by C. A. Pack
Johanna quirked an eyebrow. “Version of you?”
“Yes. In that book, I’m known as Merlinus, a name that later degraded into Merlin the magician. ”
“We knew that,” Jackson quipped.
“Do not come here again. It is too dangerous.” Myrddin disappeared into the pages of the book before Johanna closed the cover.
“He was sure in a hurry to get out of here,” Jackson said.
“I don’t blame him,” she answered. “If the thief can transport as sound and light, what’s to stop him from sneaking in here with us.”
“Then let’s lock the door and hide the key. After that, I think we should go see a movie.”
“So you can spy on your brother?”
“I just want to make sure he’s as good as his word.”
★
Proud workers delivered the first twelve decimators and time-correctors to the College of Overseers. Their foreman showed the deans how the weapons worked, then explained how the time-corrector necklaces simply protected the wearer from experiencing temporal rifts.
◍How ingenious.
⌘If our curators are affected by the temporal rifts, they will immediately forget about protecting themselves, as soon as the invaders travel back in time. The amulet will allow curators to maintain all memory, regardless of changes to the space-time continuum.
Ryden Simmdry turned toward the workers. ⌘Thank you all. We mustn’t keep you. Your work is important and we need many more of these armaments and amulets to protect the realms.
ΩTwelve weapons is a very small start.
⌘It will be sufficient for now. We do not know where the Terrorians might strike next, but we do know it will be through a portal in the cupola. I would like you to transport immediately to your respective realms and present one of these weapons and an amulet to each of the curators for their protection.
★
Johanna and Jackson ran into Chris and Brittany at the movie theater and shared a pizza with them afterwards. Then the couples parted ways so Chris could walk Brittany home.
Johanna and Jackson entered the library and saw Ava run up the cupola stairs carrying a decimator.
“Where did she get that?” Jackson’s shout brought his mother and Selium Sorium from the bindery.
◍There has been another change in the continuum. We have chosen to supply all realms with weapons identical to those used by the Terrorians.
“But she’s still a girl. You can’t just give my little sister a gun and expect her to know how to use it. One moment’s hesitation on her part, and she’ll be erased from the face of the earth.”
◍Your sister has demonstrated a certain amount of prowess on what you call an Xbox. She has a good eye. She’s certainly brave. And with both you and Johanna out of the library, we had to press her into action. She’s guarding your portals. As a precaution, all overseers, as well as Malcolm, have received a protection charm that makes them impervious to the weapon. Since no one else should be using the portal system, she has been instructed to shoot on sight.
“What if Furst comes through needing our help? What if Pru Tellerence finds Isabella and brings her back here using the portal system?”
◍Both Pru Tellerence and Furst have been apprised of the dangers the portals now pose. The only guests who will enter the cupola are uninvited ones.
“Still, my sister …”
“What’s up with Ava?” Chris asked as he walked through the front door.
Jackson did a double take. “It didn’t take you long to walk Brittany home.”
“Yeah. Her parents were up and must have heard us, because the porch light went on right away.”
Jackson snickered.
“You didn’t answer me,” Chris said. “What’s going on with Ava that’s got you all riled up?”
“She’s up in the cupola with a gun that will vaporize anyone she fires at.”
“She’s got the Xbox up there?”
“It’s a real gun. Did you meet Selium Sorium? There’s an invasion threat, and he armed Ava with a very powerful weapon. I wouldn’t sneak up on her if I were you. But if you do and she blasts you, can I have your iPod Touch?”
“You told me I was a jerk for buying it second-hand.”
“Well, if you’re not around to enjoy it, I may as well.”
“It’s in my back pocket. If I go, it goes.” Chris headed toward the cupola steps as he yelled, “Hey Ava, I’m coming up. Don’t shoot.”
Jackson spun around. “Mom, this is a really bad idea.”
“You didn’t see them, Jackson. Big, oily monstrosities with tentacles for arms.”
