Lumen and the Thistle

by EJ Wozniak

  But, before he could beat himself up even more, Lumen looked up and the window was still open. He was confused but didn’t have time to question it. He sprinted to it and jumped through.

  * * *

  Lumen tumbled into some bushes as he landed on the other side of the window. He looked up to see trees all around him. He was in another forest. Lumen looked around and recognized a kind of familiarity. His attention was directed towards a flower on the ground. He remembered seeing the same flower the first time he came into Bonumalus. This had to be the same island on which the Liros resided, Mighty Falls Island. Lumen remembered that it floated in midair.

  He heard some leaves crunch and turned to look in the direction of the sound where he saw Chester jogging through the trees. Lumen got up feverishly and followed in his direction. He kept a safe distance in order to make sure Chester made it to his intended destination.

  Lumen followed him for a few minutes when he realized that the island was coming to an end, and if he kept running, he would run right off of a cliff.

  Lumen slowed down. He can’t go much further, he thought. When he could no longer see Chester he picked up the pace again until he was through the trees. Then, suddenly, there was Chester, sitting on the edge of the cliff. Lumen didn’t know what to expect. Definitely not Chester simply sitting on the edge of a cliff. There were no thistles around, no fires, no master plans—nothing except open skies in front of him and a forest behind. It was silent. Lumen could hear the slight breeze rustling the trees behind him.

  Lumen cleared his throat.

  “Uh, Chester, the scheme is up. I’ve found your secret window. You need to come back with me.”

  Lumen realized Allister had told him to alert him when he found Chester. Lumen had to finish the job himself now; he couldn’t leave.

  Chester jumped in his seat, quickly looking back with a look of fear in his eyes.

  “What the . . . how’d you get here?”

  “I followed you. Took some time to find the window you were using, but I finally was able to follow you through. The jig is up, we all know you’re the one starting the fires. It’s time to turn yourself in.”

  Chester didn’t respond. He scratched his head and furrowed his eyebrows.

  Lumen got a little angry.

  “I mean, for goodness sake, you almost killed my mom! You could have seriously hurt so many others too. I can’t believe anyone could do such a thing. Lucky for you, Allister thinks he can help people like you. You won’t have to suffer in Vincula like most the other criminals.”

  Chester put his hands up toward Lumen as Lumen poised himself into a fighting stance.

  “Whoa, whoa, I didn’t start any fires, Lumen. I can’t even handle a little rain cloud, you think I can handle learning both?” Chester asked, desperately.

  “No, I think you’re actually an Ignous trying to infiltrate the Eauge caste. . .”

  Chester shook his head. He didn’t move from his position. His legs were shaking.

  “No no no! I swear Lumen! I had nothing to do with those fires. I am really sorry about your mom, but it wasn’t me! You heard Professor J, I should plan on going for a board job. I can’t handle this.”

  Lumen was confused. He took notice of Chester’s shaking.

  “This isn’t where you go to plan your attacks? Where you find your thistles to leave at your crime scenes?”

  Chester shook his head.

  “No, I come here to get away from everyone! Day after day, I fail in class. Day after day, the other students pick on me. . . What’s a thistle anyway?”

  Lumen shook his head. He couldn’t decide if he should believe Chester or not.

  “So you just come out here to get away?”

  Chester nodded his head as his legs continued to tremble.

  “But why would the lights present a window to you in an area where you can’t travel from? The Genaqua is supposed to be jump-proof. I don’t get it.”

  Lumen paced back and forth while he mulled over his thoughts.

  “You wouldn’t understand, Lumen. You do well in these classes. You have friends. Allister works with you personally. I came here with nothing and still have nothing. I’ve been trying to figure out why the lights brought me here also . . .”

  Lumen stepped toward Chester to listen.

  “I thought it was to just have a safe place, away from everyone else. But the more I come here, the more I think I was brought here to disappear.”

  Chester stepped back and looked over the edge of the cliff. There was no end in sight as Chester peered past the roots dangling from the side of the cliff.

