by James Riley
But if he didn’t use the magic, that left only one other way that they knew of to stop the war: sending his father out of time. And he couldn’t do that, either.
As of right now, though, he couldn’t stand to watch his future self as king, not for one second longer. “I can’t look at this anymore,” he whispered. “Take us back.”
Cyrus immediately reversed time back to Mount Rushmore, and as the awful scene disappeared, Fort balled his fists and tried to slam them into the ground, only for his hands to pass through it. Why did this have to be so difficult? Two impossible choices: one that left the world completely under the control of magic, the other taking his father away from him forever. Why did it all have to be on him? Was it so wrong to want his father back?
But no, he had to save the world from a war that was his fault, in a lot of ways. And to do that meant either losing his father or becoming someone awful, almost less than human.
What good would it do to keep his father around if his dad had to see him like that, adored by the most powerful people in the world not because he’d earned their respect, but because he’d forced them to? Alone, friendless, and ruling a world that didn’t have any choice in the matter?
You’d never do that, Forsythe, he heard his father say in his head. You’re not that person.
No, he wasn’t. Not until he used the Spirit magic.
And if Fort had any choice in the matter, he never would be that person.
“So what will you do?” Cyrus asked him finally.
Fort slowly pushed to his feet, not looking at his friend. “I’ve seen enough. Take us back to the present. I can’t do this. I don’t know what I’ll do, but I can’t use Spirit magic.” He choked a bit, then swallowed hard.
Cyrus nodded and closed his eyes. And then they immediately flew back open.
“I can’t get us back,” he said, his voice on the edge of panic. “Something’s stopping me.”
The fear in Cyrus’s tone cut through Fort’s depression enough to catch his attention. “What? What could be stopping you?”
Cyrus gave him a wide-eyed look full of terror. “I think someone froze our bodies in time.”
“Indeed, my friends,” said another voice, and a third person appeared, just as translucent as they were.
They turned to find a familiar-looking boy in a black hoodie with the same color hair as Cyrus.
“Someone did, in fact, freeze you,” William said with a smile. “Perhaps it is time we engaged in a quick conversation?”
- THIRTY-NINE -
WILLIAM?” FORT SAID, NOT BELIEVING his eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Not much fun, is it?” William said, losing his fantasy language as he glanced around. “You know, being stuck in time, having no way to get home.” His face grew darker as he turned back to them. “I spent years like this, you know. Years. All because our teachers, our government, wanted power.”
“William, unfreeze our bodies,” Cyrus said, his eyes glowing black, and his tone more dangerous than Fort had ever heard it. “You know what I can do, even from here. Do you really want to challenge me?”
Fort glanced at his friend, and a chill went down his spine. While the boy next to him still looked exactly like Cyrus, the expression on his face wasn’t one Fort had ever seen, not between all the smiles and confused looks Cyrus normally favored. This was a deadly serious Cyrus, and for some reason, he almost made Fort more nervous than William did.
“Oh, I would never face you in direct combat, my old friend,” William said, smiling.
And then his hands began to glow with an orange light.
“No!” Fort shouted, leaping at the boy, knowing he had to stop him somehow. But here in the future, he plowed right through the insubstantial Carmarthen student, not even touching him.
“Ah!” William said, looking behind him for a moment. “While that was very impressive, it was, I might add, a bit too late, for it is already done.”
Fort quickly pushed to his feet but felt horror rush through him as he found himself staring at Cyrus, awash in orange light, giving William an absolutely adoring look.
“William!” Cyrus said, his face now just ecstatic. “I’m so glad you’re here. How can I help you?”
“Oh, now you want to help me?” William said, again speaking normally as his anger grew. Fort slowly moved back to stand next to Cyrus as William glared at his friend. “You mean, like you didn’t help any of us back at school? How you decided to go to the American school instead, leaving us all at the mercy of our teachers?”
