Michael Blackwood

What exactly am I doing here?

I kept asking myself this question over and over again until a voice broke the silence. It was one of the attendants.

“Please follow me. We already have quarters set up for all of you but we will need some time to arrange a sixth.”

“Please, don’t overwork yourself just because of us,” I heard Dylan say in response. “I can stay with Calvin.”

“Wait, what? Why can’t you stay with any of the others?” Calvin shot back.

“Well considering both Skylar and Rebecca are females, it wouldn’t exactly be appropriate. We all know Levi is a hothead and would complain. And I think it’s only right to give Michael some space after hearing all of our names called but not his own. You’re the only one that makes sense.”

“Who the hell are you calling a hothead?” Levi yelled.

“My point stands.”

When I looked at the attendant, he had a troubled look on his face, as if he might get in trouble if he didn’t get all of us to our rooms in time.

Dylan took the lead and started to follow the attendant and gestured for me and the others to do the same.

“C'mon guys.”

As we walked down the hall, I noticed Skylar glancing at me, but she wasn’t saying anything. I decided to keep my gaze low as I followed behind everyone else. I heard Rebecca and Levi say something, but I couldn’t make out what it was.

“Sooo… do you guys think if we end up not passing these ‘tests’ the princess mentioned, that they’ll just… yeet us back through the portal and send us home?” I heard Dylan say, laughing as he did.

I looked up and saw Calvin blink. “Did you just say yeet?”

Dylan smiled. “It was funnier in my head.”

Rebecca responded with what sounded like annoyance in her voice. “God help us.”

We continued walking, our footsteps not making much noise. The tension from earlier hadn’t fully dissipated, but Dylan’s dumb attempt at humor had loosened something in us, just enough for us to keep moving.

“Honestly,” Rebecca said suddenly, “I’m more worried about what will happen if we do pass these tests.”

Skylar finally spoke, her voice quiet. “Same here. This whole situation doesn’t feel quite real. More like a dream that we’re pretending to go along with.”

“Have you ever had a dream where you’re a hero and then everyone forgets your existence 5 minutes later?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

I saw Skylar glance at me again out of the corner of my eye, but before she said anything, the attendant stopped in front of a set of doors.

“Here we are,” he said with a small bow. “These are the doors to the temporary quarters. You will have time to settle in and get changed in time for dinner. It will be in the Grand Spiral Tower. We will have a steward to come fetch you in two hours.”

He gave us one last nervous look and then hurried off.

Levi sighed. “Well… I guess this is happening for real.”

Dylan turned the door handles and proceeded to open them. What I saw on the other side was a small hallway, with five doors, each leading to a separate living space.

“Skylar and I will take the rooms on the left side,”

Rebecca said, as she looked in my direction. “The three of you can decide which of the other rooms you’ll stay in.”

“Calvin and I will stay in the first one.”

Calvin looked at Dylan. “You’re really going to stay in the room with me?”

“Yes but don’t worry. I’ll sleep on the couch, if there is one. Michael, you should take that last room at the end of the hall.”

“Sure,” I responded, though not enthusiastically.

I walked towards the last room, and opened the door. Inside was a magnificent room. There was a decently sized bed made for one person with plenty of wiggle room. Floating lanterns hovering near the ceiling gave the room a warm and welcoming feel.

There were a few bookshelves lining the walls with plenty of books to read about the history of the world. A stone basin and water spout in the corner as well as a stone bathtub for washing, enchanted to switch between warm and cold temperatures on command.

I looked around, and a feeling of uneasiness crept in. “This room feels too luxurious.”

I walked over to the bed, and laid down. Before I knew it, I felt sleep creeping in on me and I let my eyes close.

———————

I was falling again.

But this time, it was different. It wasn’t through space, but color. Thousands of shades of colors were rushing past me. I had no clue what was happening

Then, I saw someone else, blurry and distant, falling below me. I tried to reach out, but I couldn't move my arms. The person looked familiar.

Skylar?

Suddenly, whispers of different voices proceeded to surround me, drowning out my thoughts.

I couldn’t fully understand what the voices were saying, but one among the rest stood out.

