her bag behind her on the steps. Rats in her food was the last thing she needed. Searching, she pulled out the small dagger. Hopefully it would be enough.

Leaning around an earthen corner, Koral peered out into the cellar. It didn't take long before her mouth dropped. In the near-darkness, only a few feet away, was the largest rodent she'd ever seen. It looked like a capybara she remembered at the zoo as a kid, only as long as she was tall and freakishly muscled. It had bright-red eyes. The rat monster roared with glittering teeth.

Koral ran back to the steps. She couldn't imagine how the hell this guy could have even one of these things and not be killed. The idea of over twenty more just baffled her with terror. She looked down at her small dagger and wondered if it would give the beast much more than a paper cut.

Her heart raced as she climbed back to where she'd left her bag. The rat's red eyes showed at the foot of the stairs. It hissed and she was sure she could see drool around its fangs. Shivering, Koral fell back onto the steps as the rat slowly made its way up. Taking a breath, she lifted up her dagger and aimed it right for the rat. Hesitating only a moment, she chucked the dagger right at the rat's head.

While her aim was good and the dagger actually hit the rat, it did so on with the handle of the dagger. The rat snarled in annoyance.

With her dagger tumbling down the darkened steps, Koral considered just grabbing her bag and running but she wasn't sure if she could make it to the door in time. As the rat moved, she tried to move and pull the bag with her with a straining huff.

Looking down, her bag was still open. Inside, she could see a bit of the red pouch. Taking a big, balled pinch, she threw it at the rat. Its jaw opened and swallowed the ball without flinching. It looked pleased for a moment. Then, its face curled. With a grimace, it hunched over. It turned a strange color and collapsed, tumbling down the steps in a dark heap. Considering the bag's contents may have once been her cigarettes gave Koral pause.

As she watched the unmoving beast, it slowly faded from sight, becoming a small bag of coins, a flimsy wooden shield only a few inches around, and a rusty, short sword. Of all things, Koral didn't expect that. With her candle, she approached the objects in place of the rat and felt them carefully. They were solid and real.

There were only about five coins inside the bag. The shield was very light, as was the short sword. Neither looked very impressive but they were much more promising than going against a giant rat with an oversized letter opener. Koral picked up her dagger and slipped it into her pocket.

Now somewhat armed, Koral looked over the blackened cellar. More red eyes showed in the distance beyond her flame.

She took a breath and stepped into the darkness of the cellar.

-----

Arthur followed where Chelle led him. The inside of the building was dark in the hallway with only small candles lighting the way. The hallway turned sharply left. There were no decorations.

Past the hallway, the area opened into a bath and storage area clearly reminiscent of the locker room. Steam permeated the air and clung to Arthur's skin. The design was a little like the Roman baths he'd seen in his history book once. Colonnades surrounded the pools. There was no time to linger as Chelle urged him onward.

They mounted up steps till they came to a small room decorated in what looked to be cloth posters of hand-stitched quality. The one nearest him depicted a girl and a boy, back-to-back, with their arms out in a martial arts pose. They were clad in loose-fitting white-and-black uniforms with a green belt tied at the waist. He'd seen the clothes on a few of the people just outside.

"Welcome…"

The voice was instantly familiar to Arthur as Coach Ward's. The man attached to that voice was not. From a sleek, wooden chair at the other end of the room rose a man with lengthy, blond hair. Far longer than how he'd ever seen Coach Ward keep his hair. The face was also young and without Coach Ward's wrinkles. He wore a gray cloak with intricate, seashell-like designs all along the length. It rose bat-like above his neck and was held on with a white, metallic clasp at the neck.

His clothes underneath looked regal with swirling, green trim and a suit-like composition. His pants were glossy and gray as well. He held a silvery rod in his hands.

Arthur's heart raced. While his attire wasn't much like the magic-users in the Yumeko manga, he couldn't help but make a connection between the two.

Before he could think further, Arthur asked him, "Are you a magic-user…or a wizard?"

Ward paused and looked Arthur over. After a moment, he smiled. Then he cracked up and laughed in a way which left Arthur embarrassed. Chelle nudged Arthur in the side and muttered, "I can't believe you asked that."

Wiping his eyes, Ward clapped his hands together and said, "That's quite a question but one expected for someone who suspects that he's from another universe."

