by C. A. Pack
“So they look old,” Jackson reasoned, “but act like children? Or do they look young and act like adults?”
◍Neither. They look young and they act young. It takes more than 1,800 Fantasian days for Juvenilia to orbit its sun, so its residents age very slowly.
“How will they protect themselves?” Mrs. Roth asked.
“The same way your daughter just protected you when I suddenly appeared in the cupola. The young have agility and quickness, and they don’t fear mortality quite the same way someone older does. They can be excellent soldiers. Unfortunately, war and invasion are foreign to the Juveniles, and they have no experience protecting themselves against an alien attack.”
“I’ll bet we could protect them,” Ava said, holding her decimator at the ready.
◍I’ve no doubt that you could. And at that moment Selium Sorium felt the consensus of all the overseers.
★
Buoyed by reports that Terrorian troopers had taken several Junveniles hostage and had wiped out a large portion of their library, Nero 51 told General Barzic 922 and Plala 6 to ready another contingent of soldiers for a secondary invasion. “The females of Romantica with their foolish notions, whimsy, and frivolity will be just as easy to conquer as the children of Juvenilia.”
He prepared the troops’ orders, and once they were assembled, personally transported them to Romantica. It took several attempts to find the correct cupola, but before long, Terrorian troops stood ready to destroy another library.
★
Chris nudged Jackson with his elbow. “It’s a good thing you two are back from your, uh, mission. It looks like things are about to heat up around here.”
Mal turned his attention toward Johanna and Jackson. “Did you learn what you need to know?”
Jackson sighed and looked down at his feet. “Not really.”
“But we’re close,” Johanna said. “I think we need to go back to Scotland to talk with Cathasach.”
◍There is someone you suspect of trying to steal Myrddin’s Memoir?
“Yes,” Johanna answered, “but it’s still only a suspicion. I think we need to tell Cathasach about it and see what he thinks.”
Chris’s face lit up. “Is this about that birch tree guy you mentioned?”
Jackson mocked his brother, “Birch tree?”
“Yeah.” Chris stepped in close to his older brother’s face. “You mumbled something about him at dinner, and then Johanna said you needed to talk with Myrddin.”
⌘Who is the culprit?
Everyone jumped. No one had heard Ryden Simmdry enter the library. A Luminan man stood behind him with a crate filled with weapons.
Chris practically salivated. “Can I get one of those?”
⌘Once you’ve been instructed in the proper safety and handling of the weapon.
“Hey, you gave one to my little sister,” he exclaimed. “Was she instructed in the proper safety and handling of the weapon?”
◍I instructed her myself, and I will do the same for you. But you are almost too eager, and that could be disastrous. This is not a toy or an instrument for one-upmanship.
Chris turned bright red. “I know that.”
◍Then we shall begin. Selium Sorium took a weapon from the Luminan and led Chris away from the others.
Ryden Simmdry reclaimed Johanna and Jackson’s attention. ⌘Please tell me who covets Myrddin’s memoir.
“It’s not written in stone,” Johanna answered, “and I hate to name someone without more to go on.”
⌘Then why suspect that person at all.
“It’s just a general impression we got when Cathasach questioned the Eahta Frean fram Drycræft. One man seemed to always have an answer or excuse and was adept at re-directing suspicion away from himself whenever anyone questioned him. His name is Robert Birk. Myrddin said there was once a man named Rathbarth, son of Visbur, who was a powerful wizard back in the day. He says the names are similar enough to indicate a possible connection.”
Ryden Simmdry’s eyes widened for a millisecond before his calm countenance resurfaced. Most people might not have noticed, but Johanna had been staring at him so intently, she witnessed the small, nearly imperceptible, moment.
“You know him,” she said quietly.
⌘I was acquainted with Rathbarth, son of Visbur at one time—around the same time Myrddin was believed to be the most powerful man in existence. Rathbarth wanted that title and publicly swore to take it away from Myrddin. That was just before Viviane turned Myrddin’s magic against him and trapped him inside a rock. I always wondered if Rathbarth had a hand in that.
Johanna pulled out her cell phone and navigated to a picture of Robert Birk. “This is the man we suspect.”
Ryden Simmdry froze as he gazed at the picture on the tiny screen, and once again Johanna picked up on it. She looked at Jackson and then turned back to the master.
⌘He must be stopped.
LOI
CHAPTER 45
Jackson stared intently at Ryden Simmdry. “So you know Robert Birk?”
⌘The man in that picture is familiar to me. He is a former Mysterian curator who hasn’t been heard from in many millennia and is believed to have perished in the Two Millennia War. He was known as Odyon, a high priest and shapeshifter. Perhaps I should say “is.” His appearance has changed, but the gold starburst radiating from his pupils, along with this oddly shaped scar, he pointed to the side of Robert Birk’s nose, ⌘tells me he is the same person. Were you able to see his hands?
“No,” Jackson answered. “He wore gloves—indoors—which I thought was kind of weird.”
Ryden Simmdry nodded. ⌘He is hiding his Illumini constellation and the white disfiguring scars left on his hands after he tried to maim me with acid. I deflected the container’s trajectory and it burned Odyon’s hands when he put them up to protect himself.
