A mission no one has ever returned from.
A young man whoâll stop at nothing to survive.
And a mysterious world that may swallow him whole.
Tavarian, a withdrawn boy on the planet Isodonia, longs to know what lies beneath the clouds at the bottom of the mountain. He gets his wish when he is found to be immune to the toxic atmosphere on the surface. Sent to bring back lightning-filled stones that can help power his struggling community, he vows to be the first to return.
Haunted by abandoned towns and whispering shadows, Tavarian is about to learn why no one has made it back. Will he find the stones and return home? Or is he doomed to follow in the footsteps of those lost before him?
A mission no one has ever returned from.
A young man whoâll stop at nothing to survive.
And a mysterious world that may swallow him whole.
Tavarian, a withdrawn boy on the planet Isodonia, longs to know what lies beneath the clouds at the bottom of the mountain. He gets his wish when he is found to be immune to the toxic atmosphere on the surface. Sent to bring back lightning-filled stones that can help power his struggling community, he vows to be the first to return.
Haunted by abandoned towns and whispering shadows, Tavarian is about to learn why no one has made it back. Will he find the stones and return home? Or is he doomed to follow in the footsteps of those lost before him?
Whispers flickered like the forked tongue of a serpent through the dark recesses of Tavarianâs mind. He shuddered as he snapped out of the daydream, leaning against the wooden fence for stability. The words, so clear for a moment, quickly faded from memory as trepidation boiled within.
Nearby, standing as if he owned the world, Dexius ruined the serenity of the view with another boring hunting story. Beneath the mountain, a drifting dark haze split through the rolls of soft billowy clouds. A bulging distortion, like a droplet of water magnifying the surface of a leaf, seeped across the churning cloudscape.
Tavarian pointed at the strange object. âThereâs something down there!â
Gray mist moved across the white blanket of the lower atmosphere. The shifting of wind allowed for a rare glimpse of something darker beneath the layers of mist, perhaps revealing the bottom of the world for the first time.
âWhere?â Lirah stared out across the skies. âI donât see anything.â
âThat spot over there.â Tavarian recalibrated his finger to point again toward the separation between the clouds. âAround that line of sulos clouds.â
Dexius and Lirah squinted their eyes, searching the layers of white and gray over the side of steep cliffs. The unusual object vanished. Lirah had been too focused on Dexiusâs endless boasting to see it in time. Tavarian scanned the blanket of white, hoping it would reappear.
âI canât ever remember the difference between sulos and tenus,â Lirah said, turning to face Tavarian.
âHow can you not remember?â Tavarianâs head twitched. âSulos clouds are those gray puffy clouds scattered above the flat white band of theââ
âThereâs nothing there.â Dexius threw a rock over the edge of the plateau. It vanished into the roaring falls that cascaded into the opaque clouds below. âHeâs lying.â
Lying? As bad as Dexiusâs constant crowing about his stupid accomplishments and talking over him had been, calling him a liar was a new low. Tavarian waited for Lirah to come to his defense.
Lirah played with the curls of her white hair with her palms, bouncing them up and down. âWhat did you see, Tav?â
Thatâs her response? As much as she criticizes me for any mistake, she says nothing to Dexius for calling me a liar? Tavarian lowered his head, staring out across the misty cloudscape. âIt was . . . I guess it was nothing.â
Apparently, she cared more about Dexius than she did him.
They came to this spot often, spending hours after school, staring out over the lower atmosphere. They had grown up together dreaming about what mysteries lay at the bottom of the world beneath the clouds. Lirah believed that one day they both would discover all the wonders of the surface world of Rootcore, bringing their amazing finds back to Rethia.
Rootcore remained a mystery to all Rethians. No one had any reliable information on it. Most Rethians were unable to breathe the air below the dense clouds.
Those days of dreaming with Lirah were over now. For reasons that Tavarian did not understand, she had become friends with Dexius. It made no sense at all. Nearly everyone who talked to Dexius disliked him. His rude arrogance, stubbornness, and the way he ordered people around did not attract many companions. He only talked about himself, never listening to what anyone else had to say. Tavarian had only a few encounters with Dexius at school, but none were pleasant. Dexius had made it clear that he didnât like Tavarian, and in turn, Tavarian did not care for him.
