Delores was immediately put on guard by the man that burst through the door. He looked so much like Gideon that she wanted to hit him. Then she realized that he had a giant grin on his face. Gideon had never shown joy at anything. He had to maintain his stupid mystique. Terry had shouted this man’s name. Sean. THIS was Sean? Terry hung out with goths as a kid?

  Of course he had. This was Terry. He accepted everyone.

  Terry stood up and pointed at the man with a rigid arm, and Sean did the same back at him. It had the feeling of a ritual between friends or an inside joke. They both met half way in a hug, and Delores stood. As she did, another man walked in. This one had an amazing coif of light red hair, giant eyebrows, and even bigger green eyes. He lacked the confident stance of either Sean or Terry. This must be George.

  As soon as Terry saw George, he walked over and snatched the man up in a bear hug and slung him around. The guy made some “GAK!” sounds until Terry put him down.

  “It’s good to see you two!” Terry said. “I need you to meet my party.”

  Sean arched an eyebrow.

  “This is the first time I’ve ever heard you say party in relation to yourself.”

  “Hush.” Terry said, putting a finger in Sean's face, but smiling. Delores saw Elton had stood. Terry gestured to him. “This is Elton, my Troubadour and friend.”

  “Hi.” Elton said. He was watching the two with a small smile on his face.

  Terry stepped back over next to her and put an arm around her. She looked up at him and she realized he was looking at her. He only had eyes for her right now. She smiled up at him. She really had to work on saying those words back to him.

  “This,” He said, never taking his eyes off of her, “is Delores. She’s my girlfriend.”

  She looked at his friends and tried not to laugh. Sean’s eyes were wide. George’s mouth was hanging open.

  “I’m also his partner, but lately he forgets.” She said, giving him a smile.

  “Right. Sorry.” He said, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin on his face.

  Sean seemed to recover quickly, but gave her a slightly confused look before holding his hand out.

  “Sean. Really nice to meet you.” She shook his hand. George just stood there with his head tilted to one side watching her.

  “George!” Sean hissed at him. “We’re doin’ the people thing!”

  “Oh! Right. Sorry. George.” He walked up and held his hand out. Delores shook it. He didn’t meet her eyes. He seemed nervous and jerky. She knew people like this.

  “Ok, you two,” Terry said after the introductions were done, “there’s something I need you to take a look at before dinner. Especially you, George.”

  George looked up at Terry, suddenly interested.

  “What is it?” he said and Terry smiled.

  “You are going to love this.”

  Soon they were all on the porch. Elton had followed, no doubt wanting to see the reactions. The yellow bug bulb of the porch light was on since the sun had set a while back. It gave everything a strange feeling to Delores. It somehow made the darkness that much more so. She watched Terry step off the porch, cup his hands to his mouth and yell.

  “THUNDER!”

  Sean leaned over to Delores.

  “Did he tell you how much he loved Thundercats? Because this-” he cut off as they heard crashing sounds off to the left. There was an old chicken house there and a single headlight shone out of one of its doors. Sean looked confused. George leaned forward.

  “Is that my scooter?” he asked. Once again, Terry smiled.

  “Yes. Yes it is. It’s one of the reasons I’m glad you came out tonight. Besides getting to see you.”

  “Who’s driving? Ernest?” George asked.

  “No.” Was all Terry told him.

  The scooter shot across the yard and jumped up on the far side of the porch. As soon as he hit the light, Thunder turned his headlight off and waved a handlebar in greeting. Sean and George just stared.

  “Thunder,” Terry said, “This is George and Sean. Remember them?”

  Thunder rang his bell once. Terry’s eyes widened. Delores had started to wonder just how intelligent the scooter was. This might prove her theory.

  “That wasn’t just a random bell ring, was it?” Terry asked.

  Ring-ring.

  “And that meant “NO”, didn’t it?”

  Ring.

  Terry crossed the porch and knelt to rub Thunder’s headlight and Delores joined him. There were enough chairs on the porch that she could sit comfortable and pat his shield.

  “You are the best boy, Thunder.” Terry said, pride on his face.

  Ring.

  Delores had to laugh at that. She wished Thunder had a tail to wag. She started brainstorming on a way to give him one.

  “Is it alive?” Sean asked.

  “He.” Delores said. “HE is alive.”

