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Sam woke up with a gasp.
It was darkness. At first, it felt like complete and total darkness. But as Sam’s eyes adjusted, he could see specks of light in the distance. Wherever Sam was, it was eons away from whatever worlds were left, if he even was in the same plane of existence as those worlds. Judging by how it looked as if the stars were behind a layer of cloth, Sam was sure he was looking through from a pocket dimension or some sort of… void.
It was black sand.
What Sam was lying in. Dunes and dunes the eye could dimly see to his left, behind him, to his right. But ahead? Sam could see something in the distance. A light source.
A lighthouse.
It wasn’t an impressive lighthouse. Not from what he could see of it. It was distant and calling to him. It drew him like it wanted to take him to the rocky cliffs to an untimely demise. It threw light off onto a what almost looked to be a mirror, but that couldn’t be it.
Sam stood up as he brushed off the black sand, how it glimmered slightly rainbow in the dim light. He looked around one more time. The lighthouse was the only building in view. With little else to do, Sam trudged through the sifting sand as he made his way to the sole landmark. And as he drew close to the lighthouse, Sam began to notice more about it.
It was a little small. It looked in need of some repair. The white paint was chipping. There was an echo within the light like faint singing haunting Sam.
The dunes made way for a path. Not a well-worn one, but one that had been trodden upon before. The sandy path subsided onto a black marble path with gold veins that headed towards the rotting docks next to the lighthouse. The docks creaked and groaned as they settled, and now, close enough to it, Sam saw that the mirrored surface was an ocean abyssal in depth.
The sound was… louder? Different. Something melancholic from near the lighthouse. It wasn’t human, but Sam wasn’t sure what sort of creature if could be, mythical or mundane. A ripple in the ocean betrayed movement, something under the waves.
Should Sam call for it? Not like Sam has much else to do.
“Hello?” called Sam, searching the waters for whatever lurked under.
There was… a splash. Something oozy about the movement of the water, something off, as if it were gelatinous in form. The shadowy creature snuck behind the lighthouse. Something peeked out. Too hard to see in the dark, even with the lighthouse above them, but his eyes… the blue of them pierced vibrantly through the shadows around them.
Sam took the opportunity to test his trade. He snapped his finger, a purple fire blazing and hovering above his hand.
It was… Birdlike. Yet fishlike. Gils receded into the neck as he wheezed in air through a mouth with sharp rowed teeth. A webbed hand and joints transformed into one winglike arm while he seemed bereft of the other by some accident or punishment from the gods. A merman’s tail slowly formed into legs with talons at their ends. Seaweed drying into long brown feathers draping down like human hair around his humanoid face.
The being hissed at the light, as if not used to such brightness. How could such a creature be, if he had lived in such a dark world for so long?
“Sorry, I – I just wanted to get a look at you,” said Sam, turning off his flames, “I’m Sam.”
“Sam,” sung the creature in that melodic tone from before, “You are unwise to give me your true name, Sam. Who knows what one may do with such important information.”
“Who says that’s my full name?” asked Sam with a snort, “Do you have a nickname to offer, stranger?”
“I am,” the creature hummed, contemplating as if it had been far too long since he had met with another, “I am Bucky… You may call me Bucky.”
“I mean you no harm, Bucky of this… dark void. Honestly, I don’t even know how I got here,” explained Sam, “I’m a dimension farer, you see. I hop from one plain to another. I gather stories, items, history. I usually travel back home afterward, sell my wares, but I must have miscalculated the jump. Do you know the coordinates we’re in? If you do, I’ll be on my way within the hour.”
“Coordinates,” chimed Bucky worriedly, as if misplacing something, “I… I am not to leave.”
Sam blinked.
“You don’t have to. I’m trying to, though,” said Sam, hoping that cleared up the misconception.
Even in the dark, Sam could see the creature shake his head.
“I do not wish to stay here, but… I am not to leave. I do not have the knowledge you seek,” sang Bucky sadly, as if disappointed in himself.
Sam had heard of predicaments like this. Long ago, there had been a purge of certain creatures by the gods, creatures who had helped humans gain knowledge. Over fire, reading, writing, how to wield the very fabric of time and twist reality to their will at a cost with magic. Sam had thought there might be a slim chance that he might find one of these dimensions, seeing how he put himself in that danger every day for his profession, but he never actually thought he would find one.
“Oh,” said Sam, frowning, “I’m so sorry. What did you do?”
The creature slumped, curling around the lighthouse. It was the first time Sam really had a clear view of just how large Bucky was, how he wrapped around it like a dog trying to sleep. It let out a depressing sigh.
“It was so long ago,” whispered Bucky, “It probably matters not. I do not even know if my gift took hold in the end.”
