Nothing, Lucan thought. He slammed his hand down roughly on the raft as he surveyed the horizon. “At least I corrected my bearing before this,” he said as he tapped his fingers on the back of his neck. His feet dangled gently in the water while he paddled. For the past few hours, he lost the sense he usually had for the Way. Earlier, he was quite excited when he knew it was being used, but now he wondered again why he was even bothering to return.
“They didn’t believe me the first time, so what’s the difference?” Lucan stood cautiously and moved toward the middle of the raft where he kept his supplies. He rummaged through his stock and picked up an unlabeled can. He pulled a small hand can opener from one of his pockets, opened the can, and put it back. Looking in the can, he wrinkled his nose, pulled something out, and ate it. Surprisingly, whatever it was, it was rather good, so he pulled out another and looked at it closely. A really little orange, he thought. I hope I have more.
He decided that it was time for a break since he had been making such good time after the excitement of feeling the Way active again. After drying his feet, he sat down and finished the contents of the can, including the juice, which was delightfully sweet. The sky was clear, the water calm, so he curled up in a small spot of shadow and drifted off to sleep.
“I told you, there is no way I can win,” Lucan said as he tried skipping a stone across the water.
“Why do you say that?” his father asked, lying on the hillside, watching the clouds.
“Have you ever heard of the Scarlet Brotherhood?”
“No.” His father yawned. “Never heard of them.”
“Well, neither did I until I entered the King’s Tournament.”
“So, who are they?”
Lucan sat down and picked up a stone that was near him. “They are all connected to a couple of the current kings. I heard some of them saying that they are trying to make sure the power stays within a few families instead of allowing anyone to win fairly.” Lucan looked closely at the rock in his hand.
“Did you tell Theterm?” Lucan’s father asked as he sat up.
“Not yet. I haven’t seen him in a few days. Anyway, I can’t prove anything.” Lucan threw the stone and watched it skip four times across the surface of the water before it sank. “Maybe they are just trying to make me believe something that isn’t true so I won’t try as hard.”
“I still think you should see what Theterm can do. He did arrange for you to get into the King’s Tournament a year earlier than normally allowed.”
Lucan grew melancholy as he searched for another rock.
“Is this how you train to be the next king?” They both turned to see Theterm approaching.
“You have perfect timing, Theterm. We were just talking about you,” Lucan’s father said as he stood to shake Theterm’s hand. “I’ll let you two talk while I check to see if I can help your mother.” He walked off, and Theterm sat down on a large rock.
“Have you ever heard of the Scarlet Brotherhood?” Lucan asked as Theterm got comfortable.
“Yes. Why?”
Lucan looked at Theterm quite annoyed.
“Is there something wrong?”
“They will never let me win. Do you know that?”
“Never?” Theterm chuckled.
“I am serious, Theterm. They want their own families to win, not some outsider.”
“I know that, but they haven’t been able to do that yet. Every five years the group is always different, and they never can agree on who should win. Even if they did, they would have to do something flagrantly obvious in order to control the outcome.”
“You aren’t worried?”
Theterm ignored the question as he looked around. “How is the training going?”
“I guess all right.” Lucan shrugged. “I think I’ll be ready in time.”
“Time.” Theterm rubbed his chin. “There is a way I can give you more time to train, but we can’t do it here. Do you think your parents would mind you spending the remaining time away?”
“That’s over a year. I did fine enough to qualify. What will be so hard that I need that much time?” Theterm stared at Lucan menacingly. “What is the problem?”
“Do you want to win or not?”
“Yes, you know that perfectly well.”
“Then it is worth the time. I’ll talk to your parents tonight so we can leave tomorrow,” Theterm said with much excitement.
“Tomorrow? You are serious about needing that much time?” Lucan stood and leaned close to Theterm. “What do you have planned?” he whispered.
“I’ve seen your competition, and you should win with no problem. What you need to learn has more to do with the direction you need to lead everyone in Storality once you are in power.”
Lucan looked slightly confused.
“I do not want to say more here, but you need to know that winning the King’s Tournament is nothing compared to what you will do.”
“The Scarlet Brotherhood won’t be a problem?”
“You have to trust me. They will never be able to stop you.”
“Three books, that’s a lot, isn’t it?” Lucan exclaimed as he carefully paged through one. “I did not expect there to be so many places to go.” He stopped at a page and leaned close to the book. “I see what you mean about the names.”
Theterm walked slowly back and forth while Lucan kept flipping through them. “There are some Ways that will lead to wonderfully beautiful places, and there is no one around to interrupt the quiet and the calm.” He stopped and sat down next to Lucan, carefully choosing his words before continuing. “There are, however, places you will want to avoid. The books don’t really give you much about each of the worlds, but being observant before you go through a Way will help. Always remember that you are the outsider.”
