Gods, am I really contemplating what I think I am contemplating? Zan thought about it. Yeah, I am. Maybe there is something wrong with me? He tried to… do that in font of me. He was a pervert, unbalanced! He was — trying to get me to leave the closet so he could talk to me.

Zan repeated it to himself: he was only trying to talk to me. He was only trying to goad me out of the closet. That was all. I owe him one more chance.

If I can find him…

Standing in front of his bed, Zan exhaled. He felt silly. He felt desperate.

But he had to do it. He had to try.

Leaving his room and finding his lunch sitting on the kitchen sideboard, having been made an uncertain time ago by the chef, whose name Zan had forgotten, Zan eat quickly and found Jiehong.

Outside, Jiehong was talking to the community, helping to hash out a disagreement between people.

“Oh, you’re awake. I’m guessing you want to begin our little quest?” Jie asked.

“Yeah. I think so. Would you like to search around and in Thundervale while I take the remote places? We can switch, though! I’m fine with either.”

“Thundervale is good! I will head up now,” Jie said, leaving to prepare right away.

He and Jiehong prepared separately for the first time. Zan guessed he must still be feeling weird about things. Normally, they would prepare for an outing together.

Now, though? Zan already could feel the tension.

Once more fully prepared to face any threat they might encounter, alone or together, Zan set out at the same time Jie left to Thundervale.

For a full day, Zan explored the countryside, visiting many green places, both of nature and of modest human dwelling, mostly people, small families, really, hiding out from the war. No one Zan talked to knew the ancient script or could recommend a person who knew the script.

Defeated, Zan returned to the command center, feeling bummed he hadn’t even uncovered any lodestones to make travel easier. At least a lodestone would have made it all worthwhile… oh well.

Having returned to the command center, his own chamber, specifically, Zan pinged Jiehong. He wanted to update his (strained) friend on his lack of progress.

Jiehong answered. Unfortunately, he was not hard at work.

“Heya, buddy… how’s it… hanging?!” Jiehong said, his speech slurred slightly from one too many beverages. Zan heard voices in the background.

“I wanted to update you on my progress. Nothing. I have nothing, I found nothing. Where are you? I am bummed about still not having anything to show,” Zan said.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“Bummer! Bro. Bummer…” Jiehong spoke. “I’m hanging out in a tavern. I was searching for our… guy,” Jie continued, hiccuping. “Then, blam, found these wonderful gents! He is getting married! Can you believe it?! MARRIED! Life long bliss. Oh! He is treating everyone to some good spirits!”

Jiehong spoke. Zan felt jealous. Then upset.

“Okay. Don’t overdue it, bud. Talk to you later, okay? Bye!” Zan said, quickly pressing the button to end the long-distance conversation. Zan felt disgust. He wanted to cuss Jiehong out for getting distracted. For now, even looking… but he let his frustration go. He would have at least another day, then, before Jiehong came back. He would be sick in the morning. Then he would know well enough not to come back empty-handed, so he will search and try to make up for his partying. I have time.

Zan waited a few minutes before leaving. He wanted to see if Jiehong would call him back. After ten minutes, though, Zan dismissed his fancies. He isn’t going to call, he knew. Passing through the command center, Zan asked the Wardens, “Am I free to use the Backroads room as I see fit? I am the leader, right?”

“Yes, Zan. You are free to use the Backroads entrance as much or as little as you would like. You are in command. I am merely a tool to help guide you. Once we grant you access to a tool, that resource cannot be revoked. My programming dictates no other course. Why do you ask?” the Screen Master said.

Zan explained, “I want to explore the Backroads. Truthfully, I would like to locate the boy I met the last time I was there, you know? If that path is there, again. Which is probably won’t be.”

“I understand. Tactically, I would advise against attempting to locate a Backroads path which should not have been there to begin with, but I also understand how the presence of one and its mysteries are alluring to uncover. Especially to someone so young, someone like you. An additional advisement: if you encounter danger while exploring where the path lets out, we cannot help you. Ask yourself, Zan: is the benefit to exploring this place worth risking your life?” the Screen Master said.

“It is not. I know that already. I have to try, Screen Master. I feel… like it is the only way for me to move forward. I know that sounds weird. But I need someone to talk to, someone my age, and who isn’t a fake person, like you and Sigma-Prime. Sorry, but it is the truth,” Zan replied.

“We understand, Zan. It is normal for Life Forms like yourself to experience these changes as your bodies come into hormonal maturation. Our creators have programmed us with this information,” Sigma-Prime said.

“Good to know,” Zan said, slightly awkward, feeling like he was back, years ago, when Jiehong’s parents sat him and Jie down to have ‘the talk.’ The talk being the thing which parents gave every child in their lives about how weird their changing body would be and how they should never hesitate to ask for advice about a body issue.

Then Zan ran off, feeling younger than he was; which was strange, considering the Wardens had literally just finished explaining how he, Zan, was the master of the command center castle. Not they, the ‘adults,’ but he, the child.

Brushing off as best he could the weird, but biologically accurate, conversation, Zan entered the White Chamber.

“Simulacrum? Begin filling the chamber with energy, please,” Zan asked.

“Understood. Initiating procedure,” replied the Screen Master.

Gradually, the chamber filled, a whining noise following it, not too dissimilar to that of a puppy begging for food.

Flashing, the chamber finished its task, and propelled Zan into the Backroads.

Once more in the surreal, stretched out place of the Backroads, where mist and fog seemed too well in supply, Zan searched for his unusual path.

As ever, temporal flow inside the Backroads ill-matched reality. Zan counted to a number, forgot how far he had counted, then had to restart. Even when he protected his memory from the leeching grasps of this place, he knew the elapsed time was longer — or shorter? — than it literally felt to him. What all this meant was, Zan couldn’t figure out how long he searched the Backroads before all sense of time vanished.