  “What? No, Chester, the lights wouldn’t do that,” Lumen retorted.

  Chester looked back toward Lumen.

  “How do you know that?”

  Lumen wasn’t sure why he thought that, but he firmly believed it.

  “They just wouldn’t. Look, I understand where you’re coming from. The town I’m from, I was bullied almost everyday. There’s this one kid, Blake, he really has it out for me. He used to give me swirlies every day.”

  Chester was listening closely.

  “Seriously? I’ve never gotten one of those . . .”

  “Yeah, it was pretty bad. And for a while I just accepted them. It was part of my life, and I let him and his buddies do it.”

  Chester stepped closer to Lumen.

  “What changed?”

  Lumen realized how great it was to have a friend like Alec. Alec, in a way, saved him from a dark life.

  “I had some help. A newfound friend came to my side and guided me through everything. That gave me the courage to not let it happen anymore . . .”

  Chester put his head down.

  “What it means, Chester, is that you should seek someone to talk to. By no means is it your fault that you’re bullied. People are terrible to one another. But if a few of us can stick together, we can really help one another.”

  Chester looked up and had a little smile. Lumen thought it might be difficult at first, but he could convince Yu and Lucy to let Chester join their group.

  “So, I guess we are back to square one. For a while now, we thought you were the one starting all of the fires . . .” Lumen said as he sighed.

  Chester shook his head.

  “No way, man, I can’t even make it drizzle. You expected me to be capable of starting full on fires? I come here to be alone. I sometimes climb up these trees and end up falling into the mud. I can’t even accomplish that.”

  They both laughed. Lumen felt bad about making him fail the quiz in Pluviam class. Chester was doing just fine until he and Yu intervened. Lumen decided to keep that to himself.

  “Well, we should head back then. I should let Allister know you’re not the one.”

  Chester nodded in agreement. He stepped toward Lumen when his jacket started smoking. The jacket went up in flames. Chester fell to the ground in a panic and started yelling. Lumen panicked for a moment before realizing he was able to create a small rain cloud. It took a few moments to conjure a small cloud but was able to rain down onto Chester.

  Chester managed to get the jacket off.

  “Are you okay?”

  Chester patted himself down to check for any injuries. He stopped and smelled his forearm.

  “Yeah, I think so. Just my forearm hairs were burned off, smells awful . . . thanks for the rain.”

  Lumen nodded.

  “Where did that come from? You sure you’re not an Ignous?” Lumen asked, half joking.

  Chester gave Lumen a stern look.

  “Are you kidding me? And set myself on fire? How does that make sense?”

  Lumen shrugged.

  “Well, where did it come from?”

  A rustle came from the trees. They were both suddenly aware that they were not alone, although they couldn’t tell from where the sound came. The pair looked around frantically for someone to show themselves. They heard a clap. And then another. Someone was applauding them.

&
nbsp; They heard a loud crack, and a large tree came tumbling in flames. The tree that was once covered in a plethora of green life was now burning to ash on the ground near them. The tree laid a short distance away from them, the leaves crackling loudly as they burned. Lumen could smell the smoke. Chester coughed as he tried to clear the smoke around him with his arms. Lumen was sweating now. His heart was racing, and his mouth was dry. He had no idea what to expect.

  The person emerged slowly from the trees and smoke, still clapping.

  “Bravo, bravo. Quick thinking, Lumen. You. . .you are one of the best Eauge students. You looked so cute while you managed to create the tiny, little cloud to help Chester . . . Poor Chester couldn’t help himself.”

  Till laughed as she stepped closer to Lumen and Chester.

  Lumen’s first thought was of relief and then of confusion.

  “Did you really follow me here Till?” Lumen asked

  “Oh yes, of course. I’ve been following you for some time now,” Till said with a smile—the same smile Lumen couldn’t forget.

  “Allister would be really upset if he knew you followed me here. This is serious stuff we are dealing with.”

  “I know,” Till said as she continued to smile.