“This one doesn’t shine like the others. Seems a mistake was made.”

All of a sudden, the voices went silent. The sound of shattering glass came next. I had stopped falling and hit the ground. As I stood, I looked down at my arms. Glowing white lines were bleeding out of me and they began to burn. Then everything went black.

“Michael?”

I jumped awake at the feeling of someone touching me. It was Skylar, who was gently shaking me.

“We have about thirty minutes till dinner is supposed to be served. Can we talk?”

I looked at her. “Yeah, I guess.”

Skylar sat on the edge of my bed. “I’m sorry Michael. I wish we hadn’t got caught up in this. I wish you hadn’t got caught up in this.”

“I don’t know why you’re apologizing,” I said, a hint of uneasiness creeping through. “You did nothing wrong.”

“Yes but…” Skylar looked at me, and hesitated. “When that circle appeared beneath us, at first I didn’t know what to think. I was terrified. When I began to fall, you grabbed me and because of that, you were pulled along.”

“Are you saying you wish I wasn’t here?” I asked.

“No, not at all. It’s just, with everything that happened, your name should’ve been called as well. And when I saw the look on your face when it wasn’t, I felt horrible. You’re one of us, and you always will be. After everything, you deserve so much more.”

I sat up, and swung my legs over the side of the bed, and rested my feet on the warm fur carpet.

“Maybe it would’ve been better had I not grabbed you. You and the others would have come here and you wouldn’t have to worry about me.” I said.

“If you hadn't come with us, I still would’ve worried. We grew up together. That doesn’t just disappear,” she paused, and put her hand on my shoulder.  “I’m happy that you’re here. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you weren’t if I’m being truly honest.”

“Thank you Skylar. You always know how to cheer me up. Even if I don’t harmonize with my thread, whatever the hell that means, I’ll still do my best to protect you.”

“Michael, no matter what happens, whether you pass this test in the morning or not, I will never abandon you.”

We spoke for about another 15 minutes before Skylar stood up.

“I should get back to my room to wash up and change for dinner. You should do the same. They’ll be fetching us soon.”

“Will do,” I said, feeling a little better. “Skylar, thank you again for checking up on me. It means a lot.”

Skylar smiled at me before she turned around and left.

“Always.”

After Skylar left the room, I got up and walked to a large mahogany wardrobe and looked inside. The clothes inside were beautifully made, soft to the touch, made for casual wear but also having a more regal look to them.

“I guess this is what royalty wears,” I said with a hesitant chuckle. “Not exactly my style, but dinner with a princess? Guess I’ll have to put up with it.”

I took a set of clothes out and laid them across the bed and started to undress. When I looked down, I saw the slim but toned body that I maintained. I never liked the gym, preferring instead to do home workouts. 

First I put on the trousers, and then a pair of comfortable footwear that felt more like slippers. 

Before I put on the loose-fitting shirt that I had picked, I walked over to the basin and washed my face, letting the shock of the cold water clear my mind. I stared down at the reflection of myself on the water's surface.

The young man looking back, had a tired look in his eyes. 

That dream sure was weird. I don’t even know what to make of it.

I then stood up straight, grabbed a towel and dried my face off.

Right as I finished slipping into the loose-fitting shirt, I heard a knock at my door.

“Come in.”

As the door opened, I saw the person who had knocked. It was a well dressed man, similar to a butler.

“Please sir, her majesty has requested your presence for dinner tonight, along with the other heroes.” He said, with a slight bow.

“Yes I just finished getting ready. And I am really hungry so I’m hoping dinner doesn’t disappoint.”

The steward looked at me with what seemed to be a mixture of confusion and slight annoyance.

“I assure you sir, the food was prepared by some of the best chefs in Solmyra.”

“Well please lead the way.”

As I walked out of my room, I saw everyone else standing just outside waiting for me. Skylar looked at me with worry still lingering in her eyes, Rebecca looked embarrassed, Levi had a look of fiery protection in his, Calvin looked at me with what seemed to be pity, and I couldn’t make out Dylan’s expression.

The steward spoke.

“Shall we go, summoned heroes?”