Just then, James gasped. “We are late! Our teachers will eat us alive!”
Matt ended the video call with his friends and logged into the school’s online classes.
The day was hectic. Matt was early to bed, hoping he would have no more dreams of the Scavenger.
Alas! His wish did not come true.
In his dream, Matt was standing somewhere deep inside a dense forest. His friends and the Scavenger were beside him.
The Scavenger was difficult to recognize.
Cuts and bruises covered his whole body, and he was bleeding heavily. His Lightning Sword was in his hand, and it was crackling with electricity.
“What happened to you?” The children shrieked at the same time.
“We just left you for a day, and this happened,” James said. “How irresponsible are you?”
The Scavenger frowned. “Oh please. Your one day in Earth is actually two years in here, and a lot has happened in the two years.” He raised his hand. “Just listen to me! Do you remember what I told you about the Skull Warrior?”
The children nodded.
The Scavenger paused for a second. “The Skull Warrior has finally arrived in the Dark World.”
“Would you care to explain in detail?” Matt said.
The Scavenger said in a hurry, “The Skull Warrior has almost controlled the whole of the Dark World. Dark forces have risen, and things are getting out of control. The Skull Warrior has poisoned people’s minds against me. All the good forces in the Dark World have gone into hiding. Somehow I managed to escape, but the monsters of the Skull Warrior have inflicted grave injuries on me.”
The Scavenger suddenly jerked his head. “The connection is breaking. We don’t have enough time. I hope you have not forgotten how to come to the Dark World. Find the mark in the library in your school, then board the portal and come to the Dark World. Make sure you move together. You will find me at the spot where the portal opens in the Dark World. If you see warriors in armour with signs of skull and crossbones, run away and fend for yourself. Don’t try to show off your bravery by fighting. I will find you anyhow.”
“When should we reach the Dark World?” Daniel asked.
“Right now, of course! We don’t have enough time.”
“But it’s midnight here!” Matt protested.
“Anything for a friend,” the Scavenger reminded Matt, and then his body dissolved into vapour.
“I am beginning to feel sorry I said that,” Matt muttered as the dream faded away.
Matt woke up. He got dressed and left his house. He was sure his friends must have seen the same dream and that they would be coming out of their houses too. Matt waited.
James was the first to come out. He ran up to Matt. Daniel and Archer followed.
“What do you think?” James asked.
“About what?” Matt counter-questioned.
“You know… risking our lives again, fighting monsters and demons...” James said.
“Well, you wouldn’t believe this, but I am feeling excited,” Daniel perked in between.
“Excited! What for?” asked James.
“Using my Elemental Powers again,” Daniel said.
The children recalled how, in their previous adventure in the Dark World, they had met Aronicle, who had awakened the children’s powers. Matt, James, Archer and Daniel controlled wind, water, fire and earth respectively. They had used their Elemental Powers in their quest to get the broken pieces of the Arcane Crown and finally trap the Death Lord.
James said, “We should strategize and plan well.”
“James is right,” Matt said. “We should think about this. What about our school? What about our parents? What would they think if we disappear like this? What if we get stuck in the Dark World?”
“The first question’s obvious,” Daniel said. “Saving the world is a lot more important than attending the boring classes at school.”
“As for our parents, they wouldn’t even know we are gone,” James said. “Let us plan for a year in the Dark World. One month in the Dark World means one hour on Earth. Twelve months means twelve hours. It’s midnight. Well, if we start right now, we will come back to Earth at noon. Simple. Our parents have to worry about us only for a few hours. And anyways, due to all this virus trouble, no one wants to get out of their houses, so even if the police search for us, their movements will be slow.”
“Yeah, okay, but what if it takes longer than a year?” Matt asked.
“Well, so what? Exactly what would we face when we come back to Earth? Just scolding from our parents. That’s a small price to pay for saving the world.”
“And what if we get stuck or we die?” Matt asked.
Archer said. “Be positive. Not COVID positive, mentally positive.”
Everyone chuckled.
Archer continued. “Don’t worry, we will get out of the Dark World some way or the other. Have faith in ourselves and the Almighty.”
“And as for the final doubt, if we’re dead, we wouldn’t be there to think about it,” James said.
On that positive note, they set off towards their school.
When they reached the school, the children at once made for the library. Matt recalled how, previously, during the quest for the Arcane Crown in the Dark World, they had searched for the portal to get to the Dark World. The Scavenger had given them a riddle, which they had solved. There was a book on the seventh shelf of the library. Inside the book was a word, which on pressing rotated the shelf, revealing a dark space, which in turn led to a maze. This time too, James followed all these steps, and a scroll tumbled out. In it were written the directions to the maze.
James led the way, and the others followed. It didn’t take much time. When the children reached the portal – a swirling vortex of sand – they glanced at each other, nodded, and then jumped into it.
2
They tumbled onto the ground. They had entered the Dark World.
Matt was up almost at once, wary and
