Curious Kingdoms

By Luke Sheehan

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Contents 
Chapter 1: Together ........................................................................................................................ 3 
Chapter 2: The Adventure Begins................................................................................................. 13 
Chapter 3: Silver Lining................................................................................................................ 21 
Chapter 4: Day One ...................................................................................................................... 28 
Chapter 5: Humans ....................................................................................................................... 38 
Chapter 6: Inner Self ..................................................................................................................... 48 
Chapter 7: The Other World ......................................................................................................... 58 
Chapter 8: Captured ...................................................................................................................... 65 
Chapter 9: A Friend Among Enemies ........................................................................................... 71 
Chapter 10: Family ....................................................................................................................... 87 
Chapter 11: A Taste of Fire .......................................................................................................... 99 
Chapter 12: At the End of a Rope ............................................................................................... 111 
Chapter 13: A Feast for a Dragon ............................................................................................... 122 
Chapter 14: A City of Stars ......................................................................................................... 131 
Chapter 15: The Doomed Soul ................................................................................................... 140 
Chapter 16: Burden ..................................................................................................................... 148 
Chapter 17: Words that Cut ........................................................................................................ 160 
Chapter 18: The Fall ................................................................................................................... 170 
Chapter 19: A Promise Worth Keeping ...................................................................................... 178 
Chapter 20: A Dark Descent ....................................................................................................... 185 
Chapter 21: To Go Back in Time ................................................................................................ 202 
Chapter 22: Sam’s Somnium ...................................................................................................... 210 
Chapter 23: Ice, Stone, and Fire.................................................................................................. 223 
Chapter 24: Archipelago ............................................................................................................. 237 
Chapter 25: The Reason .............................................................................................................. 246 
Chapter 26: Monster ................................................................................................................... 257 
Chapter 27: A New Promise ....................................................................................................... 264 
Chapter 28: Apart ........................................................................................................................ 272 
 
 
 

This book is dedicated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, for never giving up

on those who need a loving home.

Chapter 1: Together

“Oh, great. Not again.”

Sam Atlas cocked forward with all his might, bracing against the shrieking wind before

trudging through the waist-high snow. His ebony hair whipped and spun like wildfire as his

delicate frame struggled to battle the sharp hail nipping at his pale skin under his thin dinosaur

pajamas. He stole a step forward with his naked feet and squinted through the wriggling haze

with his narrow green eyes. “Come on, why can’t it be warm for once?” he sighed.

The fog thickened near a lonely tower, shielded by an era’s worth of ice. Warm steam

flowed from the cracks of a fractured stone wall at its base. The wind bit at his skin as

snowflakes swirled around him, about to ambush. His pajamas froze stiff before his legs prickled

and numbed. It became impossible for him to breathe with the spidering frost needling its way

into his lungs.

“Sam!” A terrified shriek echoed beyond the haze.

Sam flinched and frantically searched for the voice, until a haunting shadow rolled across

the snow. A fearful shiver crept along Sam’s neck as he craned back his head to a myriad of

arrows, sharper than teeth, plummeting toward him.

“Run, Sam!” the voice wailed.

Sam glanced toward the direction of the voice when a ruby hue twinkled within the haze.

As he dashed forward, a kiss of warmth tapped his cheek from amongst the cold. He sprinted

closer to the figure and extended his hand.

“Protect me!” Sam screamed.

“Saaam!” The ruby figure screeched just before the sting of a dozen bites pierced Sam’s

back.

In that instant, all warmth vanished into void cold. Sam dropped onto the now-sanguine

powder, and the blizzard consumed him. He stared into infinite darkness. It was as if he were

floating in the abyss of space. Suddenly, the voice of the ruby figure called out to him in his

mind, saying, “Sam! Sam!” The figure was crying.

An unbearable weight pressed against his stomach, and a sharp pinch twisted his

shoulders. Scorching light illuminated the abyss and glowed around him as his heart raced in his

chest. He cracked open his stale eyes, and a blur of colors enveloped him.

“Sam, please! Wake up!” a kind voice shouted.

Sam gazed at an almond-white blur hovering above him. He patted his hand on his

nightstand until his fingers tapped the cold plastic of his rectangular glasses. He slid them behind

his ears and instantly saw his older and much taller brother, Hugo, kneeling on his stomach and

gripping at his shoulders. He was panting like he had just run a marathon.

Sam observed Hugo and the noticeable pale scar across his shoulder. Hugo wore nothing

but a pair of ruby-red shorts that awkwardly clashed with the color of his shaggy copper hair. His

body was dripping with sweat. It rained and dampened Sam’s dinosaur pajamas.

What’s he doing on top of me? Is this a surprise celebration for my first day of college?

No, he’s staring at me with those weird eyes again. Great, just what I need. Another talk about

how he’s worried about me.

Hugo’s eyes were strange by normal standards; while his right eye was sky blue, the left

was emerald green.

“Hey, Hugo, what-cha doing?” Sam asked before Hugo inhaled a big gulp of air.

“I thought you were dead! You were colder than ice! Even your skin was paler than

usual, and I didn’t think that was possible!”

Sam winced in discomfort. He’s so loud. Can’t he see that I’m right here? And what’s

with these dreams of me in the snow? They feel so real. . . . “That’s cool. Could you please get

off me?” Sam grunted as the torturous pressure of Hugo’s knees dug deeper into his stomach.

“Sam, this is serious! This is the fourth time this week! I think you should see a doctor or

something!”

“I’m fine, Hugo! Just a bit lightheaded is all. You shouldn’t have to worry about me

anymore; I’m a freshman college student after all.” Sam chuckled while nudging Hugo to get off

him.

Hugo sighed, then released Sam’s shoulders and sat alongside him on his dinosaur-

themed bed. “You going to college makes me worry even more. I mean, I want to see you do

well, it’s just . . . are you sure you’re ready for it? I’ve been at college for two years, and it’s still

a horrible mess.”

“Well, now you have me,” Sam said with a hint of humor and sat upright against the wall.

“And stop moping about college. It’ll be fun!”

Sam glanced at Hugo’s side of the room, brimming with model airplanes, planets, and

spaceships. If an object had anything to do with flying or space, it was there. Hugo even had a

little space-themed nightlight on his nightstand below the window for a necessary reason that

only Sam knew of. “If you don’t like college, why’d you change your mind last-second about

going to flight school?”

Hugo hesitated, then looked at Sam and smiled. “I don’t mind studying astronomy. And

besides, I thought you wanted me as your roommate. Are you having last-second thoughts of

your own?” he chuckled.

“No! Not at all! Trust me; this is what I want. To finally study paleontology at the college

level, it’s a dream come true. It’s just . . .” Sam paused and stared at his bed.

“You don’t seem happy, especially when we talk about college; you always call it a study

prison. Are you sure it’s what you want? I mean, why go to college if you don’t like it?”

Hugo messed with Sam’s hair and stood from the bed. “Come on; we need to get ready

for your orientation.”

Hugo walked to his bed and pulled out a suitcase from underneath it before randomly

gathering clothes from around the room. Sam scooted to the edge of his bed. He gazed at his

collection of dinosaur figurines and misshapen fossils on top of his nightstand.

He completely avoided my question. Does he not want to go to college? At least he seems

to have forgotten about my weird sleep disorder. Sam glanced at his clock above the nightstand,

which read 8:40 a.m. “We only have twenty minutes before we need to leave, and you haven’t

packed yet!” Sam shouted and instantly launched from bed.

“If college taught me anything, it’s how to do things at the last possible moment,” Hugo

chuckled while chaotically shoving his clothes into his suitcase. Sam swiftly gathered fresh

clothes from a folded pile adjacent to his bed and dashed to the door.

“Wait, Sam! Could you please turn on the light?” Hugo asked in a polite tone. Sam

grunted and flicked the light switch, allowing their dim bedroom to illuminate with light.

“Thanks.” Hugo smiled before Sam fled into the main hall of the house.

The fresh air from the hall tickled Sam to life, and the scent of his favorite blueberry tarts

aroused his nose. He walked through a simple living room with a burlap couch in front of a small

television humming the local news. A joyous tune grabbed his ears from the kitchen as a soft

whistling sang with the sizzling crackle of butter. Sam’s toes tingled with excitement. He

yearned to find out who was standing around the corner, whistling those delightful tunes and

baking the greatest food in the world. But he already knew who it was.

It was Mary, Hugo and Sam’s mom. Mary resembled Hugo, with copper hair and milky

skin, but she often appeared jollier and much merrier than him. Hence her nickname, “Merry

Mary.” She was wearing a blueberry-stained apron over a cozy late-summer sweater.

“Good morning, Mom,” Sam yawned, trying to conceal his excitement.

Mary whipped around with a spatula in her hand. “Sam!” She leapt at him and squeezed

him in a tremendous hug as she launched his small body from the ground, smudging blueberries

against his pajamas. “My boy’s going to college!” she cheered in a delightful tune. Sam couldn’t

help but laugh. Seeing his mom in such a welcoming mood always cheered him up. Mary hugged

him with great strength; he couldn’t move an inch. “Ready for your first day?” she asked,

reluctantly setting him on the floor. Sam chuckled and looked at his pajamas. Blueberry mush

dripped from his shirt and tapped against the wooden floor.

“I think so. All I have left to do is shower and enjoy your world-famous tarts.”

Mary’s cheeks blushed red as she waved her hand. “Oh, stop. My tarts aren’t that good.”

Sam turned and walked toward the bathroom. “Oh, yes they are!” He smiled and closed

the door behind him.

He set his fresh clothes above the toilet and unraveled the top buttons on his now-slimy

pajama shirt. As he removed his shirt, cold blueberry mush smeared against his cheek and

glasses before goosebumps crept along his neck. He tossed the shirt in the laundry basket and

shivered before walking to the sink to wash his glasses. Not a moment passed before his glasses

were sparkling clean. He slid them on and glanced at the mirror. An obsidian-feathered monster

with large green eyes glared at him. Sam shrieked and rocketed backward. He then slipped and

smacked his spine and skull against the damp tile floor. With a kick and a slam, Mary charged

into the bathroom. She glanced at Sam. He was screeching in sickening pain while holding the

back of his head.

“What happened! Are you alright?” she asked, kneeling next to him.

“There’s something in the mirror!” Sam winced and pointed at the sink.

Suddenly, Sam couldn’t feel his head. His mouth tasted like venom, and his stomach

weighed like an anchor. He panicked and glanced around the room. It moved like hypnotic

waves.

“There’s nothing here, sweetie,” Mary said before turning back towards him. His chest

expanded and his neck contorted as a painful poison flooded his throat.

“Sam!” Mary launched herself at him and cradled the back of his head. She gently rested

him onto the floor. “Please don’t be sick; it’s your first day!”

Intense fear and cold paralyzed him. Every time he blinked, an image of glaring green

eyes flashed in his mind. He couldn’t speak, let alone move.

“Hugo!” Mary called as she removed her warm sweater and laid it over Sam’s chest.

Light thumping pounded from the hallway before Hugo rushed through the door.

“What is it?” he asked before seeing Sam lying on the cold floor, shaking like the end of

a rattlesnake. “What happened? Did he faint again?” Hugo asked with striking worry.

Mary stood up. “He said he saw something in the mirror, but now he’s not responding,

and he’s holding his head. Could you do that thing you always do, and help him into a bath? I

don’t want him standing in the shower if he’s injured. I have to make sure his tarts don’t get

burned,” Mary said, then left with haste.

Hugo looked at his reflection in the mirror and carefully approached Sam. “Hey Sam, are

you alright?” he asked in a kind and calm tone. Sam tried to speak; he opened his mouth before

slapping it shut, as the fear of vomiting onto the floor appalled him. Hugo knelt beside Sam and

placed a hand on his cold forehead.

“Did you have another vision?” Sam could only respond with his eyes. They rattled in

fear. Hugo sighed and twisted the bath’s faucet to a relaxing warmth. “I know you don’t want to

see a doctor, but this is happening more and more.”

As the faucet poured a smooth waterfall, Hugo tilted his hand against its gravity, feeling

the warm trickle against his fingertips. “I can’t keep helping you at this rate.” Both the sweater

and the steam from the tub warmed Sam enough to stop his shivering.

“Please, Hugo, I need you. We don’t even know what’s happening to me,” Sam

murmured and tightened his grip on Mary’s sweater.

“I’m sorry, Sam. If only I knew, which is why you should see a doctor, or at least tell

Mom and Dad that you keep seeing things. They may figure out what’s happening to you so that

you can get proper help,” Hugo said, twisting the faucet to a halt.

The bathroom fell into a silent calm.

“I don’t want something to be wrong with me. What if it’s . . . incurable? What if it kills

me? I haven’t done anything with my life, and if it were to end so soon . . . I’m scared, Hugo.

Please, don’t take me to a doctor. I couldn’t handle that kind of news. I just want to be normal,”

Sam murmured.

Hugo grasped Sam’s clammy hand. “I can’t breathe knowing something might be wrong

while help is only a phone call away. All I want is what’s best for you. But if you really don’t

want to see a doctor, promise me that if it gets worse, you will tell me right away,” Hugo

demanded with his hands trembling against Sam’s.

Sam glanced at Hugo’s large, attentive eyes. They contained more words than could ever

be spoken. “Please, Sam,” Hugo begged.

Sam’s eyes drooped to the floor. “I promise.”

Hugo sighed as if a heavy worry had been lifted from his chest. “Good.” He paused with

a nervous smile. “Do you want to do the thing? At least to get you going. We don’t have much

time before we need to leave, but I’ll drive fast if you need to take your time.”

A long moment passed as neither of them spoke. Hugo waited for a response while Sam

pondered what had happened to him.

“Alright, Hugo, I’ll do your thing. Though, can you help me into the tub? That fall made

me nauseated,” Sam said, trying to sit up. His noodle arms trembled as he pushed himself from

the floor. I can’t. I’m too weak.

Without hesitation, Hugo stood and helped Sam upright before hoisting him into a

standing position. Sam teetered while leaning against Hugo. His back and head ached as Hugo

carefully helped him into the tub. Sam still wore his pajama pants, but at this point, neither of

them cared about proper cleaning. Hugo rested Sam in the tub and opened the window to allow

fresh wind and the playful chirping of birds to enter the room.

“Alright, Sam, close your eyes.” Sam gulped and closed his eyes. The image of the

monster instantly appeared before him. His heart pounded with such fear that the water rippled

around his chest. “Now, feel the warm water soak all around you. Feel the fresh air enter through

the window.” Sam did both; he felt the warm water steal the cold as he skated his fingers along

the smooth ceramic tub. “Now hear the water from the faucet drip. Hear the birds chirping and

the leaves rustling from outside.”

Sam listened and calmed down. The image of the monster faded into a forgotten memory.

“Smell the freshly baked tarts that await you in the kitchen. Smell the sweet honey scent

of the flowers perched on the windowsill.” Sam smiled and slid his back down into the tub until

the water hugged his chin. Hugo walked to the doorway and looked back at Sam. “So, Sam, what

do you see now?”

Sam smiled as all thoughts of the monster vanished. “Thank you, Hugo,” he murmured.

“No problem. I’ll stay right outside the door if you need anything else,” Hugo said before

walking from the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

Sam soaked into a warm calm. Not even the thought of going to college mused in his

mind. He reclined in the tub and listened to the birds sing their blissful songs.

I’m so lucky to have Hugo as a brother. He’s always been so kind to me, even when I do

things that would make anybody lose it. . . . But I’m growing up now; I can’t rely on him forever.

One day, I hope to be strong like him. Strong enough that I won’t be a burden. So, I can protect

myself and maybe one day, help him. Sam peeked open his right eye and observed his pale arms

and shriveled fingertips. One day, Sam. One day.

Chapter 2: The Adventure Begins

Hugo leaned against the doorframe with a sigh. He stared at Mary, who was still baking

tarts, before their dad, Andrew, walked into the kitchen holding a cup of steaming green tea.

Andrew stood slightly taller than Mary, with short caramel hair and round glasses. He had old

burn scars across his face and hands, but they only made him look tougher, considering his

personality was quite nerdy. He was wearing a mint green sweater that was similar in design to

Mary’s summer sweater.

“Good morning, honey.” He kissed Mary on the cheek before she put on a pair of large

oven mitts to retrieve the fresh tarts. Hugo looked at the water dripping from his hands.

Sam . . . I’m worried about you. These visions are getting worse. I try my best to keep you

well, but college may be too much. You were heavily bullied until you begged to be

homeschooled because of these visions. . . . I’m even surprised you want to go to college after all

that. He sighed with the twiddle of his thumbs. But I can at least promise you that I will try my

best to help you. Hugo glanced at his lazy outfit, a wrinkled blue long-sleeve over khaki

pants. Maybe I should dress better; it is an important day . . . especially for Sam.

Hugo patiently listened to the sounds of the house. He overheard Mary and Andrew

discussing their plans for when Sam and he were to leave, along with the occasional slap-splash

from the bathtub behind the door. Hugo sighed and thought about college. I don’t know about

this. He gazed out the window at a blue jay resting on the branch of a birch tree.

You’re so lucky. I wish I could join you up there to see the world from the greatest view.

But I can’t. . . . Sam, I need him. Flying alone is worse than not flying at all. . . . But is this what

I want? To finish school after twenty-something years of my life, to get a job, and possibly a

family, then hope I make it to retirement? That can’t be what life is. That sounds awful. But it’s

Sam’s dream to do just that. He enjoys studying history and everything about it, especially

dinosaurs. He may be a tad obsessed.

It wasn’t long until the bathtub gurgled from behind the door. Oh, he’s finished. That’s

good; usually takes him an hour to recover from his visions. Sam opened the door dressed in a

formal outfit that included a buttoned marine blue shirt with black silk pants.

“You look fancy,” Hugo chuckled.

Sam snorted in response to what Hugo wore. “It’s the first day! At least iron your clothes.

You look like a raisin!”

Hugo scoffed and brushed Sam’s comment to the side. “You feel better?”

“Yeah, thanks. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Sam shyly stared at the floor

and rocked on his heels. “Did you finish packing?” he asked before adjusting his wet hair.

“Yup. Just in time too.” Hugo held up his watch, reading 9:00 a.m. “I’ll drive a little

faster than planned, but we’ll make it. Now, go on. I believe Mom finished making your tarts. I’ll

get both our suitcases from the room and meet you in the kitchen. Enjoy,” Hugo said, then patted

Sam on the shoulder and walked down the hall to their room.

Sam walked into the kitchen and sat at a cozy four-seated dining table before Mary and

Andrew accompanied him. At the center of the table, blueberry tarts frosted over with powdered

sugar sat in a pyramid-like display.

Mary smiled and handed Sam a plate. “Are you feeling better, sweetie?”

“I will in about two seconds! Thank you so much!” Sam cheered before diving into the

tart pyramid. The sweetness of blueberries and sugar mushed with delight against his tongue

before he leaned back in his chair and exhaled a grin. “That’s really good,” he moaned.

“Glad you’re feeling better,” Mary chuckled.

By the time Hugo carried their luggage into the kitchen, Sam had already consumed five

tarts, and he was about to engorge himself on a sixth.

“Slow down, Sam! You need to save some for Hugo; he hasn’t eaten yet!” Mary

exclaimed with a hint of humor.

“It’s okay, Mom. I know how much Sam likes them. I’ll only take one, if he’ll allow it,”

Hugo chuckled. Sam was scarfing his face so full of food that he couldn’t speak, so he simply

waved his hand in agreement. “Thanks, Mom. These are really good,” Hugo said, plucking one

of the remaining tarts and setting it in his mouth. “Mff, I’ll get the car ready.” He gobbled and

strolled off to the garage with suitcases in hand.

Sam burped and covered his mouth. “I think I overate.” He groaned as he reclined in his

chair, feeling the skin on his stomach stretch.

“Of course you did! You inhaled eight of them!” Mary laughed. “Go on, help your

brother with the luggage. Your father and I will be right outside to send you two off.”

“Okay. Thanks again for the amazing breakfast.” Sam wobbled from his chair and

lumbered out the front door.

The sky was perfect. Cute puffy clouds dotted the infinite azure atmosphere of this warm

summer day. Hugo couldn’t help but gaze out the window as he reversed the car out into the

driveway. He opened the trunk with a click and a pop, then grabbed the suitcases from the

garage. His eyes never left the great blue.

“Are you thinking about going on your adventures again?” Sam asked as he grabbed his

suitcase from Hugo.

“I can’t help myself. It’s almost like the sky itself calls me.” Hugo smiled and followed

Sam to the back of the car.

Sam set his suitcase in the trunk. “Well, college is like an adventure, meeting new people,

learning new things. I find that alone to be exciting enough.”

Hugo smirked before he set his suitcase in the trunk and clicked it shut. “You do you,

Sam. You do you.” Mary and Andrew walked outside and towards the car. Mary could barely

contain her excitement as she ran at Sam with her arms flailing.

“I still can’t believe my boys are leaving me! You’re all grown up now and don’t need

me anymore.” She hugged Sam with such force the air wheezed from his lungs.

“I will always need you, Mom. I don’t remember once when I didn’t. . . . But when I

come back, will you make more tarts?” Sam asked with a wink of humor.

Mary released Sam. “Of course! When you return, I’ll make sure you get all the love in

the world,” she cheered. “And remember, if you ever need anything, we’re just an hour’s drive

away.”

Andrew walked to Hugo while adjusting an old instant-print camera. “You’re doing

great, Hugo. Keep it up, and you’ll graduate in no time.” He paused and hugged him. Hugo

chuckled and looked at the ground. “Just one more year to go!”

A venomous sting gurgled Hugo’s stomach. “Yup. Just one more year—after this one,”

he muttered with his head low.

“Aww, don’t be like that. I know it’s hard. Heck, when I went to college, it felt like it

would never end, but look at me now. I have a family, a house—life is great!”

Hugo’s head spun as if the words Andrew spoke were somehow cursing him. “Oh, yep;

mortgage, kids, it’s all so great. Can’t wait to have obnoxious screaming children,” Hugo said

with a mouthful of sarcasm.

Andrew messed with Hugo’s copper hair and smiled. “When they’re your kids, you’ll

understand. For now, my only advice is to keep an eye out. You never know what you’ll find.”

Sam and Mary walked over to Hugo and Andrew. Sam hugged Andrew and said his

goodbyes, while Mary squeezed Hugo.

“Please, take care of him,” Mary whispered.

“You know I will,” Hugo chuckled.

“I’m serious. This is his first time going to an actual school in ten years. I just–” She

paused and looked down at Hugo’s shoes. “want him to be happy.”

Hugo observed Mary’s eyes; they twinkled with moisture. “You shouldn’t have to worry,

Mom. I’ll watch over him,” he stated gently.

Mary sniffled before a subtle grin fluffed her cheeks. “Thank you. . . . Just remember to

take care of yourself as well. And for your sake, try to find a little love along the way.” Mary let

go of Hugo and gave an obvious wink.

“Thanks, Mom,” Hugo chuckled before Andrew set the camera on the hood of the car.

“Alright, let’s get close together so we can fit. These old cameras can be a bit wonky,”

Andrew said as he stood next to Sam, who hid behind Hugo.

Mary pulled Sam from his hidden position and hugged him in front of her. “Oh, no you

don’t! You’re not hiding that cute face from me!” she laughed and tickled Sam as he blushed

with uncontrolled laughter. In an instant, Hugo and Andrew laughed along and hugged Mary as

the camera flashed and printed out the picture. Eventually, Mary released her great hug, and Sam

gasped for some much-needed summer air. Andrew grabbed the camera and photo before he

snorted at what he saw. Everyone in the photo seemed so happy, as if their time home wasn’t

coming to an end. But Hugo and Sam knew it was time to go.

Andrew handed Mary the photo before she covered her mouth with a gasp. “It’s perfect,”

she said with tears forming in her eyes.

Hugo and Sam looked at the photo in her hands. “You wanna keep it?” Hugo asked.

“I do. I really do. . . . Andrew will have to copy a few more, so I can send you two this

memory while you’re at college. It’ll be a reason for me to visit sometime,” she smiled. “I’ll miss

y-”

Sam instantly hugged her with all his strength. “I’ll miss you too.” His voice was muffled

with his face pressed against her arm.

Mary looked at Hugo as tears wrapped around her cheeks. “Please, keep him well,” she

whispered.

Hugo smiled at Mary in a way that brought her comfort. Sam hesitated and let go before

he walked toward the car while hiding his blushed face.

Sam sat in the passenger seat as Mary recomposed herself with a mighty sniffle. “We’ll

be here if you need anything, and I mean anything! It gets boring without you two,” she said as

Hugo waved goodbye and sat down in the driver’s seat. “The first thing I’ll do when Sam gets

hungry is call you,” he joked.

“Please do!” Mary cheered before starting her goodbyes.

“You ready, Sam?”

Sam stared at the house, his chin resting in his palm. “Why do I miss this place already?”

His chest ached and sank like an anchor as his nose itched, turning apple red. “I don’t know

about this,” he murmured, then sneaked a sniffle.

Hugo stared at Sam. He’s worried about leaving home. Why didn’t he tell me? Hugo

started the car and held out his hand to Sam.

“What are you doing?” Sam’s lips wobbled as if he was about to burst at any moment.

Hugo smiled. “It will be alright. I will help you with every step. I know leaving home is

scary. Just think of it as a quick sleepover, and if you ever want to come home, I’ll drive you

back here as soon as possible. What do you say?”

Sam chuckled. “Why are you like this? Couldn’t you be normal for once?”

Hugo’s right eyebrow rose, and he glanced at his empty hand. “You have to promise me

that if you want to return home, you will tell me. And I’ll promise you that I will do everything

in my ability to bring you home.”

Sam smiled and grabbed Hugo by the hand. “Alright, I promise to tell you,” Sam said

with his head lowered.

Hugo chuckled. “And I promise you that I will try to help you in any way I can. And

bring you home if you request.”

They shook hands.

Thank you . . . brother. Sam mused as Hugo backed the car from the driveway. They

waved to Mary and Andrew, who stood on the porch, waving goodbye. “This is it,” Sam

murmured. “I am officially an adventurer.”

Chapter 3: Silver Lining

Hugo and Sam drove along their familiar countryside. The wind rustled endless late-

summer trees to life and swirled the occasional stench of manure from the local farmlands. When

they neared the college, stone spires from enormous castles caught Sam’s eye as they peeked

over the horizon.

“What is that?” Sam asked, then lowered the window, allowing the brisk wind to freshen

the car. The castles and other structures were heavily detailed, as if each brick was hand-sculpted

by individual artists.

“This is our college. It’s a bit much for my taste, but it is pretty cool,” Hugo said, driving

through the grand entrance of the campus.

“This is our college!” Long woven banners fluttered in the wind as they hung from the

old stone towers. Each of them was decorated with the school mascot, a blue jay. “How! How

have I never seen this? It looks nothing like the application website you and mom showed me!”

Sam exclaimed in amazement.

Hugo snickered. “I guess our advertising for this place was a bit quiet, but don’t worry;

you’ll get used to it.”

“I don’t think that’s possible.” Sam kindly nudged Hugo. “You jerk, you just wanted to

surprise me, didn’t you?” He chuckled before tilting his head out the window and gawking up at

the grand structures, each like a royal palace.

“Maybe,” Hugo sneaked a smile before he slowed into a parking space beside the largest

brick castle, which was stained from age with a brownish-gray tint to its walls. It had five spires

that pierced the sky, one on each corner, and one more immense spire at its center.

“This is where most of the events are, and the boy’s wing is in the back,” Hugo said,

twisting the key until the engine fell silent.

“You mean, we get to live here!” Sam jumped from the car and squeaked from the

overflow of emotions.

“Yup, and the mandatory orientation speech is here too. So, I’ll help you get signed in

and take our luggage to the room before you attend it.” Hugo left the car and popped the trunk.

Sam stared at the grand structure from top to bottom. His fingers and toes tingled with

excitement as he ascended the pearly quartz steps leading to the castle. Hugo grabbed their

luggage and locked the car with a click before following Sam, who flowed his fingers across the

scratchy brick of the building.

“I can’t believe this is real. It looks like it’s from another world,” he whispered. The main

doors of the building were nearly twenty feet tall. They were inlaid with wooden carvings of

birds and clouds. “This is beyond any dreams I had of this place,” Sam said, tapping his finger

against the hulking door before the sound echoed through its aged wood.

They walked into a grand hall. It was patterned with colossal granite pillars and curtains

long enough to sail a galleon. But at the very end, rested a magnificent stained-glass window of a

sunset surrounded by a million stars. Even the softest breeze whispered into an audible moan as

it dispersed into the echoes of student chatter.

“How is this a school? It looks more like an English cathedral,” Sam murmured and

stepped onto a long carpet. The carpet’s embroidery was so rich in detail that it took his mind

time to process all of it.

Hugo chuckled at Sam’s new wonder toward the scenery. I’m glad he likes it. They

eventually arrived at a sign-in desk, where a formally dressed lady with long, golden hair sat

stacking papers. “Hello, my brother and I would like to sign in, please,” Hugo spoke, trying to be

polite for his introduction of the school year.

“Sure, what are your names?” she asked.

“I’m Hugo Atlas, and that’s my brother, Sam Atlas,” Hugo pointed toward Sam, who hid

behind him.

The lady shuffled through a stack of papers until she found one that read their names.

“Alright, Sam and Hugo Atlas, your room number is eleven-seventeen. Just follow the pillars to

the end and take a right,” she explained, then handed Hugo two key rings and a slip of paper with

their names on it. “And have you both registered for your classes?”

“Yup, we did it online. Thank you,” Hugo said before he walked down the hall.

Sam crept inches behind Hugo, trying to avoid unwanted attention while observing the

scenery. They reached the end of the hall beside a strange, yet approachable, gentleman. He had

white hair like a blizzard and a short beard of twisty frost. Across his body was something

peculiar; he was only wearing the color gray. Gray suit, gray vest, but his cane was a pearly

white, smoother than driftwood.

“Dr. George?” Hugo hesitated as the man approached.

The older gentleman glanced at Hugo and smiled. “Ah, Mr. Hugo, it’s great to see you.

How was your summer?” George asked with a fruity tone.

“Oh, the same old, trying to consider if spending four years of my life is worth a degree,”

Hugo chuckled sarcastically.

George smiled and creaked close to Hugo. “It’s not,” he whispered, followed by a hearty

laugh.

Hugo flinched. “What?”

George tilted his head and observed Sam, who cowered behind Hugo. “Now, what do we

have here, a stowaway?” he asked while pointing his cane towards Sam’s feet.

Hugo looked at Sam with a gentle expression. “Oh, this is my younger brother, Sam.” He

playfully nudged Sam forward. Sam’s stomach churned, and his hands moistened as George

approached.

“Hello, Sam, it is very nice to meet you. I’m Dr. George, the president of this–” He froze.

For a moment, he seemed to stare into Sam’s eyes. “My, my, what have we here?” George

leaned and paused inches from Sam’s face. He stuck his leathered gloved hand in front of Sam,

requesting a handshake.

Sam trembled at the sight of him. George’s silver eyes forced a feeling of discomfort.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Sam asked while shivering in fear as George’s lips

curled a grin.

“There’s no need to be shy; I’m just curious to meet you. Pardon my intrusive methods of

course. . . . Go on, shake my hand. Every journey begins with the hardest step of all, the first

one.”

Against his will, Sam raised his trembling hand and cradled George’s hand. George

smiled and politely ignored how awkward and clammy Sam’s handshake was. Sam’s lips

wobbled with a forced smile before he liberated his hand and fled behind Hugo.

George chuckled with a pondering squint. “So, what dormitory are you gents in?” he

asked while wiping the sweat from his glove onto his suit.

“That one there,” Hugo pointed across the hall to a wooden door with an iron plate which

read eleven-seventeen.

“Oh, that’s a good one—right across from my office,” George gestured toward a door

with a glass window frame.

“That’s your office!” Hugo exclaimed.

“Indeed, and if you ever need anything, anything at all, my door is always available, from

dawn to dusk; all you must do is knock. And if you can’t make it, my door can come to you, if

you need it.” He leaned in close. “But only for you two . . . I can’t have everyone thinking I have

that much free time,” he chuckled.

“Thanks, Dr. George. It means a lot,” Hugo said.

“Not a problem at all.” George glanced at his old silver pocket watch. “Well, Hugo and

Sam, I’m late for a fancy speech to send the freshmen off for this final day of orientation. I hope

to see you later.”

“Wait, Dr. George!” Hugo yelled. Sam quickly gazed at Hugo and shook his head while

mouthing the word no. “Sam’s going to that speech as well. Could he tag along with you?”

Sam’s face drooped and his lips pursed from disappointment.

George turned toward Hugo. “You know, if Sam wants to come with me, he must ask

himself. You shouldn’t ask for your brother. Let him make his own decisions. He is growing up

after all.” George walked to Sam. “So, Sam, would you care to join me?”

Sam worryingly looked back at Hugo. “Can you come with me?” he asked in an

unconfident tone with his head lowered.

“If you really want me to, I will. But you’re in college now; I can’t be with you all the

time. And with Dr. George at your side, you’re in the safest hands at this school. I promise.”

Sam looked at George’s leathery old shoes. Alright, this is it. I have to be strong. “Okay

then. Mr. George, could I come with you?” he asked as he twiddled his thumbs. It was obvious

he was avoiding eye contact.

“Of course you can, my boy. Follow me.” George lumbered down the hall and to the

right as Sam nervously followed behind.

Hugo stood baffled from what he saw. Sam’s never spoken to someone he just met before,

let alone leave with them. He smiled. Maybe he’s taking a liking to this place; maybe he’ll be

luckier than me and find some friends, Hugo mused as he unlocked the door to their dormitory.

The door creaked open, revealing a cramped room covered in dust. Hugo watched the

dust particles dance around in the air. They were reflecting off the shimmering rays of sunlight

that flooded the room through its lone window. The floor was brown marble, and the walls were

gray brick. Three beds evenly divided the room, one on each side, along with a bathroom that

stunk of chlorine near the entrance. There was an old wooden desk in the far-right corner,

reeking of sweat and mold.

“This room could use a poster . . . or two,” Hugo said with a sarcastic gulp. He then

observed that the bed on the left had someone’s belongings on top of it. “Oh, no. We have a

roommate,” he grumbled before he laid the suitcases near the desk and sat on the middle bed

beneath the window.

I wonder how Sam will take it, moving to a different location and living with a stranger.

Even I was uncomfortable when I met my first roommate. He was such a weirdo.

Hugo wiped a thick layer of dust off his cheap plastic mattress. The mattress cracked and

squeaked as he moved ever slightly. “Ugh, I remember these,” he muttered, grabbing a pillow

from his suitcase and laying it on the bed. “Well, I guess this is it. I have to get as much sleep as

possible before study prison begins.” Hugo rested against his plush pillow and plastic mattress

before he closed his eyes.

Chapter 4: Day One

Obnoxious chattering drowned the hallway as Sam and George walked closer to where

the speech was to occur. “You want to see something humorous?” George asked, stopping in

front of a large ivory door. Sam nodded as his legs wobbled. He was already starting to regret

leaving Hugo. George creaked open the door into a grand auditorium before the chatter collapsed

into silence.

“I always like doing that. Everyone seems to fear me for some reason. I guess it’s the

honor of being president of the college. But you, do you enjoy my company?” he whispered.

Sam didn’t know what to say; this was beyond his comfort zone, walking with a stranger into an

auditorium full of people. He simply nodded with his head deep in his shoulders and his hands

tucked away in his pockets. “Good,” George said. They both walked down the aisle, past a

thousand attentive eyes staring at them.

“Would you like to come with me on the stage?” George asked. Sam’s eyes popped out

of his head as his legs numbed and stomach boiled. “Don’t worry, you won’t have to speak, just

simply stand next to me. Is that alright?”

“Why would I do that?” Sam whispered.

“If you don’t want to, all you have to do is sit with the crowd.”

I know what to do, sit down and act like I was looking for a seat. Nobody will think about

me. Just act normal. He continued to follow George. Why am I not sitting down! Sam looked at

an empty chair near the end of a row as it passed by. He then gazed at the soul-shattering glares

of his fellow students. Each glance felt like a stab to his chest.

What’s happening? Am I too scared to sit down? What’s wrong with me? I’m stuck

following this man to my doom! Just sit down! For some reason, Sam couldn’t stray from his

current path. His legs were frozen in one direction, forward.

Before Sam’s mind seized his body, his foot tapped the top step of the stage. No, no, no!

It’s too late! Abort! Abort! Every glowing eye in the room shrank his confidence to the size of a

mouse. This is where I die!

“Good morning, everyone,” George’s voice echoed in the microphone, distracting the

eyes of the crowd long enough for Sam to catch up to him.

“Good morning,” a few in the crowd murmured.

“You may call me Doctor, or President, George. A first-name basis has always been more

friendly in my opinion.” George turned and looked at Sam. He stood strategically within his

shadow to hide from the crowd. George gave a comforting smile and looked back at the crowd.

“Today, you each begin your adventures. You may have an adventure with your closest friends,

but each experience will be different—some good, some perhaps bad. Humans have always

fascinated me, because, even if they fail, they will always get back up and improve. By coming

here, each of you wants to improve in some way. Every adventure comes with its ups and downs,

but once you are down, you can only go up. And once you are up, you can always go higher. So

never give up. And remember, dusk always occurs before dawn.”

George turned around and motioned Sam to step forward. Sam froze in fear, not moving

an inch as he stared at the students. They didn’t seem to care much about Sam, but to him, it

seemed like each one glared at him with the intent to kill. “Sam here is starting his adventure

today. He’ll probably give up a few times, and maybe even go to the brink of madness.”

Sam stared at George with his head tilted and one eyebrow raised. Why would he say

that? Why did he bring me up here?

“But he will march forward until his adventure is complete. And that is why I decided to

help him.” George leaned over and held Sam’s shoulder. “Sam, you will do great out there, but

everyone has their struggles. So, why not use a little boost?” George's wrinkled cheeks rose as he

smiled and looked back at the crowd. “Today, I am giving Sam a one-hundred percent full ride to

this college.”

Sam’s heart sank and his face turned ghost pale. The crowd clapped for Sam with a

thunderous applause that shook the stage. Every breath he gulped felt like he was breathing

through a narrow straw. His ears rang before the only sound he could hear was his rapid

heartbeat.

Everyone’s looking at me.

“Oh, and this college t-shirt for good luck.” George pulled out a white t-shirt from the

podium. Stitched proudly on the front of it was the blue jay mascot. As George handed it to him,

Sam lost all feeling in his head as if he started to float, until . . .

He opened his eyes to the brightness emanating from the stage lights. “Oh, you’re

awake,” George chuckled and knelt next to Sam. “I didn’t think you’d black out. Sorry about

putting you on the spot like that; I didn’t know you were that uncomfortable. I guess this t-shirt

isn’t that lucky. . . . Maybe you could use a little help with that shyness of yours?”

George stroked his beard while squinting at Sam’s eyes. Sam stared toward the empty

auditorium. “Oh, everyone left after you blacked out. I didn’t think it was necessary to keep them

any longer,” George said.

“I passed out . . . in front of everyone?” Sam groaned, then rubbed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” George cradled Sam’s arm for vitals. “Though, you should be fine

physically. I happened to catch you before you fell, so you didn’t hit your head. But if you’re

feeling up to it, you should return to Mr. Hugo and get ready for your school year. And don’t

forget your t-shirt.” George laid the shirt on top of Sam and stood back up.

“Would you like help getting up?” George extended his hand and leaned on his cane for

support. Sam struggled as he raised his hand and grabbed onto George, who helped Sam off the

floor with much ease for someone his age. As Sam stood back up, everything wobbled and

teetered like he was on a boat. He grabbed his stomach while his tongue twisted with a salty

poison. “Here’s a water bottle to help your head. Your adventure begins. Good luck,” George

said with a smile before Sam trudged down the steps. He popped open the water bottle and took

a sip of its cool fluid.

That couldn’t have been more embarrassing. Sam looked at the t-shirt. A full ride, huh?

But why? I didn’t do anything. I just met him, and he gives me all that. . . . Something’s odd

about him, but I can’t tell what it is, he pondered while his head slowly returned to a state of

comfort.

Hugo woke after his quick nap. His back cracked with a sharp pain as he sat up. “Ugh.

Yep, that’s the feeling of college,” he spat with sarcasm. Suddenly, gentle taps echoed from the

door. “Coming!” Hugo yelled, then rose from the bed. He held his sore back as he approached

the door and creaked it open. It was Sam. His head was down and his arms were crossed. He then

glanced up at Hugo.

“Goodness! Are you okay?” Sam yelled from surprise, for Hugo was clearly in pain as he

was cocked forward while holding his back.

“Yeah, I’m fine—just an uncomfortable bed is all. How did the speech go?”

Sam shrugged. “It was . . . a little weird; George took me on the stage and gave me a full-

ride scholarship and this t-shirt.” Sam displayed the t-shirt with the blue jay mascot before

unbuttoning his long-sleeve.

Hugo froze, and his mouth gaped open. “George gave you a full ride!”

Sam nodded and threw his button up to the side, then slid on the silky blue jay t-shirt.

“Wow. This is soft,” Sam chuckled while rubbing his hands across his chest.

“College is going to be much easier for you now; you don’t have to work anymore,”

Hugo grumbled with jealousy.

“I know, right? It’s great. But I’ll still help you pay for yours. I know I don’t deserve this,

but for some reason, Mr. George gave it to me.” He paused and glanced around the room for the

first time. “This is . . . cozy. Which bed is mine?” Sam asked.

Hugo pointed to the bed on the right, near the desk. Sam grabbed his suitcase and sat on

his bed before a loud thud shook the door.

Hugo flinched just as he was about to sit back in bed. “Uh, who’s there?” he asked

loudly. The doorknob rattled along with the jingling of keys.

“Yeah, dude—it happened. He was dead,” an intimidating man said on the phone and

walked into the room. He was a giant, even compared to Hugo. The sporty shirt around his bulky

arms and chest stretched as he waved at Hugo with his free hand. “Hey, mate. I’m Brian,” he

said. But when he walked deeper into the room, his eyes caught Sam, and his mouth gaped into a

curled abyss. “Dude, I have to call you back.” Brian hung up the phone and gawked at Sam.

Sam crept his head back to get a good picture of the giant man before him. He was

somehow the largest man he had ever seen, as he stood well over six and a half feet. Sam

observed Brian’s smirking face before retreating his knees to his nose, knowing full well what

Brian knew.

“Hello,” Sam murmured while raising the neck of his shirt over his face.

“You’re the Ghost,” Brian said.

Hugo froze as he heard that. “The Ghost?”

Brian pointed at Sam and laughed. “I can’t believe it! You’re my roommate! What are the

odds!” He instantly walked next to Sam and sat beside him on the bed. “If you don’t mind me

asking, why did you pass out? Everyone around campus is talking about you, and we’re all

curious.”

A long ear-numbing pause quieted the room as Sam’s eyes crept to Hugo.

“You passed out?” Hugo said with a sorrowful tone. Sam’s cheeks blushed red, and his

eyes began to soak. He reluctantly nodded at Hugo.

“Are you alright?” Brian scooted away from Sam while he remained on his bed. “Is that

why you passed out, because you don’t like people? Do they make you uncomfortable, or are

you afraid of them or something?”

“Please, stop.” Sam’s lips quivered as he spoke. He covered his face with his hands to

hide from Brian’s staring eyes.

Brian instantly stood up and backed away from Sam. “Wow. What’s with you?” Fear,

sadness, and anger all flowed into Sam at once. He knew he was spiraling down a hole.

Why am I such a loser? Why’d he have to tell Hugo I passed out? I can be strong. I can

be like you. He peeked through his fingers and glanced at Hugo, whose eyes drooped with

kindness and sorrow. I don’t want to be a burden to you. Please, just once, let me prove that I

can be strong. Sam removed his hands from his red face, trying to be brave. But when he did, the

dark-feathered figure he had seen in the mirror, stood dead still beyond Brian in the corner of the

room. Sam trembled and collapsed into a panic. “It’s here! The monster!” Sam screamed before

the figure seemed to vanish instantly.

Hugo glanced at the corner, but only dust took up its space. “Oh, no,” he murmured.

Sam’s entire torso drowned with unnerving queasiness. His heart pounded fast enough for him to

be in full sprint.

Brian stared at Hugo. “What’s with this weirdo?”

Hugo’s eyes fixed on Brian. “Could you give me a moment with him?” he requested.

Brian paused. “Why would you want to do that? I don’t think it’s a good idea to be alone

with him. I mean, just look at this freak. What if he were to attack you? I can see someone like

Ghost being a-”

“Enough!” Hugo snapped.

Brian paused and squinted at Hugo. “What?”

Hugo clenched his fist behind his back and looked at Sam. He was curled up into a ball

on his bed. “Please, leave,” Hugo demanded.

Brian stared at Hugo with a raised eyebrow. “What’s with you two? Are you lovers or

something?”

Hugo’s eye twitched before both his fists clenched hard enough to crack diamonds. On

the outside, he appeared perfectly calm, but on the inside, he swarmed with a storm of fire. “Get

out,” Hugo growled as his lips rose, revealing his teeth.

Brian took a step away from Hugo. “Wha- You’re insane! I was just asking Ghost why

he–”

“I said get out!” Hugo yelled with so much anger that even Sam flinched, for this was the

first time he had ever seen true rage flicker in Hugo’s sharp eyes.

Brian’s mouth quivered in disbelief. His fingers curled against his palms as he glared at

Hugo. “Some roommates you two are. Bunch of freaks,” Brian spat, then he marched from the

room. Hugo exhaled slowly to release his built-up anger before sitting beside Sam.

“I’m so sorry, Hugo. I didn’t mean to faint. It’s just . . . everyone was looking at me. I

couldn’t handle it,” Sam murmured while wiping a blur of tears from his vision.

Hugo instantly grabbed Sam and held him close. “Don’t you ever apologize for

something like that! Just, if it happens again, don’t keep it a secret from me. I want to know; I

want to help you.”

Sam glanced to the side where he had seen the monster. I know, but I don’t want you to

worry. Brian could’ve been a great roommate for you, but all I did was cause you two to almost

fight. He tried to suppress his wobbling lips. I’m such a burden.

Sam looked at his hands as they still shivered from fear. “I keep seeing that monster. I

think . . . I think something is really wrong with me.”

Hugo’s eyes drooped as his chest sank. What can I do? He doesn’t want to see a doctor.

His arms tightened around Sam. All I want . . . is for you to be well.

“Hugo?”

“Please, forget about that idiot. I’ll request a room change, so it will only be us,” Hugo

tried.

“He’s not going to be the only one; everyone saw me on that stage. I’m scared, Hugo, I

don’t know what to do.” I really thought college would be different. But it’s just the same, like

elementary school. One vision and everyone will make fun of me until I . . . Sam paused and

looked at his trembling hands. “What’s happening to me?” His voice breathed terror as his snot

splatted onto Hugo’s chest.

Hugo tilted his head with worry while he looked at Sam’s eyes. They embodied raw fear

and sorrow. I can’t let him suffer through this. It was a good attempt, but I think he should go

home. “How about you take a gap year to mentally prepare? I’m sure Dr. George will still allow

the full ride,” Hugo suggested.

Sam looked at Hugo’s worried eyes. “I can’t. . . . This is my dream, and besides, you

would be one year away from graduating by then. I can’t lose you as a roommate.”

Hugo glanced at the clock. “Are you sure? I can take you home right now if you like.”

Sam sniffled. “No, it’s only the first day; I can do it.”

“Alright, if you say so, but we should get going to our classes. You’re taking history,

right?”

“Wait! Right now!” Sam’s eyes burst wide.

