Destiny - Book One in The Bomcard Trilogy

Lucas quietly strolled through the aisle of the bookshelves, reaching for the small book before him. He smiled as he placed it back, knowing he already had this title in his collection. The moment school finished, Lucas and Lucy had come to the library, scrolling for books. Mr. Dawn had handed Lucy her new copy of Paradise Lost to her excitement upon arrival and she had vanished fast back home. Lucas had remained behind, eager to find a new book for himself.

The soft sound of feet being dragged caught his attention as Mr. Dawn came down the aisle. The older man walked slowly, placing books back on their shelves. Turning his gaze to Lucas, he smiled and began to walk back over to the bench. As Lucas moved out of the aisle, he noticed Mr. Dawn reaching a young woman and her small, ten year old daughter, who Lucas recognised as his granddaughter. Little Belle giggled as Mr. Dawn rubbed her head, and she turned to wave at Lucas as her mother quietly lead her out, with her own small wave of greeting to him.

Belle’s mother, who was Mr. Dawn’s daughter, had left Belle in the care of Lucas a few times as a babysitter. It was Mr. Dawn who had actually recommended it, his bond with Lucas growing through the years. The older man seemed to regard Lucas as his grandson, and Lucas was more than happy to see him as family as well.

Mr. Dawn began to clean his moon shaped glasses against his red and white checked shirt as Lucas slowly approached. The bookstore owner turned towards him and smiled, placing his glasses back against his button nose as Lucas approached.

‘Belle’s shooting up fast,’ Lucas smiled as he reached the counter.

‘Ten already,’ Mr. Dawn beamed proudly, turning to stare where his family had just left. ‘It was only yesterday she was born.’

‘Yeah they do grow fast,’ Lucas nodded in agreement.

‘You cannot imagine how much so until you have your own child Lucas,’ Mr. Dawn replied, turning to face him.

‘Yeah, well don’t worry about that,’ Lucas sighed, leaning on the counter. ‘Means girls have to talk to me.’

‘Lucy talks to you.’

‘Lucy is with Tom,’ Lucas reminded Mr. Dawn, a slight smile escaping him. ‘Besides, I see her as much a sister as I see Tom a brother. Even if I did like her, which I don’t, I wouldn’t do anything. There is a code amongst brothers and all.’

‘Oh yes, I know,’ Mr. Dawn nodded with a slight chuckle. ‘Well if it isn’t Lucy, then who is it?’

‘What makes you think it’s a girl?’

‘It’s a boy? That doesn’t surprise me either.’

Lucas looked at Mr. Dawn in surprise before realization hit him how he had phrased the question. ‘I meant what makes you think it’s a girl I am thinking about in general? There is no boy.’

‘You seem distracted,’ Mr. Dawn shrugged, moving behind the counter and grabbing his cup of coffee. Lucas leapt onto the counter, facing towards the bookstore as Mr. Dawn leaned behind the counter, facing the same. ‘You seem a bit…’

‘Off?’

‘Far off in thought,’ Mr. Dawn corrected, never looking at him but watching the various customers who continued to browse. ‘It just seems that with you kids these days, that’s all you think about.’

Lucas let out a slight smile before turning his gaze to the older man. ‘Actually, I haven’t been sleeping due to nightmares, but not sleeping about girl issues sound about the same.’

‘What nightmares?’ Mr. Dawn asked in curiosity, staring hard into Lucas’ eyes.

Lucas stared back at Mr. Dawn and realised that the bookstore owner had vanished, and his adoptive grandfather had emerged. Lucas had never understood why Mr. Dawn seemed to click with Lucas when he first entered the store. He was introduced to the older man by Linda, who had known Mr. Dawn’s daughter when they were younger. When Linda told Mr. Dawn about Lucas and his past, Mr. Dawn had decided to take Lucas under his wing. Now was one of those times where Lucas could tell the older man was concerned for him more than usual.

‘I can’t remember all of it,’ Lucas revealed, turning back to the store. ‘Starts the same: violence and death. Some fight that seems to happen here in New York.’