Arthur's embarrassment shifted to surprise and Chelle furrowed her brow. Ward swiftly answered, "My gray magic class skills allow me mild telepathy. Usually I use it to judge where to place class trainees. However, you have little idea what I'm talking about…"

Chelle shook her head slowly. "But that's impossible. You know Arthur…and I've known Arthur for years. He didn't just suddenly drop in!" Arthur bit his lip as Chelle turned to look at him. Her eyes widened as she asked, "You…aren't alright…are you?"

Hesitantly, Arthur shook his head and had to watch a grimace spread across her face. Ward set a hand, traced at the wrist by the long, gray sleeves of his outfit, on both of their shoulders.

"It seems there's a lot to discuss. Come and sit with me."

He led them to a smaller room, one more like an office with two chairs in front of a slender table and one behind. Grand tomes lined the walls along with strange, sports-like equipment and a clouded, full-length mirror in an ivory frame towards the back. It looked a little like a blending of a coaches office with a regular teacher's office to Arthur, who set his bag down with Chelle's to one side.

Once they were all seated, Ward beckoned Arthur to begin with "what you can". Arthur said, "I'm a high school student. I live in Brookmoore. I was heading to talk to Coach Ward with my friend Mike when I saw a flash of light and color in the sky and I woke up with my face on the ground and Chelle here. I have no idea what's going on…"

Ward stopped him and noted, concentrating lightly, "Your mind is full of interesting terms. This place is called Rivermire. There's nothing like what you call 'high' school but there are training groups for classes. 'Coach' doesn't sound too different from what I call myself. I have an athletic class in addition to my magic-using class. And I've never seen a sight in a sky like what you recall."

Chelle leaned towards Arthur and touched him lightly on his hand. "That's why you called me Mike…"

Ward cleared his throat. "It's quite a mind and a story…especially considering that from my perspective…I've seen you around a while. And I've been hoping to get you in a particular athletic class for some time. You've been class-free with general training. But you don't recall any of that, as far as I can look inside your mind."

Softly, Chelle touched her hand to her throat, as though sick, and swallowed. "He doesn't remember anything?" She didn't look to Arthur for confirmation but rather kept her eyes on Ward, who bowed his head and said, "So far as I can tell. And there's no sense of deception. But I can't tell if it's a spell. You would need to ask someone more skilled than I in mental magic."

Chelle leaned forward in her chair. "That's got to be it! It's a dark enchantment to seal away his memories. He suddenly fell to the ground not too long ago."

Lowering his gaze, Ward didn't offer confirmation on Chelle's theory. Arthur rubbed his arms. He knew what he knew but seeing the glimmers of hope on Chelle's face kept him quiet. Ward, his eyes still lowered and his expression incomprehensible, set his hands on the table and said, "There is another possibility. A tear between existences. The world Arthur knows and the one we know ripped open and exposed to one another. The highest magic in the old books speak of it in passing."

He held his palms together on the table. "You see, according to the mystic sciences, worlds slide past one another all the time. Usually, it just brings new ones into being from the ripples of their contact. But the boundaries between one and another can be as fragile as the skin of a soap bubble if one knows where and how to push against them." Arthur recalled the rainbows formed in bubbles and the rainbow in the sky above the school.

Chelle looked pained. She shook her head. "So someone did this…is that what you're saying?"

Ward set his hands down. "These are mere possibilities. No matter the cause…we are still left with the question of what happens now….especially for Arthur here."

Chelle brushed at her eyes softly though there were no tears. "Well…I guess picking a class for Arthur is out…"

Arthur leaned towards Chelle and shook his head. "It's okay. I don't mind." This earned a thoughtful sound from Ward as he watched Arthur and asked, "I suppose you'd like to know what it means to have a class then…although you do seem to know about magic and wizards already. From fiction books. Apologies. If you'd prefer me not to read further into your mind, I can stop."

The notion of concern passed by Arthur but he shook his head. "That's alright. It makes explanation easier. Please tell me about classes."

Ward got up from his seat to continue. Arthur and Chelle followed. He led them back into the other room and pointed out the cloth posters Arthur had glimpsed before. Ward elaborated, "These depict a variety of athletic classes. They're where everyone begins. Then you can work your way into something more specific." With his hand, Ward gestured amongst the posters. He named each.

Martial Arts was one of them (the poster Arthur had seen before). Chelle, showing a bit more enthusiasm, pointed out the Mechanical Weaponry class as hers. The people in that image held metallic balls flowing with steam. Light Weaponry involved bladed staffs, bows, and short swords. Heavy Weaponry included metallic crossbows and massive swords.

Arthur focused on the Mechanical Weaponry set. Chelle cleared her throat and brushed her feet. "I mean…you don't need to take up that class. But…it might…be neat to use the same class…at least as a starter. I could really help you out and you can borrow my balls…if you need them."

