The First Pillar

  I was happy I received the high score, but that did not guarantee our win. My first thought was how my other teammates had done. Zee made it out next, and then I waited breathlessly for our other teammates. Each second seemed to last an eternity. Finally, they had all made it out.

  I watched the other teams play, but my mind was on the final score. Each team completed the maze, but each of them were slower than we had been. Finally, the last team exited the maze and the score was revealed. We came in first and cut our deficit by more than half. If we did reasonably well in the next two games, we could win this thing.

  The final two games required significant focus, the next one being mental mind. Mental mind was a game of thought anticipation. Each team was given a choice of five categories and the other team members had to anticipate the next three words of the team member’s thoughts. The game was easy to practice for if you knew the categories, but they were always obscure and there were always limitations announced at the last minute.

  Mental mind lent itself to cheating, as it was very easy to craft a set of canned choices. That was the technique that many of the teams used even though it was technically against the rules. One thing that I learned from our practice was that when the possibility of cheating was set aside, the value from practice was far more significant.

  We watched each match. A few used the technique, and others did not. Glimmers of brilliance presented themselves, but they were always from the losing team. The winning teams were canned, professional, and sleek; they were, however, bereft of originality and truth. Our team was called. Each team member was put to the test. Our practice paid off. We did exceptionally well and scored the high score for the game. The final game of part two was about to begin. We were a mere point behind second place.

  The next game was positioning. Positioning required the opposite team to place explicit heavy objects in certain target locations in a specific order. The opposing team would then have to remember the location and timing of the placement and then duplicate it. It required speed, strength, and memory.

  Object by object, group by group, the game continued. It was simple and straightforward, but it was also a lot more challenging than it sounded. We had the high score for correct positioning but lost a few points on timing due to the heavy objects. Our group finished second and tied for second place overall.

  We had done it! A second place tie overall meant that we were one of the two final teams to play in the finale. There was now just one game left to go, and it would be Drusilla’s team against ours.

  The finale combined a game of riddles and another bo bout. The riddles would be asked first. Each team member was given a question by the opposing team, pre-approved before the match. We were to be judged based on whether the answer was correct and how long it took to solve the problem. The judges rated the riddles for difficulty, and they made sure everyone received the same level of difficulty for each round in the match.

  The riddles were actually quite challenging, and had we not practiced I probably would not have been quick enough to answer in time.

  The final riddle was asked, and our team was slightly behind. It would come down to the final bo bout.

  The final bo bout was much more challenging because players fight more than one person, unlike the battle of the bo staffs. If a team member was struck more than once by the opponent’s bo, he was removed. One strike lost points and if a player was removed, the team lost triple points.

  The beginning of the match sounded, and we stepped forward into the outside arena. Drusilla and Dante raised their bo staffs and within seconds had struck our fifth player, one time each. He was eliminated and we were down in points from the beginning, not to mention that we were now also down a player.

  Anika approached Drusilla and swung her bo in the direction of her face. I hadn’t really noticed it before, but there was something about Drusilla that Anika didn’t like, and it was starting to show. Drusilla smirked, and then she easily rotated away from Anika making a swing towards Anika’s leg in the process. She nearly struck Anika but missed by a hair.

  Zee joined the fight. Drusilla was being double-teamed but was holding her own against both of them. Joshua and I, however, were outnumbered by they rest of Drusilla’s team. Joshua bore the brunt of the attack, but defended himself well.

  Each one of us continued fighting. All of our movements had improved since the battle of the bo staffs. Still, Zee and Drusilla held a slight edge in tactical skill. Zee shifted his position over to their weakest player and managed to land a strike. It was a brilliant maneuver. Joshua and I quickly shifted our position to help Zee, and we were both able to land a blow. We had eliminated a player and were now even.

  With the exit of the second player overall and the first player of Drusilla’s team, the dynamics of the game changed. We seemed to be fighting more as a solid unit than as individual team members. We stepped forward. It seemed everyone had the same idea and reflexes as our bo staffs moved in the same direction.

  Then something happened once our bos collided. The symbols written of the sides of each bo began to glimmer. Then I could clearly see images of each member’s face, the symbols, and a land surrounding both Everville and The Other In Between. The collision of the bos revealed that each of the eight lands had their own symbols. Each team member’s bo staff had the symbols of that land.

  With each flash, my mind was flooded with more images and apparent memories from the inhabitants of each land. We all had some connection to one of the surrounding lands in Everville. I still wasn’t sure what that connection was, but at least I knew where to start.

  After the final of the eight lands surrounding Everville flashed before my mind, I thought I caught an image of all the lands at once. I tried to get the image back, but it disappeared before I had the chance.

  Once the image completely disappeared, I felt a jolt of energy pass through my body. Before I even had a chance to think, my body and my bo reacted. I twirled my bo and struck my opponents with surprising ferocity. In seconds, I had eliminated two of their teammates. The timer sounded. We had won The Roundabout.

