by Tom Hoffman
The day ended with no further confrontations, and a much relieved Orville hurried home to check on the success of Proto’s first spy mission. Flinging open the front door, he hollered a greeting to his Mum and ran up to his room. Proto was resting comfortably on Orville’s bed, curled up in a mound of blankets.
“How did it go? Did you see anything? Did you find the Red Mouse?”
Proto’s eyes blinked open. “I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty of making a comfy little nest out of your blankets. You have quite a marvelous bed.”
Orville heard his Mum call out, “Orville! Sophia is here to see you!”
“I’ll be right back, Proto. Sophia wants to hear what you found.”
Orville dashed downstairs and waved hello to Sophia. “ I’m glad you could make it. Mum, can Sophia stay for dinner?”
“Of course she can. You’re always welcome here, Sophia.”
Sophia thanked Orville’s Mum, then turned to Orville. “Do you have that history book you found at the Book Emporium? The one about the Elders? I’d love to see it.”
“Oh, sure, umm... it’s up in my room. Come on, I’ll show you.”
Sophia followed Orville up to his room and found Proto snuggled in the blankets. “Did you find the Red Mouse?”
Proto’s eyes popped open and he stood up. “Ha ha ha ha, that is quite an amusing story. I haven’t forgotten how much you love long engaging tales, so I won’t leave out a single detail.”
Sophia gave Orville a secret glare.
“Well, as preposterous as it may sound, I found a total of nine mice all wearing red cloaks and I had to follow each one to determine if they were the dastardly Red Mouse I was searching for. Quite a merry mix-up, I must say. The first mouse I trailed was acting very suspiciously. After a time, however, it became quite evident to me that he was engaged in nothing more nefarious than planning a surprise birthday party for his wife. He picked out such a lovely card for her, covered with delicate lacy hearts and flowers, and filled with such heartwarming sentiment that it brought tears to my eyes. Without hesitation, I can affirm that his choice of cards was thoughtful and sensitive, but I have a difficult time believing the gift he finally purchased for her was entirely–”
Sophia gritted her teeth and interrupted Proto’s story. “That’s a marvelous tale, and quite engaging indeed, but do you think we could save all those luscious details for another day? Perhaps you could just tell us about the dastardly Red Mouse, since we don’t have much time just now.”
“Ahh, yes, of course, of course. Well, after following eight mice in red cloaks, I finally spotted a red cloaked mouse who was glancing about furtively, as though to make certain he was not being followed. Very suspicious indeed, and quite clearly he was up to some sort of skullduggery. I trailed him all the way across town to a ramshackle barn behind your very own Book Emporium, where he had a secret meeting with the mouse you call Master Marloh. They’re up to no good, I can tell you that. Devious characters they are, both of them.”
“What did they say? Can you show us the record?”
“Oh dear, let me think. I don’t have a display panel here... but perhaps... hmm... if I reroute the storage crystal data through the glowbird’s optical system... and reverse the grid sensor polarity... and the auditory input... yes, that should work. Hold on while I position myself next to that wall.” Proto scuttled down from the bed and stood several feet away from the wall.
“Now, if I have made all the correct adjustments, I should be able to project the glowbird’s record through its eyes onto the wall.”
The glowbird’s eyes blazed brightly and a colorful moving image appeared on Orville’s bedroom wall. “Oh my, even better than I had expected. I’ll reroute the sound so you can hear what those two underhanded scalawags are saying.”
The moving image on the wall clearly showed the Red Mouse standing face to face with Master Marloh. Orville recognized the interior of the old barn immediately.
The Red Mouse had a horrid sneer on his face, his raspy voice dark and threatening. “This is your last warning. I want them both dead and I want it done now. You have three days. Here’s the map. Hide it in the secret compartment at the front counter. If those mice get their paws on it, two things will happen. Our invasion plans will be less than worthless, and carnivorous centipedes will be feasting on your bones.” The mouse’s eyes glowed with a terrifying red light.
