The Battle for Urth

by Lee Bacon

  “I’m not a knight!” he cries. “It’s just a part-time job.”

  His words make no sense. “If you’re not going to fight, then give me your sword!”

  “Whatever, dude.” With a shrug, the knight unsheathes his sword and hands it to me. Then he rises to his feet and awkwardly clangs out of the room.

  “Enough hiding, children.” The Sorceress’s voice echoes through the kitchen, making it impossible to know just where she is. “Come out and face me.”

  Gripping the sword’s hilt, I turn to Kara. She’s hiding behind more kitchen equipment.

  “We must fight the Sorceress!” I say. “Before she wreaks further havoc!”

  Kara shoots me a stupefied look. “Are you crazy? No way I’m fighting that crazy witch. Let’s run while we have a chance.”

  “A true knight never runs from danger.” I raise the sword. I’m about to charge when I notice something strange. My weapon weighs almost nothing. “Why is this sword so light?”

  “Because it’s not real. It’s plastic.”

  “Plastic? What’s that?” I wave the flimsy weapon from side to side. It would do as much good in battle as the bread sword. “It feels like a toy.”

  “It is a toy.”

  “But why would a knight have a toy sword?”

  Kara never has a chance to answer this question. For in that moment, the oven scoots into view.

  “Run!” Kara screams.

  I drop the toy sword and take Kara’s advice. We race out of the kitchen, flames licking at our heels. But as soon as we reach the next room, I’m attacked by fairies. An entire mob of them flaps around my face.

  “Aaaaagh!” I scream. “The tiny devils are attempting to eat my brain!”

  I flail and swing at the horrible fairies for another second before realizing…they aren’t real. They’re made of hard paper and are attached to clear threads that hang from the ceiling.

  “They’re fake!” Kara says. “Made of papier-mâché.”

  What’s she talking about? Why would someone string fake fairies from the ceiling? As I survey the room, I notice other strange sights. A shelf labeled PROPS is strewn with all manner of wigs and weaponry. A pile of fake vines lies on the floor. A box marked DRAGON PUPPET contains a lump of fabric that resembles neither a dragon nor a puppet.

  “Where are we?” I ask.

  “Backstage.” Kara points to a door at the other end of the room. “Come on! That way!”

  We’re halfway to the door when a jolt of light shoots past and hits the plastic vines. All of a sudden, the vines uncoil like snakes. They climb the wall and slither across the doorway, completely blocking our exit.

  From the other doorway, the Sorceress speaks. Her voice is musical and sweet, but her words are quite the opposite. “I will enjoy watching you suffer, Prince. Now that you no longer have your father and his guards for protection, you will finally see the truth—you are weak. And I am powerful.”

  The Sorceress points at the paper fairies and releases another burst of magic. And with that, my earlier fear becomes a reality. The flock of fairies springs to life. Their skin begins to glow. Their small paper heads turn to face us. With flapping wings, the monster fairies yank free of their tethers and fly in our direction. In an instant, they’re pulling at my hair and kicking me in the chin.

  There’s no time to hesitate. I lunge for the shelf, searching for a suitable weapon. But it’s just like with the knight’s sword. Everything here is a toy. There’s a flimsy dagger. A battle-ax that weighs nothing. Finally, my grip lands on a pair of scissors. Not exactly what I had in mind, but at least they’re solid and sharp.

  I plunge the scissors into the wall of vines—once, twice, thrice—slashing at the enchanted plants until I manage to cut an opening big enough for us to escape through. Kara’s the first through the gap. I’m about to join her when—

  CRAAAACK!

  Another burst of light hits the dragon puppet. All at once, the box bursts apart and its contents begin to grow.

  And grow.

  And grow.

  Broad, leathery wings stretch across the room. Eyes look down on me with pure hatred.

  I shiver with fear. The lump of fabric has become a scale-covered, smoke-breathing, sharp-clawed dragon.

  The dragon definitely doesn’t look like a chicken anymore.

