ã€ŠThe Accidental Chosen Oneã€‹


 1 - Stephen Cray

    On a balmy summer afternoon, Stephen Cray was clicking away on his custom PC. He and his friends just finished an online raid in their favorite role-playing game. After a long three hours, Stephen leaned back in his chair and stretched. His perfect Tuesday afternoon was half over. School was out for vacation, so Stephen adopted the perfect routine. First, he woke up when the sun started cooking his face through the curtains. Then, Stepehn lazily stumbled into his desk chair, waited for the PC to boot, and opened up a game.

    It was heaven.

    A ping sounded from his computer. A little message icon popped up on the screen:

    BagelBot:It''s a date! We''ll meet up at The Brew this Saturday, at 4 pm.

    Stephen groaned. He forgot the IRL meeting his online friends took it upon themselves to set up. Stephen¡¯s stomach twisted when they all started responding:

    SteelDaisies:Can''t wait! Players Assemble!

    BeesWithKnees:A thousand gold pieces says you''re a chai girl.

    SteelDaisies:Nope??Strict vanilla soy right here.

    BagelBot:Oh god, I think that''s even worse...

    Stephen turned away from his friends'' optimism and stared at a poster above his bed. It was an life-size painting of a sorceress from his game. She was forming a fireball precariously close to her ample (and, frankly, sparsely protected) chest. Stephen couldn¡¯t help but wish she¡¯d throw it at him right now. His online friends were supposed to stay on-line. They were amazing and he loved playing with them, but the electronic veil that kept their interactions at a keystroke distance was precious to Stephen.

    Stephen sighed; it was too late now. If he canceled it''d look bad, but if he tried to postpone it and come up with a better plan, they''d never let him live it down. He turned back around and regrefully chimed in to the runaway train:Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    CrayCray:I''ll be there, but soy is banned. Real milk for real warriors!

    SteelDaisies:Awww, no fair! Tell you what, you buy the cow-juice for me and I''ll spit it out on you instead

    CrayCray: Ack, my one weakness... Fine, drink your vanilla bean bean-juice with bean-milk

    Stephen stepped away from the computer. It was time for snacks and avoiding conversation. That meant chips and cola with a healthy helping of the nature channel. There were few things better for Stephen''s mental health than eating processed foods, in air-conditioning, while he watched a grizzly bear fish with its paws in 4K resolution.

    It was a Tuesday evening, which meant Stephen had three more hours to himself. His parents usually brought back take-out, since neither could cook anything more complex than burnt grilled cheese. Today was Thai-Tuesday.

    This was nothing new to Stephen, he''d grown accustomed to his parents'' regular absence. They were researchers at the top of their field and obsessed with work, but sice they were gushing parents when they were home. So Stephen learned to appreciate his semi-independent lifestyle. A lifestyle that consisted of video games until his fingers hurt and sitting cross-legged on the sofa with a documentary, eating a chip every time the narrator said the words nature, beautiful, and lovely.

    The chips were long-gone when the narrator described certain slug-like fish. It spent its day swallowing large amounts of sand and water just to vomit it up to build a nest for its eggs. Stephen giggled, deciding he''d have to look it up again later. BeesWithKnees would get a kick out of the clip, she loved weird facts like this.

    Stephen reached up and pulled at his hair, suddenly nervous. What would his friends think of him? Stephen was sure he wasn''t completely gross, but he never cared much for maintaining an appearance. His body was naturally thin, not that he ate much anyway, and his hair kept up with some hair paste. He dressed okay, too, since his parents made a reasonable amount of money. What Stephen knew he lacked was charisma, a nack for talking to people, and ambition. He admired the heros in his games. They came from all walks of life, but they all learned to grow into themselves.

    A spit of resentment bubbled in Stephen¡¯s gut. The point of having online friends was to have people you shared interests with. There were no preconceived notions, no reputations, and no judgments. Meeting in real life seemed like it was an excuse to see if the people you¡¯d spent three years with online measured up. Stephen wished he could come up with a reason not to show up, for something to happen before the weekend.

 2 - The Mirror Letter

    Stephen was back on the computer when he heard the front door rattle. As Stephen left his room, he saw his father stumble inside, his arms overflowing with books and papers messily held together with binder clips. Stephen¡¯s father, Charles, looked like a tall mixture of a university professor and tomb-raider. His mother, Emily, was often asked if she had settled for Charles. She had all the charm of a studious teacher mixed in with an actress¡¯ beauty.

    When Stephen caught his parents up with the day¡¯s developments, Emily clapped her hands together excitedly.

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! It¡¯s too bad I won¡¯t be able to meet them, too. You¡¯re always going on about this and that from your game.¡±

    Charles nodded, looking reflective and understanding, ¡°Reminds me of when I was young. Believe it or not, I once had the taste for adventure and the fantastic!¡±

    ¡°Chasing specimens through a rainforest doesn¡¯t really count as fantasy, Dad.¡± Stephen groaned, poking at the takeout containers his mother unpacked. It turned out to be Chinese food today, so Stephen snagged an eggroll and took a bite.

    ¡°You would be surprised,¡± Charles tapped his nose, grinning, ¡°Take a look in our storage unit, if you don''t believe us.¡±

    Charles handed Stephen the key to the unit and piled his plate high with rice and lo mein, ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, there¡¯s an old archaeology text I need to dust off! Ha!¡±

    Emily''s dimbles deeped as she laughed and gathered up a plate of food before she chased after her husband.

    ¡°Wait for me, sweety,¡± Emily called after Charles, ¡°You have more dusting to do elsewhere, as well.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s appetite suddenly dissolved, it was always difficult to explain to people just how his father scored Emily as a wife. Over the years, Stephen gave up trying and just decided they were both strange people. Twirling his father¡¯s keys, Stephen made his way to the storage unit. It was a brief journey down three flights of stairs, through a door where he scanned an ID card, and down another staircase that led him to the apartment complex''s parking garage. Behind another locked door with a scanner were rows of storage units.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    The family¡¯s unit was ten square feet and mostly held old papers and documents. A corner was dedicated to books written in a script Stephen could never quite identify. His parents always avoided the issue, so Stephen eventually gave up on trying to get an answer. Odds were, they didn¡¯t know the language either and they were trying to save face.

    Buried under piles of newspapers bound together with wire was a huge rectangular chest. Stephen didn¡¯t recognize it, so he hefted it open. Inside was a pile of robes, a hat, and a staff.

    ¡°Dad wasn¡¯t kidding, was he?¡± Stephen said as he pulled out a wizard¡¯s hat and staff. The shaft was a polished rosy wood covered in odd runic patterns. The top twisted around a translucent white orb, kind of like the one the Wicked Witch used, but smaller. A little more digging produced a wand, and a heavy pearl robe made of wool.

    ¡°Mom, too? Jeez, no wonder I¡¯m a nerd. My parents are into roleplay or something.¡±

    As Stephen crammed the items back into the chest, Stephen¡¯s hands brushed against papers. He reached in and pulled out a stack of old letters. Their edges were stained and warped from age.

    ¡°This is more like it,¡± Stephen untied a waxed string from around the letters. The paper crunched and crackled under his touch, Stephen could tell they were made of a very old and thick paper. Some even still had the original seal.

    A particularly large parcel drew his attention, and Stephen set the other letters down. This one was firmly sealed, with decorative runes and archaic text surrounding the seal, almost like a warning. Eager to see what was inside, Stephen peeled the seal way from the paper and opened it up.

    When Stephen unfolded the letter, he found himself face-to-face with... himself. Or, rather, his reflection. The inside of the letter was coated in reflective paint. Even though the storage unit was dimly lit with a fluttering pastel light bulb, Stephen could clearly make out his own reflection. His surroundings within the reflection were different, however. There was a wooden chair, a small table with a tea set arranged on its surface, and a fireplace with a plump and comfortable looking red armchair.

    ¡°What kind of mirror is this?¡± Stephen exclaimed, flipping the parcel around. The air around him turned warm, infused with the smell of fresh hot tea and the faintest hint of vanilla.

    A haughty and practiced voice spoke up behind him, ¡°If I may be so bold as to offer an explanation, I believe you are holding a letter, not a mirror.¡±

    Stephen turned towards the voice, which belonged to a resplendently dressed butler in a three-piece suit and impeccably clean white gloves. He stood in a doorway, holding a silver tray with a teapot and some small yellow cakes with sliced strawberries on top.

    ¡°More precisely,¡± The butler continued, ¡°That letter is a summons from his Majesty King Elbrick the Thirty-seventh. You are in his castle, after all, in case you needed reminding.¡±

 3 - The Kings Butler

    Stephen rubbed his eyes, confused, because for a moment he thought a butler was standing in front of him. When Stephen looked again, the same resplendent butler was glaring at him. Stephen looked around, eyeing the pair of soft armchairs set in front of a crackling fireplace. Between them was a silver coffee table. Stephen thought his dream was awfully detailed as he watched the flames twist and flicker in the fireplace.

    ¡°My good Sir,¡± The butler said, his voice barely tinged with sarcasm, ¡°If you aren''t going to enjoy this tea and cake, it would be best if you just followed me to meet his majesty.¡±

    Stephen laughed weakly, ¡°Right, of course, how could I forget?¡±

    The butler¡¯s expression turned dark, ¡°This is not something to take lightly. His majesty has been waiting for your arrival for over a month.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s cheek twitched as he tried not to smile. A month? One second Stephen was rummaging through his parents¡¯ stuff, the next he was being chastised by a butler. Maybe there was a gas leak in the lower floor of his apartment. Why did he believe he was in some castle?

    The butler grew impatient. He turned around gracefully and began marching down the hall. At a loss for words, Stephen followed after. If he was hallucinating, he may as well play along. He just hoped his parents would think to check on their missing child before it was too late.

    Following the butler, Stephen glanced around the hallway, taking in the maroon carpet laid out over finished, dark wooden floors and the painted white walls with gold leaf trim. A series of paintings, all showcasing a full-bodied king with a curly black beard and shimmering emerald eyes, lined the wall to his right. Each portrait displayed the kingly figure in a variety of attire and fanciful garments. Opposite the portraits where another series of paintings. These ones depicted a variety of heroic figures, a mix of what looked like spellcasters, knights, and an archer. The two spellcasters looked vaguely familiar, but the butler didn''t seem to care about giving Stephen time to look closer. The butler turned right at a crossing in the hallway, and moved towards a staircase leading down.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Stephen drew a shuddering breath, ¡°I think the joke is done, where are the cameras? Who are you with?¡±

    It was one thing to fake a room, Stephen thought. A group of people could build the set easily with fake walls and an actor. A hallway was trickier but just as plausible. A staircase, however, was something else entirely. Stephen knew he had been on the lowest floor of the apartment complex. No stairs were going down, not unless the people pulling this stunt had knocked Stephen out and moved him.

    The butler turned again. He looked at Stephen hard, at first, but his expression softened.

    The butler spoke carefully, ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you?¡±

    Stephen shook his head, bracing himself on the railing. He had a terrible feeling what the butler would say next.

    The butler pressed his fingers to his forehead, ¡°I¡¯m going to need a nightcap after this. I assumed, since you were holding the letter, you knew what you were doing.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s throat tightened. He tried to swallow the dryness taking over his mouth, but the action only made him more uncomfortable. Stephen''s mind was racing, telling him it was all real. It couldn¡¯t be faked, not to this scale. Not unless he¡¯d somehow angered a multi-millionaire or gotten himself wrapped in some sci-fi conspiracy.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been transported to a world different from your own,¡± The butler said bluntly, "The letter you were holding contained a spell that brough you here."

    The words hit Stephen so hard his head spun. His grip on the railing tightened, but his legs shook and he could hardly stand. What had he gotten himself into?

 4 - The Kings Summon

    The butler led Stephen to a room on the first floor, just past a collection of decorated suits of armor encased in glass cases. Stephen''s neck prickled, he could have sworn the suits'' gazes followed him down the corridor, where he and the butler stopped. The double doors ahead of them were about eight feet tall, embalmed in a warm red finish, and decorated in black filigree. The butler knocked twice, paused, then knocked again. The doors creaked open slowly, Stephen wondered how heavy the doors must have been for whoever was on the other side.

    The doors parted to reveal a long elegant dining table lit by a broad bronze chandelier. At the end of the table sat the same figure Stephen saw in the portraits upstairs. However, instead of the bright emerald-eyed man Stephen had seen, this one looked older, stricken with a pointed expression as he watched Stephen follow the butler through the doorway.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± The butler announced with a bow, ¡°I have brought your guest.¡±

    It occurred to Stephen that nobody was next to him to open the door. They had seemingly opened themselves. He also saw several suits of armor similar to the ones from before. These, however, were less decorated and similar to typical fantasy knights Stephen knew from games. The knights stood still, resting their gauntlets on the pommels of longswords. The light was too poor to see their faces as the knights kept close eyes on Stephen¡¯s approach.

    A chair slid out from the table and the butler gestured towards it. Stephen took a seat opposite the king. The butler left without another word and the doors creaked shut behind Stephen. The sound of hollow metal rang as two of the knights left their position to stand in front of the door. Stephen had nowhere to go now. A nervous shiver ran through Stephen as he forced himself to keep looking forward.

    The candlelight from the chandelier did nothing for the king¡¯s harsh composition. Shadows danced across his cheekbones and under his brow. The man¡¯s figure was overwhelming. He had broad shoulders, a rigid neck, and the rich emerald robe he wore just barely fit over his chest. The king grabbed a goblet from the table and drank heavily. Stephen wondered if the king could crumple it like a soda can.

    ¡°So,¡± The king said, ¡°You¡¯re the one they sent.¡±

    It was hard for Stephen to tell if the king was disappointed, or if he just didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s been a mistake,¡± Stephen began, his voice growing panicked and squeaky.Stolen story; please report.

    The king shook his head, ¡°You had the letter.¡±

    ¡°It was an accident,¡± Stephen watched as a covered plate slid across the table and parked in front of him.

    The king held his hands together in front of his chin. Only his eyes, reflecting the flickering light from above, were visible.

    ¡°Do you take me for a fool? I don¡¯t think you understand the situation.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s mouth tightened, he felt sick. The whole situation was messed up.

    ¡°I know you weren¡¯t meant to be here,¡± The king continued, ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you can¡¯t go back. Charles and Emily abandoned this responsibility long ago and now it¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°You know my parents?¡± Stephen sat straight. Every part of his body was itching, telling him to run.