Johanna finally spoke. “The Terrorians were here? You saw them?”
“I thought I might be able to see you and the boys walking back from the theater, so I went up to look out the windows. I didn’t realize that staircase,” she pointed toward the center of the library, “only went to the cupola. When I got to the top floor, I saw those things materialize for just a moment, almost ghost-like, then disappear. I almost died when Mr. Sorium appeared a moment later, carrying the weapon Ava now has.”
The overseer smiled. ◍We do not use the honorific “mister” where I come from. Simply call me Selium Sorium. Everyone in Lumi has two names and is called by both together. I would never be Selium, or Mr. Sorium. I am only Selium Sorium—almost as if it were one name instead of two. Pru Tellerence, Ryden Simmdry—we all go by both our names spoken together. Never one or the other.
“I don’t want to sound disrespectful or anything,” Jackson said urgently, “but what about the Terrorians?”
Suddenly, a high-pitched scream echoed down from the cupola.
Mrs. Roth broke into a run. “Ava!”
LOI
CHAPTER 44
Nero 51 issued final instructions to his first wave of Terrorian troops. “Begin by quietly destroying books. You should not encounter much resistance. If you do, capture the kiddlet in a force field and remove them from plain sight. Report back to me when you have destroyed the library. Do not venture outside this building without a direct command to do so.”
“How do we report back, sir?” a trooper asked.
He pointed to a raised emblem on their bio-bands, “Press this button, and we will return for you.”
The Terrorians decimated all the books on the top four levels of the Juvenile library and had destroyed half the books on the first level before being discovered by three pairs of twins. They managed to capture five Juveniles in force fields, but one Juvenile managed to escape. The Terrorians immediately barricaded the front door to prevent retaliation and continued their work.
★
Guffle, the fourteen-year-old Juvenile who escaped the Terrorians, burst into the wreck-wroom of the Juvini city center—pale and sweaty.
“What is it, Guffle?” Duddu asked, putting down his pool cue. He was the official Juvenile leader—voted into power by collecting the most chocolate ingots. The only one considered a greater authority was Peer Meap, the curator.
Guffle gasped for breath between each phrase. “Big… ugly … monsters … captured Flugle and the others … in the library … destroying books … all the Mozo stories … my favorites …” He collapsed on the floor.
“Bring him some sweet water and do what you can to revive him.” Duddu turned to Pollo, his right-hand guy. “Take some of the older boys and investigate the library. See what’s going on there.”
Pollo narrowed his eyes. “Sling shots and water cannons?”
“BB guns, stink bombs, and air-blaster horns. If what he’s saying is true, water cannons won’t be enough.”
“Got it.” Pollo snapped his fingers at one other boy and they left the room.
Guffle choked on the sweet water being poured down his throat and sprang back to life. “We’ve got to do something.” He coughed. “Trouble in the library.” He coughed again. “They’ve got Waxmo and Pokkie and Selly and Cici, too.”
Guffle immediately tensed. Cic
i was the cutest girl in the capital city of Juvini, and Guffle adored her to the point of distraction. “I should go with them.” He turned toward the door.
“No.” Marbol held him back. “You can’t afford to get hurt. I’ll go.”
Guffle clenched his fists. “Cici is mine.”
“You can keep your precious Cici. They’ve got Selly, too. You’re the leader now. You stay here and lead. I’m the old man. I turn sixteen soon, and we all know what happens when you turn sixteen. So it’s no big deal if they capture me. I’m the oldest, so I have the most experience and maybe I can get everyone out safely.” Marbol didn’t wait for Guffle to agree.
Marbol rushed home to pick up his sonic-scrambler—an invention of his own design. He’d heard that high pitch frequencies and ultrafast vibrations could scramble peoples’ sense of time and space and disorient them, while exceptionally low sine waves could make people cower in fear. For the past several months he had worked feverishly to create a secret weapon with high and low pitched settings. He planned to use it on a couple of bullies who liked to harass his little sister and make her cry. This would be a good test. If he turned out to be a hero and became more popular than Guffle, so be it. And if Selly and Cici both threw themselves at him—even better. He smiled as he ran to the library.
