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DekuNut:
Here is a story that I created with some buddies of mine.
Prologue
There have always been choices. Choices on whether or not to watch the baseball game, or to mow the lawn now or later. With each choice comes a separate universe, and in each universe things are not exactly the same as in the others. There are millions of these universes, and this is the story of one of them.
Chapter 1
Rome; 300 BC
Robert stood up and stretched. Today will be just another day, he thought calmly as he pulled on his tunic. He turned to look into the Looking-Glass that the Master had insisted that be put in his room.
Robert was short for a 16-year-old, but he would probably start growing soon. His brown hair hung over his bright blue eyes, and smiled at his reflection. His pale skin stood out among his slightly-tanned fellows down in the marketplace. The fresh blue tunic he wore smelled of lavender, and he took a sense of protection from it. It reminded him of his parents, No, Robert, he thought, don’t think about them. There’s no bringing them back now. A salty tear rolled down his cheek.
A rap came at the door, “Rob! Time to get up!” it called, “It’s time to open up!” This was followed by deep footsteps upon the stairs, and then all was silent. Sighing, Rob washed his face and came downstairs.
“Good morning, Rob!” Master Graccus called. He was a lean fellow with red hair and a tall stature. Unlike Robert, Graccus had been given a nice tan by the sun’s rays. His red hair shined in the sunlight coming in through the open window, and his large face grinned hugely. Owner of the shop The Paranormal Pentacle, he was Robert’s boss and housed the boy until he was old enough to leave.
The Pentacle was a shop for those interested in magic. There were many signs and herbs, so many that Robert could not keep them all straight. This shop had been his parent’s haven until their death... Robert mentally slapped himself, do not think about them.
“Who’s ready for breakfast?” the old man called, “I have some fresh bread and cheese!”
Robert took some and sat down on a bench to chew, “So... tell me why you get up so early again?”
“It’s just something I learned in my many years, Rob. The early bird gets the worm”. The older man finished his meal, “I’ll be in my office. Open up the shop when you’re ready,” then he waltzed into the back rooms. In a motion that he could have done sleeping, he flipped open the unnecessarily locked door and stepped outside for a breather. The store was always open early, but no one ever came until abut noon.
“Hello, young man,” a voice said next to him, “Would you just so happen to work at the Pentacle?”
Robert turned and found himself speaking to a large man, maybe a year or so younger than the 33-year-old Master Graccus. He had a strong build and chin, and his chestnut eyes blended in perfectly with the chestnut hair on his head. He was tall and extremely tan, but this tough man had a sense of anticipation about him, one that Robert could not understand.
“Yes, sir,” Robert said, “You would be our first customer today”.
The man chuckled, “Oh, no, young man. You misunderstand me. I merely wish to speak to your master. We have some... business to attend to”.
Robert did not trust the man. He seemed too friendly, yet somehow closed off from the world. And his deep voice had a slight chill to it. But, just blaming this feeling on early-morning paranoia, he said, “I’ll come in. Please, sir, sit down”.
The man followed Robert inside and sat on a bench while the boy ran to get his Master. Graccus was in his usual state of extreme happiness until he saw the visitor. He straightened up and glared at the man. “You,” he scoffed his normally jovial tones now cold and hard.
“Yes, old friend,” the visitor sneered, “It is I”.
“Twenty years and you return to haunt me. I thought I was rid of you for good,” Graccus sounded troubled. He turned to his boarder, “Robert, you may want to go”.
“No, you don’t,” the tan man chided, “In fact, you can’t. I rigged every door in the building. All you have to do is turn the knob and we all go up,” he laughed again, but this time his harmless chuckles became cold cackles.
“He has nothing to do with this,” Graccus pleaded, “And in the name of Pluto you must let him leave or else I will not do business with you”.
“Of course he does,” the stranger sneered, “Have you not noticed the immense power he holds? That’s why you take care of him, isn’t it? He is obviously the reincarnation of the Hero!”
“And his power is far beyond the knowledge of either of us. I am not using him, but protecting him!”
“And now the time has come for him to know who he truly is”.
“What’s going on?” Robert asked, “Who is this Hero you’re talking about? Who are you? Master Graccus?”
“Oh, still playing that old shrade, eh?” the stranger cackled, “Young man, if it were not for this man, then Gaius Sempronious Graccus would be a great politician! The man you know as Graccus is named Adeodatus Avitus, and he has something I want!” he began to seethe, and jumped up to put a dagger to Robert’s throat, “Give it to me now or the boy dies!”
