Arms wrapped around me and squeezed tightly as Sphinx jumped happily around our feet.

“I knew I could do it! I just knew I’d find a way to bring you here!” the person spun me around in a circle then released me and stepped back so I could get a better look at them.

It was a man with pink wavy hair topped with a boater hat. He wore high-waisted, blue pants with red suspenders and a purple long sleeved shirt that rolled up to his elbows. His eyes were a sparkling gold color, and his smile stretched broadly across his wise yet youthful face.

“Mr. Optim.” I grinned. “I can’t believe it! It’s you!!”

I ran to him and hugged him tightly. We almost fell over but it just caused Optim to laugh delightedly.

“Yes ducky.” Optim stroked my hair and I let his warm voice wash over me like a wave of relief. “Everything will be alright now. We’re back together again.”

He was right. I was safe now...from Greg, from ever having to be lonely. I thought with glee how my brother would never be able to find or torment me ever again.

Optim pulled back to look at me. “I was so worried when I couldn’t get through the doorway all those years ago. I thought that awful shadow man had found a way to close it forever.”

I felt a guilty pit in my stomach and bit my lip.

I should tell him the truth, I thought, especially if I was going to stay here. But as Mr. Optim gently shook his head as if dismissing his own worry and replaced it with a look of such happiness, I lost my nerve. Why ruin such a good thing? It didn’t matter anyway. I was in Gladtopia and I would never have to go back home.

“I have so much to tell you,” he grabbed my hand and started walking while talking at top speed. “While I’m overjoyed that you’re here, Gladtopia is getting worse I’m afraid. We desperately need your help, Mia.”

Wait, what?

Optim kept going and I let him pull me along for a few more strides. “Oh there’s so much I can teach you here! Your powers at home are nothing compared to your power here. I must take you to the King immediately. I told the King if the Source ever came to Gladtopia I would bring them to the Castle at once.” He paused to turn and look at me, overcome. “Oh I’m so happy I could burst!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I stopped in my tracks and pulled away my hand. “Slow down, Mr. Optim. What do you mean ‘Gladtopia is getting worse?’ And who’s ‘the Source’?”

Mr. Optim’s smile never left his face. Completely unfazed, he spoke in a patient tone.

“There is an ancient legend of the one known as ‘the Source.’ It states that the Source is the creator of this world and has ultimate Knowledge, meaning they have ultimate Power. Most of the citizens of Gladtopia believe when the Source returns complete balance will be restored to our world.”

Now hold on one moment! This wasn’t what I was expecting. I watched with wide eyes as Mr. Optim took both my hands in his own.

“You are the Source Mia. You created this world and and now that you’re here you can restore the balance!”

My heart beat wildly in my chest like a frightened bird trying to escape.

I leaned away, retracted my hands from his.

“No Optim. I-I’m not some savior who’s come to restore balance. I just wanted to escape from home and live with my Aunt. But now that I’m here, I want to live with you and not have to worry about anything anymore. I don’t want to be this ‘Source.’”

Optim shook his head and laughed.

My brow furrowed. Was he even listening to me?

“Mia, you are the Source. You can’t run from what is and always has been. Now let us go to the King and he’ll explain everyth ...”

“No!” I shouted. He sounded just like Aunt Cindy trying to get me to accept the worst. “You have no idea what’s been happening in my life while you were gone. Everything’s falling apart.”

Optim’s eyes changed to orange and his brow furrowed.

Finally, I got him to stop and think for a moment! He was silent for a while before giving me a nod and an understanding smile. With a great flourish of his hand, a small, round, ornate table and two chairs with comfortable looking cushions appeared. Mr. Optim snapped his fingers; two porcelain tea cups and a teapot clattered on top of the table, along with a tin of star-shaped sugar cookies.

“I suppose we can spare a few minutes,” Optim pulled out a chair and gestured for me to sit. Grateful for a chance to breathe, I took my seat and Mr. Optim pushed my chair in for me. He sat down in the chair opposite me as Sphinx hopped onto my lap and began to purr as I pet him.

