Lux strode into the Why Not Travel to Another World building with a spring in his step, feeling the pulse of excitement in his chest. Holiday time, finally! One hundred days on another world, and he said goodbye to dull routine.

  “Welcome travellers! Please remove all excess items and place them in the bins provided.” The message chased itself in bright repetition across a nest of massive screens overhead. Green bins with orange lids, the picture blazed above the crowd, and the noise of excited travellers seemed almost to thrum in Lux’s ears.

  Then, as if the world itself had decided to trip him up, the screens flickered and replaced themselves with a travel brochure. “Please remember to read your travel brochure before departing.” Mystic Beau, the words stamped across the front, a perfect planet gleaming below them. Lux fished his own battered brochure out of his pocket, already familiar with every word. He’d read it several times, after all.

  “All travellers will receive a free complimentary arrival package from the Mystic Beau welcoming staff upon arrival.” The voice was serene, female, perfectly clear despite the swell of the crowd. Lux grinned, his anticipation building. He craned his neck back to admire the domed ceiling, the whole room like a giant upside-down bowl, runes strung along the curve of its roof, glowing orange in the half-dark.

  On the floor, stone circles waited like stepping stones around the wall, each barely big enough for one person. Travellers blinked out of existence every few seconds, vanishing in flashes of light, and Lux could hardly wait for his own turn.

  Another warning cut in, “Travellers, remember to stay inside the safety of the city walls, humans are a tasty snack to the monsters inhabiting Mystic Beau.” Lux felt a chill brush his spine, and, startled, he stared up at one of the many screens. A cartoon human, limp in the jaws of some monstrous beast, stared back. His mouth fell open in disbelief. The brochure had warned him about monsters, sure, but seeing it in motion was… different.

  Mystic Beau–fairy tales and magic, sure, but fairies didn’t eat people (did they?). Here, monsters were a highlight, and humans not even rare. Lux snapped his mouth shut.

  “No way I am stepping one foot outside a city wall,” he muttered. He knew his own limits, and fighting was not one of his skills. Who cared about adventure? He was here for sightseeing, maybe a part-time job, and then the rest of the time, vacation!

  “Of course you won’t, besides if I find out you went into the wilds of Mystic Beau I will skin you alive when you return!” His mother’s voice cut through the air – cold, familiar, terrifying. She even wagged her finger for emphasis. “Lux, I’m serious.”

  He grimaced and raised his hands in surrender. “I got it, mum.” Why had he agreed to let her see him off again?

  “Good boy.” She softened instantly, ruffling his hair. “Remember to see the staff right away, listen to all their advice. Also, if you offend someone, explain you’re new and apologise nicely. Most people will forgive you, if they don’t, kick them hard and run for it.”

  He rolled his eyes and dutifully began emptying his pockets. Soon everything he owned was in his mother’s hands, except for a single chocolate bar and the visa ticket that would get him into Mystic Beau. He patted his pockets. Bare.

  “Ma, I’m ready now.” He bent in to hug her, ignoring the weird pressure behind his eyes. “I’ll see you in three months.”

  Her eyes grew damp. “Lux maybe you should put this holiday off, I mean we still don’t know much about Mystic Beau.”

  “Ma, the portholes have been open for ten years. No one dies anymore. It was only the first round of travellers that made mistakes.” He hugged her again, trying to squash her worry. “I really will be fine.”

  He was still holding his mother when a staff member approached, white shirt crisp and a Mystic Beau logo stamped on the pocket. “Sir, are you using your free travel visa today?”

  Lux untangled himself from his mother and nodded. “Great, then please follow me.”

  He gave his mother a last nervous wave, “Sorry, but, do you think we could speed this up? My mother might drag me home otherwise.”

  The staff member laughed. “No problem.”

  He was guided to a stone platform, just wide enough for his own two feet. “Now for the mandatory spiel.” The worker rattled off the dangers, nothing Lux hadn’t already read in his brochure. “Finally, all injuries sustained in Mystic Beau are your own fault, we will not be taking any responsibility. Do you agree?”

  He nodded, the words thick in his throat, “I agree.”

  “Great, now please do a final check of your pockets. Once you’re done, just rip your ticket in half, and voila, holiday time.” Lux’s hand found the ticket. One smooth rip and …

  “Lux! I’ve changed my mind, this is too dangerous. Let’s go home!” His mother was heading for him, each step a threat.