Arthur's raised eyebrow confused Chelle until she turned to Ward and he explained, from what he could read of Arthur's mind. Chelle immediately turned bright red and looked away. Arthur's embarrassment doubled watching hers to the point he immediately said, "I'll take that class…I don't mind."

Ward watched quietly before noting, "It isn't quite so simple. Classes are chosen according to what fits someone's personality. I see many admirable qualities in you, Arthur. You show yourself to be devoted to others. You enjoy reading…so that might make you a good mage since the quiet truth of mages is we need to do quite a bit of reading. Many classes might fit you but one in particular is best…you would do quite well with the nurse/healer class, Arthur."

Chelle reacted first and said, "That makes sense. Arthur is always helping others."

Arthur listened as Ward explained the class. It sounded a lot like what magical girls did. Healing and cleansing poisons and other ailments. They also protected and resisted enemies with their magic. He touched upon a few spells a nurse class would know and even mentioned, "At the highest skill, you could not only block any magic of any type…you could use pure energy within yourself to halt any malicious intent."

With a quick look of regret, Arthur wished that was something he had when his parents fought. Ward's gaze turned sympathetic and he noted, "You don't need to choose right now. It's a big step to commit to a class and there are sometimes physical side-effects, especially with certain classes. Put simply, you could turn female."

Eyes wide, Arthur was at a loss for words. This wasn't a surprise for Chelle, who noted, "It's only for as long as you choose to keep a class and it's only half the time….I was a boy for a while when I was trying to find a good class for me."

Ward nodded to this and added, "It's entirely temporary. I've spent quite a while female in my training. It's a side-effect of the mysticism and methods involved."

On the one hand, the idea alarmed Arthur. On the other, it was fascinating. He would literally become a magical girl. At least temporarily. But on top of that idea piled worries about what had happened to the world and those he loved.

Ward sensed this and gestured to a window. "Take some time outside with Chelle to think and try her class a bit. No rush. I'll do what I can in here to resolve things for the both of you."

Chelle didn't need more prompting than that. She took Arthur by the hand and seized upon both their bags by herself. "He's right. I know you'll have fun playing with my ba…m-my weapons!" She hurried out with Arthur in tow before another blush could push from her cheeks.

As the sound of Arthur and Chelle's footfalls passed down the steps and out, Ward gave a calm breath and turned back to his office. He walked to the far end of the room and stood before the cloudy mirror.

He touched a hand to the muddled surface and said, "Master? I believe I've found one of them…"

----

The black speck on the horizon spread out as Trevor crossed over hill after hill of sand dunes. It didn't take long for him to realize it actually the peak of mountains the color of charcoal. The pure blackness tore out from the dunes, rising higher and higher the further he walked.

Trevor coughed and wished to himself he'd packed a bottle of water. He cracked his back and lamented tiring of deserts so quickly as the wind curled around him.

He took the time to reflect. Brookmoore was rather arid but it had no deserts anywhere near this size. He rejected the notion he'd been transported by forces of his world to this place. Even if someone had managed to drug him and take him away, such a plan was doomed to failure. No, it was clear to Trevor that forces outside and beyond were responsible. That made aliens a prospect. Lights in the sky fit what he'd read about them.

Aside from aliens, plenty of suspects occurred to Trevor. Time travelers. Magical beings. A random rip in space-and-time. Plenty of games he played started like this…an unknowing teenager tossed into a strange world. Between life's banalities, he often visualized a portal opening up right in front of him. A pathway to another world where he could find his way across the desert he dreamed up. This couldn't be closer to his daydreams. And, yet, the greatest of his joy had been fleeting.

It wasn't that Trevor wanted to go back. Although he was concerned about his family. He knew his mom would go crazy with worry. And the amenities of a power socket and a place to sit (though, in classes, made of rigid, back-aching plastic) could not be ignored.

The trek took far longer than Trevor expected, even with the wind at his back. He could feel the sun had moved measurably but he had no idea how much time had passed. He felt it had to be hours.

The black mountains loomed, jagged and fierce against the lean, blue sky. Trevor knew there was an opening in the mountains a little to his left. He diverted towards it over time. At first, he figured it was a pass. As he neared it, he realized it was a vast cave in the side of the mountain, darker than even the pitch-colored rocks around it. The opening was narrow, more like a slit, but tall.

On wobbly knees, Trevor passed from even sand to rough, ebony gravel that hissed beneath his feet as he stepped. The wind eased to a gentle nudge.