Cyrus’s joyous mood disappeared, and he fell to his knees, clasping his hands in front of him. “Please forgive me, William,” he pleaded, sounding completely dejected. “I cannot begin to apologize enough for what I did!”
William stared down at him for a moment. “Try.”
“I’m so, so sorry!” Cyrus said, tears now falling down his cheeks as Fort turned to William, feeling hatred for the boy for the first time. Yes, he knew how Spirit magic could change you, make you want to do things exactly like this: He’d felt that way when using it on Damian. But that didn’t make it okay. That didn’t excuse it in any way.
“William, stop this,” he said, having no idea what he’d do if the other boy refused.
“I don’t think so, Forsythe,” William said, watching Cyrus with a grin as Fort’s friend babbled on, apologizing in every way he could think of. “Imagine how you’d feel if Cyrus had abandoned you to a life like this, with no idea if you’d ever get home.”
“I’m unworthy of your forgiveness!” Cyrus wailed, his head now on the ground as he tore at his hair. “I only wanted to fix the future, to see them once more, but that’s no excuse! I never should have left you all. You’re right to hate me. I hate me!”
“William, please !” Fort shouted. “This isn’t right! It’s the magic that’s making you do it.” He paused, realizing something. “How do you even have the book of Spirit magic? Why did you freeze us?”
William sighed and snapped his fingers. Instantly Cyrus went silent, looking up at William for further instructions, but William ignored him, addressing Fort instead. “It’s because of you, Fitzgerald. I had to do this. Did you think I wouldn’t see this coming? See that you would fail to save the world, when you had every chance of doing so? Stopping the world from going to war, that’s great … but you had the chance to fix everything, and you didn’t take it!”
Fort just stared at the other boy in shock. “I saw what it’d turn me into, what I’d do to everyone!” he shouted. “If you’re here, you must have seen it too, at least part of it. I would have taken over the world, declared myself king!”
“Yes!” William shouted. “Exactly! You would have ruled, just like King Arthur had to, to make sure that there was peace! Do you think the people in charge now feel bad if they force people to do what they say? That’s all they do, Forsythe! Your colonel, my teachers, both our governments … they all tell people what to do, and force them to do it if the people refuse. How is that any different?”
“Because I’d have taken away their choice!” Fort shouted. “It’s not right, William!”
“Maybe not,” William hissed. “But it’s necessary.”
“What are you going to do?” Fort asked, dreading the answer that he knew was coming.
“Oh, I believe I will answer the call and save the world of my birth,” William said with a smile. “But first, perhaps a taste of revenge.” He turned back to Cyrus, and this time, Fort fought the urge to leap at William, fight him off Cyrus somehow, since he knew he’d pass right through the other boy.
“Don’t do this,” Fort whispered. “Please, William. He’s my friend.”
“He was mine once too,” William growled, his eyes on Cyrus. “Maybe I’m doing you a favor. This way, he can’t betray you like he did me.”
And with that, he leaned down to Cyrus’s level.
“Would you like me to keep apologizing, William?” Cyrus asked, and he soun
ded so hopeful that it broke Fort’s heart.
“No, that’s okay, Cyrus,” William said. “Actually, I’m going to unfreeze your body, okay? And when I do, I want you to use your magic to send yourself somewhere … sorry, somewhen in time. Don’t tell anyone, and make it a long way from the present, okay?”
“No!” Fort shouted, but both William and Cyrus ignored him.
“Of course, William!” Cyrus said, eager to please. “When should I come back?”
“Actually, stay there,” William said quietly. “And don’t come back until I send someone for you. Do you understand me? Send yourself to some random, distant time, and don’t return until you hear from me.”
“Got it!” Cyrus said, as William’s hands glowed black.
“Cyrus!” Fort shouted, and his friend looked up at him in confusion, as if he’d forgotten Fort was even there.
“Fort?” Cyrus said as he faded out. “I have to go. I’ll see you in—”
And then he was gone.