“So tell me what happened while we were away,” Mr. Optim said as he poured me a cup of tea.

Feeling more relaxed now, I told Mr. Optim everything. How Greg and my mother’s fighting only got worse over the years, how I started volunteering at the soup kitchen which was my only form of socializing, and how Aunt Cindy was leaving me to move to New York. Mr. Optim’s eyes changed to a deep blue as I talked, and he remained silent the whole time.

“I never want to go back,” I said after taking a much needed sip of tea. “I don’t want to have to worry about everything like I did at home. Gladtopia is supposed to be a place free of drama and conflict.” I eyed him with a pout. “That’s why I’m going to stay here forever, so don’t tell me ‘Gladtopia is getting worse.’ It sounded just fine when I was a kid.”

Having finished my tale of woe, Mr. Optim looked down at the table and sighed heavily.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you Mia. But Gladtopia is filled with much conflict indeed at the present moment.”

I put down the cookie I had just been about to eat.

“What kind of conflict?” Optim had listened to my whole story, it was the least I could do to listen to his. Maybe it would turn out to be something I really couldn’t help with and then he’d understand.

Mr. Optim stared down at his teacup sadly.

“Gladtopia has always had its dangers, which is why I didn’t want you to come here when you were younger. But ever since the doorway was blocked, it’s seemed to have gotten worse. Tensions are running high and the ancient power struggle between the Dally and Cirque Clans is coming to a head. Gladtopia hasn’t been a peaceful place for years.”

“Well I don’t know how you think I can help with any of that.” I looked away stubbornly.

I was an outsider, wasn’t I? This was crazy.

In my agitation, I stroked Sphinx’s head a little too hard causing him to meow sharply. I placed my hands on the table and clasped them to keep them steady.

“If you’d come to King Samuel’s castle with me, he’ll be able to explain things in greater detail.” Optim reached across the table to place his hand on mine. “It’ll give you a better understanding of the situation at hand and then you can decide if you want to participate or not. But I know you’ll choose what’s right.”

He looked at me with such hope in his eyes that I bit my lip and looked down at the table with apprehension. This was getting overwhelming. Did the people of Gladtopia really expect me to be this prophesied “Source?” Well if they did they were wrong to think that. Maybe talking with King Samuel was a good idea. Then I could tell him they had the wrong person. I was just Mia and that’s all I had to be.

I looked back up to meet Mr. Optim’s eyes and sighed.

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

Mr. Optim gave a cheer and leaped out of his seat.

“I knew you wouldn’t let us down Mia! Come come, we must go quickly.”

He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my seat, Sphinx leaping from my lap with an irritated expression. With a wave of his hand, the table and chairs vanished on the spot. Mr. Optim skipped down the small hill in the meadow and turned towards me to let me catch up.

“Uhh Mr. Optim?” I asked, skidding to a halt next to him and looking out at the sparkling castle on the horizon. Even from this distance it looked like a shining blue jewel. “Are we walking all the way to the castle? Because it looks like it’s miles away.”

Mr. Optim laughed heartily.

“I’m the greatest wizard in all of Gladtopia, silly goose. That means we’ll teleport there.” Sphinx leaped up onto Mr. Optim’s right shoulder and sunk his claws into his shirt.

Before I could respond, Mr. Optim grabbed my right arm and wrapped it around his left one and said, “You’ll want to hold on tightly. I don’t normally do this with human company.”

Mr. Optim bent down slightly and waved his hand over the tip of our shoes, then quickly swept his hand over each of our bodies and to the top of his head. Golden sparkles swirled around us and as it got to eye level the meadow vanished.

In the blink of an eye the sparkles were gone, and a massive glittering castle stood before us.

“Come, come,” Optim ushered me forward even as I stared, open-mouthed at the size of the building. “We have much to discuss with the King.”

I pressed my lips tightly together and resolved myself with what was to come. Just one painless conversation, and I could get on with settling into a nice little corner of Gladtopia as planned.

If only things were that simple.