Some rocks had the polished consistency of volcanic glass. Trevor picked up a small one which fit comfortably into his hand and tucked it away in his cloak pocket as a memento.  
   
Facing the mouth of the cave, Trevor couldn't see more than a few feet inside. The rest was perfect, consuming blackness. Standing there a moment with the wind curling into the cave at his side, Trevor considered what he might be able use for light.

No lighter or matches. School rules, after all. Trevor looked back at the rocks on the hill and wondered if any of them were of flint. Not that that would help much. He'd read about using flint to make a fire in passing but he hadn't read further into how it was done. Nor did he know any sort of materials he could use to keep a flame going.

Thinking quietly and considering a check of his bags, Trevor turned back to the cave. Something had changed. At the back of it, he saw a faint, twinkling light. It looked like a flame leaning against the side of the cave. Trevor frowned. Seemed terribly convenient.

Still, he walked slowly into the mouth of the cave with his arms stretched forward, probing for anything dark and jagged in his way. He stepped slowly over gravel. A lingering whisper of the wind stayed even inside the cave, pushing so very lightly against him. He followed the twinkle, which spilled over to reveal the shadows of small bounders resting against the edges.

When he reached it, Trevor realized the flame was a full, burning torch made of rags upon a wooden rod. The end of it was jammed in a narrow opening between two large rocks. Trevor pulled it out easily and held it aloft. Again…terribly, horribly convenient.

Holding the torch out and to the side so the embers wouldn't drop on his hand, Trevor turned around in the cave. It went down and deeper ahead. Looking back, he could see a muddled view of sky and sand outside the cave. He knew what was out there. He told himself he could still turn back. And easily. But he didn't consider it for more than a moment. He pressed on with the warm torch ahead of him in the dark.

The cave widened as it sunk into the earth. Trevor leaned back on his heels to keep himself from staggering forward. Lowering the torch to foot level, he kept a close watch for holes and sudden cliffs. Because of that, he didn't notice a space had opened up in front of him until he heard the murmuring voices.

The space wasn't very large and dense roots hung from the ceiling. Women sat against the walls in the dim light and giggled to themselves. They were dressed in dark tunics which blended easily into the stone, hiding all but their grinning faces, undulating arms, and bare feet.

Trevor cleared his throat and said, "Hello?" His words echoed a little louder through the room than he intended. Despite that, none of the women responded. Frowning, he made his way around them.

Despite giving the roots a wide birth, Trevor still caught a few spidery ones on his arm. Where they touched, he felt a bit of tingling. He rubbed his arm but the tingling remained. He held the torch near his arm and winced. There were small, red welts along his skin.

Softly, he murmured, "Help…" and staggered. The torch clattered to the ground and rolled around, the flames licking up.

With the light cast low across his skin, he looked down. The air seemed to dance like it did around an open flame. Trevor panted. As the air danced, it seemed brush across him like translucent hands. It polished away the faint hairs on his skin.

His body fell away underneath him. His panting was higher and softer. Dense, black hair fell across his cheek. It tickled down his swollen chest. He fidgeted as tingles rushed through him. His pants were so baggy now that he could barely stand up. He tumbled to the ground. The air felt like it was full of little shockwaves.

He gasped. The waves continued. They flowed through him. The sensations overwhelmed his mind. He felt so giddy. So good. Nothing else mattered anymore.

He giggled over and over, his voice merging with the others in the cave. Footsteps sounded nearby. Trevor found them to be the funniest thing he could imagine. He could barely take a breath between girlish giggles. A large hand held a fine powder before his nose. It smelled like powered honey. Before Trevor could find the humor in this as well, he passed out.

His body, much changed, slumped calmly against the wall of the cave chamber. Before his body stood a small figure, cloaked from head to toe in a dark-brown robe with the hood completely covering its face. All that could be seen were its arms, which looked grotesquely swollen. Its fingers were dense but smooth.

Despite the strange proportions, its body had a slight and oddly-graceful presence. It slipped all of Trevor's items on its back and then lifted Trevor onto its shoulder. The young woman who had once been Trevor was an easy load for the figure.

Stepping carefully out of the root-swarmed area, the figure carried Trevor into a much larger area. Bio-luminescent roots lingering high above lit everything with a pale, bluish light.

A narrow valley split the chamber but wooden bridges with silvery ropes spanned the distance. Each edge of the area had small, rounded houses carved into the sides of the rock. Men and women, dressed much like those Trevor had encountered in the root room, ambled between the houses with light laughter on their lips.