Avitus smiled and, out of his sleeve, produced his old oaken walking staff. He smiled and mouthed one word, “No”.
And then the world became chaos.
Chapter 2
Robert had only a vague notion of what was happening. First, he felt the knife digging into his throat, and then being thrown to the ground and pushed out of the way. He thought he saw the yellow emerald at the head of Avitus’s Staff glow, and then a thunder clap pierced his ears, returning him to the right state of mind.
Robert sat up to see what had happened, and was surprised at the devastation that haad occurred in the last few minutes. The floor between the two men was charred, and the stranger was lying on he ground, gasping for breath. Avitus was staggering, and a sharp gash crossed his cheek. The walking staff of all things seemed oddly unharmed.
Robert watched the two throw balls of energy at each other, each avoiding and returning the glowing orbs. Every few minutes an orb hit it’s mark, paling the face of he who was offended. It did not take long for the fighters to resemble a pair of ghosts, yet they did not stop. With each hit their faces became more stern and forceful.
“So you do know where they are,” the stranger bellowed to Master Graccus (or, apparently, Adeodatus Avitus). The man cackled, “Hand them over and you may live”.
Graccus growled, “I only have found the one, and we both know that if you deliver to me the coupe de grace, I would finally be free of this curse”.
To this the stranger gave some thought, “You are a fool to think that one will not be enough. With one, I can find the others,” he crowed, “All nine others. With them, I can rule all! Why are you so naïve to think that only bad can come of this?”
“Why are you so naïve to think that they will help you?” he switched tones to one that is reserved for the oldest of friends, “Listen to me. Just once,” he truly sounded sincere, “They want to USE you. They won’t help you rule. They will help you destroy yourself. Please listen”.
The other man sighed, “You really believe that, don’t you?”
Avitus lowered his tone even more, “Yes; I do”.
The stranger sighed once more, “Then I have no choice,” he took out his own staff, “I must kill you”.
The two men clashed like never before, with even fiercer tendencies. They roared, and soon the staff Avitus was holding was in the middle of a tug of war. The power within the staff was building. Neither man noticed that the walking stick was about to explode. In order to attempt to save them all, Robert jumped in and tore the staff away from the two.
And then there was darkness.
Here is a story that I created with some buddies of mine.
Prologue
There have always been choices. Choices on whether or not to watch the baseball game, or to mow the lawn now or later. With each choice comes a separate universe, and in each universe things are not exactly the same as in the others. There are millions of these universes, and this is the story of one of them.
Chapter 1
Rome; 300 BC
Robert stood up and stretched. Today will be just another day, he thought calmly as he pulled on his tunic. He turned to look into the Looking-Glass that the Master had insisted that be put in his room.
Robert was short for a 16-year-old, but he would probably start growing soon. His brown hair hung over his bright blue eyes, and smiled at his reflection. His pale skin stood out among his slightly-tanned fellows down in the marketplace. The fresh blue tunic he wore smelled of lavender, and he took a sense of protection from it. It reminded him of his parents, No, Robert, he thought, don’t think about them. There’s no bringing them back now. A salty tear rolled down his cheek.
A rap came at the door, “Rob! Time to get up!” it called, “It’s time to open up!” This was followed by deep footsteps upon the stairs, and then all was silent. Sighing, Rob washed his face and came downstairs.
“Good morning, Rob!” Master Graccus called. He was a lean fellow with red hair and a tall stature. Unlike Robert, Graccus had been given a nice tan by the sun’s rays. His red hair shined in the sunlight coming in through the open window, and his large face grinned hugely. Owner of the shop The Paranormal Pentacle, he was Robert’s boss and housed the boy until he was old enough to leave.
The Pentacle was a shop for those interested in magic. There were many signs and herbs, so many that Robert could not keep them all straight. This shop had been his parent’s haven until their death... Robert mentally slapped himself, do not think about them.
“Who’s ready for breakfast?” the old man called, “I have some fresh bread and cheese!”
Robert took some and sat down on a bench to chew, “So... tell me why you get up so early again?”
“It’s just something I learned in my many years, Rob. The early bird gets the worm”. The older man finished his meal, “I’ll be in my office. Open up the shop when you’re ready,” then he waltzed into the back rooms. In a motion that he could have done sleeping, he flipped open the unnecessarily locked door and stepped outside for a breather. The store was always open early, but no one ever came until abut noon.
“Hello, young man,” a voice said next to him, “Would you just so happen to work at the Pentacle?”
