Justin leaped frantically over his couch. Behind him, a growl echoed through the living room, followed by a loud crash as the TV screen exploded into a million little pieces. As Justin's feet hit the hardwood floor, he could hear the couch cushions being ripped open by sharp claws. He raced down the hallway, his feet losing traction as he tried to turn too quickly towards the stairwell. Behind him, picture frames and glass rained down as the beast slid into the wall. Upon impact, it felt like an earthquake was trying to bring the entire house down. Justin took the stairs two at a time, his back muscles clenching tight with the anticipation of sharp claws ripping his skin open.

Reaching the top of the stairs, an agonizing howl from below stopped Justin in his tracks. He dared to take a peek behind him and exhaled as he realized the stairs were too narrow for the beast's massive hulking form. But his relief lasted only seconds as he watched in horror as the beast tore the wood from the stairwell walls apart. The house groaned as if in genuine pain. Slowly, the beast fought its way up the stairs towards Justin.

Screaming, Justin ran down the hallway, pelted into his room, and slammed the door shut behind him. Silence followed. It was as if shutting the door was an off switch to the horrendous noise of the house being torn apart.

Justin backed away from the door until his legs bumped into Simon's bed and he collapsed into the hundreds of Beanie Babies. Perhaps they would protect him.

The pile of stuffed animals moved, like the undulation of water when something moves beneath its surface. Sitting up to peer into the pile, Justin came face-to-face with dinner plate-sized, bright, yellow eyes.

"Hello? Excuse me, but it is time to get up," a voice rang out. A hero of a sound dissolving the yellow eyes and replacing them with soft blue light.

"I'm sorry, but I can't wait," said the voice. "I must get back."

The voice was soothing, drawing Justin to it. Justin blinked and opened his eyes fully. He looked up into the small, pale, anxious face of a man wearing a black velvet hat trimmed with gold beading and topped with a large white feather. Justin recognized the hat as a beret from the Renaissance period.

The man smiled gently. "Oh good, I worried you ate some cursed berry from these horrible woods and would never wake." He spoke calmly, as if he thought he would startle Justin by talking any firmer or louder.

Justin lay on something feather soft. Where was he? Blue light outlined the man, and just beyond him, he could see a black metal gate.

The gate! He sat up and the man stepped back, startled.

"I made it!" Justin exclaimed.

"Yes, congratulations," said the man, glancing about. "Now, if you don't mind, could we please get out of these woods and get to my castle where we will be much safer?"

"Castle?" asked Justin, the words reminding him of something. "Wait. You live in that enormous castle on the hill?"

The man smiled. "Yes. My name is Naldo. I am the magician of the lands beyond this gate." He held his hand out to Justin. "And who are you?"

Taking the man's hand, Justin allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. The man stood only to Justin's chin. He wore a long black velvet coat trimmed in gold that matched his hat. Underneath the coat, the man wore jeans, a plain black shirt, and red Converse sneakers.

"Justin," Justin replied. "Did you say, magician?"

The man straightened, reaching now to Justin's lips.

"Yes. I would love to explain, but I don't feel comfortable here. Do you mind if I talk while we walk?"

Justin nodded.

"Oh thank you, come, please."

Naldo led Justin to the black gates. Upon reaching them, Naldo pulled from his coat pocket a polished stick. Justin's mouth fell open as he swished the stick in the air and the gates immediately flung open. They walked through the gates and then Naldo flicked the stick again, but this time, nothing happened.

Naldo's cheeks flushed red, and he laughed lightly.

Glancing at Justin, he said, "I need to recharge it." Then he tucked the stick back into his pocket and pushed the gates shut with his hands.

"Was that a wand?" Justin asked.

Naldo gestured to the black paved road to the left and Justin followed him down it. This time Justin noticed a perfect metal green street sign with Twinkle painted in white letters.

Naldo walked with his hands clasped behind his back. Justin could feel the man studying him, but every time Justin looked at him, the magician looked away.

"Yes, that was a wand," Naldo finally replied. "I'm sure you have lots of questions. Let me try to explain my world. Magic exists. It can be used by magicians through objects like wands or crystals or many other magical objects."

He paused, and Justin tried to absorb his words.