Hugo instantly stopped and shook his hands to wipe away his previous question. “No, no,

it’s not like that. Since we skipped most of the orientation, it may be a bit complicated to

understand. But this college is a little strange. . . . You see, on the final day of orientation, all

students go to a warmup class depending on their year and study.”

Hugo pulled out the slip of paper from his back pocket and pointed to Sam’s name. “You

have history class with . . . Dr. George.” He paused with a smile. Good, I’m glad it’s with him.

“You shouldn’t worry about a thing if he’s teaching that class. It will be . . . entertaining. And

besides, I’ll be across the sidewalk in the other building taking physics or astrophysics,

whichever one it was, I don’t care. If you need anything, just come to me. Okay?” Hugo said in

the gentlest tone he could to comfort Sam.

“Okay . . .” Sam murmured, then trembled from the bed. He grabbed his backpack and

took a last glance at Hugo. “Thank you,” he said before he left.

Hugo fell back against the bed. What’s going on today? I know it’s his first day of not

being homeschooled, but still, he saw that monster twice today already! Something isn’t right.

This isn’t a normal college experience for him, a rude roommate, passing out, seeing monsters.

College should be easy for someone as smart as him. He sighed and stood from the bed. Why do

I get the feeling this will get much worse? He thought to himself before he gathered his things

and walked from the room.

Chapter 5: Humans

Sam shuffled to his class inside another castle while avoiding eye contact with the other

students. This castle wasn’t as grand as his dormitory. It was a simple design of ancient gray

masonry, but it was still far too great to be an academic building of any kind.

He entered through the main door into a room that glittered like a masquerade ballroom.

The room was fashioned with multiple crystal chandeliers, each sparkling with the sun’s

reflection. Sam avoided the scene with his head down, trying to hide his red face and bubbling

snot. He passed a hundred students, each scrambling into different rooms, until he met his.

History 301, a brass sign with gold lettering read above an old wooden door. Sam’s legs wobbled

and his heart battled his chest.

Finally, I made it.

He crept into the small room with only a few rows of seating before a dozen students

glanced at him. They whispered and laughed to one another while eyeing Sam as he found the

only empty seat—unfortunately, in the front. When the clock hit the top of the hour, George

lumbered into the classroom.

“Alright, students.” George froze when his eyes caught hold of Sam. “Sam! What are you

doing here? This is a high-level class.” George leaned over and observed Sam’s face with a

squint. “What's the matter, Sam? Did something happen?”

Sam trembled while staring at his desk as the weight of his classmate’s eyes pressed him

down. “No, everything’s–” he sniffled, “fine.” Sam peeked at George, whose eyebrows were

curved with concern.

“You sure? This class may be a bit rough for a freshman, and you don’t look . . . well.”

Sam knew then that the attempt to hide his red snot-dripping face was pointless as the students

parallel to him silently stared.

“Why is a freshman here?” a classmate whispered to another.

I took advanced classes in high school, so I was able to skip a few beginner courses.

That’s why I’m here. “I’m sure,” Sam murmured while keeping his face lowered toward his desk.

George tilted his head as if in deep thought before he glanced at the papers stacked on his

desk. “Alright, class, warmup question: How did the dinosaurs go extinct?” George asked. Sam’s

eyes burst open and his right hand twitched to raise, begging to spill the infinity he knew about

dinosaurs. His toes tingled with electricity while a long silence buzzed his eardrums.

“Nobody?”

Sam was on the brink of yelling everything; even his lips moved with the words he

wanted to speak, but he was frozen, afraid that if he raised his hand, everyone would stare at him

again.

“Well, it depends on your opinion. The most popular being the asteroid, but even then,

they didn’t all die from the impact. Most are said to have died from the aftermath, probably from

not finding food in a post-asteroid climate. The dinosaurs that survived are the reason we have

certain birds, which descended from dinosaurs, or so I’ve read. But I like to believe that some of

the ancients are still alive. That thought always made this world a little more exciting for me,”

Sam murmured subconsciously.

George gave an enormous grin. “What if people disagree with you, that all the ancient

dinosaurs are dead, such as the T-Rex?”

Sam slapped shut his lips, realizing he had spoken aloud. He glanced at George, who

gave a confident yet subtle nod for Sam to continue. He stared back at his desk and tried with all

his will to forget about the eyes around him. So, he closed his eyes, just like Hugo told him to

whenever fear got the better of him.

“Where’s the fun in believing everything people tell us? Most of them hardly know what

they’re talking about anyway; it’s not like they’ve searched every part of Earth. I like to make

my own discoveries. I'm more hands-on and like to observe the evidence. Some may call me a

skeptic, but I think it’s just fun and adventurous to find the answers myself,” Sam continued.

George sat in his chair and couldn’t help but chuckle. “You sound like your brother,

Hugo. But of course, he was always adventurous in his own quirky ways.”

The students behind Sam whispered and giggled about him. He couldn’t hear what they

were saying, but he knew it was unpleasant. “That was a great example of today’s topic: Can we

honestly believe what these books tell us?” George wiggled the course textbook in the air. “I ask

you, students, how can you be sure the history taught to you is what really happened?” George

shrugged his hands above his shoulders.

“Like Sam here, I am a hands-on type of person, who only believes what I see.” He

leaned forward with a grin. “But luckily for me, I’ve been around for a while, so I’ve seen

plenty.”

George continued to talk about common history topics like wars and great feats such as

the moon landing and how to prove that it happened through logic and basic reasoning. “Before

we end today, I’d like to talk about what exactly history pertains to.” George reached into his

desk and pulled out an old wooden hourglass. “Time,” he said as he looked specifically at Sam.

“Time can be viewed from a line. But you can only remember the past, not observe it, nor

interact with it.” George spun the hourglass until the sand began to fall. “And you can only

assume the future. None of you know if I’ll let the sand fall till the last grain.” He tilted the

hourglass on its side to stop the sand. “This is the present, the only time that can be observed and

interacted with. . . . Now, I know this might seem obvious for you students . . . but I simply

wanted to review before we officially begin.” George smiled at Sam right before the bell rang.

“Alright, class. No homework, but I do want you to think. What’s something that you

don’t believe? Breaking the laws that history created for example.” George paused. “Just think of

something that you can find a loophole around. Something like . . . humankind can’t fly without

wings, so they invented hot air balloons. Just because nobody has ever done it before doesn’t

mean it can’t happen. Or like Sam mentioned, how to prove the ancient dinosaurs are extinct. We

could explore every cave on Earth if we had the time, or we could do something a little more . . .

out of the box. Just think about it.”

That was the weirdest lesson I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t really about history, but more

about controversial topics and how to disprove everything I thought I knew. Flying without

wings? Why is Mr. George so strange?

“I’ll be in my office if you need me,” George excused himself from the room while

leaning on his cane for support. Sam stood and gathered his belongings as others in the class

bumped into him.

“Weirdo,” they spat.

He ignored them and left the building in haste before walking toward his dormitory with

his face down. But as he did, his roommate, Brian, barged in on his path along with two other

students.

“Oh . . . hey, Ghost.” He grabbed Sam’s arm to prevent him from walking away. “Look,

we’re gonna be stuck with each other for a while. I already asked an administrator about

switching rooms. She said we can’t switch until the end of the semester.” Brian’s grasp tightened

as Sam tugged, trying to get away. “I’m going to be blunt. I don’t want you passing out or

randomly crying and seeing monsters. I didn’t come to college to take care of some puny kid.”

Sam’s heart pounded, almost rattling out of his chest. “Please, let me go,” he murmured,

but his shy voice couldn’t be heard over the footsteps of the passing students.

“Hey!” Brian yanked Sam to face him. Sam squinted up at Brian’s glaring eyes. “You’re

gonna change, right? Because if you start crying or scream monster in the middle of the night

because college is too hard for a weirdo like you, I will shut you up faster than you can blink. Do

you understand?”

Brian’s glare pierced through Sam, forcing his legs to wobble into noodles until he

collapsed on the hard sidewalk. “Great.” Brian clenched Sam’s hair and yanked his head up

before turning to his friends. “See, I can’t even talk to the kid without him becoming

unconscious. . . . Maybe we can convince him to drop out. He only needs a little motivation.”

Sam wrapped his arms around his face and brought his knees to his chest. Please . . . not

again.

“Hey!” Hugo yelled while running down the stairs from the neighboring building.

“Oh great, the Ghost’s lover.” Brian pointed at Hugo.

“He’s my brother, you jerk!” Hugo quickly helped Sam off the ground. Large swaths of

his ebony hair fell from where Brian grabbed him. Hugo’s lips sank as his eyes roared a vicious,

yet kind, fire. “Are you okay, Sam?”

Sam suppressed his stinging nose and wobbling lips before he burst into tears and sank

his face against Hugo’s chest. “I can’t do this anymore! Take me home!” he sobbed.

Brian grabbed Sam by the shoulder and yanked him away from Hugo. “Why do you have

to be a buzzkill, man? We’re just having a conversation.”

Hugo glanced around. Why is this happening to Sam! For goodness’ sake, just let him be.

They’re so thick in the head. I can’t fight all of them, but I must try, for Sam. Hugo curled his

fingers into his palm and swiftly swung at Brian’s face. Blood cracked from his nose and splatted

on Hugo’s fist as he staggered backward and let go of Sam.

“What was that for!” Brian yelled and cupped his hands around his nose. Blood quickly

began to drip through the cracks of his fingers.

“Oh, no,” Sam said. “Please tell me that didn’t just happen.”

“You’re dead,” Brian growled before he and his friends lunged at Hugo.

Hugo grabbed Sam’s arm and sprinted toward their dormitory. Luckily for them, Hugo

was fast, far faster than Brian and his buddies. Even while tugging Sam, they couldn’t catch up.

Sam stumbled behind as Hugo pulled against his frail arm. They entered their dormitory hall at

full sprint. “Quick! In here.” Hugo pulled Sam into George’s office and slammed the door shut.

“I’m sorry, Hugo. You wouldn’t have had to do that if I wasn’t so pathetic,” Sam

sniffled.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s fine; he deserves far worse,” Hugo said, peeking through the curtain.

Sam looked at Hugo’s hand. It dripped with Brian’s nose blood. “No, Hugo, it’s not fine.

You punched him. What if you get in trouble? I couldn’t stand knowing I was the reason you

were kicked out of college.”

Before Brian ran by with his friends, Hugo closed the curtain and placed his back against

the door.

“Dr. George!” Hugo yelled in surprise.

George was sitting at his desk in the center of the room, reading a book. The cover was

decorated with planets and stars. He was sipping a cup of tea as he thumbed through its pages.

He then closed the book and placed his finger over his mouth. “Shhh.”

The thuds of footsteps trampled from the hall before George set the book on his desk and

twisted his hand toward the doorknob. Hugo knew what he meant and locked the door. “It

sounds like you two got yourselves into a pickle already.” George stood with a mild chuckle.

Sam frowned and lowered his head. “It’s my fault. I should’ve let them beat me.”

Hugo’s heart sank. Hearing those words struck him like a dagger to the chest. “No, Sam;

don’t say that.”

George gestured at Sam and Hugo to sit. But then, a subtle grin crept across his face. “It’s

a good thing you stumbled into my room; any human staff would’ve looked at that bloody hand

of yours and seen only violence, worthy of being expelled. But what I see are two lost souls

trying to find their path.”

“Human staff?” Hugo squinted from confusion.

“Oh, yes. You see, I’m a bit different than your average . . . human. Not to mention

they’re afraid of everything. Some are even afraid to leave their homes.” He paused and glanced

at Sam. “They can’t help you as I can, for most of them need help themselves,” George said

before taking a sip of tea.

Hugo’s right eyebrow rose and his head tilted. “What are you talking about?”

Sam couldn’t shake the thought of what he had experienced. It haunted him so much, he

struggled to move. “Are most people like them? Do people want to see me suffer?” he asked as

he shuffled to the corner.

Hugo looked at Sam. “No, not at all. For some reason, we just landed on the wrong side

of the coin,” Hugo said.

“The wrong side?” Sam whispered and looked at a mirror, hanging from the nearest side

of a bookcase. He then glanced around the office. There were bookshelves glued to every inch of

wall. They were filled to the brim with countless dusty tomes. His eyes turned around, and he

caught a glimpse of an empty oak wall.

“So, do you want to find your true selves and escape this dreadful reality?” George asked.

Hugo stared through George. “What?” He paused, trying to make sense of the words

spoken. “You’re acting crazy.”

George shrugged with a smile. “I can offer you both a way to escape this horrible mess,

or at least offer you sanctuary for the time being.” Hugo said nothing as he gazed at George with

a confused expression. “There is a place that is far from the reach of any human that can do you

harm,” George said, then walked toward the empty wall next to Sam. “Excuse me,” he said in a

polite tone before Sam stepped aside with his head down.

“What place is that, the middle of the ocean? And why do you keep saying human like

that? It’s creeping me out.” Hugo paused. “Just who are you?”

George smiled. “A planet named Somnium. And as for who I am . . . that’s not important

right now. I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon. You both are brilliant students.”

Hugo paused, lost in thought. “A planet! Are you saying that you want us to go to a

different planet?” Hugo yelled as his head spun.

“Indeed,” George said, suppressing a smirk before he raised his right arm and curled his

fingers.

“Yeah, okay, and we get there by riding a unicorn, right?” Hugo said sarcastically.

“No, no; it’s simpler than that. Come with me,” George said before he knocked on the

empty wall in the back corner of the room. “I’ve never shown anybody this room before, so for

everyone’s safety, I’d like it to be kept secret.”

He grabbed a silver, curved handle with designs greater than any artist could conceive.

George leaned on his cane and pulled back, revealing a hidden room. “In here, the truth will

come to light.”

Sam stood frozen as he gawked at George. There wasn’t a door there.

He felt his stomach sink and his knees wobble. I’m still afraid. I don’t know what’s going

on. Sam noticed Hugo’s arm, instinctively in place to protect his little brother from the unknown.

But you . . . are you afraid?

Chapter 6: Inner Self

George walked into the room, cautiously followed by Hugo and Sam. As they walked in,

Sam’s eyes were captivated by the complex wooden door. It was carved and inlaid with spheres

and flowers that decorated every inch of its frame. Goosebumps crept along his neck as the bitter

air of the room met his soft skin. The room was cramped and smelled of ash. A single wall torch

emitted a dim light of blue fire against its stone walls and floor. There was a cracked quartz altar

against the far wall and a small wooden table in the corner, upon which rested five vials of

transparent burbling liquids inside a glass display case.

“Now, to be on Somnium, you need to go through some changes,” George said as he

lumbered toward the vials.

Sam trembled while he looked around the room. “What is all this? It looks like a witch’s

lair.” The door behind them shut by itself, forcing the chamber to rely on what little light the blue

fire offered.

“The thing is, humans can’t survive on Somnium. Their skin melts, and their lungs

shrivel the second they breathe.” George turned towards them and raised his undershirt,

revealing a charred obsidian chest. A massive red scar tore down his front.

“How are you alive?” Hugo’s eyes twitched, and his lips curled from the unpleasant

sight.

George smiled, then plucked two vials from the display case. “I'm tougher than I look.”

He paused. “When you drink this, the fluid will read your innermost self and amplify it, meaning

your true selves will step out from the shadows.”

“Can I go home? I don’t want anything to do with this,” Sam said as he took a frightened

step back.

Hugo looked at Sam, who had pinned his back against the cold wall. “You’re right, Sam.

I promised that we could go home, and besides, this is getting too weird. . . . Dr. George, Sam

and I would like to go home now. Can you show us the way out, so that we may be on our way?”

George lowered the vials from his view and looked at Hugo. “No, no. That won’t do.”

Both Hugo and Sam’s hearts began to pound from their chests.

“Why can't we go home?” Hugo yelled as panic crept its way into his nerves.

“This is something that must come. Sam needs this. He’s too shy and dependent on you.

I’m even offering him a scholarship to ease his worry about college, but he still wants to leave. I

don’t wish to see his dreams barred because of his shyness. He needs to be confident in himself

and understand what it means to be strong. As a bonus, you get to go on a little adventure. And I

can assure you that no human will bother you.” George stole a smirk.

"I guarantee it.”

Hugo turned toward Sam and sighed. “Okay. You stay here. I will play along with him

until I see an opportunity to get away, and if anything goes wrong, run.” Hugo held his hand

against Sam’s cheek and wiped a tear away with his thumb. “I’ll be fine. Just promise me that

you’ll be safe,” he whispered.

By this time, Sam’s heart pounded with such force that the ground seemed to shake under

him. I can’t move! I’ve seen murder mysteries like this on TV, but I never thought I’d be in one. I

can’t let Hugo kill himself for me, but what do I do? What can I do? I’m so . . . useless. Sam

looked at the ground and reluctantly nodded.

Hugo smiled. “Thank you,” he whispered and turned around, facing George. “Alright.

What is it you want me to do?” he asked firmly.

George presented one of the vials of clear bubbling liquid. "Drink this, and lie down on

the stone table.”

Hugo cradled the vial in his hand and sat on the altar. The vial was cold, despite the

boiling liquid inside. “What is this?”

“It’s a combination of many things; its purpose is to enter your soul and mind before

amplifying them to your exterior. I invented it myself. Each person will become something

different, depending on what type of person they are.”

“How much of it do I have to drink?”

“Only a drop will do. But it doesn’t matter.”

Good. There are very few liquids that can kill me with just a drop. And I doubt this is one

of them. It looks like fizzy soda. Hugo could hear his heart pound against his ribs as the cold

plastic rim of the vial kissed his lips. Okay, I’ll drop it, and when he leans down to pick it up, I’ll

get him.

Hugo loosened his grip on the vial before it slid from his fingers and landed with a ting

against the stone floor. George shrugged. “That’s okay; these things happen.” He leaned over to

grab the spilt vial. Hugo swung his leg and kicked George square in the face, but nothing

happened; George remained hunched over as Hugo’s foot pressed against his nose.

He slowly stood up with an expression that spoke of rage. His face appeared like it had

never been kicked! Hugo’s heart pounded from his chest as he gawked at George. “Run, Sam!”

Hugo shouted before George grabbed him by the throat and slammed the back of his head

against the altar.

Sam ran to the door, then froze, shocked that there was no handle or any evidence of the

door ever having existed. It was simply an empty stone wall. Sam began to panic. He glanced at

Hugo for guidance, but George took up a vial and shoved it into Hugo’s mouth. He squirmed and

gagged, trying to fight against George, but he was too strong for him.

The cold liquid didn’t taste like anything as it sloshed down Hugo’s throat; it was oddly

similar to water. George let go of Hugo and removed the empty vial from his mouth before

stepping away.

For a second, Hugo thought this whole ordeal was a prank, that is, until his tongue

burned. An instant wave of incredible heat simmered and scorched through his throat and deep

into his chest.

“It’s hot! Just what was that?” Hugo yelled as he held his throat, gasping for fresh air. He

choked as his lungs and stomach sizzled and popped so loud that even Sam could hear it.

“It’s hot?” George said with one eyebrow raised.

Hugo could feel his heart melt into magma as his hair turned from copper to ash white. It

grew longer as new hair strands formed at his neck and down his spine, shredding the back of his

long-sleeved shirt. Hugo’s own screams became louder as his ears yanked into massive cones.

Suddenly, he could even hear Sam’s panicked heart. His legs and arms cracked with an

unbearable heat as his bones shifted and spun. His hands and feet grew three times larger, ripping

his shoes and socks off.

“Oh, my. This is interesting,” George said, gazing at Hugo while leaning against the wall.

“What's happening!” Hugo screeched before his stomach pulled down from his chest. It

stretched and cracked, separating his waist from his chest by eight feet. His skin tugged until it

nearly ripped apart. His neck soared from his shoulders until his head thumped against the

ceiling.

With everything happening to him at once, his mind couldn’t handle it. He toppled and

smacked against the stone floor. Sharp fangs popped out his human teeth, and a long tongue

slithered from his lips. His nose and mouth thrusted forward into a broad snout, while ash-white

horns shot out from his skull and spiked behind him. His enormous ears tickled with white fur

brushing his eardrum. A loud rip sounded as a large tail slithered from beneath him. It stretched

his spine until he was well over twenty-five feet long, from the tip of his snout to the end of his

tail. His body looped along the walls and corners of the cramped room. His ten toes and fingers

cracked and fused, creating eight large fingers and toes. Each finger numbed as ebony dagger-

like claws peeked through his fingernails.

Hugo gasped for oxygen as his body required more air than he could gulp. His head felt

lighter than a cloud, and his chest thumped more than he ever thought possible. His skin melted

from his body as if it were turning molten from the heat he was giving off. Large ruby scales

grew from under his liquid skin and glittered in the torchlight. His entire body glowed a bright

ruby red, and his underbelly transitioned to a soft honey yellow. The ash hair grew longer and

farther down his tail until it reached the tip, forming a cone of white fur.

Hugo squinted at George and Sam with the only thing he had left of humanity, his

quivering half-conscious smile, and his compassionate multi-colored eyes. Hugo blacked out

before his body adjusted to the length of him, becoming slightly wider from tail to head.

Sam trembled and gawked at Hugo as his new form adjusted. “What have you done!” He

broke free from his shyness and shouted at George. “You turned him into a monster!” Sam was

in full panic. His body was rattling from the pounding of his heart. I don’t know what to do! He

just turned Hugo into an Asian dragon! I need to get out of here! Sam turned to the wall and

swung his fists against it. “Help! Help! He’s going to kill me!” Sam shouted while George

walked to what was now Hugo.

“Amazing.” George ran his fingers through Hugo’s rough ash fur. “It doesn’t make any

sense. He doesn’t have a soul great enough to become a dragon. . . . I thought he would’ve turned

into a bird,” he said, amazed. “Makes me even more curious to see your form.”

Sam squeaked as his legs wobbled under the weight of horror. He fell against the stone

floor and cowered in the corner with his knees shielding his face. “It’s okay, Sam. With your

soul, you will become something beyond even my imagination.”

“Please, I just want to go home,” Sam wept. “Why are you doing this?”

George smiled. “Soon, all the questions in the universe will have their answers. These

things take time to understand, and for you, even less time.”

George’s silver pocket watch rang with a gentle hum. “Speaking of which, I have ten

minutes to arrive at my next class, so bottoms up. Oh, and don’t try what Hugo did, unless you

want this to be really difficult.”

George took the vial in his hand and brought it to Sam’s lips. “You ready?” Sam shook

his head and pushed George, but he didn’t budge. For an older man with the appearance of a

person in his hundreds, he was sturdy. George chuckled and poured the clear liquid between

Sam’s lips. Before Sam could attempt to spit it out, the liquid thickened into a tar-like

consistency. The icy juice smeared down Sam’s throat, making him gag. His tongue and lips

tingled as if a thousand needles pressed against them. The slow liquid sank into his chest like an

anchor before he gasped for air.

“Just let me go home!” he screamed as George stepped back to admire him.

The pressure in Sam’s chest exploded. It puffed out his chest with an ear-ringing crack,

filling each nerve, vein, and cell in his body with blood-tingling electricity. His nose and lips

stung as his skin zapped. His hands cracked and his shoulders shifted. His face splintered and

twitched as a black beak robbed him of his nose and mouth.

“Impossible,” George said, stroking his beard.

Obsidian feathers peeked from his skin, causing his black hair to fall from his head. His

feet cracked and shifted until four long talons erupted through each of his shoes. Like sharp

needles dancing on his surface, little black spots sprouted all around his body into feathers. His

shirt swelled as the feathers in his chest lengthened, ripping the neck of his soft blue-jay shirt.

But then, his clothes seemed to grow around him.

The room around him expanded and swelled as his back slid down against the wall. His

fingers yanked out into long, dark feathers as his arms cracked and his bones moved beneath his

skin, creating ebony wings.

Sam leapt from the floor when long tail feathers sprouted through the back of his pants

down to his talons. His breath emitted dense steam from the energy his body expelled. He

collapsed on his knees, gasping for air.

“I thought you would at least have been something worth the effort. It’s a pity,” George

sighed. Sam’s mind hastened. Even his shirt folding onto the floor around him made him jump

back. His head pounded like a war drum. Instead of pain, his head felt full, as if his brain was

expanding and adjusting to new heightened perception and reflexes.

His loose rectangular glasses slid off the tip of his beak before he paused. He glanced

around, and slowly every detail in the room became extremely clear. He could see every thread

on George’s gray suit, every grain of sand on his old leather shoes. It was like genuinely seeing

for the first time. Sam’s mind swam at a hundred miles a minute. He wasn’t only smarter; he was

faster. Seconds now felt like minutes to him.

“What did you do to me!” Sam screamed as he looked at his trembling wings.

“I unveiled your inner self, but why did you turn into a bird? Usually, people with Hugo’s

personality of wanting to be free and see the world are birds. But he turned into a dragon. What

does this mean? I thought you’d at least turn into a great dinosaur,” George chuckled. “Maybe

you are a dinosaur, if you believe what you said in class,” he pondered and set the empty vials

back in their case.

Sam caught his breath and glared at George with his soaked green eyes. “How could you

do this? I just wanted to go home!” he sobbed.

George walked over and carefully helped Sam from the floor. The neck hole of his blue

jay shirt slid down around him. Sam shivered and observed George standing twice his height

before he looked at his tiny body. He was barely three feet fall. “You made me smaller!” he

snarled.

George sighed. “You lacked so much confidence that you shrank. . . . How pathetic are

you?” he asked.

Sam flailed his wings. “Shut up! Just turn me back now!”

“I’m sorry, Sam. I wish things would’ve turned out differently for you, but trust me, this

is for the best. Now that I see you for what you truly are, you need some work.”

“Please, just shut up!”

George walked to the corner. “I’m sorry, but this needs to happen. You don’t see it yet,

but hopefully you will. You don’t have any confidence; you’re weak, and you’re afraid of almost

everything this college has put you through. You need help, and I fear this is the only way to do

so.”

He knocked on the wall, and out of nowhere came the decorated wooden door in the

exact spot where he knocked. “When you’re ready to go to Somnium, knock on this door. I’ll

handle the rest,” he said. He then opened the door to his office. “Oh, and Sam . . . please don’t

die. I’d like you to power through what’s to come. I know it will be hard, but please, don’t seek

peace through death. You will become strong.”

Sam slid his back against the corner and sobbed beneath his wings. George sighed and

held the door frame with a sorrowful expression.

“Be safe, little one,” George murmured before he walked from the room, “because even

with all my abilities, I cannot bring back the dead.”

The door clicked shut after George stole a final glance at Sam. And with that, he was

gone. Only Sam and the dragon remained.

Chapter 7: The Other World

Sam snarled and stooped as he clenched his talons, scratching them against the stone

floor. He trembled from his overflowing rage and horror before he glared down at his raven-like

body.

“Nooooo!” Sam screamed as he ran up to the stone altar and clawed it with his talons.

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” he sobbed, then slammed his head against the floor. Tears

trickled down his beak as he knelt. “Why did this happen? I should’ve just stayed home with

Mom and Dad. It was stupid to think I could’ve gone to college. . . . I'm so pathetic.” Sam wept

for a long time before the room electrified with the sounds of shuffling and scratching.

“I’m sorry, Sam,” Hugo murmured.

Sam’s head jolted up as Hugo’s body wriggled around the room. Sam couldn’t tell Hugo

was ever a human; in fact, nothing about the creature before him spelled human. He was a long,

horned snake with claws and fur. Hugo wobbled closer to Sam. It was apparent that walking on

four legs was a struggle for him. “It’s all my fault. I should’ve taken you back home the moment

our roommate messed with you.”

“Stay back!” Sam yelled, shaking in fear.

He had a right to be afraid, for Hugo’s head alone was as large as Sam’s entire body.

Even though Hugo wasn’t much taller than six feet on all fours, his length alone was something

to fear. Sam backed into the corner as Hugo staggered forward.

“Please, Sam. Don’t be afraid. It’s still me. Whatever this body is, it’s not the real me.”

“Please, don’t! I can’t handle this!” Sam shrieked and closed his eyes in fear.

“Look into my eyes. Listen to my voice. It’s me, Hugo. Look beyond my body. . . . If

you’re scared, we can do the thing.” Hugo inhaled. “Feel the hard stone flo-”

“Stop!” Sam cowered deeper beneath his wings. Everything overwhelmed him to a point

where he could hardly move, let alone listen to Hugo’s voice.

Hugo sighed, then looked at his sharp claws. “I can’t blame you; I am a monster. . . . But

you should know, that even with this body, I will never harm you,” Hugo said in the most

thoughtful and calming way he could muster.

Many moments passed as Sam cowered in fear. Hugo lowered his snout and tilted Sam’s

beak to face him. Sam peeked at Hugo’s kind green and blue eyes. They welled with tears. “You

don’t have to be afraid of me, Sam; I will always protect you.”

Through Hugo’s eyes and gentle voice, Sam could almost tell that Hugo was inside the

strange creature before him. Sam glanced to the side and gasped at the sight of a prominent

shoulder scar etched in Hugo’s ruby scales.

“I am truly sorry. I wanted to give you the best life outside of home. But I–” Sam raised

his wing and carefully touched Hugo’s snout. A feeling of warmth spread into his wing and

throughout his body; Sam couldn’t help but smile.

“It’s still you in there?” Sam whispered before Hugo nodded. “It wasn’t your fault, Hugo.

You were trying to protect me. You couldn’t have possibly known this was going to happen. And

we wouldn’t be in this mess if I wasn’t so pathetic,” Sam murmured.

Hugo sighed with a plume of steam. “You’re not pathetic. . . . But please tell me you’re

alright.”

Sam sighed with his head down. "I'm alright; it’s just going to take some time to get used

to. . . . You’re-” Sam gulped and observed Hugo’s body. “Much bigger than I am.” Hugo looked

back at his body. His tail alone took up half the room.

“I'm assuming there’s no going back.” Hugo paused. “Did George say something about

knocking? I'm sorry, but I don’t remember what he said. I was barely conscious when he

mentioned it.”

Sam looked at the strange door George left through. “Yeah, he said to knock on the door,

but we don’t know what that will do. What if it’s a trap?” he asked.

“I don’t think George wanted to kill us; I think he wanted to help, no matter how twisted

his methods were.” Hugo walked to the door and carefully knocked. Suddenly, the door’s flower

and sphere pattern shifted. Sam took a few steps back, and the door creaked open. As it opened,

sunlight began to flood the room, and they could feel the lush cool of an ocean breeze.

“Where is anything?” Sam spoke. He peeked from the room and gawked at a horizon

split between a calm cerulean sky and a roaring emerald sea. Between the two, was a glistening

amber sunset.

“It’s impossible; we should be at the college! Were we teleported or something?” Sam

asked and stared at the ocean below him. The doorway was hovering above warring waves; it

was as if they were suspended in midair.

“I don’t know about this.” He backed away from the doorway with his legs wobbling.

“Where are we?” his voice rattled with worry as he pinned himself in the corner of the room.

Hugo took a step forward with his right foreclaw, trying to adjust to his lengthy body. He

closed his eyes and concentrated on his new form. His mind spun as a trillion new nerves

brought numbing electricity from the tip of his snout to the end of his tail. New feelings, along

with heightened hearing, smelling, and tasting, overwhelmed him. His forked tongue

instinctively flickered out to taste the salty sea wind. His claws scratched the stone floor when he

stepped forward and inhaled the fresh sea breeze. Rough waves from below splashed against his

face. His large ears twitched upon hearing the racing pat of Sam’s heartbeat as he cowered in the

corner.

“What kind of a mess have we gotten into?” Hugo sighed before he popped his head

outside and gasped at a clear sky. The sight of it all took his breath away. An orbiting amethyst

moon glimmered before infinite nebulae and stars. He gawked and pondered all the words he

knew. He tried to find the perfect words to describe what he was seeing, but to no avail.

“Do you see anything?” Sam asked.

Hugo snapped from his daydream and glanced at the ocean. The amber sunset glittered its

light against the waves. But when he looked under the beautiful light, he saw a dark abyss. It

twisted Hugo’s stomach and hypnotized his sight. “Oh, no,” Hugo trembled as he stepped away

from the door. Not now. I need to be strong, for Sam.

“What are you doing?” Sam asked. Hugo breathed in an attempt to calm down. I can do

this. I can do this. He mused as his long stomach tightened and curled. Sam carefully peeked

from the room and glanced at the dark depths of the ocean floor. “Oh.” Sam turned toward Hugo.

“It’s okay, Hugo. We can wait here for someone to rescue us. Let’s just close the door,” Sam

said.

“Nobody will rescue us! We’re on a different planet, just like George said!” Hugo yelled,

not at Sam, but at himself for not being strong enough to handle such a simple fear. “There’s

nothing in this room for us. We have to move forward to find anything that may help.” Hugo

stepped closer to the doorway. “I will go out first, and if there’s any trouble, I want you to hide,”

he demanded with an apparent fear trembling his body.

“No, Hugo! Look at yourself; you’re huge! You’ll sink like a rock in that ocean, and

there’s nothing to swim towards in sight!” Sam said and looked around the room for anything to

help them. He knew Hugo was right, but he didn’t want to take the risk.

Hugo approached the doorway and struggled to ignore the darkness below. He inhaled as

deep as he could. “Just one step,” he said to himself and stepped forward, forgetting about the

incredible length of his body. His stomach slapped against the floor, and the remainder of his

body slid into the ocean.

“Hugo!” Sam yelled as Hugo struggled to swim. Hugo beat his claws against the

unforgiving water until a massive wave crashed on top of him and pushed him far below the

surface. Sam leaned forward. He felt a sudden urge to jump in and save Hugo. The feeling began

to take over his entire body, until his mind caught up with him.

I can’t. If I help, I’ll drown.

Not a moment more passed before the ocean quaked a thunderous bellow. Waves turned

to tsunamis. The clear sky darkened until the unimaginable image of space was lost behind

swirling charcoal clouds. A massive wave swept into the room and yanked Sam out to sea before

sinking him in the deep, freezing water.

His wings cursed him and only propelled him deeper as he flapped. Sam glanced to the

side and saw Hugo struggling to surface. Lightning flashed through the dark water like tree

branches reaching out for something to grab. Hugo could hear sudden ear-shattering booms from

the depths below, but it wasn’t thunder. The ocean floor glowed with a bright gold ring that was

larger than a moon. Hugo fought harder against the crashing waves.

However, every time he reached the surface, another crashing wave sank him deeper. At

that moment, the gold ring blinked. Sam’s chest sank, and bubbles of air expelled from his beak.

The gold ring moved and swelled. Suddenly, Sam was overwhelmed by a burst of stinging frost

that rushed beneath him.

Sam tried with all his might to swim to the surface, but colossal waves crashed above him

and prevented his ascent. His lungs and throat stung as they begged for air. But then, something

smooth and cold inched its way from between his toes to around his leathery leg. Sam glanced

down at a massive tendril from the darkness slithering through his thigh feathers, like a snake in

grass, before it yanked down at his leg with a hip-dislocating crack. He looked over to Hugo for

help, but Hugo’s only movement was with the flow of the sea. His eyes were dead closed with

tiny bubbles of breath creeping from the roof of his mouth. Sam continued to yearn for air. His

head and chest felt like they were about to explode.

He took his free leg and clawed at the tendril with his talon before it released his leg. In

one final attempt, Sam pleaded to reach the surface. But then, a soaring pain cut into and

wrangled in his left leg. He screamed, and his lungs sucked what they could find. Sam’s eyes

burst open as his lungs and throat flooded with the burning sting of saltwater. As he glanced

below, he could see with what little consciousness he had left, a bladed tendril squirming deep in

his leg.

The water he breathed crept with the iron flavor of his blood. The blade sawed deeper

through his femur, causing his bone to gnaw and crack from the grinding force within his flesh.

He felt a desperate desire to survive before he glanced up as all hope vanished, and the surface

became enveloped by darkness.

Chapter 8: Captured

An endless onslaught of waves crashed against the shoreline. Slippery rocks clacked

beneath him as the sea slapped at his feathery body. Sam’s lungs stung as he hacked up water.

He pried awake his salty bloodshot eyes and gulped up the warm air of the beachside. Before

him were jagged wet rocks. They were so large that they formed mile-long shadows. The beach

was flanked by an inland forest, whose trees were taller than skyscrapers. Their massive leaves

rustled in the wind, creating a harrowing tempest of sound.

What was that thing? Sam coughed up the remaining water. His leg throbbed with every

beat of his heart. It took him moments before he glanced at his thigh. He froze from what he saw.

A mix of crimson blood and green sludge oozed out from him. “Ewww!” he gagged long before

he tilted his leg and spotted the white of his femur connected by a thread.

“No, no, no! My leg!” he screamed and panicked at the sight. He quickly glanced around,

trying to find anything to help him. His heart rattled his chest as he feared that even the slightest

movement could rip off the remainder of his leg. He paused for a moment and squinted at his

thigh before carefully nudging it with his wing.

I don’t feel it. . . . How? It looks like something I would need gallons of pain medication

for.

He poked his leg before an uncomfortable gushy suction sounded from the gash. He sat

amazed. His leg was beyond cut in half, but it hardly felt as such. Like a paper cut, it barely

stung. He wiggled his talon and even dripped seawater from his wing onto it. Nothing.

“What is this?” He observed the green jam-like goop teeming from his wound. He poked

it with the feathers of his wings before scooping it out of his gash. An instant rush of burning

pain flushed his leg before he screamed and shoved the goop back in.

“Who goes there?” an immature-sounding voice yelled. Before Sam could turn his head,

a sharp pain pressed against the back of his neck, forcing his beak to smack the wet stone.

“Stay down, bird, if ya know what’s good for ya!” a trumpet-like bellow rumbled above

him. Sam pushed off the ground with his weak wings until a powerful kick slammed his

wounded leg against the rock.

“Stop!” Sam cried before the sharp pain in his neck subsided. He turned his head and saw

a cheetah-like creature, armored in decorated silver, standing above him. The animal was

standing on two feet, just like a human. It bashed the blunt end of a spear against Sam’s face.

The assault cracked the side of his beak, bringing a stinging pain to his head.

“What are you!” Sam screamed and crawled away.

Puddles splashed around him before two other animal-like creatures appeared. The first

was a rabbit with silver-white fur and an apparent cut in one of its lengthy ears. It was wearing a

sky-blue cloak that cracked with the sea’s wind. Behind the rabbit, came a large tree-brown elk

armored in solid gold. Its breastplate was decorated with countless ribbons across its shoulder

and chest. Both of them were walking like humans. Sam gawked at them and trembled away

until his back slapped against a large stone. The three creatures crept closer, and their fierce eyes

loomed over him.

“Hugo, help!” Sam cried as he glanced around him, searching for Hugo, until he paused

and stared at the endless ocean. Is he still out there?

“Look at it. It’s so weak, and . . . why is it naked?” The cheetah stepped back in

confusion. “Aren’t birds supposed to be . . . proper?”

“Hugo!” Sam screamed.

The cheetah glanced at the rabbit. “It’s calling for something. Bipp, go search the

perimeter, in case it’s nearby.”

Bipp, the rabbit, looked at Sam with its deep-jade eyes before giving off a sigh. “Yes,

sir,” Bipp murmured with a sorrowful tone and walked away. The cheetah and the elk crept

closer to Sam as he buried his face beneath his wings.

What are these things?

The cheetah laughed. “This is the tiniest, most frail bird I’ve ever seen.” The cheetah

paused and poked Sam’s leg with the tip of his spear. “It even has the Arch! He’s gonna die in a

few days anyway. Can’t we just put him out of his misery?”

“No, the law says we must take any creature from foreign lands to the capital alive, no

matter the condition,” the elk said before he walked over and kicked his hoof against Sam’s right

knee, cracking it in the opposite direction.

“So, we can do whatever we want to it,” the elk chuckled. Sam screeched until his throat

blistered. He quickly lost feeling in his head from the sheer trauma he was going through. But he

couldn’t let himself pass out; he needed to survive.

“Please! What do you want!” Sam sobbed

The elk grabbed Sam by the wing and yanked him up, forcing him to stand on his broken

legs. Sam’s legs cracked, and he collapsed under his weight as he cried in sheer agony. “Come

on, let’s take it to Petal,” the elk said, grasping Sam by his head feathers and dragging him

toward the forest.

“Hugo! Help!” Sam wailed. The cheetah took his spear and bashed it against Sam’s back.

“Please . . .” Sam wept. He could feel his heart pulse throughout every inch of his body.

The elk took a tattered cloth from his armor and shoved it down Sam’s throat. Sam

gagged and choked as the cloth smeared down his gullet and a taste of salty sweat poisoned his

breath. “Shut it, bird, or I’ll punch off your beak,” the elk’s deep voice shook the ground.

Sam glanced at his legs as they dragged against the forest floor. Rocks and sticks cut into

them, and he couldn’t do a thing about it. The cloth seeped to the back of his throat with every

impossible breath until he swallowed. It entered his stomach like a heavy rock before the sweet

forest air entered his lungs.

“Please! My leg! It can’t take much more! Tell me what you want! I’ll do anything!” Sam

pleaded.

“Oh, it’s begging,” the cheetah smirked.

The elk turned around and punched Sam on the cheek with his chest-sized fist. Sam

plummeted to the ground before his heart thumped faster than his tiny body could handle.

“Please, help me! I can’t lose my leg!” Sam panicked, dizzy from the punch. The elk

grabbed a fistful of soil and shoved it into his beak.

Before Sam could cough it out, the elk shut Sam’s beak and wrapped one of his ribbons

around it. The acid soil dried his tongue and scratched against his solid beak. “I told you to shut

it, bird,” the elk said before grabbing the feathers on his head and dragging him against the

ground. Sam couldn’t run. He couldn’t yell for help; all he could do was think as he fought to

breathe through his snot-soaked nares.

Are they going to kill me? Am I really on another planet? I’m trapped in this bird body

while being dragged to my doom with a leg connected by a few inches of flesh! I need you, Hugo

. . . now more than ever.

After moments of mud and torture, Sam’s legs met with gentle grass. Each moist blade

kissed his wounds and cleaned the dirt. It relaxed Sam enough for him to close his eyes and

inhale the scents around him. The sweet smell of fruits and vegetables teased his nares. He

peeked an eye open and saw various huts held together with giant leaves and dried mud. The elk

dragged Sam onto a path of smooth stones, similar to the ones he saw on the beach.

“We found another one,” the elk said. He tightened his grip on Sam, then tossed him

forward onto a wooden platform. Sam squinted his eyes tight, expecting to be beaten. A pure

white fox stood over him. She was wearing a glimmering pearl dress. Her eyes were droopy and

the side of her mouth seemed to frown, giving off the impression that she was sick.

“Thank you, Commander. Now, if you don’t mind, send it to the cage.” She glanced at

Sam’s leg. “And make sure it doesn’t bleed to death. We can’t have another one of your . . .

disgusting games causing another death,” she murmured. Her voice was a beautiful and soothing

luxury, and because of it, Sam thought that maybe he was going to be alright.

“Yes, Princess Ella.” The elk bowed and grabbed Sam by the wing before dragging him

away. Sam caught a glimpse of Ella while she looked back at him. He could sense concern and

worry in her eyes.

“Please, be careful, little one,” she whispered before reaching her hand toward him with

haste. She then paused and looked down as tears dripped from her cheeks.

Sam passed by many creatures as he was dragged along. Each of them glared at him with

hatred. Some threw rocks and dirt while some spat at his eyes, soaking his vision with a stinging

blur of slime.

The floor thundered and creaked as the elk marched into a small hut. Sam slid onto

splintery wooden planks before a stinging cold swept beneath his feathers. He inhaled the stench

of blood and mold as the creaking and clanking of steel screeched behind him. Sam rose from the

floor, and suddenly, his skull was smashed against the bars of a cage. The rusted brown steel

caused his head to ooze blood. He screamed under his muffled, mud-filled beak.

The elk slammed the cage shut and locked it. “Insects, does she expect me to care about

some bird’s leg? I mean, it’s just going to get executed tomorrow anyway. It’s too weak and

useless to survive the mines,” the elk spat and shut the door behind him, leaving Sam alone in the

darkness.

Hugo . . . where are you? Sam wept against the scratchy bars of the cell before the cold

darkness of the lonely hut sank his mind into despair.

Chapter 9: A Friend Among Enemies

Everything felt warm: the sunset sinking under the horizon, the seaside wind that smelled

of salt. Even the giant forest gave back the sun’s gift of heat. But the warmest and most

comforting of all was the sand, which was smoother than the sea itself.

Hugo’s body bobbed up and down with the rhythm of the waves. Smooth beach gravel

sank under the weight of his underbelly before the ocean teetered him onto warm sand, glittering

whispers of gold. He moaned as steam ascended from his nostrils and curled away with the wind.

“Ugh, what happened?” Hugo woke up as the radiant amber sunset poured into his vision.

He peered at the beach he rested on. It stretched across the ocean, licking its cool waves

upon the sand, fizzing and foaming as it ebbed. He glanced inland and saw an ancient forest. Its

monumental trees reflected the orange and honey hues from the sunset. At that moment,

something soft nudged the end of his tail.

“What is this thing, some kind of fish?” A gentle, yet curious voice spoke.

Hugo craned his neck to look back and flinched as a rabbit standing on two legs

investigated him. Bipp stood with whopping soft feet and lofty ears. This made him appear taller

than his near six-foot height indicated. His stature was rather poised and polite, even when he

tilted his head in wonder. He unveiled his silver hands from his sky-blue cloak, which covered

his neck down to his waist, before reaching out to Hugo.

“What the!” Hugo yelled.

Bipp flinched in shock as Hugo sprang from the sand and stumbled away. “It can talk!”

Bipp exclaimed.

Hugo quickly scanned the beach for Sam. “Sam! Where are you!”

“Wait a minute,” Bipp said, then grabbed Hugo’s hind leg. “You’re not a fish.”

“Get away from me!” Hugo squealed and kicked his leg from Bipp’s grasp.

Bipp walked to Hugo’s face. “Can it be?” Hugo backed away from Bipp while sloshing

in the sand. “Hold still!” Bipp commanded. He grabbed Hugo by the head and pried open his

mouth. Bipp’s fingers slipped in surprise at the sight of Hugo’s dagger-like teeth. His forked

tongue instinctively flicked around to taste the scent of rabbit. Hugo’s throat pulsed with

scorching breath that shrouded Bipp and repelled him on to the sand.

“You’re a dragon!” Bipp yelled in excitement. Hugo stepped back and trembled as Bipp

talked to himself and paced around him. “I can’t believe I found a dragon; they’re supposed to be

extinct! What do I do? I can’t tell the commander or Princess Ella. They’ll kill this thing the

moment they see it. This must be kept a secret,” he chatted.

Hugo wriggled away as fast as he could while his claws awkwardly sloshed in the sand.

“Help, there’s a monster!”

Bipp glanced at Hugo and instantly sprinted at him. “Hey, wait!” Hugo wobbled at the

edge of the great forest until something tugged at his tail. He turned as Bipp pulled against him.

“I just want to talk with you,” Bipp requested with a calm smile. Hugo’s eyes bulged out of his

skull, and his heart rattled his chest.

“What are you!” Hugo asked while screaming.

Bipp let go. “I’m a surveillance scout for the great kingdom of Anthophyta,” he boasted

with his fists proudly at his waist.

Hugo trembled and inched away. “No, like what are you physically? And how are you

talking?”

Bipp’s head and left ear tilted in thought. “I’m obviously a rabbit, and as for how I am

talking, I suppose . . . with my mouth. . . . But why are you shaking? Are you cold?” He paused.

“Do dragons get cold?” Bipp removed his cloak and tip-toed closer to Hugo. “Here, you can

borrow my uniform. It’s not much for someone your size, but at least it will keep you partially

covered if you’re cold. And if you haven’t noticed . . . you’re naked.”

