Chapter Six

The first week of training was intense and strenuous for Hunter and Sayer. Hunter had classes only in swordsmanship, archery, and hand-to-hand combat. Sayer had all of those plus private blocking lessons from Grafin. In addition, he had the academics to deal with. Sayer felt overwhelmed by all that was required of him plus meetings with Doyen Parfell in the evenings. Hunter spent long boring afternoons with the Doyen, who unsuccessfully tried to find out anything that might tap into the special powers he hoped the Earth boy possessed. Hunter was every bit as frustrated as the Doyen, even suggesting that the older man ride him to see if he could find anything that Hunter himself didn't know. The Doyen refused, even though Hunter was completely willing to expose himself to his master.

"If there is a correlation between you two boys and Pandor and Farin, then it must not be interrupted by a rider. Lore has it that neither of the Channelers was ever ridden by anyone except each other. I cannot take that chance with you, even though I briefly explored Sayer. I hope that will not have an impact on your destiny."

The last day was given over to recreation and relaxation. All the trainees were allowed to do whatever they felt like doing. Because Pandor's Fen was just that, a fen, rather than pillared buildings[PC1] , outdoor activity was virtually non-existent. It was then that Hunter and Sayer found out what the boys did with their free day. Most of them returned to Lorenwood to visit with their mothers and siblings. It seems that children were never privy to who their father was to avoid any social stigma associated with the adult males, all of whom could, at least at one time ride, and passed the gene along to their male children. Some of the fathers were exalted masters, while others were average men with undeveloped abilities or simply no motivation to strengthen them. Sayer had agreed with the Doyen that riding could be very exhausting.

Many of the trainees wanted to get out into the open areas of Lorenwood to play games, run, and basically be teenage boys. Hunter and Sayer both were amazed at how they were transported back up the river. They had experienced the somewhat terrifying journey down the side channel to Pandor's Fen. They now discovered there was a channel on the opposite side of the river which had a giant waterwheel driven by the force of the water. This wheel in turn could be engaged to a cable that would pull boats like the one they had ridden, back up the river at almost as frightening a speed. There were a dozen boats available and almost all the boys entered them, four to each one, for the journey up to Lorenwood. Sayer, Hunter, Talen, and Rory all rode in the same boat. While the two new boys held on for dear life, Rory and Talen squealed with delight, arms raised in the air, as the boat hurtled upstream to the pond behind the waterfall. Once they arrived at the pond, all of the boys assembled on the shore. The last boat to arrive held only Grafin, who wearily looked at the gaggle of teenagers. He would have liked to have had the day off himself, but because Sayer and Hunter were allowed to participate, he was assigned to make sure that neither of them was ridden. At this point, he was less worried about Sayer. The boy had quickly grasped the fundamentals of blocking, which was easily accomplished, once he had learned to feel the presence of another mind in his own. It was hard to describe, but it felt sort like a quick dizziness or fog. All he needed to do was press back against the presence with his mind to expel the invader.

Hunter, on the other hand, was completely vulnerable. Grafin had instructed Sayer to stay with him at all times and to ride him constantly. If another person attempted to invade Hunter's thoughts, Sayer would know instantly. Grafin planned to check on the whole lot of the trainees about every hour, allowing himself the pleasure of old friends and a pint or two of local ale at the Bird and Tree pub.

Grafin pressed the first crystal that opened the passage to Lorenwood. The boys knew the rest: go left at each junction until the last one, and then press center. Rather than emptying through the ceremonial chamber, a second tunnel led to the Lorenwood primary center, the school all had attended before moving on to Pandor's Fen. The door into the assembly hall of the school opened, and the boys poured through, laughing and screaming at each other and suggesting activities that would engage their day for the next six hours.

Sayer and Hunter visited Jayner for about an hour, answering what questions they could about their experiences without revealing much detail. She prepared a quick lunch for them, and after wolfing it down, the two boys took off to the playing field to see if they could join a game. Talen and Rory were already there, trying to compete with the older boys kicking a ball from one goal to the next. When they spotted their two new friends, they excused themselves and ran over to them.

"Want to join in?" Talen asked, shaking his long soft hair back from his eyes and smiling broadly.

"You want to?" Sayer asked Hunter.

"I don't know the game."

"More or less like your soccer game except you can use your hands to block kicks. You just can't carry the ball."