Lucan looked up at Theterm and asked, “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Storality is your home. In all of the other places, you have to act like a visitor and guest.”
Lucan nodded. “Sure, that makes sense.” He continued looking through the book again.
“You might meet creatures or things that are very different. Imagine if you did not know about this and suddenly something particularly weird appeared out of nowhere, your reaction might not be a good one.” Theterm stood up and looked through the window. “Do you have any questions?”
“I have a year to just try some of these Ways?”
“That year can either be extended or cut short by the places you visit, so you have to keep that in mind.” Theterm continued looking outside. “There are a few Ways I can recommend, but you are welcome to try any one you want.”
“Aren’t you planning to go with me?” Lucan asked as he closed the book. “I am sure I will need your guidance. Otherwise, what is the point?”
Theterm turned and looked at Lucan. “Point? What is that supposed to mean?”
“I was training to be the king of Storality. Now you tell me I have the ability to open Ways to other worlds. I have to be honest; I don’t see the need for both. Why stay here and be king when I can go and do anything I want, anywhere I want?” Lucan pursed his lips. “I no longer care what happens here.”
Theterm laughed. “What about your parents?”
“What about them?”
“If you spent the rest of your life going through one Way after the other, you would never see them again. It only takes one second in a place where time flows very slowly that, on your return, years have passed. Doing this will require a new balance in your life.”
Lucan laughed and shook his head. “Then I do not want this.” He stood up and started to leave.
“Wait—”
Lucan turned and grabbed Theterm roughly. “What about you? What do you care about? Where are the people you care about?” Theterm stepped back and pulled Lucan’s hands from him. “I’ve never heard you talk about one single person.”
“I do not see how that matters,” Theterm said calmly.
“That is the problem with you, Theterm. You don’t care for anyone but yourself and what you want.”
“That is not true, and you know it!”
“Can anyone open Ways?”
“No, I already told you that.”
“Then the only reason you have been following me around all these years is so you can fulfill your duty to those—what did you call them?”
“Whisperers of Lore.”
“If I wasn’t one, would you have spent all of these years getting to know me and my family?”
“We all have things we have to do.”
Lucan teemed in anger. “That is right. The only thing I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember is to be a king. This other stuff is only a distraction.”
“Then why did I get you into the King’s Tournament? You know you aren’t old enough, but I convinced them that you were ready to rule because you are.”
Lucan paused and looked at the books. “Do you really think I can do both?”
“I’ve already given you that answer by getting you into the King’s Tournament and telling you about Ways. You have an opportunity to bring this whole island together as king with the resources available that the Ways can provide. With that combination, you could help rebuild this entire world.” Theterm smiled.
“Rebuild?”
“There is a lot of work to do, and I think you are the best hope that has come in a long time. Gather up those books, and we’ll travel to the Way now.”
“I’ll wait for you to return,” Theterm said as he turned to leave.
“You will be able to tell me how long I was gone so we can figure out the time difference, right?” Lucan asked, wishing that Theterm would reconsider staying behind.
“Sure, that sounds like a good idea,” Theterm said as he continued walking away.
Lucan looked through the Way one last time before he decided to enter. Once through, he turned and closed it. “It’s hotter in here than it looked.” Lucan removed his cloak as he looked around the room. The floor was tiled in small black and white pieces, and the ceiling arched up into darkness. He lit the lantern he had brought with him and held it high so he could see more of the room. Piles of splintered wood further ahead littered the room, so he moved forward a few feet to get a better look with more light.
“Hello!” he called when he heard something.
There was a reflection of his light bouncing off some broken glass panes in two doors in the back wall. Two steps led down, and he was level with the piles of wood. There were long dull red curtains draped along the walls. He moved to one and pulled it back slowly. A rush of scorching hot air came through cracked windows behind, and Lucan closed the curtain quickly.
A voice echoed through the room, saying something Lucan couldn’t understand. He turned around, trying to see who had spoken. “Where are you?”
Again the voice bellowed something in another tongue. Lucan turned and held the lantern high. In the back wall, near the ceiling, he could see someone in the shadows through an open window.
“My name is Lucan.”
Whatever was in the window moved, but now Lucan could hear lots of noise and the sound of running. More shouting and commotion helped Lucan decide it was time to leave. As he turned to make his way back, he could see the outline of more things standing where he needed to go. He decided that he had to try and escape, so he rushed forward into the group standing near the Way.
Lucan tripped on the first step up, forgetting they were there. As he tried to stand, he could feel something pull the lantern from his grip and could see someone shaking it until the light extinguished. “Please, I just want to leave!” he shouted as he stretched his arms out, hoping to make a connection with the Way. He knew he was close, but strong hands grabbed him firmly and lifted him into the air.