  “George, what the hemorrhaging fuck did you do?” Sean said, turning to his friend.

  George just blinked. He looked deep in thought for a time.

  “Probably that spell.”

  “I was going to ask if you remembered the spell. I might be able to sus out what you did and why he’s alive now.” Delores said.

  He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a piece of printer paper, folded several times.

  “I brought it. I keep my notes on the construction on my phone, but I made sure to print the spell out. I know you’re not supposed to cast straight from a browser?” he said. He seemed to be asking if that was right.

  She walked over and took the paper from him carefully. Something in the way he acted when he was fully there reminded her of a deer. Sean seemed to hover near him protectively. Definitely nothing like Gideon.

  She unfolded the paper and read. It almost made sense as a spell. Words didn’t fit correctly, though. The syntax was wrong. She started mumbling.

  “Inner fire. . .” She said. “That’s not the same as the intention of the spell. That’s the elvish word for “life” basically.”

  She looked at George.

  “Where did you get this?” She asked.

  He seemed worried suddenly and she saw Sean put a hand on his shoulder. He whispered something and he seemed to nod. Sean gave her a warning look.

  “I’m not mad and I’m not blaming you for anything, George. I’m just backtracking the spell. We’re good.” She said. Terry was watching the exchange and Thunder seemed to have his headlight tilted in curiosity. Elton merely watched.

  “I got it off of r/ManaTime.” George said.

  Delores forcibly stopped her eyes from rolling. Reddit. Good Lord, he hadn’t just gotten it online, but from Reddit.

  “Well, that explains it.” She said. “Spells can’t safely be kept online. They change. When you print them out, the print out is going to have all the errors that have crept in. AND, with it being Reddit, they may have been trolls. But I’m not sure. Spells are weird.”

  “Oh." George said. He seemed interested suddenly. “So just it being digital does that?”

  “Yes.” She replied. “In this case, you were trying to get something like “better combustion” most likely and what it became was “eternal inner fire” which is a whole other meaning to the metaphysics of magic.”

  She thought about that and turned to look at Thunder.

  “IF, and this is a big if, I’m reading this right, you bound a passing higher spirit to the scooter. You didn’t have enough mana in you or around you to do a complete binding, but as the flux for the season came in, the binding became stronger. And permanent.”

  She turned back to George and Sean, smiling.

  “Honestly, this shouldn't have worked. I know a guy in New Orleans that would absolutely shit himself if he knew you’d pulled this off!”

  George’s eyes widened. It reminded Delores of Rachel, his eyes were so large. Sean’s smirk grew to a full on grin and he gave George a peck on the cheek.

  “I TOLD you, you had more magic in you than normal!” Sean said, shaking George’s shoulder.

  She looked at Terry, who was smiling at the two. He knew. He knew they were in a relationship the whole time and never brought it up. For a moment she thought he had just ignored the relationship these two had but that smile said otherwise. She still had how he was so accepting of people.

  George walked over to Thunder cautiously. Thunder looked up at him.

  “Thunder,” Terry said, “I don’t know how much you remember, but George is the guy that built you. I guess he’s your dad.”

  Thunder made two tiny hops on his front tire to face George. He leaned into him and seemed for all the world like he was nuzzling. George reached out timidly and patted Thunder on the headlight. It didn’t take long for it to become full on pets.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Delores was surprised when George and Terry started talking about the inner workings and changes on the engine. She stepped back and sat down on a concrete and brick support for the porch and watched them.

  “They do that.” Sean said. “George builds things all the time. Terry would help him with it. Especially when it inevitably broke.” The man had a smile on his face as he watched the two.

  Delores looked at Elton, who was making notes on his phone. He didn’t looks surprised by any of this. She just shook her head. She went back to watching Terry. This was a side she’d only gotten glimpses of on the road when something broke. She’d never realized how enthusiastic he was about it.

  “So,” Sean said, interrupting her thoughts, “how did you do it?”

  She looked up at him. When he looked down at her, he didn’t seem to like it so he sat in a rocking chair across from her.

  “How did I do what?” She asked.

  “Catch Terry.” Sean said with a smirk. “Not to spread stories, but he’s had every eligible girl his age in three counties throwing their hearts at his feet for years and I don’t think he even noticed.” The smile dropped for a moment. “And a few men.”

  She looked at him, eyes wide.