  The crowd erupted into applause. The fans poured onto the arena leaving the benches looking lonely and barren. We floated into the air as the arms of the crowd propelled us above the ground.

  EVERVILLE CHAPTER 31

  THE HAMPTONS

  Professor Samil’s Hamptons estate was even more than it was hyped up to be. It was immaculate, breathtaking, and fit for a king. The estate did an amazing job of blending both old and new with seamless finesse. It combined the best of both worlds in more than one respect. Spiral staircases have at all times been considered classic and didn’t always fit with postmodern mansions, but not in this case. It was enormous yet cozy. It was ornate but did not feel overly showy. It was aristocratic yet practical. The architects of this work of art were wise beyond their own understanding, and it showed.

  The winners and their guests, were always greeted with dinner upon their evening arrival. Multiple main courses were a necessity. New England shellfish was always a staple. Steak and lobster were both plentiful. Japanese, Nepalese, French, and Egyptian were just a few of the exotic choices available. Burgers and fries were also present, and they were no ordinary burgers and fries. I’m certain that it was the best burger I’d ever had in my entire life. I thought that I’d never experience the savory flavors again, juicy and tender with a sauce that was indescribable. For dessert, there were too many choices to remember.

  I’m partial to Japanese as well as burgers and fries. I had both, but skipped dessert. I must say that it was the best meal I ever had the pleasure to enjoy. There was no close second. That alone was worth the visit. I tried my very best not to overindulge, but I didn’t quite follow through on that one. I’m not sure if Cleophas would have approved, but I decided to chance it.

  After dinner, we were shown to our rooms. The master bedroom of my parents’ house could have fit into the smallest bathroom on the
estate. The Victorian style beds were larger than any I had ever seen. I could drown in the bed sheeting and spread. It was all silk and goose down. The pillows were perfectly sized and felt more comfortable than any pillow I had ever slept on. I’m sure my mother’s back would greatly appreciate one of these!

  After getting ready for bed, I pulled the cord on the light leaving the room in darkness. Within moments after my head hit the pillow, I had fallen into a very deep sleep.

  Faster and faster I fell into a seemingly endless space. There was no sky, only purple smoke and flashing lightning all around me. My body was tumbling out of control. There seemed to be no pattern or reason for what was happening. My dream was more disturbing than usual, so much so that it immediately woke me, not long after I had fallen asleep.

  After waking up from the nightmare, the feeling of being watched was overwhelming, and I felt the compulsion to peel away the curtain. I did so, very carefully and cautiously. Not wanting to be noticed sneaking a glance into the night for fear of reprisal, I made sure no one could see me. I started from the side of the curtain, and then I slowly increased the space between the curtain and the window to see if I could make out any noticeable shapes or features. After finally getting up the courage, I flung open the curtains. Nothing! There was nothing at all unusual. I still had the sense, though, that I was being watched.

  For the second time that night, I snuggled up against the remarkably comfortable sheeting and pillows, closed my eyes, and drifted away into the dream world. This time though, there was nothing unusual. I slept well.

  I woke up naturally with no alarm clock. The sunrise often was enough to get me out of bed. After pulling back the curtains to give the outside a second look, I could see there was nothing out of the ordinary. There was, however, the beautiful ocean gently meeting the shore next to the estate.

  I took my time brushing my teeth, taking a shower, and getting dressed before heading downstairs. Drusilla and Zee were already eating breakfast that had been prepared by some of Professor Samil’s house staff. Of course, Zee had invited Drusilla, and I had invited Dante since they were on the losing team. Professor Samil was also present and watching us drool over another impossibly brilliant meal.

  I walked around the large table that was prepared in a buffet style as I decided about what to devour. It all looked good. Belgian waffles lightly browned with powdered sugar, macadamia nuts, and maple sugar as toppings; blueberry pancakes; crab cakes benedict; and a host of other choices were available as well.

  We all took our time slowly getting stuffed and chatting about nothing particularly important. It was nice to have a morning where we could look forward to a little bit of relaxation. After we had our fill of breakfast, Professor Samil offered to show us around the estate.

  Professor Samil took us to each room. There were so many rooms that I lost count. They all had a special purpose. The last couple of rooms were much more interesting than those before them, however. He had a room filled with different objects and artifacts. Some of them looked remarkably similar to the ones in the back room at the Echo Club. It gave me an unnerving feeling that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but it was definitely there.

  The last room he showed us was his private art studio. It wasn’t a single room but rather multiple rooms connected into a rather large gallery. He had at least 50 paintings, some of which he had shown us in class. Just then, I noticed it; it was the same painting that had captivated my attention in class.

  Instantly the painting completely consumed all of my thought processes, and my surroundings melted away. The details of the painting once again stood out with fantastic clarity. There was a hidden picture in plain sight, much like pictures in an optical illusion; only this picture was a living and moving representation of what was happening in Everville.

