“You look around and realize this isn’t where you thought you’d end up. There is something strange about this place. The mist coming from the ground is cool as it brushes against your skin,” Señora Florez said. Derek was leaning in, feeling anxious. “And you hear it, in the quiet cries that seem to come from the mist itself. You all have stumbled into the Fae Forest.”

“NO!” Derek shouted.

Oskar screamed in alarm before it turned into a groan as he melted out of his chair.

Alejandra covered her face. “Oh, we are so dead.”

With a snap, Señora Florez shut her game master notebook. “And that’s where we’ll end our session.”

Derek covered his face, groaning. Señora Florez smiled, placing their figurines back in the box.

Oskar pulled out his phone. “Carson’s going to freak that he missed today.”

“Oof, I hate the fae,” Derek said.

Oskar started texting someone. “Get in line, man.”

Derek gathered his character sheet and dice. He was simply happy he could come. With play practice getting longer and more often, he was glad he was the president and could help set up when they did after school CCNC.

With a snap, Senora Florez closed the lid. “Hey, Derek? Alejandra? Could you stay after for a bit more to discuss your characters?”

“Oh, I know this conversation.” Oskar maneuvered out of his chair fast. “Don’t let Señora Florez know your weaknesses!” He ran out the door. “You’ll never know mine!”

She chuckled as Alejandra finished cleaning up her things. Derek ventured a glance at Mr. Anderson, who was sitting at Señora Florez’s desk to correct tests. He wasn’t involved in anything with CCNC; he was there to make sure Mr. Stower wasn’t. And honestly, that’s all Derek expected at this point.

Derek could almost feel the mood shift as he and Alejandra remained. He had a feeling they weren’t talking about their imaginary characters, but their real-life ones.

“Alright.” Señora Florez swapped her game master notebook with a different one. “I’ve been doing all the research I can on this topic.” She flipped through pages of handwritten notes. Derek raised an eyebrow.

“I’m impressed.”

“When you enter this school, you are under my responsibility. This is my duty, and I’m going to take it seriously,” Señora Florez said.

Mr. Anderson finished putting his papers away, getting out of Señora Florez’s desk and leaning against the wall.

“Do you know how Akshi is controlling Mr. Stower?” Alejandra asked.

Senora Florez flipped through some pages. “I’m not as confident as I’d like to be. I’ve researched all the spells he might be using. Dominate person doesn’t give him near the amount of control that we’ve seen. This has to be some sort of mixture between Akshi’s magic and how it plays in the real world.”

“Kind of like how we can’t explain my bond with Milo?”

“Exactly,” Señora Florez said.

“It makes no sense. Mr. Stower didn’t know about CCNC in the first place,” Derek said.

Alejandra rubbed her arms. “And I never got the feeling that our vice principal was… evil.”

“I know. I honestly feel like Bob’s the victim in all this, and there’s got to be a way to reverse the spell, somehow,” Señora Florez said.

“An interesting theory, but how do we test it? The only people that can work magic are their characters,” Mr. Anderson said, nodding toward Derek and Alejandra.

“There’s got to be some way. If we can see what’s happening, we can influence it, too.” Señora Florez flipped a few more pages in her notebook. “I’m thinking Mr. Stower is being pulled more toward the magical side of things, forgetting himself. If we want to make a difference, I suggest we remind him who he is.”

Alejandra and Derek glanced at each other. “We don’t know him all that well,” Derek said.

Mr. Anderson sighed in a way that almost sounded like a groan. “Yeah. Alright. Isn’t there some sort of potion your mana fusor can make to help him remember?”

Señora Florez glanced at Derek, hopeful. Derek did not feel that same hope. “Magic doesn’t work on us. Or at least… when it did, it’s made Tyler freak out. Our two worlds are not supposed to mix. And I guarantee Akshi will have a detect magic spell to sniff out whatever potion Milo made.”

Señora Florez nodded. “That’s… what I was afraid of.” She glanced at Mr. Anderson, who was tapping a finger against his arm, looking lost in thought before he pulled himself to the present. “This is up to us, then.”

“Up to… us?” Mr. Anderson asked.

“We know Bob better than these kids do. We need to shake him out of the charm. He’s changed a lot this past month, so I say we remember what he was like before, and jog his memory.” She turned a few pages. “A charmed person is completely under the control of the mana wielder, but Bob’s of this world. We remind him who he was to help him fight off the influence.”

Mr. Anderson covered his face with his hands, rubbing his forehead. “Yeah, alright.”

“Thanks, Mr. Anderson,” Derek said.

His science teacher wasn’t smiling. “I just… need him back to who he was before.”

The smile grew on Derek’s face. “Ignoring you?”

“Yes.”

Señora Florez smiled before glancing at Alejandra and Derek. “You keep us posted on anything Akshi does. Mr. Stower has now become our responsibility. You two have way too much on your plate.”

“Thanks, Señora Florez,” Alejandra said.

Derek was struck with an idea, and raised a hand. “Wait.”