  “You?”

  “Again,” Sean said quietly, “he never noticed. I’m glad. I had a huge crush on him in school. Ever since he helped me and George with those bullies. I couldn’t work up the courage to be direct. Look at him.”

  Delores nodded. She understood that. That jaw could be intimidating.

  “Anyway, that crush lasted until the summer he fought the dragon in front of us. The idea of watching him do that all the time?” Sean shook his head with a sad expression. “I’m a coward, really. I wasn’t willing to do it. I wasn’t willing to sit there and watch him run off and maybe die every day.”

  He turned back to Delores.

  “You probably know all about that.”

  She nodded.

  “You’re braver than me.” He said.

  “But you have George now.” Delores said, and the smile that split his face washed away any worries she might have had about Sean as a rival.

  “Yeah.” He said. “I realized George had stuck with me through all of it. I figured out what I really wanted.”

  He looked at George.

  “When he remembers, of course. He gets distracted. It’s cute. I have to remind him.” The look on his face said there was nothing sad about the way he reminded him. Delores grinned.

  “Well,” she said, “to answer your question? It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t as hard as you might think, but he was hung up on his vows. He figured out what HE wanted too.”

  “Good.” Sean said. “I can’t tell you how often I felt like he was going to just stay out there alone. Thanks.”

  “Have you. . .” Sean began and let the question hang.

  Delores felt her face heat but gave him a devilish look.

  “Yes.” Was all she said.

  The surprised look on Sean’s face was very satisfying.

  Just then, Ernest opened the screen door and stuck his head out.

  “Aight. Dinner’s ready. Wrap up yer jawin’.”

  Delores looked back at Terry.

  “You hear that, hero?”

  He looked up.

  “Huh? Yeah! Sorry. Got distracted.” He scratched the back of his head.

  With that, they all headed inside.

  It was after dinner and everyone was sitting in the living room. Terry was trying very hard to not bury his face in his hands as everyone in his life sat there and told Elton stories about him, none of which were flattering. Delores sat beside him, holding his hand and grinning at him as tale after tale came out. He’d tried distracting them with a story about George or Sean, but nothing worked. Even David’s hero worship seemed to be tempered by it, so at least there was that. After some of the laughter died down, Elton spoke up.

  “Ok. I have a serious question.” Terry and everyone else looked to him. “When did Terry get his dad’s sword? We haven’t covered that."

  Sean perked up. He took his arm from around George and leaned forward. George did as well, the memory of the story bringing him strangely to the present.

  “Oh,” Sean began, “we were both there for that, Elton.”

  “Yeah. It was the summer he killed that dragon.” George added.

  Terry remembered. From the looks on their faces, so did Ernest and Dottie.

  “That was the first time for a lot of things.” Terry said. “First time with the sword. First time I passed out using this thing I do. First time anyone outside the family had seen it happen.”

  He looked around the room and realized something.

  “Actually, this is the first time everyone I trust has ever been in a room together. And the first time we’ve been able to talk about it openly.”

  Terry saw Ernest look at Dottie. She reached from her seat on the couch and put a hand on Ernest’s where he sat in his recliner.

  “Terry,” Dottie said, “why don’t you tell him. You always had a wonderful way with words.”

  That made him blush. Dottie always said that, but he knew he was a bumpkin. He smiled though and began the tale.

  “George and Sean here were going to spend the summer with me. I think we were twelve or so?”

  “Something like that.” Sean agreed.

  “11.5.” George said. Terry nodded. He knew better than to doubt George on this.

  “Well, they’d just gotten here and I’d already gotten grounded for jumping on the truck hood.”

  “Again.” Ernest added.

  “Yes.” Said Terry. “Thank you. Anyway, we got the call that there was a red dragon and I overheard Ernest and Dottie talking. It wasn’t big, but any red dragon is trouble. They were going to let this guy out in Bovina handle it. I didn’t think he was qualified.”

  “I believe,” said George suddenly, “you said “That guy can’t handle a goblin with a spatula.” Before we talked you into going out there.” Delores laughed.

  “Terry! That’s almost catty!” She said.

  “Wait, you boys talked him into it?” Dottie asked, giving Sean and George the evil eye.

  “We might have, Mrs. Dottie.” Sean said. “That was a long time ago.”

