Paraworld Zero

by Matthew Peterson

  Just then, Tonya appeared out of thin air with her light-emitting fingers pressed hard against the wall. Surprised, she turned around and was about to speak but stopped when Simon put his hand over her mouth. She closed her fist instinctively to douse the light spell.

  They moved away from the wall just before Har and Thornapple appeared.

  “Don’t speak,” Simon whispered.

  He inched his way to the closet door and peered through the narrow slats. Two holograms stood at the far wall. Their names and vital statistics hovered in the air above them.

  “We don’t take orders from you,” spat the hologram of Captain Drackus.

  Lord Vaylen turned his back to the holograms and faced the closet door. A cruel smile crept across his face. “Oh, but you do.”

  The soft whisper had come from Lord Vaylen, although his lips had not moved. Perhaps Simon had imagined it. He caught a glimpse of the man’s gnarled face and shivered impulsively.

  Lord Vaylen responded in a loud voice so the holograms could hear, “I’m sorry, but I just can’t allow it.”

  “May I remind you,” Captain Drackus threatened, “that we have in our possession the most devastating weapon in the paraverse? I’d hate for an accident to happen to your planet.”

  “Yes,” General Mayham added. “The weapon may not be fully charged yet, but I’d dare say that even your icy fortress wouldn’t withstand an attack.”

  “Then my hands are tied,” Lord Vaylen responded apathetically.

  “Just give us another hour. Then we’ll be on our way,” the general said.

  Captain Drackus concluded, “And if our sensors detect any sign of interpara communication or travel, then we’ll be forced to change our target.”

  “As I said, my hands are tied.”

  At that, the holograms disappeared, and Lord Vaylen’s countenance dropped.

  “Merworth!” he shrieked.

  The doctor, who had been waiting at the door, came running into the room.

  “Something’s not right,” Lord Vaylen said nervously, “and I’m not sure what. We may have another mole in our midst. Get the armaments ready, and tell the soldiers to stand by for possible attack. They’ll be monitoring communications, so everything needs to be done by word of mouth.” Noticing the doctor’s troubled look, he put his bony hand on the man’s shoulder and said, “Congratulations, Commander Merworth—you’ve been promoted.”

  “But why me?” the man protested.

  “I need someone I can trust,” Lord Vaylen said with a scowl. He moved his hand over the commander’s stomach and revealed his skeletal structure like an x-ray. “Unless there’s something I should know,” Lord Vaylen hissed. “…A sneaker worm, perhaps?”

  “No,” Merworth said, flinching. “You can depend on me.”

  “Then hurry. We haven’t much time.”

  The two men rushed out of the room.

  Simon turned to the others. “What was all that about?”

  Thornapple shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I didn’t understand a word they said.”

  “No understand,” Har said.

  Tonya opened the closet door and said, “I think we better get out of here.”

  “Father?” came a voice from the office doorway. “Father, are you in here?”

  Tonya looked up to see a young man about her age entering the room.

  “What are you guys doing in here?” he asked abruptly.

  “I can explain,” Tonya began.

  “Guards! Guards!” he yelled, not giving her a chance to speak. Tonya made a sudden movement, and the young man whipped out his wand in response. “Rowque!” he shouted.

  An invisible force knocked Tonya to the floor. Just then, a group of armed men rushed into the room.

  Lord Vaylen spoke from the hallway. “What’s going on here?”

  “I found these kids going through your closet,” his son explained.

  When Lord Vaylen entered the room, a look of shock appeared on his face. Tonya was lying face down on the floor with her friends huddled around her.

  “Looks like your dueling lessons have paid off,” he said calmly.

  Tonya stood up and brushed the red hair from her face. Lord Vaylen’s eyes grew wide at seeing the young girl before him.

  “Rupert, go to your room.”

  “But, Father—”

  “Go to your room—now!”

  The young man frowned and walked away.

  “What do we have here?” the dark man asked. “Spies?”

  “No, we’re just lost,” Simon answered.

  “And you just happen to find your way into my private office?”

