In Keotom

Chapter 7

    Sana slowly lay down on the floor, staring at the ceiling. This was not possible. There was no way that this was real. She had to be dreaming. The trickster witch's son was her brother? No.

   "You're lying," she said as she got up off the floor. "There is no possible way that I am related to him!"

    Thomas was as shocked as she was. "You're from here? They're really siblings?" His mom nodded, smiling at him, her eyes honest.

    So many crazy things had already happened, but this was probably the craziest. Sana and Salca didn't even look similar. And... would that mean he was related to them?

    Sana had deep, tulip-purple hair and a bright, florescent blue eye, whereas Salca had jet black hair and dark, purple eyes. Where did the black even come from?

    "Am I their cousin, then?" Thomas asked quietly. His mother laughed and shook her head.

    "As I said a few minutes ago, I am the adopted one," Meela says. Sana and Thomas exchange a look of confusion. Salca's eyes widen.

    "The ancient scroll of kingdoms!" Salca blurts, causing everyone to look at him. His cheeks flush pink, and he shifts uncomfortably. "It... it would be written in the ancient scroll of kingdoms. Everything about all the kingdoms is in that scroll." Meela nods, looking proud. Then she turns slightly.

    "Thomas," his mom says, looking at him seriously. "You're all going to need to head the Teddy kingdom. You'll find help there."

    Thomas stared at her. "They're kind of aggressive though, aren't they?"

    His mom grinned at him. "Precisely!"

    Sana spent the whole boat ride back to mainland cursing existence. She said so many strange words Thomas had never heard, that he thought she was doing some sort of ritual to sink the boat. Luckily, she wasn't.

    Once they reached the mainland and Thomas helped Salca out of the boat, Sana climbed out and gazed up at the tall gates standing before them. "These are a bit large for a couple of plush animals," she says, poking at the massive, metal doors.

    Thomas stared at her, mouth agape. "You mean you don't know about the Teddy kingdom?" Sana shook her head and stared at him.

    "Let me explain," Thomas says, opening the gate. "There are more than two hundred bears, and they have taken it upon themselves to guard certain... dangerous toys." He looked behind him. Salca was holding a marble maze puzzle in his hands. "Like that," Thomas says flatly, the look on his face saying that it had been an idiot move to pick the thing up.

    The toy began to vibrate in Salca's hands, and he dropped it with a yelp, startled. "The children call it 'The Beast'," Thomas explained. "It turns people into marbles."

    Sana went pale. "Who would invent such a horrible thing? I know the witch cursed, but someone made it."

    "That's not what it was made for," Thomas says, letting out a small laugh. "It's a toy. Toys are supposed to be fun."

    Salca flipped the toy onto its front and pulled something out of its back, causing it to shut down and go still.

    "What did you just do?" Sana asked, shocked, as Salca carefully began to dismantle the device he was holding. "And how'd you do it?"

    Salca shrugged and looked at the pieces of the device lying on the palm of his hand. "You spend enough time around these things, and you know how to deal with them without even thinking." He tossed the pieces to the side, and they kept walking.

    It was nightfall by the time they reached the castle. Thomas knocked on the large doors, and bears of all colors, shades, and sizes came flooding out, surrounding the small group. "We come in peace!" Thomas shrieked, his hands in the air. "Meela sent us!"

    The bears lowered their spears and a small, light blue one, wearing a silver crown that was interwoven with holly leaves, pushed through the crowd. "I am Princess Blueberry. It's an honor, and my pleasure, to have friends of Meela's come over." The small bear said, bowing. They bowed back, Salca and Sana imitating Thomas's motions.

    Blueberry led them into the castle and down long halls into the queen's bedroom. "I will take it that the witch has taken over as queen?" Sana nodded slowly. "The toys are very active, so the witch must be out. If Meela sent you, then you must be looking for help," Blueberry says, digging around in her wardrobe.

    Thomas nodded. "We are. Do you know who can help... us?"

    Blueberry was putting on armor and had a bow with a quiver full of arrows. She turned to look at him as she finished strapping on her armor. "You said something?"

    Thomas stared down at the small princess. "You're really going to help us?"

    She nodded as she finished strapping her armor. "It's so boring here. I want to do something."

    Thomas shrugged. "If you're sure you'll be alright."

    Blueberry glared at him. "I may be small, but I remember almost killing you many years ago."

    Thomas laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Y-yeah, you did."

    Blueberry laughed, too. "Sorry 'bout that. You were an intruder."

    Thomas shrugged. "No, I get it. Dangerous territory and stuff. Anyway, we should get going. I want to reach the castle by sunrise."