“Creekers, that is one scary mouse.” Orville looked up at Sophia. Her face was grim, her eyes filled with a fierce determination. Orville felt the dreadful chill pass through him. He did not like seeing this side of Sophia. “Umm... Sophia? Are you all right?”
The chill faded. “I’m fine. I’m sorry, I was just thinking. We have to get that map. It shouldn’t be hard to find the secret hidden compartment. We’ll go tonight. Whatever these invasion plans are we have to put a stop to them.”
During dinner Sophia chatted pleasantly with Orville’s Mum about the Symocan Institute of Mechanistic Studies, mentioning that she had decided to return to Muridaan Falls after graduation to work with Mirus Mouse.
“Mirus is a brilliant and revolutionary inventor. It would be such a thrill to work with a mouse like him.”
Orville was extremely happy to hear that Sophia would be returning to Muridaan Falls. The last thing he wanted was for her to move back to Quintari, but of course he couldn’t mention anything about Quintari in front of his Mum.
They had a wonderful evening except for the part when Orville’s Mum told Sophia the snow bear story, a tale which he would have been more than happy to forget.
The rather humiliating incident occurred three years ago in the middle of a brutally cold winter. Orville had just finished breakfast and was late for school. He hollered goodbye to his Mum and flung open the front door, but instead of being greeted by a snowy front porch, he was greeted by a gigantic growling snow bear who had made its way down from the upper slopes of the mountain. Orville let out a piercing shriek of terror, barely managing to slam the door shut. His Mum raced out of the kitchen when she heard his scream, but before she could reach him an intensely powerful wave of heat rolled up through his body and he fainted away, sliding down to the floor like a big sack of walnuts.
As hard as she tried, Sophia could not stop laughing at the story. Orville was embarrassed, but in the end Sophia was his best friend, and he did like to see her laugh. Finally the evening wound down and Sophia bid her farewells, heading for the front door. Before leaving she whispered to Orville, “Midnight tonight. The Book Emporium. Bring Proto. I don’t know when we’ll be coming back.”
Orville gulped. What in the world did Sophia mean by that? She didn’t know when they’d be coming back? Coming back from where?
Chapter 15
Welcome to Periculum
Because Orville did not have the slightest idea where he and Sophia were going or when they were coming back, he decided he’d better write a letter to his Mum disclosing the whole truth about Sophia, Quintari, the Shapers Guild and the Metaphysical Adventurers. He promised her he would be safe, but did not know precisely when he would be returning. He neglected to mention the Red Mouse and his murderous plans.
With Proto tucked safely in his backpack, Orville tiptoed downstairs, set the letter to his Mum on the kitchen table and slipped silently out of the house.
His paws were cold and his anxiety was steadily increasing. He had no idea what Sophia was planning. He trusted her, but he also knew she was a mouse who took far greater risks than he ever would. As he hurried along through the gloomy night his whirling thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of his inner voice.
“You are entering a period of great chaos and confusion, a time where you will face nearly insurmountable obstacles. These are called the fires of life, and they bring with them great change. Your actions during these times will determine the kind of mouse you shall become. If you remain true to your heart in the midst of such fires, you shall return to this wo
rld in possession of great wisdom and power beyond imagination.”
“Return to this world? What do you mean?” There was no reply from his inner voice.
Orville tried to calm himself, taking a deep breath and looking up at the starry night sky that blanketed Muridaan Falls. The moon was rising above the mountain range, its soft light casting purple shadows across the rugged landscape. He would do what his inner voice asked, he would follow the truth he found in his heart. Orville swung his backpack up onto his shoulder and hurried forward into the darkness.
As he approached the Book Emporium a figure darted out of the shadows. It was Sophia. She whispered sharply, “You brought Proto?”
“Yes, I have him and the key to the shop. Have you seen anyone?”
“No, it’s all quiet. Let’s go.”
“I don’t understand where we’re going. My inner voice said something about the fires of life and another world. What does that mean?”