  “Look,” Tonya said, her hands planted firmly on her hips, “you may not know who I am, but I’m sure you know who my father is—”

  “Silence!” he interrupted. Turning to the guards, he instructed, “Take them to the dungeon for questioning.”

  “You don’t understand,” Simon said, taking a step forward. The soldiers aimed their rifles at him.

  “I’ll deal with you later,” Lord Vaylen said briskly. He tore his eyes away from Tonya and left.

  * * *

  As the soldiers led the teenagers to the dungeon, the office became cold and silent. The only sound remaining in the room came from a mechanical clock.

  Tick. Tick. Tick.

  Suddenly, a camouflaged figure jumped from the wall and spun around—all the while, keeping his face concealed by the black cloak he wore. He brought out two wands—the same pair he had used to defeat Tabatha and Griffen—and waved them at the closet doors, but nothing happened. Puzzled, he looked at the closet for a moment longer, then turned and exited the room.

  * * *

  “You’re making a mistake,” Tonya yelled as the guards walked away. She rattled the bars. “AAARG!”

  “Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Thornapple pleaded.

  “They think we’re spies,” Simon told him.

  “Spies?”

  “Yes,” Tonya growled. She looked over at the next cell and realized that an ugly man with a flat nose was staring at her. “What are you looking at?”

  “A spy.” The man laughed in a creepy way.

  “We’re not spies,” Simon shot back.

  “Oh, yes,” the man responded. “We’re all spies.” He laughed hysterically. “And murderers… and thieves—”

  “Not all of us,” came a soft voice from the cell to their left. “Some of us are innocent.” Several of the ruffians laughed at the old man’s words, but he continued anyway. “I’m Thomas McCray. What are your names, young ones?”

  “I’m Simon Kent,” the young wizard answered. “This is Har, and this is Thornapple Troodle, and this is—”

  “Tonya,” she said sharply. “Let’s just cut the chit-chat and get down to business. My father is Mr. Doyle… from Doyle Enterprises. Maybe you’ve heard of him—he probably owns some of your homeworlds.”

  “Right,” said the nasty-looking man in the cell next to them. “And my father’s the High King.”

  Everyone in the dungeon laughed.

  “Listen to me, you idiots,” Tonya rasped. Her hair turned red again. “I don’t care what you did to be locked away.” She looked in disgust as the ugly man next to them licked his lips. He was missing several teeth. “I don’t want to know what you did,” she continued. “But I do want to know if you’re willing to help us escape. My father will pay you handsomely.”

  “Look, missy,” their crude neighbor said with an unpleasant smile, “if we knew how to escape, do you think we’d still be in here?”

  Tonya pulled up her tunic and unlatched the lacy strap that held her wand to her thigh.

  “Mmm,” the ugly man said, eyeing her white leg. “I’ll take a piece of that.”

  Tonya withdrew the wand and walked up to the bars separating the cells. “Excuse me?” she said, tapping the bars menacingly with the wand.

  “Be careful,” the old man warned. “Flimdore is a cannibal.
His last cell mate didn’t realize that, and he woke up one day without an ear.”

  Tonya backed away from the bars in horror while Flimdore smiled at her and licked his lips.

  “I can’t believe the guards missed your wand,” Thornapple said.

  “There certainly are benefits of being a girl,” Tonya replied, tugging on her short tunic.

  She touched the bars and said the word, “Anmasee,” but nothing happened.

  “There’s some sort of E.M. absorption device in place,” Thomas McCray informed them.

  Tonya grumbled, “It figures.”

  “Hello, Master Rupert,” the old man announced in a loud voice to warn the others. “And Lady Margo. So good to see you on this fine day.”

  Tonya slipped the wand to Simon, who then stuffed it in his shirt. Rupert and Margo shared a lot of the same physical characteristics. Simon could see that they were obviously related.

  “So you’re the intruders?” Margo asked. “You don’t look so tough.”

  “That’s easy to say when you’re on the other side of the bars,” Tonya spat.

  “Feisty,” the girl responded. “My brother tells me he single-handedly captured you all.”

