"Hey everyone, I'm Devon. My presentation today is about technology as study aids…" A boy stood at the front of a classroom wearing a suit and tie. His blonde hair was combed, and his blue eyes gazed upon the bored students scrolling on their phones. "You know what? I'm done with this!" He threw his index cards across the room.

"Devon…" The teacher began.

"Shut up!" He glared at her and then the students. "Put your phones away!" Everyone in the class now had their attention on him. "I worked hard on this presentation unlike all of you who copied them last night. I also seem like one of the few people who actually dressed up for this. Thank you, Emmet." He pointed to a boy in the back room wearing a black dress shirt and red tie; his black hair was combed as well. He looked at him shyly his green eyes full of fear. "The point is, I actually care about my education, and the fact that I have to be stuck with people who think their parents are going to buy their way is sickening." Devon grabbed his bag and stormed out of the classroom.

"Emmet, take your seat." The teacher glared at him.

"I agree with Devon." He grabbed his messenger bag and walked out of the classroom.

"Hey." Devon waved to him slamming his locker shut. "Couldn't stand it in there either?" Emmet nodded his head. "Do you want to get some coffee or something? There's a nice place up the street."

"That sounds kind of nice actually." Emmet smiled a little walking out of the school with Devon. The two walked to the coffee shop each placing their orders. Devon ordered a latte while Emmet ordered a large black coffee and a croissant.

"It's on me." Devon said handing the cashier his credit card.

"You didn't have to do that." Emmet said grabbing his coffee and pastry.

"I wanted to thank you for actually being someone who cares." Devon walked outside taking a seat at one of the tables.

"That's not something to be thanked for. It's just something you should do."

"Tell that to our class."

Emmet nodded his head sipping his coffee. The boys chatted for a while about school. Emmet kept redirecting the conversation when it came to outside of school. He looked at his phone. "It looks like I need to get going."

"Yeah, I need to get home." Devon said looking at his phone.

Both boys stood up and started walking down the street together. "Hey, freaks." A group of thugs approached them. "Give us your bags, phones, wallets, all of it."

"Do as they say." Devon dropped his bag.

"That's not something I'm going to do." Emmet removed his tie and unbuttoned the top buttons on his shirt.

"Don't do something stupid." Devon looked at him.

"I know what I'm doing. Get out of here." Emmet taunted one of the larger thugs.

"Little punk." He lunged at Emmet who ducked to the side before punching him square in the face.

"That's it!" The others surrounded Emmet who punched and kicked with all of his might while dodging most of their swings.

Devon started running feeling like he was being watched.

I'll get you out of this world. Devon heard a voice in his head tripping over a rock and hitting his head on the concrete; he passed out.

Later…

Devon woke up rubbing his head; it had been bandaged. He was laying in a bed. He stood up and looked at himself. He was wearing a white tunic and leather wrist guards. "Please tell me I'm not dead."

"Not dead." Devon jumped hearing the voice. A blue figure with what looked like wings appeared in the room. "You are in the Moonlands, more specifically, Arderial. It's a city in the sky."

"Do I have a concussion or something?" Devon was rubbing his head.

"No concussions. You're perfectly fine."

"Then tell me why I'm here." Devon had his hands on his head in frustration.

"You're very smart. You feel underappreciated. So many other things as well. I felt you could use a change of pace."

"And what makes you so all knowing."

"I am the Guardian Hyren of Arderial. I know and see many things, and I see you doing great things here, learning how to use magic, excelling in your classes, and bringing the Moonlands closer together."

"You know what?"

"What?" The Hyren looked at him waiting for some form of an answer.

"Let's see where this goes. Just one thing."

"Yes?" The Hyren asked.

"I need you to tell me how Emmet's doing. I kind of ditched him."

"Hmmm." They Hyren snapped its fingers making an image appear in front of Devon. Emmet had a black eye, but he seemed okay. He was punching a bag hanging from the ceiling. "Your friend seems to be quite the fighter."

I never knew. Devon looked down. His fists tightened. "Bring him here. He deserves better."

"He is not fit for Arderial. Arderial is for scholars, not brawlers."

"He's smart."

"I am aware, but I still feel he is unfit for Arderial. Another Hyren may choose him though."

"If he gets hurt again, you will bring him here."

"Very well. You should get some rest now. It is night in Arderial, and you will begin classes tomorrow." The Hyren disappeared leaving Devon alone in the room. He walked to the door and tried it; it was locked. He sighed walking over to the bed and laying down.

…

"I've brought over a human concerned about his friend." The Arderial Hyren looked to the Core Hyren. "I feel he is someone who also deserves to live in the Moonlands, just not in Arderial."

"I'll take a look." The Core Hyren disappeared.

…

Emmet sat down at his desk pulling out a sketchbook and some pencils. He sketched out what looked like the skeleton of a dragon.

"That's a pretty good likeness." Emmet's pencil chipped; the voice startled him slightly.

"Who's there?" Emmet reached into his desk pulling out a set of brass knuckles. He slid them on his fingers tightening his fist.

"No need to get tense. I'm a friend." The Hyren appeared in the room.

"Sorry for drawing you." Emmet slid his brass knuckles into his pocket.

"No, I liked it. I'm actually here to take you to the Moonlands."

"Do I need to ride in your white van to get there?"

"Nope." The Hyren roared. The scenery around them disappeared.

"Whoa." Emmet was floating above what he assumed was the Moonlands. "This is some trip."

"And you can have a castle all to yourself." The Hyren made them descend lower into the Core. "This is the Core. The very underneath of the Moonlands. Only the darkest things can live here." They landed right outside of Agram's old castle.

"So if I stay in this weird world, I get this place all to myself?"

"This whole realm will be yours." They Hyren said motioning to the vast space that was the Core. "You'll get to learn about Dream Creatures, Magic, Relics, you can do a lot of things here."

"Take me back to Earth. Before I come here I want to grab some things."

"Deal." The Hyren teleported Emmet back to his room.

"Tell me why you chose me of all of the options you had."

"One of the other Hyrens saw you and said you might fit in here. He said something about you being a bit darker for his tastes."

"So you invited me to the darkest place in your world?"

"Yep." The Hyren looked proud. "I mean you can go up top whenever you want." It tried to reassure Emmet.

Emmet put on an old, black jean jacket and slung his bag over his shoulder. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's blow this place."

"Any reason you're so eager?" The Hyren asked looking at one of the pictures on the wall of Emmet's family.

"Well, my mother is dead, and my father likes hitting me. So, let's go." Emmet snapped his fingers growing irritable.

"Fine, fine." The Hyren roared teleporting them to the castle in the Core.