Sixty years later

Mateo wanted a rest–he did–but the Paperblank Forest needed him. Still dressed in his night clothes, the twenty-one-year-old shuffled over to a tall closet in the corner of his room. Inside, matador-like jackets hung from hangers, as well as tight-fitting pants. The interior smelled like the wilderness, but that was because Mateo was in it so much. At the back of the closet was a mirror.

Mateo cringed when he saw his messy, short black hair. However, he was incredibly handsome. He was the kind of boy every girl at school swooned over. The small, black goatee on his chin matched perfectly with his tanned complexion. His mother said he still sported baby skin because it was so soft. Mateo was in tip-top shape because he had been running around Pinta Country like crazy lately.

He pulled a few jackets from their hangers and piled them in his arms.

His room was homely and cozy. The king-sized bed was in the heart of it and propped up against the wall. Behind it was a window that overlooked Mateo's medieval-modern neighborhood. Not only did cars run up and down the streets, but so did horses and carriages.

Mateo's leather suitcase sat on top of his olive-green bedsheet. Since he just got up, he had yet to make his bed.

He folded each jacket neatly and set them on top of what looked like an orange and black uniform. Afterward, he dragged a small, oval-shaped device out of a silky bag that sunglasses would fit in. It looked like a high-tech walkie-talkie. An antenna stuck out on top of it, and the device's screen was protected by an orange flip-top. It fit Mateo's hand perfectly.

He flipped the top up and pressed a button under the screen. The device turned on, and a map of Pinta Country appeared. Its shape was similar to that of the U.S.A. The tallest mountain was Pinta Mountain. The range took up almost the country's whole middle section. It split Pinta Country into two parts. Next to the map was a drop-down menu that had the options: Voicemail, Missions, Magical Encounters, and Settings.

Mateo zoomed in on the Paperblank Forest. It was a vast blanket of trees that was relatively close to the country's largest port city, Maglin City. A red light flashed deep in it, indicating something was on the move. "Stupid basilisk," the young man mumbled in his deep, Spanish-like accent.

A knock came from his door. It was gentle but also had a bit of force to it.

"Come in," Mateo said.

The door opened, revealing a beautiful, young woman about his age. She also had a tan complexion and black hair, except hers reached down her back. Fear was written all over her face.

"Maria, what's wrong?" Mateo hated seeing his fiancée distressed.

She picked up her white dress and hurried to him. "Mateo, please don't go."

Mateo put the flip top back over his device's screen, slipping it into its bag. He gently took Maria's shoulders and shook them. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I have to." He tried to kiss her, but Maria pulled away.

"No! You've been working so hard lately! What about the wedding? What if something happens?" She and Mateo were scheduled to get married at the end of the summer. "For once, can't you just say 'no?'" Maria snapped. "Or is fame all that matters to you?"

"Hardly," Mateo answered. He shut his suitcase. "Now, will you excuse me? I need to change."

Maria snatched his upper left arm.

Mateo had trouble shaking her off. He ended up dragging her to his closet.

Tears ran down the young woman's cheeks. "Don't do this. Please. Just tell the Union you need a break."

Mateo managed to free himself. "I can't," he replied. He made his choice carefully. Mateo picked out a short pink jacket and pants, a white shirt, and leather shoes. He held the Mexican-like attire up to his body so he could get an idea of what he would look like. "Excuse me," he repeated. Mateo slipped into the closet. He closed the door behind him.

Maria tried to open it, but it was locked. By then, she knew there was no way she could get her fiancé to change his mind. Why were men so stubborn?

She ended up burning the pancakes that morning, but Maria couldn't care less.

Mateo's kitchen was small. The cupboards and counters needed a nice rub down, but Maria was not in the mood to clean.

She set a plate of burnt pancakes down in front of Mateo, who read the morning newspaper.

He took a sip from his coffee, but his eyes widened at the sight of the food. "Maria, what happened to the pancakes?"

"Oh, who cares?" Maria sat down at the wooden table with him, which was across from the refrigerator.

"Okay." Mateo was hungry, so he went ahead and ate the pancakes. He cringed because they tasted like soot. However, he gave Maria a fake smile. "Mmm, delicious."

His suitcase was under the table and next to his foot. Mateo soon heard a beeping sound from it. He had an incoming voice message from the Union. He released his device from its bag and stood up. Once again, he flipped up the top. In a serious voice, he said, "Mateo here."

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Maria tried hard not to cry. She fiddled with the diamond on her engagement ring. Mateo went through so much to get it for her, all because he loved her so much.

He paced back and forth in the kitchen. "Yes, Professor, I'm leaving today. We need to get ready for the campers."

The professor on the screen was Eryx, the top professor at the Union. He was an old man, but he still had quite a bit of spunk in him. His flowing, white hair was a little scraggly, but he looked wise with it like that. "How's Maria doing?" he wanted to know.

"Not good, but Mother is going to look after her," Mateo stated.

Slam! The front door of Mateo's house flew open. A middle-aged woman appeared in the doorway. She had medium-length, chocolate-colored hair, but it was beginning to gray in a few places. Like Mateo, her eyes were deep brown and mesmerizing. She sported a pink top with an abnormally large bra, flats, and a denim skirt.

The woman's eyes landed on Mateo, and she yelled, "Mateo Waeo!"

"Oh no," Mateo whispered under his breath. He never liked it when his mother yelled. She was about to give him a Howler. He just knew it. He glanced at Professor Eryx on his device's screen and said, "Gotta go," ending the call.