Everything he tried to say in front of Dexius either got mocked or interrupted. Lirahâs judgment had to be called into question. Why would she want to spend time with Dexius? As the only person to truly understand Tavarian, Lirah actually listened to what he had to say and respected him. His mother only had time for the new baby these days and his father only told him what he should or shouldnât do. He would no longer be able to share his thoughts and feelings with Lirah with this obnoxious person around all the time.
âYou should have been there yesterdayâI killed this huge borhend,â Dexius said. âEveryone else was scared of it charging them, but I stood, keeping my aim, took a deep breath, and released . . . hit it right between its eyes.â
Tavarian groaned silently. Instead of sharing his ideas and dreams with Lirah, he now had to listen to Dexius brag about himself every day. He couldnât do this anymore. Tavarian backed away from the fence and ambled back into the forest.
âWait up, Tav!â Lirah called out.
He stopped without turning around, allowing her to catch up to him. It gave him a glimmer of hope that she called after him so quickly. He needed that reassurance.
He heard Lirah say goodbye to Dexius, and then she came up alongside him. âWhere are you going?âÂ
Tavarian resumed his path through the trees and underbrush. âWhy do you hang out with him?â
âHeâs a really good friend,â Lirah said. âHeâs different whenââ
âWhen what?â he said. âWhen Iâm not around?â
âGive him a chance,â she said. âHeâs just . . . he feels like he has to compete with you for attention, I guess. Itâs nothing against you. Heâs like that with everyone.â
âAnd thatâs supposed to make me want to be around him?â Tavarian lifted a low hanging branch while Lirah passed under it.
âHeâs getting better. He has a lot of insecurities. Give him some time,â she said.
They came out of the forest near one of the main roads leading to town. The pleasant smells of dry grass and sweet blooms reached them as they approached the Plentyfield farming region. A cletine orchard stretched far into the distance, and fields of planted grains and leafy vegetables were spread out in front of them. Tavarian surveyed the road for any peace control officers. They didnât like anyone in the Plentyfield region without good reason.
âI prefer to be with people I like,â Tavarian said. With no sign of officers, he stepped out onto the dirt road. âI donât want to spend time with some jerk and take his abuse until he decides to change. People like that donât change anyway.â
âSo, Iâm the only person you like?â Lirah giggled. âYou never hang out with anyone else. I would have thought that you, if anyone, would understand.â
âWhat do you mean by that?â he asked as they headed toward the Deralawn district.
âYou used to be very insecure, Tav, even more than Dexius. You still are in a lot of ways. Thatâs why we are friends; you needed someone to help you.â
âDexius isnât insecureâheâs full of himself. And I thought we were friends because we liked being around each other.â Tavarian kicked a loose rock in his path, sending it tumbling through a sandy part of the road.
âWe are.â Lirah placed her hand on his arm as she walked beside him. âBut it wasnât that way in the beginning. You were impossible.â
Tavarian didnât want to continue this conversation. He would just as soon forget those days when he first started classes. No one wanted to be seen with him if they hoped to have other friendsâno one except Lirah. Her popularity among the students and teachers made her immune to the adverse social effects of being around him.
They walked past the old farmhouses in silence. The hilly land was marked with dry patchy weeds among its beautiful green grass. Tavarian wanted to lie down on one of the hills to watch the birds tend to their nests as quecks swam in the ponds beneath.
âWhat happened in your calculations group?â Lirah inquired, breaking the peaceful ambience of the fields around them.
âWhat do you mean?â he said, replaying events from the class in his head.
âI overheard Serak and Jespa say something about how annoying you are.â Lirah eyed him, waiting for his reaction.
âThey said that? They didnât say anything about it to me.â Tavarian tried to remain calm and wait to see what point she was trying to make.
âPeople donât often criticize others directly,â Lirah said. âTheyâre more likely to mock you than tell you straightforward.â
âIf they had a problem with me, they should have said something.â Tavarian clasped his hands behind his neck. âI could have reminded them how bad they are at trapedish equations.â
âThatâs probably why they didnât say anything.â Lirah sped up to stay beside him. âIf you could take a little criticism, a little joking, instead of getting so defensive, then people wouldnât do it so much.â
âI would be giving them some criticism in return.â Tavarian got a whiff of the animal pens over the hill and attempted to squeeze his nostrils together.
âI donât think thatâs how itâs supposed to work.â Lirah buried her nose in the collar of her dress. âCriticism shouldnât be a retaliation.â
He turned toward her. âBut youâre okay with them saying it about me?â
âTav, just tell me what happened.â Lirah came to a stop, her hands firmly on her hips.
