A Darkness With No Name // Book 1: The Warriors of Light

3: To the Academy of Light

Song for this chapter: “On Our Way.” Also the Glee version.  Ya deal with it y’all

Ian stared at the writhing mass of clothes on his bed that were supposed to go in his travel bag.  Lucas was beneath them, which is why they were now writhing.  It was Lucas’ fault, really.  He’d insulted his clothes.  He was paying for that.

“Ian, get this flying pile of monkey shit off me!”

“Not gonna happen man.”

“Iaaaannnn!”

“Apologise to the clothes.”

Lucas gave a dramatic sigh, although he was actually laughing.  Deep down.  Very deep down.  He also knew that Ian would actually keep his word.

“Dear shit pile on top of me, I’m sorry for calling you a shit-pile.  Is that better?”

Ian pretended to consider this, and then shrugged.  “They said OK, monkey farts.”

Lucas burst out of the clothes, and just sat there, staring at Ian as the latter laughed his head off.  Lucas cut him off by saying, “Yan, we’re going soon.  Hurry!”

Ian pulled himself together (with difficulty) and started shoving the clothes unceremoniously in the bag.  Lucas helped, and as his hand brushed Ian’s, Ian felt goose bumps climb up his arm.  In a few minutes, they stood over an extremely full, extremely unhappy travel bag.  Lucas high-fived Ian, looked around his room, saw the Loki watch he’d just given him and grabbed it.

“C’mere,” he said.

Ian came forward cautiously.  Lucas grabbed his left hand and put the watch on it.  As he bent over Ian’s arm, brow furrowing slightly in concentration, Ian felt a very sudden emotion, the like of which he’d not felt in a very long time.

Happiness.  Pure happiness. 

Having fastened the watch, Lucas looked up to see Ian’s eyes brimming with tears.  After reassuring himself they were, in fact, happy tears, he hugged Ian tightly, and together, they walked out of Ian’s room and down the stairs, dragging the unruly travel bag behind them.

Of course, Nathaniel had been informed of the current situation by Mister Huge McBoulder, who was currently sitting on a wobbling stool while Nate eyed the stool warily.  He looked up as the boys entered the room, smiling sadly at his obviously love-struck son and his more obviously oblivious best friend.  He stood up and opened his arms.  Ian ran towards him and hugged him, suddenly realising that the only link to his past, and the only person who loved him unconditionally, would be staying here.  Lucas excused himself, saying he had to go pick his things from home, and dragged the huge person off the stool and out of the house, much to the stool and Nathaniel’s relief.  That was a very expensive stool.

Nathaniel sat Ian on an incredibly expensive stool and stared at him, taking in his scrawny frame and his freckles and his crazy hair.  “Son, I know this is your time, like it was your mother’s before you.  I accept that.  But please…please don’t forget me.  And…don’t die…” At this, Nathaniel’s outer exterior dissolved into tears, and Ian forgot all his worries and just focussed on comforting his father.

Outside the front door, Lucas sat on the floor, his travel bag sitting next to him, David hovering awkwardly next to him.    Surprisingly, it was he who started talking.  “So…you’re really close to that boy, aye?”

Lucas looked up, shielding his eyes from the sudden sun.  “He’s my best friend.  Of course we’re close.”

David eyed him suspiciously.  “Best friends?  Really?”  Wow this boy is actually thicker than I thought, he added in his brain.