“What are we supposed to do, now that we know it’s him?” Johanna asked.
⌘Nothing, at the moment. I will devise a plan that will eliminate the danger he poses.
Jackson rubbed his head. “Let me get this straight. You’re saying this guy has been around since the Two Millennia War. How is that even possible?”
⌘Mysterian high priests have many special powers, and he was the most powerful one among them. Odyon personally created the majorious longevicus blessing that protects overseers and curators. It is not at all surprising that he is still alive, considering he probably used the blessing on himself. And as a shapeshifter, he can change into an inanimate object when injured or pursued, so that he may rest and heal undetected.
“It sounds like his skills are on par with Myrddin,” Johanna said.
⌘They were close in power. Odyon was dangerous because he practiced déofolcræft. However, Myrddin was more powerful because he had the strength of goodness—engelcræft—behind him.
Jackson tilted his head as he thought about the problem. “Do you think this guy Robert Birk, or Rathbarth, or Odyon can travel as light and sound?”
⌘Undoubtedly.
Johanna and Jackson groaned in unison.
⌘I see you share my sentiments.
★
Marbol joined up with the other Juveniles, who had gathered outside the library. “Did you try to go inside?”
Pollo nudged a stone with the toe of his shoe. “Not yet. We’re working up to it.”
One of the others stared at the weapon in Marbol’s hand. “What’s that?”
“It’s my sonic scrambler.”
“Will it get rid of them?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. It’s just supposed to confuse them and scare them.”
“Maybe they have one just like it,” Pollo joked, “and that’s why Guffle was so scared.”
Marbol pressed his lips together into a tight line. “Nobody has a weapon like this.”
One of the local bullies who had been picking on Marbol’s sister, approached. “Hey you stupid gripps, this is my turf, and if you want to
meet here, you’re going to have to pay the price.” He smacked his right fist into the palm of his left hand.
Marbol shot him with his sonic-scrambler. Then he flipped the switch and shot again. At first the bully just seemed confused, but then, he eyes widened in fear and he turned and ran.
The others stared at his retreating figure and then at Marbol. “Where’d you get that?” Pollo asked Marbol, nodding at the weapon.
“I made it.”
“Can you make me one?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“Just depends. Ask again when this is all over.” He lifted the weapon and nodded at the library door. “Let’s go inside.”
“It’s not going to be easy,” Pollo said. “It’s never easy to get inside the library. It’s like the door is stuck shut, except when Peer Meap doesn’t want it to be.”
“I know how to get in,” one of the boys said. “Follow me.”
★
Natalia Dalura, had climbed halfway up the spiral staircase with an armload of books, when she heard footsteps and whispers in the cupola of the Romantican library. She had been alone in the library, and the door was locked, even to Dame Erato, the former curator.
Natalia felt her heart skip a beat. She quietly edged her way back down the stairs hoping to get help before being discovered.
★
The next morning, Ryden Simmdry returned to Fantasia with a plan and a package. He found Johanna and Jackson sitting in the main reading room, studying books on Terrorian military tactics. ⌘I have given this a lot of thought, and it appears to be our best course of action. He unwrapped the parcel and withdrew a perfect black cube about the size of a ring box. The color, or lack thereof, was so intense that the box looked like a black hole in the middle of the overseer’s hand. ⌘This box has special properties. It absorbs transmuted or “imperfect” light and sound that subsequently cannot escape it. I have spent the night creating and perfecting it. It will safely hold Odyon’s essence inside.
Jackson looked up as he cupped the back of his head in his hands. “So all we’re suppose to do is say, ‘Hey Odyon, get in the box’?”
Johanna poked him in the side before standing. “What do you want us to do?”
⌘You will need to conceal the box within your robes. Ryden Simmdry paused to study Johanna’s clothing.
She wore form-fitting, black jeans with a slinky wrap top. She tensed under his scrutiny.
⌘I can see how that might be a problem.
“Wait.” She ran up to her residence and exchanged her blouse for a bulky, hip-length sweater with pockets, before returning. “How’s this?” She stuck her hands into pockets that were hidden within the seams.
⌘That will do nicely. He handed her the box. ⌘Hold it in both hands. He recited a spell. ⌘ Now, only you can open and close it.
Jackson jumped to his feet. “Hey, what about me?”
“Jackson has a point,” Johanna said. “If something happens to me, we don’t want to lose our chance to capture Odyon.”
⌘All right, Jackson. Hold the box in both hands like Johanna did. The master recited the spell again before continuing.
⌘You must invite the Eahta Frean fram Drycræft here for a meeting.
“Here?” Johanna shook her head. “Myrddin strictly advised us against that.”
⌘Regardless, you must invite them here. Tell them you cannot see how any of them could possibly be the culprit. Explain if they all come here they can speak directly to the spirit of Myrddin that’s trapped inside his memoir, and together you may be able to determine what outside source is posing the threat. Having access to the book is too much of a temptation for Odyon to pass up. Have them meet in the conference room. I will ensure that access to the lower levels is sealed off to prevent anything from happening to the memoir, which I presume is in your vault and must remain there.