Mr. Anderson and Señora Florez both looked at him. Derek gave himself a moment to organize his thoughts before he looked at his math teacher. “Calawit is the gnome sorcerer who lives in the tent near your husband’s restaurant. There might be a reason she needed to settle there specifically. She’s a powerful mana wielder and would be valuable to talk to.”

“Calawit?” Señora Florez asked.

Derek nodded. “Just… don’t steal any of her stuff. She’s got a hard shell, but once you crack it, she’s a softy. And seriously, don’t steal her stuff. Or touch it, really. I honestly don’t know what she has in there. It’s kinda dangerous.”

Señora Florez’s smile flickered across her face. “Well, she sounds like a fun NPC.”

***

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Evelyn scrolled through her phone as her mother sang along to the radio. Evelyn would hum occasionally, but she was more nervous about CCNC con. It was still early morning, and she was studying the different panels and deciding where to go. There was an interesting one on different mana domains, and she was super curious to see that one. Maybe they had info on getting the most out of the desert domain. There were also a few panels with the artists of the monsters and characters. She was excited, but knew the real purpose of the con. Neal was talking in the north building’s ballroom at noon. It was the only panel at that time, because everyone was going to it. Neal was the founder and creator. The guy thought it up when he was only twenty years old back in the mid-eighties. He must know something. And Evelyn hoped she wouldn’t have to portal Clarissa to Phoenix to give him proof. The bubble didn’t reach that far.

It was early when they left, so Evelyn found herself nodding off. The excitement and worry had a part to play in the little sleep she got last night. She wished Nick was coming. They had it all planned out for it to happen, but then Nick punched Rafael in the face. He’d been in a funk ever since. No amount of finding a rental place helped it lift.

Once they figured out what to do, once they had a more solid plan, Evelyn wanted to go back to the sessions. She wanted to be there when they helped their characters enter the portal and go back home. Tyler would keep his word and make sure Rafael wasn’t there when she was. That much she knew.

She missed going. It was impossible to lie to herself. She enjoyed being there, seeing Clarissa interacting with the other characters. It was harder to roll from a distance, especially in the middle of a cheer routine.

For some reason she found herself back in her list of voicemails. Why did this keep happening to her? She clicked out of it and went back to social media as the miles continued to roll by.

Lydia slowed the car down, causing Evelyn to wake up. She didn’t realize she’d been sleeping. She carefully rubbed her eyes, checking her phone camera to make sure she didn’t mess up her makeup.

“You said someone would meet you, right?” Lydia asked.

“Yeah.” Evelyn searched through her texts. “Derek or Tyler should be here soon. I’ll call one of them.”

“Okay. I’ll be spending the day in Phoenix. You call if you want to leave early.” Lydia checked her own makeup in the mirror.

“Yeah. Thanks, mom.” Evelyn climbed out of the car, heading toward the conference center as she waved to Lydia. She was definitely in the right place. There were tons of people, all wearing something pertaining to CCNC. Evelyn had thought of wearing a tiara and elf ears, but decided against it. There would be some people here who would go all out, and her half attempt at a costume would make her feel silly. Instead, she wore a shirt that was stuffed in the back of her closet, one Nick got her for Christmas last year. It had Choice, Chance, and Consequence in the famous lettering of the game. This was probably the first time she’d ever worn it.

She passed one person who looked so much like a half orc that she seriously had to look at his costume, finding the imperfections in the seams of his leg stilts to make sure it wasn’t Hraktar’s long-lost brother or something. It was crowded. She texted Derek and Tyler, telling them she was waiting to get through security. Derek sent a quick text back saying to call him once she got through, as Tyler was still getting ready at the hotel.

It was a long wait. She went through the metal detectors as security quickly checked her bag. Once inside, there were a ton of different booths, all stuffed with books and artwork. She was in awe at how creative people could be. It wasn’t just pictures or drawings, but metal work, little stone figures, even electronic touch screen tables for game nights.

She had her phone to her ear, wondering if Derek could hear his ringtone with all this noise.

“Evelyn?” Derek almost shouted into the phone. It was as noisy on his end as it was on hers.

“Derek! Hey! I’m through! Are you here at the booths?”

“Yeah! Here helping people through the realization that G.H. Sage is actually a woman. Ugh, I’m so happy she’s here. She’s my favorite CCNC author writing today. I wish I had brought all my books for her to sign! Not that it matters. Pretty sure I’ve got them all signed, anyway.”

“Oh, okay.” Evelyn glanced around, figuring it was best to look for places that had a lot of books.

“I see you! Over here, toward the east door!”

Evelyn glanced over, scanning the crowd until she saw him. She waved, hanging up. Derek already had a bundle of shirts, books, and art in his arm. He was wearing a cloak with a CCNC shirt underneath and a fake sword.

“Hey, Derek.”

“Good to see you.” He grabbed his backpack and stuffed his purchases in there. He didn’t hug her. Not that she expected him to, but there was definitely more space between them right now. Evelyn glanced over to see a woman in her late-thirties at the booth nearest them, smiling as she signed books.

“Have you read any G.H. Sage books?” Derek asked.

“No, I can’t say I have.”