★
Ryden Simmdry, Pru Tellerence, and Mal arrived on Dramatica safely and accepted soldiers’ apologies after being shot at. The overseers were dressed in their usual attire. However, Mal wore a robe of dark green velvet trimmed with gold braid, and instead of a miter, wore a dark green chaperon on his head. The trio was immediately taken to Furst, who fretted over the placement of a question box for the tax proposal.
“Come for the meeting, you have? Ryden Simmdry, I am honored.”
⌘I am here for more than the meeting, as you will presently learn.
They heard banging on the front door. “Illumination,” Furst called out.
The door slid open and Dungen practically fell into the library, shoved to the side by a hundred Dramaticans who all vied for a chair close to the center of the action.
“Not scheduled to begin yet, the meeting is,” Furst announced diplomatically. “Outside, please wait.” No one moved. The curator sighed.
⌘Continue doing what you were doing, Furst. We will patiently wait here with your countrymen.
“Offer you refreshment, can I?”
★You need not worry about us, Furst. Do what you must to prepare for this meeting. We would like to speak to your kinsmen once you have called the meeting to order, to make some important announcements.
Furst nervously eyed the front door as people continued to pour in. A scuffle in the back of the room diverted their attention. A heavily jeweled Dramatican demanded that a less-elite citizen give up his seat. The less bejeweled man would not comply.
“Not enough seats, there are,” Furst mumbled.
Ryden Simmdry waved his hand and several rows of extra chairs appeared. ⌘There will be room for everyone.
Furst relaxed, but tensed again when a youngster ran up to him and tugged on his caftan. “To ring the bell, is it time yet?” Furst nodded and within moments, the bell tower pealed, signaling the beginning of the meeting.
Dungen walked to the podium. “Fellow citizens and honored visitors …” He looked directly at Ryden Simmdry and faltered when the master deliberately shook his head.
Pru Tellerence walked over to the podium. ★I am glad to see that so many of you have come out for this very important meeting. It is a credit to your curator, Furst, who put this together on such short notice.
Dungen huffed.
★We know how important it is for you to establish a militia to repel outside invasion forces, and we know you have been asked to sacrifice goods and services to make that possible. Of course, you have concerns about the oversight of your taxes and how they will be used, which is why we are here. For those of you who do not know Ryden Simmdry and myself … She tilted her head toward to master ★… we are overseers of the Library of Illumination system. We supply the library with its books and equipment and make sure your curator is compensated for his services. While many libraries continue the age-old tradition of appointing a library council … she nodded at Dungen, ★… it is a ceremonial position only. Please look to your curator, Furst, to make any and all decisions regarding library business.
The color of Dungen’s face matched the rubies on his caftan.
★Now, I would like to introduce Ryden Simmdry, the master of all the deans at the College of Overseers. He has an important announcement for you.
Polite applause followed and Ryden Simmdry took his place behind the podium.
⌘The College of Overseers recently created a new position that reports directly to us. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will be responsible for making sure taxes collected in each of the realms are handled honestly and used efficiently. He will be responsible for your militia tax, but is not allowed to take any of it in payment for his services, nor remove it from your coffers. I would like to introduce Malcolm Trees, who will make sure you get, in the parlance of his home world, more bang for your buck.
No one laughed, and more than one Dramatican scratched his head. They knew a bang meant noise, but had no idea what a buck could be.
Mal took the stand and looked out at a sea of curious faces. “The overseers have selected me for a very important position, and I am honored to be able to serve you. I hope to meet many of you individually during the day’s proceedings and would like to hear all your concerns so we can address them. I am not here to intrude on your daily affairs or put undue pressure on anyone. My only duty is to make sure your contributions are used wisely. I look forward to speaking to you at the end of this meeting.” He nodded at Pru Tellerence and Ryden Simmdry who both returned to the podium. Ryden Simmdry waved his hand and two mannequins appeared.