  He grinned, tearing the ticket. “Love you mum!” The last thing he saw was her face, lined with worry.

  A flash of light crashed over him.

  [Enjoy your stay in Mystic Beau, 100 days visa activated!]

  A mechanical voice chimed in his ears, and his body went weightless, falling through open air. The shock squeezed his stomach into his throat, wind hissing past his ears, and a scream tried to claw its way out.

  He opened his eyes just in time to see the ground rushing up. In desperation, he flailed wildly, limbs windmilling, but there was no stopping the plunge.

  He was supposed to arrive safely, wasn’t he? The brochure guaranteed it. He was supposed to land on a matching portal in the city centre, not…

  Terror bit down, sharp and cold. At the last possible instant, Lux squeezed his eyes shut and braced for the end.

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  But instead of death, he slammed into something yielding, bouncy, warm. It sucked him in, holding him close, absorbing every ounce of momentum as if he’d landed on a giant pillow.

  He cracked one eye, then both. He was half-submerged in a jiggling purple mass. “Hot damn, saved by the jelly!” Even as the words rolled out, the purple jelly shuddered beneath him. There was a loud pop.

  Lux tumbled to the ground, dazed, just in time for a blob of slime to land with a soggy slap across his face.

  Disgust prickled along his skin, cold and crawling. He lifted his hand, wiped the slime from his cheek, watched it wobble before it plopped to the earth.

  “Damn, that was amazing!” A gravelly, booming voice rattled behind him, rough as rocks and just as solid. “Novgar has never seen a little human kill a Purple Squiggle Worm before!”

  He twisted around. The speaker was a mountain, a giant with skin the colour of moss, two tusks jutting from his lower jaw, sword dangling carelessly from one hand. He wore nothing on his chest, only a black leather strap and pants, and every muscle rippled with motion as he stalked closer, bare feet making barely a sound.

  The giant held out a hand. Instinct screamed that the hand could crush his skull like a grape, but Lux understood the gesture after a second’s pause and tentatively took it. The green man’s grip swallowed Lux’s forearm, and the next thing he knew, he was on his feet.

  “Thanks.” Lux tried to sound friendly, hoping he didn’t sound as terrified as he felt. Friend or foe, this guy could break him in half without even noticing.

  He looked around, searching for any hint of civilisation. Nothing but wild forest, scrub, and the remains of his purple landing spot. No buildings, no people, just him, the green man, and the ooze.

  What the hell had happened? Wasn’t he supposed to start inside the safety of a city? The brochure had repeated it, over and over: risky outside, safe inside, and humans always arrived in a settlement. But here he was, dropped in the woods without a hint of civilisation.

  He gritted his teeth. Just five minutes in Mystic Beau and everything was already out of control! He turned to the only person who might have answers.

  “Do you know where the closest town is?”

  The giant scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Novgar knows that Pinkton is the closest settlement from where we are just standing. It is about a week’s walk south.” He pointed, and Lux followed the direction with a sinking heart.

  A week? He looked at his own scrawny arms, then at the sword on Novgar’s hip. No way would he survive a week alone in monster territory. Even his best “kick and run” wasn’t going to get him out of this one.

  He took a shot, “You don’t happen to be heading there by any chance?”

  “No.” The word was blunt as a hammer. No room for argument.

  Lux groaned. Reflexively, his hand went to his pocket, searching for the familiar comfort of his phone. Instead, his fingers brushed chocolate. He froze. Hadn’t the rules said to empty his pockets completely? Maybe the chocolate bar was the reason he’d ended up here, off target, outside the city walls. He glared at the wrapper as if it had betrayed him.

  Before he could hide it, Novgar’s eyes locked onto the bar. “What is that?” Curiosity obvious in his voice, sharpening it almost to hunger.

  “Chocolate, I brought it with me from earth.” Lux considered if he could trade it for safety, maybe use the treat to persuade Novgar to help him reach town. But it was his last one. In the end, goodwill felt safer. He passed the chocolate to the green giant, who immediately bit into it, wrapper and all.

  “Wait, you have to take the plastic off first!” Lux explained, showing him how to unwrap. Novgar devoured the whole bar in one bite, rapture lighting his face.

  “This earth food is good!” The giant grinned, displaying every one of his teeth. “Do you have any more for Novgar?”

  Lux shook his head. “That was all I could bring.”

