“No. But your friend Dirk told me where I could find you,” Wayne answered. Max should have figured if anyone was going to find the biggest kid in the world and send him to the rescue, it would be Dirk. He owed his best friend big time. Wayne returned his attention to Ricky and said, “We’re leaving now.”
“I don’t think so,” Ricky grunted, raising his hands and pushing the bigger kid in the chest. But Wayne hardly moved, and Ricky stumbled backward, his eyes wide in surprise. Then Wayne grabbed Ricky with as much effort as lifting a bag of potato chips (that was the first thing that came to Max’s mind) and tossed him halfway across the room. Ricky landed on the mat with a heavy thud and managed an awkward roll as he tried to get back on his feet. The other wrestlers took a collective step backward, wanting nothing to do with it.
Wayne turned and pointed a massive hand at Ricky. “Stay down,” he commanded. It was probably the hardest thing in the world for Ricky to do, and mixed in with the confusion that played across the Kraken’s face there was a new emotion—fear. Ricky turned his head, remaining on his hands and knees.
“Come on,” Max said to Wayne. Wayne turned and followed Max across the mat and out of the pit. They emerged into the gym and Max extended his hand. He wasn’t sure how you thanked somebody for saving his life, but he figured a handshake was probably a good start.
“Thanks. You totally saved me down there,” Max said. The big kid looked puzzled, but slowly reached out and clasped hands. Max could feel the power behind the big kid’s grip.
“Max!” Sarah called out. She was with Dirk, and the two of them hurried over to where he and Wayne were standing. “Dirk told me about the note,” she said, sounding relieved.
“Yeah,” Dirk said. “You’re lucky I found it. How did you not know that was a trap?”
“I guess it was pretty obvious,” Max admitted. “I just haven’t been myself lately.”
Sarah turned to Wayne. “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Sarah.”
If there was anyone in the world that Max looked up to, it was Sarah. Not only was she way too smart and too pretty to be hanging around with a pair like him and Dirk, but she was tougher than both of them put together. And where Max was pudgy with glasses and a thick mop of black hair, and Dirk lean (okay, more like scrawny) with a short military-style haircut, Sarah was tall with auburn hair and dark, expressive eyes. Max had seen her both as the quiet smart girl sitting in the front of math class and the fearless warrior who used her judo to bring grown men to the ground. In short, Max was in awe of her, and counted himself lucky to be her friend.
“That’s Wayne,” Dirk said, confirming the fact that he’d had something to do with the big kid’s appearance in the wrestling pit.
“Good to meet you,” Wayne replied.
“I guess you got to Max in time,” Dirk said, looking his friend over. “No damage done?”
“Just my pride.”
“Yeah, I bet.” Dirk added. “Good thing I saw Wayne. I figured, here’s the biggest kid I’ve ever seen—I’m going to be his friend. And then my new friend will rescue my old friend. That’s what having high charisma does for you.”
Sarah rolled her eyes in response. “So what’s your story, Wayne? Where did you move here from?”
“Oh, well I just moved from that small room to here,” he answered. There was a pause, and then Max and his friends starting laughing.
“Yep, you’re going to fit in just right,” Dirk added. “Hey, you should come to lunch with us.”
“I am hungry,” Wayne admitted.
“Then lunch is on me,” Max said. “My way of saying thanks.”
Max and his friends watched as Wayne not only ate a lunch tray full of food but finished Sarah’s leftovers as well. “So, you never said where you were from,” Sarah remarked, watching as Wayne dunked the fries in ketchup and wolfed them down.
“You gotta respect a man who can eat like that,” Dirk said. “Unlike Max—he’s dainty.”
“Very funny,” Max shot back. “How many times have I saved your skinny hide now?”
“A few,” Dirk said with a nod, settling into his chair. Wayne swallowed before answering Sarah.
“Where I’m from? Well, it’s a little complicated, and I wanted to make sure you were the right people before I said anything. But you are, aren’t you? You’re the three who brought down the Wizard’s Tower.”
Max shared a surprised look with his friends—how could he possibly know that?