The figure continued slowly across one the larger bridges and entered one of the bigger homes. The interior was sparse with only a few wooden chairs and an earthen table. A cloudy mirror with white trim leaned against one wall. A small kitchen area stored a supply of food.

Setting Trevor's bags to one side, the figure continued with Trevor into a back room with a small, simple bed, where the figure laid him. It looked Trevor over quietly through the darkness of its hood.

Some measure of the man Trevor had once been remained but her hair now flowed to the middle of her back. Her body barely showed in her loose clothing, although it was clear her figure took after her mother's.

Touching Trevor lightly on the forehead, the figure spoke in a voice so potent that it seemed to reach into Trevor's sleep, "You will rest for a time and feel refreshed when you wake. It will be a good sleep. But first, you will listen to my words. They are words of truth. They tell about you. But I am sorry for what I must do…"

Trevor's head dipped a little, as though an unconscious nod of agreement.

The figure continued, "Your name is Gwen Chow, not Trevor Hui. You are a girl. You remember growing up in the Lark Valley to the south of the Parhel Desert. You made the long journey here because you have a very important task to complete…one of vital importance to the future of all existence."

---

Lucas took some time to whistle, which also seemed to please the snake monster. After a while, his nervousness about being atop the beast faded into visions of Falcor from his childhood.

The wind continued to clash with itself but Lucas didn't mind. To him, it felt like they were actually flying. Adjusting his position, he gripped the creature tightly with his legs, held his arms out like wings, and whistled a familiar tune.

The beast swayed with the melody, spooking even more birds. Its jaws flashed at one which darted nearby.

Pushing aside a nearby branch, Lucas wondered aloud, "I should name you." The snake monster looked back. It seemed to have no complaint to that idea.

Once the idea was proposed, however, Lucas found himself stumped. Most of the human names he could think of sounded rather odd for a snake. And he had only a passing knowledge of mythology from a class back in junior high. And then there was the question of if the creature was male, female, or other. He had no idea how to figure out the gender of normal snakes, let alone strange, gigantic ones.

Eventually, he just decided to name it after a singer he liked, since the creature seemed to enjoy music, and said, "I'll call you 'Zoe'. Is that alright?" Again, there was no complaint from the creature as it continued through the forest.

Its only complaint came when the wind on one side of them pushed a little harder and Zoe bent down below the tree-tops with a grunt.

Lucas sympathized and noted, "Stupid wind…" As he said that, he noticed a faint, grayish line barely visible in the distance. He squinted. It didn't look natural and actually reminded him of the gray wall beside campus. It was definitely out of place here though.

Popping up from time to time to check their position, Lucas guided Zoe towards the gray feature. However, Zoe soon stopped and bent down towards an ambling stream along the forest floor. From its whimper, Lucas understood and guided the creature to the ground. It lapped at the water ravenously. Getting off Zoe's back to stretch, Lucas sipped lightly at the water. It tasted fine, so he drank what he could.

He sung a song by Zoe's namesake, which pleasured it enormously. Still singing, he watched as it bent away from the water and stared out at a bit of brush beside a tree. Before Lucas could wonder what it was doing, it lashed out and seized a thrashing form.

Grimacing, Lucas listened to the wild animal's screams end as Zoe sucked it down. The throat of the beast swelled and undulated with spasms by its meal. Lucas was glad it wasn't him.

He approached Zoe cautiously when they were both done drinking. Its head calmly lowered for him to get on and they continued their trek.

It didn't take long for Lucas to realize the gray wall in the distance wasn't just a blank wall. There were etchings across it in letters he didn't know. And, over the top of the wall, he could see a castle turret with a green banner tossing back and forth, probably with the same, conflicted wind he was feeling as they bent up to check.

As they got nearer, Lucas began to wonder. Heading right up to the gate riding a giant snake monster might not be the best idea. He had no idea if they would be friendly to him but arriving on a monster was certain to give a bad first impression.

So Lucas nudged Zoe towards the left, away from the front of the castle. They circled around it from a distance till he could get a good impression of its layout. It did have a giant metal gate but it was open with no sign of a drawbridge or a moat. He could see watchtowers set back a ways but no human movement along them. He really hoped that didn't mean it was a castle of non-humans.

As the forest began to thin to brush and uneven hills, Lucas gave the sign to Zoe to drop down. He hopped off its back and made his way ahead of Zoe to look. Naturally, Zoe advanced right beside him.