‘A fight?’

‘Yeah, with both humans and…well, not humans,’ Lucas replied, turning to face him. ‘Like story book character fighting: centaurs, elves, harpies, fairies, giants. I’m sure there was a dragon or two.’

Mr. Dawn stared at Lucas with a small smile, letting out a soft laugh. ‘Sounds like you have been reading too many fantasy books. Maybe time for some classics?’

Lucas smiled softly himself, turning back to the store. ‘I thought that too. Except I haven’t read a book like that in ages. It seemed so real and it was the same dream, and I mean exactly the same, for the past four nights. I could feel the heat from the fires, the pains from my injuries and scars, the touch of someone’s hand on my arm. I woke up unable to breathe, as if I was panicking in my sleep. It was so odd.’

Mr. Dawn walked around the counter and stared at Lucas with concern. ‘Lucas, it sounds like this has been upsetting you more than you are letting on.’

‘It felt so real Mr. Dawn.’

‘It was only a dream,’ Mr. Dawn reminded him, placing his hand on Lucas’ shoulder. ‘It is nothing to worry about. Dreams are just silly images that are made up in our minds. Memories, fantasies, gibberish.’

‘What?’ Lucas asked him in shock, turning to face him. ‘What did you say?’

‘It was only a dream.’

‘No, after that.’

‘That dreams are just images we make up in our minds while we sleep. They are just memories and fantasies. They are not real.’

Lucas stared at Mr. Dawn in silence, slowing hoping off the counter. Mr. Dawn stared at Lucas in concern, taking a small step forward as Lucas took a step back. ‘What is it Lucas?’

‘Nothing,’ Lucas lied, turning his gaze away from Mr. Dawn.

Mr. Dawn nodded softly, taking a small step back. A sudden thought hit him and he headed behind the counter. Lucas watched him silently, as Mr. Dawn continued to look around for a particular item. After a few moments, he smiled as he placed a small blue book on the counter. Lucas walked up slowly and noticed that the book had no title or wording at all and as soon as he picked it up, a strange sense of familiarity filled him.

Turning to face Mr. Dawn, he asked, ‘What is it?’

‘To be honest, I actually don’t know,’ Mr. Dawn replied with a frown. ‘I found it in the shelves the other day. It seems to be a collection of various stories. It seems strange, but every time I open it, I swear I find a new story in there. As soon as I found it, I strangely thought of giving it to you. Maybe it can help you with this dream situation?’

Lucas stared at the book before turning back to Mr. Dawn, a small smile on his face. ‘Thanks. Maybe.’ Finally noticing the time, he pulled out his wallet but Mr. Dawn only waved him off.

‘Take it Lucas,’ Mr. Dawn smiled kindly. ‘I can’t sell something that seems to belong to you.’

‘I can’t,’ Lucas whispered, reaching back into his wallet.

‘Consider it a present,’ Mr. Dawn smiled, walking Lucas towards the door. ‘One you can’t return as you don’t have a receipt. Just take it.’

Lucas smiled and nodded, knowing it was better than to argue with him. Mr. Dawn had a way of getting his way with a soft smile. With a slight nod, Lucas bid Mr. Dawn farewell and exited the store, heading in the direction of his home. He couldn’t shake the odd feeling that Mr. Dawn had just basically repeated the same words that Drake had in Lucas’ daydream that day.

Shaking his head and realizing he was going crazy, he slowly made his way to the bus and waited patiently. Opening the book, he noticed the first page had some scribble down in it but for the life of him, he couldn’t read it. It seemed like a strange set of wording, one he had never seen before. Just as he turned the first page, the sound of the bus pulling up drew his mind back into reality and he hoped on, placing the book in his school bag and taking a seat on the bus.

As soon as he arrived at his bus stop, he hoped off and checked his phone. No word from Tom about how the date was going which told Lucas it must be going great. Walking up the steps of his house, he pulled out his key but froze as he raised his hand to the open door.