“There!” William said, his eyes covered in black light. “The evil are vanquished, and the good have won the day once more. With the threat of Cyrus now diminished, and all of your friends under my Spirit magic spell, I believe no one remains to stand against me.” He paused. “I also put Ellora under. I knew she wouldn’t go along with it, once we got to this point.” He cleared his throat and resumed his narration. “Now, forsooth, Forsythe! Let us travel back to the present, as the world won’t save itself!”
- FORTY -
MOUNT RUSHMORE FADED OUT, replaced by the clearing where Merlin’s cottage stood. Or used to stand.
Now all that was left of it was ashes, some large pieces of melted plastic, and the occasional metal beam. It’d been utterly destroyed, apparently by fire. And before Fort could even comprehend that, he found the culprit.
“Welcome back, Fitzgerald,” Damian said, his voice low and threatening even in his human form. “Like what I’ve done to the place? Consider it payback for putting me under that Spirit magic.”
“Now, now, Damian,” William said. “We’re all friends here, aren’t we?” He turned to gesture to where Ellora, Jia, and Rachel all waited silently, not moving, right next to the other Carmarthen Academy students. Fort recognized Simon, as well as a few others from the video. “Or we will be, once I use my magic on Forsythe. Don’t we all share the common goal of saving the world?”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” they all shouted in unison, gazing at him adoringly, even Damian.
Fort inwardly screamed, not able to understand how this had happened, and so quickly. How could William have gotten to the book of Spirit magic and used it on everyone? How much time had even passed?
Granted, he’d been frozen in time, so no matter how much later he’d arrived back in his body, he wouldn’t have noticed. But Cyrus had said William could only keep the dome going for another twenty minutes or so. They couldn’t have—
And then he noticed how light it was and looked up. The dome was gone, replaced by a gray, cloudy sky.
“Thanks for sending me Damian, by the way,” William said, patting the dragon boy on the shoulder. “And especially for telling him to do whatever I said. That made things so much easier, since his teleportation spell got us here instantly, and then he kept all your friends busy while I had a chance to study the book of Spirit magic in sped-up time.” He smiled at Fort. “Anything to say before I use it on you, Forsythe?”
“Don’t do this,” Fort said, knowing it was useless. If he’d spent that long with Spirit magic, he had to be completely taken over by it now. “Please, William! The magic changes you; I felt it myself. You have to give it up. We’ll destroy the book and figure out another way to stop the war.”
“Really?” William said, looking annoyed. “That’s what you’re going with? I thought you’d try to kiss up more, honestly. But if you’re not even going to try, I’m going to have to use magic on you. You know, just to be safe.” He winked, since they both knew he’d have used it no matter what.
Fort gritted his teeth and opened a teleportation portal as fast as he could, but it was still too slow: The Spirit spell hit him before he could move, his head filling with orange light. And suddenly he had no idea where he was going.
Why would he ever want to leave the presence of William?
“Ah, now I see you’re within your right mind, my friend!” William said. “You may address me as Your Majesty, of course, since a ruler must be respected by his followers.”
“I respect you so much, Your Majesty!” Fort shouted, bowing low before the magnificence in front of him. “You’re like the sun shining on a rainy morning, brightening my day just with your presence, and—”
“Oh, stop that,” William said, glaring at him, and Fort straightened up quickly, completely embarrassed. But then the other boy grinned, so he let out a sigh of relief, just thankful not to have displeased his king. After all, more than anything, Fort just wanted to bring William happiness.
“How may I serve you, Your Majesty?” he asked.
“Well, we don’t really have the time to waste, but personally, I’d like a great, big apology from you, Forsythe, for doubting me when I said we should use Spirit magic to fix the world,” William said, smiling smugly. “I already got one from your friends, obviously.”
“Again, we can’t tell you enough how wrong we were,” Rachel said, looking distraught.
“So, so wrong, Your Majesty,” Jia added, just as upset.
“I cannot even begin to tell you how mistaken I was,” Fort said, dropping to his knees to stare at the ground, humiliated. “I offer no end of apologies, Your Majesty. Is there any way you might grant me your forgiveness?”