    ¡°I knew them, back when they were part of my world. I suppose I should have expected this much, they never wanted to come back.¡±

    Stephen shook his head, none of this made sense. His parents had never mentioned living in another world, why would they have kept that a secret?

    ¡°It¡¯s true, whether you want to believe me or not. Regardless, I don¡¯t have to explain anything to you, not now. For the time being, you and I will enjoy dinner. Then you¡¯ll begin training, tomorrow morning.¡±

    Stephen stood from his chair, he was tired of this prank, he was ready to go back, ¡°I don¡¯t have to do anything. I am done, whoever¡¯s pulling this stunt can show themselves now!¡±

    In a second, the knights who were behind Stephen, guarding the door, stepped up and placed an arm on each of his shoulders. Stephen was easily shoved back into his seat, held tight by the knights¡¯ inhuman strength.

    Stephen struggled helplessly against the two knights. He looked over his should, straight into the knight¡¯s visor. The suit was empty. Held together by nothing except air.

    ¡°Sit!¡± The king¡¯s voice boomed, filling the room with a dominating tone, ¡°You are in the presence of his majesty, King August Elbrick the thirty-seventh, ruler of the Kingdom of Gale!¡±

    Stephen¡¯s heart pounded, he was a prisoner. The world he knew was gone, torn away from him in a second, replaced with this enchanted world.

    The king drew a long breath before speaking again, his tone a little quieter, ¡°I didn¡¯t want things to go this way, but there is no time. Your parents, whether they meant to or not, have shirked this responsibility and now you will fill their shoes.¡±

    Stephen wanted to rebel, to resist the knights and run far from here, but he was held fast. It seemed he had no choice, at least for the moment. He would listen to the king, maybe even play the pawn, but he¡¯d make a break for it at the first opportunity.

    ¡°Stephen Clay, son of Charles and Emily Clay, former Wizard and Witch of Gale, you are hereby summoned to serve King Elbrick! You shall be trained in the art of magic, then you will recover my lost daughter.¡±

    Stephen, who had just a moment ago been plotting and resisting with every fiber of his body, heard the king¡¯s words and stopped struggling. His imagination, born of and nurtured with video games, anime, movies, and literature, had suddenly been reignited. This situation and quest sounded like the beginning of a traditional fantasy quest, involving a lost princess and a mysterious hero. Stephen Clay was suddenly very interested.

 5 - The Beginning

    Up until King Elbrick mentioned his daughter was missing, Stephen was ready to escape the first chance he got. Now, however, he realized that his position may not be all that bad. First off, his parents were wizards here. Well, a wizard and a witch, to be precise. So maybe Stephen had magic as well? Second, the King was ordering Stephen to serve him, which meant the King wanted him to save his daughter. What did Kings normally do for heroes who saved their daughters in the stories Stephen had watched and read?

    Stephen blushed slightly, and the King took notice.

    ¡°Did I say something vulgar?¡± King Elbrick raised an eyebrow towards Stephen, but the boy wasn¡¯t so sure it was an amused gesture.

    Stephen shook his head, ¡°No, erm, your majesty. I think it¡¯s just exhaustion.¡±

    King Elbrick nodded, ¡°Yes, the magic that brought you here does that, though most people with an affinity for magic aren¡¯t affected.¡±

    Stephen was suddenly very nervous, what if he didn¡¯t have magic? In fact, what was magic, in this world?

    The King took another swig of his wine, then set the cup down hard. His voice boomed with authority as he announced, ¡°That shall be all for today. For now, you¡¯re to go to your quarters. It was prepared for you as soon as we sensed your approach, about three weeks ago, I¡¯d say.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s blood cooled, ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±

    King Elbrick looked annoyed, ¡°I do not repeat myself.¡±

    ¡°You said you first knew I was coming three weeks ago?¡±

    ¡°Well, of course, it may have felt like a moment for you, but teleportation magic is not so simple.¡± King Elbrick looked at Stephen like he was a dumb child, so Stephen just shook his head. It was demeaning, Stephen thought, but if he wanted to learn anything else, he¡¯d have to play along for now.

    ¡°Of course, my apologies.¡± Stephen decided he didn¡¯t like this king. He simply hoped that the king would treat him like a hero, in due time. Maybe he¡¯d rally the people against him or something when Stephen succeeded in his quest.

    The magical knights'' loud hollow legs jarred Stephen to his senses as his chair slid backward away from the table.

    ¡°Time for you to get some rest, you¡¯ll begin training in the morning. Meet with the Court Wizard first thing in the morning. You will find him in the library on the second floor, East Wing.¡±

    With that, Stephen was led from the room by the knights. Their feet marched along with floor with an unnatural pace, going Chunk Chunk Chunk. Stephen tried his best to keep up, every time he fell back he was pushed along by another knight behind him.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°So much for being treated like a hero,¡± Stephen muttered. His excitement for getting involved in a ¡®Save the Princess¡¯ situation was quickly deteriorating into ¡®I wanna get back at the king.¡¯

    The knights brought Stephen to the opposite side of the castle on the ground floor. He passed a few doors until they reached the end of the hall, stopping at a door to the left. The hollow magical suit of armor in front knocked on the door. The knocked again when he didn¡¯t get a response. Then again.

    The suit of armor tapped a finger impatiently on his side, creating a pattern of Clinks which progressively grew louder. Finally, the door opened, and a flustered maid greeted the knights.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kate spilled the vase earlier and I sent her away. I was cleaning the mess until now.¡±

    The knight made no motion that indicated he listened to the maid. As soon as she opened the door, the knights all turned in unison and marched away. The maid watched them with a worried expression,

    ¡°Oh, I wish they would just¡­¡± The maid¡¯s voice trailed, then she turned to Stephen, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Stephen. I hope I¡¯m right when I say you look like a friendly face.¡±

    Stephen tried very hard not to stare. The maid standing before him was nearly as striking to Stephen as his mother was to his father¡¯s coworkers. The maid was tall, around 5¡¯11¡±, with rich, thick brown hair that rested in a braided tail over her right shoulder. Stephen found his thoughts wandering as his eyes fell to the maid¡¯s full-figured¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you around the place,¡± The maid announced, turning so quickly her uniform twirled gracefully around her legs. She showed Stephen the enormous, soft bed that was buried under several coordinated sheets and blankets; the immaculate dresser and wardrobe stuffed with expensive-looking suits and tunics; the adorable side table with a blossoming mix of tulips and daisies; and finally the glossy coffee table draped under a silken cloth.

    It was incredible, Stephen thought as he took in the scenery outside the towering windows. There was even a hedge maze, surrounded by an ocean of flowers ¨C every color dotted the grassy hills. A rim of mountains, clouded in a misty haze far, far in the horizon, separated the setting sunlight into blades of deep purple and orange.

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing,¡± Stephen said with a sign. The maid stepped up beside him. Stephen felt his eyes wander from the landscape.

    The maid just nodded, she was used to the view; and she was also no stranger to wandering gazes. It¡¯d been a long time, the maid thought, but it was a shame he was so young. Maybe she¡¯d have a better chance, the maid thought as she smiled.

    Stephen saw the smile and quickly turned, embarrassed, Did she notice?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say it¡¯s time to turn in,¡± The maid reached up with one arm and pulled a cord. Heavy silk curtains slid closed. As soon as the sunlight was blocked off, the room was lit by several candles placed around the room.

    The maid turned to Stephen, ¡°I will leave you to rest. Breakfast will arrive in the morning and I''ll introduce you to the maid who will be taking care of you during your stay.¡±

    Stephen couldn¡¯t help the disappointed tone in his voice, ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t be in charge of me?¡±

    The maid smiled, a twinkle of candlelight in her eyes, ¡°No, not usually, at least. My apprentice, Kate, will take good care of you, I promise.¡±

    The maid turned to leave, but she stopped just before she closed the door and turned once more, ¡°Forgive my rudeness, my name is Isabelle. I grew up with your parents, you know. I knew them very well.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s jaw dropped open. If Isabelle knew his parents, let alone grew up with them, then she couldn¡¯t be younger than¡­

    Isabelle smiled, ¡°Goodnight, Stephen Cray.¡±

    The door shut, and Stephen was left on his own. As Isabelle left Stephen¡¯s room behind, she felt excitement bubble up in her chest; excitement, and just a little bit of dread.

 6 - The Morning After

    When the maid, Isabelle, left, Stephen paced around the room for a while before he laid down. He was amazed at how spacious the room was, it must have been two-thirds the size of his entire apartment, back home! Stephen took off his shirt and jeans and laid down on the bed. It was so soft, which surprised Stephen. He expected it to be comfortable, it was a royal guest bedroom, after all, but he wasn¡¯t expecting soft.

    As if he hadn¡¯t slept in days, Stephen dropped into a deep, catatonic sleep. He didn¡¯t dream at all, which was normal for Stephen. His friends online talked about their dreams, now and then, but Stephen had never had one himself. He didn¡¯t mind. It meant he almost always had a full night of sleep, except for the days he drank too many energy drinks.

    The chime of a bell woke Stephen. It hung above the door, a little silver bell dancing in place. Stephen took it as a sign that someone was coming, so he quickly dressed in his clothes again and waited. A soft knock sounded from the door.

    ¡°Young master?¡± Isabelle¡¯s voice sang. Already, she seemed more alert and awake than Stephen.

    ¡°I¡¯m-,¡± Stephen¡¯s voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again, forcing a deeper tone into his voice, ¡°I¡¯m awake, come on in.¡±

    Isabelle opened the door and slid inside, a silver platter with a domed lid balanced in her left hand. She walked over to the table and set the platter down gently. Then she turned and with a formal tone called out to the door,

    ¡°You can come in, Kate, our young master is dressed.¡±

    A young girl, close to Stephen¡¯s age, he guessed, came out from behind the door. She had short curly blonde hair and piercing bluish-gray eyes. They reminded Stephen of storm clouds. She was shorter than Stephen, but there was a deftness in her every action. The young maid, Kate, hardly made a sound as she entered the room.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Something about Kate drew Stephen''s focus. He wasn''t sure if it was her athletic and slim figure, or the way her every move was graceful and calculated. In the back of his mind, something said, keep an eye on her. He matched her steeled gaze but retreated as soon as he realized she was examining him as hard as he had her.

    Kate also sensed something of Stephen. He reminded her of a spider. The scattered black hair on Stephen¡¯s head, his thin frame, and the way he stood at an angle like he was ready to sprint. Guys like him, Kate had learned in her previous experiences, often meant trouble and were rarely dependable.

    Isabelle glanced between the two young people and grinned, enjoying this silent cold war, ¡°Oh you two are going to have a lot of fun, I can already tell.¡±

    Isabelle clapped her hands, ¡°Well, here is breakfast,¡± Isabelle lifted the lid to reveal three plates containing two pieces of toast, a halved apple with grapes, and a pair of hard-boiled eggs. There were napkins, a tiny bowl of jam, and a square of butter as well.

    Remembering he hadn''t eaten anything last night, Stephen¡¯s belly made a grotesque growl. Embarrassed, Stephen looked up at Kate, then at Isabelle. Kate turned away before he could see her expression and Isabelle just smiled at him graciously.

    ¡°We¡¯ll leave you to it,¡± Isabelle said with a wink, ¡°From now on, Kate will be solely responsible for making your stay as comfortable as possible.¡±

    Kate turned to Isabelle with an astonished look, but Isabelle paid it no mind. Instead, she gave an affirming nod, ¡°Yes, it is decided then! Leave the dishes when you¡¯re done. You are to meet with the Court Mage as soon as you¡¯re finished. Just go down the hall, up the stairs, and it¡¯s the third room down the right.¡±

    With that, Isabelle left the room. Kate glared at Stephen and pointed at the ceiling. Stephen glanced up, realized nothing was up there, and only realized she''d disappeared when the door slammed. Stephen hadn''t heard a single footstep, but he could just make out Isabelle chastising Kate for slamming the door. Their voices already trailing down the hall.

 7 - The Court Mage

    Breakfast was gone in a flash. At first, he savored the sweet blackberry and honey jam - even going so far as to dip his fingers and lick them clean. But as he sampled the rest of the platter, a ravenous hunger overtook Stephen''s body. He wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever felt that hungry in his entire life. Before he knew it, every plate was polished and Stephen was overcome with the loss of such an amazing breakfast.

    Isabelle said he was meant to meet the Court Mage after he ate, so Stephen stacked the plates back onto the tray and stretched. An odor snuck into his nose. Stephen sniffed his shirt cautiously.

    ¡°Yup,¡± Stephen said definitively, ¡°This one¡¯s a goner.¡±

    Stephen checked out the wardrobe once more, feeling the heavy material of each shirt before deciding on a loose evergreen tunic. He found a pair of black trousers in the dresser and a pair of what Stephen assumed were underwear. They looked more like shorts, but Stephen guessed nobody would even notice if he was wrong.

    Stephen took a look at himself in the mirror before he left. He was practically swimming in his clothes. He turned side-to-side, surprised at how easy it was to move. They swept around his body, catching a surprising amount of air. Stephen guessed they would keep him cool, even in summer. Stephen grinned as he watched his tunic billow every time he spun around.

    The back of his neck prickled, Stephen glanced over to the door. It was propped open, just slightly, and a sparkling pair of silvery eyes blinked at him. The door shut before Stephen could reach it. When Stephen opened it, nobody was there.

    Stephen was suddenly very aware of how silly he probably looked, his face flushed. Whoever saw him now held very sensitive information, Stephen thought. Best to pretend it never happened. There wouldn¡¯t be cameras in this world, Stephen was sure of it; at least, he hoped.

    Stephen¡¯s eyes darted from one side of the hall to the other as he made his way to the library to meet the Court Mage. Isabelle told him it was on the second floor and to the right. It occurred to Stephen that the castle wasn¡¯t all that big. It was comprised of three wings and two floors, but it probably wasn¡¯t any larger than his apartment building.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Some king, Stephen thought to himself as he climbed the stairs. Though, there was no denying the king was rich. Every dozen feet or so, there was another enormous painting of a landscape, or a battle, or the king himself. Stephen thought it was odd, however, that the battles comprised of real soldiers, not those hollow magical knights. Perhaps they were just the castle guards.

    As Stephen approached the library, he heard a gasping cry,

    ¡°Help, somebody, help me!¡±

    Stephen rushed towards the sound, turned the corner, and found himself in a small library. A bookshelf was tipped over, pinning a young man who was probably in his mid-twenties. His face was almost blue, the bookshelf was resting on his chest, the corner jabbing into the soft spot beneath his ribs.