  Lumen became aware of the fire again.

  “Did you see anyone back there? I think we were followed by someone else,” he said as he looked at the burning tree; half of it had already turned to ash.

  Lumen looked at Till, the odd smirk still on her face.

  It was starting to come together.

  “Till . . . it’s been you this whole time?” Lumen said.

  Till moved closer towards them as she created a fireball and tossed it between her hands.

  Lumen realized it made a lot of sense. She was one of the worst students in his classes thus far, maybe she was an Ignous after all. Till was in one of her classic sun dresses. Lumen just then saw the scars on her legs. Till took notice.

  “Yeah, those thistles can be really painful if you’re not too careful. Scratched me really good on a dark night . . .”

  Till continued towards Lumen and Chester. Lumen raised his hand to try and open a window.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  Till pushed her hands down. Flames surrounded the three of them with no way out, their backs were against the cliff.

  “Open a window and Chester won’t be so lucky next time. I’m afraid your little rain clouds won’t be able to put out these flames.”

  Lumen and Chester glanced around. She was right, there was no escaping. Lumen peered over the side of the cliff.

  “Why are you doing this, Till?” Lumen asked.

  Till started to pace slowly. She was basking in the moment.

  “I’m here to recruit, to show you our power. We need more people to join our movement. It’ll be easier that way.”

  Lumen and Chester looked at one another. They didn’t know what she was talking about.

  “Maldeus, of course, is back. He is going to build up his army, not that he really needs it if you ask me, and take back control.”

  “Control of what?” Chester asked.

  “Of what is rightfully ours!”

  Till stamped her foot down, and the flames rose just a bit higher.

  “We have an entire planet that we gleefully manage for those pathetic humans that live there. We provide them with everything they need, everything, and what are they all doing?”

  Lumen and Chester shook their heads.

  “They are turning it into a dump! They tear down the trees, they waste water, and they pollute the air! It is time for us to take it back. They don’t deserve it!”

  Till was breathing heavily.

  “I thought Maldeus was dead?” Chester said in a whisper. Till laughed.

  “Of course not. Allister was too weak to finish the job. He made a mistake. Maldeus retreated to a place he could not be found. It’s been twelve years. Twelve long years of planning and now he has seen enough. He is stronger than ever and ready to begin.”

  Lumen remembered that Allister had found Till in a burning building.

  “I thought Allister rescued you? How could you betray him?”

  Till laughed again.

  “Saved me? Don’t be ridiculous! I burned that building down, along with the feeble humans in it. I used sticky water to ‘protect myself’ and make it look like I had Eauge ability. Allister didn’t even question it, that fool.”

  Lumen gulped. This was it, he thought, there was no way out.

  His ring warmed his finger.

  “What is supposed to happen here, Till?” Lumen asked as he was thinking.

  “Pledge yourselves to our cause, to Maldeus, and I will take you back to our camp.”

  “And if we refuse?” Lumen asked as he moved in front of Chester.

  “I guess I will have to start the cleansing now, which would be very unfortunate. I really like you, Lu.”

  Lumen looked at Chester and could see him trembling. Lumen glanced over the edge of the cliff again. He touched his ring.

  “Well, alright, if you say so.”

  Lumen turned and pushed Chester off the side of the cliff. Chester grunted and then screamed as he fell from the cliff’s edge. He clawed for the sides of the cliff, missing with each swipe. Lumen looked over the edge and saw Chester fall through the window he opened with his ring. Lumen turned back to find Till still, eyebrows raised and a smirk on her face.

  “Well then, I knew I could convince you. I was going to extreme lengths to show you our might. I just got back from Sofia’s, as a matter of fact. You won’t have to worry about her any longer. It’ll be difficult to say goodbye to your mother, but it gets easier with time,” Till said as she resumed playing with the fireball in her hands.

  It took everything in Lumen’s body to not react to what she said about Sofia. He didn’t know what that meant. Was she dead? Lumen tried to stay calm.