⌘Over the centuries, in realms like your own, soldiers have worn clothing designed to establish uniformity and rank. While uniforms distinguish members of the militia from the general public, they mask societal position, which allows the best to rise to the top regardless of wealth or prominence.
★As our gift to you, each of your soldiers will be given two uniforms. The brown ones are for every day. The pale blue ones are for more formal meetings.
The master waved his hand again and the officers’ uniforms appeared.
★These uniforms are for military officers. You’ll notice they have sashes on which to attach jewels bestowed upon them by the Library of Illumination for deportment and bravery.
Ryden Simmdry waved his hand one last time and Furst’s uniforms appeared.
A collective “Ahh,” rose from the crowd when they saw the rich material and gemstones. Many of them pointed to the jeweled sash containing the Illumini constellation. Pru Tellerence smiled. She had been waiting for this moment. ★And these last two uniforms are for your curator, Furst, a most important person. Look to him to lead you during these trying times, and listen with care to everything he tells you. It is an honor of the highest order to be chosen as a curator of the Library of Illumination—the repository of all knowledge—and the position is not assigned lightly. Furst is knowledgeable, patient, and wise. The adornment of his new uniform is in direct relation to the power and skills he holds. Support him and respect him, for he is your leader and the best man for the job.
The crowd applauded, nodding and smiling at Furst. They knew Furst to be pleasant and easy to get along with, and he had already led them to victory against the Terrorians. If the overseers wanted to give him their endorsement, the Dramaticans would as well. Except Dungen, who stood to one side, silently seething.
★
Following the meeting on Terroria, Mal returned to Fantasia where the blast from a decimator gave him a moment’s pause. “Oh dear, I was warned this might happen,” he remarked, “and I am protected, but it’s still unsettling when someone shoots at you.”
“You’re oka
y?” Ava’s question erupted between sobs.
“Yes, I’m quite fine. And I can see they chose the right person for the task of protecting the library. No one is going to get by you.”
Chris couldn’t believe Mal’s praise of Ava. “I would be just as good if I had a decimator.”
Mal smiled. “I’m not saying you wouldn’t.”
“What happened?” Jackson asked as he ran up the last few steps of the cupola stairs, ahead of his mother and Johanna.
“Jackson.” Mal smiled and extended his hand. “Your sister has a lot in common with Phoebe Ann Mosey.”
“Who?”
“A woman better known as Annie Oakley,” Mal answered.
“Uhhh. She shot at you?”
“And I wouldn’t be here to tell you about it, if the overseers hadn’t taken a few precautions. Ava’s a crack shot.”
“As opposed to being a crackpot?” Jackson joked.
“It was luck,” Chris said.
“And I’m sure you’re brother would have been just as good if the weapon had been in his hands,” Mal added diplomatically. “It may come to that, soon. I’m told additional weapons are being created and will be distributed.”
◍Malcolm, I see you came to test Fantasian defenses.
“I give it my wholehearted endorsement and none too soon. The Terrorians have apparently stepped back in time again and have attacked Juvenilia. Zenith Fullova says they have taken several Juveniles hostage and they fear Terrorians will extended their reach outside the Juvenile Library of Illumination.”
◍Oh dear. They’re just children.
“Surely, there are adults there who will figure out some way to keep the Terrorians at bay,” Mrs. Roth said.
“There are no adults, per se, on Juvenilia,” Mal answered. “All the inhabitants are between the ages of three and fifteen. They literally die of old age before their sixteenth birthdays. But then their energy is reborn into a duplicate of their three-year-old selves, and they live once again. That’s not to say they don’t mature. They age very slowly. A fifteen-year-old Juvenile is the equivalent of a seventy-five-year-old Fantasian. However, while some of them grow to be quite wise, they rarely lose their childish ways.”