    Stephen crouched down and grabbed the bookshelf and grunted with effort, planting his feet as he tried to lift it enough for the man to scoot out from underneath.

    ¡°Ah,¡± The man breathed as the edge of the shelf was lifted a couple of inches, ¡°Much better, I can catch my breath before I have another go.¡±

    ¡°Another go?¡± Stephen asked, confused.

    ¡°Why yes, it¡¯s quite exciting to see the colors dance around in your vision.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me you did this on purpose.¡±

    ¡°Of course not! It was just¡­ a happy accident, you could say,¡± The young man¡¯s face was regaining its color as Stephen considered just dropping the bookshelf.

    The young man¡¯s face turned inquisitive, ¡°It does hurt, when it presses into my diaphragm, perhaps a towel or blanket would help.¡±

    The young man turned to Stephen expectantly. Stephen¡¯s head was spinning, trying to understand the situation. Was this man asking him to find something to make this more comfortable?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not going to help you torture yourself like this. Can you just tell me where I can find the Court Mage?¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± The young man looked a little irritated, ¡°But only if you help me.¡±

    Stephen hefted the bookshelf more, ¡°There you go.¡±

    ¡°No no no!¡±

    Reluctantly, Stephen set the bookshelf back down on the young man, found a folded blanket hanging on an armchair by a fireplace, lifted the bookshelf again, and then set the blanket over the young man¡¯s chest.

    ¡°Here you go,¡± Stephen said as he lowered the bookshelf yet again. The young man once more strained to breathe as a pained smile stretched across his face.

    ¡°Oh yes, that¡¯s much more comfortable. It¡¯s like a large creature¡¯s stepping on me!¡±

    An uncomfortable shiver ran down Stephen¡¯s spine, ¡°Could you tell me where the Court Mage is now?¡±

    With a pleased moan, the young man¡¯s eyes opened wide. Lifting a shaky arm, the man''s fingers spread apart. The books surrounding him rose into the air and spun in place.

    ¡°You¡¯ve found him, my pupil!¡±

 8 - The Rules of Magic

    Stephen watched, dumbfounded, as the so-called ''Court Mage'' was slowly suffocated by a bookshelf. For the first time in his life, Stephen thought he must have been dreaming.

    ¡°C-can you...sit on the bookshelf?¡± Gasped the Court Mage.

    Stephen blinked absently, ¡°Are you crazy?¡±

    ¡°There''s not enough pressure,¡± The Court Mage said between struggled breaths.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°About what, torture methods? I¡¯m supposed to be taught by a magician, not the king¡¯s executioner,¡± Stephen pinched himself, was he dreaming?

    ¡°Call it your first lesson,¡± The Court Mage¡¯s eyes were bloodshot.

    ¡°Did you lose your hearing?¡±

    ¡°Do it!¡±

    Stephen had had enough, so in a fit of frustration, he jumped onto the bookshelf.

    There was an audible CRACK, but the bookshelf looked fine.

    **

    A few minutes later, the Court Mage was clutching his chest. His face was tense with pain as he examined his new pupil.

    ¡°You have your mother¡¯s eyes,¡± The magician said, grimacing as he took a breath.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.¡±

    The magician¡¯s face flushed. With pain or embarrassment, Stephen couldn¡¯t tell, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±

    ¡°Libido,¡± Stephen muttered spitefully. He felt guilty about breaking one of the man¡¯s ribs, maybe two, but he couldn¡¯t help thinking it was the magician¡¯s fault.

    ¡°Let me introduce myself,¡± The Court Mage said, ignoring Stephen¡¯s remark, ¡°I am Sebastian Duis Souiprise, Court Magician and Master Arcanist.¡±

    That¡¯s quite the name, Stephen thought to himself as he took a look at his mentor. The man reminded him of a down-on-his-luck college grad who graduated with a liberal arts degree. Like he wanted to be an actor but couldn¡¯t get past his alcoholism. Sebastian was pretty tall, maybe a little over six feet tall, with thick stubble, a sharp Adam''s apple, and a lanky body. He was dressed in an orange robe with red and white trim.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    If this man was capable of teaching him magic, Stephen decided it would be rude to not give him another chance. Even if he was a weirdo, Sebastian was his best chance at learning magic. If he was lucky, Stephen may even learn a way to return home.

    ¡°I am Stephen Cray,¡± Stephen nodded his head, giving a slight bow before reaching out with his hand, ¡°I hope it''s possible to learn lots from you.¡±

    Sebastian grinned and returned the handshake. His grip was firm, his hand a little too warm, ¡°It will be my pleasure.¡±

    Stephen didn¡¯t like how Sebastian emphasized the word ¡®pleasure.¡¯

    Sebastian took Stephen to the back of the library, to a large open room with an enormous window that stretched across most of the wall. It overlooked sprawling hills dotted with craters and scorched patches of grass.

    ¡°This is my study,¡± Sebastian spread his arms. The window opened outward, on its own, and the room was quickly filled with the early morning summer air, ¡°I practice my magic here, it¡¯s perfect for training.¡±

    ¡°Are those yours?¡± Stephen pointed to the craters.

    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Sebastian smiled wide, then clapped his hands together and rubbed them furiously, ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin with the basics.¡±

    Stephen stood at attention, his heart fluttered with excitement. It had always been a wish of his, for magic to be real. It was probably something everyone wanted. Now, here he was, in another world where he was about to be taught!

    If he could just learn enough to return home, Stephen thought, maybe he could keep my powers. Some people claimed to know magic, after all, like fortune-tellers, paranormal investigators, probably several celebrities¡­ Maybe some of them weren¡¯t lying?

    ¡°There is only one rule for using magic,¡± Sebastian said tantalizingly, holding up a finger, ¡°There are no rules.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s excitement peaked, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Well, aside from using too much and your body can¡¯t handle it and explodes¡­ There are no rules!¡±

    ¡°That seems like a rule in itself.¡±

    ¡°Nope!¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that important?¡±

    Sebastian shook his head, ¡°Not really, just don¡¯t use too much.¡±

    ¡°How do I know if I used too much, then?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll explode,¡± Sebastian said, matter-of-fact.

    ¡°But before that?¡± Stephen grumbled.

    Sebastian crossed his arms and thought hard for a while, ¡°Okay, there are three rules.¡±

    Stephen sighed, would all of his training be like this?

    ¡°One!¡± Sebastian swung his arm dramatically, a spark escaped his fingertips and took the shape of a glowing neon number one, ¡°If you use too much magic, you¡¯ll probably explode.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll probably explode?¡±

    ¡°Two! To use magic, you must believe it will work and exercise your willpower.¡±

    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±

    ¡°And three, your ability to control magic is affected by your innate abilities. Each person¡¯s ability is different, but there are some general categories.¡±

    Sebastian snapped his fingers and a chalkboard rolled to his side, he drew three columns and began listing names, ¡°There are those who use raw magic; Wizards, Sorcerers, and Shamans. Then some can manipulate objects, terrain, or their surroundings; Arcanists (that¡¯s me), Enchanters, and Alchemists. Finally, we have those who utilize their innate pool of magic. This kind is a little more prone to explosions, but it¡¯s much more unique; Diviners, Witches, and Evokers are just some examples.¡±

    Sebastian finished his speech and fixed Stephen with an expectant look, ¡°Is that clear?¡±

    Stephen¡¯s head was swimming, ¡°Uh, sure, thank you. How do I know what kind I am?¡±

    Sebastian¡¯s eyes narrowed, his face darkened and warped into a kind of predatory glare as his thin lips spread into a sneer, ¡°Just a simple acute, stress-inducing succession of deliberately manipulative provocative measures.¡±

    Stephen nodded, ¡°You¡¯re going to test me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try and kill you, so basically, yes.¡±

 9 - The Test

    Stephen was running for his life, disappointed in himself for not following the rules a toddler could understand; that strangers were dangerous.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try to kill you, so basically, yes¡­¡±

    Yea, that was probably a red flag. Thankfully, the study was massive, so getting a little distance wasn¡¯t a problem. The real problem was the floor began shaking. At Sebastian''s feet, an archaic-looking circle of orange light pulsed across the ground. Every so often, a spark would shoot off and the floor would shake. Sebastian''s eyes were shut tight as he grinned wildly. Columns of rock shot out of the ground, spreading outward and creating a maze within the massive room.

    ¡°Yes! Run!" Sebastian shouted with rapture, "Your body is pounding, pulsating, quivering with energy right now. Let¡¯s see how it comes out of you¡­¡±

    Stephen wanted to barf. He really, really wasn¡¯t enjoying his first training session. That is if this life-or-death ordeal could count as training. Stephen looked at his hands, half-hoping his abilities would wake up in the nick of time.

    Stephen ran behind one column. This is exactly what his mom warned him about as a child. Instead of a van, Stephen had gone straight to the lair.

    The column Stephen hid behind grew arms. They were long, vine-like arms the twisted in front of Stephen¡¯s face and gave him a thumbs-up.

    ¡°Excellent! Stay right there, I¡¯ll make this quick¡­¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice was disturbing, almost a groan.

    Stephen ducked as the vines turned to spears and plunged into the column.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°You need a girlfriend,¡± Stephen called out, "Actually, that¡¯d be an awful fate for her, so maybe not.¡±

    ¡°I had one, actually,¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice was closer, to the right. A column in front of Stephen split in three and took on Sebastian¡¯s form. Their arms branched out into tridents, then shot towards Stephen.

    Diving to the ground, Stephen desperately wished his magic would kick in. If it was one of those just before the hero dies moments, he was sure his heart would give out before the powers kicked in.

    ¡°Really? What, did she fail this test of yours and die?¡± Stephen scrambled to his feet and ran in the other direction.

    ¡°She left me, we had ¡®different paths¡¯ to follow. She was very sweet, you see. Awfully considerate.¡±

    ¡°She knew you were nuts!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dead now. It was a troll, not me.¡±

    ¡°Bullsh-¡°

    The ground beneath Stephen melted into mud, sucking Stephen in and covering his mouth. He couldn¡¯t move, his arms and legs were stuck, held down by what had become concrete.

    ¡°Hush now, you gave it a good shot.¡±

    Sebastian knelt in front of Stephen. The columns sank back to the ground, their arms slithering back into the stone. Sebastian¡¯s eyes were cold, bloodthirsty.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Sebastian hummed, ¡°Your abilities are still dormant.¡±

    ¡°Mhm mph!¡± Stephen tried to shout, but his mouth was still covered.

    ¡°My mother¡¯s quite active and healthy, thank you.¡±

    Stephen looked puzzled, that wasn¡¯t what he was trying to say at all.

    Sebastian nodded, knowingly, ¡°I speak gagged, don¡¯t be too shocked.¡±

    Stephen rolled his eyes.

    ¡°It is odd, however. If there¡¯s enough magical potential in someone, their powers usually awaken in dire situations. Not always the most important situations, mind you, so there¡¯ve been some unfortunate accidents in the past¡­¡±

    Stephen didn¡¯t understand the last part, but his throat grew dry. Did he not have potential, after all? His parents were magicians, too, weren¡¯t they? They were powerful enough to be useful to a king, after all.

    Sebastian stood, sighing, ¡°Guess not. Either you don¡¯t have magic in you, or it¡¯s been sealed away tight.¡±

    Sebastian raised his hand, Stephen was pushed back to the surface, where he sat dejectedly. The court mage knelt to look Stephen in the eyes. He held out his hand,

    ¡°No hard feelings?¡±

 10 - The Wrong Foot (edited)

    Stephen collapsed on his bed, exhausted and disappointed. When the ''test'' with Sebastian ended in failure, the Court Mage performed a variety of experiments that also ended in failure. Stephen was subjected to hangin upside down for fifteen minutes, a bath in cow''s milk, and not-so-theraputic accupuncture.

    ¡°This adventure is turning into a nightmare,¡± Stephen mumbled into his pillow. He was starving, too, ¡°I want to go home¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem.¡±

    Stephen turned around to see Kate standing in the middle of the room, holding a covered silver platter. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a fanned-out bun, exposing her distinct cheekbones and highlighting the way her eyes were shapped like little blue blades. Kate¡¯s blue and white uniform trimmed her sides, giving her the sleek look of a runner, while her black boots gave her that extra little inch. Stephen thought Kate could have passed for a college student if she wanted to, she seemed so serious for her age.

    Stephen¡¯s face flushed, ¡°How long have you been there?¡±

    ¡°Since you came in,¡± Kate said plainly.

    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t notice you.¡±

    ¡°I get that a lot,¡± Kate shrugged.

    Stephen¡¯s stomach growled. Kate didn¡¯t bat an eye as she set the tray on the small table at the side of the room, then moved to dust around the room. Stephen didn¡¯t go for the food right away, he was trying to reason whether or not it was rude to just eat while Kate worked around the room.

    After a few minutes, Kate glared over her shoulder, rolling her eyes towards the food before turning to dust the top of the wardrobe. She had to stand on her tiptoes and hold the feather duster by the tips of her fingers to reach.

    Stephen was too hungry to ignore the hint, so he opened up the serving dish. The meal today was a tomato and ham sandwich, a small wedge of aged white cheese, an all-green salad with some oil, and a freshly peeled apple. The meal was refreshing after being chased by a maniac all morning. After he ate, Stephen glanced up to watch Kate finish.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Kate reached outside the door and pulled in a basket. She grabbed Stephen¡¯s black shirt, balled it up, and threw the shirt into Stephen¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯s rude to stare,¡± Kate said cooly.

    Stephen stumbled back, taken by surprise, ¡°Sorry, I finished eating.¡±

    ¡°So it was time to watch me work?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Stephen started, was it that weird? It was something he¡¯d never considered. Was it rude to watch someone else work? Suddenly Stephen felt self-conscious, ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Kate directed back at Stephen, crossing her arms and fixing him with a flat look.

    ¡°I mean what¡¯s your story? You¡¯ve been standoffish and I don¡¯t understand. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be friendly towards guests?¡±

    Kate bit her lip, ¡°This job got me off the street. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I hope we can get along, at least,¡± Stephen closed the serving dish, ¡°I¡¯ll try and stay out of your way until I¡¯m gone.¡±

    Kate¡¯s expression softened, just slightly, ¡°They said you¡¯d be able to get back?¡±

    Stephen¡¯s throat tightened, ¡°I mean, no, the king said I couldn¡¯t, but there¡¯s always magic, right?¡±

    Kate¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°Magic, huh?¡±

    ¡°Yea, if I can learn how to use magic, I should be able to get back. That¡¯s how I got here in the first place, after all.¡±

    Kate looked away, ¡°Magic doesn''t solve anything. It only makes things worse.¡±

    A coldness took hold of Stephen¡¯s stomach, ¡°You can¡¯t mean that. Magic¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it? I haven¡¯t seen much, but I have to believe it can help.¡±

    Kate stomped her foot, ¡°If you''re naive enough to think that, you¡¯re a fool!¡±

    Stephen stood up and stepped towards Kate, ¡°Where do you get off, calling me foolish? You don¡¯t know the first thing about me!¡±

    Kate took a step towards Stephen, her eyes sharp and bright, ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡±

    Kate glanced up at the wall, taking a deep breath. As she let it out, the frustration in her body slowly left and she seemed to relax a little.