Feeling lucky, Sam stepped closer to Bucky. Close enough to see how he breathed, slow and easy. Saw how the feathers moved with his lungs expanding.
“That’s okay, you don’t need to tell me,” said Sam, “I can’t see the gods making a dimension where there was no escape. Not if they could accidentally get stuck in here.”
Bucky peeked an eye over at Sam curiously.
“There… there is a library. In the lighthouse. If you wish to confluence its knowledge with your own,” said Bucky as his head gestured for Sam to follow him, “I have… long since given up on my escape, but mayhap you might shine a light in this darkness.”
Sam wandered around the side, amazed as he watched a creature as big as ten griffins transform into something small, something that only came up to Sam’s knees. A fluffy little nestling of a thing with the same eyes, hobbling on his chicken legs as he guided Sam into a drab and decrepit home.
What might have been modestly nice had fallen into disrepair. There were cracks on all the surfaces, torn drapes, worn-down furniture. They had stepped into what must be a study-living room combination with wall-to-wall bookshelves and a spiral staircase smack dab in the middle of the room.
Sam gaped at the collection.
Sam knew these books. Not all of them, of course, but the ones he could spot were the rarest of the rare in his collection back home, some were even books thought to be lost to time. Sam was honestly amazed by the number of books he didn’t recognize, wondering what dimensions they came from and what secrets lie in them.
“This is the library. You might find the answer you’re waiting for here. You may be here a while, though, so allow me to give you a tour,” said Bucky, flapping his one wing enough to get himself to the railing as he began to hop from railing to railing up the stairs.
Sam ran to catch up with him, watching the library disappear under him to reveal a kitchen that had not been used in decades, maybe a millennium. Dust was all over the stove, the counters, the sink, the breakfast nook and its booth.
“You should be able to cook whatever your heart desires here. Think of the ingredients you’d like and they’ll appear in the fridge. Think of equipment or utensils you need and it’ll appear in the cupboard and the cabinets,” said Bucky as he continued up the stairs.
Sam followed, finding himself in an attic-like room with an unused bed, some drawers, a mirror. A view of the ocean beyond with the light hitting the water like a mirror.
“And here is where you will sleep,” said Bucky, “The bed should change if you wish for it. If it is too soft, too firm, just think what you want and it shall become what you wish.”
Sam frowned.
“Where will you sleep, then?” asked Sam.
Bucky hopped from one foot to the next in some fidgety nervousness.
“I would worry not, Sam. I have a place to stay. I have… things to attend. Will you promise not to injure the lighthouse while I’m away?” asked Bucky.
“Sure,” said Sam, “Of course.”
Bucky smiled. He gave Sam a quick nod before turning and hopping back down the spiral staircase, his feathers rustling with every step.
Sam was in a dimension he shouldn’t be in. In a lighthouse that was falling apart. With a strange creature who must have given humanity something vastly important if he was confined to such a realm. Sam should be nervous. But he wasn’t. There was something about this, like he was missing several of the puzzle pieces, and that need to solve a mystery buzzed under his skin.
He'd find his way out of this realm. But first, he would rest.
*****
“That’s not going to work.”
Sam jumped, watching Bucky peek out from under the water. His blue eyes shined in the darkness, peering down at the transportation spell Sam was drawing on the ground. Sam shrugged.
“Doesn’t hurt to try,” said Sam, placing his hand on the circle… and nothing happened.
“See?” said Bucky as his head bobbed in the water, “It wasn’t going to work.”
“I have a few different additions to the formula,” said Sam as he took out his chalk and made edits to the circle.
Bucky hummed that strange vibration. Sam took a moment to look away from his circle to watch Bucky swim. It was smooth. A lulling motion that made Sam relax. Bucky was huge in the water. Sam only got glimpses of him. Sam wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to see all of him, not in the light they were in nor that foggy ocean water. Webbed hands. Scales. The fins at the end of his tail. The way the seaweed growing from his head moved as he swam.
Sam tried a few different more specialized additions to the circle. Ones that took him to different locations, different worlds.
Yet.
Nothing.
After a while, Sam decided to take a break, just watched Bucky swim in the distance in that strange ocean. Allowed himself to be captivated by this majestic being that he would probably never see again once he left. Before Sam noticed, Bucky came to shore, shaking off the ocean like a dog as he transformed once more into that nestling creature, hobbling over to Sam who was sitting next to his unsuccessful attempts at transportation magic. Bucky frowned at the circles.
“I’m sorry they didn’t work out,” said Bucky, extending a hand to Sam.
Sam took it. Bucky grew as he helped Sam up to his feet, becoming a little taller than Sam. He was more humanoid in this form. His feathers created the optical illusion of clothes, of hair, of stubble, even. He had strong, human legs. A strong arm. A strong jawline. Sam took a moment to try to realign his perception of this being.