William considered for a moment, then leaned in and whispered in Fort’s ear. Fort immediately nodded, then turned to his friends. “I wet the bed until I was eleven!” he declared proudly. “Our Majesty told me I should say that to you all!”
“I didn’t tell you to say that last part!” William said, groaning. “Eh, forget it, we can go into more humiliation later. For now, we have things to do. Oppenheimer students, kneel before me.”
They quickly did, while Damian and Ellora looked on jealously. “Rachel, present me your fine weapon, would you?” William said. “A ruler deserves a king’s sword, after all. And there’s no finer one than the sword of King Arthur. Perhaps seeing it in my possession will convince our people that I am the good king returned, here to save Britannia in its darkest hour!”
She held out Excalibur with a big smile on her face. “It’s all yours, Your Majesty!”
He gave her a patronizing look, then grasped the handle.
The sword immediately lit on fire.
“HEY, OW!” William shouted, dropping the sword and clutching his charred hand. “What was that? What did you do to it?”
“Your Majesty, I’m so confused!” Rachel said, leaning over to grab the sword from the ground as Jia hurriedly healed William’s hand. “We were told that only the worthy could hold it, but who could possibly be more worthy than you?”
Fort frowned, almost thinking he’d detected just a hint of sarcasm in her voice, but glancing over, he found Rachel staring at William in awe, so he must have been mistaken.
William, though, didn’t seem pleased, and his displeasure made Fort more upset than anything he’d ever felt, even worse than when he’d lost his father. “Must be broken then,” William said, glaring at Excalibur. “I’ll have to find another sword. The government dug up a bunch of them, so there should be plenty to choose from. You take it, Rachel, and knight the three of you in my name.”
Rachel nodded. “Of course, Your Majesty.” She tapped the sword to both of her shoulders, then moved to stand in front of Jia, giving the other girl a long look. “I knight you Sir Jia,” Rachel said, gently laying the sword on Jia’s shoulders one at a time, lingering with it on each one.
Jia’s eyes widened, and she slowly nodded at Rachel.
Then the Destruction girl moved to
stand before Fort. “And you, New Kid, I knight Sir Fort,” she said, giving him another very loaded look.
“Can we hurry this up?” William asked. “Now that the dome’s down, things are going to move quickly.”
“Of course, Your Majesty,” Rachel said, and tapped the sword to Fort’s shoulders in turn.
As soon as the blade touched him, his mind cleared instantly, like the sun had burned off the fog in his brain.
- FORTY-ONE -
THE SPIRIT MAGIC WAS GONE, and Fort found that instead of worshipping William, all he wanted to do was punch the other boy in the stomach. What had happened? He looked up at Rachel in shock, and she almost imperceptibly shook her head, trying to tell him something.
That was what it was like being under Spirit magic? He’d felt it a bit, back in the Dracsi dimension, but then he’d been prepared, and the Old Ones had been more concerned with their sibling at the time, not Fort. Now it just felt like such a violation. He’d lost all control over himself, including his feelings. To think that he’d ever been more upset about William than his own father!
His hands began to shake as anger filled him, but an intense look from Rachel made him realize he had to calm down. He could see from her gaze that she felt exactly the same way, but she was pretending to be under the magic to keep William ignorant of the fact that they were free. He’d have to follow her lead.
But how had she kept her own mind against his spell? He watched as she returned Excalibur to her side and realized it had to be the sword. After all, William’s spell had been canceled at its touch, and the queen of the faeries had mentioned something about Excalibur protecting her from magic. So, holding Excalibur, she probably hadn’t been under William’s spell at all and had been acting this whole time.
That meant she had a plan. And if it involved Fort not teleporting William into the sun just yet, then he’d hold off, at least for now. But still, they’d need help. With Ellora and the other Time students there, not to mention Damian, they were vastly outnumbered, not to mention underpowered. So Rachel using surprise did seem like the smartest plan.