With his gentle fingers, Bipp wrapped his silk cloak around Hugo’s trembling body. “I

know it might be a tad strange for a creature as ancient as you to be wearing clothes. But since

the birds became formal a few decades back, the other kingdoms have developed a better sense

of appearance. So, it’s best just to go along with it to avoid making the wrong impression.”

Hugo glanced at Bipp, whose appearance spoke of sorrow as his chest and back were

etched with scars and splatted with dried mud. His pecan brown pants were shredded with holes,

and his cotton tail supported a rope belt, which sheathed a short, silver dagger. He also had a

large ebony dagger in his arsenal. Its base was inlaid with a rose-red, pearl-like jewel.

“Do you feel better?” Bipp asked.

Hugo stepped back, keeping a keen eye on the rabbit. “What are those for?” He bobbed

his snout toward the blades dangling at Bipp’s waist.

Bipp glanced at his belt before chuckling and removing the ebony dagger from its sheath.

“Oh, don’t worry about this. It’s just my lucky knife that I’ve had since I was a child. I’ve never

used it for anything other than cleaning the dirt off vegetables. As for the silver one . . . well,

let’s not talk about that.” Bipp tucked the dagger back in his belt.

“You know, you’re not like the storybook dragons. You seem . . . jumpy. Most dragons

I’ve read about were giant creatures who had wings and were powerful enough to take down an

entire castle.” He leaned closer to Hugo. “But you–” Bipp paused, then raised his hand next to

Hugo, who rushed away. “You’re different . . . and why are you scared of me? Did I do

something wrong? Don’t worry about me being a scout. I’m not like the others. They arrest

creatures associated with the other kingdoms, but I find it far more interesting to hear their

stories.”

Bipp glanced right to left. His ears tilted like satellite dishes before he leaned closer to

Hugo. “Speaking of which, we should get going to my house. This is a heavily patrolled area,

and I can make you something better to wear.”

Hugo’s mind swam in confusion as he staggered back. Bipp inched closer to Hugo. He

held out his palms to show that he had nothing to hide. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.

Just follow me, and I’ll take you to my house, get you warmed up, make you some soup. Do you

like soup?” Bipp asked with a generous smile inflating his fluffy cheeks.

Hugo didn’t even want to think about what soup was like on this strange planet. He just

wanted to find Sam. “Did you happen to see a black bird-like creature about half your height?”

Bipp froze, and his ears perked up. “Yeah, a few hours ago. . . . Wait, are you Hugo?”

Hugo flinched. “Yes! Where is he? Is he okay?”

Bipp glared at the ground and nudged the sand with his foot. “That jerk of a commander

took him to Petal and locked him in that awful cage. They are probably going to send him to

Rafflesia in the morning.” He paused. “Did you know he also had the Arch? I saw his leg. It had

the green ooze symptom.”

Hugo ran to Bipp. “What do you mean cage! And what’s the Arch!” he demanded, his

chest pounding with worry.

“Wow. You’re not very educated, are you? Where exactly are you from?”

“I’m from Earth! Me and my brother were kidnapped and turned into these things! Please

help us!” Hugo begged.

Bipp’s head tilted. Hugo’s words obviously confused him. “Earth? What is that, a hidden

dragon village?”

“No! It’s a planet! Just take me to Sam!” Hugo spat with haste.

“You’re from a different planet? . . . Did you hit your head or something? Is that why you

were passed out on the beach?”

“No! A sea monster attacked us!”

Bipp squinted as he thought for a second. “Alright, if Archipelago attacked you, that

would explain the Arch that bird had,” Bipp pondered and glanced toward the forest. “We need

to hurry. Come with me. The bird is likely being held in the village of Petal, not too far from

here. He doesn’t have much time left before the sickness takes over, or he gets executed. We can

stop at my house along the way to wait out the day patrol, but we must be careful. If anyone else

spots you . . . I honestly don’t know what will happen. Nothing good, I’m assuming. Nobody’s

seen a dragon for nearly two-hundred years,” Bipp said before he guided Hugo into the forest.

“What do you mean, he doesn’t have much time?” Hugo’s voice rose as his mind swam

with the panicked beat of his heart.

“The Arch is a lethal virus that spreads throughout the host’s body and numbs the nerves

with a protective green ooze first, so the host can’t feel the true horror of the sickness eating its

flesh. It’s a sickness given by the sea monster, Archipelago. In fact, he’s the reason all fishermen

have stopped sailing and why all boats have been salvaged for their wood,” Bipp sighed. “If you

wish to save him, we must hurry,” he said as they hastened their walk.

The forest path crept with mammoth roots from the great trees dotted with glowing

mushrooms pouring life into the shadows. The roots were layered with soft magenta moss that

slid underneath their steps. They climbed over many fallen branches and leaves. Most leaves

were bigger than a boat. Hugo lowered his head in discomfort; he felt so small compared to the

world around him. But then he thought how Sam must feel.

“So, you’re from Earth. Is that where all the dragons went to hide after the king tried to

take their souls?” Bipp asked as if he was serious.

Hugo stumbled in response. Bipp’s words were so confusing, that he almost felt dizzy.

“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Let’s just say I know nothing about this planet,

so start with the absolute basics,” he requested.

“So, you don’t know anything? Even the war between the kingdoms?” Bipp asked. Hugo

shook his head. “Wow. . . . That’s a lot of explaining. Where do I even start?” Bipp thought as he

hopped over a fallen twig. “I guess a quick history lesson then. Okay, at the very beginning . . .

about two-hundred years ago, we were . . . uneducated. Until a wise creature rose above us and

taught us language, science, agriculture, you name it. This creature began the dawn of

intelligence, and he eventually became king, which is why we named the western continent,

Dawn, also because the sun rises in the west. Anyway, the king eventually became a sort of

deity. He requested the sacrifice of a dragon’s soul in exchange for teaching us. He became so

powerful after gathering all the dragons he could find that he could do almost anything.” Bipp

stopped and paused.

“The only thing he couldn’t do was control time,” he continued on.

“So, he began to kill creatures other than dragons for their souls in search of this . . . soul

of time. That’s when the kingdoms split and started the war. The kingdom where we are is called

Anthophyta. This is the kingdom that worshiped the king and obeyed his every command in

exchange for salvation. The other kingdoms of Zenith, the kingdom of sky, and Sauria, the

kingdom of cold, fought against the king. They tried, oh, but it didn’t last long. The king was

powerful beyond imagination. They were lucky just to get a glimpse of him as he would appear

everywhere without warning. The two rebelling kingdoms retreated from Dawn, but the king

hunted them, stealing more and more of their souls. Nobody knows for certain how the final

battle went. History ends there. Some say the king’s body couldn’t take so much power and that

the souls departed from him into the northern mountains, while others say the two kingdoms

gathered the wisest creatures they had and forged a weapon that could destroy the king. . . . It all

falls apart from there. The kingdoms never rejoined.”

“That’s why your bird was captured. He’s among the species of Zenith.” Bipp glanced at

Hugo. “The thing is . . . dragons were legendary for their souls. That’s why the king killed them

all. So, how is it that you’re alive? It’s impossible. Are you messing with me or something?”

Bipp asked.

Hugo’s head throbbed as talk about war and killing creatures for souls swirled around his

mind. “I’m not sure anymore,” Hugo murmured and stared at the ground. “What’s a soul?”

Bipp’s eyes gaped awake, and his ears shot upward. “Souls! They’re the most important

thing about a creature! How do you not know this stuff? Souls are the key binding of what makes

you . . . you! Everyone’s is different. Some may be similar, but not one is the same, like

personalities! The fun thing about souls is that they come with a special inborn ability. Dragons

were legendary for this. They would have souls powerful enough to cut mountains in half! Even

the Lord of Sauria has a soul ability rumored to control the very planet! But he’s a rare case.”

Bipp paused as a slight frown curved his cheeks.

“The bad thing about a soul though, is that you may never discover it. Some are lucky

and find their ability immediately after birth, while others wait a thousand years and never

discover it.” Bipp forced an awkward chuckle.

“It’s like it’s taunting you. You know it’s there, just waiting to be found, but I don’t know

how to find it.” He sniffled. “It’s not like there’s a map or compass to help me. And creatures

who have discovered their souls aren’t much help either, because every soul is different. Every

soul has its own way of being discovered.” Bipp fell into sorrowful silence as his eyes welled.

“I’m sorry, Hugo. I shouldn’t be so selfish, taking up most of the conversation. So, what

about you? Do you want to talk? You’ve been awfully quiet, and we’re almost at my house.”

Hugo didn’t know what to say. He had many more questions, but as Bipp’s nose twitched

in sorrow, Hugo’s chest fluttered with an odd churning. “What’s your name?” Hugo asked with a

gentle tone.

Bipp’s ears rose before he chuckled under his breath. “It’s Bipp. . . . I don’t have a last

name though. I never had a family house to call my own, so creatures just call me Bipp.”

“What do you like to do, Bipp?” Hugo asked.

While he wanted to find Sam, Hugo was becoming intrigued by Bipp and the lore of the

land. He could not help but want to learn more about this strange world that he and Sam were

thrust into.

Bipp sniffled and curled a slight grin as they approached a tiny cottage resting beyond a

few trees. The cottage had a small, fenced garden to its left. Two windows flickered with light

from candles situated on an inside table. The cottage was old; its wooden planks teemed with

moss and dirt. Even a few glowing mushrooms sprouted from its roof. “I’ll show you,” Bipp

said, then brushed his feet against a torn welcome mat.

He creaked open a rugged door, and Hugo smelled a pine-like scent mixed with boiled

carrots. “Welcome to my home.” Bipp smiled, then took the flickering candle and tilted it against

a fresh brighter-burning candle. Hugo peeked in, unsure if he could fit his body into such a cozy

house.

“Sorry about the mess. I’ve . . . never had a guest before. I keep the candles lit near my

windows as a welcome to travelers. But nobody ever comes.” He stared at the floor and spiraled

his finger on a table.

“Oh, and don’t worry about knocking anything over. I can’t afford anything expensive.

Most of this stuff I make myself.” Hugo squeezed through the door until over half his body was

in the cottage. “We should wait here till nightfall, so we can get your bird while everyone is

sleeping. . . . Do you care for some soup?” Bipp walked to a mud fireplace, which contained a

gurgling pot that hung above a few burning logs. He peeked under the lid and sniffed before a

smile fluffed his cheeks.

An irresistible steam wisped and curled about the room as a gentle pull of the doorway’s

air tugged the flavorful steam into Hugo’s snout. His legs wobbled from delight as his stomach

rumbled and croaked. He hadn’t eaten since Mary had made her tarts. And with his much larger

body, his lust for food grew beyond self-control. He didn’t even realize that his tongue was

flickering beyond his lips.

He glanced around the single-room cottage. The floor was spotted with dirt from the

garden. Vines and weeds sprouted from the walls and twisted their way toward the windows.

There was hardly any furniture. Though, just a hay bed and a flimsy table or two was enough for

this modest home. Hand-drawn maps and charts were scattered across nearly every inch of the

walls and floor. There were compasses and obscure attempts at space and star constellations,

which Hugo had never seen before.

“Should I just set this on the floor for you? I’m sorry; I’ve never met a quadruped before.

They’re rare in these parts, so please correct me if I’m rude in any way.” Bipp scooped some

soup with the largest wooden bowl he could find.

“Quadruped?” Hugo looked back at his body.

“Oh, right . . . you see, most creatures haven’t walked on all fours since . . . before the

king. Almost every creature you see, besides the Saurians, walk on two legs, like me.” Bipp

rocked on his heels and wiggled his large fluffy toes. “So, how would you like your soup?”

Hugo looked at the table and realized that he couldn’t possibly sit down; his body was too

long. “The floor’s fine,” Hugo murmured as the need for food rumbled his entire body.

Bipp leaned down and rested the large bowl in front of Hugo. He glanced down as the

scrumptious hot steam danced on his flickering tongue. It was simply boiled water with a few

chopped vegetables and miscellaneous herbs, but to Hugo’s snout, it was divine. He rested on the

floor and quickly inhaled the entire bowl.

Bipp chuckled. “I should’ve given you the entire pot.”

Hugo relaxed to his side. “So, are you a cartographer?” he asked, trying to get to know

the creature.

“Kind of, well . . . not exactly. It’s more of a hobby. I want to explore, to see the rest of

the world. I haven’t had the time to leave the village of Petal much because of work.” Bipp set

the boiling pot next to Hugo. “Careful, it’s hot.”

“Thank you,” Hugo said before he grabbed the pot and splashed his snout into the soup.

Bipp watched, amazed as Hugo seemed unaffected by the boiling liquids enveloping his face.

After only a second of gurgling, Hugo downed the entire pot and rested.

“You didn’t even blow on it!”

“It wasn’t that hot,” Hugo said. Bipp stood gawking at Hugo and the empty pot. “So, why

don’t you quit your job and go out and see the world?” Hugo asked.

Bipp glanced at a map of the planet resting on a table. “I can’t. I don’t exactly work for

coin. I work because the queen promised me that if I worked for her until she conquered the

other two kingdoms, she would help me find something I lost.”

“And what is so important that you’d give up wanting to explore?” Hugo asked. Bipp

grabbed the empty soup pot and hung it over the fireplace with a sigh.

“That’s . . . a bit private, if you don’t mind,” Bipp said with a sorrowful tone before

peeking out the window. “It’s almost dark out. I’ll quickly make you something to wear before

we get going.” Bipp grabbed a bundle of multi-colored fabrics and set them onto the small hay

bed. “So, what’s your story? Besides being from another planet and whatnot. What does the great

dragon, Hugo, like to do?” Bipp asked as he pulled up a needle and thread from a bedside

cupboard. Hugo sighed and glanced at a map of the planet. The planet itself seemed to be mostly

water. Only two primary continents rested parallel to each other.

“I’m nobody really. . . . Back home, Sam, the bird, is my only friend. For some reason,

nobody liked me. . . . Since our parents were saving for our future, they couldn’t afford to

homeschool both of us. So, I would go to school, only looking forward to coming home to see

him.” Hugo paused with a smile.

“We adopted Sam when he was young. But,” Hugo shivered. “I’d rather not talk much

about that. And you asked about me, not Sam. . . . I guess you could say I always wanted to be a

pilot or an astronaut, something that takes me up to see the stars.” He paused. “But I could never

do that. It would be lonely up there with the greatest sight in the universe and nobody to share it

with. . . . It’s just you, all alone. I couldn’t bear to do that, so I decided to go to college and study

astronomy. It’s a close second, I suppose, but this way, I could study space and be with Sam. But

by the looks of it, that didn’t turn out so great,” Hugo murmured.

Bipp paused and rested some fabrics on his lap. “So, you adopted the bird named Sam. . .

. So, he’s your brother, and that means you have a family, right?”

“Yup, it’s the two of us and our parents,” Hugo said.

Bipp smirked nervously and leaned forward with a sudden seriousness. “Before we go

out there . . . there’s something I need to ask you.” He paused with a sigh. “What exactly does

Sam mean to you? Because what we’re about to do may get us both killed. We’re defying the

queen, which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of doing. And for me to do that . . . you need

to have a really good reason.”

Hugo stared at the ground. Sam . . . He mused. “I– I’m sorry, I can’t describe it.”

“Please, try,” Bipp requested with a kind tone before Hugo looked at his empty claws and

remained silent for a while.

“When I hold him in my arms . . . I feel–” He paused as his snout stung. “Like my chest

is about to float. It’s so odd. . . . He makes me feel so warm . . . like I can melt just by looking at

those kind, shy eyes of his. . . . He is my brother, and I would give anything to help him.”

Hugo opened his mouth to continue before the tap of a needle hitting the ground, flicked

his ears. He looked at Bipp, who seemed frozen as his eyes were wide open. “Bipp?” Hugo said

before Bipp opened his trembling mouth.

“I’ve never heard anyone talk like that about someone,” Bipp murmured. “And he’s your

adopted brother?” He asked with a confused expression.

“Yes . . . why?” Hugo asked simply.

Bipp looked down at the needle and retrieved it from the floor. “It’s nothing. . . . I was

just thinking.” He paused for many moments while staring at his lap. “I’ll help you . . . but if we

get caught, I can’t promise much.” He paused in thought before he continued to sew. “So, back

to the conversation . . . about this pilot, can it really go up to see the stars?” he asked.

Hugo’s head tilted from curiousness as he looked at Bipp. “Right . . . different planet.”

He paused. “On our planet, we have these things called rocket ships and planes that allow us to

fly off the ground and go however high we want, within reason of course.”

“So, you don’t have to be a bird to fly?” Hugo nodded. “Wow. . . . Say, when I finish my

scouting career and get what the queen promised, could you take me to your planet? Not for

long, I would just like to fly myself if it were possible. And plus, I could fly with you, so you

don’t have to be alone,” Bipp asked with a nervous smile.

Hugo stared at the dirty floor. “I don’t even know how to get back home. Is there

anything you know of that could take us to another planet?”

Bipp chuckled. “Don’t be silly.” He waved his hand to brush away the question. “I

finished your . . . covering? May I have my scouting cloak back?” Bipp asked, then held up a

long patchy cloth of assorted colors that had more similarities to a bizarre quilt than to any article

of clothing.

“Oh . . . sure,” Hugo hesitated before he wriggled his awkward body from the cottage. He

squeezed his head from the doorway and glanced up before gawking at a sight to behold.

A large opening in the forest ahead showed a jaw-dropping night sky. Hugo couldn’t

believe his eyes as countless stars crowded the clear sky, and thousands of nebulae painted the

dark voids of space with their brilliant colors. Every bit of starlight and mushroom glow reflected

off his smooth scales. Hugo couldn’t move; even his eyes were stuck on the scene around him.

“This is . . .” he whispered. His entire body sank from the disbelief of the view.

“Curious, isn’t it?” Bipp said as he walked out the door.

“Curious?” Hugo spoke with apparent confusion.

“Oh, it’s just a word everybody say’s when we see something that’s beyond the

description of common words. Do they have that word on your planet?” Bipp asked.

“We do, but it means something else. . . . Does it look like this every night?” Hugo

murmured.

Bipp walked to Hugo and untied his scouting cloak. “Yup, every night. Don’t worry,

though. You'll get used to it.”

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Hugo whispered.

He was at a loss for words. The stars were so bright, he thought he could reach out and

touch them. To stay in this moment in time forever would almost be a dream come true.

Bipp walked to Hugo’s face. “Could you lower your head for me?” he asked while

holding up the strange cloth. Hugo did so, but never broke eye contact with the stars as the

moisture in his eyes mirrored the exact colors of space. “Alright, how does it feel?” Bipp asked,

then threw on his scout cloak and hid the scars around his body.

Hugo didn’t even notice that the cloth was on him. Compared to his hard, smooth scales,

the thin fabric was softer than air. Hugo glanced back at his shoulders. “A scarf?” he said in a

confused tone.

“Yeah, sorry. I didn’t have time to do much more. . . . You’re just . . . exceedingly long.

But at least it counts for modern formalities, so if we’re caught, nobody will look at you funny. .

. . I mean, besides the being a dragon part.”

The scarf was sewn well, despite its patchy pattern. And considering the little time it took

Bipp to make, it was rather wide and long, perfect for a creature of Hugo’s size. “Thank you,

Bipp,” Hugo said, trying to be kind.

Bipp chuckled with a smile. “I know it looks rough. But it will do for now until I have

time to make you something better.” He paused and looked back up at space. “We should get

going. Everybody should be asleep or wrapping up their patrols. We can save Sam.”

“Right,” Hugo said, walking forward while still gawking at the stars. Bipp closed the

door to his cottage before running to Hugo. “I hope he’s alright.”

Chapter 10: Family

The subtle pat of muffled weeping echoed from the hallway and tickled Hugo’s tired

ears. At first, he thought it was the rain causing a ruckus for the fourth time that night. His blue

eyes crept open, and he beheld multiple bright stars twinkling onto every inch of his bedroom

from his bedside nightlight.

“I can’t do this anymore! That was our third child!” a familiar voice sobbed beyond his

bedroom door. Hugo’s mind swam with curiosity before he quietly removed his blankets and

hopped out of bed.

“I don’t want Hugo to be alone! I want him to have a big family, one that can care for

him.” Hugo creaked open the door. He squinted at the bright hallway light pouring into his room.

“What about our plan on adopting?” A long silence fell as Hugo wobbled his way

through the living room and into the kitchen.

He glanced at Mary, who was sobbing with her hands over her face. “What’s wrong,

Mama?” Hugo asked in a shy tone. The look of his parent’s dismay made him worry.

Mary and Andrew flinched in surprise. “Hugo!” Mary recomposed herself with a messy

sniffle. “It’s nothing. Daddy and I were just talking about possible schools for you,” she lied.

Hugo looked at Mary’s quivering lips; her eyes were red and soaked. He ran to her leg

and hugged it. “What’s wrong, Mama?” he asked again.

Mary sniffled. “Oh, Hugo. I can never keep secrets from you. You’re too smart for that.”

She lifted Hugo and sat him on her lap. “We’ve tried to get you a brother or a sister, but it hasn’t

worked out so well.”

“Why not?” Hugo innocently asked.

Mary’s lips wobbled and struggled to hold back any emotions as she looked at Andrew,

who was also in tears. “Adoption . . . do we still have the paperwork?”

Andrew nodded after wiping his eyes. “Yeah, but are you sure? It’s a big decision,” he

asked.

Mary looked at Hugo, who politely listened. “I’m sure. I don’t think my heart can take

another loss.” She paused. “Tell me, Hugo, would you like a sibling?” Mary asked while trying

to muster all her energy to smile.

Hugo looked at Mary and said nothing for a long while as he pondered the question. “I–”

He paused and thought some more. “Yes . . . definitely.”

“Oh, definitely. Could you tell me why?” she asked, surprised at Hugo’s determined

response.

“Because . . . I want a friend.” A long silence voided the room. He was trying to find the

right words to match his emotions. “S-Someone I can hold close and know everything will be

alright,” he murmured with an embarrassed expression.

Mary smiled before she looked to Andrew. “What do you think we should do?”

“Let’s take a drive to think about it. I know it’s midnight, and it’s raining, but I doubt any

of us will sleep easy tonight. I think we should spend as much time as we need to be certain that

we’re making the right call,” Andrew suggested.

Mary rested Hugo onto the floor before she stood up. As she rose, she trembled and held

her stomach. “Driving sounds like a good idea. At least to get my mind off what’s happened.”

She looked down at Hugo with tears dripping off her cheeks. “Let’s get going.” She

walked toward the side door at the corner of the kitchen as Hugo wandered behind her. Andrew

grabbed the keys from the door rack and then pressed a button to open the garage door.

“Any place in particular you want to see tonight?” Andrew asked as he sat in the driver’s

seat.

Mary looked back at Hugo and sat next to Andrew. “How about we drive somewhere

where Hugo can see the stars at their brightest. A field perhaps, where no trees block the sky.

Hopefully, it’ll stop raining by then; it’s been going at it all night.”

Andrew smiled as the car started up. “Sounds like a great idea,” he said before they

pulled from the driveway and out into the open road. The drive was quiet besides the repeated

taps of rain on the windows. Not even the car radio buzzed amongst the war of thoughts that

battled in the air. Hugo looked up and out the window as they drove through the backways of a

small town spotted with late-night streetlamps. He expected to see a painting of glorious

twinkling space lights, but there was nothing but sorrowful clouds pouring their darkness onto

the streets.

“Mama, where are the stars?” Hugo asked.

As Mary glanced out the window, they passed a building covered with vines and marks

of age. It was similar to an old brick schoolhouse. In front of the building, was a shivering

scruffy-dressed lady on a bench. She had short ebony hair and wore a plaid dress beneath a

soaked tan trench coat. Her body shielded something wrapped in a green blanket. “Andrew, stop

the car,” Mary commanded.

“Uh, okay,” Andrew spoke, confused. He slowed the car down in front of the building.

Mary rolled down her window and yelled over the rumbling of the rain. “You need a

ride?” she shouted from across the road. The lady didn’t move.

“What are you doing, Mary? We don’t–” Mary unbuckled and leapt from the car onto the

street. “Mary!” Andrew shouted. Hugo stared out the backseat window as Mary walked to the

bench.

“Hey, this is no weather to be sitting in. Would you like us to take you somewhere warm?

It’s dry in the car,” she offered with a loud tone, trying to overtake the rattling of heavy rain

stinging at her side.

The lady peeked up. Tears were dripping down her face. “Your offer is very kind, but I

have nowhere to go. My home was invaded by something I can’t describe. It set fire to

everything I hold dear.” Her face scrunched as she spoke her next words.

“It even killed my husband. . . . I managed to save our child, Saiai. But with everything

gone, I can’t take care of him. That’s why I’m here; I’m waiting for this orphanage to open.”

It was obvious to Mary that every word the lady spoke came with great pain. Her teeth

gnashed as she tried to hold back her emotions. “That house took us so long to afford. We almost

made it. . . . We almost had a family.” She stared at the rain-soaked sidewalk.

“If it wasn’t for that monster!” she growled and looked up; terror was in her narrow green

eyes. “It looked right at me with those eyes . . . those soulless eyes. It had no face; it had . . .

nothing but darkness. I still don’t know what it was after.” She looked at little Saiai, who slept in

a cozy blanket upon her lap. “I’m just glad you’re safe.”

Mary stood in silence for a long while. She was not sure how to handle what the lady was

telling her, but she knew that she wanted to help in any way possible. “You could come home

with us. There’s no reason anyone should spend the night out in the rain.”

“But I have to wait for the orphanage to open. I need Saiai to be somewhere safe from

now on. Even if I got the house back, it would still be impossible to afford a family,” the lady

wept.

Mary looked back at the car. Andrew and Hugo were staring at her, waiting for her next

move. “Please, I insist. Come home with us. We will take care of you until you get back on your

feet,” she demanded.

The lady stared at Mary with an expression of disbelief. “But, why–” She instantly

slapped her lips shut and looked at Mary’s kind eyes. “Thank you. You don’t know how much

this means to me,” she said before painfully standing. Her legs were frozen from the soaking

rain. “My name’s Ai.”

“My name’s Mary, and that’s my husband, Andrew, and my son, Hugo.” Both Hugo and

Andrew waved from the car as Mary pointed to them. Ai followed Mary to the car and sat in the

back seat next to Hugo. Mary sat in the passenger’s seat, and they began their trip back home.

Ai dripped for miles, soaking Hugo as he sat politely quiet. Hugo pressed his body

against the door to give her space. But as Ai sat next to him, he couldn’t help but stare at Saiai.

“Who is that?” Hugo pointed.

Ai glanced at Hugo, who was sitting in a booster seat. “His name’s Saiai; he’s my son.”

“Saiee?” Hugo tried to pronounce the name but failed. With every attempt, the name

sounded further from its origin. “Say, Saw, See?” he tried.

Ai giggled before looking at Mary and Andrew. “I don’t mean to sound intrusive, but

what were you doing out at this time of night?”

Mary froze. She had almost forgotten the reason. Her cheeks blushed red as she looked

back at Ai. “We wanted to think if adopting a child was best for us.”

Mary looked down, her lips curled in a way that expressed her disappointment. “You see

. . . I can’t have another child. But I want Hugo to not feel so lonely while Andrew’s at work and

I’m running errands. So, we all decided to take the night and think about it,” she explained.

Ai looked down at Saiai. “I understand. . . . So, it wasn’t a coincidence that we met

today,” she whispered with a smile before Hugo tilted his head in concern.

It wasn’t long before they arrived back at the Atlas household. Hugo frequently glanced

at the sky in an attempt to see the stars, but the sky was darker than ever. Andrew led Ai through

the house and showed her every room, from the kitchen to the living room, and even Hugo’s

bedroom.

“This is lovely; I couldn’t think of a cozier home,” Ai said with a joyful smile.

Meanwhile, Mary made an experimental recipe of blueberry tarts. The scent of toasted

dough and the sweetness of blueberries softened the air along with the sizzling crackle of melted

butter on her skillet.

“Be gentle with the reviews; it’s almost two in the morning, and I’m getting rather tired,”

Mary said as she set a misshapen pyramid of tarts on the table. Andrew retrieved an extra chair

for Ai as they all gathered around. He then walked to the living room to unfold the couch into a

bed.

Ai wiped the tears from her face. “You’re all so kind; I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say a thing; we’re happy to help,” Mary said, distributing the plates.

Ai sniffled and spoon-fed Saiai the blueberries. He seemed to really like them. “Where

should Saiai sleep? I don’t mean to be a bother but–”

“He can have my bed,” Hugo interrupted without hesitation.

Ai instantly gazed at Hugo with a surprised expression. “Thank you, but where would

you sleep?”

“On the floor,” Hugo said simply before he took a bite from a tart.

“You’re willing to sleep on the floor for my son?” She paused and stared into Hugo’s

blue eyes. “This family . . . tell me, if Saiai were your brother, would you protect him and love

him more than anything in the world?”

“Wait. What are you saying?” Mary asked with haste.

Before Hugo could respond with the obvious answer, a tingling shock rose from the tip of

his toes and into his chest. It was warm and yet somewhat refreshing, as if he had just awakened

from a perfect slumber. “I would,” Hugo said.

Ai smiled. “Good. That’s all I needed to hear.” She looked down at Saiai. “I’m so happy

that you found a family as great as this one.”

“What are you talking about!” Mary shook the table with her thunderous question.

“Is it okay if you adopted Saiai? It’s kind of you to try to help me get on my feet, but I

know that will never happen. However, I do know that this, right here, is where Saiai belongs.”

Mary clenched her chest and staggered back as if she were having a heart attack. “You

want us to adopt him?”

Ai nodded as tears of joy dripped from her chin. “You’re all so kind; you have such a

warm and cozy home, and you’re willing to help someone you just met. There’s nobody I’d

rather see raising my son.”

“Andrew, get in here!” Mary shouted before Andrew ran into the kitchen and nearly

tripped over himself.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Ai wants us to adopt Saiai!”

Andrew gasped and covered his mouth in surprise. It took him a while to process what he

had just been told. “Are you sure? This is one of the biggest decisions you can make. And you’re

deciding it based on a few hours with us?” Andrew said in disbelief.

“I know it sounds crazy, but since my husband died, I knew Saiai’s life would be a

difficult one.” Ai looked at Hugo. “But if you were to care for him, I’m sure he’d live a happy

life around those who can truly keep him well. . . . Here, he can have a place to call home.” She

stared down at Saiai, and tears flowed into her smile. “Please . . . will you accept him?”

The room was silent. Even the rain seemed to cease as a million thoughts clashed in

everyone’s mind. Hugo stood and walked to Ai’s side. “What would you do . . . if I said no?” he

asked with an unexpected seriousness.

Ai flinched before she trembled with worry. “I . . . don’t know. I wouldn’t be able to take

care of him, even with all your support, I . . . can’t.” She wiped fresh tears from her vision. “I’m

not good enough to raise a child. I can barely keep care of myself! My home was burned; my

husband was killed! It’s just me . . . and I just can’t do it. If you said no, I would have no other

option than to bring him to the orphanage.”

Hugo stared at Saiai and tried hard to articulate his thoughts. “The reason I ask is . . .

nobody should ever have to give up someone they love . . . especially their child.” He paused as

his young mind scrambled. “I would love a brother, but I would feel bad knowing you love him

just as much, if not more . . . and had to give him away.”

Ai curiously squinted at Hugo’s eyes. “It’s because I love him that I wish for you to care

for him.” She sniffled.

Hugo looked at Mary and Andrew for guidance before they smiled. His heart pounded in

his chest as he gazed at Saiai. “Then I promise to protect him and love him more than anything in

the world,” he promised, fully intending to keep to his word. Never in his life had he been more

serious; never had he felt such emotion towards someone like Saiai. Love. Hugo looked at Saiai,

knowing that word was only to be used if he truly meant it.

Ai stared down at Hugo. Her eyes overflowed with tears. “Thank you. . . . Thank you so

much,” she wept.

Nobody wanted to say another word as happiness silenced their thoughts. Many moments

passed before their late-night drowsiness weighed on their strength. Andrew yawned and glanced

at the oven timer. It was two o’clock in the morning.

“How about we all get some sleep? It’s been an eventful night, and there will be plenty of

time tomorrow to discuss the paperwork. Hugo can show you where Saiai will be sleeping.

Come on, Mary. Let’s get some shut-eye.”

Mary kissed Hugo goodnight on the forehead before she and Andrew walked to their

room. Hugo plucked one last tart from the pyramid before Ai stood and followed him to his

room, which was still illuminated by his nightlight. He quickly began to organize the covers on

his bed for Saiai.

“You know . . . you impressed me today. I never would’ve thought someone as young as

you could show such . . . kindness. . . . Since he’s going to be your brother, and you can’t

pronounce his name quite yet, how about a nickname, something close to Saiai? I’ll let you

choose.”

Hugo didn’t know what to think. He was so tired that he struggled to keep his eyes open.

He thought aloud and took a bite from the tart that he brought with him. “Saa-mff.” He blinked

and paused for a moment as he stared at the blueberry tart. “Sam?” He pondered some more.

“Sam,” he stated as he stared at Saiai.

Ai giggled. “Sam. Well, that sounds lovely.” She looked down at him. “Sam.” She

paused with a quivering smile. “Would you like to bring him to bed? Don’t worry; I feel like I

can trust you more than anyone.”

Hugo set the remainder of the tart to the side and questioned if it was a good idea, but he

couldn’t say no. As he looked at Sam, he wanted to hold him close, to finally have a brother. “I’d

. . . love to,” he murmured.

Ai gently rested Sam into Hugo’s arms. Hugo’s chest sank, and his nose stung with sheer

joy as he felt the warmth of Sam in his arms. Even though Hugo was beyond tired, holding Sam

gifted him with a boost of joy. His eyes welled, and his nose dribbled snot. “I–” Hugo couldn’t

speak; he couldn’t move as he wanted to stay in that moment forever. “Thank you so much,” he

wept.

Ai smiled. “Why are you thanking me? I should be thanking–” She paused as she stared

at Hugo’s eyes. “You feel it, don’t you?” she whispered and looked deeper into Hugo’s blue eyes

as tears ran down his cheeks. “You . . .” She fell silent for what seemed like an eternity. “I think

it’s time for bed.”

Hugo rested Sam onto his bed and gently rolled a light blanket over him. He then took his

heavier starry blanket and laid it across the floor before he stood over it, about to collapse.

Ai knelt next to Hugo and hugged him tight as he continued to gawk at Sam. “This is

where I pass the torch to you. Wield it well. And always remember your promise.”

Hugo’s chest fluttered with an odd churning, almost like a void he didn’t know existed,

filled with a gentle warmth. “To protect him and love him more than anything in the world,” he

said.

Ai giggled. “You’ll be a great brother. And I promise, if you ever need any help, I’ll

always be close by.” Ai slowly released Hugo and stumbled back before standing with one hand

against the wall for support.

With the remainder of his energy, he glanced at Ai before she left the room. She looked

back at Sam and him with a smile. “Take care. I’ll come back to check if everything’s alright

after dawn.” As Hugo looked at Ai’s eyes, he felt the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. The

feeling was something like he never felt before. His heart thumped with an unfamiliar beat

before he collapsed onto his blanket. His eyelids sank, and his vision closed around Sam.

Whatever this feeling was, he wanted to keep it forever.

Chapter 11: A Taste of Fire

Sam shivered from the biting frost eating at his flesh. His body was beginning to go

numb. Wounds along his legs swelled from the toxic rust of the scratchy cell bars. The dirt in his

beak slushed into mud as his saliva mixed enough for him to gulp down the granular sludge. He

gagged, wishing to breathe freely more than anything. He wanted to cry, but couldn’t, for he had

drained all the tears from his system hours ago. Sam leaned against the corner of the cell and

listened to his blood drip. It tapped against the sanguine rust, adding to the collection of those

before him.

The room was shrouded in absolute darkness. Even with his evolved eyes, Sam struggled

to spot the end of his beak. A deep void in his chest webbed throughout his body as if he were

nothing more than a hollow shell, begging for dismissal. He held his breath for as long as he

could until he passed out. Unfortunately, it was only for a few moments of peace.

A loud belch erupted from outside, and before Sam knew it, the shack door slammed

against the wall, and the elk wobbled through. He had no armor, only tattered pants tucked below

a profound gut, enormous enough to fit a full cow. “Man, that was good.” He patted his stomach

and waddled toward the cell.

Sam stared at the steel bars, devoid of any emotion.

“Hey, little bird. It’s warmer outside; I even have a fire going. Would you care to join?”

the elk asked in a playful tone. “Oh, the ribbon. Silly me.” The elk waddled over and opened the

cell before untying Sam’s beak. “There you go, little bird,” he said as the ribbon fell to the

ground. “Come on; it’s cold in here. You shouldn’t have to worry about freezing to death.”

100

Sam glared at the elk with his magnified eyes and examined every inch of the disgusting

creature.

“Ok, I know I mistreated you, but that’s part of the job. This war man, it gets the better of

us all.” The elk held out his hand towards Sam. “Come on; I even have leftover blueberries.”

Sam slowly inhaled, interrupting his process to pass out. “I can't move my legs or my

wings. They’re frozen, broken, and swelling from infections,” he muttered.

The elk looked down at Sam’s legs. His right leg had his knee cracked far in the opposite

direction, while his left had a massive gouge that was oozing green slime. “Yikes, that does look

bad. . . . I’ll just carry you,” the elk said before he lifted Sam above his shoulder.

As the elk carried him outside, a wave of warmth softened Sam’s tense flesh. He walked

to a fire pit next to a rugged wooden table. On top of the table were displayed various fruits of

different kinds. Sam stared at the ground without a blink. He was lost in thought as he ignored

the beauty of the night sky above him.

I don’t trust this . . . thing for a second; not after what he did to me.

The elk laid Sam on a log next to the fire. Sam instinctively leaned closer to the flame

before his cheeks blushed from the immense heat. He wanted to feel something, anything that

wasn’t pain, and the crackling fire brought a familiar warmth that reminded him of Mary’s gentle

yet strong embrace. As Sam warmed, the elk grabbed some blueberries and placed them into a

wooden bowl. “Here, I heard birds like berries.” The elk laid the bowl near Sam and sat beside

him on the dry log.

101

The heat from the fire warmed the numbing frost from Sam’s body. His skin tingled as he

began to feel his wounds again. And before he knew it, his right leg tightened and stung.

Strangely, his left leg felt nothing but the subtle warmth of fire. Sam slowly sat upright and

cradled the bowl of blueberries in his trembling wings.

“Good thing you can move again. You feel any better?” the elk asked.

Sam lifted the bowl and opened his beak, allowing the blueberries to pour in and roll

against his muddy tongue. He closed his beak and pressed the blueberries against its hard

interior. The sweet cool flow of the juices slithered to the back of his tongue and down his throat.

Sam closed his eyes and couldn’t help but smile. The sweetness of blueberries brought back the

memory of home and the blueberry breakfasts Mary made for him. He wanted to cry, but even

now, he couldn’t. He missed home, but more than anything, he missed his mom. His beak

quivered as his wet eyes opened and twinkled in the light of the fire. “I only wanted to go home,”

Sam whispered.

“I'm sorry, little bird, but the queen’s rules are beyond me. If I were to let you go, then I

would be in the same boat as you,” the elk said as he stared at the fire.

“I understand,” Sam sniffled.

The elk stood with a smirk. “That’s good.”

He walked in front of Sam before blocking him from the warmth. The elk’s large shadow

swallowed Sam. He stunk like sour mold. Sam took the last blueberry and gulped down its sweet

juices. He sighed before looking at his legs. At this point, he was too exhausted to even care how

badly they were mangled.

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I knew it was too good to be true.

“I think after being in that bitter cage for so long, you should get closer to the fire and

heat up,” the elk said.

Before Sam knew it, the elk wrapped his meaty hand around his beak before he could

squawk and launched him from the ground before shoving him into the fire. Sam screamed and

pushed against molten wood with his wings, but he was too weak, too small, too useless. The elk

continued to feed the fire with Sam’s body as he pressed his large hoof onto Sam’s back, shoving

him deeper into the heart of the fire. Sam met with splintering magma. His skin boiled while his

nerves crackled and screamed. Sam’s vision fogged into burning blindness as a stinging miasma

of smog rooted in his eyes. His wings gave way before he collapsed onto the molten crackling

wood. Embers rose around him, signaling a disturbance in the fire. He screamed one last time

before the fire robbed his lungs of precious air.

“Nooooo!” A loud screech shook the ground beneath them as Hugo charged into the elk

with his horns. The elk toppled back as his hoof rose from Sam.

Bipp sprinted around the corner and pulled Sam from the fire. “Please be alright,” Bipp

said as he doused out the burning feathers on Sam’s body with the warm, dry dirt around them.

Sam choked and gagged, trying to expel the smoke from his lungs.

“What the! What is that thing?” The elk stumbled up and ran toward the village center as

Hugo weaved at him in haste.

Hugo raised his claw and slashed at the elk’s legs, ripping through his skin and forcing

him to fall to his knees. The elk gave out a loud yell before Hugo’s horns rammed against his

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thick skull, rendering him unconscious. Hugo veered back to Sam, whose body was broken, cut,

and burnt.

“Oh, no. Sam . . .” Hugo murmured as tears welled in his eyes.

He didn’t want to believe what he saw. The sight of Sam’s left leg alone made him gag.

But to see his brother in such a state felt like a dagger in his chest. Sam’s eyes were pinned shut.

He was trying to stop the blinding sting of lava from crackling in them, but every time he opened

them, all he saw and felt was fire. Most of his feathers crackled and were charred blacker than

the deepest voids of the night sky.

“I’ll be right back.” Bipp sprinted toward the center of the village.

“I'm so sorry, Sam. I should’ve been here for you,” Hugo wept.

Sam’s skin continued to boil. His neck begged him to scream, but instead, his lungs

forced out the smoke with throat-tearing coughs. Bipp veered around the corner with a wooden

pail that was filled to the brim with fresh water. He grabbed the wooden blueberry bowl and

scooped it full of water.

“Here, drink this; it’ll help clear the smoke from your throat,” Bipp insisted.

Sam gulped to stop coughing before Bipp poured cool water down his throat. The water

felt like heaven as it washed away the stinging pain in his throat.

“More,” Sam begged.

Bipp swiftly scooped and poured out more for Sam, who was breathing just enough to

stay conscious. Bipp then dipped his hands in the water pail before rubbing and squeezing the

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dirt from Sam’s wounds. Sam instantly screamed, but after a few moments of pain, Bipp’s soft

massaging hands began to feel soothing.

“What happened to you?” Hugo sniffled.

Sam said nothing in response. He only lay there as his body twitched from occasional

spikes of pain. He opened his eyes, trying to see Hugo.

Where were you?

His eyes burned blood red. Only a smoked haze of blurred colors occupied his sight.

Bipp looked at Sam’s eyes. “This may sting, but it should wash out the smoke,” he said

before dripping water against the rim of Sam’s beak, allowing a gentle flow to pool into his eyes.

As the cool fluid drowned the ash, a relentless pain swirled his vision, forcing him to scream.

“What's with the yelling? I'm trying to sleep here!” a voice roared from the darkness.

Hugo and Bipp flinched as a black cat crept from the corner of the hut next to them. The

cat rubbed his eyes as if he had just awakened.

“Oh, no,” Bipp whispered.

After the cat opened his eyes, he screamed as Sam and Hugo caught his sight.

Bipp carefully lifted Sam over his shoulder. “We have to move now!” Bipp yelled and

dashed toward the forest.

Hugo stumbled after him. As they ran, doors creaked open by tired villagers. Hugo

bumped into frightened creatures as they walked from their houses, and he quickly lost sight of

Bipp as the crowd blocked his vision.

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“Sam!” Hugo shouted as the creatures stared at him.

“Is that a dragon?” they asked.

Before Hugo could attempt to reach Bipp, the villagers began to grab hold of him. He

clawed at the stone path, trying to resist the villagers. But then, a deep voice chuckled behind

him.

“It’s been a while since someone’s hit me that hard. You’re a real fighter, ain’t ya?” the

elk said, then curled his arm and punched the side of Hugo’s head.

The force of the blow made Hugo stagger. Soon enough, everything spun into dizziness.

“Sam!” he cried before the elk limped to his front and punched him square between the eyes,

knocking him out.

Bipp neared the edge of the forest. “Stop!” a smooth, yet powerful voice yelled from

behind. Bipp veered his head at Princess Ella and a gathering of armed villagers rumbling toward

him. Quick footsteps tapped behind him, and before he knew it, the cheetah that arrested Sam

tripped Bipp, causing him to stumble. “What are ya doin, Bipp? Are ya nuts!”

Bipp grumbled and patted the grass off his hands and cloak as he stood back up. “Please,

just let us go,” Bipp requested, then looked back at Sam to make sure he was alright.

“I can’t let ya go! If the queen found out, I’d get killed!” the cheetah spoke before Ella

and her knights circled Bipp.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Ella asked.

Bipp turned and looked at her daisy fur glistening with an amethyst hue of moonlight.

“Birds aren’t bad! Whatever your mother taught you is wrong!” Bipp withdrew his silver dagger.

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It wobbled in his hand as if he was unsure of himself. “Please let us go! You don’t want to fight

me! You know I’ll kill you!”

Sam flinched at those words as Ella raised her palms above her shoulders to show she

meant no harm. “Easy, Bipp. I know you don’t want this, and there’s no need to fight. We

already have the dragon, so come peacefully, and the queen may show mercy on you.”

Bipp sighed, then stared toward the twinkling night sky. “I’m sorry, Hugo. I can’t go

against her like this. . . . I need her promise.”

Promise? Sam wondered.

Bipp glanced at Ella and slid his dagger back into its sheath. “Alright. You win. Just

know that your mother needs to stop this violence. The other two kingdoms will allow peace if

she would simply ask for it.”

Ella’s ocean blue eyes drooped before she looked at Sam, lying before her, broken and

burnt. “I know, Bipp. But even I cannot disobey her law. . . .” She walked to Bipp and leaned

close to his ears. “Please, Bipp, would you carry him? I don’t trust any of my knights with such a

delicate creature,” she whispered and then walked back to Petal with her nose pointed at the

ground. After Bipp aided Sam and cradled him in his arms, the cheetah poked at his back with

his spear before escorting them back toward Petal.

Every creature they passed glared at Sam as if he were a demon. They threw dirt and

rocks at him while Bipp tried his best to repel them.

“Stop! He’s hurt enough as it is!” Bipp yelled.

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They returned to the center of Petal, near where they had first rescued Sam from the fire.

Hugo was being held inside a caged wagon with thick steel bars. Chains bound his claws while

his neck and tail were cuffed against every wall of the cramped cell. His body looped twice,

occupying most of its space. The villagers stood a few feet away to create a path to the wagon

and gawk at the event. Bipp sighed and ascended the stairs into the wagon before climbing over

Hugo and resting Sam in the corner against the bars.

“Sam?” Hugo murmured as he woke.

“Ya always were the odd one, weren’t ya,” the cheetah said as he bound Bipp’s hands

above his head.

Bipp sat on top of Hugo’s tail and torso in absolute silence while staring at the floor. The

cheetah cuffed Sam’s talons, then walked out of the wagon and locked the barred door behind

him.

“I’m sorry, guys; I thought that would’ve gone smoother,” Bipp muttered.

Ella walked to the cage and looked at Bipp. “Take care of these two. I know about the

promise you made to my mother, but please, reconsider its cost. I know you can help.”

Bipp sighed before staring at Hugo. “I know, but it’s . . . complicated,” he murmured.

“With my mother, it’s always complicated.” Ella frowned and looked at Sam’s leg. “You

have the Arch. . . . I’m so sorry, but if you’re lucky, you won’t feel a thing. And in this kingdom,

that might be the greatest gift anyone can give you,” she said before she walked away with her

fingers curled.