Magic exists. How can magic exist? A memory floated into Justin's mind of a beautiful girl dancing in the air. Yes, magic has to exist. I can accept that.

"I have been here before," said Justin.

Naldo nodded. "I know."

"I went into a house and I found two Indian kids. The girl, she could fly."

The magician's eyes widened, but he said nothing. It was still night and the metal lamps lit their way. They passed brown dunes with a white domed home that seemed to melt into the sand.

"Most need objects to use magic," said Naldo finally, "but a rare few, mostly children, are gifted with magic within themselves."

They came to a crossroads where a medieval church, a simple red VW bus, a very normal tract home, and a boxcar converted into a home sat at each corner. Naldo turned to the right and again, the perfect street sign read Twinkle.

Justin searched for words, for a feeling, for anything to say to this magician. But all thoughts seemed to fall short of how he actually felt. As to the sensation tingling just beneath his skin. He hoped the magician would say more, but he seemed just as lost in his own thoughts as Justin was.

They walked in silence for a while. Every so often, Naldo would swirl his hand upward in a very dramatic gesture to indicate that he wanted Justin to stop. Justin would stand still as Naldo swept about the street, leaping across sidewalks, swooping his wand through the air, and tumbling across snow, sand, grass, and even mud in a very acrobatic fashion. Then, he would stand in front of Justin and bow deeply, and Justin would clap furiously, his claps echoing down the silent streets.

"Marvelous," Naldo said every time, sweeping his long coat about him as he turned around and continued on. His feather waved back and forth as he went, beckoning Justin to follow.

Next, Naldo turned left down a street called Little, and Justin suppressed a giggle, but a snort still escaped.

Naldo turned on his heels to stare at Justin. Justin's eyes went wide, fearing he offended the magician. Swishing his hand into the air, the magician pointed above a tall Dutch windmill. Looking past the windmill, Justin found the tall black castle with windows of every shape nearer than he had ever seen it before.

"We are nearly there," said Naldo.

"Just need to go down Star Street?" asked Justin.

Naldo smiled. "Boulevard, but yes, clever. We are lucky. I do believe my streets are safe once more. The beast is gone."

The hairs on Justin's arms rose.

"The beast?" he asked.

"Yes. A black giant wolf-like creature. A creature of darkness."

Heart thumping, Justin said, "I saw him, I..." He trailed off, remembering Nitara's message. The beast took Niraj. It was his fault. "I think I let him into the Indian boy and girl's home. It took the boy, Niraj. It's somewhere out in India now. It's all my fault."

Stepping closer to Justin, Naldo placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Of course it isn't. This is bigger than you. I think I know how to save your friends. Come on, let's hurry and get to the castle. Time is not on our side."

Naldo swung his arm in a wide circle like a pitcher throwing a ball, and then he took off at a run. Justin followed, and shortly after, they turned down Star Boulevard, a wide two-lane street lined on each side by massive buildings of all varieties and colors. The street wound up a hill and ended at the castle.

Being this close to the castle, Justin realized the spires were not black, but towers of every color. One tower was checkered red and green, another had yellow diamonds painted on a backdrop of blue. It was as if an artist had taken medieval flags and transferred them to the towers.

They ran all the way up the hill and over a wooden bridge that swayed across a deep moat, down a cobbled pathway lined by bamboo that Justin thought might have been cut into a maze but didn't have time to see for sure, and up to the large wooden front door.

"Wow, you actually live here?"

A dazzling white smile lit up Naldo's face. "Of course."

Someone had carved piano keys along each side of the door. Stepping closer to the door, Naldo held his elbows out to the side so that his hands faced in towards one another. He tapped one of the piano keys with his right ring finger and immediately a clear, deep note rang out.

"Whoa," Justin whispered.

Naldo hit more keys with his fingers, playing both carved pianos at once. One side seemed to create the melody while the other the notes of the song. It was a song Justin knew, one his father loved to blast when it came on the radio in the car. He could hear him singing it now in a voice that cracked at the high notes.

"Don't stop believing, hold on to that feeling, ya!"

Naldo played one full line of the chorus before stopping. The door swung inward, revealing a dark corridor. Candles in holders attached to the walls lit at once, lighting the way.

