Garthia: The Forgotten King

Chapter Five

~Chapter Five

My dad told me that there's a gateway into Garthia. He doesn't know exactly where it is, but he can send me on the right path. I'm supposed to meet a man named Sawyer. He owns a small antique shop downtown. Dad gathered everything I would need for about a month and somehow fit it into a book bag.

We're getting ready to get into the car when I hear someone call my name. I look to right to see Eve running towards me, a Vera Bradley messenger bag slung over her shoulder. She runs up and stands in front of me. "I'm coming with you." she announces, out of breath.

"Eve, I'm not sure if that's such a good idea." I warn gently.

"Why not?" she whines, "My parents are out of town and I'm bored."

"But-"

"That's fine." Dad says. I give him a warning look, but he just smiles assuringly at me. "It's fine, Hayden." His eyes drift to Eve. "We'll be glad to have you."

Eve squeals. "Thanks, Mr. Blakely!" A look passes between them that I can't decipher. I choose to ignore it for now.

We all climb in the car and head downtown.

>>>

The shop is just how you would expect it to be: old and dusty. From the outside, anyway, with a squeaky sign hanging on by a hinge, windows clouded with who knows what, and peeling paint on the face of the building. When we pull up in front of it, my dad doesn't turn off the car.

"You're not coming with us?" I ask. I thought he was supposed to guide us.

He smiles sadly. "No. This is your trip. I'm just going to get in the way." He kisses me on the forehead. " Don't worry. You'll love it."

"Alright. Bye." I climb out of the car.

"Bye. Be careful."

"I will." Eve comes to stand beside me as he pulls away.

"So," she says, grinning from ear-to-ear, "Are you ready?"

"Yeah." We walk up to the shop and pull open the door.

The shop is just like it is on the outside: old and dusty. Especially dusty. Eve and I cough as we inhale it. The shop is filled with dozens of antiquities from shrunken heads to tea cups.

I try to hold my breath as I walk around the distressed furniture that takes up most of the narrow walkway. A man that looks as ancient as the antiques is sitting behind the counter in the back of the room.

The man's face is covered in wrinkles and he's glaring at me with sunken blue eyes. "You must be young Hayden," he croaks. He then turns to Eve and grins, showing off his crooked yellow teeth. "And I know that face anywhere."

Eve laughs nervously. "Can we skip introductions, please? We already know you're Sawyer, right?" The old man nods, still grinning. "Great. Then you can show us the way to 'you know where', right?"

"I can, but I have one condition." He turns in his chair and calls, "Cameron!" there are footsteps on the set of stairs in the corner of the room. A boy that looks about my age emerges from the stairs.

"Yes, Grandpa?" he says. The boy-Cameron-has shaggy black hair and strange purpleish eyes, with a tiny scar on his jaw. He's wearing blue jeans, a loose, stained T-shirt, and dirty white tennis shoes.

Sawyer turns back to us. "For me to show you the way, you have to agree to take my grandson with you."

"What!" Eve and I shout in unison. Cameron just looks confused.

"Where are they going?" he asks.

"Garthia." his grandfather answers.

Cameron's eyes widen. "Really? And I get to go?" He shouts with joy.

"Wait," I say. "He's one of them too?"

Sawyer nods. "Yes. But he's not just any wizard, Cameron here is an Elemental."

Eve and I gasp. There are only four Elementals in the world. What are the chances that two of them are right here in Charleston?

Sawyer laughs as if our surprise is funny. "Didn't you see the sign outside? Arlington Antiques." I did look at the sign, but it's unreadable.

"Yeah." Cameron agrees as he walks over to stand beside Sawyer, draping an arm over his shoulder. "Pretty cool, right?"

"Miss Hayden Blakely here is one too, Cameron." Sawyer explains.

Cameron looks at me like he's noticing me for the first time. "Nice to meet you." Then he turns to Eve.

He opens his mouth, but Eve speaks before him. "Yeah, yeah. Everyone knows who I am. Can you just get on with telling us where to go?" She's acting very strange.

"So you will take my grandson with you?" Everyone turns to me for some reason. I nod quickly. "Good. You will find the gate in a small bar not to far from here, in a old part of town, known as Downtown Brewery. Look for someone you know." He seems to be finished.

"That's it?" Eve complains.

"That is all you need. You will be able to find it."

Cameron is practically jumping with joy. "I'll go get my stuff." He rushes back up the stairs.

Sawyer sighs and looks sadly at the worn wood of the counter. "Poor boy. He has no idea of the dangers of the world that us wizards live in. He believes that it's all community and magic and happiness." His voice drifts off. "He has no idea." he repeats.

He looks up when Cameron's starts to come down the stairs again carrying a black Pink Floyd backpack. "Ready!" he announces vivaciously.

Sawyer smiles, acting like nothing happened. "Good. Now here is where you need to go..."