  “Good” is all Lumen could manage to say. He was breathing heavily but tried his best to not show it.

  “Great, I’m glad you understand. I really think you’re special, Lu, there is something about you. You’re going to be powerful. I can promise you that.”

  Lumen nodded. Till walked toward him.

  “Come here, give me a hug. I feel like we are on another level now, Lu.”

  Lumen stepped away quickly.

  “Don’t be shy. We are a team now. Look what you just did for me. You pushed Chester off this cliff for me. It’s a long way down, I bet he is still falling. Poor kid probably isn’t smart enough to open a window on the way down to save himself.”

  She looked down and saw a window close. Lumen’s hand pulled away from his ring. Till looked at Lumen, eyes wide. She shook her head in disappointment as she smiled again.

  “Ah, the good ol’ luxem never fails. That’s too bad. I had a lot of hope for you. Maybe in another life . . .”

  Till raised her hands. A ball of flames quickly formed in her palms. Till chucked it at Lumen. Lumen dove in an effort to avoid it, if only just barely. The flames hit his leg, burning his pants. He couldn’t tell if his leg was burned or not, his adrenaline was pumping.

  “Just let it happen, Lu, you don’t have the skill to fight me. . . Last chance, join us, or perish.”

  Lumen stammered to his feet. He could feel that his leg was in pain now. The flames surrounded him; they had risen slightly and he could barely see over them. Smoke was rising from the fallen tree, making the air coarse and difficult to inhale. Lumen took a deep breath before answering.

  “No.”

  He put his hand on his chest and felt his heart pounding. Even so, he felt calm. He was ready for whatever was about to transpire.

  “I have one question: why a thistle?”

  Lumen’s curiosity never failed him.

  “They were used as a warning to invaders back in medieval times, thought it was a cool signature. Was going to use it just the first time but your mom replenished my su
pply.”

  Lumen nodded his head; despite everything he thought, that was pretty clever.

  Till created another ball of fire in her hands. She stepped back and threw it at Lumen as if it was a fastball. Lumen closed his eyes and braced for contact. He wondered what dying felt like. He thought that if at least he saved someone’s life then it would be worth it—it wasn’t for nothing.

  When Lumen looked up he saw the fire coming at him; everything was in slow motion. He put his arms up, a natural instinct, to block to flames. Just when he thought he was about to feel the fury of the fire ball, the flames seemed to have hit something in front of him and continued around him.

  Till was just as confused as Lumen. Her smile disappeared as she geared up to throw another.

  The same thing happened. Lumen was even more befuddled. It was like an invisible shield was directly in front of him. He looked beyond Till and could see a trio walking behind the flames. There were Allister, Janis and Sasha. Lumen’s face lit up and he thrust a fist in the air in excitement.

  Till took notice of the trio and threw a flame at the group. Allister put up his hands and put the flames out with little balls of water. Till tried to run. Sasha hit the ground with her staff, and the ground under Till rose up. Till tried to open a window, but Allister clapped and the window closed immediately. Till was trapped. She attempted to throw another fireball, but before she could manage to, Sasha hit her staff on the ground again and roots underneath her entangled her limbs. The roots wrapped around Till until she was completely immobile, and only her head was showing. Sasha stomped the staff down a third time and the roots set Till down near her, detaching themselves from the ground. Janis raised his hand, and Till’s root-wrapped body floated in mid-air.

  Lumen was beyond relieved to see the three of them. He was sweating profusely and could feel his burned leg even more so now. He was light-headed. The last thing he saw was Allister approaching him and felt Al’s hand under his head.

  Chapter 16 - Summer

  Lumen awoke in a room he didn’t recognize. He rubbed his eyes as looked around this unfamiliar room, trying to figure out where he was. It smelled like grass. On his left, he saw a table filled with jars of what appeared to be herbs and roots of some sort. To the right was a nicely carved rocking chair. There were two windows in the room, opened wide, and a doorway without a door attached. The room looked like it was covered in bark. Lumen began to get up when Allister and Lucy walked into the room.