Pushing the door softly, Lucas stared into his home and realised they had been vandalized. Broken glass, knocked over furniture, and scattered books and papers lay before him as he entered, carefully stepping over broken items surrounding the corridor.

Making his way to the phone, he picked it up and realised there was no dial tone. Placing it slowly down, a sense of danger began to fill his mind. He wasn’t alone in the house. He couldn’t tell how he knew that or why, but he knew he was right. Turning back to the door, he began to make his way out when the soft movement of someone running in the lounge caught his eye.

The strange man froze in silence, looking at Lucas with death in his eyes. The two stared at each other in silence for a brief moment, each waiting for the other to move. Lucas darted first to the door but the man was strangely quicker, reaching it before him. The man was a tall brute, built strong and well enough that Lucas feared he could literally snap him in half if he tried. Lucas turned and darted back towards the kitchen, but the man followed, reaching and grabbing his bag. Lucas let the bag slip off as he continued to run, slamming the kitchen door open fast. The man was not far behind, entering the kitchen and continuing to stare death at him.

‘Look, take what you want,’ Lucas said, struggling to catch his breath. ‘I already called the cops.’

‘You are whom I seek Prince Fredrick,’ the man growled evilly. ‘Where is the amulet?’

Lucas stared at the man in confusion. ‘My name isn’t Fredrick and I have no idea what you are talking about. Get out of my house.’

‘Do not play games boy,’ the man hissed impatiently. ‘The longer you prolong it, the longer and more painful your death will be.’

Realising he was in serious trouble, Lucas reached behind him and grabbed a kitchen knife, turning back to stare in horror at the man as he brandished his own weapon. The rusty old knife made Lucas feel that the man had found it at an old antique store. He couldn’t get a proper look at it in detail, but Lucas didn’t need to know how old it looked as he realised it would still kill him if used right.

‘Enough!’

Before Lucas knew what was happening, a strange thing began to occur. The man slowly raised off the ground, dangling in mid-air. As he watched in astonishment, the man continued to kick and hiss as he floated before him. It didn’t last long however, as the man suddenly flew backwards, hitting hard against the cabinet holding all of Linda’s fine china. The sound of all her years of collecting these antique pieces coming to a smashing end filled the room as the man sunk to the floor.

Lucas turned and stared in shock at Lucy, who silently held her hand raised. Tom stood next to her, a strange sense of anger filling his face. Lucy continued to stare at the man, before slowly staggering back. Tom grabbed her as she fell, turning his gaze quickly to Lucas.

‘Get her out of here,’ Tom instructed and Lucas ran over instantly, grabbing a hold of Lucy as he stared at his best friend.

‘What the hell is going on?’ he demanded, frustrated at the events surrounding him.

Before Tom could answer, the attacker was back to his feet, running towards the group. Tom leaped high and spun his leg, connecting with the man’s head and sending him to the ground. As Tom moved closer, the man kicked out, connecting with Tom’s stomach and sending him flying back into the kitchen table. Shattered wood flew in all directions as Lucas pulled Lucy and rushed her out the room. Placing her in the lounge room, he turned towards the sound of the fight and began to move.

‘Lucas, don’t,’ Lucy whispered, grabbing his arm. ‘Tom will defeat him.’

‘He needs help,’ Lucas replied in shock, turning to face her. ‘Stay here.’

Before she could reply, he darted towards the kitchen in time to dive to his side as Tom’s body came flying out into the corridor. Tom landed on a heap on the floor, the wind knocked out of him. The man ran into the corridor, eyes focused solely on Lucas as he moved towards him fast. Lucas grabbed a vase next to the small table he stood by, throwing it hard at the man. As it connected with his face, the man staggered back.

The next moment happened so fast, Lucas wasn’t sure what was happening. As the man fell back, Lucas ran fast, leaping up against the wall and running towards his attacker. Leaping off, Lucas swung his leg, connecting with the man and sending him flying through the kitchen door, sending more debris into the destroyed corridor and kitchen. The man leaped to his feet, swinging his knife to slash at Lucas. Lucas only ducked elegantly, as if the man was moving in slow motion. Grabbing the man’s arm, Lucas brought his knee up, connecting and causing the man to drop his weapon.