Tavarian paused, and then resumed walking. âThe teacher said my answer to this problem we were working on was wrong.â
âOkay. Whatâs so bad about that?â Lirah caught up to him again.
âIt wasnât my mistake. The issue was the way the problem was worded. If you say the three hundred eighty-two infleks, that implies there are more infleks that are unaccounted for, soââ
âTav . . . just admit you made a mistake.â Lirah sighed. âIâve told you this is the type of thing that makes people dislike you. Youâre almost always right about everything as it is, but then when you do get something wrong, you wonât admit it!â
âI want to be the best. How can I be the best if I mess up?â
âIâve told you this so many times, it should be burned onto your forehead by now. Everyone makes mistakes, even the best. If you own up to them, people will forget. If you never admit it, they remember the mistakes more than all the smart answers youâve had. Itâs okay to laugh at yourself sometimes. It can be quite endearing, actually. Endearment is one thing you are sorely lacking in right now.â
Tavarian couldnât listen to Lirahâs scolding. If there was one thing he disliked about her, it was how she sometimes talked down to others, lecturing everyone on what they should and shouldnât do. Although she was friendly and helpful, she sometimes acted superior to those she tried to help. Tavarianâs feet dug into the grit beneath them. He had heard this speech too many times.
âDonât you want them to forget about the bird incident?â she said.
Tavarianâs attention suddenly focused. âWhy are you bringing that up again?â
âBecause people still associate that with you,â Lirah said as the clang of something metal hanging on the trees sounded nearby. âCarrying that dead bird around all day from class to class.â
Tavarianâs head began to burn. âI was just a kid. I didnât know any better.â
âI know.â Lirah walked close, brushing up against him. âYou thought you could fix it. I think itâs sweet. But youâre missing the point Iâm trying to make.â
Tavarianâs head began to cool, and his neck relaxed. âAnd what is your point?â
âI was going to say that the bird incident is the only reason that some people think you are . . .â Lirah stopped as if trying to find the right word.
âStupid?â Tavarian speculated.
âWeird,â said Lirah. âWhat Iâm trying to say is that if you show people the real Tavarian more often, they will forget about the bird thing and wonât be hesitant to talk to you.â
âTheyâre a lot weirder than I am,â muttered Tavarian.
âTav,â said Lirah, âmust you always be defensive?â
Lirah had been the only one to come over and talk to him when they were both kids first starting classes. She only asked a few questions at first, but gradually she came over more often. As they grew up and wore down each otherâs barriers, they began to share their honest thoughts and feelings about everything. Those few minutes a day turned into hours and before long they had become best friends, even after the bird incident. Admittedly, she helped him become comfortable around the other kids. He had a few acquaintances now because of her, but none that he would call real friends.
He didnât like how she brought it up every chance she got, though. He wondered sometimes if she wanted to hold it over him and keep him beneath her, always needing her help. At the same time, he appreciated her reaching out to him and he usually heeded her advice. Most people would not have done something like that. She was the friendliest Rethian he had ever met. Though taught not to value one personâs physical appearance over another, he couldnât help it. Lirah shined above all the rest.
âWhatâs wrong, Tav?â she asked as they passed the farm region and turned onto a side road into the Deralawn district.
âItâs nothing.â Tavarian kicked through a pile of leaves on the road, scattering them into the air to quickly fall back to the ground. If she didnât know by now, it wasnât worth telling her. She had heard what Dexius said.
âYou always do this,â she grumbled. âNow tell me what is wrong.â
He didnât want to engage in this right now. There were some things even she wouldnât understand. He would be better off getting through this in his head, and then everything would be fine again.
âYou donât like Dex being around?â Lirah said, eyeing him. âYouâre going to have to get over that.â
Her comments were only making this worse.
âItâs not just that,â he said. âI miss being able to talk to you without someone butting in every time.â
âIâm not going to stop being friends with him.â Lirah said, âYou should try being friends with him too.â
âI canât. I donât want to be friends with him.â
âWell, if youâre going to be friends with me, youâre going to have to deal with Dex being around. You and Dex are not as different as you think.â
âMaybe Iâll just walk home alone from school every day.â
Lirah sighed and they walked in silence until they got to Lirahâs house. The house had a plain, boxy design like most of the houses in Rethia. The roof slanted to keep the rain and leaves from collecting on it, which gave Lirahâs room a low ceiling on the inside. The white paint peeled off around the windows. He had offered to help paint it, but the council wouldnât approve it for a few more years.