    "I''m sorry, of course you couldn¡¯t,¡± Kate stepped back, picked up her laundry basket and opened the door, "Just be careful here."

    Kate left the room without another word, leaving Stephen irritated and confused. He clenched his hands and sat back on the bed, trying to stop his mind from spinning. What did she mean, he couldn''t understand? So far, Stephen recounted, he''d met a controlling king, a maddened magician, and the only person he''d met close to his age was a rude maid-in-training.

    Stephen glanced at the wall Kate had stared at. There was a painting of a knight, dressed in armor similar to the hollow knights, but the suit was newer and a little fancier. He was standing tall and proud, holding his longsword in front of his chest so the thin blade divided his face in two.

    Whatever it was that had driven Kate to act so strangely, Stephen was sure he''d find it. Perhaps there was a reason he''d been summoned here, after all.

 11 - The Queens Warning

    Stephen wanted some time to himself to clear his head. After waiting a few minutes after Kate left, he left his room in search of a place to relax. Since he didn''t know the castle well, he asked a passing maid if she knew of any places. Turns out, the castle had a garden that wasn''t used much anymore.

    The garden was located a short walk from the castle, out the back and down a winding brick pathway. Twisting trees with soft orange petals and ashy marbled bark lined a wide cobblestone patio. Perfectly trimmed grass stretched around the space, dotted red flowers.

    Under each tree was a stone bench. Stephen chose one and laid down to close his eyes. The cool breeze blew gently through the trees. Birds chirped blissfully as Stephen enjoyed the moment of peace.

    Stephen reflected on all that had happened in the short time he''d been here. At first, Stephen was terrified to be in a strange land with no clues as to why it''d happened. When Stephen learned what the king wanted him to do, his imagination ran wild with the thought he''d be playing the hero in whatevver world he was dragged into. But now, it seemed as if he was just a normal person. Sebastian said his magic was sealed, or perhaps it didn''t exist in the first place.

    That brought up another point. If Stephen believed the king''s words, that meant his parents were magicians in this world. A wizard and witch for parents, why hadn''t they told him? Why did they leave this world? There were so many questions, Stephen was worried he''d never find the answers.

    Stephen¡¯s stomach twisted, the faces of his parents flashed into his mind and he felt tears rise. Stephen was never one to get homesick, but he wanted to go home.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, child?¡±

    Stephen¡¯s eyes snapped open and sat up. In front of him was a woman with long black hair, braided and interwoven with daisies. Her eyes were a brilliant sea-blue, her face calm and sincere. She was smiling.

    Stephen rubbed his eyes, embarrassed someone had spotted him like this, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just getting some fresh air.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t fool me,¡± The woman said, taking a seat next to Stephen.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    There was an air of familiarity around the woman. Her presence was inviting. The woman looked peaceful, collected, as she looked over the garden.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful?¡± The woman motioned towards the orange-petalled tree, ¡°Those were his gift to me when we married. They¡¯re called Morning Wishes.¡±

    Stephen''s face was blank for a moment before he replied, ¡°You¡¯re the Queen?¡±

    There was twinkle in the woman¡¯s eyes as she stared at the trees fondly.

    ¡°Yes, I was. We used to sit here every morning. Sometimes, we promised to stay until it set. He was surprisingly romantic, back then.¡±

    ¡°But not anymore?¡±

    The queen looked up at the castle. The afternoon sun glistened over the red tile rooftop, showering the whole place with light, ¡°No, not for a long time after our first daughter was born. The kingdom was on the brink of war. The air in the castle grew heavier every day. Eventually, the stress got to him. Elbrick comes from a long line and they¡¯ve always been at odds with the Moddicks.¡±

    A melancholy look crossed the queen¡¯s face, ¡°I can¡¯t do anything for him anymore. But you,¡± The queen turned to Stephen, ¡°I believe you might be the answer.¡±

    For a moment, Stephen felt something stir in himself, but he shook his head, ¡°No, I just want to go home.¡±

    The queen nodded, ¡°I understand, you had a life back there. Emily¡¯s always been careful about family matters, she was the one who demanded they leave."

    The queen laughed, it was genuine and musical, "Honestly, I''m surprised she didn¡¯t destroy the letter, but then again,¡± the queen smiled, ¡°she¡¯s always had foresight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re telling me she planned this?¡±

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± The queen replied thoughtfully, ¡°But you¡¯re here now. The question now is what are you going to do?¡±

    Stephen¡¯s eyes watered, ¡°What do you expect? I¡¯m just a kid, all I wanted in life was to keep playing games, go to college, live peacefully. Now, my life¡¯s been ripped away and I¡¯m stuck here!¡±

    The queen raised her hand, almost reaching to hold Stephen, but she stopped. She closed her eyes and the wind picked up, a faint glow spread from the queen¡¯s body and Stephen felt warmth creep up his body.

    ¡°You¡¯re scared, lost, I understand. You don¡¯t belong here, even Emily knew that before you were born. You may feel powerless now, but I sense potential within you.¡±

    The queen opened her eyes. They shined like the sun, blue whisps flickered out the corners of her eyes, ¡°Very soon, you¡¯ll discover the king¡¯s truth. There¡¯s something wrong with the world, a deep scar runs through these walls, and a slumbering giant will walk the lands.¡±

    The light disappeared, the queen¡¯s eyes turned black and her body paled, ¡°Walk around shadows, child. Death waits to strike around the corner. A mistake in judgment can be the end of you, take care.¡±

    Stephen heard something snap in the bushes behind him, but when he turned there was nothing.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Stephen asked the queen, turning to look at her again, but she¡¯d disappeared. The only thing left was a faint warmth in the air. Stephen shivered.

    Everything just kept getting weird.

 12 - Around the Corner

    Looking like a stunned fish, Stephen slowly stumbled back to his room. In all of his experience playing games and watching moves, he''d never known a prophetic scene to lead to anything good. At least, not in an easy way. Sure, the stories often had a good ending, but Stephen was less excited about the atmosphere ''death waits to strike'' gave off. He didn''t have the heroic powers people usually possessed to fight off bad omens.

    As Stephen rounded the corner, he spotted Sebastian standing outside his door. Instinctively, Stephen backed away and hid before taking a peek. The mad magician was impatiently tapping his foot. Sebastian huffed, turned around to knock on the door, and then ran his hands through his hair. Whatever the sadomasochistic mage wanted, Stephen had no interest.

    Turning to leave, Stephen found himself uncomfortably close to Kate''s face. It took all of Stephen''s willpower to not let out a startled shout, he only barely managed to convert his surprise into a hysterical gasp. This was too many shocks in a single day!

    ¡°Kate!¡± Stephen whispered harshly, almost shouting, ¡°Why are you sneaking around like that! You''re going to give me a heart attack!"

    ¡°Your heart''s going to be attacked?¡± Kate replied flatly, tilting her head.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Stephen glanced to his left, trying to listen for Sebastian¡¯s approach. The last thing he wanted right now was to get caught up in another experiment.

    Kate narrowed her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re sneaking around.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m hiding.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Kate tilted her head, looking at Stephen quizzically.

    ¡°Well, I might live longer,¡± Stephen moved to peek around the corner again but Kate reached out and tapped his shoulder. He stopped and Kate lifted her finger to her mouth.

    Kate stepped out and Stephen could hear Sebastian gasp.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you, Kate,¡± Sebastian sighed with relief, ¡°Thought the castle had a shadow-monster. Have you seen my new apprentice, Stephen?¡±

    ¡°I heard the other maids say he went to the garden,¡± Kate said.

    Stephen grimaced, had she been watching him before, too? Then again, he was sure it was like any workplace, whether they be in fantastic worlds or his own.

    ¡°Did he, now?¡± Sebastian replied curiously, ¡°Thank you, Kate.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Sebastian¡¯s footsteps came closer, Stephen braced himself, sure he wouldn¡¯t have time to run. Kate spoke up again, ¡°The Southern garden.¡±

    Sebastian stopped before turning to where Stephen was and turned to move in the other direction, ¡°Oh! Excellent, thank you again. You always keep a finger on things, I like that. Very helpful.¡±

    ¡°I do my best,¡± Kate said quietly.

    ¡°I hear you¡¯re in charge of taking care of my new apprentice?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    Sebastian thought for a moment, ¡°Do keep an eye on him, too. After all, we haven¡¯t had a visitor in a long time, I¡¯d hate for him to have a bad experience.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°And another thing,¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice was quiet, Stephen could barely hear, ¡°You haven¡¯t, by chance, heard anything about the king and his¡­ esteemed guest?¡±

    Kate didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Sebastian answered for her, ¡°The king¡¯s keen on privacy, as we all know. Ever since the queen¡­¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice trailed, ¡°Never mind that, go on about your business. If you could, please have someone clean my study. There''s quite a mess now, though it''s not as bad as my closet.¡±

    Sebastian let loose a loud laugh that echoed down the hall, growing distant as the wizard left. As soon as Sebastian¡¯s back was turned, Stephen quietly slipped around the corner and headed towards his room. Kate stood in front of the door, tall and proud. Stephen caught a slight smugness in her expression, but it was soon corrected.

    "The nuisance is taken care of," Kate gave a tiny bow that could have easily been disguised as a nervous twitch, "Have a great night."

    Stephen nodded, "I owe you one."

    The smugness in Kate''s eyes flared once more, "I''ll keep that in mind."

    Before Stephen could regret his words, Kate swiftly walked past him and down the hall. Stephen watched her go, thinking she moved like a soft breeze. How she could move so quickly without making a sound astounded him. Stephen could barely walk across his apartment without kicking something.

    When he flopped onto his bed, Stephen''s thoughts eventually returned to the conversation he overheard between Kate and Sebastian. From the sounds of it, Kate knew everything that went on in the castle and Sebastian was interested in what the king was up to ¨C seemed like the king kept his affairs a secret. Wasn¡¯t there a court, or some kind of noble who the king worked with? When Stephen first heard of the Court Mage, he assumed it was someone who worked closely with the king.

    There was an eery element to what Stephen heard that bothered Stephen, however.

    ¡°Was Sebastian using Kate?¡± Stephen muttered out loud.

    Stephen paused, unconsciously waiting for Kate to pipe in, but he shook his head.

    ¡°If I keep this up, I¡¯ll grow paranoid. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s spying on me, that¡¯s ridiculous. She¡¯s short, that¡¯s why she¡¯s so quiet,¡± Stephen nodded, content with his obviously warped logic, then changed into pajamas. It wasn¡¯t late, and he hadn¡¯t eaten supper, but Stephen was just ready for tomorrow to arrive.

    Stephen fell asleep quickly, he was mentally and emotionally exhausted. Between his bizarre encounters with the castle staff, the dark prophecy he was told, and his stealth mission to reach his room, Stephen had experienced more stress than any gaming session.

    In the middle of the night, something woke Stephen up. He thought he¡¯d heard that snapping sound again, like the one he heard in the garden.

    ¡°Kate?¡± He muttered aloud to the dark, then groggily fell back on his pillow and drifted off. The cool nighttime air drifted into his room. His curtains billowed silently in the moonlight.

 13 - A Promising Sign

    In the morning, soon after Stephen was awake and dressed, he thought of a brilliant prank. Too many times, Kate got the upper hand on him, so Stephen decided it was time he did something about it. He stood by the door and patiently waited until it rattled. Then he quickly ripped open the door.

    ¡°Morning!¡± Stephen shouted before an explosion ripped open the door and sent him flying into the foot of his bed.

    When Stephen came too, he was keenly away of the feeling that every one of the tiny, indiscernible muscles in his torso was being ripped apart. He screamed, sat up, and immediately the world flipped upside down as he resisted the urge to vomit.

    ¡°Easy now,¡± Sebastian cautioned, ¡°I very nearly tore you to pieces. You should know better than to scare people like that. You might have scared Kate half to death if she hadn¡¯t invited me to open the door first.¡±

    Stephen, careful not to move too quickly, caught a look of pride from Kate, ¡°You knew?¡±

    ¡°Of course, you breathe like an ox.¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡± Stephen grimaced, most of his shirt was missing and his skin was sunburnt red, ¡°Some mutant?¡±

    ¡°That supposed to be an insult?¡± Kate¡¯s eyes darkened and narrowed, the air around her turned sinister. Every painful fiber of his body told Stephen this girl was dangerous, maybe more so than Sebastian. He felt like a meek rabbit being stared down by a fox.

    Kate picked up on Stephen¡¯s feelings and her demeanor fell into an awkward smirk. She lifted a hand to her mouth, turned away, and quickly moved to pick up her duster. Stephen thought he saw her shoulders shaking.

    ¡°Is she-?¡± Stephen started.

    ¡°Today¡¯s another experiment!¡± Sebastian suddenly interjected, ¡°A lesson, I mean, definitely a real lesson. That explosion might have rattled something. An unconscious reaction, perhaps.¡±

    ¡°But I could swear she¡¯s laughing,¡± Stephen said as Kate fixed him with a sharp look. Her lip twitched and she turned away again.

    ¡°Never mind who¡¯s laughing and who¡¯s in pain,¡± Sebastian motioned for Stephen to follow as he made his way to the door, ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±

    ¡°But breakfast,¡± Stephen grunted in pain as he tried to stand up.

    ¡°It¡¯s in the study, we¡¯ll have a bite and talk first.¡±

    Stephen looked down at his obliterated shirt, ¡°But my shirt¡¯s ruined.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Enough with the excuses!¡± Sebastian said as he moved to whip open the door, only to find he was grabbing air. The door was in tatters, the hinges holding on to little more than woodchips.

    ¡°Kate, get someone to fix this door,¡± Sebastian ordered as he recollected himself and turned down the hallway.