The man swung his arm hard, hitting Lucas in the head, causing him to fall back. As he fell, he placed his hand behind him and did a flip he had never thought he was possible of. As he landed, he held out his hand and sent the man flying back, slamming him back into the corridor. Tom was there, swinging his own fist, connecting with the man and sending him to the ground. Before Tom could move, Lucas was there, leaping over his best friend as he bent low, smacking the man in the face with his closed fist and ending the threat for now.

As the man lay unconscious before them, Lucas sighed and sank against the wall as Tom wiped away the blood from his mouth. Turning to stare at Lucas, Tom leaned down and asked, ‘You ok?’

‘What the hell is going on?!’ Lucas exclaimed, moving to his feet fast. Staring down at the man, before turning back to Tom, he asked, ‘What did I do? How did I do that? How did you do that? How did he fly? How am I going to explain this to Linda? How am I going to clean all this up? Why are you here? Who is that? Why was he trying to kill me? Why won’t you answer me?’

‘Mostly, because you won’t stop freaking out,’ Tom shrugged, as if nothing that was happening was a big deal. Patting down his clothes, he noticed a hole in his jacket and sighed.

‘I really like this.’

‘Tom!’

‘Oh right,’ Tom said, realising Lucas was still freaking out in front of him. ‘Look. There is a rationale explanation. I mean…I think so.’

The soft sound of movement drew their attention to Lucy, who slowly moved to Lucas. Taking off her glasses, she stared at Tom and said, ‘Tom. It’s time.’

‘Time for what?’ Lucas demanded, turning his attention to Lucy. The anger in his voice frightened her, causing her to dart behind Tom and tuck a strain of loose hair behind her ear.

‘The truth,’ she whispered, still hiding behind Tom.

‘Seriously Lucy, he isn’t going to kill you,’ Tom sighed, turning his gaze to Lucas. Lucas moved fast, staring death at Tom, who leaned back in fear and whispered, ‘Maybe he will.’

‘I was just nearly killed!’ Lucas screamed in anger, turning to face the unconscious man.

‘Who is that?’

‘Most likely an assassin sent to kill you, but I find that hard to believe because to be honest, that would mean a gate way had been reopened,’ Tom replied, turning to face Lucy. ‘And I’m sure we would know if that happened.’ Turning back to Lucas, he frowned at the boy’s confused face and replied, ‘Robber?’

‘An assassin?’

‘Okay, there is an explanation,’ Tom replied, taking a step closer to Lucas. Placing his hand on his shoulder, he instructed, ‘Go into the kitchen and we will explain.’

‘The man – ’

‘I’ll deal with him. Go.’

Lucas nodded as Lucy held out her hand, taking him into the kitchen. The pair sat in silence on the two of the only available, undamaged seats, sitting at a now destroyed table. Lucas stared off into blank space as Tom walked in, staring at Lucy in confusion.

Pushing up her glasses, she whispered, ‘I think he’s broken.’

‘What happened?’ Lucas asked, turning his gaze to Tom.

Tom sighed, grabbing the last remaining chair, turning it backwards and sitting down, leaning forward and staring at Lucas. ‘Okay. I will tell you but you need to not freak out.’

‘What?’

‘Don’t freak out. Promise.’

‘Fine.’

‘Promise Lucas.’

‘Fine, I promise.’

Tom sighed and ran a hand through his hair, turning his gaze to Lucy, who only nodded in silence. Turning back to Lucas, he began. ‘That man there was an assassin, most likely sent by Lord Barback of Bomcard to kill you. He was seeking a magical amulet which should be in your possession.’

‘You are not Lucas Swanson of Earth, but Prince Fredrick of Bomcard,’ Lucy added, her soft voice filling the silent room. Lucas turned to face her as she continued, ‘You kind of were sent here by accident as a baby.’