  Prince Fred gawks up at the massive creature like he’s waiting for an introduction. Lunging through the vines, I grab Fred by the collar and yank him behind me. The dragon roars. From its open jaws comes a wave of fire that engulfs the vines.

  Prince Fred and I burst into the restaurant.

  All around me are tables crowded with people eating their lunch. Along the wall are the cheesy decorations I saw on my way in. The animatronic ogres. The stuffed unicorn. Waiters dressed up like fantasy characters buzzing from place to place.

  A few tables away, I see Gerlaxia. She seems even less witchlike now that I’ve met a real witch. But one thing hasn’t changed. My owl necklace is still stuck in her wide-brimmed hat.

  And I plan to get it back.

  I know what you’re probably thinking. Kara, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Did you forget you’re being chased by an evil sorceress, a killer oven, and a fire-breathing dragon?

  Yeah, I get it. But that necklace was a gift from my dad. The last thing he ever gave me. It’s the whole reason I’m in this mess in the first place. After everything I’ve been through, it’s right there. So close. A few feet away.

  I’m not about to let it get away again.

  I charge toward Gerlaxia. Beneath her pointy purple hat, her eyes suddenly go huge.

  “Hey, hold on!” she squeals. “What’re you—hunf!”

  When I grab the owl necklace, the witch’s hat snaps off with it.

  Beside me, Prince Fred looks totally confused. “You’re attacking the wrong witch!”

  I untangle my necklace from the witch’s hat and shove it into my pocket. That’s one problem solved. But I still have lots more to worry about. Like the massive dragon that just landed on a plate of mashed potatoes.

  The table collapses beneath the dragon’s weight. The creature’s leathery wings pound the air. Its sharp teeth glisten.

  I spin around, but that route is blocked. At the other end of Legendtopia is the Sorceress. Her dark eyes are fixed on me. Her lips curl into a smile.

  All around me, people have stopped eating to watch. And here’s the weirdest part: They’re smiling. Leaning forward. Excited. They must think this is all part of the show. Even more legendary entertainment from Legendtopia.

  And at the edge of the audience is the group I came in with. Mrs. Olyphant is yelling. Other kids are laughing and cheering. Marcy is watching in wide-eyed amazement. At last, her fantasy field trip has gone seriously epic.

  As if things aren’t bad enough already, now my entire fourth-period class is about to witness my death.

  “Run for your lives!” I scream. “You’re all in mortal danger!”

  The crowd applauds. Someone at a nearby table yells, “Bravo!”

  The dragon unleashes a blast of fire. Groups of diners leap from their tables just in time to avoid being roasted in the flames. I watch as realization slowly settles upon their faces. Their expressions turn from amusement to fear.

  People scramble from their wooden benches, spilling food and drinks, racing for the doors.

  The walls blaze. Smoke billows across the castle. Voices call out in alarm.

  “The restaurant! It’s on fire!”

  “Everyone out!”

  “Run!”

  Kara and I stagger through the chaos, past half-eaten plates of food and spilled goblets. Waves of fire and smoke crash all around. Along the way, I glimpse many strange sights. An ogre stands before me, thick arms raised in fury. I flinch, but the creature remains perfectly still. Next I encounter a unicorn. But like the ogre, it doesn’t move. Its horn is attached to its head by some form of silver adhesive.
r />   This entire accursed castle is…

  Fake.

  But there is little time to gaze at the peculiarities of my surroundings. Behind me, a wave of people surges for the exit. Kara and I tumble forward, through a doorway, over a minuscule moat (are those goldfish in the pond beneath me?), and suddenly…

  We’re outside.

  This seems to be some kind of village square. All around the burning castle stand blocky buildings. The signs read FIRST NATIONAL BANK, CRAZY EARL’S ELECTRONICS EXTRAVAGANZA, MCDONALD’S.

  I turn to find Kara in the clutches of an older woman.

  “You’re coming with me,” says the woman. “We’ll deal with you once we get back to school.”

  “Mrs. Olyphant, wait!” Kara says. “I was just—”

  “Endangering an entire restaurant full of people!” the woman interrupts. “That’s what you were doing!”