“It’s okay,” Wayne continued, mopping up the last of the ketchup. “I know it’s something that isn’t talked about here. I mean, everyone in the Magrus knows about the Techrus. But for some reason people here don’t know about us.”
“Or the Shadrus,” Dirk added. They had all spent time in the magical Magrus, but the Shadow realm was largely a mystery.
“Dirk,” Sarah cautioned, “I’m not sure we should be talking about this.”
Wayne continued, “They say you left before all the uproar that followed the defeat of Rezormoor Dreadbringer.”
“We did,” Dirk confirmed. “Although I thought we should hang around and bask in our hero-ness for a while. Pose for statues and such.”
“What happened?” Max asked. “After.”
“The wizards were suddenly without a leader, and the Tower was in ruins,” Wayne continued. “Word spread quickly about the boy who could read the book and his companions. The rulers of the Seven Kingdoms were more than a little nervous, of course. They met in a great council where the dwarf king and the king of Mor Luin shared their stories about meeting you.”
Max glanced around the lunchroom, but nobody seemed particularly interested in what they were talking about. If anything, it probably sounded like they were discussing an online game or something. “How did you find us?” he asked.
“You have many friends in the Magrus,” Wayne continued. “Unicorns, dragons, and an elf who drives a magical coach.”
“Sumyl,” Dirk said with a smile. “She’s cool.”
Wayne nodded. “I was sent by those who seek your return. All the realm knows what you’ve done for us.” He put his food down and turned to Max. “You’re the keeper of the Codex of Infinite Knowability. We believe that you and the Codex belong in the Magrus. The Tower would come together if you were to return and rebuild it. And the kings of the Seven Kingdoms desire to have you as an ally.”
“So you’ve come to take us back?” Dirk asked.
“Only if you want to,” Wayne replied. “I’m here to watch over Max and invite him and his friends to return.” Wayne turned to Dirk. “When you asked me to help, I knew it was more than a coincidence.”
“Dude!” Dirk exclaimed to Max. “You have your own tank now. That’s awesome! He’s like your bodyguard and stuff.”
“But you’re only a kid,” Sarah said to Wayne. “No offense, but why send you?”
“We know very little about you,” Wayne replied. “The council thought it made sense to send one boy to talk to another. We’re basically the same age.”
Dirk laughed. “Maybe, but look at your arms. I wish I had guns like those.”
Wayne looked at his arms. “Guns?”
“He didn’t mean that literally,” Sarah clarified.
Wayne nodded as if he understood. “I’ve always been big.”
“So, to be clear, you’re telling us to leave our homes and travel all the way back to the Magrus?” Sarah asked.
“I carry something that can open a doorway between the two realms,” Wayne replied. “It’s called the Shadric Portal, and it was crafted by the Wizard’s Tower long ago. In fact, it was created by Maximilian Sporazo. There is no need for a long journey—if you choose to return, Max will be able to open the portal and simply walk through.”
“Awesome,” Dirk said, to nobody’s surprise.
“Dwight the dwarf
is here as well, is that right?” Wayne added.
Max nodded. “Yeah.”
“Ask him about the Shadric Portal and what’s required to carry it,” Wayne said. “I think it will mean more coming from him.” He pushed himself up from the table. “Now I’m supposed to meet a man about something called football.”
“Yeah, I bet the coach is anxious to talk to you,” Max replied. “Thanks, Wayne. I guess you’ve given us a lot to think about.”
“Anytime,” Wayne replied with a nod. He turned and walked out of the lunchroom, getting more than a few looks from the other students.
“Okay,” Max said after a moment. “Didn’t see that one coming.”
“We’re all like heroes and junk,” Dirk said. “I bet someone’s carving a statue of me right now.”
“In your dreams,” Sarah replied. “So what do you guys think?”
“Being in the Magrus was awesome,” Dirk said. “But if comics have taught me anything, it’s that heroes just don’t get up and go where they want.”