"I'm not very good at those kinds of games," Hunter said. Actually, he was pretty good at soccer, but he didn't play because of the constant tormenting by the bullies. "Maybe we could look around Lorenwood some. I never had a chance before we left."

"That's cool," Talen agreed. "Let's give him a tour."

So the four boys wandered off the field heading for the main street of the hidden village. It actually was a pleasant town with side streets that housed stables, hardware stores, small inns and quiet corners with small parks. Along the main street were large stores selling food, clothing, arms, and specialty items. There was a two story hotel and, of course, pubs, the most popular being the Bird and Tree. Talen wanted to show them where he and Rory had grown up. They had been next-door neighbors before going to Pandor's Fen. The house was small and neat. Talen's aunt invited them in for a cool drink. She had raised him after his mother had died, while he was still a baby. Rory's mom came over to join them in the visit, but the boys soon became restless and wanted to move on before their day was over. They thanked the two ladies, and Rory took the lead to a very small park, almost hidden, with a stream that ran at its edge.

"We spent a lot of time here," Rory explained. "Talen and I could get into a lot of trouble in that stream. And we built a secret fort in the woods just on the other side. We could spend hours there. That is where we both began to realize we could ride. We were about ten, I think. And we'd practice on each other. We thought we were really good. Guess compared to some others, we were good. We got noticed and ended up in Squeek. Most boys arrive at fifteen or sixteen. The guys in Squeek all seem to have developed their riding ability early."

"Is it still there?" Hunter asked.

"What?" Talen asked.

"Your fort?"

"I don't know. I bet we haven't looked in over a year now. Let's go see!" Talen said. "You have to take off your shoes, socks, and pants, though. The stream is about three feet deep and you have to cross it to get there."

There was a flurry of clothing tossed into a pile as the four boys prepared to cross the stream in only their underwear. Hunter was intensely studying all of his companions. "Stay out," he whispered softly to Sayer.

"I'm supposed to ride you every minute," he whispered back as they watched Rory and Talen step into the water. "We need to talk tonight. But I'll let you go for the time we are with them, unless someone else comes along."

"Thanks," Hunter said, grateful that he could simply allow himself to appreciate the physical perfection of the two boys in front of him.

Both Talen and Rory had long legs, well-muscled from the training programs. Hunter lusted after their tight butts and narrow waists. Rory's hair hung to the nape of his neck, shining, dark, and soft. He had unusually green eyes and sort of a smooth olive-skinned complexion. Hunter couldn't tell which boy he liked better physically. He had not had the opportunity to see them in the shower at Squeek, and now that he and Sayer spent their nights in the cell, there was no chance. Hunter felt a stirring in his loins and did what he could to take his mind off the natural beauty of his three companions. Sayer was every bit as perfect, if not more so.

The boys waded across the stream, and Rory found the trail that led to their old hideaway. It took about five minutes to get through the forest to a small clearing where the fort was supposed to be. When they finally emerged from the trail, they discovered that four of the Lodge Seventeen boys were already there. They had managed to acquire some ale and were sitting in a circle in front of a fallen structure.

"Well, look what we have here!" Bandor exclaimed as the half-naked boys entered the clearing. "It's the Squeeks and our new heroes!"

Portin, Nagy and Dambler all laughed in unison as the younger and smaller boys came closer.

"What are you doing here?" Talen asked.

"Maybe it would be better for us to ask you!" Bandor replied. "We were here first. You take your pants off to give us a treat?"

"Fuck you, Bandor," Rory said. "We built this place."

"Not much left of it now," Nagy laughed. "Guess it belongs to us now."

"I don't think so," Talen said, standing firmly with his hands on his hips.

"Maybe we'd better see if our alien boy is built the same way we are," Bandor taunted. "Want to take his pants off[PC2]  and see what's different?" he asked his three companions who were taking turns swigging from the bottle of ale.

"Hey, yeah," the other three agreed and stood up.

"Stay behind us," Talen ordered Sayer and Hunter. "Just back off, guys. We'll leave you to your booze."

"I don't think so, little one," Bandor laughed. "We're gonna see us a naked kid from another parallel -- if he really is."

"Don't do it, Bandor," Rory exclaimed. "It isn't going to happen."

"And you two plan on stopping us?" Portin laughed.

Bandor shoved Talen to the ground and strode toward Hunter. Sayer tried to intervene but he too was pushed aside. Talen sprung up instantly. "I got Bandor and Nagy," he said looking at Rory.

"Right," Rory said. "I'll take the other two dumbshits."