Lucas backed up and so did Zoe. Standing there, he tapped his foot a moment and Zoe flicked its tail. Unsure what else to try, Lucas said, "Stay here…" He motioned to the ground and lowered himself. He added, "I'll be back soon. Just stay…" Though he really doubted an untrained wild beast would obey like a dog, Lucas marveled at the fact Zoe lingered at the trees while he walked away.

He kept his eyes on Zoe for as long as he could till he turned around and watched the castle wall. It was pretty tall, much taller than any wall he could remember seeing. The letters on the wall didn't make any more sense to Lucas up close. They were really nifty looking though. He still paid attention to the watchtowers, just in case someone noticed him and decided to suddenly attack.

Everything was calm though, terribly calm. He clutched his bag tightly and tried to move as covertly as possible. The dry grass crunched noisily.

Creeping towards the open gate, Lucas peered in. His gaze met the gaze of a pair of guards in heavy, metallic armor. He ducked back but it was too late. They advanced through the opening towards him.

Staggering back, Lucas swallowed. They didn't seem to be armed.

Holding his hands out may not have been a good idea, but Lucas couldn't think of anything else to do. Meekly, he said, "I come in peace."

The armored guards stood on either side of him. A faint rumble in the distance made him worry Zoe might attack. Biting his lip, Lucas looked between the two guards. Their faces showed clearly around their ridged, protective headgear. They certainly didn't look happy. But then Lucas didn't know any guards who did.

The one nearest him finally spoke and said simply, "Follow us." Lucas did as he was told, moving to keep up with the guards.

After passing through the immense gate, which had fascinating iron detail at the edges, he followed the guards along a cobblestone pathway with towers and a main fortress at the end. The inner doors were closed but the guards opened them on either side as he approached. He paused at the threshold. The guards didn't follow him inside but they closed the doors as soon as he was through.

Trembling a little, Lucas looked around. The area inside was a narrow hall with mounted torches. They gave a dim but sufficient light to show the way further. At the end of the hall was another, much simpler door.

With a creaking pull, Lucas opened it and looked through. He could see a throne room with much larger torches on gilded colonnades. The floor was draped in immense carpets with the same kind of symbols as he noticed along the blank wall.

Before he could explore further, a high, girlish voice screamed, "LUCAS!" The words echoed through the chamber and nearly pushed him back to the door.

From behind throne, a figure ran. As she moved, she clung to the immense swath of her silver and gold dress. Her face was radiant and her hair long past her shoulders and dark.

Before Lucas could see her further, she leapt at him and tugged him through the threshold with an ecstatic twirl. She bent up on her toes, wrapped both silk-clad arms around Lucas, and kissed him on the lips. There she held herself as panic and confusion swelled through him.

She traced her smooth hands across Lucas's face when finally her lips drew back from his. Her gaze looked intense but also calm and kind. There was a familiarity to it which confused Lucas even more.

The girl was much shorter than him. Her ebony hair flowed with a feathered quality.

Lucas frowned and tried to find words. She filled the moment with her own. "Oh, Lucas! I've missed you so! I'm so glad for your return! Oh, the plays I've imagined in your absence. All of them romantic…I hope you don't mind. Plenty more changes and chances for us to practice the embraces I've so deeply missed…Oh, my prince!" Her hands tightened around Lucas's hands.

Raising an eyebrow, Lucas coughed and said, "I'm…uh…fearful but I believe I've suffered a small loss of…my memory."

Gasping with a wide mouth, the girl touched a hand to her bosom. "No! I have feared such a thing for so long! Is it an enchantment? I shall study deep in the spell books until I've broken it and won your heart again!"

Her face got really close to Lucas's. He resisted pulling away, lest she make an over-dramatic deal of that too. Overwhelmed by her pressing gaze, he told her, "It's alright…just uh…well. If you tell me about what's going on…maybe you'll jog it?" His voice wavered. He really didn't want her to smoother him with a kiss again.

She clapped her hands and jumped a little in place. "Of course! My prince! That must be it! I shall break the enchantment with the burning flame of my love!"

Mercifully, she stepped back a little as she said, "My name is Princess Elaina. And you are my Lucas, prince of my heart if not in title and you are protector of me and this realm…the Kingdom of Morahain…Swiftly! An idea strikes me!" She clasped her hands in front of her. "Your chambers! You should see them and all the love letters and manuscripts within. Surely such a place will swiftly free your mind from this spell."

Lucas nodded to her. "That sounds like a plan…lead the way."

She giggled to herself and nearly skipped the entire way. Despite her piercing exclamations, he found her voice quite pleasant.