“Life isn’t a comic book,” Max replied. “If it was, Ricky wouldn’t still be bullying me—not after everything we’ve been through.” Max had hoped that Ricky had changed after their battle in the Tower. And for a while it seemed as if he had—but once they were home he returned to his old ways.
“Maybe,” Dirk answered. “But then he’d just find somebody else.”
“So what about this Shadric Portal thing?” Sarah asked. “Do you think we should talk to Dwight about it?”
“Yeah, at the very least,” Max answered. Dwight was the resident expert on all things otherworldly.
Sarah gathered her lunch tray as the class bell began to ring. “This is the second invitation you’ve gotten today, Max,” she said. “The wrestling pit, and now the Magrus. Maybe you should remember what happens when you go somewhere without thinking it through.”
“Not everything’s a trap,” Dirk answered. “I, for one, like surprises.”
Sarah punched him in the shoulder. “Surprise,” she said with a grin. “Happy now?”
Dirk frowned, rubbing his shoulder. “No.”
But Max’s thoughts remained on Dwight. He was anxious for school to end so he could head to the Dragon’s Den and find out more about the so-called Shadric Portal. Then he realized that for the first time in a long time, he actually felt hopeful. He wondered if that was a good sign or not.
On portal potties
VISITORS TO THE MAGRUS SHOULD be aware of the various customs and options available when needing to use bathroom facilities. For example, while learning a local dialect can be fun, never ask an ogre where the bathroom is in their native tongue (it’s only slightly different from a marriage proposal, and getting the two mixed up can lead to unwanted consequences). The best option is to find one of the Portal Potties, spread throughout the kingdom and voted “Invention of the Year” in 214. Unlike the porta-potties found in the Techrus, Portal Potties are imbued with magic so that their contents are whisked away to another realm without fuss or bother. Exactly where said contents are transported to is not known (some suggest Idaho).
CHAPTER THREE
THE DRAGON’S DEN
EVERY SMALL TOWN NEEDS A shop like the Dragon’s Den. Filled with comic books, games, paintable miniatures, dice, and used sci-fi and fantasy paperbacks, it was a refuge for those who didn’t skateboard or play sports or who just thought the ordinary world could do with some spicing up. It was also holy ground for the not-so-popular kids—a sanctuary against jocks, bullies, the mean-spirited, and those with more brawn than brain. Nobody judged you at the Dragon’s Den.
The building that housed the Dragon’s Den was part of “historic” downtown, which Max had never understood because there wasn’t a newer downtown to really compare it to. It was made of red brick, with white columns out front and a metal overhang that served to keep the sidewalk dry when it rained. The shop was part of a string of old buildings that ran along Main Street, nestled between the Hot Buns bakery and the Madison Pharmacy (which was a good next stop if loading up on hot buns). The Dragon’s Den had been remodeled recently, given a fresh coat of paint as well as a new door that actually acted as if it wanted to be opened. Pristine panes of glass had replaced the previous ones (more than one of which had had duct tape covering long cracks), and the faded sign had been updated with one that lit up. The place actually looked respectable now—the kind of shop a mom might drop her kids off at without worrying about roving bands of hooligans or insect infestations.
Max pushed his way past the front door with Dirk and Sarah in tow. He had a sudden flashback to the rainy afternoon when the three of them had brought the Codex in for the very first time.
“I’m having déjà vu,” Sarah said as they entered the shop, thinking similar thoughts to Max’s.
Dirk smiled. “Yeah, that was awesome.”
Sarah shook her head. “What don’t you think is awesome?”
“Homework.”
Max ignored his friends and walked to the counter, where Dwight was sitting on his stool and reading a magazine. He’d gone back to wearing his beard nicely trimmed (black like his hair) and was dressed in a white button-up shirt and red suspenders.
“Dude, you look like an elf!” Dirk exclaimed. Dwight glowered and put the magazine down.
“Whatever you want, just turn around,” Dwight said, motioning toward the door. “I see the three of you together and I know there’s trouble.” Dwight was mostly looking at Sarah when he spoke—she might have been friends with Dirk and Max, but she definitely wasn’t the type of person who showed up at the Dragon’s Den looking for new twenty-sided die.