  “Well, I detained them,” Rupert admitted. He got close to the bars and asked, “What’s your name, red hair?”

  “My name is Tonya,” she said coldly. “And after my father finds out about this, you’ll wish you never met me.”

  “Oooh,” the boy said sarcastically. “Big words.”

  “Leave her alone,” Simon warned.

  “And what’s your name?” Margo asked. She brushed her short, blonde hair out of her face and smiled.

  “I’m Simon Kent,” he said quietly.

  “Well, Simon Kent,” Margo probed, “what brought you here to our paraworld?”

  “The parastream.”

  She sighed. “Of course, but why are you here?”

  “Look, we’re just trying to get home,” Tonya interrupted.

  “And where’s that?” Rupert asked carefully.

  “Chamel.”

  “Lovely place,” Margo said in a cool voice. Although the girl appeared to be genuine, Tonya saw right through her facade. “And where do you two live?” Margo asked, pointing to Thornapple and Har.

  “They don’t speak other languages,” Tonya said.

  “How odd.”

  Thornapple just smiled and nodded his head. Har wore an expressionless look on his face, as always. The Puds understood Simon and Tonya, but they had no clue as to what everyone else was saying.

  Margo inquired further. “So if you’re headed to Chamel, why were you in my father’s office?”

  Simon and Tonya looked down and said nothing.

  “Look, I want to help you,” Margo said calmly. “Was this some sort of initiation into a club?” The teenagers remained silent. “Do you guys go to a school nearby?” They still said nothing.

  “Are you spies?” Rupert asked.

  “No!” Tonya shouted in exasperation. “We were just going to Chamel and we got lost. And yes, I do go to school nearby.”

  “Which one?” Rupert queried.

  “Imperial School of Magical Learning.”

  Rupert started to chuckle. “Imperial is so behind the times—all they teach is defensive magic. But I guess that’s okay if you’re afraid to fight.”

  Margo said with considerable pride, “We’ve already been accepted to Hayden’s.”

  “Our school has won the dueling championship seven years in a row now,” Rupert boasted.

  “Yeah, only by cheating,” Tonya muttered.

  “What?” Rupert said. “How dare you—”

  He stopped in midsentence when a guard at the door cleared his throat to get their attention. The soldier beckoned them with a nod of his head.

  “Well, guys,” Margo said abruptly, “it’s been nice talking to you. I hope you like your stay… It’s probably going to be a long one.”

  Just before leaving, Rupert grinned and said, “See ya around, red hair.”

  Tonya shouted, “The next time we meet, you’ll be begging for my forgiveness!”

  The two kids rushed to the exit of the dungeon. As they opened the door to leave, a part of Lord Vaylen’s dark cloak could be seen in the hallway.

  “Leave it to the master to have his own children do his dirty work,” Thomas commented. “Those two would do anything to please their father.”

  “You seem to know a lot about them,” Simon noted.

  “I was their butler. That is, until Rupert got angry and had his father throw me in here.”

  “That’s awful,” Tonya said. “How long have you been here?”

  “Going on four months now.”

  “We’re never getting out of here,” Simon moaned.

  “It could be worse,” Thomas McCray said. “At least you’re not in that man’s shoes.”

  Two guards were pushing a gurney across the room towards an empty cell. Bandages and bloodstained gauze covered the man’s body, and a breathing apparatus partially masked his unkempt face. Something about his glazed-over eyes entranced Simon.

  “What’s his story?” Simon asked.

  “Don’t know, really. They’ve been working on him every day since he got here. Cutting him open… doing experiments, I think. Master Vaylen is extremely interested in him for some reason.”

  Several streaks of white suddenly ran through Tonya’s hair. “Lord Theobolt Vaylen?” she asked in fear. “We’re not in his castle, are we?”

  “Of course. Where did you think you were?”

  “I knew my father came here from time to time to do business, but I didn’t realize he was working with the royal family.” She hunched her shoulders in disgrace. “And that was Prince Rupert and Lady Margo! How could I have been so stupid? I didn’t even put two and two together.”