    Pulling at the edges of his shirt, Stephen ignored the embarrassment that burned in his cheeks and followed after. He glanced over from the corner of his eyes, catching Kate¡¯s gaze before she turned away. Stephen couldn¡¯t believe she¡¯d pulled the rug out from under him. Her ability to hardly make a sound, coupled with her inhuman hearing, unsettled Stephen. There was something more to her than simply being a maid. He¡¯d have to ask Sebastian.

    Before Stephen passed through the door, Kate muttered, ¡°You have something in your hair.¡±

    Stephen reached up, sifting through his hair and pulling out a two-inch long splinter of wood. Throwing the debris down, Stephen stomped out of the room. He could have sworn he heard stifled giggling.

    -

    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with Kate?¡± Stephen fussed in his seat, one of two hard leather armchairs in Sebastian¡¯s study. The wizard waved his hands, when they first entered the room, and the pair of chairs floated into position around a small coffee table. A tea set followed soon after and the two each took a seat.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Sebastian replied, sipping his tea loudly white the steam billowed over his eyes.

    ¡°She¡¯s not normal,¡± Stephen said, ¡°I mean, she always surprises me ¨C I never hear her coming ¨C and she somehow heard me breathing on the other side of the door!¡±

    Sebastian looked at Stephen blankly.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t bother you?¡± Stephen said, trying to prod a response.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Sebastian replied, ¡°It bothers you?¡±

    ¡°A little,¡± Stephen leaned back, holding his teacup in his hands and enjoying the scent of honey and oranges.

    ¡°Does she get under your skin?¡± Sebastian asked, looking at Stephen inquisitively over his teacup.

    ¡°She does,¡± Stephen nodded.

    ¡°Do you feel on edge whenever she¡¯s around?¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Stephen pondered, ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t relax whenever she¡¯s cleaning.¡±

    ¡°And today,¡± Sebastian continued, ¡°Were you embarrassed when your shirt was ruined and she saw you in a vulnerable state?¡±

    ¡°I mean, yea¡­¡±

    Sebastian leaned forward, his face serious and his tone enraptured, ¡°Do dream about her?¡±

    Stephen¡¯s ears burned, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to¡ªHey! That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±

    Sebastian laughed, ¡°You¡¯re too easy to pull around! I bet Kate¡¯s enjoying herself very much.¡±

    Stephen sulked, what was the point of this? To make him embarrassed? Stephen was supposed to be learning magic from this man, but so far, all Sebastian¡¯d done is nearly kill him and embarrass him in front of a young maid.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make that face,¡± Sebastian said with a groan, ¡°I¡¯m just having some fun. You tried to pull a prank and it failed, call that payback. Kate¡¯s something special, I guess life on the streets gave her some unique quirks. There was some good news, however, that came from your failed joke.¡±

    A sparkle flashed through Sebastian¡¯s eyes as Stephen looked up, ¡°What''s that?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t die.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s curiosity plummeted, ¡°Well, obviously, weren¡¯t you holding back?¡±

    ¡°Did you see the door?¡± Sebastian said with a patronizing tone.

    ¡°So what, you tried to kill me?¡± Sebastian was getting tired of everyone treating him like an idiot, ¡°What was the point of that?¡±

    ¡°To kill whatever was trying to jump me. But the point is,¡± Sebastian set down his teacup and stood up, ¡°your body protected itself. You do possess magic, and it just saved your life.¡±

 14 - The Interruption

    Leaning back into his chair, gripping his teacup tightly, Stephen tried to process what Sebastian had just announced, ¡°I do have magic?¡±

    Sebastian clapped his hands, ¡°Of course! How else do you explain your surviving?¡±

    Stephen sighed, ¡°You meant it¡¯s a theory, didn¡¯t you?¡± He expected too much from the wizard, it seemed.

    ¡°Is that so bad? After all, I meant to kill whatever was sneaking up on me. That fact you survived must mean there¡¯s magic hidden within you.¡±

    ¡°So what, I put up a shield at the last second, without thinking?¡±

    Sebastian roared with laughter, ¡°Of course not! Magic naturally shields those who possess it, like a thick invisible skin. Creating physical shields with magic requires effort and a little time.¡±

    ¡°So what are we going to do?¡± Stephen had put together that Sebastian was a runaway cannon when it came to these things. Whatever the wizard had planned, Stephen decided he¡¯d rather get it done and over with. He hated being pulled along on a string.

    Sebastian, however, simply leaned back into his chair and ran his hand along his stubbled chin, ¡°An excellent question.¡±

    The room was silent for a few minutes. Stephen glanced around the room, anxious that the wizard was acting so serious. There wasn¡¯t much to look at, however. It was hard to imagine this room had nearly killed him just a day before. The study was empty except for the corner Stephen and Sebastian sat in, which contained the armchairs, a desk and bookshelf, and a coffee table.

    ¡°Your parents,¡± Sebastian cleared his throat, then spoke again with a level voice, ¡°When your father, Charles, first discovered his talent for wizardry, he accidentally exploded a vase of flowers. He liked the design, so he touched it. Big mess.¡±

    Stephen nodded, it made sense. Well, except the exploding part. Hard to believe his father worked in archaeology now.

    ¡°Your mother, Emily, on the other hand, figured her abilities out early. They were much more limited than Charles¡¯, but her keen mind realized her dreams were premonitions. Eventually, she could conjure them at will, later she developed more practical magic.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°More practical?¡± Stephen asked, completely engrossed, ¡°Than being able to see the future?¡±

    ¡°The future is always in flux,¡± Sebastian swirled his teacup, ¡°People are easy to manipulate, especially when they believe you know what¡¯ll happen. One person tells someone they should bring daisies on a date, another tells them rosemary. Next thing you know an allergy occurs and poof ¨C the date¡¯s over.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s mouth fell open, then he closed it, ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°Allergies aren¡¯t a joke.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean that seeing the future is worthless.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say worthless,¡± Sebastian raised a finger, ¡°Some pull it off, I¡¯ll admit. Everyone loves a good prophecy.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s stomach twitched, ¡°Prophecy?¡±

    ¡°A foretelling of events, a prediction, a series of disasters foreshadowing doom¡­ I could go on.¡±

    ¡°I know what a prophecy is,¡± Stephen looked at his reflection in his tea.

    ¡°You ever heard one?¡± Sebastian¡¯s voice was soft, probing.

    ¡°Well sure, hasn¡¯t everyone?¡±

    ¡°No. Prophecies are always told just beforehand, that¡¯s why they¡¯re impractical. Emily was clever, adaptable, but she was never on time. Sometimes, even, she was presumptuous.¡±

    Stephen looked up and narrowed his eyes, Sebastian was trying to get a point across, he sensed.

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    Sebastian considered his words carefully, ¡°I¡¯m saying she made a mistake, sealing your powers and escaping to the other realm. By doing so, she¡¯s upset the course of the future and may have doomed you.¡±

    Stephen opened his mouth to make a retort, but a loud ringing filled the air. A series of bell strikes echoed through the study. Sebastian¡¯s expression turned wild. He stood up so quickly his teacup crashed to the ground and shattered into pieces. With a flick of his wrist, the earthenware cup reassembled itself.

    ¡°Stay here,¡± Sebastian said harshly.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Stephen asked, his heart starting to race. Were they under attack? The enemy had impeccable timing.

    ¡°Get close to the door and don¡¯t die,¡± Gray whisps of smoke wrapped around Sebastian¡¯s hands. It looked like tiny grains of smokey sand.

    Stephen inched back, he was a couple of inches from the door when the glass wall of the study shattered into countless shards, the deafening sound echoed through the room. Stephen covered his ears as he watched an enormous bat-like creature hover above the floor. It had two powerful hind legs, a long spiked tail, and two arms the melded into wings with hooked claws at the end of each webbed finger. Purplish smoke poured from a set of horrific jagged jaws that wrapped the creature¡¯s scaled ebony body like a cloak.

    A slim armored figure rode on its back. It had silver armor with red accents, fiery yellow trails flickered from between the plates and from the top of their helmet like a feather. In its left arm was a pointed triangular shield, in their left was a golden halberd.

    Sebastian wasn¡¯t fazed. He looked around his study, ¡°You¡¯ve made a mess now, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    When the figure didn¡¯t respond, Sebastian clicked his tongue, ¡°I see. You¡¯re aiming for dramatics, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Raising their weapon, the figure announced in a high-pitched shout, ¡°I am a servant of justice!¡±

    Stephen rolled his eyes, ¡°Great, another eccentric.¡±

 15 - The Silver Knight

    Sebastian wasted no time. With a twirl of his hands, the floor surrounding the invading knight turned soft and a dozen stone arms stretched to grapple the knight and their winged beast. The knight slashed at three arms, cutting them clean in half. Three other blades of golden fire appeared and sliced through the other arms immediately after, just like the knight''s attack.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come for the king¡¯s head,¡± The knight announced, ¡°Stay your magic, Abjurer, or I¡¯ll destroy you.¡±

    ¡°Destroy me?¡± Sebastian replied, ¡°Why the finality? We could have so much fun first.¡±

    Sebastian put his hands together and pushed them forward, conjuring a spear of stone that shot towards the knight with blinding speed. The knight¡¯s beast reared back, but the knight stabbed at the approaching spear, splitting it apart. This time, a bolt of golden fire appeared behind Sebastian.

    ¡°Look out!¡± Stephen called out.

    Sebastian fell to the ground as the bolt soared over his head, towards the knight. Raising their arm, the bolt was deflected off the knight¡¯s armor. The beast roared again, then charged towards Sebastian, jaws wide and dripping with black fog.

    ¡°Shadow beast,¡± Sebastian almost spat the words as he slapped the ground with his hands, sending a ripple across the ground that tripped the beast. Two thick arms sprouted from the ground and moved to grab the knight as they tumbled to the ground. The knight recovered quickly and swung their halberd around, holding the weapon close.

    A circle of fire surrounded the knight, then a second appeared above the first. The wheels of fire cut the approaching arms to ribbons. Sebastian growled as he pushed himself up. The beast clambered to its feet, then strafed to the right, eyeing Sebastian with suspicion. The knight stood up as well and approached slowly.

    ¡°We have come for the king, step aside now!¡± The knight gripped their weapon tight.

    ¡°Your powers are peculiar,¡± Sebastian mused, ¡°I¡¯ve only seen them once before. Mirroring magic, yes?¡±

    The knight hesitated, then continued their approach, ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡±

    ¡°Am I? Perhaps,¡± Sebastian¡¯s body became very still, every fiber of his being was suddenly under his absolute control as he raised his hands, ¡°I wonder, how many times can you duplicate your spells?¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Every bit of loose stone, even the glass, rose in the air. The knight stopped their approach and the beast turned around in circles, growling at the commotion. The debris stopped in midair, then all at once they stretched into tiny blades and launched themselves towards their targets.

    The beast howled as countless blades of stone and glass pierced its hide. The knight shouted, ¡°Stop it!¡± Their voice was shrill, feminine, even. But their armor was struck over and over. The missiles were deflected harmlessly, but tiny dents and scratches appeared across the polished silver metal.

    Finally, the knight swung their weapon. Hundreds of bright golden lights appeared and enveloped the missiles. In one great flash, the missiles were destroyed. Sebastian raised a wall of stone in front of himself and Stephen covered his eyes. When Stephen opened his eyes, he saw the knight had only made it halfway to Sebastian.

    A short figure had come up behind the knight holding a dagger to the intruder''s throat, its point tucked neatly under the helmet. A bead of blood ran down the dagger''s edge.

    ¡°Kate?¡± Stephen breathed out, shocked to see the young maid wrapping one arm around the knight¡¯s chest as she held them still. She could just barely reach without standing on her toes, but a cold and murderous intent shined in her eyes.

    The knight relaxed and dropped her weapon.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯d be you,¡± The voice was so quiet Stephen didn¡¯t quite make it out, but Sebastian smiled.

    ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d be around, I appreciate the help, Kate.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my job,¡± Kate said defensively.

    ¡°You¡¯re a traitor,¡± The knight said defeatedly, their voice tinged with sadness.

    Stephen took a tentative step forward, eyeing the beast to the side. Its breathing was shallow. Tiny flecks of what looked like black ash peeled away from the beast¡¯s scales. As Stephen approached Sebastian, the beast¡¯s form disintegrated and blew away.

    ¡°Shadows beasts are made of magic,¡± Sebastian explained as Stephen stood by his side, ¡°This one here is a talented magician herself, after all.¡±

    ¡°Herself?¡± Stephen asked as Kate reached up and pull the knight¡¯s helmet off.

    Golden hair spilled out from the helmet. It swept around the knight¡¯s shoulders, covering Kate¡¯s face. The young maid blew it out of her face, annoyed. The knight was a girl, a year or two older than Kate, from the looks of it. Her face was flushed with exhaustion. Her forehead glistened with sweat and her blazing blue eyes revealed a rebellious, agitated intent.

    ¡°What are you still doing here, Sebastian?¡± The girl asked, ¡°You should know better.¡±

    ¡°I do know better, that is why I stayed,¡± Sebastian replied, nonplused, ¡°The better question is why did you even come back?¡±

    ¡°Come back?¡± Stephen asked, his head swirling, ¡°What¡¯s going on? You two know each other?¡±

    ¡°We three,¡± Sebastian corrected, ¡°This knight is Princess Augustina, daughter of King Elbrick and heiress to the throne. Seems you just completed your mission, Stephen Cray.¡±

 16 - The Quest Ends

    The silver knight, Princess Augustina, spat on the ground, ¡°Don¡¯t ever call me that.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Am I speaking to someone else?¡± Sebastian replied with hurt in his voice.

    Augustina struggled against Kate¡¯s grasp, causing the dagger to dig into her neck. Furious tears surfaced in her eyes as her efforts came to a stop. She fell to her knees and Kate followed her down, still holding her captive with the dagger.

    ¡°Easy, sis,¡± Kate said emotionlessly, ¡°I might accidentally kill you.¡±

    ¡°Do it then!¡± Augustina cried, ¡°It¡¯s better than being in his disgusting castle.¡±

    Stephen shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He had considered that there¡¯d be some family drama, this being a monarchy and all, and since the Princess ran off. However, he was beginning to think there was more going on than a simple family spat.

    Sebastian looked apathetic as he reached down and grabbed the princess¡¯s chin and lifted her face to match his gaze. He looked her over, searching for something in her expression before he dropped her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed,¡± Sebastian turned around to Stephen, ¡°I was wrong, this is not the princess who¡¯s been lost.¡±

    Without looking back, Sebastian left the study, ¡°Dispose of the intruder, Kate.¡±

    Stephen¡¯s eyes widened and he turned to Kate, ¡°He doesn¡¯t mean kill her, does he?¡±

    Kate shrugged, ¡°Probably.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°But you¡¯re not going to actually do it, right?¡± Stephen¡¯s hand shook. He wasn¡¯t sure what answer to expect, not anymore.

