Chapter One

The Prince of Light Part 2

It was a short journey to the other side, and the brothers stood side by side on the highest deck, watching the land they were heading to coming slowly closer. Cam gripped the wood of the ship before him as he leant forward, glaring ahead with a fierce determination, his brother standing a step behind him.

I will find you…Lucy……I will see you again. He narrowed his eyes. Wait for me…

But it was before they reached the land, that they received the news.

Wonderland came back to them, appearing out of thin air beside them. Cam’s stomach clenched at upon sight of her, as he grew scared, fearing bad news. But then she smiled.

‘Lucy has been found!’ Wonderland beamed. ‘She is alive and well.’

Cam stifled a sob, hand going to his mouth in relief.

‘Oh, thank the gods…’ he uttered.

‘Come with us’ Wonderland said to him then. ‘It is time. We will help to make you strong.’

Cam blinked, feeling his heart stop in his chest.

He straightened, lowering his hand from his mouth.

‘What’ Cam breathed. ‘I don’t get to see her?’

‘You want to be strong don’t you?’ Wonderland said to him. ‘Do you want to return to her now, or as something better?’

‘I…I want to see her.’

‘Don’t you trust us?’ Wonderland asked him in an accusing tone. ‘After everything we’ve done for you?’

Cam bowed his head.

‘You’ve done many things for me, many things to me. Not all of them good.’

‘Say your farewells to your brother’ Wonderland said backing away. ‘We will leave this world together, you and I Cam. You have only minutes.’

She drifted away, but she did not vanish entirely. Wonderland only wandered to the other side of the ship, to stand and stare out at the sea on the other side. From this distance she would still be able to hear what the brothers said.

Cam turned to Luke, who looked back at him sadly.

‘Well…’ Luke began slowly, speaking with great reluctance, ‘I guess this is it then.’

‘You’ll go on ahead won’t you?’ Cam urged him. ‘You’ll keep going…to find Lucy yourself…and tell her what has happened to me.’

‘I will’ Luke whispered, tears brimming in his eyes. ‘I promise I will.’

They embraced each other, holding one another tight.

‘You’ll come back’ Luke said to him. ’You will come back won’t you?’

‘Yes’ Cam whispered, fighting back his own tears. ‘I promise. I swear to the gods…I will…’

Wonderland held out her arm, inviting Cam to move forwards. Once he did, Wonderland summoned a portal, using her magic with ease, to create a doorway to another world.

‘Are you ready?’ Wonderland whispered excitedly to him.

Cam glanced at her hesitantly, before looking back at his brother. Luke gazed back at him from a short distance away, nodding once slowly in encouragement.

Cam faced ahead again, staring at the portal reluctantly for a brief moment, before taking a breath and stepping towards it.

He stood directly before it, squinting at the bright light as it shone in his eyes.

He turned back to face his brother, just one last time.

‘This is it’ Cam said.

‘This is it’ Luke echoed, his voice unhappy.

‘I will return one day’ Cam told him. ‘I promise I will come home.’

‘I know you will’ Luke nodded slowly.

Cam turned away to face the blinding light again.

He took one last steady breath to calm his nerves, before stepping forwards, through the portal, and to places unknown.

The next time Cam opened his eyes, he was in another world.