“I can’t tell you. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, but I just–”
“Follow me. No talking. Send thought clouds to communicate.” Sophia crept over to the front door and motioned for Orville to unlock it. He silently swung the door open and they entered the store. Sophia shaped a small glowing light in her paw and padded quietly over to the front counter.
She sent a blue thought cloud to Orville. “The map is in here somewhere. Look for a hidden panel.”
Sophia and Orville froze when the room was suddenly flooded with a brilliant white light, neither one of them able to move a muscle. They weren’t frozen with fear, it was something quite different, a strange paralyzing force which Orville had never encountered before. He found he could move his eyes, and most certainly he would have gasped if he could when he saw the two dark figures standing at the far end of the room. One was Master Marloh and the other was the Red Mouse. The Red Mouse’s face had a vicious smirk plastered across it.
His mocking voice echoed through the room. “Well, well, if it isn’t Orville Mouse and Sophia Mouse in search of the mysterious map which doesn’t even exist. Did you really think I wouldn’t notice your comical little snooping glowbird trailing behind me? It’s going to be a new world when I am Supreme Counselor of the Metaphysical Adventurers, and it’s going to be a new world without two nosy little mice who never learned to mind their own business. Marloh! Open the spectral door. Sending them to Periculum is the only good idea you’ve ever had. This will be more fun than killing them myself. Have a wonderful trip, my precious little mouselings. I do hope you remembered to pack plenty of insect repellent.” The Red Mouse let loose a horrific high pitched laugh that sent chills through Orville.
Master Marloh looked haggard, his face grim as death. He almost stumbled as he made his way across the room toward Sophia and Orville, stopping ten feet away from them. Without a word he cupped his paws together. A small diaphanous wavering sphere formed above them and began to grow in density, its color changing to a translucent blue green, pale clouds swirling about within the undulating sphere. As the sphere grew in size, tiny blue sparks appeared around its periphery, quickly transforming to brilliant flashes of lightning. The frightening sphere was expanding rapidly, now a maelstrom of dark gray roiling clouds and deafening claps of thunder. Master Marloh released the sphere and stood back, watching without expression as it moved toward Sophia and Orville. They could hear the swirling black storm shrieking and moaning, the horrific deadly tempest inching inexorably toward them. It was all over in a split second. The sphere exploded with incomprehensible fury, blasting Orville and Sophia into unfathomable darkness.
Orville was past fear, beyond feeling. He was hurtling through a narrow black tunnel, small lights flickering past him at impossible speeds. His body was a blur of flowing liquid light. He managed to glance behind him and saw the brilliant elongated fluid figure of Sophia flashing through the tunnel. Before he could even begin to comprehend what was happening they were both tumbling wildly across a hard rocky surface. Sophia smashed up against him and lay motionless. Every bone and every muscle in Orville’s body cried out in exquisite agony. “Unnnhhhh. What... what... how did we...”
Sophia’s eyes blinked open. “Owwww... that was so much worse than I thought it would be. Nothing at all like my trip from Quintari.”
“You knew this was going to happen? Why didn’t you tell me? Wait, what did just happen?”
“We’re on Periculum. Master Marloh created a spectral door and sent us through it to the world of Periculum.”
“Huh? How do you know where we are?”
“Because I asked Master Marloh to send us here.”
“You asked him to send us here? I am so confused. I also think I’m either going to throw up or faint.”
“That feeling will pass in a few minutes. The spectral door I came through from Quintari was fun, not at all like this one. Let’s figure out where we are, and then I’ll tell you the whole story. I will tell you right now that Master Marloh is on our side. You weren’t wrong about him, Orville. He’s a good mouse and a dear friend.”
“That’s a relief. I couldn’t imagine him trying to kill us.”
Orville peered out into the inky blackness, the only illumination coming from a group of flickering stars high above them in the night sky. He crawled forward across the gritty stone floor, feeling his way with his paws, stopping when he felt the rocky surface abruptly drop off.