    ¡°Probably not,¡± Kate finally said as she pulled Augustina to her feet, ¡°You can¡¯t stay here, sister. You must leave now.¡±

    ¡°Sister?¡± Stephen called out, his voice bounded across the study so much he felt embarrassed. Like he¡¯d just exposed a long-standing secret and a hundred of the hollow knights would break down the door.

    ¡°By blood alone,¡± Augustina quietly spoke, her voice full of mourning, ¡°I may be the eldest, but my dearest Kate is the better sister.¡±

    ¡°The king would never see it that way,¡± Kate said venomously.

    Augustina turned towards Kate, brushing aside the dagger, ¡°Come away with me! You¡¯re stronger than I am, together he¡¯d never reach us.¡±

    Kate backed away, ¡°I will not run.¡±

    Augustina¡¯s shoulders slumped, the energy in her body faded as she swayed. Stephen thought she¡¯d fall any second. The room was filled with silence as Kate wiped her dagger clean with her apron. Stephen noticed the wound on Augustina¡¯s neck had closed, the blood dried on her skin.

    The doors to the study swung open and a stream of hollow nights swarmed into the room. King Elbrick was among them, covered in a majestic suit of golden armor and draped within a thick silky red cloak. He strode up to Augustina and turned her around to face him with one hand, then slapped her across her face with his other hand ¨C gauntlet and all.

    ¡°You have worried me, daughter! And here you return, demanding my head? I am ashamed! I have reared two daughters from that witch and both have come out as curses!¡±

    The king swept his cloak and left. The hollow knights practically dragged Augustina behind the king and disappeared out of the study. A snap resonated through the room and the broken window slowly started to piece itself together.

    Stephen stood still for a moment. He was shaking, everything felt wrong. What was he supposed to do now? As he fumbled to put his thoughts together, Kate walked towards the door.

    ¡°Are you going to let this happen?¡± Stephen called out, ¡°He hit her!¡±

    With bleary eyes, Kate turned to Stephen. The two locked eyes for a moment before Kate ran out. Her footsteps grew distant, then finally they disappeared. Stephen was alone.

 17 - A Welcome Visit

    Stephen laid down on his bed. After the catastrophe that was his second magic training session, he needed a moment. Stephen wasn¡¯t sure what to make of Princess Augustina. Not only did she want the king¡¯s head, her father, but the king made her out to be a traitor ¨C even Sebastian said she wasn¡¯t the same princess he knew. Stephen had his share of teenage rebellion before (he once skipped school for a week, pretending he had the flu) but this was something else.

    But then again, Stephen thought, this was much more serious than just some phase. Kate, who was Augustina¡¯s sister, had held a dagger to the princess¡¯s neck. The King slapped his daughter and called both of them witches. What was going on?

    A knock came from the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± Stephen said as he leaned up.

    Isabelle, the older maid from before, came into his room. Her expression was controlled and friendly.

    ¡°Good afternoon, young master,¡± Isabelle bowed, ¡°I came to see if you needed anything.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate it,¡± Stephen immediately checked himself to make sure there wasn¡¯t a pocket or button out of place. He chuckled, ¡°Kate never checks in.¡±

    Stephen didn¡¯t know how to act in front of Isabelle. On the one hand, she was a beautiful maid, but on the other hand, she was almost old enough to be his mother.

    Isabelle smiled back, ¡°Oh? I¡¯ll have to have a word with her.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Stephen quickly corrected, ¡°I just meant¡­ Well, I guess¡­¡±

    Isabelle stepped inside and took a seat beside Stephen, tucking her dress underneath herself. Her back was perfectly straight and hardly a hair was out of place.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say it,¡± Isabelle turned to face Stephen, her eyes were bright and understanding, ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot on your mind?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    Stephen blushed and nodded, ¡°A little, yea. So much is happening, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do anymore. I was brought here by accident, but now the only reason I had for being here is gone.¡±

    Isabelle¡¯s smiled faded, ¡°Yes, the princess. I was afraid she¡¯d turn up like this.¡±

    ¡°Seems like she and her father have a problem.¡±

    ¡°She has problems, yes, but they do not come from herself,¡± Isabelle turned away, her fingers clenched up, ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said you were the first visitor we¡¯d had in a long time. For over a year, this castle has sealed itself away from the outside. Even before that, everyone around here was walking on glass.¡±

    Isabelle turned back to Stephen, ¡°You¡¯re the first outsider we¡¯ve had within the walls. The first person who has no agenda, no bias, no ulterior motive.¡±

    Stephen leaned back as Isabelle reached over and grabbed onto his wrist, ¡°You can ¨C no you must do something about this. You¡¯re their son, the fallen queen¡¯s chosen!¡±

    As if her mind suddenly caught up with her body, Isabelle turned an embarrassed shade of red and pulled back her arm. She stood up suddenly and brushed herself down, ¡°I forgot myself, my apologies. You¡¯re still a child, I shouldn¡¯t have lost myself like that. I¡¯ve been so worried about the princess¡¯, their father¡¯s never been the same since two years ago.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Stephen murmured, his heart racing, ¡°What did you mean, the fallen queen? And about the king not being the same?¡±

    Isabelle bit her lip, ¡°That is not for me to say. I would ask Lord Sebastian.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a lord now?¡±

    ¡°He owns a library or two, but he was granted the status when he became the Court¡¯s magician.¡±

    Stephen shook his head. Isabelle was about to excuse herself when Stephen called out, realizing something she¡¯d said bothered him.

    ¡°What did you mean, I was chosen by the queen?¡± Stephen was sure he was alone back then, but he remembered there was a snap somewhere behind him, just after the queen gave her prophecy.

    Isabelle froze. She turned to Stephen with a plastic smile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t fret about it. I am sure we¡¯ll meet again, take care of yourself. And do be kinder to Kate, she will never say it but you¡¯ve made an impression on her. It¡¯s been a long time since she¡¯s been friendly to anyone.¡±

    ¡°Friendly?¡± Stephen muttered to himself. Of all the people Stephen had met so far, Isabelle was the one person he was sure wouldn¡¯t keep a secret from him. He shivered. Regardless of her reasons, what bothered Stephen most was she called the queen ¡®fallen¡¯. In the back of his mind, tucked within all the movies and books Stephen had watched and read, a theory was being crafted. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant one.

 18 - Here Comes Trouble

    The next morning, breakfast was already on the table. Kate was nowhere to be found. Everything was clean and organized, even the bed was done with Stephen still in it. How she did that, Stephen thought it was better to not think about it.

    After checking himself in the mirror, to make sure Kate hadn¡¯t written anything in permanent marker (or ink, Stephen corrected himself), he took to the breakfast platter. It was the same as before, but this time there was more fruit. Stephen remembered Isabelle telling him he¡¯d made an impression on Kate, but he just shook his head.

    Today, Stephen decided halfway through his meal, he was going to get some answers from Sebastian. It was only day three, but there was so much going on Stephen felt like it had been longer. That scared him. He wanted to go home. To learn whatever secrets he could that would get him there.

    As soon as his plate was empty, Stephen gathered his courage and stepped out the door. Three steps outside his door, Stephen ran into a hollow knight. His forehead throbbed and his vision doubled as the loud ringing of empty metal filled the hall.

    Standing between two hollow knights was the king himself.

    ¡°Good morning to you, Stephen Cray,¡± King Elbrick spoke with a practiced gusto, ¡°I trust your stay is going well?¡±

    Stephen rubbed his head, ¡°Very well, thanks.¡±

    The king narrowed his eyes, ¡°And Kate, she is doing well keeping you comfortable?¡±

    If there was one thing Stephen learned from his many years of public schooling, it was to sense tests. Stephen had grown so adept, he would know long before he got to school and could avoid the test entirely by going right instead of left ¨C thereby avoiding the fact he hadn¡¯t studied entirely so he could go to a caf¨¦ instead and stream anime. He always kept a spare charging cord in his pack.

    This was most certainly a test, Stephen decided, ¡°Very well, thanks.¡±

    The king ran his hand through his greasy black beard. It wasn¡¯t until then that Stephen realized he¡¯d repeated himself. Panicked, Stephen followed up his comment in a nervous voice,A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°S-so well, in fact, she gave me extra fruit this morning.¡±

    The king¡¯s eye twitched, ¡°Is that so? Wonderful!¡±

    The king rapped his knuckle against one of the knights, ¡°You hear that? She¡¯s taken a liking to him, I¡¯ll bet. So sweet of her.¡±

    Stephen realized there was hardly an ounce of enthusiasm in the king¡¯s voice. There was a peculiar look in the king¡¯s eyes, too. Something skeptical.

    ¡°You¡¯d best be careful,¡± King Elbrick said cautiously, ¡°She¡¯s sly and deceptive. She learned a little too much, living on the streets.¡±

    ¡°She said she was your daughter,¡± Stephen said suddenly, ¡°Was that a lie, then?¡±

    The hollow knights tensed, King Elbrick¡¯s eyes flared. There was a crackle in the air that ran along Stephen¡¯s skin like static.

    ¡°You¡¯d best get to your studies,¡± King Elbrick spoke harshly, ¡°Stephen Cray.¡±

    With that, the king turned around in a flurry. It was as if he was pushing the very air aside when he moved. It seemed to Stephen that every time he pushed for more information, the people he talked to got defensive. What exactly was everyone hiding?

    --

    When Stephen arrived at Sebastian¡¯s study, the window had been repaired. Not only that, but the window had been replaced with a solid stone wall. Only a slim window at the top let any light inside. The rest of the lighting was supplied by a long bronze chandelier.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a prison,¡± Stephen murmured.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Sebastian agreed solemnly as he stood from his desk, ¡°Not the most inspiring place to practice magic anymore. Luckily for me, I can fix that.¡±

    With a sweep of his arms, the stone wall separated into two slabs that slide open like barn doors. Once again, the room was filled with sunlight and the morning breeze. Stephen watched in awe as the stone moved ¨C this was magic.

    ¡°You seem melancholy,¡± Sebastian noted.

    Stephen nodded, ¡°There¡¯s a lot on my mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bet,¡± Sebastian flicked his wrist and his two armchairs slid over, ¡°Take a seat, I¡¯ll answer what I can.¡±

    Sebastian¡¯s tea set floated over as well. He poured Stephen¡¯s first and passed it over before filling his own. After a minute for Stephen to organize his thoughts, he opened his mouth to speak.

    An incredible roar filled the room. It moaned sorrowfully, shaking the bookshelf and desk and rattling the tea kettle.

    ¡°What now?¡± Stephen asked, annoyed.

    The two moved across the hall and into a study. Through the study¡¯s window, they could see over the town. Peaking over a hill, just past the outer wall, was an enormous figure. It was human-like, with long arms and legs. Even from here, Stephen could see a long, gaping mouth open before another roar rattled the shook the castle.

    ¡°A giant,¡± Stephen said breathlessly.

    With an exacerbated groan, Sebastian massaged his brow, ¡°Great, here comes trouble.¡±

 19 - A Giant Walks the Land

    The castle bells tolled again, ringing all across the castle. Hollow knights clattered through the halls, lining across the castle¡¯s inner wall as they produced crossbows. The gates slammed shut. Maids rushed around, locking doors and making sure everyone was accounted for. Everything that could be tied down was, every window with a shutter was barred shut. The whole castle was going on lockdown.

    Another long moan bellowed through the stone walls like a beached whale. Stephen pressed his hands against his ears. The giant was almost to the city wall.

    The giant was probably a hundred feet tall, with long sinewy arms that reached its cobbled knees. Its hair was matted and tangled, draped over its bulky hunched shoulders like seaweed. The giant¡¯s sunken eyes made its face skull-like and ghastly. Whenever the giant roared, its jaw stretched low like an insidious spirit. Its mouth was a black pit with no tongue or throat. The monster was like a walking black hole.

    Sebastian hadn¡¯t said a word since they left the study. He and Stephen stood in the main lobby, watching the mayhem.

    ¡°S-so,¡± Stephen stammered, ¡°Are we just going to wait for it to come to us?¡±

    Sebastian turned to Stephen, ¡°Did you have a better idea?¡±

    ¡°Well, can¡¯t you fight it?¡±

    Amused, Sebastian put his forefinger on his chin, ¡°Now, that¡¯s an idea! But I have a better one,¡± Sebastian pointed to Stephen, ¡°How about our local, world-hopping hero fights the big bad monster that¡¯s about to stomp on countless townsfolk like they¡¯re ants on a hill?¡±

    Stephen laughed hysterically, ¡°Haha! Too bad this hero has no powers!¡±

    ¡°Ah, but what better catalyst than near-impossible odds!¡± Sebastian shook his head, ¡°No, I''m afraid this is out of my league. The best thing we can do right now is to wait and see what he wants.¡±

    ¡°See what the giant wants?¡±

    ¡°No, you dunce,¡± Sebastian sighed, ¡°What he wants. What the one who summoned the giant wants. What the one traveling with the giant wants!¡±

    An inkling of fear had settled into Sebastian¡¯s voice. Steven examined the way the mad magician¡¯s eyes widened, how the right side of his mouth was just slightly paralyzed with anxiety.

    Sebastian muttered, ¡°The question is what he¡¯s doing moving now¡­ Why now?¡±

    A light tap on his shoulder made Stephen¡¯s heart almost leap out his chest. When he turned, Stephen saw Kate, no longer dressed like a maid. She wore a long, trim, black woolen jacket and black pants. Her normal black boots were polished, and Kate¡¯s curly blonde hair was held to the side of her head with a silver clip.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Kate met Stephen¡¯s eyes for a moment, then her cheeks burned slightly as she looked away and addressed Sebastian, ¡°I¡¯m ready when you are. My sister should be in the lower holds.¡±

    Stephen found it hard to not steal glances at Kate¡¯s clandestine attire. It was almost modern, he thought. Maybe this was a kind of early-victorian fantasy? Whatever it was, he had to admit Kate would make a killer spy.

    Then Stephen caught on, ¡°Wait, she¡¯s in the holds? Like, a dungeon?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kate turned to Stephen accusingly, ¡°Of course not, she¡¯s not a prisoner. She¡¯s in the holds.¡±

    ¡°But isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡±

    Kate pondered it for a moment, ¡°Almost. That aside,¡± She continued, brushing off Stephen¡¯s comment, ¡°We have to hurry if we want to beat the king to her.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s move then,¡± Sebastian motioned for Kate to lead the way. Stephen almost followed Sebastian, but his head was spinning.

