Paraworld Zero
Page 34
“Actcheem Surapido!” the ultramage yelled with both hands outstretched.
The menacing phantom vaporized just inches from the group of teenagers.
“What is the meaning of this?” Mr. Doyle roared, while running to his daughter’s side. He turned to Simon and snapped, “You could have killed us all!”
“I d-d-didn’t mean to,” the boy stammered.
Lady Cassandra pressed the button on the table to make the E.M. waves invisible again. “Everyone, please! Just calm down!”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Councilor Bromwell said in a loud, austere voice, “I think this interview is finished. Please proceed to the conference room so we can make our decision. I will join you shortly. Children, you may wait in the courtyard.”
Dejected, Simon trailed after the others, but Councilor Bromwell stopped him. “Please stay,” the wizard said quietly.
Simon looked into his weathered face. The old man seemed frail and worn, but a twinkle shone in his eyes—those eyes that seemed to peer into the eternities and into his very soul. Simon felt naked before those eyes. They exuded magnificent power and something else… love.
“Sit down,” the ultramage said.
Simon sat on the floor. He looked around the dark coliseum and saw that they were alone.
Councilor Bromwell raised his hand, and thousands of tiny lights appeared in the air above them. “For eons of time, sentient beings have looked up into the heavens and asked themselves, ‘ Where do I come from?’” The tiny lights above began to rotate slowly. “God created man in his own image—both male and female. That is a universal constant in all the paraverse.” The old man looked down at the boy and asked, “Simon, do you believe in God?”
“Yes. I think so.”
He nodded. “God has given us a minute taste of his immense power. We can create life… and we can crush it. We can teach our children the ways of righteousness and the pathway to Heaven. We have the power to build and to organize wonderful things out of raw materials. We are truly godlike.”
The lights in the darkness moved together until only one sparkling light shone.
“In the beginning, there was but one world.” Several more lights grew out of the main one like appendages. “Then, others were patterned after the first. Now there are numerous worlds—countless, like the sands of the sea. But each new planet is still linked to the first—receiving power and energy from a central location.” The lights lined up in a row, with the original light shining brightly in the center. “All exist in tandem with each other—parallel, if you will.” The long strand of lights rotated on a central axis until it finally appeared as one tiny light just like before. “Coexisting at the same time and in the same place but in different dimensions.”
Mesmerized by the scene, Simon looked into the man’s ancient eyes and felt a strange peace come over him.
“For countless years, men and women have searched the parastream for that original world that spawned all the others. Some have even gone mad in their pursuit. In the end, Paraworld Zero continues to eluded us… that is, until now.”
“What?” Simon asked in surprise. “You don’t mean—”
“Yes,” he said calmly. “Earth.”
Councilor Bromwell remained silent for a few seconds to allow Simon to register what he had just said. He sat down on the floor, across from the young man, and said, “Many, many years ago, there was another Earthling who left Paraworld Zero.”
“Who was that?”
“The first High King. Since then, the firstborn son of the royal family has always been given the same power that you possess: the power to store electro-magical energy within himself.”
“So that’s why I’m able to use magic when no one else can?”
“Yes. But your gift is a two-edged sword. Outside energy prevents you from releasing your own inner power. On Earth, your body was saturated with electro-magical energy, and that is why you could not perform magic.”
“So is that also why I get sick when I come in contact with E.M. waves?”
The old man looked puzzled. “Is that normal on Earth?”
“No, not really.”
“Hmm, very interesting,” he said, rubbing his chin with his fingers. “I can’t answer that.”
“Well, this is a lot to take in,” Simon said. “So you don’t have the coordinates to get me back to Earth, do you?”
“I’m afraid not. But do not fret. I have a feeling that your place is here, among us. I will see to it that your schooling is paid for and that you have a place to live.”
“So I’ve been accepted?” Simon asked excitedly.
Councilor Bromwell chuckled. “Of course,” he said. “You’re the most gifted child in the known paraverse. The committee will have no choice but to accept you.”
“And my friends?”
“That is yet to be determined.”
Simon sighed.
“Is there anything else I should know about you?” the old man asked. “Anything at all?”
Simon thought for a moment and struggled within himself. He gazed into the man’s kind eyes one more time, and a warm comfort, even greater than before, filled his soul.
“I have dreams,” he began.
“Yes, I would assume you do.”
“No—I mean, my dreams aren’t normal. Ever since I received this medallion from my mother.” Simon pulled out the strange medallion and continued, “I’ve been dreaming about this young woman. She tells me things, and they happen.”
“What happens?”
“Well, I can understand other languages without even using magic. Oh, and poison doesn’t seem to hurt me!”
“Very interesting,” the old man responded. “Anything else?”
“Yes,” Simon began slowly. “I just saw a painting of the woman in my dreams.” He started to get teary eyed. “And she was wearing this medallion.”
