-3-

"Come on, Bud, you been hogging the Neverworld machine long enough. Give us a break, huh?"

Lester wanted to reach back and grab his sword again, but it wasn't there and the hand he raised suddenly looked puny. So he climbed out of the Neverworld booth and walked out of the arcade studying his shoes. It would be really messy to use a sword like that in this world, he thought, not at all like the satisfying snick and scream and puff of smoke in Neverworld.

Another week went by. Lester's boss seemed to be on his back more than ever, but Lester didn't mind as much. Instead of dwelling on how he was being abused at work, he daydreamed about his adventure, and the look in the girl's big eyes when she said "My hero!" None of the girls around the office would ever look at him that way. Lester got away from work as early as he dared, filled his pockets with quarters, and was back at the Neverworld booth anxious to pick up where he had left off.

"I am Rondo," he said aloud as soon as the display lit up with the familiar green hill and yellow path.

"Ah yes, Rondo. Welcome back." The voice seemed to come from behind him, so he turned around. There stood Zogar.

"Zogar! I'm glad to see you made it! But where's the girl?" Rondo tried to conceal his twinge of disappointment.

"Come with me, Rondo, and I will tell you what has occurred while you were gone."

"While I was gone?" Rondo asked in some puzzlement, but he followed Zogar along the path, and soon a gray plasmoid mist swirled in around them until they could barely see their own boots.

"Yes, Rondo. You must understand, when you are not playing others are, so the adventure continues. Your part must be filled, so a substitute Rondo is created to take your place. This Doppleganger successfully carried the girl out of the Dark Woods. He learned that her name is Glenadare, and that she is bound for the Castle Mandelmere. Your duty is to see that she arrives there safely. Ah, here we are." The mist cleared as he spoke, and Rondo saw that they were on a broader road, and the girl sat under a tree to one side of it.

"Rondo!" she cried, leaping to her feet and running into his arms. "When you left me alone to find Zogar, I began to get frightened!"

"Ah, my fair lady," said Zogar, "As you can see he found me quickly. I escaped from the Ogres without harm, and have not been far behind you."

"Are you sure the Ogres didn't follow you?" she asked.

"They never leave the Black Wood," said Zogar. "But other dangers do lurk along the high road. We had best be on our way."

"Yes, I really must get to Castle Mandelmere," said Glenadare. "But all I know is that it is somewhere to the east."

"Then eastward we shall go!" Zogar exclaimed. "Come, Rondo!"

The party of three set off down the road. As they walked, Rondo drew Zogar to one side and asked him quietly "Uh, what else did Glenadare and the other Rondo do while I wasn't here? The way she greeted me..."

"Um, yes, it appears your Doppleganger hit it off rather well with the lady, Rondo. I'd say you are a lucky man."

Rondo was not sure what to think, but as they walked he could barely keep his eyes off of Glenadare. For the first time he had a chance to look closely at the girl. Her face was ageless, framed by tresses of blond curls that balanced delicately over her forehead. She reminded him of a girl Lester had known in high school — a girl who sat across from him in Trigonometry. Each day in class, he would stare at her long blond hair, careful to dedicate just enough token attention to the teacher so as not to get caught looking at the girl.

Once, in a crowded hallway after classes had let out, the girl's back brushed against his hand accidentally. She turned her head quickly to see who was behind her. When she saw Lester a look of horror transformed her face. Suddenly Lester could see his own puny and gangly body standing next to her tall, sleek figure, his black-framed glasses perched off-kilter on his big nose, his face pock-marked with acne fed by overdoses of greasy pizza and Burger Boy hamburgers.

Before she pushed him out of the way in disgust, he was close enough to smell her hair, still freshly scented from her morning shampoo. He memorized the smell, and after school went straight to the supermarket, sniffing no fewer than 25 bottles of shampoo in an attempt to determine which brand the girl used so he could send her an anonymous present. He had spent the rest of his junior year in high school trying to become a person he thought the girl might fall in love with. He had failed miserably.

It was these thoughts that ran unbidden through his mind as he walked over to Glenadare. He fervently hoped that this time, as Rondo, he would not be like his former self, but like the hero he had always dreamed of becoming.

Such a beauty she was. And all the more so because whenever he looked her way she seemed to be looking adoringly at him. As they walked on, she put her hand in his, and it felt slim and warm and fragile in his mighty grip. Rondo was almost dizzy with delight.

An arrow zinging by in front of his nose and burying itself with a thunk in a nearby tree startled him out of his musings. Glenadare screamed. Zogar yelled "Brigands, Rondo! Highwaymen! We must defend the lady!" Rondo saw Zogar draw his sword, so he did the same, but he was not sure it would be of much use against arrows. Still, he held it up in front of him, and once again it seemed to have a mind of its own, for with little guidance from him it batted the arrows out of the air as fast as they came.

The band of brigands closed in. There were five of them, all scruffy and dirty looking, but they were armed to the teeth, not barehanded as the Ogres had been. They put away their bows and approached boldly, drawing their swords. The one in the lead was much bigger than the others. His face bore several ugly scars and a thick stubble of black beard. "Lay down your arms and your purses," he growled, "And we will let you walk away."

Rondo was greatly alarmed, and almost willing to comply, but Zogar spoke out boldly, "Begone, brigands, if you value your lives. Rondo and I will beat you singly or all at once!"

The leader stepped forward. "Ah, a challenge!" he said. "I like that. I'll start with this one," and he moved to face Rondo.

Rondo wanted to turn to Zogar and ask him to fight instead. He thought if the big guy took one step closer his knees would buckle; they were shaking already. But the look of adoration and concern in Glenadare's eyes stopped him. He swallowed hard and raised his sword.

The big guy's sword flashed, and Rondo felt like he'd been hit by a truck. As he climbed to his feet he realized that once again his sword had saved him. It had somehow blocked the other blade, and protected him from being hacked in two.

When Rondo hesitated, Zogar said "Remember, Rondo, be bold. Carry the attack to him. You have a good sword, and the power to wield it."

Another glance at Glenadare convinced Rondo he had to do it. After all, this isn't really real, he thought. He charged forward recklessly, swinging his sword with abandon.

What happened next Rondo was never really sure. There was a deafening clang of blades for a while, then suddenly the big guy was lying in the dirt, and Rondo was standing over him.

While Rondo stood there in a daze, the big guy climbed slowly to his feet and put his sword away. "What the hell, you win some, you lose some," he said, and he and his companions shambled off into the woods.

Rondo turned to Glenadare. She reached out and grabbed his hand. Her hand was soft against his palm as she drew herself closer to him and said, "Oh, Rondo! Once again I must thank you for saving me."