She stopped at the gate in front of the house.
âWell with, Tav. I hope you are in a better mood tomorrow,â Lirah said as she opened the gate.
âWell with,â he said as it closed behind her.
Tavarian turned around, heading down the road toward his house. He saw a pair of peace control officers on the road ahead.
âRun along home, boy,â said one of the officers as they passed by him. âItâs getting close to curfew.â
âYes, sir,â said Tavarian, drawing his lips inward. âWell with you.â
âWell with,â said each of the officers. Their steel armor and swords clanged together as they continued their patrol through Deralawn.
As he walked through the door of the house, the smells of cooked meat and fresh topagani greeted him. His older sister, Valea, cooked while his mother sat in her chair feeding his baby brother. Tavarian tried to walk quickly to his room before anyone noticed.
âTav, why donât you help your sister?â said Elina, his mother.
Tavarian grumbled as he turned back toward the room where Valea shook a mixture of seasonings onto small cuts of meat. He didnât want to do this right nowâthere was too much on his mind.
There were some vegetables on the counter that needed to be diced up, so he pulled a blade from the rack. Chopping up kichain and topagani wasnât so bad; he didnât mind doing that.
âThis is all we have tonight?â he asked.
âYesâthey cut back on what everyone gets on the food voucher this week,â said Valea.
âAgain? This isnât going to be enough.â
âMaybe it will go up next week. They have to make sure thereâs enough to go around for everyone.â
âIâm just tired of going to bed hungry every night.â
âYou along with everyone else.â
Valea finished kneading the seasoning into the meat and turned toward him. âDonât worry about the Descent, Tavâyouâre not going to get chosen.â
âWho says Iâm worried?â Tavarian began slicing the oblong red kichain into rows.
She grinned. âYou worry about everything.â
âI do not,â he replied, slicing the rows into squares.
âOh, of course you donât,â said Valea sarcastically. âYou never worry about class, never about that girl, Lirah.â She knowingly smiled as she placed the cuts of meat on the metal griddle over the fire in the circular stone pit in the middle of the room.
âWill you be quiet?â Tavarian huffed.
âWhy donât you just admit it?â She laughed. âSheâs a sweet girlânothing wrong with liking her.â
âSheâs a friend,â Tavarian continued cutting the kichain into smaller bits. âI donât like her any more than that.â
In truth, his sister was right. He had been enamored with Lirah ever since he first met her. Her blue eyes glowed like the full moon, and her white curly hair was as lovely as the fresh blossoms that grew in the school garden. Lirah had to be aware of his adoration, but she never brought it up. She had a knack for telling peopleâs emotions by their expressions and mannerisms. He often wondered if she used his affection to her advantage. He shouldnât focus so much on her flaws, but her associating with Dexius had made him mistrust her intentions.
âDo you think you will get picked?â Tavarian asked as he scraped the diced kichain into a metal pan.
âI have a better chance than last year,â she said. âI have more survival skills, but I donât really want to go.â
âWhy wouldnât you want to go?â Tavarian started chopping the topagani. âIt would be a huge honor.â
âI want to be around to see our little brother grow up.â Velea turned over the pieces of meat to cook the other side. âI would miss everyone here.â
âThere are so many things in Rootcore,â he said. âIt would be incredible.â
âYou donât know that,â Valea said. âNo one who has been to the bottom world comes back. Rootcore is probably dangerous.â
âItâs probably because they have rokenstones; they can use machines to plant and harvest more food,â Tavarian said.
âYeah, so they say,â she said, cutting a slice out of a piece of meat to check the inside. âIf anyone ever came back with the stones, we could produce more here.â
âIf someone does bring them here, I want to build new machines that can use them.â
âIâd be too afraid to go down there. I think something bad happened to them.â
âRemember how there was one year the Descenders were told to go to the bottom and immediately return so they could tell them what was down there? They still didnât come back. Nothing bad would have happened that fast.â
âYou actually want to go?â she asked.
âMaybe . . . I want to find out what is down there.â
âWhat if you couldnât find any food and water for a while?â
âThen I would come back, but there must be plenty of food or someone would have returned,â he said.
