No more degrees of separation. No more closet doors hiding them. No more fear.

When Zan opened the door and revealed himself to the other guy, he felt like a bird without its wings. He continued to breathe in slowly, exhale slowly. What would happen?

Zan now had a good look at the other guy. For the first time, they saw each other without pretense, without the dark or themselves obscuring their truth, their image. Zan wondered what would happen.

Wanting to take the power into his proverbial hands, Zan stepped out of the closet. He side-eyed the bed to make sure the exit portal remained. It did.

The other guy stepped toward Zan but only one step. He said, “You look cool.”

The guy’s words took Zan aback. He, the lowly orphan boy, was cool? How so?

Zan knew enough from watching Jiehong, though, about how to act when people thought you were cool, to not squander one’s coolness. He didn’t ask why another perceived him as cool. He simply went with the flow.

“Thanks. I don’t try,” Zan said, trying to be cooly irrelevant.

“What’s that stuff you’re wearing? Is it war stuff?” the guy asked.

“Uhhh… yeah. It is. Not because I was planning on using it, though. It’s only a backup in case someone puts my life on notice,” Zan said, remembering the truth is the best policy.

The guy laughed. “‘Puts my life on notice,’” the guy repeated. “Like your life is a landlord’s tenant and the bad guy is the landlord.” The youth laughed, clearly amused by Zan’s words, though Zan not understanding yet what was so funny by the way he talked.

Zan had not noticed as they talked how the other youth had slowly taken a number more steps toward him. Not until Zan had to take a couple of side-steps to the guy’s bed to get some personal space. Seeing him take those steps, the other boy took a step back himself.

“So, who are you fighting?” the boy asked, standing still but focused wholly on Zan.

“I’m fighting the New Woodland Expanse. Who else?” Zan stated, unsure about the boy’s confusion regarding who he was fighting. There was only one evil in the world, after all. So who else would he raise his sword against?

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Zan’s peer look seemed strange to him. Like loyalty and reality tore him in different directions.

Despite his odd look, which Zan couldn’t parse, the other boy continued to talk. “You sure you’re not here to hurt me?”

“No! I’m not! Really!” Zan said, practically yelling.

“Oh, good. Load off my back…”

It was Zan’s turn to be confused. It felt like something had happened without him being informed of it. Was the boy hiding something? Why would he think Zan wanted to hurt him? Was he really such an assassin?

Look at yourself, Zan, Zan chided himself. Sneaking into some castle at night while armed to the teeth. Who wouldn’t think you were a killer? Especially the kid whose sleep you interrupted?

Thinking of something, suddenly Zan said, “Here, take one of these. It’s called a smoke grenade. You pull the pin and a ton of smoke comes out. It gives you time to flee from enemies. Or charge them!”

The boy accepted the gift. He turned the grenade over in his hands several times. Smiling. “This is so cool! Thanks! I will always keep it on me!”

“Yeah, I have a bunch. Plus, I can get more any time. So, keep it. Use it when you think you’re in danger and it could save your life,” Zan replied.

“So… do you want to sit down and talk?” the other guy asked.

Zan looked around at the room. It was so fancy. So nice.

Remembering Jiehong’s parents and how they would have tea and coffee on their cozy backdoor nook, and how he always wanted to join them, but never could, the idea of maybe having a drink here pleased Zan.

Unfortunately, Zan’s nerves were getting the better of him.

He continued to eye the exit portal.

“I might need to leave…”

“That’s fine. What’s your name? When will I see you again?” the other asked.

“My name? It’s Zan,” he said, feeling giddy inside someone wanted to know him.

“Sweet. Nice to meet you, Zan. My name is Luxley!” the other said.

Zan had never heard a name like ‘Luxley’ before. But he liked it.

“Nice to meet you, Luxley… I gotta go, but when I come back, I might have a way for us to stay in contact. Until then!” and Zan leaped into the exit portal, suddenly needing to leave.

Back in the Backroads, Zan steadied himself, then shot his fist into the air.

“Duck yeah!” he shouted, happier than ever.

It got off to a thorny start, Zan said while walking back to the command center’s light, mulling over the events. It ended well, though. Next time will be smoother. I can’t wait! I need to ask the Wardens about that thing right away!

Emerging back into the White Chamber, Zan decompressed, then left.

He entered the war room.

Before he could ask either Warden about his request, however, they blindsided him.

“Zan! Welcome back! We have exciting news. As you were on your solo mission, we tracked the energy signature emitted by the new pathway inside the Backroads. We do not know how the path can form, de-form, and re-form, but this will be a topic of future enquiry. What we discovered today was where the output for the passage is in the real world,” the Screen Master said.

“Oh, so like, where I am when I leave the Backroads?” Zan asked for clarity.

Zan’s interest piqued heavily. He had an idea about who this ‘Luxley’ boy was — clearly coming from means or even a royal family — so Zan also wondered if knowing the actual place where he lived would help him any. He wanted to know, regardless.

“Correct,” Simulacrum said. “The pathway you have taken twice now leads into the New Woodland Expanse.”