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At that moment, Sam wept. All had become stripped from him in less than a day. The

memory of being human faded into nothing more than an odd imagination. He could barely

remember what a human even looked like. “I just wanted to go home. . . . Was that so much to

ask?”

Those words echoed in Hugo’s mind as he regained consciousness. The promise he made

to Sam to bring him home could not be fulfilled. “I’m sorry, Sam. I can’t do anything; I don’t

even know how to get home if we were to be set free.”

He immediately regretted saying those words. I can’t do anything. He glanced around,

observing the worst place imaginable: locked in a cage, being sent to the unknown. Sam was

broken and burnt until even his personality changed. “I’m sorry,” Hugo said as his chest knotted

and weighed. He drooped until the chains pulled against him. His heart slowed as thoughts of

doom swam in his mind. Then, a large elephant man walked alongside the wagon and grunted

when he reached the front.

Bipp noticed an amber light emerging from the darkness on the horizon. “It’s morning,”

he murmured.

The elephant grabbed the wagon’s tongue and yanked the wagon forward. Without

hesitation, the elephant pulled them along the path.

Bipp kindly observed Sam. “So, Hugo, this is your brother, Sam?”

Hugo kept his head down. “Yeah, that’s Sam,” he said sorrowfully.

Bipp raised his large foot in an attempt to shake Sam’s wing. “Hello, Sam, I’m Bipp. It’s

nice to meet you,” he said with a confident smile.

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Sam glared at Bipp while still blinking away the remaining blur. “Are you serious?” he

growled.

Bipp sighed and rested his foot against the floor. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to lighten the

mood. Hugo told me a lot about you. It’s rather interesting how much you mean to him.”

Sam glared at Hugo. “So, while I was locked in a cage, you were socializing with a

rabbit?” Sam noticed Hugo’s patchy scarf and his frown sinking deeper. “What, am I too small

now to be noticed by someone as great as a dragon?” Sam grunted, then observed that even Bipp

doubled his size.

“No, Sam, that’s not . . .”

“What is it? Spit it out!” Sam coughed. His throat still scratched and burned with every

breath.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. I wish I could take you home right now, but I

don’t know how to get home, and . . . your leg, it’s poisoned by that sea monster. We need to

find a cure, or you’ll die,” Hugo said as Bipp’s ear twitched. Sam stared at his throbbing leg as

green goop continued to seep from the gash.

“There isn’t a cure,” Bipp murmured before a long silence rang Hugo and Sam’s mind.

“What! There’s no cure?” Hugo yelled.

“From what I’ve heard about the Arch, nobody has ever received a cure; they’ve all died.

But it doesn’t mean that we can’t find a cure. We just have to look harder than those in the past.”

“We can’t look! We’re in a cage! Why didn’t you say anything before?” Hugo growled.

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“Because he’s your brother, I figured it didn’t matter. If my brother was in trouble, I

wouldn’t hesitate to help him even if there was no hope. You even said it yourself that you

would give anything to help him.”

Sam’s head turned toward Bipp. “Why are you helping us?” he asked with a scowl.

Bipp’s neck sank into his shoulders as if he were discomforted by the question.

Hugo looked at Bipp with a forgiving expression. “He’s not like the other creatures. He’s

been kind to us; I’m sure he has his reasons, but let’s not–”

Sam scoffed and reclined his back against the corner of the cell. “I don’t believe that for a

second. He threatened to kill that white fox! He’s just as sick and violent as the rest of them.”

Bipp gulped and raised his knees against his nose to hide behind them.

“I’m sure he was trying to protect you. He also helped me find you. I’d say he’s earned

my trust,” Hugo said while trying to respect Bipp’s privacy. Sam sighed before staring down the

path through the forest ahead.

Oh, Hugo . . . these monsters are not worthy of our trust.

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Chapter 12: At the End of a Rope

The midday sunlight twinkled through the giant leaves above. Drops of morning dew still

fell from tree branches and dinged against the cell bars. A brisk wind occasionally weaved

through Hugo’s back fur and Sam’s feathers, keeping them from sleeping long. There was a

clearing ahead that caught Hugo’s eye. He looked ahead and continued his conversation with

Bipp about where they were going.

“Are we close to this, Rafflesia, you keep mentioning?” Hugo asked.

“We’re almost there. Don’t worry; you’ll smell it when we get close. I only come here

when the queen asks for me specifically.” Bipp glanced at Sam, who was lying against the corner

of the wagon, half asleep. “What is your family like?”

Hugo tilted his head. He wondered why Bipp wanted to know. “Well, it’s just like any

other family, I suppose. We each have our own oddities, but that’s what makes it special. My dad

is the supportive friend; my mom, the loving baker; Sam, the history nerd; and me, I’m the space

nut.” Hugo snuck a chuckle as his family memories warmed him.

Bipp looked at Hugo and smiled. “You somehow all fit together. Even Sam, who was

adopted, he still fits in?”

“Oh, definitely. He especially fits in with our mom and me. I mean, I’m only his brother,

but our mom and him . . . there’s never a gloomy moment if they’re in the same room. She

always says there’s nothing greater than a mother’s love for her child.”

Bipp smirked. “You’re only his brother, huh?”

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Hugo stared at Sam with a comforting smile as they approached a clearing. Suddenly, an

alluring calm waved over their senses as a scent sweeter than honey roused the air. They passed

the forest’s last mammoth tree before sunlight collapsed from above onto an unimaginable

valley, overflowing with flowers. Hugo gawked at the sight of what seemed like a million

species of flowers dotting the landscape before them. There wasn’t a single flower like another.

“Welcome to King’s Garden,” Bipp said nervously.

Hugo couldn’t even process what he was seeing. His snout and his eyes were

overwhelmed by the landscape. As the scent snuck into Sam’s nares, he peeked open his left eye

and was blinded by an endless rainbow of colors. He couldn’t help but sit up and deeply inhale

the calming scents. He almost smiled from the pleasant aromas before him, until a sudden stench

like iron and coal invaded his lungs.

“What is that?” Sam coughed and covered his beak with his wings.

“Rafflesia, the capital,” Bipp grumbled.

Sam squinted toward the center of the valley, where a large city loomed. The city was

difficult to see as a haze of black smog engulfed it. There was a large cobblestone wall

surrounding it, along with a murky moat. Even with his strong vision, Sam struggled to spot the

hay rooftops that peaked over the surrounding wall. These were nestled at the bottom of a large

hill, which was crowned on top by an enormous stone castle.

Hugo and Bipp gagged as they struggled to breathe. With Bipp’s hands bound, he

brought his knees to his nose and breathed slowly. Hugo’s only option with his limbs chained

was to hold his breath until his lungs begged for air.

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“That’s the capital?” Hugo coughed.

Bipp nodded as his face scrunched. The stench of the smog grew so thick that Sam’s

throat and lungs itched inside him. Fresh air was quickly becoming a scarce luxury. “How does

anyone survive this?” Hugo gaged.

The harsh and bitter air reminded Sam of breathing in ash from the fire. But compared to

that, the smog from the capital was almost pleasant. Hugo and Bipp choked as they approached

the main gate. Two guards, armored in dusty platinum, glared wickedly at them as they passed

through. From the market booths to a nearby watermill, everything was covered in a thick layer

of gray and black dust. The ground crunched under the wagon’s wheels as if it were rolling over

a sheet of snow. Every creature that passed had a cloth around their mouth simply to survive.

Hugo’s head pounded into an unbearable headache, and his lungs shriveled like raisins while

sucking in the dust. He wasn’t getting the air he needed for his large body. The wagon stopped,

and the elephant set the wagon’s tongue down.

“Please, get us out of here; we can’t breathe!” Hugo begged.

“If you can talk, you can breathe,” the elephant said before he walked around the wagon

and opened the cell with his trunk. “They’re all yours, General,” the elephant grunted as a snow

leopard appeared from out of a nearby gathering of civilians.

The snow leopard was armored in decorated platinum, with a purple shawl draped around

her shoulders. Her black-spotted fur blended in well with the wretched environment, but that was

the only compliment Sam could think of.

“Thank you. You are dismissed,” she said with a firm and commanding tone as she

walked with sophisticated poise.

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The elephant bowed before walking toward the bridge out of town. “I am General Lamia;

if you call me anything else, you will be whipped.” She unveiled a whip made from chains and

glass shards. “You will work in the mines until your bones–” She paused as her eyes shifted and

fixed on the wagon. “Is that a dragon?” she whispered to herself before she walked into the cell

and grabbed Hugo by his horns. “Finally, something interesting.”

“What are you doing?” Hugo coughed.

Lamia brought two fingers against her lips and whistled. “You’re going to the queen.”

She then glared at Bipp. “What are you doing here, Bipp?” she spat.

Bipp looked at the cage floor with a frown. “I tried to help them escape from Princess

Ella.”

Lamia scoffed as five armed guards marched to the wagon. “Take this dragon and Bipp to

the palace for the queen to see. If they give you any trouble, kill them.”

Hugo growled. “Wait! What about Sam? What are you going to do with him?”

Lamia veered around and whipped Hugo repeatedly. Each thrash embedding his scales

with broken glass and shredding through Bipp’s home-made scarf.

“What was that?” she asked while leaning close to Hugo with a hand at her ear.

Hugo dug his claws into the wooden floor of the wagon and grimaced from pain. “I won’t

let you–”

She punched Hugo on the snout with her armored hands until a subtle yet definitive crack

shifted Hugo’s snout.

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“Hugo, stop! I’ll be fine. Don’t kill yourself over me,” Sam spoke before two guards

uncuffed him and Bipp.

Lamia laughed. “Hugo, is it? What a stupid name for a dragon. But you should listen to

the tiny bird.” She turned toward her men. “He should be no trouble now that I’ve made my

adjustments. I’ll take the bird.” Bipp stood and hopped out of the wagon without any resistance.

“Come on, bird!” Lamia demanded.

Sam glared at her face. “I can’t; my legs are gone.”

Lamia looked down at Sam’s legs and observed the broken bones and large gash, oozing

green goop. “Oh, you have the Arch. . . . You’re a lucky one. But like I said with the dragon and

Bipp, if you give me any trouble, I’ll kill you.” Sam rolled his eyes. “Now, bird!” Lamia grabbed

Sam by the neck and easily lifted him from the floor. “Why are you so small? I don’t know if

you’ll be any use to me.”

“Sam, please,” Hugo murmured.

Lamia turned around and stomped on Hugo’s face with her ironclad boot. A thundering

crack jolted Hugo’s snout before his face swelled into an ugly sight. Blood was pouring from his

nares as four unoccupied knights uncuffed him. They then proceeded to grab him by the tail and

yank him from the cell.

“You’re wasting my time, bird!”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” Sam said coldly.

Lamia squeezed his throat in anger and chucked him from the cell onto the dust-covered

road.

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“Sam,” Hugo half-consciously murmured before the knights dragged him and Bipp away.

“You have some nerve, bird; I’ll give you that.” Lamia jumped from the wagon with a

heavy thud. “Get up.”

“I can’t!” Lamia lifted Sam and slammed his talons flat on the ground, forcing him to

stand. His legs cracked, and his broken bones bulged under his leathery skin. “Stop!” Sam yelled

before Lamia punched him on the beak, staggering him and forcing him to take a step back. He

wailed in agony from the pain pinching his leg.

“There, you can walk. Just needed a little motivation.” Lamia unsheathed her sword and

nudged Sam with the tip, forcing him to step forward. He could easily feel his bones shift and

splinter as fresh blood drew from his wounds.

“Please! I can’t–”

She shoved him forward again. He took a step on his poisoned leg. The feeling wasn’t

painful; in fact, he felt nothing. Lamia nudged again; his right leg cracked and popped with new

heights of pain. “Stop! Just give me something to walk with! Like a cane or something! I can

walk with one of my legs.”

“Why should I do that?”

With Sam’s mind racing, he thought of a thousand things to say, most of them rude, but

he knew if he wanted to survive this, he had to show his usefulness. “If you want me to move,

that’s the only way. It would be counterproductive to help me with every step.”

Lamia sighed and looked around before walking back to the wagon and ripping off a

wooden plank. “There, use this.” She tossed the jagged plank at Sam’s talons.

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“Thank you,” Sam said sarcastically.

“Now get moving!”

Sam grabbed the plank and balanced on his poisoned leg while being careful not to add to

the large gash that almost separated it in two. With every step, he lifted himself with the plank

and threw his leg forward. He was slow, but effective. Before long, they reached the source of

the unbreathable stench.

“Get in,” Lamia demanded and pointed at a narrow hole in the ground with black smog

rising from it.

“Are you crazy? I’m not going in–”

Lamia kicked Sam forward into the hole. The black smoke encompassed him as he fell,

and with a spine shattering smack, he landed on a hard pile of misshapen rocks. The echoes of

rocks tumbling and metal clanking almost deafened him as he gagged for air like he was

drowning.

“You’ll get used to it,” a bird coated with black dust grumbled.

Sam lay there, broken. His back, his legs, his bird body, all pains he wished would go

away. “What is all this?” he coughed.

Lamia descended a ladder adjacent to Sam. “Get moving! All of you!” she yelled before a

large flock of dust-covered birds scattered and mined the dark-red walls around them with rusted

and half-broken pickaxes. “New blood, get up!”

Sam remained on the pile of stones. “You’re making it really difficult for me to like you,”

he muttered.

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Lamia reached for a rusted pickaxe and slammed it against Sam’s chest. “I said get up,”

she commanded. Her face expressed that she was about to snap Sam in half, which she could

easily do.

Sam sighed. “What are we mining exactly? So, I don’t mine the wrong thing by mistake.”

“You are mining for fossils with souls in them. If you find any, bring them to me.”

“Fossils with . . . souls?”

“Get moving!” Lamia grabbed Sam’s plank and yanked him upright. “You don’t need to

know why. You’re just going to have to deal with it for the rest of your miserable existence.”

She put a pickaxe and the plank in his wings and shoved him toward a cavern wall. Sam

scoffed before limping to the wall. Once there, he found himself standing next to an aggressive

dust-coated bird, who was double his size.

“How long have you been here?” Sam asked.

“Twenty-one years,” the bird grunted.

Sam gulped. “That long? How? Haven’t you tried escaping? There’s no way–”

The bird whipped his talon around and grabbed Sam by the neck, pinning him to the

cavern wall. “If you try to escape, they will kill you. If you even think of escaping, they will kill

you. If you slow down, they will see no point in keeping you around, and they will kill you.” The

bird stared at Sam from beak to talon. “But you . . . won’t last an hour. A creature your size will

just be a burden.” The bird let go and went back to mining.

Sam coughed and looked down at his tiny body. He’s right. . . . There’s no way I can do

this.

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Trying to think of any way out, he looked around as a little light glimmered from the

opening where he fell. Is that the only way out? It’s impossible. Not with my legs as they are. He

glanced at Lamia, who was standing beneath the ladder with her hand ready above her whip.

Sam reluctantly turned toward the soot-stained wall and swung the pickaxe. If Hugo was

right about my legs being poisoned, I don’t think I have a week, let alone twenty-one years. The

wall didn’t crack. He looked at the other birds through the black haze and noticed their walls

weren’t budging either. Some would swing many times a second and not even make a scratch on

the cavern wall.

“What’s the point in having all these birds mine here?” Sam asked.

The bird rolled his eyes. “Rafflesia finds it wasteful to simply kill its prisoners; they

would much rather see us work for the cost of a few flower seeds,” he grunted.

“New blood, work!” Lamia yelled.

Sam quickly tried to mine the wall while standing on one leg. He held onto a plank for

balance with one wing and swung a heavy pickaxe with the other. This is impossible.

Sam expelled all of his energy in a few moments only to keep upright, then he dropped

the pickaxe and gasped for air. Lamia marched over and whipped him on the back, shredding his

flesh with glass.

“Are you taking a break?” Lamia asked as a mix of blood and feathers dripped from

Sam’s back.

“No! I swear I wasn’t! I just needed to take a breather.” Sam grimaced before grabbing

his pickaxe and resuming his imprisonment.

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“Good!” Lamia shouted.

Sam’s wing numbed, and his mind dizzied from a lack of blood. His legs and back

swelled as his wounds dried up from the brittle black dust of the mine. His lungs and head ached.

The only hope he had for air was shoved away by dusty smoke.

Sam swung one last time before looking at the wall. Nothing. No difference from when

he had first started. I’m so useless. Sam looked down at his body as an unfamiliar weight lifted

off his chest. “I’m done.” Sam dropped the pickaxe onto the ground and fell forward.

“Hmmph! Weakling. Couldn’t even make it the first hour,” the bird scoffed.

“Useless!” Lamia yelled as she marched at Sam. “You aren’t worth the smoke you choke

on!”

Lamia whipped Sam’s back repeatedly, slicing at his flesh. Sam broke down as the pain

from the whipping slowly dulled. The silent river of blood trickling down to his waist was all he

felt from the violent thrashing. “Do you want to die!” Lamia yelled.

Sam sniffled as his last hope shone into clear view. “Yes. Please. I want to die,” he said

with his sorrowful beak pointed at the ground. I’ve always been such a burden. I’m even the

reason Hugo was sent to this horrible world. . . . I know he hates me for it. He has to hate me.

Sam’s chest and head hit the ground. I’m so sorry, Hugo. I tried; I really did. But I’m so weak I

can’t even stand anymore. . . . Please, I just want this to be over.

“Good. I’m sick of you. Tiny, weak, and useless.” Lamia clenched Sam’s head with her

enormous hand and dragged his bleeding body against the black mud. She looked up at the light

and tossed Sam over her shoulder before she ascended the ladder to freedom.

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Chapter 13: A Feast for a Dragon

The knights threw Hugo and Bipp forward into the center of a large, cold hall lined with

wooden pillars. Each one was marked with the signs of war. Axes, swords, and burn marks

decorated every inch of the hall.

Hugo steadily recovered his thoughts as his face throbbed. He glanced up toward a

sparkling stained-glass window at the end of the great hall. It depicted a white fox holding a

bright golden crown in one hand and a strange blue orb in the other. He rubbed the dry wooden

floor with the leathered bottom of his claws. The bitter cold of the floor sucked the heat right out

of him.

“Well, now . . . what do we have here?” A sharp venomous voice echoed throughout the

room, followed by the soft, repeated tap of footsteps.

Hugo looked down from the window as a white fox wearing an ice-blue dress walked

down the center stairs.

“A dragon with my silver flash. This is very intriguing.” She reached out and slithered

her ghost-cold fingers along Hugo’s back fur. “It’s been an eternity since I’ve seen this one’s kin.

Tell me, Bipp, what brings you here with this creature trembling before me?”

Hugo’s body shivered as her fingers stung him with a burning chill. Her movements

flowed smoother than a leaf on a calm river. It was as if the white fox before him wasn’t alive at

all. Her touch was like a hollow ghost, robbing him of life.

She reached the end of Hugo’s tail and glared at Bipp with her ice-blue eyes. “I tried to

help him and his brother escape,” Bipp replied; his entire body was shaking.

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“So, it has a brother; another dragon to add to my army perhaps? But why would you

help them escape? Do you not care about my promise to you?”

“I do care!” Bipp yelled before nervously glancing at Hugo. “I just . . . don’t want any

more creatures to die because of me.”

“So, our promise has become void?” the queen asked.

Bipp hesitated as an earthquake of thoughts rumbled his head. “No, it hasn’t. . . . Just

stop, you can find your treasure in the north without killing. I’m almost certain that if you asked

the Lord of Sauria, he would happily give you what you wanted if it meant peace.”

The queen chuckled. “Bipp, the silver flash. You’ve grown soft.”

Those words twitched Hugo’s ears. The silver flash?

Tears welled within Bipp’s eyes. With his head and ears low, he looked at Hugo.

“Hmmph. So, dragon, it seems the rabbit has become disposable. Would you like to take his

place in my army? I can give you anything you want.” The queen smirked.

Hugo glanced up at the queen’s soul-piercing eyes. “How about a way home, and a cure

for my brother’s Arch poison?”

“Wait Hugo; you don’t–”

“Silence, Bipp!” The queen smiled. “If that is what you want, then it will be granted once

I obtain the treasure in the north.”

“And what is the treasure?” Hugo asked.

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“The souls of the king.” The queen gave a venomous sneer before the large door of the

hall creaked open.

“My queen, we have another one!” Lamia said as she threw Sam forward onto the floor.

Hugo glanced back and growled as Sam’s body lay flat on the floor, broken, dirtied, and

stained with blood and ooze. “Sam!” he yelled.

“Oh, no . . .” Bipp said as his eyes widened.

Hugo sprinted toward Sam with his heart pounding in panic. Sam stared blankly at the

wooden floor, and his body remained still as stone. Hugo glared at Lamia. “What did you do to

him!” he shouted.

“Nothing he didn’t wish upon himself,” Lamia explained, swiftly drawing her sword

toward Hugo.

“Why do you care so much about this bird?” the queen asked.

Hugo snarled and turned toward the queen. “He's my brother!”

Both the queen and Lamia flinched before the queen burst into laughter. “Don’t be

ridiculous; it’s just an insignificant bird. I mean, look at it. It's broken beyond repair and smaller

than a child!” With a spin of her finger, she beckoned Lamia toward Sam.

Lamia promptly grabbed Sam by the head, yanked him back, and pressed her sword

against his neck. “This bird is beyond a waste of time. He will have more value to me dead.”

Hugo snarled. “He's not–”

“No!” Sam shouted.

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Everyone looked at Sam. His body was shivering to stay alive from the loss of blood and

stinging cold from the floor.

“Please, Hugo. Let me die. It’s not worth it anymore.”

Those words broke Hugo. He snarled as his mind dizzied with raw hatred. Suddenly, an

unfamiliar thirst tickled the back of his throat while he glared at Lamia. “What did you do to

him?” His words crept with such a horrid tone that Bipp’s ears curled in discomfort.

“Well, well, Commander . . . your methods never stop to impress.”

Hugo’s head swarmed with a numbing static; never had hatred consumed him this much.

He was so enraged that his vision blurred. He quickly launched and bit at the queen, but as he

did, a burst of stinging cold roared onto his face, freezing his mouth. The queen then punched his

snout down with a smack onto the floor.

“So, you chose to fight for this bird, but you could have had it all,” the queen sneered.

“Take them all to the block and execute that annoying prince while you’re at it; I’m done with

him.”

“Yes, my queen."

Hugo heard a sharp whistle before the grip of a dozen armored hands scattered across his

body. Lamia tugged on Hugo’s right horn and pulled him forward. A few knights grabbed Bipp

and Sam before they made their way from the main hall to a set of broad wooden stairs. Hugo

glanced at a cerulean sky above the stairs as they ascended to the rooftop. It was then that a

smooth and intelligent voice broke the silence.

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“Now, I would usually ask for a more comfortable chair, but I can see your hands are

full.”

As they reached the top, they saw a blue jay tied to a splintery wooden chair. His brilliant

blue color matched the sky while his black and white feathers shimmered like a night full of

stars. He wore nothing but shredded coconut-brown pants that looked like a bear had mauled

them. “Oh dear, they caught a dragon. And what do they choose to do with it? Kill it. Such a dull

kingdom. Full of idiots who can’t tell time without gawking at the sun.”

“Shut it, Ventus!” Lamia released Hugo and whipped the blue jay across the chest.

“You know, I do get bored with this game. I say something, and you strike me as hard as

you can, but it's never hard enough, you weak peasant. How about we play a different game, one

a little more . . . exciting,” Ventus said with his eyes squinting humorously.

“I said, shut it!” Lamia whipped again. Blood dripped from Ventus’ chest, but he didn’t

seem to care.

“The queen has ordered the execution of the four of you! So, if you don’t want to die

first, I recommend you shut your beak!” Ventus sighed with a slight smirk hiding at the base of

his beak. “Take them to the block,” Lamia growled and marched to a long display of mounted

weapons.

The knights dragged Hugo, Sam, and Bipp towards a large, curved stone, stained with

crimson and decorated with blooded feathers. “The snake dies first,” Lamia commanded. She

raised a sword longer than herself from the display and dragged it toward Hugo. As she pulled it

along, the sword cut a line in the floorboards. Hugo tried to look back at Sam, but the knights

yanked him forward and smashed his long neck onto the oddly warm stone.

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“Please, don’t do this!” Hugo wept as the frost around his snout melted from his breath; it

formed into cold drops that trickled down his cheeks. Sam exhaled and watched Hugo cry as

Lamia pressed her boot behind his horns.

Hugo . . . If this is where it all ends. I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I was too weak to do

anything. I'm sorry I could never be like you: strong, courageous. Sam trembled and smiled as

Lamia raised her sword. I won’t let you die because of me. I no longer wish to be a burden. I

want to be like you, always looking up to the skies.

Sam looked down at his broken and torn body. Maybe this experience was something to

help me. Mr. George may have been on to something; I no longer feel afraid. I no longer suffer

from pain. Sam squinted at the puffy clouds in the sky. His heart panicked against his ribs, faster

and faster with every second that passed. I'm not afraid to die.

Sam's legs cracked as he abruptly and violently spun from the knight’s inattentive grasp.

“What are you doing? Idiot!” Ventus yelled as Sam quickly trudged at Lamia.

Hugo glanced up and saw Sam leap in the air. He flapped his wings awkwardly and

scratched Lamia’s skull with his sharp talons.

“Gaah! Stupid bird!” Lamia took up her large sword and instantly plunged it through

Sam’s stomach.

At that moment, Sam smiled. He finally felt the piercing sting of peace, as if all the built-

up hate and worry finally ceased and flooded out from him in a stream of blood.

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Hugo’s pupils shrank in terror and rage. “Nooooo!” He screeched so loud that the

floorboards wobbled. The frost steamed from his face as he glared at Lamia. He snarled with his

fangs gnashing and sparking together.

Lamia stabbed the tip of her sword against the floor and watched Sam slide down the

now sanguine blade. As the knights held onto Hugo, their gloves caught fire. Bipp's scarf

sparked and kindled until it burned into swirling black pieces that left with the wind. Hugo

slowly stood up as an unfamiliar hot rage rushed through his body and rumbled in his chest.

Lamia yanked the sword from Sam and looked up at Hugo. He was looming over her with his

multi-colored eyes demanding a word understood by all:

Death.

Lamia swiftly raised her sword, but it was too late. Hugo whipped forward and roared

fire as he crunched deep into her juicy head. She screamed as her face melted and cracked. The

iron taste of blood gushed down Hugo’s throat, fueling his rage.

He didn’t want to let go. He loved the taste of her burnt flesh on his tongue; he loved the

feel of her skull crack and splinter under the pressure of his fangs. Ventus gagged and Bipp

gawked in amazement. The knights trembled while the near-silent trickle of fluids poured from

their armor as Lamia's head quickly vanished behind the fire. The space in Hugo’s mouth

emptied, and Lamia's headless body collapsed to the floor as a smoking carcass.

Hugo gulped down the remaining cooked flesh in his mouth before he turned toward the

knights and licked the blood from his lips and snout with his long forked tongue. Three of the

five knights passed out before Hugo whipped his tail, sending the remaining two off the edge of

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the castle. Once everything became still and quiet, he looked back at Sam with sorrow flooding

his heart.

“I can help him! Set me free!” Ventus said with haste. Bipp ran over and untied the knots

binding him to the chair. Ventus quickly lumbered over and knelt beside Sam’s body. “We need

to go to Zenith now! This wound is far too serious for the resources of this daft kingdom.” Hugo

breathed, trying to calm down.

“Don’t worry; he’s not dead yet,” Ventus said. Hugo looked down at Sam and observed

his chest occasionally lifting from air entering his lungs. Ventus scoffed. “She stabbed him in the

stomach, not the chest. This kingdom is so stupid; they couldn’t stab the body of a hippo if they

tried. Come on; I’ll take him to Zenith. He has a better chance of survival there. . . . You can fly,

right?”

“We're going to Zenith!” Bipp squeaked in a whisper of excitement.

“No, how can I? I don’t even have wings,” Hugo responded.

Ventus sighed with a dramatic roll of his eyes. “Oh great, the dragon’s an idiot, no

wonder it got captured. . . . Do I have to do everything myself?” He paused. “You owe me,

dragon.”

Hugo nodded. “If you help Sam, I’ll do whatever you want.”

Ventus scoffed through his nares. “Alright, when you’re ready, jump off the roof.” Hugo

paused and looked over the edge. His eyes widened as he beheld the deep valley covered by

clouds of smog below.

“Are you insane?”

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“It's easier for me to lift you off the ground if I have some cushion room. . . . You aren’t

exactly small.”

A cold breeze crept across Hugo’s fur. “We should go, like now.” Ventus stood up.

“Take him and jump off the roof,” he said and quickly walked to the edge. The cold breeze

turned into a biting frost as the queen’s white ears peeked from the stairs below. “Jump now!”

Ventus shouted.

Hugo cradled Sam’s limp body and ran to the edge, and Bipp did the same. He looked at

the vast distance from the ground. “Are you sure about this?” Hugo asked.

“Are you an idiot? Jump!”

Hugo closed his eyes and leapt forward. He fell for only a moment until a powerful gust

of wind pushed against his underside, lifting him high above the ground. Ventus and Bipp

jumped off the rooftop and flew as the queen made her first step onto the roof. Hugo looked back

at her and noticed a broad grin creep across her cheeks. An eerie tingle crawled up his spine as

her glaring icy eyes spoke something he didn’t expect.

Well done, dragon.

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Chapter 14: A City of Stars

“You breathed fire!” Bipp shouted as they flew far from the ground with the wind roaring

at their backs.

Hugo gagged and licked his teeth to remove the remaining metallic taste of Lamia’s

blood. “I suppose I did.”

“How did it feel? Did it burn your mouth?” Bipp asked, overwhelmed with fascination.

“No, it was like yelling with my chest rather than my throat. And the fire itself almost felt

like I was burping, but it wasn’t hot, if that makes sense.” He paused and looked down at Sam,

cradled in his arms. His eyes were barely open, and his lungs struggled to take in air.

“Don’t worry, Sam. We’re going to get you help; just hold on a little longer,” he

whispered before he looked at Ventus, flying without a single flap of his wings. “Ventus, how

are we flying?”

Ventus glanced at Hugo with a slight smirk as the wind calmly became colder from the

high altitude. “I have a soul ability that allows me to control the wind,” he chuckled. “I’m the

Prince of the Sky. What other soul would I have?”

Bipp’s ears shot upward. “How did you discover your soul?” He begged to know the

answer.

“I love flying.”

Bipp’s face drooped. “Well, obviously. But how did you discover it?”

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Ventus glanced at Bipp, who struggled to position his ears. They were flapping wildly

from the high wind. “Well, you see, birds learn to fly by taking the most exhilarating risk of their

lives, by jumping off the edge of Zenith. At first, it’s horrible, not knowing if you’re ready to fly

as you fall for what seems like an eternity. So, we spread our wings, hoping to catch wind.”

“And what happens if you don’t catch wind?” Bipp asked.

Ventus looked at Bipp with an unexpected sorrow written across his face. “You die. . . .

Some birds were never born to fly; some jump when it’s not their time yet. They all plummet to

Somnium’s crust. I was extraordinarily lucky when I jumped. I never learned to fly without my

soul ability; that’s why I don’t use my wings. Don’t tell anyone back on Zenith though. It would

be embarrassing.”

He looked at the ground with a heavy sigh. “When I was little, I jumped off the edge

expecting to fly the moment I started to fall. But, when I fell for ten seconds, I began to worry.

Those ten seconds turned into a minute as the planet rushed toward me. I thought . . . I was going

to die. But in the last possible second, I felt something powerful grab at my chest and guide my

wings to catch my own wind. The wind from my soul.” Ventus’s beak curved from a subtle grin

as the wind pushed them closer to a falling sheet of clouds.

“Flying is now my life. Without it, there would be no point to my existence.” Both Bipp

and Hugo gawked at Ventus. He then tucked his beak within his breast feathers from obvious

discomfort. “Would you stop it; it’s no big deal,” he mumbled.

Hugo glanced at the falling planet, and to his surprise, Rafflesia was the size of a sapling

in a great forest as it shrank over the fleeing horizon.

“Do you think you can teach me to find my soul ability?” Bipp murmured shyly.

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Ventus scoffed. “That’s impossible, even with my intellect. The only creatures on this

planet that may help you with such things are the Saurians. They’ve lived long enough to know

all that strange magic stuff from that daft tower of theirs. And with the Great Lord Anzu at their

backs, they might be what you’re looking for. But with this war . . . I’m afraid they might be

preoccupied. We on Zenith stay out of the war while providing Saurians with food because it

would be a pity to lose such historical knowledge. . . . On Zenith, we live for better things and

study the marvelous arts and sciences. It’s rare to find any information on souls. Although, it

may be possible to find such knowledge in the royal library, but I doubt it would be anything

more than a brief history.”

“I see.” Bipp fell into disappointment as they flew just under the thick ceiling of puffy

silver clouds.

Ventus hovered closer to Hugo. “You want to behold the greatest sight in the universe?”

he asked.

Hugo glanced around him in awe. “Better than this view?”

“Beyond better.” Ventus smirked and spread his wings, allowing the wind to push him

into the clouds above.

Hugo squinted as the layer of soft clouds kissed his face. He looked up through the haze

at a bright orange hue that was glimmering through the clouds. Light sparkled off the moisture

and cool droplets formed onto his scales. A brush of a thousand gentle kisses danced across his

body before he burst from the clouds.

His heart sank, and his lungs shriveled. Something he never thought he’d see appeared

before him. He was high in the atmosphere between Somnium and space itself. Everywhere he

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looked lay countless twinkling stars, each like refined jewels. He glanced down at the beautiful

planet far beneath him. He was so high up that he could see the planet’s curve. And right on that

curve, peeked an amber sunset saying farewell to the evening.

Hugo couldn’t think; he could only gawk with his mouth wide. He slowly raised his

trembling claw to the stars, trying to touch them. His face stung as he held back tears against the

cold, just before the wind fell silent. Suddenly, Hugo was neither flying nor falling; he was as

still as the stars themselves, suspended in heaven.

“Am I dreaming?” Hugo whispered, trying to make sense of it all.

Sam groaned with his remaining energy before he peered up at the infinite stars and

vibrant gas nebulae. He looked at Hugo, whose eyes were wider than his mouth. His tears

mirrored every twinkle of the stars as they flowed down his cheeks. Wait . . . does he like this

planet? Sam thought before his eyelids sank and darkness overcame him.

Ventus flew next to Hugo. “Curious, isn’t it?” he asked.

“This is amazing,” Bipp whispered while hovering parallel to Hugo.

Hugo smiled, speechless from the sight. “Curious,” he murmured.

Ventus chuckled and patted Hugo on the back with his wing. “I am sorry to interrupt,

because you seem to be enjoying this more than I thought.” Ventus paused and observed Hugo’s

tears. “Hmmph. Perhaps one day I can teach you how to fly. I might just be a bird, but I’m sure

with my grand abilities, I can teach a dragon, so you can stay up here for as long as you like.”

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Ventus’ eyes squinted as if a great smile fluffed his feathered cheeks. “But seriously, we

must get going. The tiny raven won’t survive for much longer,” Ventus said before he

summoned a strong gust with the hypnotic thrust of his wings to propel them toward the sunset.

The sun stood still along the horizon as a faint black shadow loomed before it. “What is

that?” Bipp asked.

“That, my stupid friend, is Zenith,” Ventus said as the wind increased its pressure at their

backs. They flew closer to the shadow until it came into clear view. It was a floating island with

a thousand sparkling castles that rested above glowing blue waterfalls. Each of the waterfalls

trickled down toward Somnium and dispersed into misty clouds.

The sharp sting of the frigid wind blurred Hugo’s vision. He could hardly see the island

through his squinting eyes. “Wha– How is it floating?”

“It’s in orbit,” Ventus said simply.

Hugo paused in thought and glanced at the clouds not far beneath them. “In orbit, from

this altitude? H-How? . . . Isn’t that going to be, you know . . . fast?” Hugo asked, knowing full

well the requirements for something to be in orbit.

Ventus snuck a chuckle from his enclosed beak. “When in the sky, nothing is faster than

me.” At that moment, the wind pushed them forward and roared with a powerful passion.

The fur on Hugo’s back electrified as if a million whips were striking at his scales. His

ears pounded with pressure, and the air in front of them stung like a thousand needles from the

velocity.

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Bipp screamed and grasped his ears to keep them from flapping in the wind. Hugo could

barely see the tip of his snout with the wind watering his eyes. So, he closed his eyes for a

moment to clear the warped blur of fluids. When they opened, he was greeted by a colossal

castle that stretched taller than the sky. Even Hugo’s large eyes weren’t big enough for such an

image, as it consumed all around him. He craned his head back just to see the spire at the top.

His jaw dropped, and his stomach sank.

“It’s not possible. We’re not even on the island! How can a structure be this huge?”

Hugo’s voice echoed off the pearled granite walls of the castle. They were so well kept that they

reflected the orange hue from the setting sun. Hugo’s mind raced. He tried to make sense of it

all, but he could not even speak words fit enough to describe it. All he could think was that this

structure was the stuff of fantasy.

“Construction is one of the easiest tasks birds can do. We just fly up and build high. If we

had the supplies, we could build ten castles in a day,” Ventus bragged.

They reached the edge of the kingdom and flew over an exquisite garden. There were

various hardy plants and a rainbow of fruits that glimmered the reflection of star lights. The wind

softened as Ventus lowered them into a great shadow of the castle. They landed with a gentle

touch on a grass road. Along the road were streams of the clearest water, carrying gondolas as a

luxurious means of transport. Hugo clenched his hind claws into the soft grass. He was glad to

feel the ground once again, but part of him missed the feeling of flight. To calm his senses, he

slowly inhaled what little oxygen he could from such a high altitude.

“Come. My doctor is this way,” Ventus said and dashed ahead.

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Hugo stepped forward and observed every refined detail of the environment. Every blade

of grass was the same height, and the blocks of the castles and palaces were as polished as

mirrors. Even the simple act of walking on such perfect soil brought him comfort. Bipp followed

Ventus with haste while he gawked at the scenery.

“This is more than I imagined,” Bipp whispered as he gazed at the glittering sky and the

silhouettes of a dozen birds flying overhead. “I just can’t believe that I’m here. This is a dream

come true, to be alongside the masters of flight and exploration. I could learn so much about

maps here.”

Hugo and Bipp ran adjacent to an enormous stone statue of a bird holding a book. Bipp

swept his fingertips against the smooth stone; its texture almost tricking his senses into thinking

that it wasn’t even there. It had been polished so much that Bipp could practically see his

reflection.

“I don’t think I want to leave,” Bipp whispered.

Ventus hurried toward a smaller and far dirtier castle. It was comprised of old mossy

bricks and a rusted iron clock that was situated above its large wooden doors. “My doctor’s in

here.” Ventus paused. “Please, don’t do anything stupid.” He sighed before pushing his head and

wings against the wooden door three times his height.

The door creaked open. As it opened, the sound of ticking echoed into Hugo and Bipp’s

ears. Hugo peered inside and saw a dusty wooden room that smelled like a campfire. The only

light came from a beam of indirect sunset peeking through a circular window at the top of a

staircase. Ventus panted from exhaustion and recomposed himself by leaning his wing on Bipp’s

shoulder.

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“I always hated these doors. You can imagine how impossible it was to open them when I

was a child,” he gasped, then proceeded into the castle while Bipp and Hugo followed him.

Hugo glanced around at what appeared to be thousands of mounted wall clocks. Each one

of them ticking in a synchronized rhythm.

“What kind of weirdo doctor do you have, Ventus?” Bipp snickered.

Ventus veered around and swatted Bipp with his wing. “I swear, if you say one bad thing

about her, she will kill us all. So, for the love of all things, keep your stupid rabbit mouth quiet!”

Ventus snarled.

Bipp slapped shut his mouth and nodded with his neck in his shoulders. But then, subtle

creaks coordinated with the ticking of clocks.

“So, Ventus, you’ve come after so long. Why?” a smooth yet hypnotic voice echoed

throughout the room.

“This bird is mortally injured, and I was wondering if you’d help him,” Ventus said.

“His name is Sam,” Hugo murmured.

The creaking grew louder as a massive great horned owl walked down the center stairs.

She wore a long umber cloak that concealed everything under her head. Hugo’s stomach churned

as the owl’s large yellow eyes cut through him. He felt like she could attack at any moment with

her razor-sharp talons drawing near. The owl loomed over Hugo and stared at Sam.

“This bird . . . what happened to cause all these wounds?” she asked. The appearance of

her hooked beak and pointed tufts instinctively forced everyone to take a few steps back.

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Hugo frowned and laid Sam on the floor. “From what I saw, he was burned in a fire,

stabbed with a sword, and poisoned by a sea monster.” He gently rolled Sam over to reveal his

mauled back. “But this torture is from that leopard. She whipped him.” Hugo teared up as he

noticed many shards of glass peeking from Sam’s back feathers.

The owl blinked and tilted her head. “Come, bring him to my chambers upstairs. There, I

will see what I can do.” The doctor raised her wings, and in one downward swoop, she launched

to the top of the stairs, leaving with a circle of dust.

Hugo looked at Sam’s closed eyes, and his heart sank. I’m so sorry all this happened to

you. I don’t know what to expect from this. But I promise, no matter what happens, I won’t leave

you.

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Chapter 15: The Doomed Soul

“Thank you!” Ventus exclaimed with a cough. “We got lucky; she usually hates sudden

appointments.”

Hugo cradled Sam over his shoulder and ran up the stairs with Bipp. Ventus simply

summoned a gust of wind and flew to the second floor.

“In here.” Ventus beckoned Hugo and Bipp into a small wooden room that was filled

with a light blue glow.

When Hugo entered, the doctor stood next to a tall marble slab in the center of the room;

above the slab rested a chandelier with candles emanating blue flame.

“Lay him here,” the doctor said, brushing dust from the slab with her mighty wing.

Hugo rested Sam on the table, feeling his unconscious frigid body within his claws.

Ventus closed the door to the room as he and Bipp walked in. The doctor rubbed her wings

together, then hovered them over Sam.

Bipp leaned next to Ventus. “What’s happening?”

Ventus awkwardly stepped away from Bipp. “She has a soul ability that allows her to

somewhat manipulate time. In a way, she can speed up time.” He looked at the whip scars on his

chest. “She takes the ‘time heals all wounds’ saying quite literally,” he sighed.

Bipp’s mouth gaped. “Wow.”

Ventus shrugged and continued to watch the doctor’s performance.

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Hugo leaned against the slab with his heart pounding in worry. “Is he going to be

alright?”

The doctor sighed. “Would you back up a bit?” she requested as her wings almost swept

Hugo across the chest.

“If you don’t mind, I want to stay beside him,” Hugo refused without any sign of backing

down.

The doctor rolled her eyes and gently brushed Sam with her wings. With every brush, a

wound disappeared. The hole in Sam’s stomach turned into a large scar that hid beneath his

feathers.

She looked at the wound in Sam’s leg and paused. “I can’t cure that.”

Hugo’s heart instantly fluttered, and his ears shot upright. “Why not!”

“That is the Arch. And everyone should know that a lethal poison is one of those things

that time cannot heal.”

“He’s going to die! Can’t you do something?” Hugo clenched his claws into the slab until

it cracked.

“I can seal the wound, but the Arch will remain. And by the look of it, he won’t last to

the end of tomorrow.” She brushed over Sam’s body and turned every wound of his into nothing

more than scar tissue. She healed everything, from his broken bones to the massive gash in his

thigh.

“Tomorrow!” Hugo growled.

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The doctor brushed over Sam’s heart, then froze. She became absolutely still, and her

eyes became impossibly wide, even for an owl. She stopped breathing, and everything went

silent before she bolted backwards and slammed her back against the wall. “It’s not possible.”

Her large talons curled in fear and scratched the floorboards as she spoke.

Hugo glanced at the doctor as she hyperventilated. “Is something wrong?” He feared the

worst.

“Who is this bird?” the doctor screamed.

“Doc, what’s wrong? You’ve healed me from stab wounds before; it’s no big deal,”

Ventus whispered before the doctor’s eyes crept toward him.

“It’s not the wounds. It’s his soul.”

A rush of silence enveloped the room as everyone’s minds raced with curiosity. Hugo

looked down at Sam. He was happy to observe that his body was healed. He could see his lungs

expand his chest up and down as the calm sound of his breath whispered through his beak.

“He seems perfectly fine,” Hugo said.

“Who is he!” she asked again, but with panic squawking from her throat.

Both Bipp and Ventus looked at Hugo, and within seconds, the doctor did too. “He’s my

brother, Sam Atlas,” Hugo said, continuing to watch over Sam.

“Atlas,” Bipp whispered with a smile.

“Your brother?” Ventus looked back and forth between Sam and Hugo.

“He was adopted,” Bipp murmured.

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“You and your brother need to leave!” the doctor demanded.

“What’s going on, Doc? I’ve never seen you more nervous than the time that spider was

on your door,” Ventus joked.

“His soul, it is something even I couldn’t dream of. When my soul interacted with his

soul, I saw a hundred years pass in the blink of an eye. He has the soul of time, the soul the king

sought so long ago.” The doctor trembled.

“So, just like you, Doc?” Ventus asked.

“No! Not at all! I can barely age wine! This is something that shouldn’t exist in reality. If

he learned how to use his soul, he could easily see or go into the future and past to change

anything. He may never age. He could even go back to make sure none of us were ever born!”

she roared in terror before Hugo, Bipp, and Ventus stared at Sam. “We need to kill him,” the

doctor hastily demanded.

Hugo’s chest plummeted into his stomach. “What? No!” he growled with his fangs

peeking under his rising lips.

“Here, let me undo what I healed, so he may slowly rest in peace.”

The doctor crept to the slab while carefully eyeing Sam. Hugo snarled and swiftly

stabbed his claws into the slab. He climbed on top of it and wrapped his tail in front of Sam,

keeping him out of sight from the doctor.

“If you harm him, you will need a doctor,” Hugo growled. The air around his mouth

blurred from the immense heat radiating from his throat.

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Ventus sprinted and stood between Hugo and the doctor with his wings apart. “Wait! You

said if he learned about his ability. So, what if we don’t tell him?” he interjected.

The doctor stopped and loomed over Ventus. “It is inevitable that he will learn, and when

he does, he will kill us all.”

“So, we’ll kill him then. And besides, how can you be so sure? Let’s not end his life now.

He may still have a great future. At least let the Arch take him. Let him have his last day of life,”

Ventus said in a surprisingly kind tone.

The doctor looked back at Hugo as his fangs hissed. He was ready and willing to pierce

her feathery flesh. She sighed and sat on the ground. “He must never find out.”

Hugo exhaled before he relaxed and crawled off the slab with his claws still at the ready.

“Don’t worry. Anyone who’s smart won’t tell him. Right, Bipp?” Ventus asked with a

humorous smirk.

Bipp threw his arms up with dissatisfaction. “Oh, come on. I’m smart,” he complained.

Ventus eyed Bipp from his whopping feet to his lofty ears. “Just in case, Doc. If we feel

like Bipp will say anything, can you take his mind back about twenty minutes?” Ventus chuckled

with deep sarcasm. Bipp rolled his eyes as if he had given up.

“Doctor owl, when will Sam wake up?” Hugo asked.

The doctor stood and brushed the dust off her back. “Whenever he’s ready.”

Sam’s eyes popped open as he immediately gasped for breath. “Oh, well . . . okay then,”

the doctor said, mildly surprised.

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Sam quickly scanned the room. “Ugh . . . What– Where am I?” he moaned, rubbing his

head with his wing.

“Sam,” Hugo murmured with a quivering smile as a relaxed warmth enveloped him.

“We’re in my doctor’s patient room,” Ventus said.

Sam looked down at Ventus, Bipp, and the doctor. “Doctors?” He pondered what

happened.