âWhat if there are wild animals?â
âI would build a shelter. I can build things.â
âMaybe one day youâll be ready,â she said, âbut donât get your hopes up about going soon. Take some survival classes. That would help you get picked.â
âWhat about your friend, Deavin?â Tavarian said as he finished cutting the topagani, and then scraped it into the pan. âShe never knew much about survival.â
âYeah, I donât know how she got chosen,â Valea said. âShe must have had some hidden talents they liked aside from being able to breathe the air in the lower atmosphere.â
The door opened loudly as Hathan, their father, came inside, tossing his bag of equipment into the corner of the room. Valea rushed by Tavarian to put some of the food on the table and Tavarian brought in another plate behind her. Their mother set the baby on his bed and came back to sit down. Once they all settled into their chairs, they began taking the food from the serving plates. Their father, being the oldest, got his portion first, and then their mother, Valea, and Tavarian took theirs. Soon, he wouldnât be the youngest at the table anymore.
âHow did things go with you two today?â
âPretty good, Dad,â said Valea. âI learned how to clean fish for cooking.â
âExcellent,â he said. âThatâs the kind of thing you should be learning, Tav.â
âIâve learned some of that stuff,â Tavarian said, âbut I mostly just want to build and figure out how to improve things.â
âYou can do that later,â Hathan said. âRight now, you should be learning how to survive out there in case you get chosen.â
âWould they choose someone who doesnât have survival skills?â Valea asked.
âWho knows what their criteria are?â Hathan said, cutting into a piece of meat. âSurviving in those toxic clouds is the main thing.â
âIf itâs just that, why did they take Deavin last time and not all the other times we were tested?â Valea asked.
âHathan, pass the topagani, would you?â their mother said.
âShe must not have been able to breathe it before. As your lungs grow stronger, you can build up some resistance too,â he said, handing Elina the bowl of topagani. âVery few pass the test the first time.â
âCould I get picked this year?â Tavarian asked.
âIf you pass all the tests,â said Hathan.
âTav, you really need to start taking those classes,â Elina said. âJust in case you are picked.â
âHe only takes classes that Lirah takes,â said Valea, grinning.
âThatâs not true!â Tavarian shouted, realizing too late that he let the volume of his voice get away from him. âShe doesnât even take carpentry.â
âWhoa, hold on there,â said Hathan, âif itâs not true, thereâs no need to get so defensive.â
âFineâI guess Iâll start taking the classes,â Tavarian mumbled.
After dinner, Tavarian took a walk outside to sit in the gentle breeze. It whispered through the tall trees glowing with the blue light of the full moon. All seemed calm out here in the night. He could think clearly without the annoyances of his family inside. Though he loved his sister and parents, he could only listen to so much to their lectures and criticism. They always had different plans for him than what he wanted.
They held up Valea as the example of what he should be. They enjoyed laughing at things he said, never taking him seriously. If he shared his ideas about Rootcore or the things he dreamed of building, they would probably tease him even more.
He could open up to Lirah, except for when it came to his feelings about her. She was the only person he could tell anything without it being taken as a joke. She enjoyed dreaming too, and liked hearing about his ideas of things he could build.
Lirah knew firsthand that he could create things. After a lot of trial and error, he had built the gate for the small fence around Lirahâs house. It would swing closed automatically so that the frabbies Lirah kept as pets wouldnât get out. That had been one of his best ideas that worked out. Others didnât work nearly as well, but he had little to experiment with. Eager to learn all that he could about both carpentry and blacksmithing, he hoped to one day be able to make all his ideas a reality.
Now Lirahâs friendship with Dexius threatened everything Tavarian planned for the future. Each day, she got closer to Dexius and further away from him. He would end up alone again with no one he knew how to connect with.
Thousands of stars twinkled in the canopy of darkness above. Tavarian wondered if there were any other worlds out there like Isodonia. Perhaps it was too crazy to imagine this mystery that could never be revealed. His focus remained on the secrets of Rootcore, a place so close and yet so unreachable. He fantasized he had more in common with the people living at the bottom of the world than the ones in Rethia. What if he ever did get chosen? Would he really be able to survive whatever lay at the bottom of the world on his own?
***
The next morning, Tavarian ate breakfast and got ready for his classes. The dry road dusted the legs of his trousers as he strolled toward Lirahâs house. He wondered when it might rain again.
For the first time, Lirah was late. Every morning, she usually waited for him by the gate.