Derek zipped up his bag. “They. Are. Excellent. Ugh, she pulls at my heartstrings every time. She understands the lore so well.”

Evelyn watched again as the woman, G.H. Sage laughed at a comment and handed the newly signed book over. “I guess, after hearing you bemoan the fact that there aren’t many women in CCNC, I wasn’t expecting a female author.”

“We will get more women into the game.” Derek put his busting backpack on. “It is my life's goal.”

Evelyn smiled, glancing around. “Where’s Tyler?”

“He said something about needing breakfast. I’m not even sure when he came into the hotel room last night. He was out socializing and partying,” Derek said.

She checked her phone again. It was almost nine in the morning. Three more hours until Neal’s panel. Another hour before they could wait in line to meet him and ask him questions. They had a bit more exploring to do before then.

“Maybe I should buy one of her books, since we’ll be in line so much today,” Evelyn said.

“The Cost of Mana.”

She frowned, glancing at Derek. “What?”

“That’s the book you buy. The Cost of Mana. You finish that, you are hooked for life.” He shrugged. “Just sayin’.”

Derek was always overdramatic, but she was curious. “Alright then. Let’s go get it.”

It wasn’t too long of a line. She got the book, almost five hundred pages, and the first in a series of five.

“The important thing to remember is the series is complete,” Derek said as he waited with her. “I wouldn’t torture you by asking you to start with her Imitation of Revenge series. Ugh. Next year cannot come fast enough.”

“How many books are in that one?” Evelyn asked.

“Three so far. She has plans for it being an eight or nine book series,” Derek said.

He then fell silent as Evelyn was next in line to get the book signed. “Uh, hi.” She wasn’t even sure what to say as she handed over the hardcover book. “My friend here says you’re the best of the best writing today.” She said friend. It almost surprised and irritated her how easy that word trickled out of her.

G.H. Sage smiled, glancing at Derek. “Well, that’s incredibly kind of you.”

“Huge fan. Can’t wait for book four,” Derek said.

The author smiled, almost like she was trying to hide something. “I can’t wait to share it.” She turned back to Evelyn. “What’s your name?”

“Evelyn.” She spelt it out slowly, which she could tell the woman appreciated.

“Hello, Evelyn. I’m Georgiana. Do you play CCNC?”

“Yes. Since I was eleven. I’m still playing my druid elf princess.” There was no point lying.

Georgiana smiled at that as she signed the book. “I mean, who wouldn’t?” Evelyn chuckled. “It’s good to have more women in the game.”

“Amen,” Derek muttered quietly.

Evelyn suppressed a smile as she took the book back. It felt hefty, but she needed something besides her phone to look at. She’d be taking plenty of pictures, so she’d need to save the battery.

Once she paid for her book, Derek got a text to meet up with Tyler outside the main booth area. She followed Derek as they made their way to a large hallway. He kept trying to say something, which was odd, because Derek never had a hard time saying things.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I keep thinking there’s something I need to tell you,” Derek said, his brows furrowing.

“Oh? Like what?”

“If I knew, I’d say. I was going to make sure you got something from me, but I don’t remember what,” Derek said, a far-off quality to his voice.

Evelyn frowned. It was definitely odd. Until it wasn’t. Something in the back of her mind eased her away from the thought, and at first it alarmed her how easily she agreed to it, and then it was like the entire conversation never happened. The panel on mana was starting in ten minutes, and she wanted to attend it.

“Hey, Tyler!” Derek said, waving.

Evelyn turned and saw Tyler walking over to them wearing a pair of aviators, holding a bagel and a paper cup of orange juice. “Hey, guys. Glad you could make it, Evelyn.”

“Yeah. Still sad Nick couldn’t come, but…” she trailed off, not sure she needed to remind them all why he wasn’t here. In fact, despite the sobbing she’d done the week before, she felt better being here. Things were weird between her and Derek as they continued to dance around the conversation, but at least for the moment they both pretended like Rafael didn’t exist.

Tyler mumbled something before taking a bite of his bagel.

Derek narrowed his eyes, frowning at his orange juice. He leaned over closer, studying Tyler’s bagel, thick with cream cheese. Tyler took another bite before straightening his sunglasses.

“Dude. Are you hung over?” Derek asked.

Tyler stopped mid-chew. He didn’t look at either of them, and it was another beat before he kept chewing. “Let’s… not worry about it.”

Derek snorted. “So, is this why you didn’t want to meet us in there?” He pointed toward the huge gymnasium with all the booths set up. The noise was at a dull roar, and Tyler winced. He drained the rest of his orange juice and tossed it in the garbage.

“Gentle reminder for myself that con parties have drinks stronger than they seem. Not a word of this to my mother. Understand?” Tyler muttered.

“Yeah. Sure,” Derek said.

Evelyn shook her head, a slight smile on her face as she pulled out her phone. “I guess it’s a picture of Derek and I for a bit, then.”

“That would be appreciated,” Tyler said.

Evelyn held up her newly purchased book and winked at her phone as Derek smiled into the camera. The first picture of many, she had no doubt.