The owl nodded. She was hiding her face behind her wings. Sam looked down at his

body and realized that his wounds were gone and were replaced with scars. He patted his legs

and stomach with his wings, then paused. Everything below his waist was numb. He couldn’t

feel anything. It was like his legs were just bags of sand stuck to his waist. It took twice the

thought power to simply wiggle his talons.

“Is everything alright, Sam?” Hugo asked and walked in front of Sam to get a better view

of him.

“Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you.” Sam closed his eyes and tried with the best of his ability to

smile with his restrictive beak.

“I'm . . . glad.” Hugo squinted and tilted his head while observing Sam’s awkward

expression.

Sam looked to the ground and gave a muted chuckle before glancing at the doctor, who

was still trembling with her attentively wide eyes. “Do you happen to know if there is a way for

Hugo and I to return to our planet?” Sam murmured, then noticed that he was the center of

attention. By instinct, he scooted closer to Hugo.

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The doctor and Ventus both flinched and looked at each other in great confusion. The

doctor raised her right eyebrow tuft. “You’re from a different planet?” She shook her head as if

trying to forget a bad memory. “I’m sorry, I must’ve missed a head wound,” she said, rubbing

her wings while walking toward Sam.

Sam threw his wings between him and the doctor. “No, no. My head is fine. I just, would

like to go home now. Tell them, Hugo,” Sam said.

What is he doing? He knows we can’t go home until we find the cure to the Arch. . . .

Something is different. Hugo sighed. “Yup, we’re from a different planet, and we would like to

get back if possible. Is there any way that we can travel by . . . teleportation?”

Ventus and the doctor looked at each other before instantly snorting with laughter. “I

think you should heal his head too, Doc!” Ventus laughed as he leaned against Bipp.

“Teleportation?” Bipp said, pondering the word and allowing Ventus to use him as a

wing rest.

After a few moments, the doctor regained her composure. “I have no idea what you’re

talking about, but if it’s information you need, I suggest taking a visit to the royal library. But

I’m afraid only members of the royal bloodline and esteemed guests may enter.”

Ventus let go of Bipp and slowly stopped laughing. “Oh, never mind that old rule. Zenith

doesn’t even have a king or queen anymore. Birds have grown past the need for someone to tell

us what to do. I mean, look around you! There’s no war and hardly any crime. It’s so . . .

peaceful.”

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“If there’s no king or queen, then why do you call yourself the Prince of the Sky?” Bipp

asked.

Ventus scoffed playfully. In reality, he was vexed by the question and lowered his beak

to the floor. “That’s just a silly title that was given to me a long while ago because of my ability.

It doesn’t mean anything, but it does help during introductions. Sometimes creatures even think

I'm royalty.”

His frowned expression crept into a sorrowful sigh. “But whatever, I’ll take you to the

library. It's near my castle anyway.” He paused and turned toward the door. “It’s not a royal

castle; every bird on Zenith has some sort of palace or castle to call home. It’s just how things

are,” Ventus said, leaving the room with a heavy shuffle.

Bipp's head tilted from the list of words spoken. Hugo stared at Sam before they followed

Ventus from the room. “Teleportation . . . why does that sound familiar?” Bipp asked himself as

he walked down the stairs. The doctor walked out the door and watched them as they left her

castle.

“Thank you!” Sam said as he waved goodbye. He walked, trying to hide his limp. But to

Hugo, it was obvious.

The doctor waved back with a concerned expression. As the door shut behind them, she

fell to her knees and exhaled. “The soul of time . . . that bird must die before he finds out, or

everything on this planet will burn.”

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Chapter 16: Burden

As they walked past the beautifully decorated castles, only Bipp seemed to notice the

scenery. Hugo, Sam, and Ventus walked in silence, their heads low in thought. Each castle was a

great sculpture. It did not matter if the stones were chiseled or painted; they were magnificent.

Most of the artwork resembled the birds and their greatness, but some of it was simply for show.

“There it is, the royal library,” Ventus said, gesturing his wing forward.

Hugo and Sam were both surprised and confused at the sight of the library. Instantly,

Hugo’s jaw and Sam’s beak quivered as a fresh sense of fear washed over them.

“That’s not possible,” Hugo murmured.

"It's our college!” Sam yelled.

The library was a grand brown castle with the exact designs and five large spires of their

college dormitory. Sam fell to his knees as a million thoughts raced through his mind.

“What do you mean that’s your college?” Ventus said, confused.

“It’s the same.” Hugo dashed at the stone steps to get a closer look while Sam looked

over everything with his magnified vision.

Sam observed the carved bird designs on the large wooden doors and the rough castle

wall he touched on his first day of school. This doesn’t make any sense. How is it here?

Hugo ran to the side of the library and felt the familiar coarse brick against his claws.

After years of going to college, he knew exactly what his dormitory looked like. His hot breath

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began to hasten with the panicked realization. This was his dorm. He quickly approached the

main door before a bird armored in decorated jewels put a spear to his throat.

“Where do you think you’re going, lizard? This library is for royals only,” the guard

grunted.

“It’s okay. They’re with me.” Ventus climbed the stairs, waving his wing as a gesture for

the guard to step aside.

“My apologies . . . Prince Ventus.” The guard bowed and glanced with curiosity at

Ventus’s shredded pants before standing back in his position.

Ventus leaned next to Hugo. “He’s new,” he snickered before Hugo made his way

through the front doors. “Why are you two acting weird? It's just the library,” Ventus asked. “I

mean, it’s the greatest library on Somnium. . . . Well, second-best. Those Saurians have that

stupid tower of theirs, but still . . . why so jumpy?”

Hugo gawked inside the castle. It was furnished with the same stone columns and

stained-glass window. Even the most minute decorations were identical to those back at the

college, including the sun and stars etched into the stained glass. “What does this mean? I know

it’s not our school, but why is it the same?” Hugo murmured.

Sam stood and took a deep breath after he regained his thoughts. Okay, Sam. Calm down.

It’s just a coincidence. He walked into the castle and brushed his wing against the wall.

Memories of yesterday reflected through his mind: the sign-in desk, students carrying books, the

vastly decorated carpet. He remembered how shy and nervous he was on his first day.

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I was such a child then. He instantly trembled and looked down at his body. What’s this

planet doing to me? He walked along the hall and to the right until he met the exact door that led

into their dorm room. Hugo, Bipp, and Ventus lingered behind him.

“Perhaps we could visit tomorrow. It's getting late, and my goodness, it’s been a long

day,” Bipp suggested.

Hugo shook his head as he gawked at all of the similar details from his college. “No, we

need to find the cure. The longer we spend searching for a way home, the shorter time Sam has,

so let’s be quick about this,” he murmured.

Sam opened the door to his dorm room. Its walls were lined with bookshelves loaded to

the brim with large, dusty books. He closed his eyes and breathed. See, Sam? It’s an entirely

different building.

As he kept his eyes closed, he could visualize himself before everything happened. He

was curled on his bed, surrendering to his shyness as Brian interrogated him. He felt his entire

body tingle as he remembered his despair, then his head pounded with every beat of his heart.

Why did he have to tell Hugo I passed out? He paused. I could’ve kept it a secret, then

Hugo wouldn’t think of me as such a weakling. Sam leaned against the corner wall and wrapped

his wings around his chest. It felt like an anchor hung from his ribs. I’m so pathetic . . . and you

know it. He visualized Hugo. He was standing in sorrow as his little brother cried on the bed. I

can never live up to being as strong as a dragon. I will always be nothing more than a

burden. Sam's head and chest hurt, just like it felt back then. He peeked open an eye and saw

everything, exactly how he remembered it. He scoffed and thought his mind was playing tricks

on him, but as he glanced around, his eyes widened.

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All the bookshelves were gone and replaced with his old college beds. He looked at Hugo

and Brian. Everything was so realistic; he couldn’t tell what was happening. But at that moment,

his past self glanced beyond his hands and focused on the corner of the room, trembling at the

sight. Sam remembered that fear. “It’s here! The monster!” His past self screamed.

Sam's eyes and beak gaped wider than he ever thought possible. He stared at his bird

body, and the past vanished away. Not a second came before his body shook in raw fear. “I’m

the monster. . . .”

He fell to his knees, his heart pounding in terror. A mirror! I need to find a mirror! Sam

stumbled into the hall and nearly smacked into Ventus.

“Do you have a mirror!” Sam gasped and shook Ventus with his wings.

“A mirror? Yeah. In that room there, across the room you were just in,” Ventus said

while gesturing his wing to a door with a glass window frame.

George’s office.

Sam ran across the hall the best he could with his numbed legs before he pushed open the

door. The room seemed precisely like it did back on Earth, with a desk in the center and

bookshelves against the walls. Hugo peeked in when Sam stumbled to the mirror in the corner.

“This was where it started; this was Dr. George’s office.” Hugo thought of how they

came to this planet, with George knocking on the empty wall and a secret room opening. But in

this room, there was no empty wall, only books.

Hugo smirked. “I suppose it wouldn’t be that easy.” Sam stood speechless in front of the

mirror. He was the same monster he saw in the bathroom, which seemed so long ago. Every

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feather was the same, but the thing that made him shake were his own green eyes glaring at

himself.

Hugo glanced at Sam, whose narrow eyes welled with tears.

Sam fell to his knees. “Why is this happening!” he yelled at the floor.

Hugo walked to Sam. “Hey . . . what’s wrong?” he asked in the most comforting tone he

could muster.

“Everything’s wrong!” Sam grabbed the feathers on his chest. He wished he could yank

them out. But he was too weak. “I . . . I–” Tears dripped from his cheeks and tapped against his

thighs as his body trembled. “I'm the monster that I saw in the mirror and from the corner of our

dormitory.” Sam stood and grabbed Hugo’s face. “I am the monster!” He then grasped his head,

trying to battle the dizziness that came with his confusion.

Hugo looked to the side before glancing at Sam, who fell to the floor, overwhelmed by

fear and sorrow. He thought the worst of himself as he sat there sobbing on the carpet. Should I

tell him about the soul of time? She told me not to, but look at him. . . . He’s in agony not

knowing who or what he is. “Hey . . . Sam?” Hugo murmured.

“What?” Sam cried under his wings.

“What’s in here?” Bipp interrupted as he and Ventus walked in.

Sam's eyes hissed at them. “Just forget it.”

“But Sam!”

“Where would we find books on teleportation?” Sam growled.

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Ventus chuckled. “Well, I believe in this very room, if such a thing existed. This room is

where we keep knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, and creature biology, along with a few on

souls, but we haven’t gone very far with that knowledge.”

Sam chuckled. “There you go, Hugo. Astronomy. Your favorite,” he spat.

Ventus observed Sam’s tears dripping from his beak. “What happened?”

Sam glared at Ventus. “Just shut up, you dumb bird,” he growled.

Ventus took a surprised step back. “How dare–” He paused as rage swelled within him.

“Do you know who I am? You can’t speak to me like–”

Sam's neck cracked, and his head turned to glare at Ventus. “I don’t care who you are,

because all you are is a bird that thinks he’s someone special because you have a title that means

nothing. You can’t even fly without your soul ability. . . . How pathetic are you? Do you really

want to know what I think of you? I think you’d taste amazing if I mounted you on a skewer.”

Both Bipp and Hugo stood in shock while Ventus stood his ground against Sam. Even

though Sam stood half Ventus' height, he gave off an energy that couldn’t be described other

than, Go away, or you'll regret it. Ventus’ body gradually began to shake. He opened and closed

his beak, wanting to speak as tears formed with a curious sorrow.

“I’m going back to my castle for the night. I’ll be back in the morning. Hopefully by

then, you’ll learn how to have manners around those who invite you into their kingdom.” Ventus

sniffled and marched from the room.

“Ventus,” Bipp said in a feeble attempt to bring him back.

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Ventus paused and looked back at Hugo. “If you happen to need me . . . my castle is the

small one, closest to the collapsed academy down the road. . . . It’s impossible to miss,” he said,

then stormed off.

“Sam, please. I can help!” Hugo tried.

Sam was not in the mood for listening; he was confused, afraid, and worst of all, he felt

alone. “Go away, Hugo.” He sniffled.

Hugo sighed, since Sam obviously wouldn’t listen. What’s with him? Why is he acting

like this? It can't only be because of the monster. . . . No, something else is bothering him.

“Okay, Sam. I’ll leave you alone, but I’ll be in the corner reading if you need anything.”

Hugo peeked open his mouth and blew a few embers onto a candle. The candle sparked

until it lit up. Its glow brought a calming light into the room.

Bipp gently shut the door while keeping an eye on Sam. “Well, I suppose we should get

comfortable if we’re going to spend the night here.”

Bipp grabbed a few books that looked irrelevant and stacked them beside the desk as a

second place to sit before glancing at Hugo’s awkward body. “Are you alright on the floor?”

Bipp asked with a sorrowful expression. He clearly wanted to help.

“Yeah. Thanks, though,” Hugo said and grabbed a book with a painting of a blue orb on

the cover. He then wrapped his long body around the desk and lay on the floor where the

candlelight was most bright.

Bipp twiddled his fingers and looked at Sam. “What book would you like to start with?”

he asked in a kind tone.

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Sam glared at Bipp while still reeling in a mess of emotions. “I’m going to ask you again.

Why are you helping us?” he growled.

Hugo’s head and ears rose in surprise as Bipp staggered and scratched the back of his

head. “I just . . . really enjoy the company. It’s fascinating to hear about all this other planet stuff.

Plus, ever since I followed you two, my life finally became somewhat interesting. It would get

boring in my little cabin.”

“You’re lying,” Sam snarled. Bipp’s legs wobbled at the sound of those words.

“You think I’m about to believe that you went through all this trouble . . . because you

were bored?” Bipp glanced at Hugo with a nervous expression as Sam climbed onto the desk

chair. “I’m sick of all the secrets. . . . Tell you what, I'll agree to let you stay if you tell us what

you keep those knives for, and about your promise to that–” Sam’s face scrunched as his next

word brought him pain, “queen . . . and I better like the answer.”

At that very instant, Bipp collapsed under his weight and fell into an uncontrollable

trembling. “I can't–”

“That’s enough!” Hugo’s roar rumbled a few books off the shelves and even caught Sam

off guard. “Bipp’s our friend! Stop trying to interrogate him!”

Bipp started to weep. “Please let me stay. I can’t go back. If I do, they’ll kill me,” he said

with his ears pressed against the back of his head and his knees at his nose.

Sam grunted and sat in the chair of the desk. “That’s good acting, you swine. . . . Just

pick a book,” he demanded.

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Hugo reached to the shelf and grabbed a book with a red orb painted on its cover, titled

Soul Research. Hugo thought for a moment. “Start with this one.” He lifted his arm and slid the

book across the desk to Sam.

“I’ll be right back.” Bipp sniffled and veered toward the door.

“No.” Hugo’s voice conquered the room.

Bipp turned around. Hugo was gesturing his claw for Bipp to come to him. Bipp slowly

shuffled his feet and nervously inched over to Hugo. “Here, lie down next to me and read this

one.” Hugo handed him a book with a poor painting of a dragon on its cover. “We need all the

help we can get,” he said with a comforting smile.

Bipp stared at Hugo for a long while. “Thank you,” he murmured. He then lay down on

the carpeted floor alongside Hugo and opened the book.

Hugo scooted closer to Bipp and rested his claw between his ears to comfort him. “Don’t

worry about it. Sam’s just a little on edge from everything that’s happened. You can stay with us

for as long as you like,” he whispered.

Bipp’s mouth quivered and widened as his eyes welled with tears. Hugo’s warmth alone

brought him more comfort and peace than he’d felt in a lifetime.

“Hugo?”

“What’s wrong?” Hugo asked.

Bipp looked at Hugo’s blue and green attentive eyes. They spoke with genuine worry.

“Oh, it’s nothing. The smell of these old books just got me a little.” Bipp snuck a sniffle and

stared into his book.

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Hugo smiled and looked at his book. Bipp the silver flash, what’s someone like you

crying over the smell of books for?

Sam slid the book with the red orb cover toward him. He flipped it open before a flash of

words from the front page entered his mind. “What the?” Sam murmured. He tried to read the

page, but he quickly realized that his mind was running so fast that he could read one page in a

blink.

Sam flipped to the next page, and the next after that. Information flowed through his bird

brain faster than ever before. Within two minutes, he finished the book. Sam thought about what

he read.

“That book said everyone has an ability source called a soul, but while most never

discover their ability, few,” he paused, “have the power to change the world.” He whispered and

wondered if he had a soul ability. Then a subtle scoff left his beak.

Sam set the book to the side of the desk and walked to the bookshelf to grab another. He

selected a russet covered book that sank like an anchor in his wings. He glanced at the book and

observed that it only had around two-hundred pages, but it still forced him to use both his wings.

“Great . . . just great,” he whispered. He knew then his body was weaker than before. The

poison was spreading faster than he had anticipated. He chose a few more books, then one-by-

one set them on the table until he finally sat down from exhaustion.

“Hugo, look at this,” Bipp whispered and pointed at his book. “It says here, when the

dragons flew, they each became a star in the sky.” Bipp paused. “Maybe you can fly, maybe you

can become your own star. What kind of star would you like to be?” he asked with a sympathetic

smile.

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Hugo chuckled within his closed mouth. “If only that were true. Just look at me; there’s

no way I can fly. Maybe the book is talking about those larger dragons with wings.”

“You have to think positive; I saw your face when we were up in the sky. You would

love nothing more than to be up there. So why not go after that?”

Hugo rested his neck on top of his book and looked at Sam. “I have other dreams besides

flying, things that are more important.”

Bipp chuckled. “Alright, but the second you learn to fly, please tell me. Because if this

book is true . . . I’d love to see what type of star you become.”

After many moments, the amethyst moonlight crept its gaze through the hallway

windows. Sam struggled to keep his eyes open after reading his twentieth book. He hadn’t

properly slept in two days, so he decided his next book would be his last before he slept.

He stood from the chair and looked around the room until a book slightly different than

the others caught his attention. It wasn’t painted. Its cover was nothing more than a white canvas.

That is, until Sam pulled it from the shelf.

There was a strange figure on one side. The figure was a rather messy splotch of the

darkest black Sam had ever seen, as if staring into a void. “What is this?” He struggled to the

desk and smacked the book down in front of him. The dark figure seemed to be splatted on the

cover as if the painter was in a hurry. Sam opened the book to the first page and read the title.

“Apotheosis . . . what does that mean?”

Bipp gasped. “Apotheosis! That’s it!” he whispered, then quietly hopped from the

ground, trying not to wake Hugo. “He’s the one who could teleport.” Bipp tip-toed behind Sam

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and observed the book. “Yup, it’s coming back to me. My goodness, it’s been a while.

Apotheosis was the name of the king, if you were wondering. He would use his soul ability to

travel long distances to attack Zenith and Sauria!” Bipp smiled. “I’m so happy I figured that out.

I’ve had the word teleportation stuck in my head since we left the doctor’s castle.” Bipp glanced

back at the book. “I probably wouldn’t read this if I were you. That history in such detailed

writing is only for the strong-stomached,” Bipp yawned. “I’m tired. You gonna stay up?”

Sam said nothing as he opened the book. Bipp knew he had tried. It was a good attempt

to connect with Sam. Bipp simply shrugged before he walked back to Hugo and lay beside him.

Sam began reading, and as he did, his eyes widened and his beak dropped. He read the

ancient history of the planet. It talked about an island continent named Dawn and what had taken

place there. Sam read slowly because every detail was terrifying. King Apotheosis would rip out

the eyes of creatures as a faster means to steal their souls, but only if he thought them worthy of

such a mercy. If not, he would take their soul in the most painful way possible, by ripping it from

their throat before their eyes turned darker than a clouded night.

As Sam hit the halfway point, his drowsiness overpowered him. His head bobbed and

eyelids sank. His body was telling him it was time to sleep. He accepted the first rest in two days

by smacking his cheek onto the book and closing his eyes. But he didn’t sleep. At least, it didn’t

feel like sleep.

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Chapter 17: Words that Cut

A cold wind rushed through his feathers as the scent of old books and paper were

replaced with a beak-cracking frost. Sam opened his eyes to an empty valley of sharp, crunchy

snow. He snarled and glared at the sky.

“Seriously, again!” he yelled, then wrapped his wings around his body, trying to keep

warm. There was nothing but the stinging snow covering the land. “Why can’t I sleep anymore

without having these dumb dreams?” he grumbled. The sun above was shadowed by sad

charcoal clouds that whipped and twirled with the roaring wind.

Something crackled behind him. It sounded like burning firewood. As his talons froze, he

turned around. His face was suddenly met with a wall of black fire. In that instant, the immense

heat melted the tip of his beak as the fire swirled and whipped in such a way that it looked alive.

Sam stepped away, but as he did, the fire swelled and crept closer. It yearned for his

flesh. His frozen and numbed legs cursed him as he fell backwards onto stinging powder. Then, a

pair of snow-white eyes erupted open from the black fire and glared into his soul.

Sam’s skin became saggy and his feathers liquified. The fire appeared to smile with a

shadow as it watched Sam melt before it. His body roared with pain as his feathers and skin

soaked his bones. His beak melted off as his flesh dripped and poured onto the snow. Dark fire

swirled around him like a giant snake. It opened its mouth into the void and roared a deafening

screech, as if a thousand lifeforms were crying out in agony. Sam screamed as the remainder of

his body melted into a charred black goop.

Sam threw his head from the book, screaming as he woke. He flung backward in the chair

and slammed onto the hard floor. Hugo and Bipp flinched awake as Sam threw himself from the

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chair and backed into a corner of the room. His body tingled with burning pain until reality

slowly set in and numbed it all. He wrapped his wings around his body and sat curled in the

corner. His lungs rapidly inflated his chest with every gulp as tears ran down his beak, for fear

had consumed him whole. The black flame’s eerie smile burned into his vision. Every time he

blinked, he could hear it roaring at him with screams of agony.

Hugo and Bipp ran to Sam. “What happened? Are you alright?” Hugo asked before he

raised his claw and gently held Sam’s wing.

He was beyond cold, colder than if he were dead. Sam instinctively twitched away from

Hugo. “Sam, it’s me. What happened?” he asked.

Sam’s body shivered as if it were being electrocuted. He couldn’t hear Hugo, as all his

senses were consumed by the crackling and screaming of black fire. Hugo turned toward Bipp.

“Go get Ventus, or a knight—anyone that can help, hurry!” Hugo demanded.

Bipp nodded and sprinted from the room. Hugo inched toward Sam with slow and gentle

steps. “It’s okay; nobody’s going to hurt you. Please, tell me what happened. . . . Did you have

another vision?” Hugo whispered while trying to calm him.

Sam’s eyes were wide, his body ice. He gravitated against the corner, trembling as Hugo

grew fearfully worried. “Here, you’re cold. Let me help.” Hugo grabbed a book from the shelf

and blew a few embers on it. Sam stared at the book as it sparkled and kindled. He instantly

screamed in terror.

Hugo observed Sam’s eyes; they reflected a raw fear toward the fire. Hugo smacked the

book on the ground and patted the fire out. “Sorry, Sam,” he said with a hint of sorrow. Hugo

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walked closer after Sam’s breathing gradually calmed. “If you’d like, we can do the thing. . . .

Just close your eyes,” Hugo gently began.

A surge of emotions erupted in Sam. “I can’t take this anymore! This planet is eating me

alive! Kill me! Kill me!” he sobbed.

Hugo stepped back in shock.

“I was just melted by a demon! I need to get off this planet now!” Sam shouted.

“It’s okay, Sam. We’ll find a way home; we just need to read more books. I’m sure the

answer is in here somewhere,” Hugo calmly replied.

“I’m sick of reading! I read twenty books by the time you finished half a book, you stupid

flightless worm!” Sam yelled.

Hugo froze.

“You don’t even want to go home! You don’t care about anything other than your stupid

adventures! I saw your eyes when we were flying up there! You love it! Do you hate me that

much that you want to see me suffer? I had a life; I had a family. And now I’m stuck with you!

You wanted this to happen, didn’t you! Being turned into a dragon proved that you’re stronger

than me! Are you happy!” Sam yelled.

“What?” Hugo paused.

“I’m just a tiny bird, barely the size of your head! I can never be as strong as you! I’m

sorry that I will always be a burden to you! I’m sorry that I can never live up to you! I want to be

strong! I want to be brave! But I can’t prove it in this stupid useless body!”

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Tears trickled from Hugo’s eyes. “Sam . . . is that what’s been bothering you? You think

you’re a burden to me?”

“Yes! I’m always dragging you down. We wouldn’t be in this mess if I wasn’t so afraid

of everything!” Sam’s talons curled against the carpet as he growled.

“I’ve always admired you, and the fact that I can never be like you, confuses me. Am I

not trying hard enough? Am I cursed to live as something that can never help others? I’d love to

help; it would make me feel like I’m needed, like I’m . . . not completely useless.” Sam stared at

his body, observing every feather.

Hugo’s lips quivered and widened. Sam’s obvious expression of sorrow nearly left him

speechless. “Sam . . . you–”

“I hate myself so . . . so much. I can barely breathe every time I look at you, because

knowing how much you do for me . . . overwhelms me. You have always put aside your needs to

get me out of any trouble I find myself in. So, yeah. I’m a burden.”

Sam glanced at the mirror in the corner of the room. “Please, Hugo. My chest. I can’t

bear it any longer. It’s like an anchor that I can’t pull up, knowing I will forever be nothing more

than a useless monster, too afraid to even talk to people. . . .”

Sam’s tongue turned sour in his beak as he scowled at his body. “Hugo . . . how do you

do it? After all this time, what keeps you going? Because, right now, I see no hope for me. I

don’t know if I can take another step. . . . All I want is to become strong enough to look Mom in

the eyes and tell her that it wasn’t a mistake to adopt me, a shy kid who can barely leave the

house without fainting. I want her to be proud. . . . That’s why I need you to tell me how,” Sam

wept and looked at Hugo. “Please, Hugo, what makes you so strong?”

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Hugo was frozen more than stone. His eyes welled with more sorrow than any words

could ever describe. He wanted to spill everything to Sam, but his tongue wouldn’t allow it. He

opened and closed his frowned mouth . . . trying to speak.

You want to be like me. . . . Sam, don’t ever say that. I like you the way you are. And

besides . . . I’m not as strong as you think.

Hugo’s pounding chest and twisting tongue battled and pulled each other apart until he

was able to force out the only word he could.

“Sam.”

Sam’s talons tore through the carpet, and his eye twitched. “You like being stronger than

me, don’t you?” he growled as he thought. “It makes you feel better that I’m just a stupid bird,

and you’re a mighty dragon!” Sam snarled. The hatred of himself burned throughout his body.

He took one look at Hugo, whose body trembled beyond belief as snot dripped from his snout.

In a fit of terror, rage, and confusion, Sam took up his leg and clawed Hugo with his

sharp talons, gashing three bloody chasms across Hugo’s face. “You don’t know how hard it’s

been, always being the weaker brother! I’ve had these stupid visions for as long as I can

remember! I needed someone to understand me, someone who could tell me everything’s alright!

I needed my brother!” Sam growled and glared at Hugo. “I needed you.”

A mix of blood and tears poured from Hugo’s face. As his mouth quivered and widened,

he looked at Sam, who was drowning in fear and rage.

“I’m so sorry,” Hugo wept and veered toward the door.

“I . . . hate you.” Sam sniffled as Hugo left in a river of blood and tears.

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Hugo wobbled into the hall, his mind fuzzy and his vision blurred. He was so filled with

sorrow that he accidentally smacked into a wall. He blinked to wipe the fluids away, trying to

see, but it did nothing. He stumbled down the hall and out the front door. Bipp ran up the stairs

alongside Ventus, who was wearing harem pajama pants. They both paused as Hugo swiftly

staggered down the stairs.

“Hugo! What happened? Is Sam alright?” Bipp asked.

Hugo only wept as he ran behind a castle and out of sight. Bipp clenched his fists and bit

at his lip. He snarled, then glared at the library.

“What was that about? I thought you said Sam was the one in trouble?” Ventus looked at

Bipp, who was growling.

“Thank you, Ventus, but you can go back to bed. I’ll take it from here,” Bipp snarled.

Ventus threw up his wings and yawned. “I can’t believe you had me get up for whatever

that was,” he complained and walked back down the stairs.

Bipp’s deep jade eyes ignited with rage as he marched through the library doors. He

walked through the hall and kicked the office door from its hinges, smacking it to the ground.

Sam glanced up from his book.

“Oh, great. It’s you. Hugo’s little pet.”

Bipp walked up, grabbed the desk, and effortlessly threw it against the wall before an

avalanche of books tumbled down. Bipp whipped his foot like a rocket, exploding against Sam’s

face. Sam flew off the chair and slammed into a bookshelf. “What did you say to him!” Bipp

yelled as he marched forward.

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Sam staggered from the kick to his head. “You! I knew you were violent!”

Bipp grabbed Sam by the feathers on his neck and charged up his arm, ready to punch.

“What did you say to your brother!” Bipp yelled and sniffled.

“That flightless worm was never my brother. I hate him. He doesn’t even care about me!”

Sam choked as he uselessly flapped his wings at Bipp’s arm.

Bipp lowered his fist and let go of Sam. “Please tell me you didn’t call him a flightless

worm to his face,” Bipp said.

“No, I called him a stupid flightless worm, and you’re nothing better, just a dumb, weak

rabbit with the same adventurous obsession Hugo has,” Sam spat.

Bipp smirked. “Oh, I’m the opposite of weak. So, if you would like to keep your head

attached to your body, shut up.”

Sam flinched. “What? Why did you come here? Let me guess, to tell me that I’m just a

useless bird that can’t do anything but drag others down?” he yelled. In an act of futile imitation,

Sam puffed up his body and tried to appear taller. However, he quickly realized that Bipp was a

skyscraper compared to him.

“I came because we need to talk, or at least, you need to listen.”

Sam growled and looked down at his body with an angered expression. “And what’s

that? Hugo no longer wants me as a brother. I already figured that out.”

Bipp grabbed a book from the shelf and shoved Sam’s beak through its center. “Hugo is

not your enemy!” Bipp yelled, clenching his fists.

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“You stupid animal! I would kill to take your place!” Sam glanced up after a long pause.

Tears were trickling down Bipp’s cheeks. “The reason I followed you two for as long as I have is

because Hugo made me feel . . . like I had a family . . . or at least, a friend.” Bipp sat beside Sam.

“I’ve never had someone like that.” Bipp paused in thought. “I’ve been alone for as long

as I can remember in that cottage, hoping one day someone would come and I could just . . . hold

them.” His eyes stung and began to turn red from his tears.

“When I met Hugo, he cared so much about you that he barely talked about himself,

which I thought odd.” He looked at Sam. “But then I asked him what you meant to him. . . . The

words he spoke . . . I’ve never heard them used like that. . . . He really cares about you, Sam.

Enough to make me jealous.” He paused and shyly looked away.

“That’s why I’ve been following you two. . . . I wanted to know how it feels to have

someone . . . care about me.” He sniffled. “To have someone I could call family, and be with

them forever, is my dream. . . . But that’s not realistic; not with my past. I know I don’t deserve a

family.” He looked at the floor and curled his toes.

“You wanted to know about the promise with the queen. Well, she promised to find my

lost family in exchange for me helping her get the treasure in the north . . . the lost souls of the

king, Apotheosis.” Bipp glanced at his trembling hands.

“I’ve killed countless in her name for the false hope that I would see my family again. I

wanted to keep that a secret. . . . You two seemed jumpy already. If I told Hugo I was a trained

assassin, he would’ve run from me the moment we met. Although, I fear he already knows,”

Bipp wept. “He probably hates me. . . . You stupid bird, you don’t realize that you have the

greatest gift in the world.”

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Sam kicked the book off his beak. “You’re crazy. Hugo doesn’t care about his adopted

brother; he only cares about flying and going on adventures,” Sam complained, knowing in the

back of his head that his words were false.

“You couldn’t be more wrong. Hugo does like flying and adventures, but that’s just who

he is. That’s just what he likes, nothing more. If he could never fly or go on adventures, he

would be sad, but that’s it, just sad. But with you, if he lost you . . .” Bipp paused and stared at

the floor. “That thought terrifies me. You didn’t see his eyes when you were stabbed on that roof.

. . . Those eyes,” Bipp paused with a shiver.

“And the whole was adopted thing means literally nothing. Actually, I find it more

inspiring to be adopted, because when your family chose you, they chose you. Out of a million

options, you were the perfect one.” Bipp paused and wiped his eyes.

“My family may be dead for all I know; some abusive farmer found me in the middle of

the woods and dumped me when I was ten. I would’ve loved to have been adopted into a family

with someone like Hugo. You really are stupid; you can’t see that you are the luckiest creature I

have ever seen. So, while these past few days were rough, it doesn’t change anything. You have

a family to go back to, creatures who love you.”

Sam growled in confusion. “What do you expect me to do about it?” Sam said before his

nares stung from the sorrow flooding his face. Hugo . . .

Bipp frowned. “I have no idea. But I saw Hugo running down the library steps with blood

on his face. . . . You did that, didn’t you?”

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Sam’s beak quivered until he could barely speak. “I attacked him, because he . . .” Sam

could no longer hold back the stinging burst of tears that wanted to erupt. “No . . . what have I

done! He’s helped me from the start, and I pushed him away!” he wept.

Bipp stood and held out his hand. “Come on, let’s go find him.”

Sam trembled as he glanced down. “I can’t go back to him; not after what I said.”

Bipp sniffled. “I’m sure he will forgive you; you’re brothers after all.” Sam stared in

silence for what seemed like forever until he accepted Bipp’s hand. Bipp smiled and helped Sam

up before they ran from the library in search of Hugo.

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Chapter 18: The Fall

“Hugo! Where are you!” Sam’s legs wobbled under the weight of his body; he knew he

didn’t have much time with the Arch slowly stealing his strength. Still, he didn’t care. He

lumbered down the library steps next to Bipp and followed a trail of blood splats. Each spot of

blood steamed under the cold lilac light of an early moon.

“He went this way!” Bipp said, pointing toward the castle where he last saw Hugo.

Sam growled, trying to keep up with the rabbit, but Bipp was kind and understanding

enough to wait. His heart raced with anticipation before they turned the corner only to discover

no sign of Hugo. Sam frantically glanced around while a few birds walked and flew around the

castles.

“He must’ve run over there!” Bipp pointed at the blood trail. It continued down a long

path of grass. “Did anybody see a red dragon?” Sam shouted to various birds, who gave him a

confused expression in response.

“I don’t think anybody saw him; it’s nearly midnight.”

Sam froze when they approached a splash of scales and blood dripping and steaming

from a castle wall. “What’s with this?” Sam asked before he raised his wing and touched the

near-boiling blood.

He immediately withdrew his wing and flapped it against the cold air as the heat stung his

skin. “Why is it so hot! And how is he bleeding that much? I only scratched him.” Sam glanced

at his talons and observed how lethal and sharp they truly were.

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“Oh, no. We need to find him now!” Sam yelled before glancing to his left along the

blooded path. He squinted at a tiny red dot in the distance, glistening in the amethyst moonlight.

“Is that him over there?” Sam asked, then stumbled toward the figure.

He was a slug compared to Bipp, even at walking speed. He tried flapping his wings to

boost him, but they were difficult to control, especially with the little experience he possessed.

He cried and leaned forward, concentrating with all his will just to stand. As they ran closer to

Zenith’s edge, Hugo came into clear view.

“Hugo! Are you okay?” Sam asked. Hugo didn’t move. Sam’s chest immediately sank

and pounded with worry. “Hugo?” Sam slowed his approach and tried to listen for a response.

But all he could hear was an eerie wind. “Hugo, it's me, Sam.” His stomach churned, and his

head swarmed with fear. “Hugo, I'm sorry. Please, just tell me you’re alright.”

Sam crept near the edge, attempting to see Hugo’s face below. Nothing separated the soft

grass of Zenith from the infinite drop and frigid wind of the planet. A subtle sniffle broke the

silence before Sam glanced down. Blood and tears were dripping down to the clouds. He

hesitated, then sat along the edge beside Hugo’s neck with an exhausted sigh. “I'm sorry, Hugo.

I'm just . . . really scared. . . . It’s a lot to take in. I guess I finally snapped.” He looked at his

trembling wings. “I'm sorry I took all my frustration out on you. None of this is your fault.”

Please . . . I’m so sorry.

Nobody spoke for a long while as Sam listened to the howling of the icy wind. He stared

at the jewel-like stars and amethyst moon. The planet and clouds below twinkled in a multitude

of unimaginable colors. Hugo stood with a wobble, then walked back along the grass and laid his

head next to Sam.

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His face was soaked in blood.

Sam gasped at the sight of Hugo’s mauled face and covered his beak with his wings,

instinctively hiding his surprise. Three large gashes had torn Hugo’s skin from his left horn to his

cheek. The center gash had sadly slashed through Hugo’s left eye.

“Oh no, Hugo, I didn’t mean to–” Sam spread his right wing over Hugo’s face, wishing

he could help. “I– I’m so sorry.” His beak gnashed and his talons curled in anger; he knew that a

simple apology meant nothing compared to an eye, especially Hugo’s eye.

His nares stung, and his heart slushed with the heavy pressure of his self-hatred. Hugo

retreated his face and looked away. “Hugo! Your eye! Let me help!” Sam scooted closer and

placed his wing over Hugo's rough ash fur. “Please, Hugo. Talk to me!” Sam nearly wept from

guilt alone as the sight of his actions felt worse than a knife in his chest.

Hugo sniffled. “I can’t see out of it. And I don’t think I ever will.” As his eye throbbed,

he turned his head to Sam. “We need to talk.”

“Anything! Just let me stop the bleeding!” Sam glanced around, looking for anything to

use.

“Here, use this.” Bipp unbuttoned his sky-blue cloak and tossed it to Sam.

“Thank you . . . Bipp,” Sam said, noticing the scars on Bipp’s chest. He dabbed the cloak

around Hugo's eye and felt the intense warmth of his blood beneath the fabric. “I'm so sorry,

Hugo.” He fought against tears and tried to think of anything else to say. Much to his dismay, he

knew that no words could make up for what he did.

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“It’s okay, Sam. I understand. This planet has been hard on you. . . .” He paused and

exhaled steam from his snout into the bitter night air. “I wanted to talk about some of the things

you said . . . and your poison.” Hugo looked directly at Sam, who frowned in anger and sorrow.

“I didn’t know you felt that way . . . wishing to die and thinking you’re a burden.” He paused. “Is

that why you never mention the poison? . . . Did you really mean it when you told me to kill

you?” Hugo asked. He winced from the cloak dabbing against his eye.

A long silence fell over them as the unforgiving wind continued to howl. “No . . . I didn’t

mean it,” he murmured with his head down and eyes drooping. He knew he was unsure. “I was

just so scared, I couldn’t hold any words back. . . . I’m so sorry,” Sam sniffled.

Hugo looked at Sam with an unfiltered passion. “But you meant some of it. . . . Please,

Sam, tell me the truth. I would never think less of you; I want to help.”

Sam’s mind raced, and his chest pounded. “I–” He looked down at his legs, knowing he

needed Hugo to know. “I’m scared, Hugo, of everything on this planet. . . . It overwhelmed me

so much that I wanted to die, just to stop it all. . . . I wish I didn’t know about this poison in my

body; I wish I didn’t have a timer forcing me how to think. . . . Remember when I told you I was

afraid of the doctor? Well, this is why, but so much worse. That’s why I haven’t talked much

about the poison, because it terrifies me just to think about it.” He paused and curled his talons.

He was unable to feel the soft grass beneath them.

“But . . . it has taken away most of the suffering. I’ve already lost all feeling from my

stomach down, and I’m grateful for it. This planet took my dreams, my hopes, and tortured them

out of me, and not being able to feel half of it has helped in more ways than one.”

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Sam’s wing trembled as he held the cloak to Hugo’s eye. “I want to be like you so much;

I want to know what it’s like to be strong. . . . I tried to be tough, so you wouldn’t think of me as

a burden, but I could only hold it in for so long. That’s why I snapped at you . . . all my fears just

let loose.” Sam observed Hugo’s long body.

“I’m so glad you became a dragon. . . . I feel so safe around you. But I’m still just a bird.

It’s hard not to see myself as a burden when I’m the one who always needs help.” He paused.

“Hugo . . . I’m scared that this planet will take me. I’m scared that I won’t see Mom or Dad

again. I haven’t begun life yet, and if it were to end here . . . please, Hugo, help me. I want to

live; I want to go home.”

Hugo stared at Sam with more intensity than Bipp, or Sam himself had ever seen. “I'm

sorry I haven’t protected you from all this. I want more than anything for you to be well. And I

did promise to take you home, didn’t I?”

Sam smirked. “Don’t be ridiculous. That was because of my shyness to go to college.

This is something beyond that; I mean, look at us, we’re on a completely different planet!”

“I'm still taking you home, no matter what. . . . And I promise you, that we’ll find the

cure so we can go home to be with Mom and Dad for as long as you need. I can’t lose you,

especially to some dumb poison,” Hugo sighed. “You don’t know how much you mean to me.

How much I’m willing to do, to protect you.”

“Isn’t that sweet? I didn’t think dragons were capable of such emotion.” A frigid wind

rolled against Hugo’s cheek as venomous laughter echoed from the castle shadows.

“It’s her.” Bipp shivered from the cold. He turned his head and saw the queen, lurking in

the shadows.

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“I'm so sorry to interrupt.” The queen stepped forward as a sharp cold swept onto Hugo’s

scales and Sam’s feathers. Bipp's feet stiffened as a layer of ice spidered from the ground to his

ankles.

“Did you think that flying up here with the Prince of the Sky would hide you from me?

It's harder to find a fish in the ocean. Especially when hunting a bleeding dragon. Your steaming

blood is almost impossible to miss.”

“What are you doing here?” Hugo growled.

“I've come to claim my champion. You proved to me that you are capable of more than

you know. You will fight for me, dragon, or you and your beloved bird will die.”

“Why do you want me so badly?” Hugo yelled. The queen stepped forth with a venomous

sneer.

“I happen to be searching for the greatest treasure of all time, the souls of King,

Apotheosis. But it lays beyond that barbaric kingdom of Sauria. So, I need you, a dragon, to help

me burn their kingdom to the ground, so I may grant your wish. It will be easy; they’re planning

a peace summit as we speak. They’ll come unarmed for us to bring them to extinction. You want

a way home? You want this bird cured of the Arch? Then let me help you in exchange for

helping me.”

“I don’t care what you have to offer!” Sam snarled and stood up. “I don’t trust you in the

slightest! Just a few hours ago, you sent us to our execution! Now you want our help?” Hugo

glanced at Sam in surprise.

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The queen scowled. “You’re right; I don’t want your help.” She raised her arm toward

Sam. “I only want the dragon.”

Sam didn’t even have time to respond. His beak and body froze before he could blink.

Suddenly, he hovered off the edge of Zenith, over the planet below. “Stop it! I'll join you! I’ll do

whatever you want! Just don’t hurt him!” Hugo yelled.

“Hu-go.” Sam’s beak cracked as he tried to speak. It was as if every molecule in his body

was replaced by shivering ice.

“Oh, no,” Bipp murmured.

The queen sneered before lowering her arm, feeding Sam to the abyss. “Saaam!” Hugo

screeched as Sam fell through a thick layer of gray clouds.

“Fly, Hugo! You need to fly now!” Bipp fearfully yelled.

Hugo hesitated as he stared at the abyss. His stomach twisted, and his head swam with

discomfort, but he gathered all the courage he could and leapt from Zenith.

“Fly!” Bipp screamed as Hugo fell.

The freezing wind swept against his scales, forcing water from his eye. He straightened

his body like an arrow and shot through the clouds. “Sam!” he shouted as Sam whipped and spun

through the air below. He quickly approached and grabbed hold of him.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to get us both killed!” Hugo pressed Sam against

his warm chest and wrapped his long tail around him. “You can't fly! What are you–” Sam

paused as Hugo closed his eye and spun his back toward the planet. “No! Stop! Don’t do this!

Don’t kill yourself for me!”

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As Zenith disappeared above the clouds, only one thought entered Hugo’s mind. I'm

sorry, Sam, but I made a promise.

“Huugoo!” Sam screamed.

Hugo's heart fluttered from the anticipation of the ground before his last thought shattered

apart by an instant thud.

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Chapter 19: A Promise Worth Keeping

The smashing and twinkling of glass woke the house. A soft wind brushed against Hugo's

ears and tickled his skin before a violent rumbling shook the walls like an earthquake. Hugo

woke up; at least, he thought he did.

All was dark. Even the stars and moon couldn’t be seen through the window. He reached

up toward his nightstand to feel for his nightlight. His hand rubbed against the cold plastic of its

outer shell before he grabbed it and flicked the switch at the bottom. Nothing. The battery

must’ve died.

The rumbling from the other room fell into ear-numbing silence. Suddenly, a “thump,

thump, thump” slowly beat the floor. As it grew louder, Hugo sat up on his floor blanket and

squinted in the direction of the sound. The doorknob turned with a screech. It clicked open, and

the hallway light poured a narrow line of light into the room, allowing Hugo to see.

He stood with his feet firm on the floor and stared at the doorway. It was creaking with

the sound of old wood. He wondered, Who could it be? as the door opened halfway.

A shadowed hand peeked around the frame, and a wave of heat tingled Hugo’s skin. The

figure could not be seen. Like a silhouette, it was as if it absorbed all light into darkness. It

wasn’t until the door was completely open when Hugo glanced at the figure's other hand,

clenching a sharp object. Hugo was innocent and didn’t know who or what the character was.

But whatever it was, it was the raw definition of dark as it crept a line of shadow from the

hallway light, consuming Hugo.

“Hello?” Hugo broke the silence with a nervous tone.

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The figure made no sound as it instantly walked toward Sam, who was sound asleep on

Hugo’s bed. Hugo fell short of breath before a strange tingling flowed through his body. His

heart pumped so fast that he could feel it beat in his fingertips. At this moment, his body took

control. He flung towards Sam and miraculously leapt onto the bed before placing his body

between Sam and the figure. Hugo’s eyes became wide.

What just happened?

He glanced down at Sam before an unbearable stinging pain pierced through his back.

“Noooo!” screeched Andrew as he charged into the room.

Another sting sliced through his shoulder before a thunderous clash erupted behind him.

Hugo was paralyzed from shock and terror while his fresh blood poured onto Sam’s blankets

below. Andrew screamed before the conflict ended faster than it began. A grip of warm hands

enveloped Hugo’s sides, and he rose from his bed. It was Andrew, gasping for breath as he

observed Hugo. Andrew’s clothes were charred and ripped while his face and arms were

splotched with skin-melted burn marks. Sanguine fluid spilled from Hugo’s pajamas and pooled

onto the carpet beneath him.

“No!” Andrew cried. “Mary! Call an ambulance! The police! Anyone! It got Hugo!”

Hugo took one last glance at Sam to make sure he was safe. As Sam rested peacefully in

his bed, Hugo smiled and accepted the night’s end with ease before sinking into Andrew’s arms.

Hugo’s eyes peeked open to the soft sounds of birds. They sang their songs and hopped

around the windowsill, bathing in the warm sunlight. The cool room he lay in had a scent like

flowers and lemons. He sat up to view the strange room. It was very tidy, except for the wires

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tangled around his bedside. A few of those wires led to him and pinched his fingertips in the

grasp of a pulse reader. Hugo glanced at the window. There was a small clay pot containing a red

dahlia flower. To Hugo, it looked like a galaxy with its yellow center. For several moments, he

watched the blue jays along the windowsill. They made frequent food deliveries to their

newborns. Each of them begged for food in such an ugly way, but to Hugo, it was comforting.