‘You are the rightful king of Bomcard Lucas,’ Tom continued, placing his hand on Lucy’s own shaking one. ‘We are Thomas and Lucinda of the Elves. We were sent here to protect you. To let you live your life in peace, unless this happened. Lucy noticed the assassin in the bookstore and followed you home. Thank god you take forever when you shop and talk to Mr. Dawn. If you hadn’t, I wouldn’t have arrived in time.’

‘Lucas, we wished we could have told you but it was your mother’s wish to let you live your life in peace if your powers never manifested,’ Lucy smiled softly. ‘It took us a while to find you but we decided to let you grow up without us interfering. Well, magically interfering. We couldn’t stay away.’

‘It seems your powers are coming in,’ Tom beamed proudly, turning to face Lucy.

‘Telekinesis, premonitions, fighting skills? Seems more of an elf than a hybrid.’

Silence filled the air as the pair waited for him to reply. Lucas had gone white faced and before either of them could say another word, he leaned over and began to throw up over the floor. Lucy squealed in disgust, raising her feet as Tom only stared at his now destroyed shoes.

‘Lucas, you okay?’ Tom asked, turning his gaze back to Lucas.

‘Do I look okay?!’

‘You look better than I thought you would,’ Tom shrugged.

‘What are you two on? Are you on drugs?’ Lucas asked in shock. ‘A king? What’s a Bomcard? What amulet? Magic and assassins? Can you even tell me the truth?’

‘We are,’ Lucy replied, leaning forward. ‘Lucas, we are not lying. Well, not anymore I guess.’

‘I was just attacked in my home!’

‘How do you explain running along the wall and smack kicking that guy in the head,’ Tom asked in curiosity, before leaning forward and adding, ‘By the way, awesome move.’

‘I can’t! Or how that man floated in the air,’ Lucas replied, staring down in confusion. ‘He just floated there and flew through a door. I just held up my hand and…he was gone.’

‘You have the power of telekinesis,’ Tom beamed, placing his hand on Lucas’ shoulder. ‘You moved him with your mind.’

‘How?’

‘I don’t know, I don’t have it,’ Tom revealed, turning to face Lucy. ‘Lucy does.’

‘No, I mean how can I do that?’

‘You’re half elf,’ Lucy revealed, moving her chair closer. She stared down at the vomit and carefully placed her chair away from it, her nose going up in disgust. Turning her gaze to Lucas, she continued, ‘Apart from that, you seemed to have inherited the elven trait of fighting. We are all born with it – an inbuilt self-defense mechanism if you like. No training required unless you choose to. Your father Phillip was a human and your mother Martha is an elf, which is where you got your powers from. You are the first hybrid in all of Bomcard.’

‘Bomcard?’

‘It’s our home world,’ she replied, placing her hand on his knee. ‘Lucas, all three of us are from there. Our world is run by an evil demon who calls himself Lord Barback. Two thousand years ago, he took over the world and drew your father’s ancestors out of their kingdom. A devastating war was fought and we were not prepared for a surprise attack. When they were killed, the princess escaped the kingdom and hid with her people. Since then, our world has seen nothing but death and devastation while your family line continues in secret.

‘About one hundred years ago, in the time of your grandfather Fredrick, a powerful witch revealed a terrifying prophecy, one that would almost certainly come to pass. The prophecy claimed that Lord Barback would succeed in freeing the greatest evil our world had ever see but the Lost Son would return and save the world from both the ultimate evil and unite all that exist. However, the final battle will be so horrific that Bomcard will be destroyed forever, never being able to support life again.’

‘What ultimate evil?’ Lucas asked in confusion.

‘I am not sure,’ Lucy replied, turning to face Tom. ‘Only select few in our communities know.’ Turning back to face Lucas, she added, ‘Unless that has changed. My theory is the Demon King Lucifer.’

‘Lucifer? As in the devil?’

‘Guess he is,’ Tom whispered, causing Lucas to face him. Straightening up, he continued to story. ‘We only know a little about him. We know Lucifer just sort of appeared one day. He was the most monstrous thing the world had ever seen. He formed armies from the creatures that lived there and devastated the land. He was so powerful, no living weapon could kill him so he was trapped away for eternity in a tomb. It’s a just a story.’