Talen was instantly between Bandor and Hunter. The older boy reached out to shove Talen aside but instead found himself flipped into the air, then falling to the ground, his nosed bleeding profusely. Before he hit the ground, Nagy was doubled over, holding one hand over his groin and grabbing his knee with the other as he threw up, groaning over the grass.

Portin and Dambler tried to move in to help their half-drunk lodge mates, but Rory had carefully and firmly placed his right foot between Portin's legs. while his left arm flew toward Dambler's chin. Both of the older boys crumpled to the ground. Bandor tried to rise, but Talen's foot came down again on his groin. The bully screamed in agony.

"It's up to you guys how you want to explain what happened here," Talen said quietly although breathing a bit rushed. "If I were you, I'd just be saying you were playing a little too rough and not mention that you four were bested by a couple of little kids from Squeek. Come on guys, let's leave them to figure out what just happened."

Talen turned toward the path up which they had come. Rory brushed himself off a little and then joined Talen. Hunter and Sayer looked incredulously at the pile of older boys and then at their two friends. They returned through the stream and put their pants and shoes back on.

"How'd you do that?" Hunter finally asked.

"Wasn't very hard," Talen said, smiling at Rory as he tightened his belt around his tunic shirt. "They only had size going for them. They might not have been so anxious to screw around with us if we'd had our belts on. We're bolts of the hand -- top of the class too. They don't let Squeeks train with the olders because of the size, so there was no way for them to know, unless they just happened to notice in academics or meals."

"Bolts?" Sayer asked.

Rory pointed to the hand symbol on his belt. Like Talen's, it had a lightning bolt.

"I guess we have some work to do then," Sayer said. "Think Hunter and I will need a lot of bolts if this sort of thing might happen more often."

"Never changes," Hunter said dejectedly. "Bullies at home, now bullies here. I'm just a loser. Even more here I guess. I can't ride, I can't fight. I'm just in the way."

Talen came over and put his arm around him as they walked back to the center of Lorenwood. "You are very cool guy," he said comfortingly. "You are here for a reason, and you haven't even been here a week yet. I'm not allowed to ride you, but I already feel you will be very important to all of us."

Hunter was still down, but it felt good having Talen's arm around his shoulders. Why did everything have to get messed up with his attraction to boys? And yet, he felt friendship for the first time as well and it felt good.

The boys wandered back to the main road and into town center. As the day was winding down, some of Pandor's Fen boys could be overheard talking.

"Yeah, they went back early. Looked like they got the shit kicked out of them," a boy from Lodge Sixteen said to a group standing around.

"Wonder who did it?" one of the group asked.

"Well whoever did, we should be buying them food or drinks or something," another boy commented. "It's about time those four assholes got it."

Sayer was about to say something to Talen, but Talen shook his head in the negative. "Best we just leave all that between us," he said some blocks away. "Fighting is technically forbidden unless in self-defense."

"It was in self-defense," Sayer asserted.

"Just the same," Rory jumped in, "We don't need an investigation or our reputations developing to the point where others want to take us on to see if they can beat us. The Bandor boys won't say anything. They'd never want it known that they were bested by Squeeks."

The ride back to Pandor's Fen wasn't nearly as exciting or frightening as it had been the first time for Hunter and Sayer. By the time they got back, it was time for the evening meal and then a return to the lodges.

######

The lights were out in the cell but the firelight continued. The boys left the door open from the bedroom to the main room so they could have the warmth and flicker of light.

Sayer looked over at Hunter, "So what do you think about being here now, after a week?"

"It seems like I've been here forever," Hunter said.

"Do you want to go back?" Sayer asked seriously.

"If you had asked me that two days ago, I would have said `no.' But after today, maybe something changed. It kind of all hit, the invasions, the past of Pandor and Farin, training for combat. I think maybe Bandor made it hit home. You said I was screaming across the parallels, wanting to escape. I was, I guess, but then you come to save me and I end up with another set of bullies and a different set of problems. And these are a shit pot more serious than my poor sorry ass back home."

"So you want to go back then?" Sayer asked again.

"No, not yet anyway. There is something different here. I don't mean just a different world. There is a different feel here. I sort of almost feel normal here, or at least accepted. I feel like there is purpose for me being here, even though I don't quite understand what it is yet. But the strongest thing seems to be a connection with the place and, well, with you. I can't leave until I know the answers or die trying to find them."