âShe already left, Tavarian,â her mother said from the doorway. âDexius came by just a bit ago and they went on ahead.â
âOh . . . okay, thanks,â he said.
His heart dropped into his stomach. As much as he expected this, he didnât think it would be this quick. What should he do when he got to class? How would he act around Lirah without making a fool of himself? He would pretend they didnât exist. Dexius would no doubt gloat if he appeared to be hurt by this. Hopefully, Lirah would just let him be and not try to talk to him. It would be easier for both of them that way.
Tavarian decided that he would ignore everyone in class from now on. He would keep his head down and focus on learning as much as he could. With no distractions, he would become better than the rest of the kids that wasted their time with friends and socializing. Once he became the greatest builder Rethia had ever seen, they would all want to be friends with him. Heâd be welcomed anywhere by anyone.
 A few kids and one of the instructors stood outside the building for metalworking lessons when he walked up to the old wooden building.
âTavarian, come join us please,â said Ms. Parrow, one of the class administrators. âI was just telling everyone that the council has made a decision to cut the number of students for this class. We have too many metalworkers right now and do not need any more. So please choose another class for this hour. You are also taking carpentry, and the same goes for that class. So, now you have two spots in your class schedule that you will need to fill.â
âBut I donât want to do anything else,â he said.
âOh, of course you do,â Ms. Parrow said. âWhatâs most important is your contribution to the community. None is any more valuable than another, and they all earn you the same voucher.â
Tavarian walked over and sat on top of the wooden fence. This had to be one of the worst days of his lifeâfirst Lirah and now this. What was left for him? Whatever he had to take now, he refused to care about it. He decided he wouldnât even choose new classes. The teachers would have to choose for him. It no longer mattered to him.
âHey Tav!â Lirah walked briskly toward him, with Dexius not far behind. âWe were going to wait for you this morning, but I didnât feel well last night, and my mom kept scolding me about my chores this morning, so I went ahead and left.â
âOkay,â said Tavarian.
Lirahâs expression changed as she narrowed her eyes. âOkay?â she said. âThatâs all you have to say?â
âWhat do you want me to say?â Tavarianâs head began to grow warm.
âWell, I thought you might wonder how I am feeling now,â Lirah said, the volume of her voice rising a bit.
âWhy donât you tell Dexius about it? You can have him help you with chores and running your errands too,â Tavarian said.
âWhatâs gotten into you lately?â she said, her forehead wrinkling.
âLetâs go, Lirah. Heâs a loser,â said Dexius.
âShut your stupid face!â Tavarian shouted without thinking.
âOh, real tough words there, loser,â Dexius said. âWhat are you going to do? Nothing.â
âBoth of you, stop it!â Lirah yelled.
Tavarianâs internal debating process raced to catch up to the explosions going off inside him. Tavarian shoved Dexius as hard as he could. Caught off guard, Dexius stumbled backward, nearly falling to the ground.
Dexius punched Tavarian across the cheek, but as the adrenalin surged though him, he barely noticed. Tavarian launched himself into Dexius. He wrapped his arms around Dexiusâs chest, taking him to the ground.
âStop!â Lirah continued to yell.
Pinned to the turf, Dexius couldnât do anything but claw his fingers into Tavarianâs back. Every time he did so, Tavarian increased the pressure of his hold. Two peace control officers came over, prying Tavarian away from Dexius.
At the end of the day, Tavarian and Dexius had to stay and do chores in the class buildings as punishment. They cleaned the chairs, walls, and floors until they were finally dismissed. Lirah had gone home by the time Tavarian started on the road. As he passed by her house, he wondered if he should go talk to her and find out the degree of her anger.
He needed to speak to her about it, not as someone involved, but as an objective friend. She probably liked him even less now, and Dexius even more. Maybe it was better to give her some time before trying to talk to her again. Besides, he needed to stop caring anyway.
Once he made it back to his house, he found his sister setting food on the table. Tavarian turned the crank on the pipe enough to pump some water and scrub his hands clean. He returned as the family sat down to eat.
âTavarian, what is that bruise on your eye?â his mother asked.
He froze as he reached for a piece of meat to put on his plate. He had completely forgotten about Dexius hitting him. Putting a hand to his face, he touched the puffy skin under his right eye.
âDonât even think about lying to your mother,â his father advised.
âThis guy hit me. Itâs not a big deal,â Tavarian answered.
âI never thought I would have to worry about you getting in fights. What has gotten into you?â she asked.