“Are all your forms bird or fish?” asked Sam curiously.
Bucky shrugged.
“Sirens hold many forms,” sang Bucky as he released Sam’s hand gesturing for Sam to follow him back over to the lighthouse, “Would you like some tea as you think of your next plan?”
“Coffee, if you have it,” said Sam, watching Bucky once more become the knee-high nestling.
*****
Sam had wanted to dip a toe into the ocean. He had lived near an ocean when he was young. Still lived near one whenever he found his way back home to his own world. He liked the ocean. The ebb and flow of the tides. The fauna and flora. He just wanted to see if he could feel a little solace and get his feet wet.
It wasn’t what Sam expected, though.
No, it was… not exactly solid. Not cold, not ice. It wasn’t rubbery either, exactly. It felt as if with enough pressure, he could push his foot through. But there seemed to be a layer at the top. Something that wouldn’t let Sam into the ocean, but on it.
Curious, Sam stepped onto the ocean and… stood on top of it.
Sam walked out. He knew it wasn’t the smartest idea, but he wasn’t planning to go far. He just wanted to see if it was because he was so close to the shore. But even twenty feet away from the shore, he was still solidly on top of the ocean.
Sam looked down and saw how it mirrored. Saw the dim lights of the sky above Sam reflecting onto it, saw himself whenever the lighthouse’s light shined his way.
Sam wasn’t sure, but he felt as if the light from that house had become… brighter? Somehow? Sam would think it was a trick of the eye if his specialty wasn’t fire and light based magics. He wondered what had been making the light brighter, but he didn’t know enough about the lighthouse to make an educated guess.
Sam felt his world wobble. Slowly, Bucky’s head emerged from the ocean. Sam fell, scrambled to keep himself atop the being. Sam watched as he went higher and higher up in the air until he was above the beacon of the lighthouse.
“It’s not very safe out here on the ocean,” sang Bucky as Sam saw Bucky’s webbed hand come to grab him.
Sam allowed it, the skin reminding Sam of a fish recently caught.
“Is there something out there?” asked Sam, trying not to panic at the idea.
“No,” hummed Bucky as he held Sam gingerly, his long arm bringing Sam back to the shore, “But it can be hard to get to the surface if you find yourself underwater.”
Sam watched Bucky move back into the ocean, only his head poking out.
“Why do you swim in it, then?” asked Sam.
Bucky shrugged his shoulders, causing waves.
“Bored,” chimed Bucky, disappearing back under the surface.
*****
“What do you do for fun?” asked Sam as he wiped his tired eyes, placing down the book he’d been reading.
Bucky, who had been moving around the house all day, turned from where he was on the spiral staircase.
“I guess, I… I don’t know, you might laugh,” hummed Bucky, his knee-high form fidgeting.
“No, I want to know,” said Sam, standing up and stretching, “I need a break.”
Sam had been reading through as much of the books as he could on transportation and multiverse in between trying other spells the last few days. Which had been tiring and wearing him down. He needed a little joy in his life in order to function.
Bucky took a moment and… nodded. He gestured for Sam to come up with him up to the kitchen. Sam sprinted up into the kitchen to find Bucky… boiling water?
“What’s happening here?’ asked Sam as he turned away from the brief instance of a much brighter beacon outside.
“It’s just – so, I get a mug. Something big and bright that makes me smile,” sang Bucky pulling a beautiful large mug from the cabinets, “And I do a simple transformation when the water boils.”
Sam watched Bucky tap on the water pot, how it poured chamomile tea with white chamomile flowers in as well. Sam wondered if he had been imagining it or if a crack really did disappear from the wall near the mug.
“And then I just,” Bucky started as he climbed onto the counter, turning into a fluffy little chick before jumping into the tea.
Sam gazed down at the happy little gurgles of a fish Bucky swimming. Sam smiled at the sight.
“Okay, that is pretty cute,” said Sam, watching Bucky swim around.
He might have watched Bucky for an hour before he realized he probably needed to get back to work. Still, he brought the happy swimming Bucky with him as he noticed how the stairs creaked less on the way down.
*****
Sam watched his water pot boil over, wondering absently how safe it was to make coffee, or tea for that matter. Sam opened a cabinet – pulling out two large mugs.
“I can sense you outside,” Sam said, loud enough for Bucky to hear at the window.
Sam glanced behind, only fast enough to catch a glimpse of Bucky sneaking a peek, long feathers flittering out of the way. Sam smiled as held the water pot, tapping the transformation spell. He poured gorgeous and rich coffee into his mug, a soothing rose tea into the other, little petals of rose falling along with the tea.
“The window’s unlocked,” Sam told Bucky.