  “Pardon me.” I step forward. “Perhaps I might explain.”

  The woman seems to notice me for the first time. Her brow wrinkles. “Do you go to Shady Pines Middle School?”

  “No.”

  “Then stay out of it!”

  I bristle. In my kingdom, speaking to the Royal Prince in such a rude manner would result in any number of horrible punishments. Before I can reply, Mrs. Olyphant snatches Kara by the collar and begins pulling her across the square.

  “Wait!” Kara casts an uncertain look back in my direction. “He’s with me!”

  The woman ignores her pleas. Instead, she drags Kara up the steps of a gargantuan yellow carriage that is lined with many windows.

  I watch as everyone heads into the long yellow carriage. It lets out a sound that’s disturbingly similar to a troll’s mating call. Gray smoke billows out its backside. The door closes and the carriage lurches forward, pulled by a team of unseen horses. Seconds later, it rolls onto the road and drives away.

  The one person I know from this world has just vanished.

  The Dungeon smells like moldy textbooks and week-old tacos. A mysterious liquid drips from the ceiling—plunk, plunk, plunk—forming a radioactive-looking puddle. The Dungeon is located halfway underground. Grimy windows line the top of the wall, giving a narrow view of the sidewalk outside. I can see the ankles of my classmates strutting past.

  After the trouble at Legendtopia, I was given a week in the Dungeon. Which is where kids at Shady Pines Middle are sent for detention.

  My pocket vibrates. When I’m sure the Dungeon Guard (aka detention monitor) isn’t looking, I remove my phone. Electronic devices are strictly prohibited in the Dungeon, but my phone’s been vibrating nonstop for the past half hour and I can’t stand ignoring it any longer. I slide the phone into my lap, where I hope the guard won’t see it.

  Sixteen new text messages. And they’re all from Marcy. I haven’t talked to her since my world transformed into a crazy epic fantasy story. After what happened at Legendtopia, we weren’t allowed to sit beside each other on the bus. Instead, I had to share a seat with Mrs. Olyphant. As soon as we reached school, I was sent straight to the principal’s office. And from there, it was a one-way ticket to the Dungeon.

  Hunching over in my desk, I scroll through Marcy’s texts.

  OMG! OMG! OMG!

  That was EPIC!!!!!!!!

  What happened?!?!

  What were you doing onstage

  And what was up w that dragon?

  Definitely not the same puppet we saw first time

  It looked REAL

  Like REALLY real

  And who was that witch lady?

  She was freeeeaky!!!!

  Way freakier than our waitress

  But srsly you gotta tell me

  What happened back there

  ?????

  Kara?

  Kara?

  I stare at the screen until it goes dark. How can I possibly explain any of this to Marcy? How can I explain it to anyone?

  The events that went down at Legendtopia were insane. The dragon, the Sorceress, the murderous oven.

  And Prince Fred.

  Last I saw him, he was standing alone in the parking lot, his face smudged with ash, his clothes stained and torn. Right outside Legendtopia, with so many other people decked out in fantasy costumes, the prince didn’t look all that out of place. But what if he tried to go somewhere else? I couldn’t exactly picture him fitting in with other kids our age. Or people of any age, for that matter.

  The guy’s from another world.

  Literally.

  And it isn’t like he can go back to his kingdom. Not while Legendtopia is occupied by the Sorceress.

  He’s stuck here.

  I remind myself it isn’t my fault. He wanted to come. I never volunteered to babysit a fairy-tale prince.

  But still—I can’t help it. I feel sorry for him. He saved my life back there. And now he’s all alone. Stranded in a strange new world.

  What a magnificent new world!

  Standing outside Legendtopia, I marvel at my surroundings. My skin tingles with bewilderment, amazement, bafflement, and awe.

  Everything is new and wondrous!

  On the other side of the square, carriages made of steel are pulled by invisible horses. They move at dazzling speeds, carrying bored-looking people from one place to another.