Turning to Justin, Naldo rolled his eyes. "My... This castle has horrible taste in music. You can also just sing the song... But it must be perfect and I am afraid," he coughed, "I was not blessed with a voice."

He stepped inside. "Welcome to Castle Temenos!"

Justin followed wide-eyed as he stepped slowly inside. A zebra print carpet lined the stone floor, and once he was fully inside, the candles disappeared, replaced by space itself. Stars twinkled on for eternity in all directions, making Justin dizzy. The zebra carpet floated through space and seemed to go on forever.

The door slammed shut with a loud click behind Justin.

"Tell me," said Naldo. "Don't think, just say. What are your first impressions? I love experiencing the castle with someone who has not."

"Um," was all Justin got out.

"Quickly! Don't think. First thing that comes to mind."

"80s rocker. Astronaut? Rocker astronaut?"

"Close. Ziggy Stardust."

"What?"

"Never mind, just look to Mars," said Naldo, sweeping his hand up towards a bright red star that did not twinkle. "Don't take your eyes off of it as we walk and we will be in the Great Hall."

Justin stared intently at the red planet as they went. He found that this made the dizziness go away, and he followed Naldo down the zebra carpet floating through space. Suddenly, Mars loomed before them. Naldo simply walked right through it and disappeared just like a Hogwarts student walking through platform nine and three-quarters. Unlike Harry, though, Justin wasn't worried and confidently strode through the planet. On the other side, he found himself in a large room, one much like you would expect to find in an enormous castle.

The room had rows and rows of long wooden tables. Along the walls were hundreds of suits of armor. Oddly, instead of being adult soldier size, these suits seemed to be made for small children. Above the tables strung from yarn were flags. Justin could tell they were flags from every country around the world.

"I know!" exclaimed Naldo randomly as he leaped onto the bench of a table and then leaped back down again.

Justin watched as the magician sashayed like a ballerina to the far end of the room, where a set of thick, large curtains hung.

"Do you like the theater?" Naldo asked.

"I love the theater."

"I thought so."

Grinning, Naldo squared his shoulders and stomped one foot while simultaneously clapping. Then he froze as if waiting for something to happen. Nothing happened. He stopped and clapped again, harder and louder this time. Again, nothing happened. Naldo frowned, then rolled his eyes, turned, and yanked the curtains aside to reveal two small wooden doors with thick iron hinges and golden circular door handles. The doors were the same height as Naldo.

Justin's mouth fell open as he recognized the doors.

Stepping closer, he asked, "Is that?"

"Yep!"

"Shakespeare?"

"Yep. Miniatures to the Globe theater entrance."

"Wow."

Clapping his hands together, Naldo cried out, "Oh, I'm so glad you appreciate it! My apprentice didn't even know what the Globe was."

"You have an apprentice?"

"Had. He abandoned me for the great wide world."

Naldo sniffed and then spun towards the doors and pulled on the golden door handles. The doors creaked open and on the other side darkness awaited.

"Come," said Naldo, ducking through the opening so that his long white feather fit. Following, Justin felt hopeful that the magician would have a plan to save Niraj from the beast.

He stepped into complete darkness. The smell of old wood immediately overwhelmed his senses, reminding him of an old library or antique shop. The sound of clapping echoed through the darkness, followed by loud clicks. Pricks of light flickered on in the distance.

"Finally, something works," muttered Naldo.

The lights revealed a wooden stage with red and gold stone pillars. Wrapping around the stage were three balcony levels. Justin and Naldo stood on the third balcony in the very back.

"No way," whispered Justin.

"Yes way," whispered Naldo.

Justin was standing in an exact replica of the Globe Theatre, the same theater where Shakespeare himself put on some of the best plays in all of history. His mouth salivated at the idea of standing on that beautiful stage.

High above the seating in the center of the theater, a giant chandelier with thousands of tiny pieces of white crystal hung from the ceiling. In the center of the chandelier hung a single large piece of purple crystal. A large chunk of the crystal was missing as if it had crumbled off, and in its place, the crystal was jagged and charred black. Around this crystal hung smaller purple crystals carved into different shapes, like the windows in the towers. Some of these were charred black, while some were shattered and no longer resembled any shape. The large crystal glowed with light. Actually, the longer Justin stared at it, he realized it pulsed, not glowed, sort of like a heart, except that the pulse was faint and barely noticeable.

