The Tricksters Way Book 1: The Mortal Universe

(story picks up in chapter 3, this is just the background story for Lux Tenebra.

Please remember to Vote if you liked the Chapter. - Author.)

In the slums of Golden City, everything is quiet, save for the activities of common criminals exercising their craft.

The sun had set hours ago and the moon is high, people are sleeping peacefully in bed, when a loud bang shatters the quiet night air.

A young 9 year old boy with black hair, blue eyes and an average body runs through the winding streets like the hounds of hell are chasing behind him.

He runs round a corner into an alley where he tries to catch his breath.

He gasps "A little too much firework powder, nearly blew my hand clean off.

Next time I need to use less."

An angry girls voice sounds from the shadows at the end of the alley. "Next time I will thump your ears Lux Tenebra, you woke the entire Slums with your trickery."

Lux turns and sees a 10 year old girl with blonde hair, blue eyes and a thin body glaring at him, he smiles at her while saying in mock surprise "Aerin what are you doing out at this time of night?

You should be in bed, your mom will be worried."

Aerin huffs and stomps her feet.

She furiously says "My mother will be worried?

What about your mother and brother?

You know Seff will be upset when he finds out you went out at night without him."

Seff is the 10 year old adopted brother of Lux, who has brown hair, green eyes and an muscular body for his age.

Lux shrugs and mutters "Seff would have slowed me down, he is too big.

He is better suited to be a warrior than a rogue anyway."

Aerin scowls at him and snaps "Well lets get home anyway before we get into anymore trouble tonight.

Isn't it your birthday tomorrow?

Just in time for the Power Hall Potential Test, right?"

Lux and Aerin start walking home as quickly and quietly as they can through the misty streets using only the moonlight to see by.

Lux laughs "Hahaha, yes it is.

I'm excited to find out if I have any power so i can become a mage.

Do you think you have any power?

You are 10 years old, the minimum age requirement."

Aerin shrugs and says " I hope I am a healer as I don't like fighting.

What about you?"

Lux spreads his arms and waves them a little while saying "I hope to be a air mage as i would like to fly in the sky and use gusts of wind to blow away people who try to hurt me.

That way i can protect you, Seff and Mum."

They reach Aerin's home which is next door to Lux's house.

Both houses are rundown wooden houses with leaky roofs and worn paint.

Lux says to Aerin "Well, have a good night sleep before tomorrows test. Night."

He then gives her a quick hug and Aerin pushes him away while blushing.

She says "... Well good night, also you will tell me what you were doing tonight, in the morning?"

Lux laughs and says "fine, i was putting a firecracker under Little Johns bed.

Hahahaha, you should have seen his face!

Jiggling all over, Hahaha.... Ahem."

Aerin glares and says "This is why he beats you.

You do know this right?"

Lux shrugs and says "He would do it anyway, might as well get my own back.

Well its late and I am tired so I am going to bed, goodnight beautiful."

Lux then enters his house and quickly closes the door on Aerins red face.

Aerin raises her fist and says "I will get you tomorrow for embarrassing me, Lux.

Just you wait and see."

Aerin thinks to herself while entering her house "Does he really think that i am beautiful?"

The next day Lux is lying in bed when his brother comes running in and jumps on the bed.

His adopted brother's fullname is Seff Wolf, he is Lux's foster brother and is the same age as Lux.

Seff was found starving by Lux in the streets of Golden City's slums, he carried him home to his mother who decided to adopt Seff into her family.

Seff chose not to take Tenebra as his Surname, instead he decided to keep his own name, the name he remembered from his own father, Seffra Wolf-Eye.

Seff shouts "Happy birthday Lux, come on wake up it's your Birthday sleepy-head."

Lux wakes up to his brother's face in front of his own.

Lux yelps and scrambled away from Seff.

He shouts "Argh, get away idiot are you trying to kiss me or something?"

Seff laughs and tries to grab Lux while saying "well if thats what the birthday boy wants?

Who am I to deny him a birthday kiss, come here bro."

Lux dodges and runs from the room into the kitchen and shouts to his Mother who is cooking breakfast.

He shouts "Mum, Seff is trying to kiss me, make him stop."

Lux's mother grabs her son and says "But I want to give you some birthday kisses too."

She then starts kissing him on his cheeks and forehead.

Trying to fight back, Lux whines "Stop it Mum, Mum stop it.

I am nearly a man you know?

I am ten years old today, men don't get kisses from their mothers."

Lux tries to break free from his mothers hug by sitting down but his Mother hugs him tighter, blocking his escape.

Lux's mother says lovingly "Men are always children in their mothers eyes, no matter how old they get.

And mothers can kiss their children whenever they want as they will always be their child."

Seff laughs and sarcastically says "haha, Lux is getting babied.

So much for being a Man, right Lux!"

Lux's mother then grabs Seff and then starts giving him kisses as well.

Lux and Seff start struggling togther, but still can't get away from the grasping arms of Their mother.

Lux's mother then says "you both might be leaving soon and so i want you to behave when you are at Power Hall as you will be treated differently because you both aren't nobles.

So i want you two to look after each other, ok promise me."

Lux and Seff both chant "we promise to look after each other mum, can you let us go now?"

There is a knock at the front door.

Lux's Mother lets her sons go and resumes cooking breakfast.

Lux shout "Come in!"

Aerin walks into the kitchen and says "Hello everyone, happy birthday Lux, i have a present for you."

Lux smiles and says "thank you, what is it?"

Aerin hands over a small black jewellery box.

Lux opens it and sees ring.

The ring has a cloudy onyx jewel as the centre piece with grey flecks which look like they are moving.

The band of the ring is made of some black and grey metal.

Lux says "it's beautiful, just like you."

Aerin blushes and punches Lux in the arm while shouting "Shut up stupid!"

Lux's mother covers her mouth while giggling.

She says "You two would make a good couple.

You already argue like husband and wife. Hee hee!"

Lux and Aerin both blush and back away from each other.

Lux whines "Mum, you're embarrassing me."

Lux's mother then says "Well go out and play, we will leave for Power Hall at 14 bells. "(every hour the bell towers ring for every hour that has past.

So for 1pm it would be 13 bell rings, this means of telling time is primarily used by commoners.)

Lux says "ok mum."

He and the others quickly leave and run outside.

As he is running down the street, he hears a voice shouting at him.

He looks over and sees a tall fat boy waddling towards him.

The boy then says "well if it isn't gutter trash, i heard it was your birthday today.

You aren't going to go to Power Hall today are you.

I mean you will just embarrass yourself with how pitiful you are. There is no way you possess power, you are destined to be gutter trash for the rest of your days, just like your mother, who is so worthless that your father ran away to get away from her."

Anger floods Lux's eyes as he replies "well aren't you long winded little john.

So long winded in fact that you have swelled up with air like a balloon made of fat!

The truth of the matter is that you are worthless and the only worth your family has is in the form of coin.

Your family is made up of fat, opinionated wanna-be nobles!"

Outraged, Little John raised his fist, with an expression of a Wrathful God upon his face.

He glared at Lux with death in his eyes.

-Thanks for reading my book. Comment and vote if you like it-