“Interesting.”
“I think…” he said slowly. “I think that she was my… my…”
“Mother?”
“Yes.” Simon wiped a tear from his cheek and said, “She died giving birth to me. This medallion is all I have left of her.”
Councilor Bromwell put his arm around the boy and said, “God works in mysterious ways, and so does Lord Theobolt. I can’t tell you why he has a painting of your mother on his walls, but I can say this: Sometimes a remnant of those who have passed on remains to comfort those in need. Now that you are in an environment where you can be influenced by magic, your mother has finally found a way to comfort you. I suggest you keep that medallion safe. Keep it under your shirt, and wear it at all times. Don’t let anyone know about it.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say, it’s important to keep sacred things sacred. For now, I’m going to insist that you speak none of this to anyone. Not about Earth, not about your mother, and especially not about your special powers. There are those who would try to exploit your gifts for their evil purposes, so it is important that we be careful.”
“Okay,” Simon agreed.
“Now you’d better get back to your friends,” Ezra said, standing up.
“Thanks,” Simon said. “Thanks for believing me.”
“You’re welcome. Now run along.”
Simon was almost to the door when Councilor Bromwell called out, “Oh, and take good care of Holo-649 for me. She can be a pain in the neck sometimes, but she will always be loyal to you.”
“I heard that,” Holo said from within Simon’s pocket.
“I will,” Simon said as he exited the arena.
Lady Cassandra appeared out of nowhere and walked up to Councilor Bromwell’s side. “Does he suspect anything?” she asked.
“No.”
“Should we tell him?”
“No—not yet. Let us wait and measure the boy’s character. We must keep a watchful eye on him—for the time being.”
At that, both ultramages began to walk out of the arena. One after the other, they disapp
eared in mid-step.
* * *
The dark, mysterious figure tossed the stolen datachip in the air like a coin. He looked intently at a computer screen, which showed the image of thousands of round metallic balls.
Suddenly, the datachip was ripped away from his hand.
“Give me that,” Lord Vaylen rasped. The chip floated across the room. Vaylen opened his bony hand, which revealed part of the inscription from Simon’s medallion; the markings had been seared into the flesh of his palm. He clenched his fingers around the datachip and hissed, “You have a lot to learn, young one.”
“Of course, Master,” he responded coolly. The cloaked figure removed his hood, allowing his face to touch the light. He was Francis Eugene Oswald: otherwise known as Butch.
“But you’ve done well so far,” Lord Vaylen continued. “I think you’ve finally earned the right to call me Father.”
“Thank you… Father.”
Lord Vaylen turned to the computer screen and punched in some keys to bring up an image of a wiggling sneaker worm.
“The mole among us still needs to be found,” he rasped. “But I think it’s safe to continue our plans.”
“What about Simon and the others?”
“They’ve shown that they can be a hindrance to the work, but I think we can deal with them.”
“I have a feeling we’ll see them again soon.”
“As do I,” the dark lord said, softly caressing the worm on the computer screen. “As do I.”
About the Author
Matthew Peterson graduated from Brigham Young University in Business Management. He now spends much of his time writing, programming, and maintaining his website, www.ParaWorlds.com (an online community where aspiring authors can critique each other’s work and discuss the business of writing).
He served a two-year mission in Alabama for the LDS church, received the Eagle Scout award, and earned a second degree black belt in karate. He currently lives in Arizona with his wife, five boys, and their giant African tortoise.
Matthew began writing the Parallel Worlds series in 1990 at the age of fourteen, but a computer failure put the project on hold. Over a decade later, Matthew caught the vision again and completed Paraworld Zero.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Prologue: The Storm
Chapter 1: Simon’s Bad Day
Chapter 2: Butch
Chapter 3: The Visitor
Chapter 4: Secrets of the Paraverse
Chapter 5: The Chase
Chapter 6: The Power of Gee
Chapter 7: Pudo
Chapter 8: Menabaws and Dragunos
Chapter 9: Guardians of the Crown
Chapter 10: Forgotten Language
Chapter 11: Griffen Lasher
Chapter 12: Discovering Magic
Chapter 13: A Waltz in the Forest
Chapter 14: Magic Lessons
Chapter 15: The Big Fight
Chapter 16: Celebration
Chapter 17: The Dance
Chapter 18: The Library
Chapter 19: Unveiling the Dark Forces
Chapter 20: The Secrets of Pudo
Chapter 21: The Creatures of Pudo
Chapter 22: Morbras Will Save Us
Chapter 23: General Banton’s Legacy
Chapter 24: Prelude to Battle
Chapter 25: The Final Battle of the Dragunos
Chapter 26: Goodbyes
Chapter 27: The White Planet
Chapter 28: The Power Within
Chapter 29: Answers
About the Author