“Pleasant as ever,” Sarah replied sarcastically.
“Hey, Dwight,” Max said as they reached the counter.
“Hello there, Mr. Spencer,” Dwight replied. “Or should I say Mr. Sporazo?” Max still wasn’t exactly comfortable with the idea that he was Maximilian Sporazo’s son, which was probably the reason Dwight brought it up. “So if I can’t persuade you to leave, just how can I help you?”
“We had a very interesting encounter at school,” Sarah replied.
Dwight raised an eyebrow.
“We met a kid named Wayne,” Dirk jumped in, “and he’s from the Magrus.”
“Really . . . and how do you know that?”
“That’s what he told us,” Max replied. He went on to recount the events of the day.
Dwight shook his head as he took it all in. “I assumed someone might approach you at some point,” he said. “We defeated Rezormoor Dreadbringer after all. That’s going to leave an impression. Plus, the real danger is still out there.”
“The Maelshadow,” Dirk said, turning to Max. “Weird to think that there’s this ultrapowerful dark lord still after you.”
“Yeah, thanks for reminding me.”
“Maybe we were naive to think that once we made it home, everything would be fine,” Sarah said. She had always been the logical one, and the idea of magic and monsters wasn’t easy for her to wrap her brain around. But she wasn’t afraid to follow the facts, no matter where they led. And if that meant that otherworldly monsters were hunting them, she’d be the first to admit it.
“He mentioned you, too,” Max said to Dwight. “He said we should ask you about the Shadric Portal.”
Dwight blinked several times before responding. “He said what? The Shadric Portal? Are you sure?”
Dirk tapped the side of his head. “Yep. I stored the name away as possible booty.”
Dwight slid off his stool and walked toward his back room. “Stay there. I need to find something.”
Just then the bell jingled and a small group entered the Dragon’s Den. Max recognized Melvin Jenkins at once, followed by Megan and Sydney, two sisters who were part of Melvin’s LARPing club. Megan was in Max’s grade, big-boned with dark hair and
glasses. She was also one of the few people who could compete with Sarah for school valedictorian. Sydney was a year younger and a grade below, with blond hair framing a perpetual smile.
“Hi, Max!” Sydney exclaimed. She practically pulled her sister across the room until they reached Max and his friends.
“Oh, uh, hi, Sydney,” Max replied with a cough. He pushed his glasses up and looked away awkwardly. Dirk and Sarah shared a glance.
“Are you going to go LARPing with us?” Sydney continued, beaming. “Oh, that would be so much fun! You totally could if you wanted to.”
“It takes a certain amount of commitment,” Melvin added. “It’s not really for casual gamers.”
“Who you calling a casual gamer?” Dirk shot back.
“He didn’t mean it like that,” Megan said, ever the peacemaker. When she played the live campaigns, she was always a priestess healer. “There’s just a lot of preparation required, like building weapons and armor.”
Sarah frowned, confused.
“I know you—you’re Sarah Jepson,” Melvin said with a bow. He was thin with dishwater-brown hair and a haircut that looked like his mom owned a set of clippers she hadn’t quite mastered yet. And while he wasn’t as tall or as fast as Dirk, he was head of the chess club, played in band, and would pick dressing up as an elf and shooting plastic arrows over online gaming any day of the week. “You’re the girl who wasted the Kraken last year.”
Sarah offered a forced smile—no matter what she did, she’d never get to live that one down. “So you guys dress up and stuff?”
“Totally,” Sydney replied. “It’s way super awesome.”
Melvin leaned on the counter and did his best cool-kid impression. “It’s hard to describe the rush, especially if you’ve never felt the thrill of battle before.”
Max slapped his hand over Dirk’s mouth before he could answer. They’d all seen their share of real battles. “We mostly play online,” he said.
“What’s your character’s name?” Sydney asked. “You could friend me and then we could campaign together. I mean, I’d have to get the game and get permission from my parents to go online and learn how to play it and everything, but I totally would.”
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