Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

just like the day he had left for Metverold. It appeared it was barely after dinner, on his birthday. He glanced at the digital alarm clock: 8:22 p.m.
    The young boy was relieved to see that all the time spent on Metverold did not match the time in this world. Barely a minute or even a second had passed since he had cast the dice and been transported to ancient Britain.
    He was glad he would not have to explain a week-long absence to his family.
    His clothes, on the other hand, showed unmistakable signs of his adventure. The new leather pants and linen shirt he had unwrapped barely an hour ago were now dirty and stained from sweat and mud, not to mention the stench that emanated from them. It really did look as if he had been to war and back. On top of that, his new boots would certainly leave muddy tracks on the clean hardwood floor.
    Samuel took off his boots and threw them under the bed. Carefully, he stood up again and opened the door to peek outside his bedroom. When he was sure everybody was still talking downstairs, he quietly sneaked out to the bathroom, where he swiftly closed the door behind him. Quickly, he looked for towels that he could use to clean the floor of his room.
    After he was done erasing any traces of his escapade, Samuel undressed and hid his pants behind his desk, where his mother would not find them. He also placed his autographed shirt there, so she would not clean it by mistake. He would have to do it himself later. He certainly did not want anything to happen to the precious inscription inside the garment. A few minutes later, he was standing under a warm shower, where he remained for almost an hour. Finally, after one last, quick inspection of his room, to make sure everything was in order, he hid the dice somewhere safe, before passing out in the comfortable bed for the night, sleeping like a bear.
    The next morning, Samuel opened his eyes, expecting to see trees covered by a morning fog. He was almost disappointed when he found himself in his room, back to his regular, boring life. He was glad to get back all the comfort and the convenience of this world, but he also wished he could still have the camaraderie and freedom of Metverold. Before his adventure, he used to go to his computer to check on his email almost immediately after waking up. Now he wanted nothing more than to enjoy the fresh air once more and smell the warm oatmeal.
    It had only been a week since he had left home, but Samuel had some difficulties readjusting to the routine of his normal life. Homework, school, combing his hair and brushing his teeth were all things he had almost forgotten about. His mother actually had to remind him to grab his schoolbooks when he left to catch the bus.
    “Sammy, are you okay?” she asked. “You seem distant this morning. Did you sleep well?”
    Samuel looked at the warm smile of his mother and then at the house.
    He was home.
    “Yes, everything is fine, Mom.”
    “I’m glad to hear it. Now hurry up or you’ll miss the bus.”
    Samuel smiled back at his mother and closed the door behind him. Casually, he crossed the lawn, thinking of Malloy and the other friends he had made on Metverold. He wondered what they were doing right now. Had they started building the fortress? Had they seen the dragon again? Were the Saxons on their way to Dinas Emrys?
    He was lost in these thoughts, when he suddenly realized the bus was already at the stop, waiting for him. “I know I said I would wait,” the driver told Samuel, when he finally climbed aboard. “But don’t push it.”
    The young man simply smiled at the driver and walked to the back of the bus. When he saw his friend Lucian, a large smile immediately appeared on his face. He already missed the friends he had made on Metverold, but he was more than happy to return to the ones in this world.
    “Lucian! Am I ever glad to see you!” he exclaimed, as he sat down next to the red-haired boy.
    “Um … I’m happy to see you too, Samuel,” Lucian said cautiously. “What’s wrong with you?”
    “Nothing. Everything is perfectly fine.”
    Samuel knew he could not divulge anything to his friend about his adventure, and it bothered him greatly. If only he could tell him how he had met Merlin and Arthur’s father, how he had seen dragons and survived a lightning spell. Of course, Lucian would probably never believe a word of it, but he could always produce the shirt signed by Uther and Ambrosius, a sure proof he was telling the