  The air seemed to change, a heavy frown dragging down Novgar’s brows, making his face dark and dangerous. Maybe that hadn’t been the best idea. Lux eyed the sword, tension winding in his shoulders.

  But before he could think of a way to soothe things, Novgar trumpeted, “I am Novgar of the Bluehill Boulder Tribe! For your gift of precious food, Novgar will go and discuss with his companion if you can join us in battle!” With that, the giant wheeled and strode off into the woods.

  Lux stared at Novgar’s retreating back. Wait, was he supposed to follow? Stay put? The word “battle” echoed in his head. “Battle? What battle?” But the question went nowhere; Novgar was already gone.

  There was nothing for it. Lux settled in to wait; he needed Novgar alive and hopefully friendly, at least until he reached a settlement. Maybe his companion would be more inclined to help.

  Left alone, Lux examined the purple goo. It still smeared his clothes, so he peeled an arm up for a closer look. Tiny shining particles sparkled inside the jelly. He sniffed it, surprised by the sugary scent. Jelly, maybe? Curiosity gnawed at him; he licked a dab off his sleeve.

  A nightmare taste exploded in his mouth. “Why! Why does it taste so foul?”

  “Why are you eating it?” Novgar’s voice, incredulous, rang out behind him.

  A blaze of embarrassment shot along Lux’s cheeks. “I thought it was edible.” He looked up, only to see Novgar had brought someone with him.

  A tall man, slender and sharp-featured, with long silver hair and pointed ears, dressed in a black robe bound with gold. The newcomer’s face was breathtaking, flawless, the kind of beauty that made Lux want to hide his own face.

  “Why would you think it is edible?” Novgar’s tone was genuinely baffled.

  Lux shuffled his feet. “It looked like jelly, so I gave it a lick.” Why did Novgar have to have such amazing timing!

  “Jelly?” Now Novgar was really giving him a look.

  “It’s an earth food.” Lux scratched his head. If he kept acting on his impulses, he was going to die in this world. Maybe actually.

  “You’re a strange human.” Novgar seemed to consider this deeply. Then he broke into a smile. “Novgar has decided that he likes you! Do you want a candy?” He offered a crumpled paper bag to Lux.

  Lux eyed the bag. The nasty taste was still stuck to his tongue. But everyone knew you weren’t supposed to take candy from strangers! Still, the sweets looked inviting.

  “Ah, stuff it.” The urge to get rid of the foul taste won.

  He reached in, grabbed a candy, and shoved it in his mouth. Instantly, overwhelming sweetness wiped out the lingering bitterness. He mumbled a thank you to Novgar, mouth busy.

  While Lux savoured the candy, Novgar introduced the silver-haired man: Silver. Appropriate, Lux thought, eyeing the man’s shining hair.

  Silver stared at him, eyes cold and metallic. The look hit with physical force; Lux almost choked on his candy. The stranger’s gaze raked over Lux and then dismissed him with a curled lip.

  Novgar didn’t seem to notice, beaming at Lux. “Novgar has never seen Silver be so friendly towards someone before! He must like you a lot!”

  Lux wondered if they were even seeing the same thing. He was pretty sure Silver despised him. Novgar cheerfully tried anyway. “Silver, can the little human come?”

  Silver’s stare could have pierced steel. “Mmm.” That was it.

  Lux’s scalp prickled, breath catching under the weight of that glare. The man’s disapproval was practically a force field.

  Once he managed to rally, he blurted, “Come? Come where?” But Silver was already moving away, silent and dismissive. Lux glanced at Novgar for help. “Where are you going?”

  “Little human, you are indeed lucky! Silver rarely lets new people accompany him. Even familiar friends like Novgar must beg him to come along.” For a moment, envy flickered in Novgar’s eyes, but then it vanished, gone as quickly as it came.

  “Come, let us go hunt! We will bathe in blood together!” Novgar thumped his chest, lips splitting in a wide smile. “Silver will not wait, let’s go before we lose sight of him.” Without another word, Novgar hurried to catch up.

  Lux looked around the clearing and his mind spun in circles, not a single clue where he’d ended up, or how to get somewhere safe! He eyed the pair ahead of him, pulse fluttering. If he lost sight of them, he’d probably waste every minute he had in Mystic Beau just wandering in circles, maybe get himself seriously killed. No choice, really. He had to tag along with these two, as strange as they seemed. Decision made, Lux hurried to follow his new companions.