She opened a door towards the back of the throne room which was nearly disguised by its dull coloration. Only a few guards lined the hallway beyond. Each gave a little note of respect to them as they passed. The floors in this area were nicely decorated as well.

At the end of the hall, she pushed open another door and led Lucas into a modest but comfortable-looking room. Rugs were laid all across the floor. There were several shuttered windows dressed in warm colors. The bed was nicer than the one he had at home with tall posts and ornate blankets. A mirror sat behind a desk with piles of papers. Lucas could only assume these were the writings Princess Elaina had mentioned. The mirror was clouded and looked more like a strange sort of silver instead of glass.

As he looked over the room, Princess Elaina sat on the end of the bed, running her hands across the material, and softly said, "I can only hope you remember the wonderful moments we shared here…"

Hiding his blush was nearly impossible. He tried, while saying, "I think…I need to meditate. Yes. I need time to just sit and…take it all in…and unpack. I'm sure the familiar setting will do the trick."

Princess Elaina leaned forward, displaying more of her neckline. "Do you need more reminders?"

Clearing his throat, Lucas looked around and shook his head. "This could do the trick. I'll just…take it all in."

Looking a little disappointed, Princess Elaina rose from the bed and trailed close to Lucas. She slid a hand gracefully around him, clinging to his shoulder. She spoke close to his ear, her voice changed from the energetic bursts of before to a lover's whisper, "I know it will. Need anything else?"

Lucas clenched his mouth. "Well, actually…I mean. I….there's this beast…on my journeys. I managed to…tame it. It's out in the forest a bit. I hope the guards don't try to attack it or anything. Named 'Zoe'."

Giving the faintest laugh, Elaina's voice rose out again. "I would expect nothing less from my prince! Of course. Although, you should probably guide it to the beastly chambers where you've brought your other pets. Since you tamed it…it will only respond to your voice."

Lucas nodded. "Right. Memory loss. Sorry."

Elaina shook her head. "No need. You have been stricken. Take what time you need to let these walls return the fullness of your mind and heart I love so deeply. Dinner shall be a fine feast when you are ready. Till then…" She blew a kiss and shut the door behind her.

Sighing, Lucas staggered back and rubbed his face. He had no idea what to think. Maybe he looked a lot like the prince this girl loved. Maybe he was an alternate version of him in this world, universe, whatever. That idea worried Lucas. Especially if he hoped to have any chance of returning home soon. Still, it was oddly coincidental that other Lucas tamed beasts. Although, Lucas told himself, he hadn't really meant to do that with Zoe.

What really alarmed Lucas though was thinking back to the kiss and Elaina's little "offers". Despite everything he'd felt since he was a little kid, the feeling her presence gave him was…appealing.

Plopping down on the bed, Lucas grunted. More complication was the last thing he needed.

As he lay there, a little breeze wafted around the room. It was nothing compared to the wind outside. He didn't pay much attention to it. Castles and drafty always sounded like they went together.

One of the papers on the desk fluttered off and fell at his feet. Bending forward, Lucas picked it up and glanced at it. It was just a dramatic personae. His eyes flicked to the main characters and widened.

Only four names but the fourth was his.

LUCAS PEEL. No prince. No weird, fantasy world last name. Just his name.

The impossibility of that notion so thoroughly gripped his thoughts that it took him a moment to check the other main character names.

KORAL STRENER
TREVOR HUI
ARTHUR DAVIS JR.

He had no idea who they were.

---

Its trembles soon fade along with its concern to amusement.

It wonders how it could feel something as silly as fear.

Curiosity remains about the others.

One of them is clear but showing the faintest breath.

Another is the stronger one. It has chosen as well.

Then, the smaller eddies knowing little of the larger currents. Moving in their own paths.

Its hands hold back. No more intrusions.

It will let the events play out as it has foreseen to their conclusion.

---

Koral panted in the dark and wiped beads of sweat from her dust and blood-stained brow. That was the last one.

She braced herself against a barrel and trembled with her short sword. Behind her lay the spoils of nearly two-dozen exterminated rats. With the last fall of her sword, she didn't see any more red eyes in the dark.

The sword nearly slipped from her aching hands but she tightened up on it. She had three others like it. And a number of small, iron shields. She also had a small pile of little bags of coins left behind. It was too much for her to carry in one load. And she still had no idea why it was all there.

Every swing of her sword at each lunging rat was still inside her head. She knew the wet, repeated sounds of metal cutting through flesh. She'd learned different kinds of death screeches. The ones feigned and the ones before a gurgling finish.

