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-

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

Little John punched out toward Lux's face.

Lux managed to move his head to the side but the fist still hit his ear.

With his ear ringing, he punches out at Little John's stomach which just ripples.

Little John laughs " is that all you can do, hahaha."

As Little John is laughing, Lux swings his fist at little john's left temple.

As Little John is distracted, Lux's fist connects with a bang.

Little John shakes as he starts to fall unconscious.

As the mountain of fat started to fall, he tipped towards Lux, who was still surprised he managed to knock Little John out.

Seff pushes Lux out of the way and shoulders Little John to the side with all his might.

He breathlessly says "He ... Is heavier... Than he looks."

Aerin says "Lux are you ok, your ear is bright red?"

Lux shrugs and says "It feels like it's burning but i should be alright.

Still can't believe i managed to knock him out, i normally get knocked out."

Just as Seff gets his breath back he says "Must be because it's your birthday Lux, that was one lucky punch, i thought you had your eyes closed, hahahaha!"

Aerin says "we should leave quickly before someone else comes and sees us standing over Little John and thinks we killed him, although not that many people would miss him, the bullying slob."

Lux nods in agreement and says "yes lets get out of here, Quickly."

The three run towards the market place which is in between the slums and the inner city.

The marketplace is a massive maze with hundreds of streets, everything and anything can be sold there.

The guards officially patrol the marketplace but in reality, the marketplace is run and protected by the trade union and the blackmarket (operates at night) which is run by the gangs.

Unlicensed stealing will lead to you being sold as a slave or made to be a gladiator in the black arena where beast fights beast and man fights man.

If you can make 100 times the value of the item you stole the you are offered a chance to buy your freedom.

Gladiators can earn money through tips (spectators throw money into arena) or through betting on themselves.

The Black Arena is an unofficial organization but has been around so long that there would be riots if it was disbanded.

So the King decided to tax the betting, as he couldn't stop it, he decided to make some money.

As the tax was so small the trade union decided that it wasn't worth fighting over and accepted paying it to maintain the status quo.

Lux turns to the others and excitedly says "lets go look at the adventurers."

Seff agrees "ok, maybe we will see them showing off."

Aerin silently nods.

As the three make their way through the busy streets, they get near a tavern where adventurers like to drink when they are in the city as the ale is cheap but tasty and the women are as well.

As they near, a man comes shooting out of the door and slams into the opposite wall of the street.

A brute of a woman walks out dusting off her hands and says "I did tell you to keep your hands to yourself or I would really put my hands on you.

Since you didn't listen, You are now Barred from Aunties Tavern."

The woman then saw Lux and the others and said "Hello kids, what are you doing here again, come on inside, i will give you a tankard of weak ale each and a meat pie to share. I believe it is a certain scamps birthday today."

The woman smiles and waves them in the taverns door.

They hurry inside as Lux says "thanks Auntie."

The three sit at corner table and smile at Auntie who is the tavern owner and bartender.

Auntie walks through from the kitchen, places a warm pie and three tankards filled with weak ale on the table and ruffles Lux's hair.

She lovingly says "you sure have grown up, haven't you three.

I remember when you were about as tall as my knees.

The gods i feel old."

Lux smiles and says "you will never grow old Auntie, never."

Auntie laughs and says "you little charmer.

Tell your mothers that i am asking for them." (wanting to know how they are doing.)

Lux, Seff and Aerin just finished the pie when they heard the 14th bell.

Lux shouted in panic "we have to get home quickly. We're late, we're so late."

He quickly runs out the tavern door with Seff and Aerin close on his heels.

Just as he gets home his mother opens the front door and says "just on time, come on lets go."

Lux, Seff, Aerin and Lux's mother make their way to the center of Golden City.

They make their way to Power Hall.

When they are outside, Lux's mother begins to cry and stops at the group adults that are grouped just outside Power Hall.

Lux's mother cries and says "now you three need to go in on your own, remember to look after each other ok."

Lux says " we will make you proud mum, don't worry i will look after them." while looking at Seff and Aerin.

And then they began walking inside Power Hall.

As they enter the building, they are called at from across the room.

"Hey kids over here, take a card and wait till your number is called." said a old man (he looks 50 yr old but compared to Lux he seems ancient.)

Lux took a card like the other two and waits silently for his number to be called.

A 20 yr old man said "number 5 please" and a girl got up and walked towards him.

Lux looks at his card number and sees (no. 15).

He sighs and slouches in his chair.

He thinks this is going to take forever.

And so he starts to drift off to sleep as he is still tired from the night before with the firecracker.

As he is drifting off to sleep, he hears someone say "number 15 please."

He jerks wake and wonders how his number came up so quickly.

As he looks round he is the only child in the hall.

Lux thinks "i must have fell asleep."

He begins running over to the guide.

The guide who tells him to follow.

They stop outside a room with a stone door.

The guide says "go in. Your potential will be determined inside. Good luck."

Lux quells his nerves and boldly walks inside, the door slams shut behind him.

The guide muses "he didn't even hesitate, i hope he doesn't die.

I hate cleaning the rooms afterwards."

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

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

Lux walks through the stone door and sees a pitch black room.

The room feels cold like cave but the air is dry.

Lux says "What do i do now?"

"CHOOSE" rumbles a gravelly voice.

Lux yelps "Who is there, show yourself."

