King of Shadows: Of Blood and Tears

Chapter 4: First Day of School

A week had gone by, and no dreams had blessed the boy's mind during his rest, and no nightmares had cursed it. He was left with an empty feeling, nothing to fill the void. All he could do was ponder on that magical land he, for some unimaginable reason, missed. All he could think about were the words Amaris had spoken to him. As her voice, so familiar to him, filled his ears, a wave of tranquility washed over him, sending a shiver down his arms.

Find us... Follow the Eastern Star... Thiandaril... Meahkthran... Your destiny awaits... Come... Come... COME!

Max was unsure what they had meant, if they even had any meaning at all. Maybe he was crazy. Maybe his mom was right, and he needed help. Max didn't want to believe that, but what else would this mean? Max's dreams felt surreal and powerful, and he felt a mysterious connection to the world and her voice.

And then there was the destiny bit. A discourse that Max was frequently bewildered by. Then the conversation with his dad would play repeatedly, like a scratched up record player.

"And what do you believe, son?" That was still a question Maximus could not fully answer himself, and if he tried, he would think of his mom. Was it her fate to become a drunken witch, whose sharp tongue made her son feel like a boiling cauldron of trash?

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Maximus wasn't ready for the school year to start - but luckily for him, being a small town and all, he was able to make a few friends over the summer. He even found a liking for a new girl, who somehow seemed... familiar.

Max was still unsure about these friends. He was an introvert, so being able to make friends while also walking barefoot through the rough terrain of friendship came hard for him. He much preferred writing, or playing video games - being sucked into the virtual world of a nice fantasy realm was his go to on most occasions. Yet for his girlfriend, he had never felt such a connection to somebody before. He was young, and knew this, but her presence gave him a comfort and security he never thought he'd need. She just got him. She understood all of his dark nooks and crannies and wasn't repulsed by him. When she was around, he felt a warmth in his chest that had been missing for a while. Her familiarity struck odd, as if he had always known her. Not in some cliche love story sort of way, but as if...well Max didn't really know the words for what he was feeling. It was just an added mystery to his pile of riddles.

But like most plagued with anxiety, as soon as that sense of solace entered his soul, the trauma and nightmares chipped away at his ability to be happy. He was trying to convince himself that they weren't real, and he knew he had the strength to climb over this seemingly impossible mountain. Knowing that, he still always wondered why. And perhaps that reason would never be revealed to him. He was resolute in his intention that he must try, although his palms quivered each time he heard a peculiar noise, or felt an unfamiliar sensation, outside of his safe space.

"Hey Max! What's up, man?" William Johnson said, running up to Max near an enormous tree in front of Shadow Grove High. "How's the house? Have you found any tunnels yet?"

Oh God, not this again, Max thought, fake laughing...awkwardly.

"No, not yet. Haven't even really looked, nor cared too." He chuckled, scratching the back of his faded hair.

"Why not? Don't you remember? The cartel built the house. There are all sorts of rumors saying that their diner downtown is connected to tunnels." He paused, scratched the bridge of his nose, watching as a girl far out of his league walked by. William Johnson was renowned for his comedic wit, but when it came to talking to girls, his confidence was lacking. His smell of pungent beef and garlic would cause them to flee before he could utter a single word.