"I wanted to bring you here to show you the crystal," said Naldo. "It's the heart of the castle, and it is dying." He slumped onto a bench, bringing his hands to his face.

"Why is it dying?" asked Justin as he slowly approached Naldo and sat next to him.

Naldo raised his head and Justin could see tears pooling in his eyes and a sadness that terrified Justin. It terrified him because it reminded him of the sadness he saw every time he looked in a mirror.

"It's the darkness," whispered Naldo.

"The darkness?"

Naldo nodded. "It's an evil magical force. You know how I told you that some rare people, mostly children, have magic within them?"

Justin nodded.

"Well, there are evil creatures that would love to have that magic. They will stop at nothing to have it."

Bright yellow eyes the size of dinner plates filled Justin's vision, and he gulped. "Like the beast?"

Naldo's eyes went soft as he responded, "Yes. The beast is part of the darkness."

"How..." Justin's throat caught on his question. He didn't want to know the answer. He cleared his throat. He didn't want to know, but he knew he had to know. "How do they take a child's magic?"

Naldo slumped back down, his feather seeming to wilt with him. He said nothing.

"Naldo?"

Face pressing into the palms of his hands, Naldo mumbled, "they eat them."

Covering his face with his own hands, the words all my fault rang through Justin's head on repeat.

"Come," said Naldo suddenly, "I want to show you something in the back."

He led Justin down two flights of wood staircases to the bottom level of the theater and then towards the stage. Justin kept spinning in circles, trying to take it all in.

"Do you put on plays here?"

Naldo smiled, but it never reached his eyes. "I hope to, but I haven't yet."

"Why not?"

Reaching the stage, Justin could see no stairs to get up onto it. Instead, in one leap, Naldo landed on the stage. Holding his hands up, he looked out into an imaginary audience. Justin clapped furiously, and Naldo bowed. He stepped up to the edge of the stage and looked Justin in the eyes.

"My brother Gregor built Castle Temenos. He was a child who was gifted with magic inside. He was brilliant. So brilliant that there were those out there who wanted to steal his magic. There aren't just dark creatures out in the world, there are dark magicians as well. They will stop at nothing to take children's magic from them, even if it means killing them."

Justin's chest tightened at Naldo's words.

"Why do they want their magic?"

"Because the magic within a child is the most powerful magic there is. My brother was older than me, he looked after me. We had no family. When the dark magicians came after him, he fought back. He sacrificed himself to make this castle to protect me and the children gifted with magic. If magical children are in this castle, it will protect them. All they have to do is use their imagination. This stage," Naldo walked around the stage with his arms held out, "is a place of pure imagination. To get lost in another world. Putting on a play here will create magic that will sustain the castle and protect the children within it."

Stopping in front of a door at the back of the stage, Naldo said, "Wait here." He then pushed the door open and disappeared inside.

The silence that followed rang through the theater. It carried the echoes of children's performances cut short by darkness. It was the sound of what could have been. How many children had already lost their lives to these magicians? How many had lost their imagination?

Stepping up to the stage, Justin placed a hand on the polished wood. A white stage light from somewhere up above illuminated dust particles that swirled about in a mesmerizing choreography.

The door at the back of the stage flung open and Naldo tip-toed from behind it. He swung his hands above his head, revealing in them a wooden box. He pirouetted across the stage to Justin and then gently placed the box next to Justin's hands on the stage. The box was plain and worn. A faded drawing of a young boy playing a single drum in a field of daisies was glued to one side.

"A Jack-in-the-box!" exclaimed Naldo.

It was then Justin noticed the small wooden handle sticking out on the right side of the box.

"Go ahead," said Naldo, "pick it up."

Justin slowly placed both hands around the box. As his skin came into contact with the wood, his whole body shivered. There was something there inside of him he was only now discovering. His fingers felt warm around the box and he realized they were softly glowing with gold light.

Gasping, he jerked his hands back.

Naldo clapped. "I knew it!"

Examining his hands, Justin asked, "Knew what?"

"You sir, are a wizard!"

Justin's vision went blurry. He grabbed the stage to keep from passing out.

"I can't be. I don't have any special gifts," he said.