Robert turned and found himself speaking to a large man, maybe a year or so younger than the 33-year-old Master Graccus. He had a strong build and chin, and his chestnut eyes blended in perfectly with the chestnut hair on his head. He was tall and extremely tan, but this tough man had a sense of anticipation about him, one that Robert could not understand.
“Yes, sir,” Robert said, “You would be our first customer today”.
The man chuckled, “Oh, no, young man. You misunderstand me. I merely wish to speak to your master. We have some... business to attend to”.
Robert did not trust the man. He seemed too friendly, yet somehow closed off from the world. And his deep voice had a slight chill to it. But, just blaming this feeling on early-morning paranoia, he said, “I’ll come in. Please, sir, sit down”.
The man followed Robert inside and sat on a bench while the boy ran to get his Master. Graccus was in his usual state of extreme happiness until he saw the visitor. He straightened up and glared at the man. “You,” he scoffed his normally jovial tones now cold and hard.
“Yes, old friend,” the visitor sneered, “It is I”.
“Twenty years and you return to haunt me. I thought I was rid of you for good,” Graccus sounded troubled. He turned to his boarder, “Robert, you may want to go”.
“No, you don’t,” the tan man chided, “In fact, you can’t. I rigged every door in the building. All you have to do is turn the knob and we all go up,” he laughed again, but this time his harmless chuckles became cold cackles.
“He has nothing to do with this,” Graccus pleaded, “And in the name of Pluto you must let him leave or else I will not do business with you”.
“Of course he does,” the stranger sneered, “Have you not noticed the immense power he holds? That’s why you take care of him, isn’t it? He is obviously the reincarnation of the Hero!”
“And his power is far beyond the knowledge of either of us. I am not using him, but protecting him!”
“And now the time has come for him to know who he truly is”.
“What’s going on?” Robert asked, “Who is this Hero you’re talking about? Who are you? Master Graccus?”
“Oh, still playing that old shrade, eh?” the stranger cackled, “Young man, if it were not for this man, then Gaius Sempronious Graccus would be a great politician! The man you know as Graccus is named Adeodatus Avitus, and he has something I want!” he began to seethe, and jumped up to put a dagger to Robert’s throat, “Give it to me now or the boy dies!”
Avitus smiled and, out of his sleeve, produced his old oaken walking staff. He smiled and mouthed one word, “No”.
And then the world became chaos.
Chapter 2
Robert had only a vague notion of what was happening. First, he felt the knife digging into his throat, and then being thrown to the ground and pushed out of the way. He thought he saw the yellow emerald at the head of Avitus’s Staff glow, and then a thunder clap pierced his ears, returning him to the right state of mind.
Robert sat up to see what had happened, and was surprised at the devastation that haad occurred in the last few minutes. The floor between the two men was charred, and the stranger was lying on he ground, gasping for breath. Avitus was staggering, and a sharp gash crossed his cheek. The walking staff of all things seemed oddly unharmed.
Robert watched the two throw balls of energy at each other, each avoiding and returning the glowing orbs. Every few minutes an orb hit it’s mark, paling the face of he who was offended. It did not take long for the fighters to resemble a pair of ghosts, yet they did not stop. With each hit their faces became more stern and forceful.
“So you do know where they are,” the stranger bellowed to Master Graccus (or, apparently, Adeodatus Avitus). The man cackled, “Hand them over and you may live”.
Graccus growled, “I only have found the one, and we both know that if you deliver to me the coupe de grace, I would finally be free of this curse”.
To this the stranger gave some thought, “You are a fool to think that one will not be enough. With one, I can find the others,” he crowed, “All nine others. With them, I can rule all! Why are you so naïve to think that only bad can come of this?”
“Why are you so naïve to think that they will help you?” he switched tones to one that is reserved for the oldest of friends, “Listen to me. Just once,” he truly sounded sincere, “They want to USE you. They won’t help you rule. They will help you destroy yourself. Please listen”.
The other man sighed, “You really believe that, don’t you?”
Avitus lowered his tone even more, “Yes; I do”.
The stranger sighed once more, “Then I have no choice,” he took out his own staff, “I must kill you”.
The two men clashed like never before, with even fiercer tendencies. They roared, and soon the staff Avitus was holding was in the middle of a tug of war. The power within the staff was building. Neither man noticed that the walking stick was about to explode. In order to attempt to save them all, Robert jumped in and tore the staff away from the two.
And then there was darkness.