More shouts from all around the room had Lucan searching franticly in the dark for any hope of escape. He was carried through the set of glass-paned doors he had seen earlier and then slammed down roughly onto his knees. Another set of doors were in front of him, and he was prepared to use them if he had the chance. A figure moved in front of him, blocking his path to the doors. It bent down in front of him and said something quietly.
“Lucan,” Lucan said quietly and calmly, not knowing what else to say. Through the doors he could hear some screaming and then silence. “Lucan,” he repeated, his voice wavering. The one in front of him held something up and tapped his head with it gently.
“Orex,” the shadowy figure replied right before Lucan was lifted up again, the doors opened, and he was thrown out. The doors closed quickly, and he could not scramble fast enough to get back into the building. He sat on a brick landing and tried to make out his surroundings. There were some large objects moving slowly in the distance, but it was hard to tell in the near pitch-black. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he could make out three distinct things low to the ground, long, and coming toward him indirectly. He banged a few times on the door, hoping to be let back in, but knowing he was on his own.
Maybe this is a test, Lucan thought. They are probably watching me right now. He stood up, faced the door, and waved. I’ll show them I’m not afraid. “Come and get me!” he shouted to the things in the dark. Picking up a few rocks, he started throwing them in the direction of the creatures. They moved away slowly, not reacting much to the stones that landed nearby. “That’s right, you better run!” he shouted, very glad that they chose to move away. He clapped his hands loudly, stomped his feet a few times, and started moving slowly in their direction.
Hot winds blew through the area, and he could feel the ground shaking. In the few moments he had been outside, he realized the value of shelter and decided to try once again to get inside. “They are gone! Please let me in!” he shouted over the whistling winds as he banged violently on the door. After there was no reply, he decided to move to the side of the building. Twisted, sparse trees that filled the area slowed his progress. The broken windows covered with the long curtains were higher up than he expected, so he slowly climbed one of the trees closest to the wall.
A strong branch that supported his weight let him carefully jump onto the window ledge.
“I’m coming back in again!” he shouted as he tried to lift the window. The curtain moved, and he could see there were several individuals watching him. “Orex!” he shouted. “Lucan wants Orex. Do you understand?” There was a sound to his left, and he almost fell when he turned. A door had opened, and there was someone watching him. “Lucan wants Orex.” The figure motioned to him, and he climbed down carefully.
“Lucan,” the figure said quietly as he approached. It was holding his unlit lantern and cloak out for him. More meaningless words were said as he took them and entered the building.
“I can get rid of it for you, do you understand?” Lucan said slowly and loudly. “Okay?” The group talked and then turned to Lucan. They nodded and patted him roughly on the shoulder. “I will be back,” he said, holding up a finger. “Stay here.” Lucan picked up the reins and snapped them to get the horses moving again. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the annoying blur that kept following him everywhere. “I know you’re there, so stay out of my way and maybe I’ll send you home again.”
The cart carried a rather large boar and was filled with a generous amount of hay. Lucan kept checking to make sure the animal was all right when the road got treacherous. After a few hours, he arrived at the spot where he needed to walk on foot. He was perturbed when he saw the thing had kept up with him.
“Stay out of my way! Remember that!” he shouted to it, even though he lost track of where it went.
Through the crack in the mountain, he could see the field he needed to cross. He carefully scanned for any signs of movement and then climbed into the opening. The rocks were smooth as he crawled out of the other side and dropped down quietly. Continuing on, he stumbled over something growing in the grass. On closer inspection, it looked like two eggs, each about the size of a large pumpkin. They seemed lighter than expected, so he decided to take them back to the cart before finishing the hunt.
While the distance wasn’t far, he found that he was quite tired by the process of carrying the two things back to the cart. He placed them gently in the hay, watching to make sure the boar would leave them alone. Lucan felt very hot and a little dizzy, so he sat down on the driver’s bench for a rest. A cracking noise made him turn in time to see something green shoot out of the thing in the cart. He tried very hard to keep his eyes open, and just before they closed, he saw many tendrils reaching out and wrapping around the boar, a rat trying to escape from underneath the hay, and his own throat.
“Lucan,” he heard, muffled. “Lucan,” the voice repeated, still muffled. He tried to sit up and felt sharp, stabbing pains throughout his body. Looking around, he could see that several of his new friends were surrounding the cart with very concerned looks. Something was in his ears, and when he pulled it out to see, he felt more pain. The green things writhed slightly until he squished them between his fingers.
In the cart he saw there was a large lizard bound in ropes, breathing heavily and struggling to free itself. There was not much left of the eggs, no sign of the boar, or any of the vines. The others were smiling and shouting his name as they moved around the cart to get a better look at the captive. He looked at the others and nodded.