"Oh, yes you do," replied Naldo as he sat at the edge of the stage, his legs dangling over the edge. Leaning in close to Justin, he patted Justin's hand with his own. "You opened a door to another world."

Justin crunched his brows together. He never opened a door... He gasped and Naldo nodded eagerly.

"To Nitara and Niraj?" Justin asked.

Naldo continued to nod.

"You couldn't open the door?"

Naldo shook his head. "No. At last, I am only a poor magician, stuck with only the magic gifted to me by others. Like this castle."

"Did your brother make the entire neighborhood of strange houses?"

Sighing, Naldo hung his head. "No, that was my apprentice. The one who left me for better things. He was a wizard, and he helped me create doorways to magical children so that the castle could protect them. But neither of us could open the doors. As kids do, he grew up. No longer needing my protection, he wanted to see the rest of the world and left."

Naldo stopped talking and looked up into the stage lights. To Justin, he looked as if he was gazing beyond the lights, wondering where in the world his apprentice was now. Justin touched the Jack-in-the-box and again, his hand glowed with golden light. This brought Naldo back to the present, and he patted Justin's glowing hand.

"But now I have you. You can save your friends and then we can help all magical children."

Removing his hand from the box, Justin stepped back. "Me? I thought you would help them. I'm only twelve."

"Oh no," said Naldo and he waved a hand in front of him as if dismissing the notion, "I can't. I have to protect the castle. The evil magicians would do anything to have it."

"How?" asked Justin, and he backed all the way into the first row of seats until he fell into one.

Grabbing the Jack-in-the-box, Naldo jumped from the stage, the white feather in his beret sticking straight back as he soared and then flung back upright immediately upon landing. He held the box out to Justin. "With this."

"How?" Justin clasped both armrests and squeezed as his heart raced.

"This will trap the beast. If you wind it in front of the beast, it will suck the beast into it."

"I can't," Justin forced out in a whisper.

Naldo gagged and stuck his tongue out. "Ew," he muttered with his tongue still out. Sticking his tongue back in, he said, "I despise that word. Can't."

Justin narrowed his eyes. "But you said it, about saving Niraj and Nitara."

"Touché," said Naldo, and he snapped his fingers.

Music blasted through the room. It reminded Justin of the old eighties video games his dad loved with a funky beat and lasers. Naldo began dancing about, sticking his feet out at odd angles to the beat of the lasers. One minute later and the music stopped.

Naldo smiled and sighed. "Ah, midnight, the most magical hour."

Justin shot out of the chair as if it were on fire. "Midnight! I need to get home."

Bile rose in his throat as he thought about how worried his mom must be. He turned to run up the aisle, but Naldo stepped in front of him, still holding out the box.

"Wait," he said, "if you leave this place intentionally, you will never find it again."

This made Justin pause. "Never?"

"Never."

"What about Nitara and Niraj?"

Naldo shrugged. "Killed by the beast, I suspect."

"But, I," Justin stumbled over his words, "my mom."

"And to think how Niraj's and Nitara's mom must feel."

Justin gulped.

"How about you sleep on it? It is midnight and those woods are nasty outside these gates. Think about it for one night. Think about the good you could do with your magic."

Justin inhaled through his nose, and then, before he could stop himself, he nodded.

Naldo grinned. "Excellent!" He shoved the Jack-in-the-box into Justin's hands, which began to glow.

"Let me show you to your room!"

Turning, the magician ran to the stage and climbed back onto it. He walked center stage and called to Justin, "Come, you must be exhausted!"

Justin, still clinging to the Jack-in-the-box, made his way to the stage and hoisted himself onto it. Immediately, he felt powerful. The stage lifted him up and gave him strength. He could be anyone up here, even Maya. She felt the cool touch of silk around her legs and she swayed, allowing the dress to swish from side to side.

A thumping noise vibrated through the stage, bringing Justin back to Naldo stomping his foot. A part of the stage hinged up and out, revealing a trap door.

"This time, head towards Jupiter," said Naldo, before jumping through the opening and disappearing.

Justin raced to the hole in the stage and peered down. He could see nothing but darkness. Looking around, he realized that the entire theater had gone dark except for one spotlight shining down on him. He blinked and then curtsied to the audience. In a comical fashion, he walked as if he was going to walk right over the hole, and he fell in.