A quaking yell from the other side of the wall startled Hugo. He tried to peek through the

door window, only spotting the back of Mary’s copper hair. As he tried to get up, he removed the

pulse reader attached to his finger. Suddenly, a long annoying beep buzzed from the machine

next to the bed. Mary immediately slammed open the door with surprising might.

"Hugo!" she cried, then ran to him and gently patted his body and face. “Are you

alright!”

Hugo raised his hand and rubbed the padded gauze over his shoulder. “Where’s Sam?”

Mary's blue eyes welled with tears. “Do you mean Saiai?” She instantly brushed away the

question with her hand. “Oh, never mind him. He’s fine . . . thanks to you. But what matters is

how you’re doing.”

Hugo didn’t care about his health in the slightest. “What happened?” he asked as the

memory of the dark shadowy figure brought goosebumps to every inch of his body.

Mary hugged Hugo and cried. “I'm so glad you’re alive. I don’t know what I would do if

I lost you.”

“Mama, what happened?” he asked with haste.

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Mary looked at him with sorrow in her eyes. “We lost her. A monster came into the

house that wanted to hurt us.” Mary wept beyond her ability to speak. “It got Saiai’s mom. . . . It

almost had you too if Daddy hadn’t come in when he did. He’s in a different hospital room being

treated for third-degree burns. . . . Do you know how he got burned that badly? Whatever

attacked us fled the house the moment Andrew called for me.” She paused. “He said you were on

top of Saiai. Were you protecting him?” she asked.

Hugo didn’t know what to think. He remembered what happened in such detail that he

still felt the sharp object piercing his back and shoulder. But that moment, when he had leapt

onto Sam’s bed, that was something else, something he was unsure of, almost like he was

possessed. “Where is Sam?” Hugo asked again.

Mary’s eyebrow rose. “Why do you keep calling him Sam?”

“His mama let me choose a nickname,” Hugo said with haste.

Mary sighed. “Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. The lawyer came saying that, since we

aren’t his family, we aren’t allowed to see–” Mary paused and stared at Hugo’s eyes. “Did . . .

you always have a green eye? I could’ve sworn both your eyes were blue, like mine. . . . Perhaps

we can get that checked,” she asked, pointing to Hugo’s left eye.

“Where is he?” Hugo didn’t care about his eye. He demanded to know where Sam was,

only this time, it seemed to frighten Mary as she flinched.

“Uh, he's down the hall with a bunch of doctors and the lawyer. There’s also a security

lady who has been ordered not to let me in. I guess I was a little rough with the whole thing. You

know how I get.” Hugo quickly hopped from the hospital bed and lumbered out the door. “Wait,

Hugo!” Mary yelled and followed him.

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“What's he doing out?” a doctor shouted as Hugo marched down the hall toward the end

room.

Luckily for Hugo, nobody knew what to do. They couldn’t grab him without worrying

that they might open his wounds, so the doctors and nurses watched in amazement. They were

stunned that Hugo was even awake, let alone able to walk as fast as he was. He made it to the

door with the security lady standing in front.

“Excuse me, ma’am, but may I enter?” he asked, trying to muster all the proper and polite

ways of speaking to someone important.

She glanced down at Hugo. “Who are you?”

“I'm Sam’s brother,” Hugo said.

“Who?” The security officer looked at Mary, who walked over to Hugo. “This your kid?”

she asked. Mary nodded with an obvious, nervous expression. “What kind of mother lets their

child wander around the hospital! You're more insane than I thought you–” Hugo pushed the

door open behind the security officer and entered the room. Inside, there was a man dressed in a

gray coat, sipping a cup of tea. He sat at a table next to a steel hospital crib, where Sam was

resting. “Hey, wait a minute!” the security officer said. The man in gray simply watched Hugo as

he lumbered to the crib. But it was far too advanced for Hugo’s understanding of how to get it

open.

“May I see him?” Hugo asked, pointing at Sam.

“Aww, no you don’t. You have to go back to your room and heal up. Let the lawyer here

take care of him,” the security officer said.

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Hugo’s fingers subconsciously curled at his palms. “No,” he stated.

“It doesn’t matter what you want, little boy. He's not your brother. He’s gonna go to a

proper foster home.”

Hugo scowled. “His mom passed the torch to me! Not you, not that gray man. Me! I am

his brother!” he shouted with unstoppable passion.

The security officer looked at the man in gray before the room lingered in a long silence.

Thoughts were racing through everyone’s mind. It was an awkward situation; everyone was

uncomfortable.

“Please, let him be my brother,” Hugo begged.

“Are you saying that you wish to adopt him?” the man in gray asked with a fruity voice

before sipping his tea.

“Yes, more than anything!”

The man turned back a few pages on the stack of papers in front of him. He paused for a

few moments as he read. “That could work,” he sighed. “This is complicated. Never have I seen

a child with no connections, no grandparents, no aunts or uncles; he’s completely alone.” He

looked at Mary, who stood at the entryway. “May I ask why you wish to adopt?”

Mary’s legs slightly wobbled as she looked at Hugo. “I always wanted a big family,

because more people in it means more love to go around. . . . I can’t have another child, but I

really want one. Not just for me, but for my family.”

The man glanced at Sam with a smile. “Well . . . I think that’s a good enough reason.” He

gathered the paperwork from the table and organized it into a folder.

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“Really?” Mary said, surprised.

The man reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a silver card before grabbing a

wooden cane from under the table. He stood up and limped towards Mary. “Here, I recommend

you get in contact with the good people at this adoption agency. They can get you sorted.” He

handed Mary the silver card, then lumbered over to Hugo. “But I get the feeling everything will

work out.” He knelt and gently messed with Hugo’s copper hair. “Take good care of him; he’s

very special.” He smiled before he stood and limped toward the door.

The doctor who chased Mary into the room stepped forward. “Well, it sounds like you’re

going to be his family. I suppose that means you can visit him during open hours, at least until it

becomes official. Then you can bring him home. He’s surprisingly in perfect health with no

injuries from the incident.”

Hugo pointed at the crib. “Can I see him?”

The doctor smiled. “Yes, but he should stay in the crib.”

Hugo turned toward Mary. She was surprised that her four-year-old son could walk in

with such an effect. “Can you help me up?”

Mary nodded and proceeded nervously to Hugo. The security officer stepped out of the

way as Mary gently lifted Hugo and set him next to Sam. Finally, Hugo was where he wanted to

be. He didn’t care about anything else as he sat in the corner of the crib and watched Sam. Mind-

numbing drowsiness hindered him from his throbbing wounds. But now, he was with his brother.

“I promised that I would protect you and love you more than anything in the world,” he

murmured before succumbing to his need for sleep.

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Chapter 20: A Dark Descent

“Hugo! Please! Wake up!” Sam shouted as the warm, soft flow of his tears and snot

splashed onto Hugo’s cold chest. “Why did you do that? Why . . .” He sobbed and felt Hugo’s

smooth scales under the gentle taps of the snowflakes. His heart sank deeper than ever before as

he glanced at Hugo’s lifeless face. He knew that it was all his fault.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how many times I have to apologize before I feel like I can look

you in the eyes . . . eye . . . again.” His beak wobbled from sorrow. “It makes no sense. You

should hate me after all the pain I’ve caused you,” he growled as his mind twisted. “Why do you

care about me! I’ve never once deserved someone like you. . . .” He shivered from the cold. The

chilling air nipped at his flesh.

“Bipp was right. I’m the luckiest creature on the planet. . . . But now, after this, I need to

be stronger . . . or you’re better off without me.” His body sank like an anchor, and his tongue

turned sour; he hated the thought of leaving Hugo. “I just, don’t want to be a burden anymore,”

he wept.

Hugo felt an unbearable burning pain in his back as a glimmer of infinite starlight peeked

into his vision. He sucked the stinging air as best he could, puffing out his chest in the process.

“Hugo?” Sam sniffled. Hugo's body gradually warmed beneath him.

Hugo’s eye squinted open to a hundred auroras, waving through the atmosphere with

colors he never thought possible. Above them, twinkled stars close enough to touch, with a

rainbow of nebulae blanketing the voids of space. His body tingled like a thousand needles

pricking him as his blood warmed. Hugo coughed with his cold, scratchy throat as his heart went

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from a subtle ember to a roaring furnace. Flakes of snow melted on his cheek and trickled into

refreshing droplets beneath his scales. He swallowed and raised his head from the frigid powder.

His eye met Sam, who sat on his chest, gawking at him.

“H-Hugo!” Sam gasped.

“Hey, Sam,” Hugo moaned and observed the snowflakes teetering down and twinkling

the colors of space. “Are you okay? I'm sorry about that.”

“Shut up! Why do you do that! Why do you care so much about me when you’re the one

buried in the snow?”

Hugo smiled. “I'm sorry; I can’t help myself.” He reclined his head back into the snow

and watched the ocean of cold and the colorful lights from the arouras.

Sam instantly hugged Hugo’s neck with his left wing. “Thank you,” he whispered.

A light rustling broke the silence as Hugo brought his tail from the snow. But then, an

unpleasant noise cracked his back. “Ugh, yep. That’s broken,” Hugo grimaced.

“What are you doing?”

“We need to get moving. We still haven’t found a cure yet, and I doubt we'll find one out

here,” Hugo growled and fought against the pain spiking in his back.

“Are you serious? We just fell from space! And you’re in no condition to move

anywhere! I just broke my right wing– . . . arm. But you . . .” Sam observed Hugo's face,

grimacing in pain.

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“Stop it, Hugo. You need to rest. Just for once, worry about yourself,” Sam murmured

with deep worry, knowing Hugo wouldn’t listen to such words.

Hugo shrieked as he twisted his body around and trembled upright. “Get on,” Hugo

demanded and nearly collapsed as his eye begged to close.

“Hugo, please, stop. I can’t bear to see you hurt yourself for me anymore. Just lie down.

Your injuries are far more serious than my poison.”

“My injuries won't kill me. I'll be fine,” Hugo cried as absolute agony encompassed him.

Sam gawked at Hugo. “There's just no changing your mind, is there?” he sighed.

“Alright, but you must promise to take it easy. If it becomes too much, take a break, okay?” Sam

said before climbing on top of Hugo.

“I promise.” I will never stop until you’re safe. Hugo murmured and took his first step

slowly.

His bones shifted under Sam. This made Sam worry even more. He sped to a trudge as

flakes of snow shot his side. Their cold stung him like a hundred sharp needles. Every step he

took was slow and unforgiving. Gradually, his claws froze solid. Hugo glanced down and

mustered all the embers he could to warm himself.

Hugo lumbered through the endless sea of snow for hours, while Sam lay on his warm

back and observed the stars. For a while, they talked about the library and how Bipp was strong

enough to throw a desk across the room.

“Bipp said that?” Hugo exclaimed.

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“He did. Since he didn’t have a family, he wanted to be part of ours. Whatever you said

to him made him really want to be your brother,” he shivered. “It just gives me the creeps, an

alien as a brother. . . .” But what did you say to him that made him feel that way? “The reason he

didn’t tell us was because he’s secretly an assassin hired by the queen. . . . Apparently, she

promised to help find his family if he helped her.”

Bipp wants to be my brother? Hugo stared at the snow and smiled.

Both thought for a long while as they stared at the night sky. “Hey Hugo, you’re an

astronomy student, right?”

“Yeah, always have been. Why?”

Sam crawled up to the back of Hugo's neck. “Could you tell me why you chose

astronomy over flight school? It's just, you never really talk about it. And I hardly know why you

do half the stuff you do. I figured since we're in the middle of nowhere, not doing much, you

could tell me.”

Hugo sighed. “I guess it’s a better time than any.” He paused and began to think of the

right way to articulate it before continuing on. “Well, it’s a little complicated. Everyone knew I

wanted to go to flight school. But the reason I didn’t was because of you, Sam.”

“What? I never told you to go to college!”

“No, it's not that. I didn’t like the idea of flying alone. Going on adventures like that isn’t

the same if you have nobody to share it with. So, when you told me you wanted to attend college,

I changed my mind and thought of all the fun adventures we could go on together. But I also

didn’t want to completely abandon my dream of flying. And I’ve always wanted to be closer to

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the stars. So, I chose astronomy.” He paused. The scene went silent. Nothing but the sharp wind

could be heard as it whispered it’s howling tune.

“You asked me, before we left, why go to college if you don’t like it?” He exhaled with

the steam of his hot breath. “Well, the real reason I went to college was . . . to be with you.”

Sam’s head rose as he thought. His beak and eyes opened wide. “You–” He paused

immediately. “You abandoned your flight dream and waited two years, just to be with me!” he

exclaimed.

“I did. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.” Hugo glanced up at space. “Though,

someday, I would like for us to fly and be part of the stars together. If I could have one wish,

besides finding your cure and bringing you home, that’s what I would want.”

You gave up your dream, because of me. Sam looked down at his frail wings. I don’t

know what to say. . . . I’m so happy you’re my brother and that you care about me enough to do

such a thing. A feeling of warmth hugged his chest as he looked down at Hugo.

But I care about you . . . enough to see the damage I’m doing to you. . . . If you had never

known me, you would be a great pilot. I get that you don’t want to be alone. But you’ve made so

many sacrifices. Sam paused as he held back the sorrow at the thought of never knowing Hugo.

But I don’t know if I’m strong enough to leave you . . . to tell you to stop caring about me.

Tears moistened his eyes, and he pretended to smile.

“That sounds amazing, way better than my dreams of seeing a dinosaur, studying

paleontology, or becoming strong and courageous like you,” Sam said in a happy manner, trying

to conceal his thoughts.

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Hugo breathed into a chuckle. “I’m not courageous. I still use a nightlight for goodness’

sake. I'm probably the most cowardly creature on this planet.”

“But you have good reason to use a nightlight. I don’t remember that night, but the way

you describe that dark figure honestly makes me want to keep the main lights on and lock all the

doors. You remember it, and you only have a nightlight. . . . That’s courageous in my book.”

Sam was so tired; those words barely left his beak.

Hugo shyly smirked. “Thanks . . . but you should get some rest; I’ll wake you if anything

pops up,” he said as Sam enveloped himself in his heated fur.

“Take it easy, alright?” Sam murmured right before subtle snoring rumbled from his

beak, tickling Hugo’s back as he trudged through the numbing snow. Hugo glanced back at Sam

and smiled before looking ahead.

I hope you’re starting to see it . . . how much you mean to me. The reason I haven’t told

you is . . . I . . . I-

Hugo’s fangs gnashed as his lips scowled. I’m such a coward. Why can’t I just tell you?

He looked at the glorious painting above. His throat begged to scream out how he felt about

Sam. But he simply couldn’t. His eye stung with tears meeting the bitter air.

But telling you how I really feel about you . . . makes my body shake. I’m the weak one,

Sam. I don’t even understand myself. Without you, I would’ve never gone to college, never taken

the first step out into that ocean . . . never had someone to call my best friend.

A few moments passed before a sky-blue wall peeked over the horizon. The wall

mirrored the wave of auroras like a mirage. Hugo squinted to make sure his mind wasn’t playing

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with him. What is that? He drew closer until it he noticed its grand height. It even blocked the

clouds from passing. Its icy shell sparkled with the reflection of everything it could catch. He

glanced from right to left, but it looked like the wall went on forever in either direction.

He gasped when he realized that it was a massive glacier. It was so large that even from a

mile away, he had to tilt his head back to see the top. He crept closer until an eerie narrow

crevasse came into view. It was dark, an abyss blacker than the emptiness of space.

He slowly trembled closer to the thin crack in the glacier. For a second, he thought he

heard the screams of children. He squinted in discomfort as the wind hummed a deep tune from

the abyss. It begged him to enter with a stench like iron and rot curling toward the crevasse,

forcing him to slow his approach.

“Sam, I need you to be awake right now.” Hugo trembled and walked closer, but as he

did, fear crippled him. He was within fifty feet from it, but couldn’t move. Something about this

made Hugo’s instincts go out of whack. He was afraid to even turn his back to it and walk away.

He stared into the abyss. But it stared back, more intensely than he could fathom.

“Saaam,” Hugo whined as the dark line hypnotized his sight. “Saaam, please, I need

you.” Hugo’s eye watered as wisps of sound echoed around him, making him jump at the

slightest gust of wind. His mind teetered from dizziness before the breaths of eerie voices

brushed the fur in his large ears.

Why do you cower, brave dragon?

Why do you call the bird for help?

Because alone, you are weak

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The dark will consume you

Just like those before

Your soul will burn

Hugo screamed at the top of his lungs until his throat cracked and swelled. He couldn’t

take it anymore; he twitched and trembled as cold fear consumed every cell in his body. His

vision pulsed and blurred before he subconsciously roared waves of fire around him to burn

away the voices and screams.

The bird will be ours

In time

His body will burn

Hugo’s head vibrated as he screeched fire around him. The whispers shrieked louder until

even his own thoughts were unreachable. He swam into madness, and his eye swelled as if it was

about to pop. He trembled from the frost creeping its way beneath his scales. Sam twitched

awake from the screaming. He glanced at Hugo, who was breathing tidal waves of fire all around

him.

“What's going on!” Sam yelled. He peeked up at the dark line in the glacier. His pupils

shrank as he suddenly realized what was going on. “Oh, no.” Sam crawled to the top of Hugo’s

head. He was roaring deeper into fear. “Hugo!” Sam yelled.

Hugo whipped and thrashed his body with such power that Sam flung from his head and

landed in the snow. Sam swiftly rolled on his back and looked at a wave of fire roaring towards

him. He glanced at Hugo, whose eye showed no sign of intelligence. Fear had taken control.

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“Hugo! Close your eye!” Sam screamed.

The fire roasted the snow next to Sam, but stopped just as his feathers smoked. “I can't do

it, Sam!” Hugo yelled. He shivered from absolute terror.

Sam stood and trudged to Hugo’s head. “I know, Hugo. Keep your eye closed, alright?

Just like you taught me. You don’t have to look at it.” Hugo nodded. His legs wobbled so much;

it was a wonder that he was even standing. Sam stood on the tips of his talons and stretched up

his left wing to cover Hugo’s eye.

“I'm here, Hugo. It's okay.” I've never done this to you before; it’s always me that’s

scared. “Alright, Hugo.” Sam gulped. How do I do this? I can’t feel half my body; how am I

supposed to describe what he feels? Sam looked around. Okay, it's cold, but he’s a dragon; does

he get cold?

“I feel your soft wing on my face,” Hugo began.

Surprised, Sam glanced up at Hugo. “What else?”

“I feel the cold wind pushing against me and the crunchy snow under my feet.”

“Now, what do you hear?”

Hugo’s ears twitched and turned in every direction as he listened. “I hear the wind

roaring and whipping against my ears. I hear your warm moist breath crackle as it fades to ice. I

hear the soft pat of your heartbeat thumping in your chest.”

Sam stood, amazed. Even he couldn’t hear his breath or heartbeat. How can he hear

that? Sam glanced up at Hugo’s massive ears and smiled. Oh, obviously. “What do you smell?”

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Hugo’s tongue flicked as he inhaled through his snout, almost sucking Sam in. “I smell

something odd; it smells like iron and rotten fish. But I also smell you. To be honest, you smell

like burnt chicken.”

“Probably because you almost cooked me,” Sam said with a hint of humor. “So, Hugo,

what do you see . . . now?” He paused at the sight of something peculiar. Hugo’s ash fur swished

like a grass field in a gentle wind.

Hugo smiled and pressed his sizeable warm head against Sam. “I see you, Mom, Dad,

and me at the dining table, eating a warm breakfast as the sun shines through the windows.

You're enjoying your blueberries, as always, as the rest of us watch you inhale them all.” Hugo

chuckled with a nervous and comforting expression.

“Why do you see that?” Sam asked, his curiosity peaked. Honey and ruby embers were

slowly floating and twinkling from Hugo’s fur. Not a second passed before they were surrounded

by specks of warm light. Some landed on Sam, each gifting him with a gentle kiss of warmth.

What . . . are you?

“That’s been my favorite part of every day for the past eighteen years. It’s the one thing I

know that will always stay the same, your simple love for blueberries.” I’ve never felt so light. . .

. A warm wet soaked onto Sam’s wing. He lifted his wing as tears trickled from Hugo's closed

eye. “I'm so glad you're here, Sam. I couldn’t do this without you. . . . I really need to fix my fear

of the dark, don’t I?”

“No . . . you don’t. Everyone has something that scares them. It’s perfectly normal.” Sam

shyly looked to the side at many embers hovering down and sizzling as they kissed the snow. In

fact, I’ve always been jealous; I would love to be afraid of only one thing. He glanced at Hugo’s

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back. The embers slowed their ascent while his fur whipped like an illusion of fire. “How are

you doing that with your hair?” Sam asked.

Hugo’s head tilted. “What do you mean? I’m not doing anything.”

Sam blinked and stared at the embers surrounding him. “You mean . . . you don’t feel

that? A bunch of embers are floating from your back.”

Hugo froze as those words hit his ear. “That’s . . . new,” he said simply.

Sam stared at Hugo, curious as to why he wasn’t reacting. “You’re not going to open

your eye?”

Hugo shook his head firmly. “I believe you . . . but I don’t want to open it.” He smiled. “I

like what I see,” he said with a hint of humor.

Sam looked up at Hugo’s face and chuckled. “Well, since I’m here, let me help you get

through that glacier. You don’t need to open your eye. Let me be your eyes.”

Hugo nodded happily. “Alright, just don’t describe it in too much detail.”

“I don’t think I can.” Sam looked toward the dark abyss. “That is the darkest thing I've

ever seen.”

“That’s too much detail.” Hugo lowered his body before his fur ceased, and the embers

slowly faded away.

“Sorry. Go forward and stop when I say.” Sam climbed on top of Hugo.

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Hugo took his first step forward while strategically breathing to calm himself. The stench

of iron and rot thickened, stinging their lungs with poison. Sam stared forward at the snow. It

dropped into darkness at the entrance of the abyss. “Stop! There's nothing there!”

Hugo instantly backed up and grasped the snow with his hind claws. “What do you mean,

nothing?”

“The snow, it just ends. Is there a hole or something?” Sam asked as he gawked at the

abyss before him. It was no longer a simple path through the glacier. There was nothing but raw

darkness. The dark gap stood before them, taller and wider than any skyscraper. Sam stared at

where the snow ended. “We have to go down,” he spoke with worry.

Hugo's chest sank. Every breath he gulped became heavier by the second. “What do you

mean we have to go down?”

“I mean it just drops, without a slope, just straight down into darkness.”

“Do you see a bottom?”

“No,” Sam said, trying to sound calm. Hugo quickly stole a few steps back. “No, Hugo,

we have to move forward! I know you're afraid. Keep your eye closed and we'll get through

this!”

“I can’t! It's too much!”

Sam glanced up to view the height of the glacier. But then, a flair of black fire whipped

from the darkness. His eyes opened wide, and his entire body sank against Hugo.

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“Sam, what's going on?” Hugo yelled. Sam screamed until his throat popped. The

memory of the black fire melting his flesh came into vivid sight. “Sam!” Fear had Sam pinned;

his heart raced as whispers began to echo around him.

I need to be strong. I need to save Sam! “Screw it!” Hugo yelled, his body pumping with

adrenaline before he opened his eye.

“Stop! We can't go in there! It's here! The black fire!”

“We can’t wait forever! You’re dying, and we need to get help now!” Hugo ignited his

mouth and roared a beam of fire into the abyss. The fire lasted two feet before a fog of darkness

consumed it. “No, no, no!” Hugo paused as he trembled. For Sam. He growled with pure

madness drowning his mind. “Hold on, Sam!”

“Wait, Hugo! Don’t!” Sam gripped Hugo’s ash fur with his talons before Hugo leapt into

the abyss.

He screamed out fire while he thrashed and twisted his long body gyroscopically,

forming a sphere of fire. The stench of rot rammed into Hugo and Sam’s senses as a million

whispers echoed around them. Sam and Hugo fell for what seemed like an eternity before they

landed with a hard splash in a shallow river of hot crimson sludge. Hugo stood and inhaled the

stench of iron. “Is this blood!” Hugo shrieked and sloshed forward, completely blinded by

darkness.

Hugo roared louder as the whispers in his head turned to unintelligent screams. He

sloshed faster through the burbling liquid and gagged from the lack of fresh air.

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Every second that passed caused Hugo to go further into madness and shock. “Get me out

of here!” he screeched.

Sam gawked at everything. Though, even with his evolved eyes, he could only see a few

feet beyond them. Hugo ran past a creature’s mangled body, floating on top of the river. “What

was that!” Sam jumped.

“What! Did you see something?” Hugo demanded to know.

They passed another creature; only this one had a large hole in its chest, and its dead eyes

looked like black pearls. Sam's eyes widened. “What is this?” he murmured as they ran past a

dozen more bodies, each killed a different way. Some of the bodies were charred, while most

were missing their eyes.

“Is something there?” Hugo screamed.

“No, nothing! Just my imagination,” Sam lied, knowing that if Hugo knew what floated

in that river, it would be too much for him. I can’t believe how far he’s going. . . . What drives

him to do this? Sam pondered with his fast mind. His heart raced under the pure fear coursing

through him . . . but he knew that Hugo’s fear of the dark outranked every fear of his, tenfold.

That’s when it happened.

With a loud distinctive thud, Hugo ran face-first into a wall of ice. “What the!” Hugo

glanced around, trying to see anything.

Sam glanced up and screamed at the black fire, wriggling beyond a transparent wall of

ice. Sam's chest throbbed with an unfamiliar pain. His heart stopped, and the whispers stopped

before everything rushed into silence. Sam watched as two fiery white eyes appeared from the

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edge of the ice and stared down at him. “Run, Hugo!” Sam squawked. The black fire loomed

over him, pressing weight against his eyes and chest with a deep crackling that vibrated the ice

and boiled the bloody river.

Hugo glanced from side to side until an amber light blinked in the darkness. He then

turned toward it and ran, faster than he ever had before. His body cracked as his bones splintered

and bulged from his scales. But still, he ran.

The white eyes of the black fire followed Sam along the wall. Sam's eyes expanded as if

they were about to pop. He suddenly couldn’t breathe as something clogged his throat. It was

smooth, yet massive, like a billiard ball yanking from his chest. The smooth object tapped the

roof of his beak and illuminated the darkness with an emerald-green light. Sam's eyes rolled back

into dark pearls when an intense desire weakened him to let go of the object, but something

primal in him told him never to let go.

Hugo roared as a burst of brisk air infiltrated his lungs. He leapt from the glacier to a

wintry landscape of bright snow. They both squinted as everything around them glittered with

the creamy amber light of the sunrise.

Sam swallowed the smooth object before they both gasped and choked, ejecting the

stench of death. Hugo’s breathing slowly became heavier and faster as he trembled.

“I'm . . . never going to get over that,” Hugo murmured, blankly gawking ahead.

“It’s okay; we made it out.”

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“Nothing about that was okay! Just what was that? Just thinking about it makes me–”

Hugo vomited. “Ugh, I need something to get my mind off that,” he gagged and trembled away

from the glacier, dripping a path of crimson behind him.

“Are you going to be alright? Sam asked.

“No, Sam. I don’t think I will. If I hadn’t been in shock the whole time, I wouldn’t have

made it.” Hugo looked at his underbelly, dripping blood that wasn’t his. “Great. That won’t scar

me in the slightest,” Hugo spat with sarcasm.

An odd instinctive movement tickled Sam’s throat, forcing his eyes to look back at the

glacier. A wisp of the black fire curled inward from the crevasse, begging him to come back.

“What's it doing?” Sam asked. His throat and chest itched. I can’t stop staring at it. He hurried

along Hugo’s back to the tip of his tail to get a closer look. What is this feeling?

Hugo gazed toward the sunrise. It rippled strawberry and peach colors onto the patchy

clouds. “How are you doing, Sam?” he asked.

“I'm . . . fine.”

Hugo peeked back at Sam. “You’re taking this surprisingly well. Are you sure you’re

okay?” Hugo breathed fire into the snow in front of him, melting it into fresh water. “There,

drink that. It’ll help you feel better.”

“No thanks. I'm good,” Sam said with a single calm tone.

“Why are you acting like that?”

“I don’t know. That glacier, can we go back to it?”

“What? No! Are you crazy!”

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Sam said nothing. “Sam!” Hugo yelled and raised his tail, sliding Sam closer to his head.

“Did something happen?” Hugo asked, observing Sam for injuries.

Sam’s pupils dilated as if they were screaming to escape his skull. “Sam! What

happened?” Hugo demanded to know.

“Nothing. I'm fine . . . it's just . . . that fire, it did something to me.”

“What! Did it hurt you?”

“No . . . it made me feel . . . nothing. Like my pains and my worries just disappeared. I

know it sounds odd, but I feel like it wanted to help me.”

“It made you feel that?” Hugo looked at the glacier and instantly shook in fear. “No, we

can't go back! Whatever that was, it’s evil!” He paused. “There has to be something in this snow

that can help us . . . anything!” Hugo said as he trudged toward the sunrise with a tiny thread of

hope pulling him forward.

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Chapter 21: To Go Back in Time

Hugo ran for hours with every step gnawing his body in pain. Sam, he repeatedly mused,

pushing beyond the brink of collapsing. He glanced ahead as a large stone tower peeked over the

horizon. “There’s something there!” he wheezed.

Sam quickly sat up from Hugo’s fur and looked at the tower. Finally, he can rest.

Hugo’s legs trembled as they approached until he was slower than the sun itself. Sam

hopped off Hugo to carry his weight. “You should rest. I’ll walk ahead to see if there’s anything

that can help us, although it looks abandoned,” Sam said.

Hugo closed his eye, exhaled, and for a moment, the snow defied gravity when he

collapsed with a thud. “Thank you,” Sam murmured before trudging toward the colossal tower.

Its top half was shielded by an era’s worth of ice, and along its base stood a fractured stone wall.

But Sam didn’t seem to care much about the fascinating tower. He only looked at the snow,

thinking about Hugo.

I still don’t understand him. Nobody in their right mind would ever go this far. I even cut

out his eye, and he still helps me. Is there something more? Something that I don’t see? Sam

glanced toward the strange tower before an uneasy chill spread through his body. Wait. He

paused and observed every rugged rock of the tower. It loomed over the landscape with an eerie

shadow. He glanced around. Suddenly, the wind intensified with a haze of powdered snow.

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Why do I get the feeling that I’ve seen this before? Sam stole a step forward from the

sharp wind. Shards of hail pricked and stung his flesh, and because of his height, he had to raise

his numb legs completely from the snow to step forward.

He peeked beyond his wing-covered eyes at a haunting shadow, painting the snow black.

He glanced at the clouds as a myriad of sharp arrows rocketed toward him. It can’t be. The

arrows blocked the sun in a whispering shadow. Sam instantly lumbered at Hugo as fast as he

could.

“Hugo!” Sam shrieked.

Hugo’s head popped from the snow. He looked up and gazed worriedly at the wave of

arrows. His pupil shrank to the size of a pea, and his heart raced with rapid fear. “Sam!” Hugo

surged with adrenaline and dashed toward Sam with his body cracking and shifting in pain. “Run

Sam!” Hugo screeched.

Both were slower than the falling snowflakes. Hugo was broken beyond belief, while

Sam wrestled his legs through the deep snow. They came within a few feet from each other’s

reach.

“Protect me!” Sam shrieked.

Hugo took one last glance up at the arrows, falling to their mark. “Saaam!” Hugo wailed

before multiple arrows nipped and ate Sam’s flesh. “Noooo!” Hugo screeched as Sam dropped to

his knees on a now-crimson splat of snow. Sam smiled, knowing he was lucky, feeling little to

nothing as each arrow impaled him through his back and legs.

I remember now. This dream . . .

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Hugo grabbed Sam and cradled him in his arms. Sam’s eyelids sank, and a dark haze

closed around his vision. “It’s okay, Sam. I’m here. Everything’s going to be alright!” Hugo

wailed as his mouth quivered and his eye welled with tears.

Sam brought up his wing and held Hugo’s cheek. “I know, Hugo. You’ve always been

there to protect me.” His mind was dazed as he gave a slight chuckle. “I always wondered how

better off you’d be . . . without me to worry about.”

“Shut up! I can fix this!” Hugo yelled, looking around for anything that could help.

Sam’s wing drooped onto the tip of Hugo’s snot-erupting snout. “I’m sorry that I was

such a burden,” Sam murmured as his wing fell and crunched in the snow. His body sagged as he

expelled his final breath.

“Noooo! Saaam!” Hugo screamed in terror. His scream was so loud that it stopped the

snowflakes from landing. Hugo glanced at Sam’s chest. The familiar subtle pat of his heartbeat

faded with the sounds of the wind.

“No! I won’t let you go!” Hugo flopped Sam’s body over and ripped the arrows from his

flesh. He inhaled as deep as he could before roaring fire around Sam’s body to seal the wounds.

Sam’s flesh fused and cracked as smoke rose from his feathers. Hugo swiftly brought his large

claws to Sam’s chest and shoved down as hard as he could. Sam’s ribs easily snapped under the

raw force of the dragon’s might. His body jolted as if each push were a cannon shot straight to

his chest.

“Come on!” Hugo whimpered, feeling Sam’s heat succumb to the snow. His snot and

tears poured and splatted onto Sam. “Come on!” he wailed to the clouded sky and punched as

hard as he could against Sam’s chest. With a thunderous crack and thud, the snow around them

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dispersed. Nothing. Hugo wept and pressed his face against Sam’s body. His chest stung with

unbearable pain. “I can’t go on without you! Please, don’t leave me!” he sobbed before a sound

like a door slamming shut, twitched his ears.

“Stop! You’ll kill him!” A fruity voice yelled. Hugo’s body grew heavy, as if the weight

of a moon pressed on his back. He fought for a moment, then collapsed into the snow around

Sam. As he sank into the snow, he could hear the repeated crunch of footsteps slowly drawing

near. “You stupid–” the angry voice grumbled. Hugo tried to reach out to Sam, but even lifting a

single claw seemed impossible. “You’re really annoying, you know that?” Hugo glanced in the

direction of the voice. His eye widened with every emotion as a man in a familiar gray coat

trudged quickly through the snow.

“You!” Hugo snarled.

Dr. George approached Sam and knelt at his side with his hands trembling. “You were

supposed to protect him, not scorch his entire body!” he yelled at Hugo before resting an ear on

Sam’s chest. He growled as he leaned back and swiftly plunged his gloved hand into Sam’s beak

and down his throat. “You’re lucky,” George grumbled. “If he died . . . I would make you wish

for things far worse than death.”

Hugo paused. His mind was consumed in a world of thought at what he was now

witnessing. An emerald light began to shine from within Sam’s beak, and the snowflakes around

him froze still in the air. It wasn’t long before Sam’s wounds twisted shut, and the snowflakes

rose from the ground and retreated into the clouds. “You’re helping him?” he asked.

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George sighed. “I never wanted harm to come to him. . . . I even told him not to seek

peace through death. . . . He gave up a few times, which made me nervous.” George paused with

a smile.

“But he’s grown . . . faster than I anticipated.” He looked at Hugo. “I know he surprised

us both when he saved your life from being executed and helped you face your childish fear of

the dark through that glacier. Before coming to this planet, he was afraid to talk to anybody, too

afraid to help.”

Hugo’s eye widened from anger as his fangs gnashed together with such force it was a

wonder they didn’t crack. “You were watching us?”

George simply nodded. “Indeed. I needed to know if Sam could break his shyness and

overcome his fears,” he sighed. “But you two switched on me. Sam was supposed to be the

dragon, and you, something insignificant. As a result, he lets his small body define him. He

compares himself to you, and it’s killing him.” He looked at Hugo with a judging squint.

“Every time you get yourself injured, he’s going to blame himself. So please, be careful.”

He paused with a sigh. “But I must say one thing. . . . Thank you,” he said with a curious smile.

“Everything you do is for him; I appreciate it. I’m glad he has someone like you to protect him.

Honestly, without you, he would’ve died many times already.” He removed his gloved hand

from Sam’s beak, and a stretch of green goop followed his fingertips.

“Oh . . . and then there’s this.” He wiped the green goop onto the snow. “Those Saurians

should be able to help with that,” he whispered to himself before he stood and lumbered through

the snow until his leathery old shoes were inches from Hugo’s snout.

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Hugo’s mind spun with every emotion imaginable as confusion, rage, sorrow, and fear

dizzied him. “Why? Please, just tell me why you’re doing this to us?”

George knelt beside Hugo. “Because I care about him. You and I both know how special

he is with that soul of time in his chest.” He paused. “Sam was going down a steep hill. I applaud

him for trying college, but he’s capable of so much more. I want him to see it. I want him to use

his soul ability to help others, to become what his soul yearns for. I couldn’t possibly let him live

a shy and fearful life, so I brought you two here. But again, for some reason, he turned into a

bird. It’s been a lot harder for him to see himself as someone who can be strong, when all he sees

when he looks in the mirror is a small monster that is a burden to the very person he looks up to

more than anyone. . . . You.”

Hugo couldn’t believe what he was just told. His mouth wobbled; he simply didn’t know

how to react. “How do you know so much about him? You talk like you’ve known him for

years.”

George chuckled with a nervous expression. “I suppose there’s no need to hide it any

longer. You see, I’ve kept my eye on you two for quite some time . . . many years in fact. I must

apologize for deceiving you, but I thought it would be a rather odd conversation to tell you that

I’ve known you since you were mere children.” He smiled and looked directly at Hugo. “I had a

plan to raise Sam myself, but when you came into that hospital room demanding to adopt him, I

saw something in you . . . something that changed my mind.”

Hugo’s eye opened wider than his gaping mouth. It’s not possible.

“Since then, I’ve watched you two in order to confirm a curiosity of mine. I wanted to see

just how far one promise could go,” he chuckled. “To protect him and love him mo–”

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“Stop! Stop!” Hugo instantly screamed, his body trembling in absolute terror. “That’s not

possible. None of it’s possible! How do you know those words? I’ve only told my mom about

that promise, and I know she wouldn’t tell you.”

George lifted Hugo’s head and looked him in the eye. “I want you to keep that promise,

but also consider what it means for Sam. Please, help him grow. . . . Help him realize that even

the shyest and smallest of creatures can be the bravest and strongest among us.”

Hugo paused and looked at Sam. “How do you know that promise? Please . . . I want to

know. It’s important to me.”

“I know, but now’s not the time. I need you to know that when you go home, make sure

Sam believes in himself . . . or at least, has the courage to take that final step on his own.”

“I can’t bring him home! He has the Arch! And even if I found the cure, I wouldn’t know

how to get home! You won’t tell me anything! Please, Sam is dying, and I can’t bear to lose

him!”

George grumbled to himself and stepped back. “Why do none of my students understand?

Am I really that mysterious?” he sighed. “My door is always available, from dawn to dusk; all

you must do is knock.”

Hugo thought for a moment and glanced at the familiar wooden door behind George,

carved with images of things local to Earth. “And if you can’t make it, my door can come to you,

if you need it?” he finished.

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“There you go! See, your memory isn’t that bad, even with such an obvious hint, though I

thought you’d figure it out much sooner.” He held his face and shook his head. “Go ahead, test it

out,” he grumbled before the weight on Hugo lifted.

Hugo inhaled the taste of freedom and looked at George as he nervously knocked his

claw against the snow. The door instantly vanished and reappeared next to him in a puff of silver

smoke. The sight caused him to tremble in disbelief. “What are you?” Hugo murmured.

“I am what you perceive me to be . . . but I hope we are friends. We both want what’s

best for Sam, even though you are a bit more . . .” He lumbered to Hugo and rested his gloved

fingers beneath his jaw before he tilted Hugo’s head up and stared into his eye. “Curious,” he

said simply, then turned toward the door.

“What! What’s so curious?” Hugo yelled.

George smiled and stepped through the door into an unfamiliar room. “Sam should be

fine. . . . I used his soul to take him back a minute or two,” he sighed. “This is a warning; I don’t

ever want to see Sam that close to death again. I could barely help this time, and I’m not yet sure

if his soul can take death away once it reaches him.” A frown crept across George’s face.

“Please, keep your promises.” He shut the door behind him.

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Chapter 22: Sam’s Somnium

In that moment, the door vanished as the snowflakes resumed their descent. Sam gasped

and fell to his knees, trembling. “What just happened?” he croaked.

“Sam!”

“Hugo! I thought I–” Hugo tackled Sam, stumbling them into the snow. “Hugo!” Sam

squawked. His mind was overwhelmed with many questions.

Hugo hugged Sam, pressing him hard against his chest. Sam paused as Hugo’s warm

body enveloped his. The rhythmic drumbeat of Hugo’s heart deafened Sam, but it also brought

him more comfort than anything he’d ever experienced. The cold blizzard pushed at his back,

forcing him closer to Hugo.

He’s so warm, Sam mused. Tears of joy dripped onto his head from the tip of Hugo’s

snout. Every beat from Hugo’s calming heart thumped out a wave of immense heat. Sam

couldn’t help but think about everyone in his family. He slowly leaned in, his face against a

warm fire. Sam smiled, because for the first time in a while, all was peaceful. But then, his skin

slowly numbed, and he lost what little feeling he had left in his wings.

No, not now. Please, let me feel this. . . . Hugo.

Sadly, it didn’t last. He couldn’t even tell that Hugo held him. To Sam, he might as well

have been suspended in space with nothing to touch and nothing to feel but the empty vacuum

around him. He sniffled and pressed harder against Hugo. He tried desperately to feel anything.

That was . . . the only good thing I’ve felt in so long. At that moment, the ground shook from a

repeated thud in the distance.

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“There it is!” a rather playful-rough voice echoed beyond the wind.

Hugo didn’t want to let go; he did nothing but hold Sam closer. Sam, however, glanced at

the voice before screaming in surprise. He pushed himself from Hugo and crawled on his back,

away from a colossal tawny T-Rex armored in padded black cloth. Hugo turned his head at the

T-Rex, who froze as it spotted him.

“Is that a dragon?” The T-Rex’s voice was so deep that it rumbled the ground beneath

him.

“What? Impossible!” the playful voice yelled.

Hugo simply gawked at the creatures as Sam paused while hyperventilating.

It can’t be. . . .

A six-foot-tall swamp-green velociraptor transitioned from the haze. It wore a white silk

shirt over a coat of blue-gray feathers that protruded from the back of its head. It also had on

platinum armored bracelets above its hooked talons. Its forearms were small but had huge claws

on them. It stood primarily on its larger hind legs and was unlike any other creature Hugo or Sam

had seen so far.

“How is there a dragon here? Weren’t they all killed by Apotheosis?” The T-Rex

shrugged in response to the velociraptor’s question. “You there! Who are you?”

“I’m Hugo.” Hugo was baffled by the whole scenario. “And that’s my brother, Sam, over

there.” He pointed to Sam, whose eyes were wider than ever as he gazed at the T-Rex.

Both dinosaurs glanced at Sam. “General! You shot at a bird!” the velociraptor yelled

furiously.

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“My apologies, Lord Anzu. I thought it was a black cat. It’s awfully hard to tell in this

blasted weather. And that accursed steam from the hot springs helps it none.”

The velociraptor glanced back at Hugo. “I’m terribly sorry about all that. Are you

alright?” Anzu swiftly stood beside Hugo, offering his small arms to assist him from the snow.

“Yeah, we’re alright.”

Anzu sighed with relief. “Thank goodness, that would’ve been problematic. Could you

imagine, Sauria and Zenith going to war over such a simple misunderstanding?” He gave a

nervous chuckle.

Hugo accepted Anzu’s claw before Anzu pulled him up with much struggle. As he did,

Hugo’s back and tail cracked. Anzu stopped and noticed the bulges of bones underneath Hugo’s

scales. “You’re not alright in the slightest!” Anzu gawked at Hugo before gently resting him

back down. “General, bring Hugo to the infirmary; I’ll check on Sam.”

Before Anzu walked to Sam, Hugo grabbed him by his hind leg. “Please, make sure he’s

alright.”

Anzu stared at Hugo’s eye and gave off a kind and comforting smile. “Don’t worry; I’ve

lived many years. My medical knowledge is outranked by none, no matter what those stuck-up

birds say. So, allow the general to take you to the infirmary, and I’ll see to Sam’s paralleled

arrival.”

Hugo let go and closed his exhausted eye. “Thank you.” He fell into the snow before the

general rumbled forward.

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“Be very gentle with the dragon. I don’t know how it’s even possible that he’s still able to

move,” Anzu commanded. The T-Rex carefully scooped Hugo inside its cave of a mouth and ran

back to the tower. Sam gawked at Anzu, who quickly approached.

“Hey, what’s with that look? It’s like you’ve never been to the tower of memory before.

Were you homeschooled or something, and why are you so small?” Sam reached his wing up

and touched Anzu on the snout. Although he couldn’t feel it, he was ecstatic just to be in the

presence of a dinosaur. “Why are you touching my nose?” Anzu spoke in a nasal-clogged voice.

“Are you really a velociraptor? I mean, you look just like I dreamt you would. Horizontal

stance, big skull, sickle-like talon . . . but you’re much larger than I thought you’d be,” Sam said

in sheer amazement.

“Great. Another homeschooler, and this one thinks I’m fat.” Anzu frowned. “Why do

those birds keep insisting their education is better than ours? I mean, we have the history of the

entire world, and all they have is art and science,” Anzu scoffed before closely observing Sam.

“Are you alright otherwise? I could’ve sworn you were shot.”

Sam couldn’t look away from Anzu. It was as if every inch of him was a magnet for his

eyes. “I don’t know. I thought I was shot too. I barely felt it, but I know I saw arrows in me, then

the next thing I knew, they were gone.”

Anzu’s head tilted. “You were shot, and you barely felt it? Wait. Could you open your

beak for me?” he asked politely.

Sam hesitated but relented. Anzu immediately shoved his frigid leathery claw into Sam’s

beak and down his gullet. Sam gagged and choked as he flapped his wings at Anzu. “Stop

squirming!”

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He slid his claw from Sam’s beak as green ooze dripped from his arm to the tip of his

claws. Anzu gawked at his arm with his eyes open wide. “You have the Arch!” he yelled. Sam

coughed and gasped in response. Anzu glanced back at the tower of memory and wiped the ooze

onto the snow. “Why’d it have to be today of all days that I meet someone like you?”

Anzu grabbed Sam by the wing and threw him onto his back before dashing toward the

tower. He ran faster than Sam ever thought was possible. The snow beneath Anzu barely had

time to fall under his weight. He was so light-footed that even Sam couldn’t hear his footsteps.

Sam’s mind overflowed with questions he had long dreamt of asking.

“How are you?” Sam asked politely, trying to break the ice.

Anzu flinched. “What? Why would you ask such a silly thing? Has the poison entered

your skull already? Ugh, today’s not the day, Sam. We were to set out for a peace summit with

Anthophyta, but since you and Hugo appeared, things must change. Regardless, I’m fine, thanks

for asking,” Anzu said with an odd hint of humor as they approached a gateway.

Sam glanced beyond the gate and noticed steam rising over an open field of hot stone.

Hundreds of dinosaurs from tiny to colossal scattered and stomped along the field. There was

also the occasional bird student, reading a book or running to its next class.

Sam stared up at the stone tower. Its sheer size blocked the sun with a shadow that split

the field. Only the top half was shielded by ice, while the lower half dripped dew from the steam

rising amongst the hot springs. Anzu hopped over and ducked under many dinosaurs as the

massive doors to the tower neared.

“Why are dinosaurs so different? Every other creature I’ve seen walks on two legs,” Sam

asked.

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Anzu glanced over his shoulder, peeking at Sam with a subtle grin. “Is this the first time

you’ve seen my kind?”

“Well, I’ve read about–”

“That doesn’t count!” Anzu yelled with a chuckle. “Well, then. Allow me to introduce

myself and my kingdom. I am Lord Anzu, and this is Sauria, the top of the world. Don’t tell the

birds back on Zenith I said that. They like to keep that title for their little floating island. As you

can tell by the snowy weather, these active hot springs are essential to our survival. Sadly,

however, they aren’t the only thing we need. We can’t grow food here, and when our supplier

from Anthophyta had to abandon her task–” Anzu sighed.