Thanks, he thought as he looked for the little thing that must have helped him.
“Stop it!” Lucan shouted as he tried to block the rocks the crowd was throwing.
“You’re just as bad as that thing. Get out of here!” a voice shouted in the moonlight.
“You don’t understand,” Lucan said as he moved closer to the large lizard that was trying to break free of its pen.
Lucan’s father came outside, stepped forward, and raised his hands to try and calm the crowd. “Please, you need to listen to my son. He’s only thinking of what is best for Storality.” Several more stones flew in his direction, with one just missing his head. “Why are you doing all of this?” He collapsed when something hard bounced off the side of his head. Lucan rushed to his father’s still body in an attempt to stop the new wave of objects that continued to rain down on them.
“This isn’t the first time, Lucan. You must be stopped!”
The lizard pulled free from the rope that was keeping it secure and began to run, scared. Foaming drool poured from its mouth as it looked for a way to escape the area. It became more and more desperate when the mob tried to circle around it, throwing things in an attempt to kill it. Lucan pulled his father out of harm’s way and into their house. He then quickly returned to contain the creature. Someone took a lit torch and threw it at the reptile in another effort to stop it permanently.
“No!” Lucan shouted as he watched the torch fly toward its mark. He tried to scramble out of the area but was caught in the explosion and fell violently to the ground. The lizard continued running through the area, still panicked. Flames followed as its spittle sparked more fire. His house was now engulfed, and flames were spreading to others close by. Tears ran down his face when he saw what looked like the whole Western Territory ablaze.
This is not my fault, he insisted, sobbing heavily.
Everywhere he looked, people were fleeing but were still being overtaken by the inferno. Cries of children drew his attention as he saw something moving quickly in and out of the houses in the distance. When he tried to get closer, part of a tree fell, blocking his path. More screams and explosions all around him made him feel faint. He decided to turn around and try another way.
“Get out of here,” a voice called to him. Lucan saw that a little girl was standing nearby. She was holding a large rock with both hands. “Bad man!” she shouted as she mustered all her strength to throw the rock. It only went a few feet, but she walked over to it and struggled to pick it up again. “Go!” she shouted once she cradled it in front of her.
Lucan walked away quickly, still wanting to be helpful, but he couldn’t see much through the smoke and flame. Again he saw something moving quickly in the distance. Running as fast as he could, he arrived in time to see someone entering a smoldering house. As he approached to get a better look, something passed him carrying blankets bundled under each arm.
“Wait!” Lucan called out, but it did not stop.
He decided to race behind it in hopes of finding out what it was doing. In a clearing ahead, he spied a small group of children sitting in the grass. The oldest was no more than seven or eight, and several were holding crying babies. Standing in the middle was the thing that had been racing around, the same one that had been following him since coming to Storality. From where Lucan was standing, he could hear the kids telling it where to find the house of another child who was still missing. It raced past him and came back minutes later, carrying something on its shoulder as it went by again.
“Are any of our parents alive?” a child asked, looking around the clearing.
“They are trying to put out the fire. I’m sure of it,” one of the older children assured the others. “We need to wait here until they come and look for us.”
“Thank you for all of your help,” a little boy said excitedly. “What’s your name?”
The little one standing there picked up a stick and drew a long line in the dirt, a short line, two long lines angling away from the short one, and then finally another line crossing all the long lines in a gentle curve. All of them gathered around closely to see the drawing. He tapped the ground with the stick and then pointed to himself.
“What is that supposed to be?” one of them spoke up.
“I think that’s his name,” a second one said.
“It’s just a bunch of lines, not even letters,” the youngest said.
“It’s your name, right?” the oldest one asked. He directed a finger toward his chest. “So how do you say it?” He shrugged. “Well, if it was all little letters, then it would be f, i, x, and another x.”
“There’s no curve on the top of the ‘f’ and no dot over the ‘i’,” the youngest said.
“I don’t care. I say his name is Fixx. Anyone have a problem with that?” the oldest said, looking around menacingly to the others. “Well, thank you, Fixx. Are you going to stay and help?” Fixx looked at the others and could see they were very excited but couldn’t understand everything they were saying.
“Stay?” Fixx repeated. The others smiled and nodded. “Stay,” he said and clapped. He turned to Lucan, who was watching from a distance. “Fixx stay,” he said as he waved. Lucan turned and left, crying, believing that even if he could help, no one would want it now.
Lucan sat up and couldn’t remember where he was until he saw the surrounding water. He stretched, rubbed his eyes, and wondered how much things had changed since he left.
“I never did thank Fixx,” he said as he laughed. Better keep going, he thought as he drank some water, grabbed the paddles, and sat down to continue his journey home.