  It was not as if you could walk into the painting. That was not what this was, but it was a connection, a kind of window. It was a portal where thoughts, energy, darkness, or light could seep in. Given the training at the Echo Club, it seemed this was probably not the only place where that could happen. Potentially any object could find a connection or pathway of influence, but some objects had more influence than others. Whatever the reason, this painting was exceptional in that regard.

  After Professor Samil had finished the tour, Zee and Drusilla went off to the shore. Anika, Dante, and I went back to the gallery to look at some of the paintings. It took a while longer, but Anika and Dante finally saw what I had seen and felt what I had felt. I had already discovered that the eight of us were connected to the eight lands surrounding Everville, but it seemed as if Professor Samil had a connection as well.

  Then they felt something I had not. Anika and Dante felt energy being pulled from their bodies into Everville. The energy was being drawn to the Land of the Fron and into the residence of Toe. They could see Toe was meeting with The Keeper and some of the other villagers. The villagers were having what looked like a very important and disconcerting conversation about the incursion and the battle brewing on all fronts. Anika and Dante felt the sense of urgency that I had felt for the last few weeks, only more so. They started to feel drained. We had to leave before Anika and Dante were completely exhausted, and we did.

  The weekend had been quite refreshing, but there was an eerie feeling that was starting to creep over me. The periodic feelings of being watched, the connection to the painting, and something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on gave me the sense that there was a foreboding presence waiting to strike.

  The time had arrived for us to leave. A few hours before we left, the sun became somewhat hidden beneath the clouds. By the time we had all of our bags packed and ready to go, the sun was gone and the sky was completely overcast. As we started to drive together back to the university, the clouds got thicker and the wind picked up in strength.

  A powerful nor’easter was brewing off the Carolinas and headed in our direction. It had come rather suddenly and would hit sometime after midnight. We had to hurry if we were going to make it back before the worst of the storm would hit.

  We had made it back just in time before torrents of rain turned the campus into a massive pond. We each went to our dorms and patiently waited out the storm for the rest of the night.

  EVERVILLE CHAPTER 32

  THE CAFÉ

  The next day most places on campus lost power, with the exception of the few places that had a generator. The Café was among them. Being one of the only places with power made the café even busier than it usually was. The brunt of the storm had passed but it was still raining, and it was getting colder. The rain continued to periodically pelt against the window making the inside of the café even more inviting and the outside less so.

  Anika, Dante, and I sat down at one of the larger tables after we got our coffee. While chatting, we noticed the barista had been looking over in our direction, then turning away each time we noticed him. We weren’t sure if he was listening intently about what we were saying or if he had something he wanted to tell us; but after about 20 minutes he walked over and asked us to follow him into the back room.

  “You see, this has happened before.”

  “What has?” I asked, wondering what he was referring to.

  “This crazy weather. It started earlier in the semester, and it’s starting again.”

  There were bo staffs hanging on the wall as well as other objects and artifacts. This was the bo-making room Zee had referred to when we were training for The Roundabout.

  “This is Zee’s grandfather.”

  He pointed to a small black and white portrait. It looked exactly like Zee, just like the one in the Art Club.

  “Many years after the founding of the college, strange things started happening. It was more than just the weather. Several people spoke of strange feelings and visions. A few people went into comas and never woke up. Shortly after that, Cleophas joined the Echo Club and Zee’s father joined the Art Club. That’s when the bo-making started and whe
n The Roundabout got really popular.”

  Part of the puzzle was finally starting to come together. It seemed clear that the events he spoke of were somehow tied to the incursion that led to Carwyn becoming The Keeper. I then realized that if things in our world were that affected in the earlier incursion, we were likely to see a much more severe outcome this time due to the severity of the current breach in Everville.

  At that moment, I remembered that Toe was having an urgent meeting with the villagers and The Keeper in the Land of the Fron. I transported myself to Everville. This time, it was not just my mind. I had physically transported myself.

  Toe started talking about the time when he was tricked by Them and how he lost his children and wife Nissa to The Other In Between.

  “Them convinced me that our world would come to an end if we did not join Them. I was told that this was why my father Quisling started helping Them. Them said if I convinced enough Fron to join Them that the land of the Fron would be spared after the other seven worlds surrounding Everville have been taken, but the Land of the Fron would still be protected by Them against the outside influences. Them convinced me we needed a strong protector and The Keepers would not be able to save us.

  “I believed Them. I convinced several dozen Fron to agree and join forces in secret. After that, Them gained significant power and started convincing other inhabitants in the other seven lands to do the same thing. They were each promised they would remain free. Once inhabitants from each of the eight lands were convinced, that’s when Them started taking Fron at will, as well as inhabitants of the other lands, and sending them to The Other In Between. The Other In Between had grown tremendously while more and more of our people went missing.

  “After that, I tried to convince the Fron that agreed to work with Them to stop, but it was too late. They were convinced and had already been corrupted by Them. You could sense the darkness in their hearts. No matter how hard I tried, it was no use.”