Johanna shut her eyes for a few seconds, while she thought over the plan Ryden Simmdry had just laid out. “You don’t think they’ll see right through that?”
⌘I will provide an acceptable facsimile of the memoir with an interactive hologram of Myrddin. They will not question its authenticity.
“You still haven’t explained what to do with that box.” Jackson nodded at the small black cube.
⌘Using the box will require a bit of finesse. After convincing everyone that you don’t suspect them, you will have to deftly steer the conversation toward building evidence against Odyon, without saying he is one of them. Then you must suddenly turn on Birk and accuse him. I believe he will try to escape by turning into a beam of light or sound. All you need do at that point is open the box to absorb his energy. The box will do all the work. But don’t let him see it first, or he’ll recognize its dark properties and find a way to flee before you get a chance to use it.
Jackson scratched his head. “How do we open it?”
⌘Telepathically. If you think you want it to open, it will.
“How quickly can a whisper of sound or beam of light exit the room?” Johanna asked.
⌘Very quickly indeed, so as soon as you see his image waver, open the box.
Jackson sat on the arm of one of the reading room sofas. “What if he’s not Odyon?” he asked quietly.
⌘Then the search renews.
“So the box is harmless to everyone else,” Johanna reasoned.
⌘Not entirely.
Jackson sprang back up. “What do you mean?”
⌘As I said, the box will absorb imperfect energy, and that may include any protective charms cast upon you and the others. Odyon’s energy should provide the strongest vibration. In its absence, the cube may interpret the longevicus charm that protects the two of you, and suck you inside before you have a chance to react.
Jackson’s voice boomed. “That’s not good.”
⌘If that happens, I will do everything in my power to retrieve the box and set you free.
★
One of the boys led the other Juveniles around the block to the alley leading to the back of the library. They passed a pile of crates and he instructed the others to grab one. When they got behind the library, he piled them up and climbed on top and looked in the back window.
“What do you see?” Pollo asked.
The boy spit on his hand and rubbed the dusty glass pane. He gasped as he jumped off the crates. “I’m not going in there.”
Pollo climb up and peeked in. “Farzz!”
“What do you see?” Marbol asked.
“The ugliest creatures you can imagine holding heavy tubes that make stuff disappear,” he whispered, crouching down.
“What stuff?” one of the boys asked.
“Books.”
“Can they make people disappear?”
“I don’t know,” Pollo said, “and I don’t want to find out.”
The boy looked at Marbol. “Will that thing work through the window?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
Pollo jumped down and Marbol took his place. The blood drained from his face as he stared at the Terrorians. He felt his knees weaken, but he knew if he chickened out, he would never hear the end of it. Might as well go out in a blaze of glory. Or stupidity. He aimed his scrambler at the Terrorian doing the most damage and pulled the trigger.
Johanna emerged from her office within minutes. “I just spoke with Cathasach. He’s calling the others and instructing them to meet us here by midday tomorrow.”
⌘The plan is in motion. By sunset tomorrow, the threat to Myrddin’s memoir should be eliminated. I will take my leave of you until then. The Terrorian invasions of Juvenilia and Romantica command my attention.
“Romantica!” Jackson exclaimed. “Is Natalia Dalura okay?”
⌘That—I cannot answer. I was only advised of this latest attack while Johanna spoke with Cathasach. I must return to Lumi and review what has happened with the other deans.
★
In Lumi, the usually unflappable overseers i
njected a lot of nervous energy into their discussion with Ryden Simmdry about the Romantican attack.
δIt was sudden. I was taking a cache of weapons to the realm to use against the Terrorians if needed, and I seemed to be suspended in time for several long moments before appearing in the cupola. I immediately noticed shelves and books missing, and in communing with the others learned from Pru Tellerence that it had happened that exact same way on Dramatica. I returned here hastily with the weapons. I didn’t want to leave them for the Terrorians to claim.
⌘Has Dramatica been attacked again?
★Not that I have heard, but the Dramaticans have proven themselves to be formidable opponents, so I can understand why the Terrorians might focus their attention elsewhere.
Ryden Simmdry nodded. ⌘And what of the battle on Juvenilia?
§The library interior has all but been destroyed, save the vault, which remains impenetrable to all but the curator.
⌘Have we heard from Peer Meap?
§No. I do not know if he is hiding or has been captured, but the vibrations from the vault seal tell me it has neither been tampered with nor recently accessed.
⌘Do any Terrorians linger within?
§I do not know.
⌘Zenith Fullova, you must return to the Juvenile library and seal the entrances and windows. Then immediately return here, sealing the portals behind you. We must strand the Terrorians on that world until we come up with a greater plan. We do not want them to be able to report back to their leaders. Horatio Blastoe, you must do the same on Romantica. It’s too late to stop them from invading, but if we can prevent them from returning to their home worlds, we may be able to undermine the Terrorians’ invasion strategy.
★Hopefully, we are not subjecting the beings in the invaded territories to further threat.