  Everyone seems to own the same glowing device that Kara used inside the walk-in refrigerator. My mind grasps for the word. Self-Own. That’s it. Not only can this Self-Own be used for creating light in the darkness, some people also lift it to their ears and speak to it!

  “Hey, it’s me,” a nearby woman says to her Self-Own. “You would not believe what just happened. You know that place Legendtopia? The tacky fake-castle restaurant? It caught on fire!”

  The woman goes silent. Gripping the Self-Own to her ear, she nods several times, muttering “Uh-huh,” and “Exactly.”

  I narrow my eyes, trying to make sense of what I’m seeing. There’s only one explanation.

  The Self-Own is whispering into her ear!

  But what is it saying? What secrets does the Self-Own possess?

  Many others seek counsel from their own Self-Owns. Some stare into the apparatus blankly. Others jab it repeatedly with their thumbs. Probably as punishment for unwise advice.

  Soon enough, the crowd outside Legendtopia has cleared and the square fills with many fantastical horseless carriages. Each is topped with magical lights that flash red and blue. Some are boxy and white. Others are blue. Two of them are long and red, covered with ladders and hoses.

  Several men emerge from the long red carriage. They’re wearing the strangest armor I have ever seen. Black-and-yellow coats, with matching pants and helmets. One of the men grips an ax. Two more grab a hose. As a group, they charge toward the flaming building.

  There can be only one explanation. The men are soldiers. And they are storming the castle.

  It’s sure to be an epic battle. And I’m not about to miss it.

  Which is why I follow the soldiers.

  The square is pure pandemonium. Magical flashing carriages, a flaming castle, strangely dressed soldiers.

  Nobody notices me.

  I race around the side of Legendtopia. Crouching between a couple of tall hedges, I peer through a window. Nearly everyone has vacated Legendtopia. The castle only has one occupant now.

  The Sorceress.

  She stands on the charred stage, examining her new castle. The walls are burned, the curtains tattered and ruined. Tables and chairs are littered with spilled food and drinks. Smoke hangs in the air. Ashes drift like snowflakes.

  Her attention is drawn to the door. A great crashing noise erupts and the door shatters. An instant later, the first soldier enters, an ax gripped in his hands. He is followed by the hose-wielding soldiers.

  I inch closer to the window, eager to see the Sorceress defeated by the magical soldiers of Urth.

  Except that’s not what happens. Not even close.

  Within seconds, I realize—the soldiers ar
en’t here to fight the Sorceress. They’re here to fight the fire.

  But they don’t get very far. With the flick of a wrist, the Sorceress casts an enchantment spell. That’s all it takes to stop the soldiers. Their faces go slack. A dull nothingness fills their eyes. They turn and stumble back the way they came.

  They’re no longer themselves. They’ve fallen under the Sorceress’s control. Their voices call out to the others in the square.

  “Fire’s contained, guys! It’s all under control! Everyone clear out!”

  Within an hour, the crowd has dispersed. As the fire dies away, the peculiar flashing carriages depart from the square. Nobody remains outside Legendtopia.

  Except me.

  And there’s nobody inside.

  Except the Sorceress.

  But what can I do? Alone and without any weaponry, I don’t stand a chance against a powerful witch.

  And so I watch.

  I watch as the Sorceress makes Legendtopia her own.

  She starts by replacing the door. Summoning the magic that flows in her veins, she reaches out one pale hand. White light streaks from her fingers. Thick steel planks take shape before her eyes. Their pieces join together like a jigsaw puzzle. Merging. Many pieces becoming one. And from the ground arises a new door.

  But the Sorceress doesn’t stop there.

  Next she focuses her magic on the walls. The flimsy, fake stones begin to quiver and shake. Hardening, strengthening. Solidifying into real stone.

  The Sorceress concentrates.

  Magic pulses all around her.

  She turns her attention to the rows of tables. Casting her spell causes the tables to descend. Deeper and deeper. As if the floor is made of sinking sand.

  Plates slide off tables. Goblets tumble sideways. The mess is swallowed into the floor. Gone.