“I reached the end of it. I think we’re on a cliff or something.” Orville’s eyes were gradually adjusting to the dim light. “It looks like we’re on the top of a column of rock about twenty or thirty feet across. It’s hard to see, but it looks like water way down there. I can see the waves glinting. Maybe we’re on a tiny island in the ocean.”
Sophia peered over the edge, studied the waves for a moment, then stood up. “Come over here, Orville.” Orville rose to his feet and stepped over to Sophia.
“What is it?”
“I want you to put your arms around me and hold me tight.”
“Huh? Why? Ooooh, wait, is there something you want to tell me, Sophia? Or do you just need a hug?”
“Stop talking and put your arms around me.”
Orville put his arms around Sophia and held her close. “This is nice. I like hugging you. This was a good idea, I feel a lot better now. Not so worried.”
“Orville, there is something I want to tell you. I know when you get scared you get a little wobbly and you have been known to faint. Like that time you opened the front door and the snow bear was standing on your porch. I wanted to make sure you didn’t fall and bump your head.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because that’s not water down there, it’s hundreds of enormous millipedes.”
Orville gave a small whimper and collapsed in Sophia’s arms. She grinned, gently lowering him to the ground.
“My hero.” She ran her paw across Orville’s furry head. She was truly lucky to have him for her best friend.
Orville woke up with a groan a moment later. “Unnhhh. Did you say giant millipedes?”
“I’m so sorry, I checked again and I was mistaken.”
“Oh, whew! I hate millipedes. They’re so creepy. So it’s water down there?”
“No, it’s not water and it’s not millipedes. In case you didn’t know it, millipedes are actually quite harmless. I’m afraid what we have down there are giant carnivorous centipedes.” Sophia burst out laughing.
“Unnghh... not funny! I feel sick. What are we going to do? How do we get off this rock?”
Sophia heard a muffled croaky voice coming from Orville’s backpack. “Where are we?”
Orville flipped open his pack and let Proto out. “We’re on the planet Periculum surrounded by giant carnivorous centipedes. Nothing to worry about, Proto. Things couldn’t be better. It’s going to be a lovely sunny day with a good chance of being eaten by centipedes.”
“Did you say Periculum? I believe at some point I read a rather detailed
report written by the Elders regarding the world of Periculum. If I remember correctly Periculum is one of the twelve worlds accessible through the Thaumatarian World Doors, through the fifth World Door to be quite precise. Parts of it are lovely this time of year, especially near the seaside. It goes without saying I’m not referring to the areas where the dreaded carnivorous centipedes live. Awful creatures, simply awful. Quite frightening with their hideous razor sharp prehensors, quite commonly referred to as fangs. Perhaps I could have just a quick peek at them?” Proto seemed oddly delighted to learn they were surrounded by carnivorous centipedes.
“Why does everyone think this is so much fun? What are we going to do?”
Sophia rubbed Orville’s arm. “We’re shapers and we’re Metaphysical Adventurers. We can shape whatever we need to get off this rock. Don’t let your fear control you. We can create impenetrable defense spheres and as scary as they look, those centipedes down there can’t hurt us. Although I suppose they could swallow us whole.”
“That’s not helping! I guess you do have a point about my sphere of defense though.” Orville blinked up a protective field of energy around him. “All right, let me think, how to get off this rock... I know, how about a long rope? It’s about thirty feet to the outer wall of the millipede pit and there are all those big trees there. We could shape a heavy metal ring to the rock floor, tie a rope to it and tie the other end of the rope around one of those trees.”
“How exactly are we going to tie the rope to a tree on the other side of the pit?”
“Oh, good point. Hmmm... I know, Proto could do it! He could grab the end of the rope and fly it across the pit. Proto, could you fly circles around the tree with the rope? About five times should work.”
“Yes, I believe I could do that. Oh my, this is quite a thrilling adventure. Did you remember to pack plenty of snacks? Some of those little cakes you like so well?”
“Sorry, they were so delicious that Mum and I finished them all. She did say they were the tastiest cakes she’s ever had.”