Lucy turned to face Tom. ‘I believe he exists.’

‘There has never been proof,’ Tom replied, turning his gaze to her. ‘He is just make believe, like a story you tell around the camp fire or to kids when they misbehave.’

‘So you’re saying this Lucifer is going to be freed by this Lord Barback guy?’

‘That’s my theory,’ Lucy nodded as she turned to face him. ‘We don’t know why. We just go by what this prophecy says.’

‘Kind of dumb,’ Tom shrugged.

‘Okay, let’s say I believe this, then why send an assassin to kill me?’ Lucas asked, still confused in the story being placed before him.

‘To stop you returning and defeating him,’ Tom replied. ‘You are the Lost Son Lucas.’

‘When you were a baby, Lord Barback finally found the human king's descendent, your father Phillip and your mother Martha, living in a small village. By this time, he had learned of the prophecy of a member of your family being the Lost Son. His guards confronted your father while your mother ran with you to the river behind the town. When Phillip refused to hand over the amulet, they murdered him. It was only then they discovered the amulet was not with him.

‘Discovering your mother's tracks, they raced to the river to see her trying to take you across. She was trying to swim, dragging you in a basket, the amulet around your neck. Struggling to get across, the guards started to shoot at her. One arrow hit her and another hit the basket, just missing you. In the next instant, the amulet activated its secret power and in a blinding light, you had vanished here to Earth.’

‘What amulet?’ Lucas asked in confusion.

Lucy slowly rose from her chair and walked out of the room. Lucas continued to stare after her in shock and confusion before she slowly returned with her sachet bag. The old beat up bag, the same one Lucas had gotten her for her birthday years ago, hang by her side. Silently, she reached inside and pulled out a strange bundle of dirty rags. Smiling, she handed it to him as he stared at it in silence.

Lucas unwrapped the bundle and a strange disc fell out. It was made from gold, solid gold to be exact, and it was half the size of a CD. The amulet was completely circular with an outer circle surrounding a small inner empty pocket where Lucas realised a potential second piece of the amulet would fit. The neck chain was also made from gold and ran through a small circular loop on the top of the disc.

On the top of the outer ring, a diamond was cut into it and on the left a ruby and the right an emerald, forming a complete triangle. The unscratched gems seemed freshly created, untouched by human hands. At the bottom of the ring, something strange was engraved. The black writing shone strangely bright in the room. Around the outer ring, apart from the engraving and gems, were two strange engravings of two dragons, seemingly facing each other and looking like they were in the middle of battle.

‘What does the word at the bottom say?' he asked.

Lucy looked at him and replied, ‘It is elfish. It says "Destiny".'

‘What is this?’

‘It is your amulet,’ Tom smiled, placing his hand on Lucas’ shoulder. ‘This is your family’s birthright.’

‘I mean what is this amulet?’

‘Oh, yeah don’t know,’ Tom sighed, leaning back. ‘There are rumors of that too. All I know is it basically has to stay with you.’

‘Why?’

‘It protects you.’

‘Then why did you have it?’ Lucas asked in shock.

‘Because it can attract trouble Lucas,’ Tom replied angrily. ‘I didn’t keep it for fun Lucas. If that was found here, if you were robbed or you sold it and we needed it, we would be in trouble trying to find it. Besides, it wasn’t entirely out of your grasp. I hid it into the house until a few days ago.’

‘Wait, what?’

‘Yeah, thought it was safer here than with us.’

‘Why move it then?’

‘Because of your dreams Lucas,’ Lucy whispered, placing her hand on her mouth. Tom stared at her with wide eyes, before slowly turning back to Lucas.

‘What of them?’ Lucas asked in shock. Staring at the pair, he asked, ‘What was that look?’

‘There was no look,’ Tom replied, shaking his head.

‘There was a look.’

‘Nope.’

‘There was a look.’

‘Nope.’