    ¡°Can someone please explain what¡¯s going on? I feel like I¡¯m being dragged from one thing to another!¡±

    Kate paused and looked at Sebastian, who in turn stopped and turned towards Stephen. For a moment, Sebastian just examined Stephen¡¯s bunched fists, angled stance, and his determined stare.

    ¡°Twenty years ago, just before the princess was born, there was a celebration held here in the castle. It was meant to celebrate an alliance between Wandir, this kingdom, and Serbir, the kingdom just beyond the mountains. However, something happened when the two kings met alone, and the alliance was shattered.¡±

    Another roar shook the castle. Kate moved ahead to check the hallway while Sebastian continued, ¡°Years ago, relations between the two nations worsened. Tension in the castle grew as the royal family became less and less trusting of one another. The Princess ran off and the king was worried she¡¯d fled to the king of Serbir.¡±

    Stephen nodded, ¡°Okay, but what does that have to do with the giant? With the princess being locked up?¡±

    Sebastian spread his arms, ¡°Everything! The princess¡¯s attack on the castle failed. She came here, with a creature of darkness, bent on killed the king and she failed.¡±

    ¡°So whoever helped her is trying to get her back?¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Sebastian beamed with the pride of a teacher.

    ¡°So that giant is another creature of darkness? One created by magic?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Sebastian shivered, ¡°And it¡¯s much, much more powerful.¡±

    While they waited for Kate to return, Stephen couldn¡¯t help but think of the queen¡¯s words; the king¡¯s truth, a deep scar runs through these walls, a slumbering giant will walk the lands. Those words were coming together today.

    But what did the rest of her prophecy mean?

    Walk around shadows, child. Death waits to strike around the corner.

    The last part was what scared Stephen most, however:

    A mistake in judgment will be the end of you.

    Stephen¡¯s blood ran cold. If the queen was correct in predicting he¡¯d discover the ¡®cracks¡¯ in the royal family¡¯s relationships, and that a giant would walk across the land, did that mean Stephen was going to die

    Kate returned, ¡°The path is clear of hollow knights. Let¡¯s move now before that changes.¡±

    Sebastian nodded and took off after Kate. Stephen followed behind, but his heart pounded in his chest. If he was going to die because of a mistake in judgment, did that mean he was wrong about Kate or Sebastian?

 20 - The Escape

    Kate led Sebastian and Stephen through the hallway, down a staircase hidden behind a portrait of the king, and into a long dimly lit corridor. It smelled of damp stone. Stephen couldn¡¯t understand what part of it wasn¡¯t a dungeon, regardless of what Kate said.

    Taking a left, the group passed several thick wooden doors with small barred windows. Stephen peeked inside one and found the room had a small desk, a wooden cot with a lumpy straw mattress, and a simple wooden stool. They reminded him of the study rooms in his school, except he could only wish they each had a bed, and the study rooms didn¡¯t only lock from the outside.

    Stephen heard Kate call out to him, her voice was sharp and whisper-quiet.

    ¡°C¡¯mon Stephen, Augustina is in this one.¡±

    The group was down here to retrieve the princess, Stephen recalled, but why wasn¡¯t she guarded? It was hard to believe the king would leave her by herself. Didn¡¯t she have her magic to escape?

    The three crowded around the door. Kate knocked softly, ¡°Augustina, it¡¯s me.¡±

    There was no reply. Kate glanced at Sebastian, then reached into her coat pocket and withdrew a long metal needle. Kate slid it into the lock and within a few seconds, there was a chink as the lock came undone.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming in,¡± Kate quietly announced as she opened the door slowly. As Kate slipped inside, she gasped, ¡°Augustina!¡±

    The door swung open. Augustina was laying on her bed, feverish and unresponsive. Kate cradled her older sister in her arms, ¡°Augustina, wake up! We have to get you out.¡±

    Stephen stood very still. This was wrong, why was the princess sick? What was going on? Kate started to cry. Stephen had hardly ever seen her smile, he found it hard to accept she was being so expressive. It was like she¡¯d exposed a part of herself.

    Sebastian laid a hand on Augustina¡¯s head and closed his eyes. His hand glowed faintly, like a dim lamp. After a moment, he pulled his hand away and spoke grimly,

    ¡°Her magic has been drained ¨C almost entirely. She¡¯ll live, but she¡¯s barely holding on.¡±

    ¡°That bastard,¡± Kate spat through her sobs, ¡°He really doesn¡¯t care, does he?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± Stephen asked numbly, though he was sure he knew the answer.

    ¡°The King,¡± Sebastian replied quietly, ¡°He cannot wield magic, but he has the power to drain it or obliterate it entirely. To make sure she couldn¡¯t escape, the king drained his daughter¡¯s powers to the point it nearly killed her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why,¡± Stephen swallowed a dry lump in his throat, at this rate, he was going to cry too, ¡°there aren¡¯t any guards.¡±

    Another bellow from the giant shook the castle. It was close. In the distance, Stephen could make out the sounds of snapping wood and crashing buildings. The giant was probably annihilating the town by now.

    ¡°We must leave, I¡¯ll-¡° Sebastian started as he reached to pick up Augustina.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold her!¡± Kate roared protectively, she shoved Sebastian aside and tried to pick up her sister.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Sebastian said nothing. He turned away and looked out the room, checking for anyone who¡¯d impede their mission. Kate fumbled, trying to wrap her arms around her sister¡¯s shoulders and legs. She managed to lift her off the bed but could hardly keep her off the floor.

    Stephen stepped in silently and wrapped Augustina¡¯s arm around his neck, ¡°You lift the other side.¡±

    ¡°I said I would do it,¡± Kate snapped, but she made no motion to stop him. Augustina was taller and heavier than Kate, there was no way Kate could carry her alone.

    Stephen said nothing. He understood Kate enough to know she didn¡¯t want his help. But at this rate, the group would never make it out before the giant came. Working together, Stephen and Kate followed Sebastian out into the hallway and away from where they came.

    ¡°There should be an exit nearby where the guards can leave. We¡¯ll probably run into some there, brace yourselves. Focus on getting Augustina out, I¡¯ll hold the guards off. We¡¯ll meet at the cabin to the North.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Sebastian turned a corner. There was a crash, the sound of a wood door breaking, and then Sebastian shouted, ¡°Go now!¡±

    Making sure he had a good hold on Augustina, Stephen pressed forward with Kate. The rounded the corner to see Sebastian fighting two hollow knights. He was surrounded by coils of rocky earth that twisted and sprang towards the knights. They deflected some with their swords, but their armor was pierced through as the coils of earth turned into spears.

    That didn¡¯t stop the knights, however. There was no flesh to pierce, no mortal mind contained within the helmet. Instead, the knights slashed through the earth, advancing towards Sebastian with murderous intent. At the moment, it didn¡¯t matter if he was the court magician. He¡¯d attacked the hollow knights ¨C that made him an enemy.

    Sebastian just grinned at their advance. With a flick of his wrist, the lodged rock spear still impaled in the knights¡¯ armor exploded like a sea urchin and shattered the suit of armor. The remnants of the two knights clattered to the ground.

    The group was just outside the Eastern part of the castle, in a little cranny near the inner wall. Kate and Stephen had followed Sebastian¡¯s order and continued making their way to the Eastern gate. They could feel the giant¡¯s footsteps getting closer, like the rolling thunder of an oncoming storm.

    Sebastian caught up with the two and motioned to a section of the inner wall. Just as he did with his study, Sebastian waved his hands and a part of the wall spread open like enormous double doors. Ushering them through, Sebastian led the two downhill towards the town. A few hollow knights on the inner wall noticed the group¡¯s escape. One of them clattered their fist against their chest, creating a mock bell.

    When the group didn¡¯t turn, the hollow knight pointed their arm at the group. Four of the knights copied the motion. Their gauntlets dropped like lids and inside their arms, a blue orb of magic formed. A few seconds later, the orbs fired from their arms like bullets.

    The orbs exploded on the ground ahead of the group, forcing them to a halt.

    ¡°Damnit,¡± Sebastian cursed. They were so close to the outer wall. He¡¯d counted on the knights firing, but not just yet.

    Kate turned to Sebastian, ¡°What do we do now? Those were warning shots, weren¡¯t they?¡±

    Sebastian nodded, he glanced at the knights who¡¯d fired at them. Several more were joining forces, it¡¯d only be a matter of moments before they fired another volley for real.

    ¡°Guess there¡¯s no choice,¡± Sebastian pointed to the wall and a vein on his head throbbed with effort as the magician focused his powers. Another huge door opened within the stone wall, but it was already beginning to close.

    ¡°Go now!¡± Sebastian shouted as the hollow knights fired once more. Sebastian turned, lifting his hands and forming a wide shield of magic.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Kate started towards the wall, dragging Stephen behind as he tried to keep up while he supported Augustina.

    ¡°What about you, Sebastian?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about sweet old Sebastian, I¡¯ll show these knights whose boss!¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Sebastian turned to Stephen with a wicked, rebellious grin, ¡°Let them try!¡±

    Stephen stumbled, almost dropping Augustina. Kate called out to him again. There was no time, Stephen realized. He¡¯d have to trust the magician. He couldn¡¯t imagine what the king would do to him, once he found out Sebastian had betrayed him.

    The two rushed towards the wall, narrowly making it out the other side before the section closed. They were on the opposite side of the town from the giant, but he sounded as close as ever. The sounds of exploding magic and crashing stones echoed behind Kate and Stephen as they carried Augustina. A wide forest waited before them, promising sanctuary as they left Wandir behind.

 21 - A Short Rest

    It wasn¡¯t long after Kate and Stephen escaped that Stephen¡¯s very limited stamina got the best of him. Even if they were sharing the effort of carrying Augustina, the most Stephen exercised was running from the front door of his apartment to his bedroom to play games.

    Stephen gasped and pulled towards a small grassy ditch, ¡°I gotta stop for a minute.¡±

    ¡°Already?¡± Kate asked incredulously,  ¡°I can still hear the giant!¡±

    The giant¡¯s booming groans had turned to a distant thundering sound. Stephen imagined the giant would have leveled most of the city by now. For some reason, however, Stephen was more concerned if Sebastian was still alive. Somehow, that crazed wizard rubbed off on him.

    Stephen collapsed onto his rear and sucked in a few deep breaths. Once his heart stopped pounding like a drum, he turned to Kate,

    ¡°Sorry ¨C I¡¯m just ¨C not that much of an athlete¡­¡±

    Kate rolled her eyes, ¡°No kidding. And here I thought you¡¯d suddenly turn heroic and take down the giant.¡±

    Stephen shrugged, ¡°Sorry to disappoint.¡±

    Kate¡¯s frowned, ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. I turned silly and emotional back there.¡±

    ¡°I would too,¡± Stephen said reassuringly, ¡°if I found my sister in a coma.¡±

    Kate tilted her head, ¡°Coma?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sorry, that¡¯s something from my world. It means a deep sleep you can¡¯t wake from.¡±

    ¡°Augustina is going to wake up,¡± Kate said darkly, ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Stephen realized his sympathetic joke had turned on him, ¡°I wasn¡¯t being serious.¡±

    ¡°You know, it seems to me you haven¡¯t been taking any of this seriously,¡± Kate moved Augustina¡¯s head onto her lap.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Stephen felt he wasn¡¯t going to like where this is going.

    Kate started brushing Augustina¡¯s hair with her fingers slowly as if it was a precious moment that might escape her any second, ¡°I¡¯ve seen how you act, it¡¯s like you¡¯re stumbling around waiting for something to happen to you.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Stephen pulled at some grass by his feet. He¡¯d finally caught his breath. Stephen nodded slowly, understanding what Kate probably meant.

    ¡°It¡¯s weird,¡± Stephen began, ¡°because part of me is struggling, begging to go home. The other part, however, wants to believe in this world. Where I¡¯m from, there is no magic, no crazy wizards, no nefarious plots unfolding.¡±

    ¡°Nefarious?¡± Kate said with a laugh, ¡°Now that¡¯s a strange word coming from your mouth.¡±

    Stephen tried hard not to stare slack-jawed at the fact he just made Kate laugh, ¡°Well, it¡¯s true! There¡¯s an ugly giant on the loose, the king nearly killed his daughter, and I¡¯ve been sucked out of my old life and into some crazy prophecy.¡±

    Kate nodded, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right then.¡±

    Stephen watched as Kate picked up strands of Augustina¡¯s hair and started braiding them together. He couldn¡¯t believe it, but she was beginning to look like a normal younger sister. Perhaps even like an older sister.

    There was a long pause before Kate spoke up again, ¡°I missed this. It¡¯s been several years since I could hold my sister like this, I only wish she was awake.¡±

    A few tears rolled down Kate¡¯s cheeks. Stephen held his hands together, unsure of what to do. This was usually the moment when the guy would hold out a handkerchief that he pulled out of nowhere, but Stephen didn¡¯t carry those around on the daily.

    Besides, Stephen considered as he began staring at the ground, this seemed to be a precious moment for Kate. He didn¡¯t want to interrupt.

    After a few minutes, Stephen cleared his throat, ¡°So where¡¯s this lake home Sebastian spoke about?¡±

    Kate wiped her eyes, ¡°Just a couple hours East of here. We haven¡¯t used it in a long time, so it should be safe. We can figure out what to do next when we get there.¡±

    Stephen nodded. In his stomach, he felt uneasy. It was beginning to look like he¡¯d never get home. His one good lead had sacrificed himself, maybe even his life, to let the three of them escape. Augustina was able to use magic, so maybe she could help, but Stephen wasn¡¯t too hopeful.

    After Kate regained herself, she motioned to Stephen to help her get Augustina up. As the two moved her, Augustina began to stir and let out a groan.

    ¡°Augustina?¡± Kate exclaimed with a sob, ¡°Augustina? Sister?¡±

    ¡°Kate?¡± Augustina said groggily, ¡°Is that you? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Kate smiled tearfully, ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep, we¡¯re outside the castle. Father¡¯s not here, it¡¯s okay.¡±

    Augustina¡¯s eyes shot open, ¡°What happened? Where are we?¡±

    Kate explained what¡¯d happened to Augustina. When she was caught up to speed, she eyed Stephen warily,

    ¡°Thank you for helping me escape, and for helping my sister.¡±

    Stephen nodded bashfully, he hadn¡¯t done much except help carry Augustina, after all, ¡°It was nothing.¡±

    Augustina narrowed her eyes, but said nothing, ¡°We should move, we don¡¯t want to get caught mid-escape.¡±

    ¡°Can you walk?¡± Kate asked.