"What do they tell you about love and sex and stuff on Earth, Hunter?"

"I don't know, Sayer. They say it's not normal for guys to like guys -- I mean like for sex I guess. But guys hang around together all the time. But you're supposed to not have sex with girls until you're married but everybody does it before anyway. And teens who say they are in love are just going through a phase. `Phase' seems to describe anything adults want to not be permanent for kids. It's pretty fucked up."

Sayer didn't say anything. He just stared into the flicker light bouncing off the ceiling.

"Are you riding me?" Hunter asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I'm learning about riding now. You really have to have a need to ride someone. It's not something you play with. If you really ride, you don't just know stuff, you go deeper, you feel stuff, understand stuff that may be really stuff you don't want or need to know."

"You've been riding me for months," Hunter exclaimed. "What don't you know?"

"That's just it, Hunter," Sayer sighed. "I don't know what I don't know! I didn't know how to get deep within you. I saw what you saw. I knew what you were thinking about things. I knew you were in pain, man. But I didn't know about going deeper, connecting with your inner being, the stuff that really kind of totally exposes you."

"I told you that you could ride me anytime unless I asked you not to," Hunter said softly.

"Why?" Sayer asked. "Why are you giving me that permission? And what if I like everything now but find out things I don't like or I don't want to know?"

There was a long silence and then Sayer heard a deep sigh from the bed across from his. "What's the matter?"

"It's what I am afraid you will find out if you ride me right now," Hunter whimpered.

Sayer got up from his bed and sat on the edge of Hunter's. "I'm not riding you, Hunter."

"Ride me!" Hunter exclaimed. "Just fuckin' do it!"

Sayer looked at his friend's face, fear or worry in his eyes, sparkling in the dim firelight. Sayer was scared. He was scared to climb on and see where Hunter was now. He resisted the order he had just been given.

"Please Sayer. Do it. Let's get this over with. Or over with for me one way or another!" he pleaded.

Sayer reached into his own mind and positioned it to merge with Hunter's. He still resisted but finally let go. He felt the sorrow as he drifted into the other boy's head. He felt the uncontrollable worry, fear, and anxiety, and then he felt the blow of all the forces of Hunter's emotion slamming into him. This was no superficial ride anymore. It was what the Doyen had described; pure, raw, powerful thought hitting him like a gigantic wave, a single overpowering wave that was made up of all the forces behind it - that had created it. Sayer felt swallowed up in emotion, fell over on top of Hunter, put his arms around the boy, hesitated and then kissed him.

Hunter simply melted. His lips pressed hard against Sayer's, his arms enveloped the boy on top of him, squeezing him, pulling him hard against his own body as if to make them one. He took a breath and locked his lips on Sayer's again -- and again, and again and then...."

"A flash!" Hunter exclaimed as he broke away from the last kiss.

"What?" Sayer asked pushing himself up onto his elbows to look at Hunter.

"There was a flash and then I saw it" Hunter said, his eyes wide with emotion.

"Saw what?" Sayer screamed, looking at the boy beneath him, the ride broken.

Hunter pushed his way up next to Sayer in a sitting position and looked at him directly in the eyes.

"Oh fuck, Sayer," he said putting his arms around him and kissing him again. "I saw it. I mean I saw you! I saw what you thought! I saw how you reacted or read how you reacted or I don't know. I feel like I rode you!"

Sayer looked at Hunter in amazement, "What was I thinking?"

"You were finding out that I love you and you were saying, um, feeling back that you love me too! Oh shit, Sayer, this is the best I have ever felt in my life. I almost feel like I became part of you and I knew how you felt to be a part of me. Oh shit," and he was crying.

"Exactly," Sayer said softly, his own eyes misty. "Exactly."

The two boys fell over onto Hunter's bunk, wrapped in each other's arms, holding tightly, silently. Sayer nuzzled into Hunter's neck, smelling the soft fragrance of love. He could feel a pressure coming from Hunter's loins and he felt himself rising to the occasion as well. Still, he said nothing, holding on to Hunter as if to never let him go.

"Want to do more?" Hunter whispered.

"I don't know if I like you being able to ride me, but I'm not going to block you. At least you're thinking what I'm thinking. Let's leave it for now. I'm just loving loving you and feeling you love me back, Hunter. Ok if I stay in your bed tonight?

Hunter just rolled over to hold Sayer close to him. "Read my mind," he said. They both drifted off into peaceful sleep.