Suddenly a light appears in the center of the room. A group of boxes appear in an circle, there is 16 of them. All of them were the same size (10 cm x 10 cm X 10 cm) but with different colours (Yellow, Light Blue, Dark Grey, Orange, Light Green, Iron, Dark Green, Dark Red, Brown, Mottled Light Blue/White, Dark Blue, White, Purple, Glass, Black) except the 16th Box which is the size of a ring-box and black with small grey flecks moving on the surface, It looks like it changes colour depending how you look at it.

Lux looks at them and begins walking round them.

Lux says "What do you mean choose, I don't know what I am choosing. Explain please."

"THE BOXES CONTAIN DIFFERENT DESTINIES, CHOOSE!" shouted the gravelly voice.

Lux says "Different destinies, does he mean powers?"

"Yes, you are ruining the dramatics kid." sighed the Gravelly voice.

"Where are you, i can't see you, why are you hiding." asked Lux while searching the room with his eyes.

"Find me and receive a FATE not seen since the Age Of Gods And Demon Emperors. You will gain powers beyond comprehension of mere mortals. So Choose quickly and with certainty for your life will change from this day." whispered the Gravelly voice.

Lux looks at the rest of the room, its empty of everything but himself and the boxes, so the voice must be inside one of the boxes.

Lux look at all the boxes deeply, he knows that there are 15 different powers.

"The 15 Abilities are Strength, Speed, Stealth, Combat, Marksman, Weapons, Alchemist, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Time, Space and Death. So what could the 16th be, is it a new power?" thinks Lux

"The 16th box looks similar to the ring Aerin gave me." Lux then takes the ring out of his pocket where he kept it safe so he doesn't lose it. suddenly the ring starts burning and Lux drops it on the floor where it starts shaking and then fires towards the 16th box, the ring then disappears inside the box.

"My ring! i need to get it back, Aerin will cry if she thinks i lost it the day i got given it." Lux panics.

Lux then grabs the 16th box and as he touches it, it explodes with a black and red fire, The fire then starts to engulf Lux, crawling up his body into his mouth. Lux collapse into unconsciousness.

Lux opens his eyes and sees a massive ball of black and red fire, while standing on air, he sees balls of earth moving past. "Where am i? am i dead?" said Lux.

"Don't be an idiot kid, the underworld is dark and gloomy, truly a depressing place." said a voice behind Lux.

Lux rapidly turns round and sees a copy of himself. "Who are you, why do you look like me?" says Lux

The Boy laughs and says "I am Chaos, but you can call me Ted. Just kidding, call me Chaos. and the reason that i look like you is because you could not handle my Divine Majesty so i took this form to be more relatable. Now on to where we are, we are in chaotic space, this is a solar system being made through my Will or Power as you humans say."

Lux starts sweating and says "So .... you are a God?"

Chaos angrily says "I am not so weak as a normal God, Boy. Do you even know the Power Level Titles, the different stages?"

Lux shakenly says "No Sir, i don't, i beg you to please tell me."

Chaos huffs "Fine then sit." and a chair appears behind Lux, Lux sits down.

Chaos says "The stages go as follows; Apprentice, Mage, Mage Lord, Prince, King, Emperor, Saint, Earthen God, Sky God and Divine God. Each stage has 9 levels, levels 1-3 are lower tier, 4-6 are middle tier and 7-9 are upper tier. Right now you don't even have any power, but i will give it to you to save time, this will give you the first level of the apprentice stage. This head start is the only time i will give power. You must build up your own power."

Lux says "But i don't even know what power i have."

Chaos sneers "Guess what power you have idiot."

Lux says "The space power, you said i was in space right?"

Chaos shouts "I gave you the Trickster Power you pissant, i have a good mind to take it back, if only i could, unfortunately once the trickster power is given it changes the soul into a Fateless soul, your potential is now infinite, if you die you will remember you life in the underworld so you can escape, this means even if you die, you can live again. This is the Gift i gave to you the Child of Chaos, Trickster Lux Tenebra, This is the power to create worlds."

Lux says "What do you mean Child of Chaos?"

Chaos sighs " Is that the only thing you took from that speech, i practiced it you know. Being a child of Chaos means no other Aspect can lay claim to you or your Blood, you family is now protected by me, they will only die from murder or old age."

"What do you mean other Aspects, Aspects of what." wonders Lux.

"well the other Aspects are Divine Gods who are created from the Universe to over see Aspects of life like, Space, Death, Time, Nature, Air, Earth, Fire, Water, ect. basically all the powers have a archetype, they hate me as i am able to influence anything i want, as i am constantly changing, i can also create which is unique to me which makes the others think that i am favoured by the Universe." explained Chaos and then he shrugged.

"Also the archetypes are allowed to choose an Champion who is gifted beyond any of the others, the others tend to make lots of disciples, while i don't make many, which i why you probably didn't know about the Chaos Power. I didn't think that it had been forgotten about already, the last one i blessed was blessed only 5000 years ago give or take a 1000 years. Seems like i have a task for you, you will go out into the world and gather the fame and glory that my power deserves, do not disappoint me Boy. I will also give you knowledge to use Chaos element and Creation, also as a gift as no-one seems to know about Chaos, i will also give you the power to be an alchemist, they use nature magic.

Nature will be fine with it as not many people are worthy to be an alchemist so having another one will cheer her up, remember that you are mine and if she tries to sway you to her side then tell me and i will reward you. NOW GO!!!!!" shouted Chaos, as he shouts he pushes a ball of light into Lux's soul.

Lux feels the darkness close in again and then he fades.

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