Sam heard the creak of the window. Heard large footsteps grow small, insignificant, a pitter patter almost too light to catch. Sam saw the minute puff of a chick find his way up the lower cabinet door knobs, skittering on the counter in little huffs before jumping into the rose tea mug. Sam smiled, watching Bucky – the size of half Sam’s finger – swim happily in the water as feathers became scales and a little fledgling became a small fish. Sam picked up both mugs, careful as he brought them down to the library below.
“Okay. I think I’m on The Manifestation of Otherworldly Manipulations?” said Sam as Bucky glubbed.
Sam had been there for about a week. While Sam wanted to read the entire library in leisure, he didn’t know how this void worked. He didn’t know if time warped here, and if it did, how it warped. Sam was acting calm, but Sam didn’t know if seven days would take seven minutes in his own world or seventy years. He wasn’t close to how to get out of there and it was starting to freak him out.
Sam tried not to think about that, though. He needed to focus on finding his way out, not what the repercussions of being there might be. Sam lost himself in the books, finishing one after another. Grabbed a few more that pertained to cross-dimensional travel. Sat back down and read. Time passed, though it was hard to tell exactly how long without looking at his pocket watch. The eternal twilight of this dimension made it impossible to do so without his watch.
But it was long enough for the coffee and tea to cool. It was long enough for Bucky to flop out of his tea mug with a little splish splash, transforming into the size of a small dog as he curled up in Sam’s lap. Sam pet Bucky absently, putting his latest book down as he took a moment to look out of the library window.
It was no trick of the eye. Sam was sure the light from this house was becoming brighter. He had a few ideas as to why, but… Sam still needed more information.
“Do you have someone in your world?” hummed Bucky sleepily.
Sam glanced down at the bird curled in his lap.
“I have my sister. Her kids,” said Sam.
“What are they like?” asked Bucky.
“My little sister is kind. Funny. One of the most beloved people in the town I live in,” explained Sam, “Her kids, they’re so smart. And curious. They’re always asking me about the things I’m doing. They grow so much whenever I leave… this really puts things into perspective. I don’t want to lose that time with my nephews anymore. I want to be there for them. For all my loved ones. I don’t want to be that cool uncle they never saw again after one wrong dimensional hop. I don’t want Sarah to wonder if I’ll ever come home again. I… I need to get home for them. For my sister and her kids. I don’t want to live a life where I never see them again.”
Silenced filled the room as some of that fear Sam was holding back that entire week seeped into his words.
He really didn’t want to never see them again.
Bucky rolled off, turning into that knee-high form as he scurried up the lighthouse bookshelves. He grabbed a specific series of books.
“I never figured it out,” sang Bucky as he placed the books on the small table next to Sam’s armchair, “But I had narrowed it down.”
Sam looked at the books. Wondered why Bucky took time to give Sam these.
“Why were you banished here?” asked Sam.
Bucky looked to the ground.
“I… I gave humanity the knowledge of love,” said Bucky before he skittered back out into the world. Sam could hear a giant wing flapping outside.
Not quite flying, but trying to.
*****
“Come with me,” said Sam as he watched Bucky swim in his tea.
“What?” chimed Bucky, looking confused as he poked his head out of his mug.
Sam had worked on the circle for days. He wanted it to be perfect once he used it. He didn’t want to risk another hop if he didn’t have to.
Bucky crawled out of the mug, growing as he hopped off of the table into his more humanoid form. He paced, shrinking into himself.
“I – I don’t know,” hummed Bucky, “I was placed here for a reason.”
“An unfair reason,” said Sam, “Besides, I’ve heard of beings like you being released before. Why be tortured like this because of love? Why can’t you leave for it?”
The beacon outside grew brighter as Bucky blushed.
Sam knew it. Sam was right. The lighthouse was connected to Bucky. It wasn’t the brightest light Sam had ever seen, but it was bright enough to allow for Sam to see things clearly now.
“It could be dangerous for you,” chimed Bucky, “I don’t want to burden you more than you have been. You’ve gone through so much already because of me. Because of this plane of existence.”
Sam took Bucky’s hand, holding it in his.
“We both deserve more than this void,” said Sam, “And… this is – this is new. I know it is. But I have good intuition. I want to get to know you. Be with you more. Have that time to maybe grow this into something when we’re not the only people we know.”
Bucky smiled at Sam’s hand.
“I’d like that,” sang Bucky quietly, “Are you… are you sure?”
Sam squeezed his hand.
“I’m positive,” whispered Sam.
Sam finished his final coffee in the lighthouse. Saw the mysterious repairs to it. The lack of cracks, the new paint job, the better light blazing out to the distant horizon. Hand and hand, Sam and Bucky walked down that spiral staircase one last time, walked to the circle outside.
“Are you ready?” asked Sam, smiling.
“Always,” sang Bucky as Sam’s circle lit up with magic.