“We could only ask so much of Zenith. I suppose you could say I’ve spent most of my

time preparing for this peace summit; it’s sort of the last hope for us. Still, most of us spend our

time learning as much as possible, since there’s not much else we can do. We have a prestigious

school specifically for birds as part of our trade deal. Each one is competing for the great title of

Librarian, a remarkably high honor amongst you birds. Only the wisest in the flock can achieve

it.”

The mammoth stone doorway to the great tower hummed with an old wind as the scent of

aged paper flooded into Sam’s nares. At the base of the tower rested a floor of glowing gold that

gifted the tower with heat. The rapid taps of Anzu’s steps echoed on its hard surface.

Some dinosaurs were resting peacefully on the floor to ward off the outside cold. Sam

looked up and saw that the sun was shining brightly through a crystal-glass roof at the tower’s

top. It shone against a billion books and crisp scrolls that rested on a seemingly-infinite

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bookcase. The bookcase itself covered the entire interior structure of the place. Anzu ran toward

a grand stone stairwell that spiraled all the way to the top.

“What is all this?” Sam murmured with his beak wide.

Anzu ascended the stairs. “This is the memory of Somnium. I first built this tower as a

lookout during the beginning of the war, but as time passed, it became a haven for Saurians and

the history we’d gathered. It’s not the biggest library in the world, but it definitely has the most

information,” Anzu said.

They turned toward a doorway built inside the bookshelves. The room stunk of flower-

scented oils and ash. Its walls and floor were primarily made of stone. Anzu dashed to the

general, who stood at the far end. “General! How is he?” Anzu asked as they approached Hugo,

who was lying on top of five interconnected straw beds.

“Hugo . . .” Sam covered his beak as he looked at Hugo. He was grimacing and in great

discomfort.

“He’s not looking well. Just look at his center spine,” the T-Rex spoke.

Anzu quickly rested Sam on a bed before observing Hugo. There was a bulge in his back,

signaling that his bones were way off course. Luckily for Hugo, his hide was thick enough to

brace his ribs and spine from leaving his body.

“How! How were you able to even get to this place! How did this happen?” Anzu asked

with great concern.

“We fell from Zenith,” Sam said in sorrow, remembering that he was the reason Hugo

jumped. Am I really causing you this much pain?

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Anzu froze with his eyes and mouth gaped wide. “My word . . .” A long silence fell as

Anzu blankly stared at Hugo. “You two are insane!” Anzu took a moment and inhaled a few

deliberate breaths to calm himself. “Okay, okay. You two will stay here, while I go to the peace

summit at King’s Garden. I’ll be back by sunset. Then, we can talk about the cure for Sam’s

Arch sickness.”

Before Anzu had the chance to turn around, Hugo reached out and grabbed him by the

tail. “You know the cure to the Arch!” he gasped in a surprised tone.

Anzu nodded. “Yes, but it must wait. This peace summit is the final hope for my kind,

and I can’t prolong it.”

“What is the cure?” Hugo demanded to know.

“Later,” Anzu stated with unexpected firmness.

“No! Sam will die by sunset! And besides, that peace summit is a trap! The queen plans

to kill you!” Hugo grunted.

Anzu froze and stared at Hugo. “What?”

“She was the one who sent Sam off Zenith. She told us she plans to kill all of you while

you’re unarmed, so she can get some treasure.”

Anzu’s eyes spoke with immediate attention. “She wants the souls of the king, correct?”

Hugo let go of Anzu and nodded. “So . . . my worries were not in vain,” Anzu sighed and

clenched his claws. “General, to arms,” he commanded sorrowfully.

The T-Rex flinched. “Uh, yes, my lord.” He ran from the infirmary, out into the hollow

tower before inhaling and roaring the most deafening, ground-quaking roar Hugo or Sam had

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ever heard. In an instant, many dinosaurs were running around the tower, arming themselves for

war.

“Today is not my day,” Anzu sighed yet again before Hugo wobbled and struggled from

the beds. “What are you doing?” Anzu asked.

“You know the cure to the Arch, so we're coming with you.”

Anzu took a step back. “Are you mad?”

Hugo smiled. “Sam doesn’t have much time left, and you said you wouldn't be back till

sunset. I can't afford that time.”

Anzu snarled, his sharp teeth peeking under his lips. “I won't let you! The cure is

impossible to acquire! And you are in no condition to fight in any war!”

“How does one acquire the cure?” Hugo asked.

“You have to ask Archipelago itself, you complete halfwit!” Anzu yelled. He then moved

his arms in a slow circling movement, trying to calm himself. “I'm sorry. Look, this is something

beyond even me. You can't find information on creatures being cured anywhere, because

nobody’s ever received the cure. Archipelago sees creatures as just a means to grow more

powerful by consuming their souls. It tells creatures about its cure to draw them in, then kills

them. So, going to it and asking for a cure is suicide!”

Both Hugo and Anzu paused in thought. “Well, the way I see it, is for us to come with

you to war at King’s Garden, then if we win, we head straight to Archipelago. Will we have

enough time then?” Hugo asked.

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“Aren’t you listening? Archipelago will take your soul! I mean, it’s possible in theory,

but–”

Hugo’s back cracked and shifted as he wriggled from the bed. It took him a moment to

stand on his wobbling legs before he smiled at Sam. “You ready?” he asked.

Anzu's hind claws gripped through the stone floor in a fury, causing it to split in many

directions with a loud crack. “You need to rest . . . now.” Anzu’s voice changed. It was no longer

a friendly, playful tone. He was serious.

Hugo and Sam froze as they glanced from Anzu’s eyes to the cracked stone floor beneath

him. “Was that your soul ability?” Anzu said nothing as he glared into Hugo's eye. “I'm sorry,

but I can't give up now. I know I need to rest, but if I do, Sam’s time will come to an end. Please,

I promise I won't be reckless,” Hugo said politely.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re the safest creature on Somnium! Going to war with a broken

spine and asking Archipelago for its cure is the most suicidal thing I’ve ever heard!” Anzu

yelled.

Hugo pointed to the cracked ground. “Then use whatever that was.”

Anzu growled. “My soul ability allows me to have complete control of the ground. How

did you think a few thousand dinosaurs could build a tower this large on a natural hot spring?”

He paused. “Not to mention the literal floating island in the sky!” he bragged and glanced at

Sam. “Did they not teach you in school that the island of Zenith was a peace offering from me at

the beginning of the war?”

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Hugo paused in thought. Wait . . . beginning of the war, creating Zenith . . . how old is

he?

Sam shook his head, and Anzu growled in response. “Those no good–” Loose pebbles at

his hind claws began to float as an apparent rage curled his lips.

“I spend half my energy holding up that arrogant island, and they don’t even mention

me!” His cinnamon eyes ignited as he glared at the trembling ground. “I’m going to ki–” He

paused and immediately shook his head. “No, no . . . they’re my friends,” he spoke to himself

while breathing slowly. The pebbles tapped and rolled against the floor. “Okay, sorry about

that.” He tugged the neck of his shirt and shyly glanced to the side. “As you can probably tell by

now . . . I’m working on my anger problems.”

Hugo’s head tilted as he thought about the odd creature before him. “You have complete

control of the ground, and you're worried about going to war?”

Anzu stared at the cracks below him. “Yes, it’s because the queen’s ability outranks my

own. She can freeze almost anything and move anything that’s frozen. So, in simple terms, she

has complete control of anything she sees. This war is going to be a bloodbath. But what other

choice do I have? We can’t stay here in the cold with no food. And I can’t imagine Zenith

accepting us; they’re all rude, and rather full of themselves,” Anzu murmured.

“It sounds like I'm not going to survive either way. Let's go for the option with some

hope,” Sam said, then hopped from the bed. “But before we go, Hugo, I just wanted to tell you . .

. thank you for all you’ve done for me so far. I know I can be difficult, but thank you. I couldn’t

have asked for a better brother,” Sam said. He then gave Hugo the best smile he could, all things

considered with him having a beak and all.

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I must leave you. . . . I hate seeing you torture yourself for me. After we go home, I’m

going to tell you to go to flight school. He smirked. You’ll say no for sure, but I can’t have you

live like this. Every time I see you in pain, it feels like a dagger to my chest . . . because I know I

was the one who did this to you.

Hugo’s head tilted. He watched a few tears trickle from Sam’s eyes and down to his

smile. What was that? And why is he crying? Should I ask him? Maybe later. We’ll have a lot to

talk about when we go home. Hugo smiled, but his lips still quivered in pain.

“I feel the same way,” he chuckled as thoughts of Sam warmed him. “Come on, let’s get

that cure.” Hugo bobbed his head toward his back before Sam gently jumped on top of Hugo.

Luckily for Hugo, Sam was small enough that he didn’t have to bear much weight. This is it.

We’re so close to going home.

Anzu closed his eyes and sighed. “You two are impossible.” He glanced at the T-rex,

waiting outside the room. “Alright, you may come, but please, be very careful. We can't have the

last dragon killing himself.”

Anzu assisted Hugo and Sam out of the infirmary and into the tower’s center, where a

thousand dinosaurs stood armed to the teeth. “General, allow these two to accompany you to

battle. Gather your forces at the front gate; I’ll meet you there,” Anzu commanded. The T-Rex

hesitated before nodding in agreement. He left and escorted Hugo and Sam from the tower to the

main gate.

It wasn’t long before Anzu appeared armored in platinum. He was wearing a helmet like

the skull of a larger dinosaur, and his back and tail were lined with scaled plates. “Is everything

ready?” Anzu asked.

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“Yes, my lord. Everyone is accounted for and armed.”

Anzu exhaled to calm his nerves. “Good,” he murmured and raised his arm. The path

before them rumbled and cracked. The snow quickly melted over steaming dry dirt. “To a better

future. To a hope that I may once again see your face, my flower in the snow.”

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Chapter 23: Ice, Stone, and Fire

The ground quaked under the Saurian army’s footsteps as Anzu, Hugo, and the T- Rex

marched with haste in the front ranks. Anzu frequently observed Hugo, who was struggling to

run. It was obvious that he was in a lot of pain, but a fire in his eye told everyone around him that

his drive couldn’t be quenched. The silver clouds slowly became black and a frigid wind swept

from the south.

“Please, don’t rain,” Anzu whispered.

Over time, the southern winds melted the snow from the land and gave way to bountiful

fields of grass. Eventually, Anthophyta’s enormous trees peeked over the horizon and shadowed

the fields with their presence. The wind whistled and hummed through the great trees, singing an

eerie tune. With his soul ability, Anzu cracked the ground to eat the mountainous roots from the

trees resting in their path. It was then when a cool drop tapped against Hugo’s snout. He glanced

beyond the forest’s canopy to the gloomy clouds above before another drop tapped against his

eye.

“It’s raining,” Hugo spoke.

The army ceased when Anzu looked up and growled. He then removed his helmet,

roared, and threw it against a tree. “We have to go back,” he spat as individual raindrops dotted

his white shirt.

“That’s not an option,” Hugo stated, continuing to walk ahead.

“You imbecile! Don’t you realize that the queen can freeze anything? There’s no hope

with it raining!”

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“I’m not stopping.”

Anzu sighed. “I know, but they are.” He turned toward his army. “Hey, everyone!” Anzu

yelled. “Go back to the tower. This is a fight we cannot win. If you follow us, you will die!”

“Lord Anzu, what are you doing?” the general asked.

Anzu looked at the ground sorrowfully. “I can’t send them to their deaths. At first, there

was a shred of hope; now it’s just going to be a slaughter.” He glanced at his army. “Whoever

believes that we can still win and wishes to bet their life on it, follow us to battle! If not, go

home, knowing you’ll live a while longer.” Anzu paused and followed Hugo.

“You too, General. I give you the freedom to choose,” he murmured. Anzu walked with

Hugo for a few moments before glancing back. To his surprise, not one soldier had turned back

home. He smirked. “I’m lord of the insane.”

The general dropped Anzu’s helmet in front of his path. “Indeed you are, my lord,” he

chuckled.

Anzu picked up his helmet and stared at it. “Thank you, General,” he said before they

continued their march to the south.

It wasn’t long until the familiar sweet honey scent of King’s Garden infiltrated their

senses. As they passed the last tree, they came once more upon the flower field. It was in ruins.

What once held a multitude of colors was now nothing more than a sea of mud and flowers that

drooped under the pounding and roaring of rain.

No light emanated from the sun. Only a large blanket of dark gloom clouded the sky.

Hugo took the first step onto the field. His claw squished into thick mud beneath the roots of

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flowers. It took half his effort to see twenty feet beyond the rain, and the other half to walk.

Sounds like thunder rumbled in the distance. Sam looked at the clouds, not a single flash of

lightning to be seen. He tried to listen over the army grunting behind him. The thunder slowly

began to sound more like metal clacking together. But at this moment, a wave of knights

rumbled over the hillside before them.

“You were right,” Anzu growled.

Hugo glanced at the queen’s army. There were countless rows of creatures armored to the

teeth, each twitching for blood. “Sam, get to the back,” he said with crisp fear in his voice.

“But Hugo–”

“Just do it!” Hugo begged, his body trembling.

Sam hopped from Hugo and trudged to his face. He could see absolute fear and worry in

his eye. “I will; just promise me you’ll be safe.”

“I’ll try.”

“No, Hugo! You must promise me you’ll be alright!”

Hugo stared at the ground. He gripped the muck with his claws. “Get to the back!” he

commanded.

Sam flinched, then snarled. “No! I will not! I’m not going to sit by while you kill yourself

for me again! Please, don’t make me a burden!” At this moment, Hugo didn’t recognize Sam’s

voice. It was louder, more powerful.

“Please Hugo . . . don’t do it. It hurts me too much.” He held Hugo’s face and stared into

his eye. “If it means you won’t get hurt, then please, let me fight with you. I’ll do anything.”

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Hugo stood, gawking at Sam before a slight smile curved his cheeks. “Sam . . . was that

you?”

Sam froze. His eyes opened wide, realizing what he just said. “I . . .” Both paused in

thought, remembering who Sam was before this planet. Sam backed away from Hugo and shyly

stared at the mud. “I’m sorry . . . I-”

Hugo instantly hugged him before Sam squawked. “Don’t apologize!” Hugo laughed.

Tears formed in Sam’s eyes. “You’ve grown so much; it’s just hard for me to believe.”

Sam slowly brought up his head. He didn’t know what to say as his beak wobbled in

sorrow.

“It’s time to go home, wouldn’t you say?” Hugo said. Sam hugged him back as tight as

he could. He pressed his forehead against Hugo’s arm with tears flowing down his beak.

“Why are you crying?” Hugo asked as he let go.

Sam glanced up and watched the queen step forth. She was armored in glittering

diamonds welded into silver scales. “I’m just–” She yanked Bipp forward and threw him

between the two armies. Bipp was armored in obsidian scales under his soaked blue cloak.

“Really happy.” His beak moved, and his heart sank with the weight of the words his tongue

truly wanted to speak.

“Oh, no. Not him,” Anzu growled and took a step back.

Bipp glanced up and gasped at the sight of Sam and Hugo. “Impossible . . . Hugo! Sam!”

Bipp shrieked with joy. “I thought you were dead! I mean, you fell from Zen–”

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“Shut up, rabbit!” the queen spat as she stepped forward. “So, Lord Anzu, I suppose by

the looks of you, you haven’t come for a peace summit?” she sneered with a subtle chuckle.

“You never meant for peace; the dragon informed me all about your endless lust for the

king’s souls!”

The queen glared at Hugo. “Ah, yes. My dragon. Have you betrayed me and joined the

filthy lizards? How disappointing, but my offer still stands. Kill them, and I will give you

everything.” She shrugged and walked to Bipp.

“You already know my answer after dropping Sam from the sky!” Hugo roared.

The queen chuckled. “My apologies. I thought he could fly. He is a bird after all. I was

only pushing him away so I could talk to you without distraction; little did I know you’d jump

after him.” Her ice-blue eyes glared down at Hugo. “You took a serious fall. How are you doing?

Are you injured?” she asked with humor sneering from her lips.

Both Sam and Anzu glanced at Hugo. He was trembling from such pain; it amazed

everyone that he was still standing. “Well, I think our little conversation is up. I gave you enough

time to make your decision, dragon. Pity you chose death. . . . Silver flash, kill them all for me.”

Both armies focused on Bipp. He placed his soft hand above his belt and hesitated to withdraw

his silver dagger.

Anzu took another step back. “Run,” he commanded as his eyes rattled with fear.

“What’s the matter? It’s only Bipp,” Sam spoke.

Hugo and Bipp never broke eye contact as Bipp took out his silver dagger and

mouthed. I’m sorry.

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At that moment, the lightning flashed and boomed as it twinkled light onto the heavy

rain. “That’s one of the most lethal creatures on this planet! How do you know his name?”

As Bipp took one step forward, the Saurian army took three steps back. “He’s my friend,”

Hugo murmured and stepped toward Bipp.

“Everybody run!” The T-Rex rumbled at Bipp and lowered his head to bite him. Bipp

effortlessly hopped onto the general’s head and plunged his dagger deep into his skull. As Bipp

removed the dagger, the general’s eyes rolled back into his head, turning into pearls of black. His

mammoth body then crashed onto the hill of mud.

Anzu screeched with such fury that the cold mud quaked into solid hot stone. The rain

steamed as it hit the ground, forcing the battlefield into a foggy haze. Anzu threw his arms to the

hill before the ground cracked and splintered out into mammoth spires of stone. He roared and

launched the spires toward the center of the hill.

There was silence before a layer of frost crept over the land, accompanied by the queen’s

venomous chuckle. The haze dispersed, revealing the stone spires covered with ice. They

hovered dead still in the air. The queen smiled at Anzu and threw the spires back into the

retreating army, crushing many dinosaurs and blocking them from fleeing.

The queen raised her arms, and within a second, the rain stopped. Anzu glanced up at a

million stars of ice, glittering in the sky. He grunted and closed his eyes as the ground cracked.

The hill shook before erupting and splitting from the valley. Anzu roared as he raised his arms

and launched the entire hill into the sky.

The queen’s stars of ice cut into her army, but she didn’t seem to care as she threw down

the remaining stars into Anzu’s army. Bipp leapt from the hill and landed a few feet from Hugo

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with less than a whisper of sound. Anzu screamed, and he threw the hill back to the ground. The

sound of its impact was ear-shattering.

It was at this moment that the remainder of the queen’s army ran at the Saurians. They all

clashed into battle. Bipp easily sliced through every reptile that stood in his path as Hugo

gradually approached. The queen began to freeze every reptile she met and flung them into the

sky. Now the rain and the bodies of dinosaurs hailed down to the ground. Anzu’s army was

shrinking by the second. Bipp sliced through another reptile before his dagger met with Hugo’s

throat.

“I’m sorry, Hugo. I need to do this!”

“I know, Bipp; Sam told me what you said in the library. . . . Why didn’t you tell me you

were looking for a family to belong to?” Bipp froze just as his dagger pressed harder against

Hugo’s scales.

“That was only a dream. It's not reality. Now you see me for what I am: a liar, a

murderer, a weapon for Anthophyta. You should run right now and never look back.”

Hugo smiled. “I never cared about what you are, only who you are. And I see you as

someone who makes amazing soup, lives in a wonderful little cottage, likes mapmaking, and has

dreams of exploring the world. However, you don’t want to do any of it alone. You want a

family to come back to, to tell and to share all the amazing adventures you go on. Well, why

can’t you be part of ours? I don’t see why I can’t add you, and I’d love to call you my brother.

You’re kind, talented, and not to mention soft.”

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Bipp chuckled and pressed the blade deeper. “You’re crazy. Nobody wants me as a

brother; look around you! We’re at war! I just killed thirty Saurians, and I have a knife at your

throat!”

Hugo gave a comforting smile. “And you’re doing it all for the hope of finding your

family; I understand. So, for you to stop, all you have to do is join my family.” Bipp’s eyes and

mouth slowly gaped. “So, what do you say, Bipp Atlas?”

Bipp froze and stared at Hugo for a long while. He then dropped the silver dagger from

his trembling hand and backed away. Even from amongst the clashing of war, the sound of

Bipp’s rapid heartbeat pounded into Hugo’s ears. “Please . . . don’t be joking,” Bipp begged as

his legs wobbled.

Hugo grinned and wrapped his arm around Bipp. “Welcome to our family.”

Bipp flinched, then he slowly reached out his trembling hand around Hugo and held him.

“My brother . . .” Bipp whispered as tears flowed around his quivering mouth.

“Well, well, what have we here? Has the silver flash come to betray me yet again?” the

queen hissed and neared Bipp while stabbing through reptiles with a sword of frozen blood.

Bipp picked up his dagger and spun around. “Your promise to me has become void, you

witch.” He pointed his blade at the queen and wiped his eyes with a sniffle.

The queen sighed. “I was being nice when I promised that. . . . Did you think I needed

you?” she sneered and closed her eyes.

At that moment, everything went silent. The Saurians froze, then slowly rose into the air

along with Anzu, Sam, Hugo, and Bipp. The queen opened her eyes and glared at Anzu. “I

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should have done this at the beginning, but I would’ve missed out on such fun. It’s so boring

having you suspended like this, Anzu, but I’m afraid I must move on from this little game.” She

pierced her ice sword into the ground, then her army instantly clawed and stabbed at the helpless

Saurians.

“Noooo! Anzu screeched.

With his body frozen, he couldn’t do anything but watch the dinosaurs quickly enter the

age of extinction. The queen smiled up at Sam, then lowered him to her.

“You. How have you survived for so long? You probably don’t feel a thing.” The queen

summoned a long needle of ice from the moisture in the air and slowly pricked it into Sam’s

wing. Sam did nothing in response, but glare at her.

“Sam!” Hugo screamed.

“Oh, the dragon didn’t like that. . . . Why is that? Why are you, the smallest bird I’ve ever

seen, so important to him?” she asked with a poisonous smile.

Sam glanced at Hugo and couldn’t help but smirk. “I don’t know; stab me again to find

out,” he requested.

The queen chuckled. “I like your methods.”

She stabbed Sam in the shoulder, then in his left thigh. Each one brought Hugo deeper

into chaos. He fought and roared as each passing second boiled his blood in rage and worry. “Do

it again. Only this time, slowly shove it through my thigh.”

The queen smiled and yanked her sword from the blooded dirt. “I have a better idea.” She

aimed the edge of the sword against Sam’s throat.

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“Wait! No!” Sam screamed as his heart panicked.

Bipp shivered, not from the queen’s ice, but from the sight of Hugo’s eye. In it, he beheld

a thirst for raw violence. Hugo’s breath was so hot that the air around his snout shimmered into a

blur. The queen charged back her sword to its full extent before the ice in Hugo’s body melted

from his immense heat, and he fell. She swung the sword . . . directly into the side of Hugo’s

stomach as he dug his claws through her armor and into her shoulders.

The sword melted and dripped with Hugo’s blood as the taste he had long since forgotten,

tingled in his throat. The queen sneered with pressing worry as Hugo’s eye brought fear to not

only her, but to her entire army as they watched the event unfold. Hugo unhinged his jaw. His

fangs glowed and steamed from his saliva. Within an instant, Hugo’s throat sparked with fire

before he crunched and gnawed his magma fangs into the queen’s skull. But then, she crept a

toxic tone.

“All hail Apotheos-”

Her poisonous voice drowned beneath the fire as her skin boiled and melted. Her sour

blood gushed down Hugo’s gullet while her skull cracked and splintered under the pressure of

his fangs.

I’m glad some things never change. You will always find a way to protect me, Sam

mused, then glanced at Hugo’s fresh sword wound. But it’s not worth the cost. He watched the

queen’s headless body drop from Hugo’s flaming mouth. Hugo gulped and glared at the queen’s

trembling army as the Saurians slowly descended from the sky.

“Are you alright, Sam?” Hugo snarled, his voice crackling like fire.

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“I am. . . . Thank you, Hugo.” Sam blinked and brought his wings to his face as his vision

wavered. What the?

Hugo wriggled toward the queen’s army. With each step he made, the heat from his feet

turned the ground into magma. The army ran, but they didn’t make it far. When Anzu landed, he

threw down his arms, drowning the valley and the queen’s remaining soldiers into a deep ravine.

“If I’d known you could do that, I would’ve had higher hopes for this battle,” Anzu said

before glancing at the queen’s body. A subtle blue light glistened beneath her. “Although I wish

it hadn’t come to this. Why is death always the price for peace?” he whispered and walked to the

queen. He then turned over her body, revealing an illuminated blue orb.

He held it tight, then glared at Bipp. The remaining army of dinosaurs withdrew their

weapons and pointed them at Bipp. He carefully raised his hands above his head in response.

Hugo nearly collapsed from the fresh slice in his side. “Get on, Sam. We’re going home,”

he demanded with heavy breaths, panting from exhaustion.

“No! Look at you, you’re bleeding all over!” Sam stumbled back. His legs wobbled, and

everything around him fell into a blur. What’s happening?

“Let me help!” Bipp shouted.

“You’re under arrest for being responsible for half my casualties, including my general!”

Anzu snarled.

“One second, Sam,” Hugo murmured and nudged his way through the crowd.

“I know, but he needs help! The queen cut him! Do what you want to me afterward!”

Bipp yelled.

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Hugo peeked through the crowd and curled his long body around Bipp. “Please, Anzu,

may we talk about this later?”

Anzu shoved his way next to Hugo and threw off his helmet. “You’re not in charge here!

I’m the lord, and what I say goes! That rabbit is a danger to us all. He’s lucky I don’t have him

executed on the spot!”

“Bipp, can you take care of that wound?” Hugo grimaced.

Bipp looked at Hugo’s gash and winced from the ugly sight. He nervously removed his

cloak and wrapped it tightly around Hugo’s stomach. “I’m sorry, Hugo, but that’s the best I can

do right now with what I have. You should see a doctor, or you might bleed out.”

“Are you listening to me? We’re taking that rabbit to pay for his crimes! Do you know

what he’s done? Besides today, he’s killed hundreds of my kind! I can’t let him go!”

Hugo’s eye drooped. “I’m aware of what he’s done, and I’m sorry you lost so many

friends because of his actions. I won’t try to change your mind about him, but I think its best if

we focus on keeping everyone alive . . . and allow Bipp to help us bring Sam to Archipelago.”

He lowered his head to Anzu. “Please, I’m begging you, help me save Sam.”

Anzu stepped back. Hugo’s awkward yet sincere bow surprised him. “You–” He paused

and looked around at his army. Some creatures were glaring at Bipp with swords at the ready,

while some lost interest and began to help survivors. He glanced back at Hugo, who tried with all

his ability to keep the situation peaceful by bowing so low that the roof of his snout scraped the

mud.

“I’m so sorry,” Hugo whispered.

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Anzu thought for many moments while staring at Hugo. Then he sighed and turned

toward his army. “Go . . . help anyone who’s injured, including the creatures of Anthophyta.”

Many dinosaurs flinched in response, but then they bowed and dispersed throughout the valley.

Anzu walked to the side of Hugo’s head. “You’re right. . . . I’ve just . . . never seen peace before.

It may take some time for me to get used to.” He glanced to the eastern horizon as the sun kissed

the canopy of the distant forest.

“I only want to see her, only her. And now that the war’s over, I can finally go to her.

Alright, I’ll forget Bipp for now, but once we get that cure, he and I are going to have a long

talk.” He glared at Bipp and walked southeast. “Come on, let’s get going.”

“Thank you.” Hugo kept his head low until Anzu was out of sight. “Sam! We’re

leaving!” Hugo yelled after he raised his head, but no response came. “Sam! Can you hear me?”

Hugo staggered toward where he last saw Sam. After he passed a few dinosaurs, his eye widened

to the sight of Sam lying motionless in the mud. “Sam!” Hugo darted next to Sam and listened

for his heartbeat.

Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.

It was subtle and far too soft for comfort. Sam’s eyes widened as he gawked at the

dispersing clouds above. “Sam! Say something!” Hugo demanded. Sam’s body twitched, and a

strange hiccup sounded from his beak.

“What’s taking so long?” Anzu said before staring down at Sam. “Oh, no. It’s too late,”

Anzu spoke. “The Arch has entered his brain. . . . He won’t be able to move or think.”

“Then we need to move! Bipp, carry him! I can’t run as fast right now.” Bipp nodded and

gently scooped Sam in his arms.

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“Take us to Archipelago now!”

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Chapter 24: Archipelago

Bipp cradled Sam in his arms as they sprinted to the southeast through the valley of

King’s Garden.

“Where are you taking us? The ocean is directly east from here!” Bipp yelled while Anzu

observed the glowing blue orb in his claws.

“To stand a chance with Archipelago, we need the help of a dear friend of mine. I believe

nowadays she lives in the village of Petal.”

“Petal!” Bipp staggered. “You must be mistaken. Nobody there has discovered their soul

ability.”

Anzu tucked the orb into a pocket in his armor. “So, she kept it a secret. Good. Just like I

taught her. . . . I didn’t want her mother discovering her ability; that would’ve been a calamity.”

Bipp paused for a moment and glanced back at Hugo. He was struggling to keep up as he

practically limped through the drooping flowers. “It’s Princess Ella, isn’t it?”

Anzu flinched. “You know her?”

“Yeah, my home has always been in Petal, just outside the village border.”

They reached the border between King’s Garden and the great forest. The low sun striped

the land with the shadows of trees. Hugo sped up, knowing Sam was running out of time.

“She hates you, doesn’t she?” Anzu chuckled.

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“She's not overly fond of me, no. Working alongside her mother hasn’t been the most . . .

honest of professions. But how do you know her? She’s lived in this village for as long as I can

remember, and not once has she talked about you.”

“I know. I told her not to say anything about me. But it has been a long time since I've

seen her. You see, when she was a little girl, she used to wander north of King’s Garden because

she was always fascinated by the flowers that mixed with the snow. Especially at night, when the

stars reflected off the frost, the flowers made the scene even more colorful and majestic. That’s

when I met her.”

“I was sneaking south to gather food, and I saw her among the flowers. She screamed

when she first saw me. Her mother had taught her that my kind was the enemy. So, I picked a

white flower from the snow and placed it behind her ear. We immediately became friends. She

would take food from Rafflesia and bring it up to the border. She is the reason so many Saurians

are still alive today. I owe her so much. But sadly, over time, Rafflesia grew suspicious of her

absences, so I told her never to see me again, or she would be in danger. It broke my heart to let

her go.”

“So, on the last day, I taught her how to find her soul ability, to remember me in some

way or another. . . . It was magical. I haven’t seen anything that beautiful since the day we

parted.”

“And what is her ability?” Bipp asked.

Anzu smirked as he thought. “It would be far better if she showed you. My description

would . . . dilute it.”

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The scent of fresh fruits and burning wood aroused Hugo’s nostrils as they came in sight

of where it all began, the cozy village of Petal. Hugo glanced at Sam. He thought of the time the

elk threw him into the fire. He thought about how sorry he was for that and how far they had

come since then. As they continued, Petal’s leafy huts came into view before Anzu increased his

speed and rocketed into the village.

“Ella!” he shouted. “Ella, it's me, Anzu!” Anzu dashed to the center of the village. “We

need your help!”

The creatures of Petal peeked from their windows and panicked at the sight of Anzu. “A

Saurian!” a deep voice rumbled behind him. The familiar fat elk stumbled toward Anzu while

stupidly swinging his fists. Hugo and Bipp ran between the elk and Anzu. “You two! How are

you still alive?”

Hugo roared flames at the elk's hooves as a warning. “Take one step closer, I dare you,”

Hugo snarled just before Ella ran from behind a house.

“What's going–” she shouted. Her eyes enlarged at the sight before her. “Impossible . . .

Anzu!” she shrieked and covered her mouth with her hands. Her legs were wobbling from

disbelief.

Anzu promptly gazed at Ella and smiled. “Ella.” His body relaxed as he ran at her and

hugged her tight. “It’s been so long; I've missed you so much.”

“What are you doing here? My mother, she’ll kill you!” she shouted.

“The war is over.”

“What! How?”

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Anzu released Ella and withdrew the blue orb from his armor. “I'm sorry, Ella. All I

wanted was peace, but she wouldn’t have it.”

Anzu carefully gave her the orb. She stared at it with a hint of sorrow. “Is this her soul?”

she asked. Anzu nodded with his head low before she sniffled. “I wish I was stronger; I wish I

could have convinced her that her ways to obtain peace would only bring despair. She frightened

me ever since I was a child; I couldn’t stand up to her. It hurt to see her like that; it hurt to see

what she was doing to herself and everyone around her.”

Ella looked at Anzu. Fresh tears began to trickle down her cheeks. “But I always loved

her. I’m sorry, Anzu, I abandoned the Saurians because I–”

Anzu brought his claws around her free hand. “I’m glad you did. Who knows what she

would’ve done to you if you were caught. You moving to this cozy village, calmed me. I was

more worried about you, than you definitely were of me.”

She sniffled, and with a hint of joy, a smile fluffed her cheeks. She then wrapped her

arms around Anzu. “Thank you, Anzu. . . . Knowing her, it was no easy task.”

“Actually, I wasn’t strong enough. . . . It was him.” Anzu pointed to Hugo, who at that

moment, nearly collapsed from the lack of blood. His eye began to droop, and he swayed back

and forth.

Ella glanced over and gasped. “You! How are you still–” She paused and observed blood

dripping from within the blue cloak tied around his side. “You're injured!” She ran to Hugo.

“What are you doing here? You need to see a doctor!”

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Hugo wobbled and pointed at Bipp. “Please, help Sam; he needs it more than I do,” he

gulped from exhaustion.

Bipp walked to Ella and displayed Sam in his arms. “Please, we need your help, he has

the Arch, and we’re running out of time.”

Ella glanced down at Sam, sagging in Bipp’s arms. She stared back at Anzu, who stood

with a kind and confirming smile. “You think I can help with this?”

“I know you can, because I'll be with you every step of the way. Just like old times,

remember?”

Ella smirked and exhaled through her nose. It had been ages since she last laughed.

“Commander!” she spoke suddenly.

The elk carefully crept around Hugo. “Yes, Princess Ella?”

Ella walked to the elk and handed him the queen’s soul. “Please, take this to my room. Be

very careful with it. I wish to bury her alongside my dad. . . . And when we return, we’ll plan to

set up a meeting at Rafflesia. We need to discuss who’s going to be the next king and queen;

after all, we are at peace.”

“Of course!” The elk saluted. Despite his hulky frame, he handled the orb with great care.

She stared at the sunset beyond the orange-hued trees. “Come on; we haven’t much

time.” She sprinted toward the setting sun to the east as Hugo, Anzu, and Bipp followed her into

the forest.

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Hugo struggled to climb over the many giant roots in their path. He slipped multiple

times on the moist wood and wet magenta moss. But every time he looked at Sam, his walk

hastened. They quickly reached the refreshing air of the beachside. Each wave licked the warm

sand with a calm greeting.

“What do we do now? When Sam and I saw Archipelago, we were in the middle of the

ocean. How do we get out that far?” Hugo asked.

Anzu smiled. “That is why we needed her.” Anzu bobbed his head toward Ella. She was

staring out at the sunset as amber ripples from the waves foamed at her feet.

“It’s been so long; I don’t know if I remember.”

Anzu walked to Ella and cradled her arms. “Just like I taught you.” Anzu raised her arms

away from her body. “Close your eyes.” Ella smiled and did what he said.

“Now feel the wind; feel the waves against your feet. Feel the warmth from the setting

sun dance across your fur. Feel my heartbeat against your back and the mist from the waves

tickle your face.”

Hugo half-consciously squinted at them. Is that . . . the thing?

“Now hear the water fizzle into the sand beneath you. Hear the wind flutter against your

ears, and smell the salty air around you.” Anzu paused. “Do you remember?”

Ella opened her eyes and smiled. “Thank you, Anzu. I’ll take it from here.” Anzu

released Ella and stepped back next to Hugo.

“Where did you learn that?” Hugo asked. Bipp quietly tilted his ears closer; he wanted to

know the answer too.

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Anzu chuckled. “When it comes to discovering a soul ability, it isn’t something you learn

or find. It’s something you feel, hear, and smell around you until you see it, what’s been inside

you all along.”

Ella raised her arms to their apex then swiftly flung them against the damp sand. The

ocean exploded and the ground quaked. Every droplet of water rose into the sky, forming a

million colossal bubbles that hovered around them.

“Works every time,” Anzu chuckled, then proceeded to walk forward. Hugo stood

speechless; he couldn’t believe that the entire ocean had just turned into floating bubbles teeming

with countless aquatic life. He looked down at a descending desert valley that was left in its

place. The bubbles danced around them and reflected the sun’s orange light. It was as if they

represented a million sunsets. “Come on! We’d better hurry!” Anzu commanded.

As they ran into the canyon where the ocean once sat, Bipp and Hugo gawked up at the

moon-sized balls of water, burbling and plopping in the air. “I'm glad I never messed with Ella. I

never knew she had this in her,” Bipp gulped.

“How’s Sam doing?” Hugo asked.

Bipp's ears twitched, and he listened for a heartbeat. But a long while passed, and no

words were spoken.

“Is he alright!” Hugo shouted as Sam did nothing but stare blankly at the bubbles in the

sky.

“Sam?” Bipp said while lightly shaking him.

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Sam didn’t even blink. He simply lay on his back with his beak and eyes wide open. “I'm

not sure, Hugo.”

“Check his heart!” Hugo demanded.

“I did! It–” A subtle pat, no louder than a falling raindrop kissing the grass, whispered in

Bipp’s ear.

Bipp instantly gawked at Sam. “He's barely alive.” Bipp brought his long ear to the rim

of Sam’s beak. He could hardly feel a subtle breath flow against his eardrum.

Sam’s chest swelled, and his face scrunched while his talons instinctively clenched. “I

want to go home,” he breathed.

Both Hugo and Bipp flinched.

“He’s still fighting, after so much.” Hugo couldn’t believe his ears as he gawked at Sam.

And he thinks I’m the strong one?

At that moment, the ground trembled like an earthquake. Hugo nearly lost his balance.

He quickly dug his claws into the damp sand to remain stable. “We’re close!” Anzu shouted.

They sprinted as fast as they could toward a large chasm that split the entire ocean floor.

Suddenly, an ear-shattering screech echoed from within. “Wait!” Ella spread her arms to the side

to stop Anzu. “Can you feel it, Anzu?”

Anzu dug his hind claws into the sand and closed his eyes. “Oh, yeah. It’s down there.”

Anzu looked back at Hugo. “Are you sure about this? There’s no going back from this point!

And if the rumors are true–”

“Yes! Anything! Please!” Hugo begged.

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Anzu faced forward with a nervous expression. “Oh dear, this is going to be rough.”

Anzu fell to his knees and dug his foreclaws into the dirt. His body tensed as if he braced for

impact. The ground rumbled, and loose sand hovered around them.

“Come on!” Anzu growled. The ground in front of him trembled and cracked as plates of

land shifted. “Protect us, Ella! I can’t do more than bring it up. It’s massive!” Anzu shouted.

Without hesitation, Ella raised her arm, and a large sphere of water floated down in front

of them. “Ready!” she said.

Anzu roared, and the ground cracked as a thousand tendrils wriggled out from the abyss.

Each one flailed in a different direction. A few that whipped toward them were slowed by Ella’s

water. Like a volcano erupting, up came Archipelago. It roared a piercing screech that left Hugo

nauseated. Its colossal body squirmed from the depths with its fins flapping tornadoes and its

mountainous fangs piercing the clouds. Hugo breathed slowly, then craned back his neck to see

the beast’s face.

“Archipelago!”

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Chapter 25: The Reason

Hugo’s shout shook the ground from its volume alone. With it, chaos collapsed into

silence as Archipelago glared down at Hugo. Its lone planet-sized eye took up most of its face.

Its golden gaze stabbed Hugo with raw fear as it opened its abyss of a mouth. “Give Sam the

cure for the Arch!” Hugo shouted. There was a tinge of uncertainty croaking in his voice.

It leaned and snarled its thousand fangs at Hugo. Bipp stepped back and trembled.

“You there . . . human.” Its voice was like a deep yawn that shook the planet with every

breath. “I smell your fear. I see your pain. You are weak, afraid of something–” It inhaled a

sucking vortex. “Dark.”

Its deep, eerie voice echoed and dizzied Hugo, then its ebony pupil widened and engulfed

him. Before Hugo could blink . . . he was back home in his bedroom.

But it was different. There was only one bed with a baby on it, and the room was too dark

for comfort. Hugo’s heart raced and his mind scrambled.

“Get me out of here!” he screamed just before the door slammed open against the wall.

There stood the dark figure, enveloped in shadow, just how he remembered it. His long

dragon body barely fit in the room as he screamed and smacked his back against the wall. The

dark figure took one step into the room before a pair of fiery white eyes ignited and glared into

Hugo’s soul.

The shadows crept and wrapped around Hugo, pinning him against the floor. The figure

hovered toward the baby, who was asleep on the bed. Hugo screamed as raw terror boiled his

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blood. He watched the figure grab the baby and withdraw a large ebony dagger with a ruby-red

pearl embedded into the base of its handle.

“Hugo!” A glimmer of light shined from the darkness.

“Hugo! Look at me! Are you alright?” The amber light from the sunset poured into the

room before Hugo stood on the ocean floor, trembling and hyperventilating. His heart felt like it

was about to pop.

Bipp stood in front of his face and gently rested Sam on the sand. “Hey, are you okay?”

Bipp asked with a calming tone. Hugo tried to speak but couldn’t; instead, he took a horrified

step back from Archipelago.

“What happened to you? You were fine one moment, and then you started shaking more

than a tree in a storm.” Bipp placed his soft hand against Hugo’s scaled cheek.

“Don’t be afraid. Just do what you need to do. I'll be right here if anything goes wrong,

alright?” Bipp said with the gentlest voice he could muster. His knees were wobbling.

Hugo stared at Sam and breathed to calm down. Okay, Hugo, okay. It wasn’t real; it

wasn’t real. “Thank you, Bipp,” Hugo murmured and glared at Archipelago. “Stop playing

games with me and just give Sam the cure!” Hugo roared.

Archipelago leaned back, licking its teeth with its many tongues. “You’re too weak. That

wasn’t even your worst fear, and you still needed a rabbit to talk you out of it. Your soul isn’t

worthy of my cure; it isn't worthy of that dragon body of yours. But it does raise the question,

how did such a fearful soul end up in such a body? It makes me curious enough that I’d love to

taste it . . . perhaps in exchange for my cure.”

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Bipp flinched and instantly stared at Hugo. “Wait. You have to give up your soul?” Bipp

observed Hugo’s determined eye. “No . . . please, don’t do it. Not after all we’ve been through.

The war’s over. We could go back to my place and enjoy life. You could watch the stars. I could

make you soup every morning. . . . Every hour?” Hugo didn’t respond. “Every minute,” Bipp

squeaked. He realized that Hugo’s resolve was beyond any persuasion he could muster. As he

watched Hugo focus his thoughts, his eyes began to shed tears onto his fluffy cheeks.

Hugo stared at Sam.

“So, what will it be, human? Will you give your life in exchange for his?” Archipelago

asked with unexpected patience.

Hugo fell silent. Everything that led to this moment raced in his mind. His heart pounded

like a war drum; his legs wobbled like worms in water, and his eye welled with tears. He knew

his answer.

Bipp stepped next to Hugo and patted his side. “It’s okay, Hugo. Maybe it’s time to let

him–”

“Take it! Take all of me if you must! Please, save Sam!” Hugo begged.

Bipp stumbled backwards. “What!”

Archipelago’s eye set upon Sam. “Very well.” It leaned back, and its tentacles slithered

toward Hugo.

“What are you doing? It's not worth it!” Bipp sobbed. “I can't lose you!” He paused and

stared at Hugo’s smiling face.

“It’s always been about Sam. I’m nothing without him.”

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“That’s not true! You–” Bipp sobbed. “You're my brother!”

“When I'm gone, take care of Sam. Make sure he goes home,” Hugo sniffled.

“Huugoo!" Bipp screamed as the tendrils wrapped around Hugo.

Bipp's face hit the ground with his tears and snot soaking the sand. “Noooooo!” he

sobbed and punched the ground. In Archipelago’s grasp, Hugo rose high from the valley before

he looked down at Sam and gave the largest smile he could give.

All I ever wished for was to be with you. I don’t know what it is . . . this feeling, this need

to give you everything I am.

As a bladed tentacle stabbed into his chest, Hugo closed his eye and tried to remember

every second he spent with Sam. Then, a subtle warmth of ruby and honey embers kindled his

back fur.

But I like this feeling. It’s so warm and bright when I think about you. . . . You are the

reason I kept going; You are the reason I pushed myself so much. I wish you could see it . . . how

much you’ve meant to me . . . how strong you really are. . . . I'm the luckiest creature in the

universe to have been your brother. I tried. . . . I gave everything I am, for you . . . for . . . you . . .

Hugo’s head went numb as the embers floated out behind him. The stinging tendril

wriggled around in his chest, and his hot blood poured down his lengthy front until it rained off

the end of his tail. His breath escaped him as the tendril wrapped around his heart. The pressure

in his body increased and boiled his blood. His heart pounded and screamed faster and faster,

trying to keep up.

I love you, Sam.

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At that moment, everything seemed to go cold. Hugo struggled to breathe. His heart went

from panicked to nearly motionless. He could still feel the tips of his claws, but nothing else

before his heart went numb to the echoed sounds of Bipp crying in the dirt and the trickle of

blood against the sand.

“Who . . . are you?” The powerful voice of Archipelago overwhelmed the remaining

energy Hugo had before his entire body sagged in the beast’s grasp.

Bipp looked up. “What?” He sniffled.

Hugo forced open his eye, and Archipelago leaned uncomfortably close to him. It stared

at him with its colossal gold eye. The tendril in Hugo loosened its grip on his heart and removed

itself from his chest. “What are you doing?” Hugo exhaled before a long silence numbed the air.

“One of the last dragons having that for a soul is . . . unexpected. Your soul is something

I cannot take. It is something only to be given, under the right circumstances.”

The tendrils loosened around Hugo’s body before he fell and smacked onto the bloodied

soil. Archipelago blinked its eye at Hugo. It was now deep in thought.

“My apologies. If I’d known you had that soul, I would’ve given you the cure from the

start,” it said as it leaned away from Hugo.

Hugo grimaced. All of his wounds were finally catching up to him. “Wait, so you’ll give

Sam the cure?” he wheezed.

Archipelago brought forth a tentacle next to Sam before a shining white pearl appeared

hovering over it. “It’s obvious why you were given such a body. The king was wrong about you.

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What he saw as a weakness, I see as the greatest strength in the universe, even greater than your

brother’s soul.”

“Wait . . . the king?” Ella questioned.

Archipelago dropped the pearl into Sam’s beak. “He will wake any second now . . . but it

will be some time before he feels anything again.”

“Thank you.” Hugo’s eye begged to close, but he knew he wasn’t finished yet.

“Before I go, I must warn you . . . be careful with your next choices,” Archipelago said.

Anzu gasped from exhaustion and dropped Archipelago back into the abyss. Not a second passed

before a thud struck the planet and quaked the ground beneath them. Anzu gulped in any air he

could find and placed his claw over his chest. He wanted to make sure he was still alive. “You

did great, Anzu,” Ella said, kneeling next to him.

Hugo stared at the sunset. It waved its last goodbye before sinking under the horizon. He

looked at Sam, whose breath hastened as his eyes peeked open. “We did it,” Hugo coughed and

finally knocked on the sand.