‘There was a look.’

‘Nope.’

‘Seriously you two,’ Lucy sighed, taking off her glasses and rubbing them against her shirt to clean them. ‘Is this going to go on all day?’

‘Until you tell me why there was a look,’ Lucas replied a shrug.

‘Fine,’ Tom answered, throwing his hands up in defeat. ‘It is your dreams that worry us because we think that you could possibly be having a premonition.’

‘A premonition?’

‘Yep, of the destruction of New York. You describe a lot of our creatures to a tee including your mother.’

‘Wait, my mother?’ Lucas asked in shock.

‘The older lady in your dream?’ Lucy replied with a warm smile. ‘That’s Martha.’

‘That’s my mother?’ Lucas whispered, smiling softly to himself. ‘And she didn’t abandon me?’

‘Never,’ Lucy smiled, placing her hand on his knee. ‘We only came because she was too weak to travel here. It would have killed her.’

‘Okay so if I got here from the amulet, then how did you?’ Lucas asked in confusion.

‘Our leader Jacob knew what had happened and that you had been sent to another world. The secret of the amulet's secret power had been passed down between the various leaders of the elves. Not even your father knew of it. Jacob informed us you would be safe here, yet we could not risk leaving you here alone. We discovered an ancient spell that could send us to wherever you were; however, the spell was a one-way ticket and could only be used once. No one would be able to return and no one could follow.

‘Your mother wanted to come save you, but she was still hurt and too weak to go. She was so terrified that you were alone. She wanted you back in her arms, but she knew the only two elves that could look after you and raise you the way she would want to. We also grew up with your mother and we were quite close. It was the least we could do for her.’

‘You look so young,’ Lucas whispered in shock.

‘Thanks,’ Lucy beamed, before turning to Tom. ‘We use what little magic to cloud ourselves.’

‘Little magic?’

‘Magic here doesn’t work,’ Lucy revealed, turning back to Lucas. ‘This is a non-magical world. When we use magic, it can hurt us. It’s why I nearly collapsed after using my telekinesis. It isn’t too bad to put up a mirage but that kind of power drains me.’

‘So then what do you look like?’ Lucas whispered in shock.

Tom and Lucy only stared at each other in silence before turning to face Lucas. Tom smiled and spoke first. ‘Maybe not the best.’

‘Might freak you out a little more than you are,’ Lucy added.

‘Show me,’ Lucas instructed them, crossing his arms in frustration. ‘You want me to believe this rubbish.’

‘It’s all true!’ Lucy exclaimed in disbelief.

‘Then show me.’

Lucy nodded softly as she rose to her feet and closed her eyes. Lucas stared at her in silence for a few moments before he coughed softly. Lucy only stared at him in anger before closing her eyes again. Before Lucas could cough again, a strange feeling began to fill him. As he watched in awe, Lucy’s shot cut hair grew down to her knees. Long ears began to appear from under her hair sticking out towards the sky above. Opening her eyes, and removing her glasses, he noticed her eyes had the same blue colour his own had. As he turned to Tom, he realised he had done the same. Long hair, long ears, matching eyes.

‘How…how…did…you…do…that?’ Lucas stuttered, turning to face each one after the after.

‘Magic Lucas,’ Lucy replied, sighing and taking a seat. Tom followed suit and only smiled warmly at Lucas as Lucy continued. ‘We told you. We had a mirage of us appearing like that to blend in.’

‘Holy crap balls,’ Lucas whispered. Pointing a shaking finger at the pair of them, he continued, ‘You’re…telling the…truth?’

The pair nodded in silence. Lucas only stared at them in shock before a second round of nausea hit him. The pair lifted their feet as he began to throw up again. Turning to face the other, the pair frowned sadly before slowly turning back to Lucas, whose nausea passed. As he stared at them in silence, a sudden feeling of light headedness began over take him. Before he realised what was happening, he began to feel as if he was falling backwards. As Tom and Lucy yelled his name and rushed to his side, Lucas felt himself falling off the chair and passing out, darkness overtaking him.