What stayed with her the most was how little fear she had with every one beyond a dozen. She tightened her stomach but only coughed a moment before wiping her mouth.

As she stood there, a faint breeze came through behind her. A strange draft for an underground space. The air dried the sweat across her body and gave her back some semblance of comfort. With barely-opened eyes, Koral looked out across the darkness of the room. Something fluttered in the distance. She reached for her fallen candle and held it high.

A black rope was drawn across the back of the room. She remembered what Penrose had said but scowled at the thought of his name. Koral neared the rope and looked it over. Behind it, she could see assorted chests and objects.

She glanced down at the drying rat blood on her sword and ducked under the rope. She told herself she wasn't going to take anything. But, considering all she'd just been through, Koral felt she'd earned the right to at least take a look around.

After first glance, it wasn't very interesting. Just the kind of covered, dusty things one would expect in any cellar. All of the drawers she tried were securely locked. Sighing and about to head away, Koral noticed the fluttering corner of a large cloth.

She set everything she had down against a box and aimed the candle so she could see a little better. The cloth was draped across something leaning towards the wall. Pulling slowly, Koral removed the cloth. Underneath, she could see a circular outline. It looked like a mirror, only it was covered in a metallic shield which reminded Koral of the snap-on sunglasses her aunt would always wear over her regular glasses.

Looking it over, Koral tried lifting it. It was surprisingly light. With a few little tugs, it came off easily. She set it right beside and looked at what was underneath.

It was a mirror. A perfectly pristine mirror. Flawlessly reflective, it even seemed to give off a little grow with how well Koral could see it by candlelight.

Koral stood in front of it. Its reflection was perfect and so very deep. But she grimaced at her appearance in it.

As she stared, she heard the faintest voice say, "Please…do not be frightened."

She gasped and leaned on her heels. She nearly reached for her weapon. But the panic soon passed. The voice was so calm. And, at the same time, it reminded her of her mother's voice when she smiled and her father's voice when he sung. But she couldn't place the gender of the speaker.

She asked the darkness, "Who are you?"

The voice answered, "I am a friend. I have watched you and I want to help you get home."

Looking around, Koral's eyes eventually turned to the mirror. She could see only the reflection of herself and the room around her. Still, she sensed the voice was coming from the mirror.

She asked, "You know about me? How?"

"I can see you in my own way. But I am not quite in this world. I know you want to get home, Koral."

Frowning a little, Koral looked around the mirror. "So you're a ghost? A spirit?"

A faint melancholy crept into the voice. "One could say that. I am stuck where I am as well. And I know if I can help you get home… I might be able to help myself."

Koral tightened her lips. Penrose's warning was still on her mind, though faintly. "So what do you want from me?"

Calmly, the voice answered, "I want nothing from you. I am only offering my aid. Are you willing to accept it?"

After careful consideration, Koral nodded and said, "I could always use help…"

The voice said, "You have three allies you do not yet know. Their names are Arthur Davis Junior.….Trevor Hui and Lucas Peel. They are in the same situation as you are. They too are trapped. You would do well to find them."

Koral grimaced slightly. "That's not much…just three names? What do they look like?"

"I wish I could offer more but that is all I have gathered. Forces out there are trying to keep the four of you apart. Among them is a being named Chelle. Be wary of her."

Koral swallowed. She added that name to the rest. "Anything else?"

The voice gave a long pause then finally said, "Head for the Torlan Valley. There are resources for you there. I will not abandon you. I promise to help you return to your home. For now, I leave you with this small gift…look inside the box a hand's length from your candle. Fair journey to you, Koral."

Though she figured it was just a trick of the light, Koral thought the mirror dimmed a little when the voice finished.

Shaking her head, she picked up the mirror cover and cloth and replaced both in the same way she had found them. Sighing, she glanced back to the candle.

Just as the voice had told her, she found a small box in the darkness near the candle. It wasn't locked. Bringing it close to the light, Koral opened the box. Inside were four cigarettes, blank-white but quite modern-looking, and a small lighter. Though the lighter seemed old, it was about the most advanced piece of technology she'd yet seen in this place.

Brushing her hands over the four cigarettes, Koral clasped one in her fingers. Though she could just as easily hold it over the candle's flame, she tried the lighter. After a few presses of the metallic ignition switch, a small but steady flame jumped out. She held the cigarette to her lips and pressed the end deep into the flame. It soon began to smolder.

She took a long, deep drag. The clinging memories of red rat eyes wafted away with each breath.

Koral smiled and breathed out curls of smoke.