In that instant, George’s wooden door appeared in front of him, carved with designs

relating to Earth. “What the! Where’d that come from?” Bipp yelled and gazed at the door.

Anzu glanced back. As he looked upon the door, his eyes popped out of his head. “Is that

. . . wait! Don’t!” Anzu stumbled to Hugo with what little energy he had left.

Sam sat there, grabbing his head in pain. “Wha– What happ–?” he moaned. As he

regained his composure, his body froze at the sight before him. Hugo was lying near him on the

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verge of death. Sam’s mind raced as he tried his best to comprehend what had taken place. But

all his thoughts stopped when he saw his brother’s blood soaking the sand around him.

He instantly mustered as much strength as he could and crawled over towards Hugo. His

legs were numb; they dragged along as he inched ever closer to his maimed brother.

“Sam,” Hugo breathed with a squinting smile.

As Sam lumbered to Hugo, he observed each wound before his weak wings gave in to

exhaustion. “No . . . no, no, no!” Sam screamed as his eyes widened. “How did this happen?

How are you still alive? How–” He paused; his chest tingled with a numbing static. “No . . .

please tell me you didn’t do this for that cure?” he demanded with pressing worry.

“I did,” Hugo breathed as his eye grew heavy. “I promised you.”

Sam’s right talon dug into the sand as the weight of everything Hugo did pressed on his

chest before he looked away. “Please . . . stop promising.” His beak trembled as he tried to hold

back a flood of tears.

“I can’t bear it anymore. . . . To see you like this, it’s a feeling far worse than that

leopard’s sword in my chest. I can’t believe you went this far.” He sniffled. “I can’t even look at

you anymore! I owe you everyth–” He gasped as George’s door caught his sight. The door.

Hugo’s head lowered against the sand. He smiled and teetered on the brink of

consciousness. “You don’t owe me anything. . . . You’re my brother; all I want is for you to be

happy.”

“Stop it!” Sam sobbed. “I can’t handle you! You’re too kind to me, and it’s hurting you!

Why! Why do you do it? And don’t just say it’s because you’re my brother and you care about

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me! You and I both know that you’re far more than my brother!” Sam gasped and covered his

beak. What am I saying?

Hugo squinted up at Sam. “I’m more . . . than your brother?”

Sam tightened his grasp on his beak and wept. What’s wrong with me! Why did I say

that? His heart pounded out of his chest as he glanced at the door. But then, Hugo’s claw

wrapped around his back and pulled him close.

“Whatever that may be . . . I’m just glad you’re well.” He took a deep raspy breath and

looked at the door. “Come on; I still have one more promise to keep. Let’s go home, Sam. I’ll be

right behind you,” Hugo said, struggling to finish the sentence.

Every part of Sam’s body trembled as his mind rumbled in thought. You are more than

my brother. . . . I can’t believe it took me this long to see it. He hugged Hugo with all his tiny

strength. I feel so safe around you, but you keep injuring yourself . . . for me. He didn’t want to

let go. I know what I need to do. His heart pounded against Hugo’s bloodied scales. It hurts to

even think of it, but I need to be strong . . . for you.

“Bipp, could you help Sam to that door?” Hugo murmured.

Bipp nodded nervously before running to Sam and scooping him in his arms. Sam looked

back at Hugo while holding his beak. Can I really do this? How will he feel? Please Hugo . . .

understand.

“Wow. Your heart’s racing. . . . Are you alright?” Bipp’s ears twitched at the rapid

thumping of Sam’s heart. He then grabbed the silver handle of the door.

“I’m just . . . terrified,” Sam whispered.

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Bipp opened the door. Suddenly, the familiar scent of blueberry tarts tickled Sam’s nares.

It was his living room, complete with the burlap sofa and the old television broadcasting the

local news.

“You’re worried about Hugo too?” Bipp paused as Sam looked at his face. “I’m shaking

where I stand. I fear he won’t recover from this, and it’s killing me.” He rubbed his nose, trying

to fight the sorrow.

Bipp rested Sam on the soft carpet. He sniffled and walked toward Hugo. You’re scared

too? Sam pondered as he leaned against the door frame and tried to stand. His left leg didn’t

seem to work, so he forced himself up on his right. His chest pounded at speeds he didn’t think

possible as he looked at Hugo, who was barely able to keep his eye open.

He’s so tired. . . . I can’t have him continue this. I need to stop being a burden to him. He

paused and breathed to calm himself. I wish I didn’t have to do this. . . . I would love to be with

you forever, to accomplish your dream. Tears welled in his eyes. But I need to do this. I need to

help you . . . by getting rid of me. He sniffled and raised his beak.

“Hugo!” he sobbed before both Hugo and Bipp looked at him. Sam’s body shook so

much that he struggled to speak. My final words to you.

“I . . . want to thank you, for always being a great brother, no . . . for being more than a

brother.” He paused and wiped his nares. “Being adopted, I didn’t think I could feel so welcome

in a family. But you . . . you made me feel so . . .” Sam paused. He remembered every moment

when Hugo helped him, smiled with him, and cried with him. “Loved.”

Hugo’s chest warmed when that word hit his large ears. “Sam . . .”

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“Thank you, so much, for keeping your promise to bring me home. . . . But it hurts me so

much to see you endlessly make sacrifices for me. I really needed you to know how I feel before

I–” Sam breathed as tears of both fear and sorrow left his control. “Say goodbye.”

“Wait, what are you–” Hugo froze as his eye widened. “No . . .”

“I hope you understand. I’ve become such a burden to you, so much so that you nearly

died several times . . . only because I wasn’t strong.”

“Sam! Wait! You don’t-”

“Goodbye, Hugo. . . . I hope, one day, we’ll see each other again.” Sam looked up at the

stars. They were revealing themselves through the amber hue of the sunset. Although . . . I

believe this world was made for you.

“Saaaaaaam!” Hugo cried before Sam reached out, grabbed the silver handle, and shut

the door. “Nooooo!” He crawled with all his might to the door.

Bipp ran and knelt in front of Hugo, who trailed a river of blood behind him. “Hugo,

stop! Your wounds!”

“Saaaaam!” he gagged. It was becoming impossible for him to speak. He could hardly

move as his eye drooped to the sand.

“You’re bleeding everywhere!” Bipp yelled. “Ella! Anzu! Help!”

Anzu sprinted closer, and Ella swiftly followed behind. Then, in a flash, the door

vanished into a puff of silver smoke. Hugo froze as all his hope of going home with Sam

disappeared with the wind.

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“Please, Hugo . . . just rest,” Bipp demanded calmly before Anzu and Ella ran beside him.

“Where’d that door come from? Hugo! What was that door!” Anzu knelt on the sand and

grabbed him.

“That’s not good; we need to get help on that now!” Ella pointed at the hole in Hugo’s

chest. It was broad and brimming with blood, drowning his heart.

After one last beat, Hugo’s heart fell silent as it went from panicked to still. With his

remaining energy, he stared at the remaining glow of the sunset. He was filled with wonder as he

watched the unimaginable image of space above him. He could feel his mind numbing and his

body growing cold. “Sam . . .” he murmured, trying to hold onto his precious last thought before

his eye closed and he sagged into Bipp’s arms.

“No . . . Please! Stay with me!” Bipp wept and held Hugo close.

Hugo couldn’t hear anything; he couldn’t even feel Bipp’s arms around him. He could

only think for those precious last seconds. And before he knew it . . . those final thoughts of Sam

slipped from his mind and into the darkness.

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Chapter 26: Monster

Sam sobbed and pressed his head against the wall that was once George’s door. “I’m so

sorry, Hugo.”

He couldn’t stop crying, no matter how hard he tried. Even the lingering scent of his

mother’s baking from the kitchen was enough to keep him thinking about Hugo. His legs finally

gave up though, and he collapsed onto the fuzzy carpet. A slow tingle spread from his chest to

his talons. His right talon twitched as fresh blood electrocuted a swarm of needle prickling under

his skin. But something was odd.

His chest was hot and sloshy as if he were a hollow shell filled with boiling stew. He

couldn’t explain it. His head cooled into a steady calm. Each feather across his body tickled his

skin as his body came to life. In an instant, a pounding headache waged war in his skull, and he

pressed his wing against his forehead. “What is this?” he winced before hearing the chatter of the

old television speaking about late afternoon news reports.

“Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, so prepare your scarves and rakes because this

year’s trees are already starting to change color.”

A burning itch fluttered in his chest. “I’d better get something to numb this. It’s been a

while since I’ve felt anything.”

He sniffled and tried to stand, but a violent crack shifted his left leg, causing a spiking

pain to zap up his body. Within seconds, his broken bones splintered and rattled from his

poisoned legs to his stabbed wings.

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Sam grimaced and slammed shut his beak to hold in the suffering screams his body

begged him to release. He collapsed on his back, and the numbing effects of the venom were

washed away. He wailed as his wounded insides boiled and stung his blood. Each previous

wound came like a shard of glass, screaming under his skin. Sam yelled. Oh, did he yell.

His poor throat croaked and scratched from the amount of wild screeching he gave. It was

beyond the definition of agony. His body couldn’t take it. His very nerves themselves pinched

from extreme pain. Sam’s screams vibrated the glass windows with an ear-deafening sob, and

they quickly sounded less human and more like a feral bird.

He clawed and ripped the carpet with his right talon, while his left remained motionless.

His head trembled and pinched with eye-popping pressure. He coughed a mixture of blood and

saliva. Every inch of his body burned hotter than fire, stung like a million wasps, and internally

bled more than he thought possible.

“What’s all that racket!” Mary said. She marched in from the hallway and into the living

room while rubbing her eyes. She was wearing her soft rose-patterned pajamas. “Is that you,

Andrew? It’s nearly eleven! I’m trying to sleep!” She opened her tired eyes and gasped at the

sight of the black-feathered monster clawing at the carpet, trembling like a jackhammer, and

drooling crimson from its beak. She screamed and ran back to the hallway in full panic as

palpable terror engulfed her. “Andrew! There’s a monster in our living room!”

Sam wanted to hold his breath just long enough to pass out, but his lungs begged for air

more than anything as his throat choked with blood. He couldn’t hold his breath even if he tried.

He attempted to bite his tongue off, but every time he mustered the will to do so, the flowing

taste of iron crimson forced his beak open.

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“Give me a minute, Mary. I'm in the bathroom!” Andrew's voice sounded from the hall.

“Useless!” Mary yelled. Sam glanced up and observed her sprint into the kitchen.

Mom, please help me!

“Hello, police! There's a monster in my living room!”

Sam’s wings and right leg trembled. They were weakening by the second. He could do

nothing but take it all in and screech like a bird to drown out the pain.

“No, I'm not looney! Can’t you hear it? It's making that awful noise! You’re the crazy

one! You know what, I'll take care of it myself!”

A firm clack shook the wall as Mary slammed the phone back into its holster. The sound

of metal clanking and dinging together rattled the kitchen before she came out, holding a sheet

pan as a shield and a meat tenderizer as a weapon.

“Oh my, okay! Don’t look at it, Mary! Let’s just put it out of its misery,” she told herself

and shuffled forward with her eyes closed, knowing she could never forgive herself if she hit the

creature.

“Eww, I can smell it!” Mary brought her pajama sleeve to her nose. “Ugh, what is this

thing?” she coughed. A pool of crimson saliva soaked the carpet at her naked feet. “It touched

me!” she shrieked.

“Okay, Mary, what is it?”

Andrew walked out from the hallway, wearing Hugo’s old rocket ship pajama pants and

nothing else. “Goodness! What is that?” he yelled and instantly jolted back before he dashed to

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Mary and pulled her away from Sam. “What do you think you’re doing? It could have rabies or

something!” Andrew yelled.

“How did it get in our house?” Mary cried.

“Did you call animal control?”

“No, I called the police! That’s not an animal; that’s a monster!”

“There's no such thing! That’s obviously some kind of bird thing! That’s animal control’s

job!” Andrew sprinted into the kitchen and picked up the phone.

“Hello, Animal Control! We have an emergency!” Mary stood in the corner, trembling in

fear. “I know it’s almost midnight! But can you hear that? There's no way anyone on this street is

going to sleep tonight! I'll pay you double for the trouble.”

Just as Mary looped around the corner, she glanced at Sam’s eyes. “You’ll be here in ten

minutes? Good, I'll see you then!” And with that, he hung up the phone with an abrupt clack.

Mary paused and popped her head back into the living room. She squinted at Sam as if

she was thinking about something. “You look familiar,” she said, then shuffled closer to him.

Amongst all the chaos, a small, noticeable upward curve appeared at her lips as she tilted

her head. “You have Sam’s eyes.” Mary inched closer, stopping where the blood soaked the

carpet. “Who are you?” She leaned over and reached out toward Sam.

“Mary!” Andrew ran through the kitchen doorway to Mary before pulling her back.

“What are you doing?” Andrew yelled.

Mary smiled at Andrew. “It sort-of looks like Sam,” she chuckled.

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“What! Are you crazy? It looks nothing like Sam!” Andrew yelled over Sam’s obnoxious

screeching.

Mary looked back at Sam’s green eyes. Though they were red around the edges from the

popped blood vessels, Mary still saw Sam’s eyes within his current shell.

“I'm going to name it Sam Two.” She sniffled, followed by a long silence. “I guess I

can’t help myself. . . . It’s been two weeks, and neither Hugo nor Sam have called or texted me

back. . . . I’m getting worried, Andrew. What if something’s happened?”

“They’re probably too busy with their classes to call. I’m sure they’re fine.”

Mary looked at Sam, “No . . . I don’t think that’s right. Sam would have called me about

how his first day went, or Hugo would’ve called us about how well Sam’s doing.” She paused in

thought.

“You know what . . . we’re going to that college tomorrow! I’ve been patient long

enough. I want to see them, or at least hear their voices. . . .” Mary withdrew the family photo of

them from her pocket. “And give them this memory . . . like I promised I would.”

Andrew rolled his eyes. “Okay, we’ll do it your way, but don’t blame me if they're too

busy with homework to talk.”

Mary smiled. “I'm sure they’ll find the time. Especially Sam. I know he’d want to see us

and tell us how great college is.”

In that instant, the sound of bells dinging echoed throughout the house. “They’re here!

That was quick!” Andrew sprinted over Sam and across the living room till he reached the door.

“It’s right in here,” Andrew said after he opened the door.

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A large muscular man with a tool kit and a square-like cap entered the house. He had a

nametag that spelled Lucy. Behind him, stood an intimidating lady holding a mobile carrier. Her

sleeves were rolled up, revealing a scratched nametag taped to her bicep. It spelled Sus. Sam

barely had the will to look over before a small plastic carrier with a barred metal door splashed

into the crimson carpet in front of him.

“Don’t hurt Sam Two, please. He’s no trouble at all, and he seems to be in a lot of pain

already,” Mary said before Sus opened the cage.

“What is this thing?” Sus asked. Lucy slipped on a pair of rubber gloves before taking a

roll of white sticky tape and wrapping it around Sam’s beak, sealing it shut. The room finally fell

into a peaceful silence.

“Maybe some weird burnt eagle? Look at its feathers. There’s soot everywhere on this

monster.” Lucy tied Sam’s talons together with the same white tape before wiping his fingers on

Sam’s wings, showing the black stain from his feathers.

The taste of iron fluid sloshed in Sam’s beak. He could hardly breathe while he forced as

much air possible through his nares. He glanced one last time at Mary. She still had a curious

look about her that spelled worry.

Please, Mom, don’t let them take me! Sam mused as Mary’s eyes squinted in thought.

Lucy scrunched Sam into the small cage. His neck and head crunched forward, and his knees

bent to his eyes before Lucy shut and locked the carrier. “What an odd creature. I've never seen

anything like it,” Sus spoke. “How did it get here?” she asked.

“I don’t know. Andrew and I were getting ready for bed when I suddenly heard shrieking.

Somehow, it just showed up. All the windows were closed, so I don’t know,” Mary said.

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Sam teetered on the brink of fainting. He was not getting enough oxygen without his beak

open.

“Don’t worry about a thing, we'll try to get this whole mess cleaned up as quickly as

possible, so all of us may rest easy tonight,” Sus said before Lucy lifted Sam’s cage and took him

outside.

Sam looked beyond his talons at his home. It was leaving faster than it came. Lucy lightly

pushed Sam into the back of a truck. It was a perfectly gentle push, but to Sam, it felt like an

earthquake and a storm were at battle with one another. The cage rattled until it tapped the back

wall of the truck. A black foggy ring crept around Sam’s vision as Mary stared at him through

the window. She waved goodbye with a smile.

I need to do something! Anything! I'm not a monster! It can't end here! It's me, Sam!

Sam was limited by both the tight cage and his tied legs. In response to Mary’s wave, he

gripped with his right talon to give the illusion of a wave. Luckily for him, Mary gasped. It

appeared that she noticed it. But sadly, she only smiled and waved back in response before she

slid the window curtain down, leaving him in the dark, tied up in the cage.

Mom. Sam squeaked.

She didn't recognize me. . . . But it’s me, Sam, your son. . . . I guess I am just a monster.

Tears welled in his eyes, and his thoughts turned grim. Please, Mom, come back. . . . I

need you. Sam mused before the dark circle clouding his vision shrank into blackness.

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Chapter 27: A New Promise

A steady creak echoed around him and ceased with a sudden clang. He slowly woke into

a world of stinging and burning. But, after many moments of agony, Sam grew accustomed to

the pain. Not in a way that made him comfortable. Oh no, he still felt death lingering around the

corner. He simply didn’t care anymore.

Sam crept his crusty eyes open. His head throbbed from the headache he developed while

he rested. He still struggled to breathe with the scent of dried blood in his nares. He was lying in

a different cold and metal cage, but he now found himself inside a room with medical equipment

covered with black feathers. His body calmed after a while as it seemed to give up. He quickly

swallowed to get rid of the taste of his old saliva.

Am I at the vet?

His body was stiff cold, as if he’d been dead for some time. Although, at this moment,

nothing would make him happier than to go back to sleep and never wake up.

I belong here. I am nothing more than an unwanted pest with nobody to return to.

Hopefully, they realize that I’m a useless monster and they’ll put me down.

Sam gave up and saw no hope around the corner; no hope for Hugo to help him again; no

hope for his mom to come around the corner and hug him till his heart stopped. He had no idea if

Hugo was still alive. I messed up. Sam looked through an open door to another room at a lady

wearing a white lab coat, talking on the phone.

I can’t go back to my old life. I'm a monster. . . . I was just a socially anxious kid with a

dream to go to college. . . . I would give anything to go back to the beginning. . . . Anything . . .

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Sam pondered about the many ways he could’ve avoided his current situation until the

lady walked into the room.

“Hey, big guy. Just got off the phone with a kind rehabilitator who’s going to take good

care of you.” She looked at Sam and jingled her keys around, searching for the right one. “I’ve

done all I can. Now, only time will tell if you can live a happy life,” she sighed.

“It’s quite fortunate that you came to us in time. You were pretty messed up. The x-ray

showed all that happened to you. Your bone structure is . . . unlike any bird I’ve seen, and were

you in a war or something? You had serious injuries across nearly every inch of your body.” She

paused as she withdrew a key and held it up to the lock.

“You are the unluckiest and strangest creature I’ve ever seen. The other vets and I were

just debating whether to put you under.” With a twist and a clack, she unlocked the cell. She

sighed and opened it before she put the key back in her pocket. “But that man sure is confident

he can get you back on your feet . . . oh, well . . . never mind,” she murmured. She then lifted a

larger mobile carrier off the ground and set it on the steel table across from Sam’s cell.

This entire time, Sam stared at her, for that was all he could do besides squirm in agony,

which he thought pointless. She gently lifted Sam and laid him into the plastic carrier before

shutting the door. She lifted the cage and carried Sam from the room. Her footsteps echoed

throughout the hallway with the subtle sound of Sam’s heart, unable to find a reason to continue.

A cool fresh scent followed the sound of her opening another door. Sam peeked from the

cage as black pavement, striped with white lines, came forth from a parking lot. Then, a firm and

repeated tap sounded from behind him.

“Here you are, sir. Gotta warn you though, he’s in rough shape,” she said.

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A deep chuckle sounded as she handed Sam over. “Oh, that’s quite alright. I'll try to take

good care of him. Thank you kindly,” a voice spoke with a fruity tone.

“You’re welcome, and have a good night,” she said before leaving the scene.

“As do you,” the voice said to her before Sam was turned around. He could hear the

tapping of something against the parking lot as they went along.

The cell keys rattled, and the sound of a door creaked. Sam was set on the passenger seat

of a car. He couldn’t see much outside, but whoever it was, wore a gray coat. The figure

unlocked Sam’s cell and swung the door open, allowing his legs to escape.

“Come on out. Don’t be shy now. I am a friend,” the figure spoke.

Sam could hardly move. But with what little will he had left, he wiggled out of the cell.

He almost fell from the car if it wasn’t for the figure catching him and sitting him upright.

Sam sat there on the passenger seat with his legs dangling in front of him. He paused in

shock as he stared down at the figure’s classy shoes. Then, he raised his head to view the figure’s

face. It was Dr. George! Sam roared under his muffled beak and flapped his wings against

George until they rattled from the pain of his broken bones.

“It’s okay, Sam. I'm here to help,” George said, gently peeling off the tape around Sam’s

beak.

Once the final loop was undone, Sam gasped for breath before snarling at George. “You!

You did this to me!” Sam yelled and coughed, feeling much discomfort from his sore throat.

“Calm down, Sam; I’ll explain everything. First, allow me to heal you, but be very still,

for a bird’s anatomy is a delicate thing. I wouldn’t want to make a mistake.” George placed his

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hands against Sam’s chest before a refreshing cold soothed away most of the pain. Sam's heart

slowed and calmed. “Better?” George asked.

Sam couldn’t believe it; the pain went from extreme to somewhat bearable in less than an

instant. He reluctantly nodded, and his breathing slowed. George placed one hand on Sam’s head

and the other on his wings. A calming chill brushed his mind. It was like a wave of fresh water

rolling over a fire. George peeled the tape around Sam’s talons before sending a refreshing rush

up his legs.

“Oh . . . that’s unfortunate. . . . I thought I could fix that,” George whispered under his

breath.

He took the cage Sam was in and slid it to the entrance of the veterinary clinic. George

reclined the passenger seat to allow Sam to rest properly. “It’s been a long adventure for you.

You deserve to rest before we begin,” George said.

Sam didn’t want to lie down, not while George stood beside him. After all, he was the

one who had turned him into a monster in the first place.

“Why are you doing this?” Sam grumbled.

George sighed. “I'm sorry this all happened, I truly am. I wanted you to become strong, to

become a better you.” George paused and looked at Sam. “I mean, look at you. From what I can

tell, you’re not shy anymore, and you grew beyond needing Hugo. . . . I’m glad you left him

without help; it was an important step to take on your own.”

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“To become a better me! This isn’t me at all! I didn’t mind being shy; I didn’t mind being

a human! Nothing was wrong with my life, and you took everything from me and turned me into

a monster!”

George hugged him close, and Sam flinched from surprise. “You’re not a monster, Sam.

You never were. I just wanted you to have confidence in yourself. You are an amazing person; it

would’ve been a shame to have you hiding behind Hugo all your life. I know you want to be

strong, so let me help you.” George let go.

Sam didn’t know what to say. He wanted to yell, but after his journey, he was sick of

yelling and screaming. “Why are you doing this?” Sam demanded to know.

George observed Sam with a rather sorrowful expression. “I must apologize for my poor

planning. . . . I thought you would turn into a great creature and become brave that way. . . . But

you surprised me; you showed me that it’s far braver to be a smaller creature. But, as to why I

turned you into a creature . . . I need help, and sadly, you are the only one who may have the

ability to do so,” he sighed. “It’s a long story . . . but in shortened terms, I need your soul, and I

need you to be brave, because what happens next . . . relies solely on you.”

Sam's chest fluttered as he stared at George. “You wanted all that to happen to me?” Sam

asked with a quiet and nervous tone.

George nodded. “Yes, well . . . no, not exactly, but it worked out far better than I

expected. I didn’t send you to that planet because I dislike you, far from it. I wanted you to learn

to be brave, fearless, and strong. And I felt like going to a planet full of fears would do just the

trick.”

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Sam lifted his wings and stared at them as they trembled. “I need some air,” Sam

murmured before he hopped off the seat.

“Wait! Don’t!” George yelled. Sam collapsed and tumbled onto the pavement, cracking

his left leg.

Sam winced and looked at his legs. His right leg moved perfectly fine, but his left leg

wouldn’t budge. It was just lying there, limp and motionless against the pavement. “What?” Sam

focused on his left leg. Like any other part in his body, he could feel it, feathers and all, but it

just wouldn’t listen.

“What's happening? I can't move my leg!” Sam screamed.

George rested his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “I'm sorry, Sam. I did the best I could.”

“Leave me alone!” Sam yelled and swatted George’s hand away.

George sighed. “I'm sure you're familiar with the doctor on Zenith and how she speeds

time. One of my soul abilities is similar. And well, I'm sorry to say, time doesn’t heal all wounds

. . . unless you went back in time . . . but that would take a while for you to learn.”

Sam sobbed. He repeatedly tried to move his leg. It was so odd. His body felt perfectly

fine, minus the scarred pain at the back of his mind. With his palms showing, George reached out

and tried to help him again, but Sam yelled and, once more, swatted his hand away.

“Why can’t I move my leg!” Sam yelled.

“Archipelago poisoned you. The source entered through your leg, so your leg had a

longer and more direct experience with the venom than the rest of your body. The venom

destroyed everything besides the nerves. I'm sorry, Sam, but you didn’t receive the cure in time.”

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George grabbed a walking cane from the car. It was made of polished birchwood and stood

exceptionally low. It was perfect for Sam’s tiny height.

How did he–

“Here.” George laid the cane next to Sam.

“I can't. . . . I can’t,” Sam sobbed and hurried away from George. “Leave me alone. I

can't handle this right now.” Sam reached the end of the pavement and hid within a hedge.

“Again, I am sorry, Sam. But I can help you. I can show you a better life, one where you

will be strong beyond imagination, one where fear won’t have a hold on you. And in time, I can

help you get your human body back, leg and all . . . if you wish. All you have to do is trust me,”

George said.

Sam sniffled and pondered the situation. “My parents didn’t recognize me. . . . I don’t

even know if Hugo’s alive. I'm all alone with the body of a monster and a leg that doesn’t work.

And to top it all off, I'm with the madman who tried to get me killed,” Sam grumbled as he

thought to himself.

George extended his hand toward Sam. “I can help you, Sam. With me, you never have to

be alone. With me, you will grow strong enough to protect those who are too weak to defend

themselves. Let me help you, because you are needed, Sam, far more than you know.”

Sam faced George with tears running down his beak. He sat upright and looked at his leg.

“Promise me that I will never feel what I felt back on that planet. Promise me that I won’t have

to feel the agony of not having a family to go back to . . . and please, promise me that I will

never be a burden,” Sam begged.

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George crept a smile. “I promise that you will never feel harm again, for I will always

protect you and be the one for you to lean on. And in due time, you will become strong enough

to never be a burden to anyone. And I will never falter from those words until the day I die,”

George promised.

Sam’s beak quivered into a nervous smile before he looked at George and grabbed his

hand with his wing.

“Thank you, George.”

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Chapter 28: Apart

The warm sun peeked through the window and kissed Hugo on the cheek. His body was

beyond sore, and he could hardly move; he didn’t want to either. He was lying on something

prickly, but yet, soft. Wherever he was, he wanted to stay as it was quiet and peaceful.

He could sense a cool, relaxing air. It smelled like old paper and burnt candles. A gentle

breeze tickled the fur in his ears, forcing them to twitch. An odd, yet strangely familiar taste of

carrots and herbs danced in his mouth. And a peculiar, yet occasional crack sounded with the

wind. Now he was curious. He opened his eye and looked out at a hill covered in white snow.

“Sam!” Hugo instantly yelled and launched his head from a soft white pillow that

perfectly fit his enormous head.

He glanced about the familiar cottage room. Maps and burnt-out candles covered the

walls and floor. The wind whipped through a large entry curtain, blowing the maps up and about

the room. He looked along his body with a bed of hay sinking under his gravity. Six large beds to

be precise, along with a long misshapen quilt above him.

“I can’t believe he did that.” He submitted his head back into the absorbing pillow.

Thoughts of Sam consumed his mind. “Why did he–” Hugo gasped. “He thought he was a

burden to me! He left because he thought I would be better off without him!” He grasped his face

with his claws and gnashed his fangs.

“I’m such an idiot. . . . I should’ve just told him how I felt.” He blinked. “Wait.” He

knocked on the bed frame, expecting George’s door to appear, but nothing happened. “Of course

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that doesn’t work,” he sighed before his ears twitched from a calming gurgle that simmered

behind him. He glanced back at a soup pot resting over a fire. He inhaled through his snout, and

his tongue flicked out to taste the sweet vegetable-scented steam.

Bipp.

He attempted to move, but the beds sank into chasm around him, eating his body whole

with little means of release. How long have I been here?

The entry curtain cracked to the side as Ventus presented his grand entrance. He was

staring deep into a book while whistling a merry tune. His talons stepped with such grace to

avoid the dirty parts of the floor. He was wearing caramel harem pants and nothing else, simply

to display his colors. Even though he was attentive to the dirty room around him, he didn’t seem

to notice Hugo. He continued to a table and exchanged his book for another. “That rabbit’s not

half bad. These maps almost counter my own.” He paused and opened the book. It was paged

with Bipp’s attempts at cartography.

“Hey, Ventus,” Hugo yawned.

Ventus exploded in surprise and threw the book in the air, whacking it against the ceiling.

“Hugo! You’re awake!” Ventus shrieked as if he had seen a ghost. Suddenly, the book smacked

the top of his head and tumbled onto the ground.

Ventus ignored the book and walked to Hugo before removing the quilt that covered his

chest. His chest had a massive scar. It spread like lightning along nearly two feet of his front

frame. “Impossible. You shouldn’t be–” He paused for a long moment. “It worked. . . . It actually

worked.” His beak quivered with disbelief.

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“That doctor . . .” Ventus placed the quilt down and smiled at Hugo. “Good.” He

awkwardly patted Hugo on the head with his wing. “You’re quite lucky, aren’t you? I mean,

besides your eye. The doctor said that even time wouldn’t heal that, but at least you’re alive,

right?”

Hugo didn’t know what to say. He thought for sure he was going to perish in the ocean.

“What happened?”

Ventus smiled and plucked the book from the ground before patting dirt off its cover.

“Many things, Hugo. Many things indeed. I would love to tell you all that’s happened in the

week you’ve been asleep, but I feel like I’m not the creature who should tell the tale.” Ventus

shrugged. “All I did was bring the doctor to you after that reptile paraded into my castle and

threw rocks everywhere.”

“A week!” Hugo yelled in surprise.

Ventus nodded. “Honestly, most of us thought you’d never wake. Your heart was in such

terrible shape, even the doctor herself said your heart was squeezed so much it looked like a

rotten pitaya. You woke much earlier than even I could fathom. . . . That is, if you ever woke at

all,” Ventus sighed and took a long pause as he set the book back on the table.

“That dumb rabbit . . . I can’t believe he was right. I mean, he wouldn’t leave your side,

minus a few errands here and there. He was the only one that said you’d wake up.” Ventus’s

talons curled, and a few tears dripped from the end of his beak. “That rabbit . . . he would clean

your wounds, give you soup. And even talk to you, hoping you would wake any second . . . just

by doing the little things.” He paused.

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“But the things he said . . .” Ventus looked directly at Hugo’s eye. “You have someone

special. . . . Don’t let him go. To have a friend like that . . . you’re the luckiest creature I’ve seen

in a while.” Ventus stared at the ground with a sorrowful expression.

“Don’t let go, or else . . . you’ll regret it for the rest of your life,” he murmured and

glanced at the entryway. Out of nowhere, a forest wind cracked through the entry curtain. “You

know . . . I’ve never been jealous before, but I wish I were you. You have something I let go of

long ago.” He sniffled and folded his wings across his chest.

“I’m glad I stayed here for the past few days. . . . I really wanted to talk with you.” After

a few moments of thought, he smirked and glanced back at Hugo. “I’ll be right back,” he said,

then swiftly left the room with a hasty skip.

“Uh, thank you . . . Ventus,” Hugo said. He was unsure of how to interpret everything he

had just heard.

What happened? Is Sam alright? How am I still alive? Why am I in Bipp’s house? Hugo

battled against questions without answers.

He tried to move again, but his body ached too much. Also, to his surprise, his stomach

was full and rather plump. It served to sink him deeper into the prickly hay. Hugo decided to

give up and relax back against the bed.

Honestly, I haven’t slept that well in ages. He blankly stared at the wooden ceiling,

teeming with moss. I wonder how Sam's doing. Hugo chuckled at the idea of Sam being back

home with their mom and dad. I understand why you left. . . . I appreciate you worrying about

me, but I wish I told you that you weren’t a burden . . . that I was happy just to be with you. He

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rubbed the smooth blankets under his claws. I bet you’re happy being home with Mom and . . .

wait. Hugo paused and opened his mouth wide.

“He was still a bird!” he shouted.

How did Mom and Dad take it? Did they think he was just a random huge bird? After a

long while of hyperventilating through a tornado of thoughts, Hugo calmed down.

“He's fine, Hugo. He's fine,” he told himself. “Sam probably explained everything that

happened, and they helped him find a cure or something. Yeah.” Hugo looked at his body. “I

miss him already. . . . I wish I could’ve gone home with him. It would’ve been great to see him

happy.”

Sam, will I ever see you again?

Just then, the curtain cracked open, and Bipp lunged into the room. He was wearing his

dirty pecan-brown pants and a new sky-blue cloak.

“Hugo!” Bipp shouted joyously before catapulting on top of him. “I'm so happy you’re

alright!” Bipp wrapped his arms around Hugo's head, nearly suffocating him.

“Hey, Bipp. . . . What happened?” Hugo’s voice was muffled under the rabbit’s chest.

After a long while, he released Hugo and glanced at the curtain. “So much has happened,

I . . . well . . . okay. To start, Anzu made me promise to help him rebuild this planet for what I

did, so I helped him clean that awful mine in Rafflesia and set the birds free. Afterward, we had

this huge meeting in Rafflesia with all the creatures that could come, and we voted for the next

king and queen. . . . I may have voted for you, but others liked the idea of a symbolic

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collaboration between two kingdoms previously at war, so Anzu and Ella are the king and queen

now.” Bipp paused with a smile and sat beside him on a bed.

“Ventus told me he was flying to get Anzu and should be back at any moment. Anzu was

very creeped out about that door thing you did by the way. He wouldn’t stop talking about it

after we brought you here,” Bipp chuckled. “I even had to remove my front door to get your long

body into my house. That’s why there’s a curtain. . . .”

Bipp shyly looked at Hugo. “Are you feeling good overall? I poured my vegetable soup

into your mouth for every meal. . . . But I didn’t know how much dragons eat, so I would pour

the entire pot. Are you still hungry? I'm making more.”

Hugo chuckled and licked his teeth. “Thanks, Bipp, but I feel fine. A bit stuffed actually.”

“Good.” Bipp smiled and twiddled his thumbs before a somewhat-awkward silence

enveloped the room. “I assume you’ve already tried going back to Earth to see Sam?”

Hugo looked at Bipp, who seemed to be avoiding eye contact as he stared out the

window. “Yeah, I tried knocking . . . but the door didn’t come.”

“I see? . . .” Bipp paused, then nervously gulped. “Do you . . .” he hesitated as his nose

twitched. “Do you have anywhere to stay since you can’t go home?”

Hugo sighed. It finally struck him that he was on a different planet with no place to call

home and no way to return home. “No, I suppose I don’t. I’d never thought about it.”

“Well . . . would you like to live with–”

“Hugo!” Anzu roared as he brushed away the curtain and darted into the room. He was

wearing a smooth silver crown that shaped his large dinosaur head and a white silk cloth that

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poured from his arms and tail. His get-up almost forced Hugo to snort with laughter. “What was

that door!” Anzu asked with an odd terror in his voice as Ella and Ventus followed in behind

him.

Hugo froze in thought. “I–”

“Tell me!” Anzu grabbed Hugo and shook him by the neck.

Bipp lunged from the bed and pushed Anzu away. “What’s the big deal? It might have

been Hugo’s soul ability . . . right?” Bipp looked back at Hugo, questioning his words.

“That was not Hugo’s; it was the soul ability of Apotheosis,” Anzu growled as everyone

in the room stared at him. “In the entire tower of memory, only once does it mention that door

ability! And it was used by the king to travel long distances and attack wherever and whenever

he saw fit!” Anzu trembled. “They couldn’t predict him. He could appear right behind them as

they slept in the most secure places!”

“You’re crazy. Apotheosis died two hundred years ago!” Bipp countered.

Anzu loomed forward. “I’m going to ask again. What was that door?” he snarled as

Hugo’s mind swam through a tsunami.

“I don’t know. . . . It was how I came to this planet. All I had to do was knock on

something, and it would come.” Hugo knocked on the side of the bed, and after waiting for a few

seconds, nothing happened. “Well, it’s not working now, but–”

“Who sent you here? Who was it that told you, you could do that?” Anzu asked.

“Dr. George, professor and president of my college on Earth.”

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“You’re saying this George is on another planet? . . . Is this the planet you sent Sam to?”

Anzu asked.

“Yes.”

At that moment, both Bipp and Ventus trembled almost to the point of collapsing. “You

mean, he has it?” Ventus quivered.

“Has what?” Anzu turned toward Ventus, who nervously stared at Hugo.

“Sam has the soul of time,” Ventus said in a terrified tone.

All went silent as Anzu’s head creaked toward Hugo. His eyes whispered fear and rage as

his fangs crept under his rising lips.

“You gave Apotheosis . . . the soul of time,” Anzu’s eerie breath conquered the room as

he glared at Hugo’s soul. Within a blink, Anzu launched at Hugo with fangs and claws flaring.

He bit into Hugo’s neck and clawed at his chest. Bipp quickly grabbed Anzu’s tail and slammed

him against the floor.

“What’s wrong with you!” Bipp yelled, then checked Hugo’s wounds. Luckily, Anzu’s

fangs and claws didn’t dig deep enough to cause a fatal blow; still, they left a sizable mark.

Bipp’s eye twitched before he spun his back to Hugo and withdrew his silver dagger at Anzu.

“You touch him again, this is going in your neck.”

Anzu leaned against a chair as he stood. “He’s doomed this planet! He gave the most

powerful creature in history the ability to control time! If I’d known Sam had the soul of time, I

would’ve–” Anzu paused as Hugo’s fangs appeared under his rising lips, as if warning him not to

finish that sentence.

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“Apotheosis died! Even his souls are rumored to be lost! Everything is fine!”

Anzu stepped back from Bipp. “We can’t just assume that! Not after Hugo decided to

borrow Apotheosis’ soul ability in that ocean!” he yelled before entering a long thought.

“We must get ready. I fear peace is further from reach than I hoped.” Anzu turned toward

Ella. “Am I jumping to conclusions, or would you agree?”

Ella gave a comforting smile. “I think we should always prepare for the worst, but let’s

not get too jumpy. If the worst never comes, then everything’s fine; if it does, then we’ll be

prepared,” Ella said in her soothing voice. The relaxed tone brought Anzu to a steady calm.

Anzu sighed. “Thank you.” He paused. “Okay, you gave Sam to Apotheosis a week ago.

I’m assuming we don’t have much time left before he comes back, so we need to gather the

biggest army of soldiers with soul abilities as possible. If I remember correctly, normal weapons

melted once they got close to his . . . black fire, I think the history book called it.”

Hugo’s eye opened wide. “So, Ella and I will rally the kingdoms for soul users.” Anzu

glanced at Hugo and Bipp. “Would you three–” Anzu stopped as Hugo’s eye spoke with

confused fear. “Are you alright?” Anzu asked.

“In that book, what else did it say about black fire?” Hugo asked in a world of thought.

“Not much, sorry. It was written based on witness observations more than anything else.”

Hugo trembled in place before Anzu’s head tilted. “Why?”

Hugo rested his claw over his pounding chest as raw darkness flooded his memory. “Sam

saw it . . . in a glacier.” He paused as everyone’s eyes widened. “He mentioned it before I

jumped. . . . I’m sorry, everything happened so fast, I–”

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Anzu grasped Hugo’s snout with his trembling claws and glared at Bipp with his fangs

showing. “Apotheosis is dead, huh?” Bipp gulped as he shook so much, he struggled to stand.

Anzu looked down at Hugo with a nervous smile. “Thanks for telling me this, Hugo.” He let go

of Hugo’s snout and turned to Ventus. “Now I have a real reason to panic,” he grumbled and

breathed for many moments to calm himself. “Alright, so would you, Bipp, and Hugo like to go

to Dawn?”

“Dawn!” both Bipp and Ventus yelled.

“Yes, if what I think is coming, we need all the numbers we can get. And I bet there are

some creatures on that island who have a soul ability, even if it’s rumored to be desolate from the

aftermath of the dragon extinc– . . . endangerment. It might be worth looking into.”

Ventus scoffed. “You want me to go with them? But I’m–”

“You’re what? A prince who has no responsibilities and all the free time in the universe.

Thanks for volunteering. Oh, and bring a boat just in case you do find somebody,” Anzu said.

“A boat? There are no boats! There hasn’t been a boat since Archipelago scared off all

the fishermen!”

“What about those boats you use on Zenith?” Anzu asked.

“A gondola! You want us to sail across the ocean on a gondola? You know I can fly,

right?” Ventus roared.

“Yes, but make a few modifications to make it ocean-ready. I would appreciate it if you

brought a boat, in case you find more creatures than even wind can carry.”

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Ventus scoffed and brushed his wings in the air before staring at a few of Bipp’s maps.

“Fine,” he sighed.

Anzu smiled. “Great! You three head off while Ella and I prepare an army.” He glared at

Hugo. “I may even take a look at this . . . glacier.” Anzu excused himself from Bipp’s house

while Ella knelt beside Hugo.

“Sorry about that. He can get a bit excited, but he’s trying his best to control his little

anger problem. Are you alright?” She observed Hugo’s neck wounds.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just stings a little.” Hugo winced under Ella’s gentle touch.

Ella glanced at Bipp, sliding his silver blade back into its sheath. “Take care of each

other. If Anzu is right, and Apotheosis returns, you three will need each other far more than you

know. . . . I wish you well.” She smiled and left the cottage.

Ventus grumbled. “I suppose I’m stuck with you two idiots. . . . I’ll be back; I have to

build a gondola that’s ocean-ready,” he mocked as he marched from the house.

Bipp sighed. “I guess your rest is over.” He faced Hugo and frowned. “Here I thought we

could stay for a while where it’s calm and warm, at least a day or two before we went on our

next adventure.” He sat alongside Hugo on the bed.

“Not that I mind going on adventures with you. . . . In fact, those two days were the best

days of my life, even with all the negatives, because I finally found my family. . . . Bipp Atlas.”

His lips stole a smile that couldn’t be suppressed. “I’m so . . . happy. I never had a house name

before. I finally feel like . . . I belong somewhere.”

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With his eyes welling tears, he turned his body to Hugo and observed all of his wounds,

from the jagged scar on his chest to his eye and the new bite marks in his neck. “Although, I

wish you hadn’t suffered as much as you did.” He paused and observed the scar on Hugo’s

shoulder. “What’s that one from?” He pointed.

Hugo glanced at his shoulder and sighed. “I got that one a long time ago, back when Sam

and I were little. . . . A strange figure came into our house and murdered his mom. He was about

to kill Sam before I jumped in front of him. That’s when I got that scar.”

Bipp frowned. “Your life has never been easy, has it . . . always protecting Sam and

whatnot?” he said before he stood and walked to the pot. He withdrew his lucky ebony dagger

with the ruby-red pearl embedded in the hilt and chopped a few leafy vegetables in the broth.

“Life’s been good to me. I’m glad I protected Sam, and I would never take back any

moment of it. . . . Although, I wish I had told him how much he means to me.”

Bipp smirked. “I think he knows. I mean, why else would he leave you? He wanted to

keep you safe because you kept sacrificing yourself for him. And besides, it’s quite obvious how

you feel about him.”

Hugo shyly looked out the window, where the sunset peeked through the cracks of the

forest. “I know . . . but I want to tell him. I want him to hear it from me. I haven’t told him

because–”

“You’re the shy one, aren’t you?”

Hugo looked down and said nothing as his mind swam.

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Bipp smiled and his ears pointed up. “Oh, I almost forgot!” He ran to the other end of the

room and shuffled through a few maps before uncovering a knitted sapphire cloth. “I made this

for you since the other scarf burned and was rather . . . ugly. This one I knit from a material they

use to make baking mitts. So, it shouldn’t catch on fire . . . easily.”

Hugo observed the simple yet delicate mastery of a surprisingly well-knit scarf that was

long enough to fold many times in Bipp’s arms. “You knit?” Hugo exhaled through his snout

with a grin.

“Don’t think much of it; it’s just another one of my many hobbies. I didn’t know what

else to do for the week you were asleep, and for some reason, I couldn’t go back to my former

lonely self,” he chuckled. “I can’t just farm vegetables anymore without thinking about what

exciting adventure to go on next. And since the war’s over, my scouting career has ceased. I kept

the cloak, but I . . . was bored without you.”

“Thank you, Bipp,” Hugo said, thinking he’d look ridiculous in such apparel.

Bipp sat in a chair next to Hugo. “You don’t have to wear it; I know it’s just a silly

formality. And we should be getting ready to travel to Dawn.”

Hugo looked at Bipp as his ears drooped. “How about I put it on, then we start packing?”

Bipp’s ears pointed up, and he instantly nodded. “Can you get up? I can help you with it.”

Hugo struggled and turned before Bipp set the scarf to the side and carefully helped him

from the bed. “Does anything still hurt? We don’t have to be so hasty. And we can always tell

Ventus to wait a few hours.”

285

Hugo was focusing on his aching body while occasional spikes of discomfort pinched in

his back. “Thanks, Bipp, but I’m fine. Just a little sore.” Hugo winced at the slightest movement.

Bipp stopped as Hugo stood and trembled. “You’re not fine.” Bipp sighed. “Forget the

scarf; we’ll deal with it later. Right now, let’s focus on you walking.”

Bipp lifted some of Hugo’s weight, and they slowly made it to a table for Hugo to lean

against. “Stay here. I’ll pack the pot of soup and some extra blankets.”

Bipp swiftly took a lid from a table and set it on the pot. He then gathered Hugo’s scarf

along with a few quilts. He folded them under his right arm and grabbed the pot by its handle,

along with a few wooden bowls.

“I can’t believe we’re sailing over there when I can fly us over in less than an hour,”

Ventus’ voice grumbled from behind the curtain before he whipped it from his path. “Alright, I

have a few birds from Zenith flying a boat over to the beach. You two ready?” Ventus stared at

Hugo, who was still struggling to stand. “Great. You’re still injured,” he sighed.

“Can you give me your arm?” Bipp requested with a gentle tone. Hugo gave Bipp his

right foreclaw, then Bipp took it with his left hand and wrapped it around his shoulder. “He’ll be

fine, Ventus, don’t worry about it.” Bipp glanced at Hugo and around his cozy home. “I guess

this is it. You ready, Hugo?”

Hugo breathed into a chuckle and looked at Bipp. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Ventus gawked at the two of them as a slight grin curved his beak. “I’m surrounded by

idiots,” he said, turning his back to the home and making his dramatic exit.

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“Don’t worry, Hugo, I’ll help you with every step,” Bipp said, then aided Hugo from the

Atlas household.

Thank you . . . brother.

They slowly followed Ventus through the great forest, making their way over

mountainous roots and collapsed branches until they met the bright orange light of a curious

sunset.

To be continued in Book Two: Curious Memories . . .