  “No. We did. He was going to stay in his room and be grounded because those were the rules. Sean talked him into it.”

  Sean rolled his eyes and Terry smirked. That was one thing he loved about George. He didn’t lie either. He also forgot what might or might not be appropriate.

  “So any way.” Terry picked back up. “I knew we could reach the dragon before the guy in Bovina could even get his car started so we ran out to the storage trailer to find my original squire’s uniform and equipment.”

  “I found the sword.” Sean said smiling. “It was one of the coolest things I’d ever seen!”

  Delores nodded.

  “I think it has that effect on people. There’s just something about it beyond normal enchantments.” She said.

  “I kept telling Sean to put it down because it was dad’s. I just didn’t feel right having someone else use it. So I grabbed it. And it changed. It shifted to the perfect size, weight, and balance for a twelve year old.” Terry said, remembering his shock as it glowed and then shrank for him. It would continue to grow as he did.

  “I remember saying you might be He-Man.” George said. He gave them a rare smile as he remembered. Terry nodded in agreement.

  “How do you know what He-Man is, Terry?” Elton asked.

  “That would be my fault.” Sean chimed in. “My step-dad had a bunch of old cartoons on his computer from when he was younger. Terry never seemed to like the shows we tried to get him to watch and George suggested we try old stuff.”

  “Yeah.” George said. “If the main character had a sword and gave a moral at the end, Terry loved it.”

  Terry knew he was turning red again. It sounded goofy when they said it. He caught Delores smiling at him and she leaned into him. He put an arm around her and it made him feel better.

  “So I got suited up, put the sword in my scabbard, picked up my little shield, and we all three ran through the pastures till we found the dragon.” Terry said. “Ernest and Dottie were hunkered down on a hill watching it and waiting for the guy from Bovina. He never did show up.” He felt satisfaction at that. He’d made the right decision that day.

  “That’s true.” Ernest said. “The dumb sumbitch never showed his face again. Lawless would have taken two hours or more to arrive. But it wasn’t just that Terry was grounded. I watched my brother die to a dragon. I knew Terry had to face one some time. I just didn’t want it to be that young. I was terrified he was gonna get burnt up.”

  “I appreciate that now.” Terry said. “You hadn’t told me the truth of it back then so I just assumed it was punishment. Anyway, I ran out there, the thing turned, I jumped in the air yelling “I HAVE THE POWER!” with my sword held up.”

  “Then lightning struck it.” George said. “Just like in the show.”

  Delores looked up at him sharply.

  “That’s what you did in Dans la Bouche!” she said.

  “Is it?” Terry asked. His memory of that was fuzzy still. His memory of what happened with the dragon was also fuzzy.

  “Terry looked like he was glowing as he came down.” Sean said. “He swung the sword and cut the dragon completely in half. Like, right down the middle.”

  Elton stared.

  “At twelve?!” The bard asked. Everyone nodded.

  “We ran up and there was our boy, fast asleep between two halves of a dragon surrounded by burnt grass.” Dottie said. Her gaze was distant. “He barely woke up on the drive home. We bundled George and Sean into the spare bedroom while he recovered.”

  “I was too scared to call the doctor. I just knew someone would call the Order and they’d take ‘em to the clerics and that’d be the last we’d see of him.” Ernest said.

  “How long were you out?” Elton asked.

  “I think I woke up that night thirsty. I had no idea what had happened.” Terry said.

  “Ya had a smile on your face the whole time ya slept, boy. Did we ever tell ya that?” Ernest asked. Terry blinked in surprise.

  “No. No you didn’t.”

  Ernest looked sad as he spoke.

  “Well, ya did. I remember I just stood there, lookin’ down at ya. You just smilin’ away. Ya looked like Glen. It was the same smile he had every time he helped somebody. I knew there wasn’t no stoppin’ ya after that. I’d just have to guide ya if I could. ‘Specially after ya found that sword.”

  “Terry?” It was Dottie. “Did we do something wrong? Did we do something that made you leave?”

  Terry stared at both of them. He realized the room had gone still. Delores squeezed his hand. He looked at her and something in her face told him to say it, whatever it was.

  “No.” Terry said, still looking in her eyes. How in the heck had he survived without her? “You didn’t do anything on purpose.” He said as he looked back to Dottie.