    Augustina nodded, ¡°But I would appreciate your help, sister.¡±

    Kate supported Augustina¡¯s shoulder and the three began moving once again.

 22 - The Lake Home

    It was another couple of hours before the lake home was in sight. Stephen, Augustina, and Kate stopped for a moment to catch their breath as they took in the sight. The lake was large and held a small island where a massive oak grew and spread over the water. Along the edge, the shore was covered in tall grass.

    The house was much more modest than Stephen expected. It was a log cabin with only a few windows, a small second floor that looked more like a large attic, and a cobblestone chimney. Outside the house, there was a much smaller building that looked just a little too big to be considered a shed.

    ¡°There it is,¡± Augustina said with reverence.

    ¡°It¡¯s very,¡± Stephen started, ¡°Not-royal?¡±

    Augustina turned accusingly to Stephen, but Kate spoke up, ¡°It is, yes. This was where we went as a family, long ago, when we wanted to get away from the castle.¡±

    Kate pointed to the smaller building, ¡°That¡¯s where the guards slept. That island in the lake is where our father proposed to mother.¡±

    Kate¡¯s expression fell and Augustina stepped in, ¡°The strange boy¡¯s rudeness aside, yes, there are a lot of memories here. My sister and I used to swim for hours while father and mother took a small boat to the island. Afterward, we¡¯d sit by the fireplace and tell each other stories.¡±

    ¡°Strange boy?¡± Stephen said indignantly, ¡°What¡¯s with that?¡±

    Augustina didn¡¯t respond and pointed towards the lake home instead, ¡°Let¡¯s rest inside.¡±

    Kate leaned in towards Stephen, ¡°She¡¯s not the most trusting person, she¡¯s just been polite up until now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± Stephen retorted.

    Kate huffed and moved up to walk beside her sister. Stephen was grateful they¡¯d have a chance to rest. He didn¡¯t want to risk asking for another breather, he wanted to impress the girls by trying to be slightly more reliable. Then again, he was pretty sure they were plenty ahead of him in every area ¨C gaming aside, of course. If the world ever decided to hoodwink the girls, the next time around, he¡¯d show them true skill online.

    Kate motioned the other two to law low as she investigated the cabin. Like a tiger stalking its territory, she crept around the cabin, peeking through windows, looking for tracks, and even checking the woodpile for any signs of disturbance. When she was thoroughly satisfied, Kate signaled to her companions.

    ¡°All clear,¡± Kate announced as she opened the cabin and headed inside.

    Stephen let out a sigh, ¡°That took forever, but man she¡¯s good at these kinds of things.¡±

    Augustina seemed both impressed and anxious, ¡°She certainly is.¡±

    Stephen cocked his head, ¡°You don¡¯t seem all too excited about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been away for a long time,¡± Augustina murmured, ¡°a lot has changed since then.¡±

    The inside of the cabin was one large room. Each corner was assigned an obvious role by the furniture. In one corner were a fireplace, sofa, and a brown fur rug. Kate immediately worked to get a fire started. Augustina moved to the neighboring corner to investigate some spice jars set across a long narrow table. On the other side of the cabin were a round table and four simple wooden chairs. The last corner was bare, except for a box chest and a bow that rested upon it.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    There was a ladder in the middle of the cabin that led to a loft up above. Stephen climbed up until his head cleared the floor and he came face to face with an enormous brown rat.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Stephen lost his grip and fell flat on his back, knocking all the air in his lungs out so he gasped for breath.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kate shouted, drawing a dagger from her boot. She turned to look up and screamed when she saw the rat looking over the edge to see the ruckus.

    It was Augustina who finally settled the matter. Nonchalantly, she glanced up at the rat, who probably sensed her intentions and took off. Without a moment of hesitation, she rushed up the ladder, there was a flash of golden light and a faint squeak, followed by a POP.

    ¡°It¡¯s gone,¡± Augustina announced, holding up half a rat, ¡°Can¡¯t find the rest. I¡¯ll make sure the cots are clean.¡±

    Stephen hadn¡¯t eaten in a while, he realized. Kate¡¯s face was red, caught somewhere between frustration and embarrassment. Who¡¯d have thought a rat, of all things, would catch her so off-guard?

    When the cabin calmed down, Augustina climbed down and moved towards the chest and bow in the other corner.

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Kate asked, standing up from the sofa.

    ¡°Getting dinner,¡± Augustina said, matter-of-fact.

    ¡°You need to rest, I¡¯ll go.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be much faster,¡± Augustina said with a laugh when Kate bunched her fists, ¡°I won¡¯t be long, I promise.¡±

    Retrieving a quiver and several arrows, Augustina closed the chest and slung the bow over her shoulders. When she left the cabin, Kate stomped her foot.

    ¡°Stop treating me like a child,¡± Kate scoffed and turned back to the fireplace, which was now crackling happily with flames.

    ¡°She certainly acts like an older sister,¡± Stephen said with reverence from the sofa. He wasn¡¯t sure whether to be jealous or sympathetic. He¡¯d always been content being an only child, but there was the occasional moment when he wished for an older sibling.

    ¡°She acts like Mother,¡± Kate muttered as she slumped onto the other end of the sofa, ¡°I could go hunt, she needs to rest. Just this morning, she was asleep and feverish!¡±

    Stephen nodded, ¡°Though, could you even carry the animal back?¡±

    Kate punched Stephen in the arm, it felt like a tiny and sharp hammer.

    ¡°It¡¯d be something reasonable,¡± Kate clarified, ¡°if I know her, Augustina will come back with a boar, or a deer, something much too big.¡±

    Stephen was sitting neatly, his hands bunched together over his lap, his back straight as an arrow. He was incredibly nervous, the sofa was just big enough to have just a little space between himself and Kate, but he¡¯d never been this close to a girl.

    Kate didn¡¯t seem to notice. She was lounging, nestled into her corner of the couch as she stretched her legs. Her knees were inches away from Stephen. Her head was propped on her right hand as she traced the different logs in the wall with her left.

    ¡°You seem relaxed,¡± Stephen said, trying to disguise the discomfort in his voice.

    ¡°Do I?¡± Kate wondered aloud, ¡°I guess I¡¯m just relieved. Being in the castle¡­¡±

    Kate shivered and sat up, her hands came together and she squeezed them tight, ¡°I was always so anxious. Like I was among the enemy and every day they were closing in on me.¡±

    Kate looked up to Stephen, ¡°You were about the only part of the castle I could stand.¡±

    Color rushed into Kate¡¯s cheeks, ¡°What am I saying?¡±

    Kate turned away before she saw Stephen¡¯s face flush as well. He leaned back.

    ¡°Ohh? Well frankly I thought you couldn¡¯t stand me, the way you were acting all the time,¡± Stephen knew it was time to break the tension.

    ¡°Well, of course, I couldn¡¯t, you were just so weird, so different,¡± Kate laughed, ¡°One moment, it was like I was trying to duck around corners all the time, and then the next you came in and things just started getting bizarre.¡±

    ¡°So which is it? Can you not stand me, or are we good?¡±

    ¡°Are we good?¡± Kate¡¯s laugh grew louder, ¡°What does that mean? Is that something you say where you¡¯re from?¡±

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t?¡±

    Clutching her stomach, Kate finally got her laughter under control, ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡±

    Kate wiped her eyes, ¡°I appreciate your weirdness. It¡¯s refreshing.¡±

    Stephen couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. He would never say it to her face, but he thought Kate was much weirder.

 23 - Death Awaits

    An hour or so later, Augustina returned with an entire boar slumped over her shoulder. Stephen¡¯s jaw dropped in shock as his mind tried desperately to process what he was seeing. Augustina had only a single bead of sweat running down her neck. Kate had found some stone dishware tucked away and was polishing them with a plain cloth.

    ¡°Really, sister? An ENTIRE boar?¡± Kate sighed, ¡°It¡¯s going to take us hours to prepare it.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t pass it up,¡± Augustina explained as she let the boar drop to the ground with an incredible thud, ¡°the beast was sipping lazily from the lake when I shot it. Took an hour for the creature to bleed out, it was exhausting just tracking the thing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the exhausting part?¡± Stephen said incredulously.

    Augustina fixed Stephen with a proud glance and lifted her sleeve to reveal a thin shining silver bracer, ¡°They¡¯re enchanted. Very handy for combat, hunting, and wrestling Wyverns.¡±

    ¡°Wyverns?¡± Stephen scratched his head, recalling the battle between Sebastian and Augustina, ¡°You mean that winged monster you were riding before? The thing Sebastian called a Shadow Beast?¡±

    Augustina nodded, but she looked wounded by Stephen¡¯s words, ¡°Monster might be a little harsh of a term, but I can understand your ignorance.¡±

    The corner of Stephen¡¯s mouth twitched in annoyance.

    ¡°You¡¯re correct, however, that Shadow Beast was a Wyvern,¡± Augustina continued, ¡°They¡¯re only slightly more intelligent than other Shadow Beasts, so they can be trained.¡±

    Augustina ran her finger over the bracer tenderly, ¡°It was a gift.¡±

    Kate spoke up, ¡°From Kaxure?¡±

    ¡°Rapture?¡± Stephen asked, not sure if he heard Kate right.

    ¡°Kaxure.¡±

    ¡°Casper?¡±

    Kate giggled, ¡°Kaxure. Cack-sure.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Kaxure,¡± Augustina said firmly, ¡°and yes, it was from him.¡±

    There was a long pause. Stephen stood to the side, watching as he saw each of the sisters avoiding eye contact.

    ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± Kate said dolefully, ¡°I¡¯d heard you fell for him, but I thought it was just a rumor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Augustina turned away from her sister, ¡°Anyway, we can save the serious talk for later. For now, let¡¯s focus on dinner.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get more firewood,¡± Stephen said quickly, eager to escape the tense air.

    Kate opened her mouth to object, but nodded. Augustina shrugged, ¡°Go ahead, Kate and I will begin work on the pig.¡±

    Without pause, Stephen left the cabin. It was the afternoon, but the sky was overcast, so the air was cool and refreshing. Stephen took in a few deep breaths. There was no rush to grab firewood, so he walked towards the lake and took a seat. Leaning back, Stephen closed his eyes and put the past day¡¯s happenings aside.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    --

    Stephen opened his eyes when he felt something drip on his face. The sky was darker now. Stephen could hear deep thunder in the distance that shook the ground. Rubbing his eyes, Stephen realized he¡¯d fallen asleep. For a moment, his memory of what happened was fuzzy.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, the sisters were fighting,¡± Stephen stretched, ¡°Better get that firewood, before they get angry with me, too.¡±

    Stephen walked towards the cabin and turned left. If he remembered correctly, the pile of firewood was just around the corner. As he stepped around, he heard someone gasp from inside the cabin.

    Augustina''s voice could be heard through the cabin¡¯s walls, ¡°Kate, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    A chill filled the air that filled Stephen with dread. He couldn¡¯t register what was happening, at first. But he could see, behind the pile of firewood, a shadowy shape stretching upward like a snake rearing up to strike. There were no eyes, but Stephen could make out an outline of a head, neck, and long sharp arms.

    In the shadow¡¯s hand was a silver dagger with a needle-like blade. The shadow moved from behind the pile like a gelatinous cloud. Stephen¡¯s legs were icy and numb. He tried to shout, but the air had left his chest. As the shadow grew closer, Stephen could do nothing but scream in his mind.

    A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, blotting everything out in a split-second curtain of light. Kate had appeared in front of Stephen, her dagger crossed against the shadowy figure¡¯s. Her arms shook from the strain of holding back the being¡¯s attack.

    ¡°Run!¡± Kate shouted above the thunder, ¡°I¡¯ll hold it off, just run!¡±

    Stephen¡¯s mouth moved, but no sound came out. Or, rather, the thunder itself had become so loud, so close, that it drowned him out.

    Augustina wrapped her arms around Stephen and lifted him with ease. She shouted in Stephen¡¯s ear, ¡°He¡¯s here, let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°K-ate¡­ Kate!¡± Stephen choked out the words. He wasn¡¯t sure why he was so fixed on her now, but he¡¯d already lost Sebastian. He did not want to leave another person behind.

    ¡°Kate¡¯s got it,¡± Augustina said through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯m sure of it¡­¡±

    Stephen didn¡¯t believe Augustina, the last of her words wilted from her mouth.

    Another crash of thunder shook the ground so hard the cabin rocked. Energy rushed through Stephen¡¯s body. He kicked his legs as his mind realized that the thunder was, in fact, the giant¡¯s footsteps.

    The wet, seaweed hair and haunting face of the giant loomed over the hill beside the cabin. Stephen was briefly grateful that Augustina was effortlessly running as she carried him. That is until he occurred to him that she was running towards the giant.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Stephen exclaimed, trying to twist around and break free.

    ¡°What do you think? That giant was sent to recollect me, after all!¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡±

    ¡°Shut up and hold still!¡±

    Augustina raced uphill, the rain beating against her face as she carried the crazed body of Stephen up to the top, where the giant reached down and snatched the pair up. The giant deposited the two in a pouch sewn onto the side of its loincloth and turned away from the cabin. Its mission was fulfilled, so it started Eastward.

    Stephen gasped, which was a mistake. He¡¯d never smelled something so foul. It was much worse than B.O. To Stephen, it was like a sewer crawled into an old shoe and died.

    Fighting the smell and motion-sickness, Stephen managed to croak out, ¡°We have to go back for Kate!¡±

    Augustina pushed away from Stephen, cursing Kaxure for not making the pouch bigger, ¡°We can¡¯t! This giant won¡¯t be around much longer, we¡¯ll just barely make it to the castle.¡±

    ¡°But she could be dying!¡± Stephen¡¯s head spun, he was going to faint soon. He didn¡¯t handle motion-sickness well and the smell alone was probably going to be sautered into his lungs.

    Augustina turned her head away from Stephen, tears brimming in her eyes, ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    The last thought to run in Stephen¡¯s head was the queen¡¯s voice. Death waits around the corner. She couldn¡¯t have meant Kate, right? The prophecy was supposed to be about him, Stephen thought. His mind flashed back to that moment; Kate was holding back the shadow¡¯s attack, her arms shook, her eyes were wild and desperate. A single tear ran down her cheek, aglow with the lightning.