To get a good look at the woman, Maria leaned back in her seat and peered down the hallway. There were numerous paintings of nature in it. "Ms. Brook, you're here... three hours early."

She stomped down the hallway and ducked into the kitchen. "Of course, I am! I need to give my baby boy a proper earful!"

Mateo's face reddened to the point it looked like a tomato. He hated the fact that his mom still did not accept him as a real man. Then again, ever since a fight she had with her sister years ago, she had not been in a good place. Mateo never met her because they vowed to never see each other again. He did miss his grandma, though.

Ms. Brook came within reach of her son. She smacked her hand across the back of his head.

"Ow!" Mateo complained. He rubbed the sore area.

His mother crossed her arms. "Look what you're doing to your poor fiancée! The sweet thing can't even cook a pancake anymore!"

"But, Mamá, I thought you had no qualms about keeping her company," Mateo argued.

"No qualms? Oh, I have plenty of qualms, Mateo Waeo!"

"Please don't call me that."

His mother stamped her foot. "I'm not having my baby boy confront a basilisk. You're going to call the Union right now and call off the mission. That thing will petrify you!"

Mateo shook his head. "No, it won't, Mom. This basilisk is different."

"I don't care! Call the Union! Look at you, my son. You're exhausted. You have bags under your eyes."

Mateo rubbed his index fingers under each of his eyes. "I haven't been sleeping well," he admitted. "That's why I need to return to the wilderness."

"You will not!"

"You can't stop me, Mom. I'm not a child anymore. I promise I'll be careful. I've been trained to confront magical beings, remember?" Mateo pushed past Ms. Brook and came within reach of Maria. He got down on one knee and offered her his hands.

She hesitated but accepted them.

"Listen to me, Maria," Mateo said in a gentle voice. "After this mission, it will be just you and me. But I have to go. I have a feeling something exciting is going to happen." He rubbed tears from his fiancée's cheeks. "The boy and Guardian are counting on me to free them." For a second, he rested his palm on Maria's belly. He brushed it across her belly button.

Maria wrapped her fingers around his slightly shaking hand. "I just don't want you to get hurt," she admitted.

"I won't. Before you know it, we will be lounging on Maglin Beach. Now, I have to get going." Mateo gave her a quick kiss.

"Mateo!" Ms. Brook snapped, but he ignored her. He grabbed his suitcase and pushed himself to his feet. The young man picked up his keys from a counter and trekked down the painting-filled hallway. He opened the front door with precision.

The summer air smelled fresh, but barbecue, hay, and horse dung mixed in with the overall scent. Mateo was used to the unusual smells.

Across the street was a playground, as well as a few farms.

Children raced each other across the playground's monkey bars and took turns on the slides and swings. Lots of people were out on their morning walks. There was a gentle mix of pedestrians and equestrians. The whole neighborhood was shady.

Mateo trotted down the front steps. He lifted his hand and waved goodbye to his white and black house, including the window where his room was. He stood on a cobblestone path. Green grass surrounded it. His red Convertible was at the end of the path. Mateo took it to the shop just the other day, so it was slick and shiny. He spoke into his device, "All right, I'm on my way."

Maria and his mother appeared in the doorway behind him.

Ms. Brook shook her head. "Oi, I'm going to have to put that boy in a bubble." Like Maria, she knew she couldn't stop him, no matter how hard she tried.

Maria scoffed. "Men, right? I wish someone would just look after him."

Strangely, when she said that, a shadow swooped over their heads. It moved fast, so the women did not see it.

Mateo climbed into his car and started it up. He pulled out of the driveway and turned onto the street.

Maria and Ms. Brook kept a close eye on him. They were unaware that something strange was about to happen.

***

Euphorbia and Sam were trapped in another dimension and time. The dimension was space-like. Colorful stars and galaxies swooshed by Euphorbia's protective bubble, but the area was pitch black.

Sam was in stasis. His whole body was frozen. The wound on his arm was very much fresh.

Euphorbia, though, was not in stasis. After all, she was the one who had the power to time travel. Except, she was so weak from her illness. The Pebble Masters... Where were they? She did not know how much longer she could keep this up. Her ability to keep Sam alive was fading, but she felt a glimmer of hope. Messages from the Paperblank Forest told her so. It was time. She just had to hold on a little longer.

The weakened fairy rested in Sam's hair. She struggled to lift her head. Faded blue and green fairy dust bounced off her wings. Opening her mouth, she called for the Pebble Masters. "Pebble Masters, please. Please help us."

***

Euphorbia's message got across to Pinta Country. Every tree in the kingdom glowed up the same they did sixty years prior.

People stopped their daily activities so they could witness the phenomenon.

Maria and Ms. Brook exchanged confused looks with one another. "What's going on?" Maria finally asked.

Mateo was practically on the main road when the strange event hit his neighborhood. The shadow that swooped over Maria and his mom appeared over him, but he didn't see it. Instead, he got out of his car, device in hand, and looked up at the trees. He held it up to them. "The Guardian's calling out again," he observed. "Don't worry. I'm going to help you."

Dimensional readings on his device were high. They told him someone was calling from another dimension. The boy and Guardian had been trapped in time for sixty years; it was about time the Pinta Park Rangers did something. Without the Guardian, there was no hope of defeating the basilisk to free the Paperblank Forest. Mateo's mission was definitely on the more extreme side. Now it was even more crucial for him to reach the village.

"I won't let you down, Grandmother," he whispered under his breath.