  “What do ya mean?” Ernest said. Terry swallowed. He’d never told anyone this. Not even Delores. “After I started really training and we knew what I could do, you guys warned me about the clerics. It was the only direct talk we had about it. Then, every time I was in public I saw the fear in your eyes. The both of you. I know what it is NOW, of course. But back then?”

  He looked around the room. Sean and George were both still. Sean had George’s hand in a death grip and George was looking at the ground. Elton just sat. He didn’t have his phone out. He wasn’t taking notes. He just watched Terry. As a friend. He turned back to his Aunt and Uncle.

  “I was a kid. I was just starting to hit puberty. Seeing that fear? I just assumed there was something wrong with me and the last thing I wanted to do was talk to you about it. Not after that cleric stuff. Not and have my fears confirmed. I thought you were scared OF me. Not FOR me.”

  He wiped his eyes with a free hand and Delores squeezed the other again. Her weight against his arm was reassuring.

  “By the time I realized the truth of the whole thing I was nineteen or twenty. I was set on this path I’d chosen. I didn’t think there was anything to be done. What was the point? I was here now. I was who I was.”

  Dottie tried to hide her eyes so he wouldn’t see the tears. Ernest looked pole-axed. THIS was what he’d been hating about himself this entire time he realized. Even getting it out like this, the wounds wouldn’t heal. Not yet. Not for a long time.

  “So this isn’t on you two. Not completely. I was a dumb kid. I assumed I was a problem to be dealt with so I just removed myself. I figured if I wasn’t there, the problem would go away. I just hate that these walls didn’t come down until the day before I left. I’ve done all three of us wrong. I’m sorry.”

  No one said anything for a long time. The only real sound was Dottie’s sharp intakes of breath followed by muffled whimpers. Delores walked over and sat beside Dottie, putting an arm around her and whispering softly. Ernest looked up, his eyes moist, but he wouldn’t let himself cry again. Not with this many people around.

  “From now on, we talk about this stuff, boy. I’m tired of losin’ family because we’re too damned stubborn to talk. Ok?” he said to Terry.

  Terry smiled. He was reminded again of every mistake he’d made in the last fifteen years. He didn’t think a week home would fix all of this, but he thought he’d like to try.

  “Well,” Terry said, “I figure a week should be a good bit of time for talking. I love you guys. I always have. I want to try and make all this up to you.”

  Dottie looked up finally.

  “Stop it, Terry. Stop taking this all on you. We could have said something. We could have asked. This took neglect from both sides. And we love you too. You know that, don’t you?” She asked.

  “Yeah. I know you do. I don’t think I ever doubted that.”

  Shortly after that, George and Sean excused themselves and promised to try and get back out before he left. George said something about catapults that got Terry excited for the visit. After that, Terry hugged his aunt and uncle and promised that he’d try and do better. Ernest told him to stop being a knight about it.

  So a while later, Terry found himself helping Delores find a place for their belongings in his room. He’d dragged a chest of drawers in from the walk-through closet to help hold everything. He’d even dug out his old mirror.

  “I’m sorry,” Delores was saying as she folded things, “I’m just not living out of a suitcase for a week.”

  “I don’t blame you, honestly.” He said, hanging his duster in the wardrobe. He’d found a place to hang his sword on one inside wall of the wardrobe. The Mercy he left in its pocket. He didn’t care for it nearly as much. Delores stopped and looked at him.

  “Do you know how proud I am of you right now?” She said.

  “No. What for?”

  She walked over and hugged him tightly. She spoke softly next to his ear.

  “I have never seen a family be so honest and promise to work on their problems. I keep telling you, you are much better with people than you think you are.”

  He just shrugged before pulling back to look at her.

  “I dunno. I just try to do what’s right, D. You know me. That’s the only thing I know how to do.” He said.

  She tilted her head and studied him.

  “Terry, if you did leave the Order, what would you do?”

  He stared blankly at her. Where was this coming from? She’d said she wouldn’t ask him to leave.

  “I don’t know. I honestly hadn’t considered it an option before this week. The idea still frightens me.” He said.

  “Well,” Delores said, “I’m kinda thinking on it. I don’t have anything yet, but would you listen if I had something?”

  “Of course I would.” He said. “As long as it keeps me with you.”

  She put her forehead against his.

  “I’ve no intention of leaving you.”

  They quietly finished putting away their things before bed.