  “Who’s Lord Vaylen?” asked Simon.

  “He could very well be the next High King,” she moaned. “And I just made enemies with his children. My father’s gonna kill me!”

  “It might not be that bad,” Thomas McCray said reassuringly. “The twins are inseparable—hooked at the hip since birth—but I think Lady Margo fancied Simon. She is the stronger of the two. Perhaps she’ll put in a good word for you.”

  “I think I’m gonna be sick,” Tonya said. She eased herself into a sitting position, put her head in her lap, and sobbed.

  “Tonya,” Thornapple said in a panicked voice, “what’s going on?”

  “I just ruined our chances of getting out of here,” she cried.

  “No, that’s not what I meant,” Thornapple said with a horrified expression. “What’s happening to you?”

  Simon looked down and saw what Thornapple was referring to. The veins in Tonya’s arms and legs bulged from her skin. She brought up her head and revealed strange green patterns forming on her face. A grotesque design spidered out across her cheek and then ran down her throat, disappearing into the neckline of her tunic.

  “I’m mutating!” Tonya screamed, looking down at her trembling hands. Har knelt beside her and tried to offer comfort, but she shook so badly that nothing he did helped.

  “Guards!” Thornapple yelled in his own tongue. “Guards!”

  “Oh, no,” Flimdore said, laughing. “Spoiled meat.”

  “Shut up!” Simon barked.

  Two guards entered the room with Lord Vaylen limping close behind. He shielded his face with the hood of his dark cloak as he approached. “Aiyee bookata,” the ultramage said, snapping his fingers. The spell penetrated the anti-magic dampening field and engulfed the Puds for a brief moment.

  “What seems to be the problem?” Lord Vaylen rasped.

  “Tonya, sick.” Har answered first.

  “How dreadful,” he said nonchalantly. “I’ll have my physician take a look at her first thing tomorrow morning.”

  “But she’s dying—now!” Simon said with obvious defiance in his voice.

  “That’s not my conce
rn,” he said sharply. “But the welfare of this planet is. Tell me how you got to this paraworld undetected.”

  “We came from Pudo,” Simon said. “We didn’t even know for sure what world this was.”

  “You lie! Pudo’s been a dead planet for over a thousand years.”

  “Not anymore, pigface!” Thornapple roared.

  “Insolence!” Theobolt growled between gritted teeth. A ball of electricity formed in the palm of the ultramage’s hand, but before he could release it, the sirens on the walls began to scream.

  “Lord Vaylen,” came a panicked voice from the intercom. “Someone has just entered our paraworld, and the Raiders are attacking in response.”

  The dark wizard bared his teeth. “Fools!”

  He rushed to the exit, along with the guards, but Simon yelled after him, “Hey, we need a doctor!”

  “Now’s not the time, boy.” Not even bothering to look back as he sealed the door, the dark mage rasped, “She’ll just have to wait.”

  Chapter 28

  The Power Within

  The alarms blared, and red lights flashed from above. Shivering uncontrollably, Tonya crossed her arms to stay warm.

  “Simon, get us out of here,” Thornapple yelled.

  Simon looked across the room at the cupboard protected by metal bars. He could distinctly see his mother’s medallion hanging on a hook next to the rest of their possessions.

  “I don’t know if I can,” he said.

  “Of course you can,” Thornapple cried.

  “I don’t know…”

  Tonya looked up in pain. Her yellow-green eyes cried out for help, and Simon’s heart ached at seeing her frail body being tormented like this. What could he do? Nothing. He wasn’t special. He didn’t have any powers. It all came from the medallion. Without it, he was just a pathetic little boy pretending to be a man.

  Little Har stood up, placed his hand on Simon’s shoulder, and said with conviction, “Si-moan can… Simon will.”

  For a moment, the boy panicked. The expectations placed upon him were too great, and without the aid of his mother’s medallion… Suddenly, a strange vigor coursed through his veins, giving him a measure of peace. The memory of his first encounter with the strange woman from his dreams flashed in his mind.