âSomeone hit me and itâs my fault?â Tavarian said. âWhat does it take for someone to be on my side for once?â
âWeâre all on your side, Tavarian,â said his father. âWeâre just trying to get to the bottom of this.â
âHe kept calling me a loser and getting in my face. I shoved him out of the way and he hit me.â
âWas that it?â his father asked.
âWe wrestled on the ground until the officers came over.â
âI suppose thatâs why you are late coming home,â his father said, âbecause you were being punished?â
Tavarian nodded.
âI canât imagine what you would need to be fighting about,â said his mother.
âProbably a girl,â Valea said. âMust have been Lirah.â
Tavarian slammed his wooden fork down on the table. âOkay, I have an announcement to make! Everyone . . . I like Lirah!â he yelled, turning to his sister. âYou happy now?â
Valea stopped mid-chew, her eyes growing wider by the moment.
âWell, thatâs nice, Tav, but donât fight over her,â his mother said. âIf she likes you, thereâs no need to worry about the other guys.â
âShe doesnât like me, so it doesnât matter,â he said.
âSo why were you fighting with this boy?â said his mother.
âIt sounds like he was standing up for himself,â his father said. âSomething he needs to do more often, if you ask me.â
âI hate him,â Tavarian said. âI donât get what she sees in him.â
âSo, she likes him?â his mother asked.
âApparently so.â
After dinner, Tavarian went to his room and sat down on the bed. He leaned his back against the wall, replaying the dayâs events over and over in his mind. What did Lirah think about what he did? He had never reacted in any kind of aggressive manner toward anyone, especially not around her.
Valea stood in the doorway, raising her eyebrows as if asking if she could come in. Tavarian gave her a quick nod of approval.
 âHey,â she said, âI was just thinking . . .â
âYeah? Donât worry, it gets easier after the first time,â he joked.
âIâm trying to be serious, Tav,â she said. âI realized that youâre not the little kid you used to be.â
âWhat gave it away? When I started putting my shoes on all by myself?â He didnât know quite how to react. The only response that he could be comfortable with was to maintain the same level of sarcasm.
âYouâve always been my little brother. I guess being around you every day . . . youâre not supposed to be this close to being an adult.â
âDoes that make you feel old?â
Valea laughed. âNo, itâs just . . . I forget sometimes. I tease you about Lirah as if itâs a little childhood crush, but I donât always think about how I was at your age, which wasnât that long ago, by the way. I just wanted to say that Iâm sorry for making fun of that.â
What made her say all this? They always picked on each other but never apologized for it. They knew exactly how to press each otherâs buttons, but usually not going too far. Although they had made each other miserable at times. Valea knew how to get under his skin better than he did hers. Could this be some kind of trick?
âItâs fine,â he said, âI mean, it does get a bit tiresome. Today was just . . . it was a bad day.â
âOkay, it wonât happen again,â she said. âThereâs so many other things to make fun of you about.â
He pressed his lips together into a mocking smile as she turned back toward the hallway.
First things first: I think that if you have not read the first book, you should start there. As much as it is usually possible to first read any book in a series and it will give you enough of an idea of what's going on, this one allows you to enjoy it until you get to a point where, like me, you begin to wonder about the point of the story. And I think the answer to that question lies in the context of the first book. With that necessary time investment, I think those who are truly interested should step up to the challenge. If you enjoy adventure and fantasy reads, this is for you. It is worth the effort.
Now that that's settled, the story in Shadowsphere by Kevin Cox is set in the world of Isodonia. Tavarian, a boy from the city of Rethia (a city on a mountain), has plans for his life that are aimed at fulfulling his desires and serving his community. When those plans are derailed, he is given the opportunity to achieve his objectives by going on an honourable but seemingly dangerous mission. After being selected as one of the Descenders chosen to go to Rootcore (the city below Rethia's mountain), he learns the reason that many who went before him have not made it back home, even though each one promised they would.
On his mission, he faces various challenges that bring forth an array of revelations about the person that he is. These circumstances also open his eyes to (and, maybe, challenge our perceptions of) the different economic systems of the world throughout time (e.g. socialism, slavery, capitalism) and the types of governance (e.g. authoritarian) attached to them. These challenges present new adventures and goals for Tavarian. With his being and preconceptions challenged, will he survive this mission? Will he, like those before him, never make it home? After all that he has been through, can home still feel like home?