Quest for Knowledge (Volume 1 of the FirstWorld Saga) by Christopher Jackson-Ash (chromebook ebook reader txt) đ
- Author: Christopher Jackson-Ash
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âDonât tell me there is a portrait of you somewhere that ages while you remain forever young,â said Manfred with a forced laugh. Dorian Gray all over again.
âUnfortunately not. Gadiel required information and he obtained much of it from me. I didnât tell him everything, of course. In return, he offered me immortality in a new young body. Although I knew what happened to Gilgamesh, I allowed myself to believe he would carry out his side of the bargain. He needed me, after all, and I knew that I was destined to live to see this task through. I was fed up being a decrepit, impotent old man.â
I know how you feel. It would be a great temptation. Yet he said aloud, âHow could you?â
âHe changed me physically. But he has an evil sense of humour. I must forever take this form. I cannot wear any other clothes or the itchiness drives me insane. As much as I desire physical contact with others, or they with me, I am prevented from sating my desires. Should any intimate contact be made, we are both repulsed with a shock like we have been struck by lightning. I will only be freed from this curse when he is destroyed. Do you wonder why I want him dead? To be forced to live for eternity with such a curse would be the ultimate treachery.â
Manfred had to smile. Oh, the price we pay for vanity and lust. Singed genitalia! He tried to keep a straight face. âItâs tragic, indeed. How did he secure your immortality?â
âHe gave me a once-only key to the time portal. He sent me forward in time, and I arrived here. He said that I had missed the time of my death, so that as long as I didnât go back to a time before that I would live forever. I think he wanted me out of the way while he planned his attack on Elannort but wanted me here when he was strong enough to destroy me. He thinks he has outplayed me. However, I have one more trump card that he is unaware of. Some years before Gadiel arrived in Illium, another stranger arrived.â
âUbadah, King of Tamarlan,â Manfred interjected. âThings begin to become clearer to me.â
âThatâs right. I was suspicious of how he could have survived the journey from Tamarlan. I found the secret mark and discovered that he was an incarnation of the Everlasting Hero. I knew then that I had a plan that I could put into action.â
âSo you sent him here. Why here and why now?â Manfred was still somewhat confused.
âNo, not here, not yet. I knew that the Sundering had been caused by a significant event. By then, I had gathered a few wizards who were working on my behalf. Even in the old days, I had a few on my side. Your brother, Mandred, was one of them.â Curse the name. I thought he was working against me. Perhaps he was. A flicker of concern passed over Manfredâs face. âI see that it still rankles with you. Iâm sorry. I had access to the reports made to the Council of the Wise, even though I didnât attend. It wasnât too difficult to put the pieces together and work out when and where the Sundering occurred, or that you were there. I knew that the Hero had to be there, so I sent Ubadah back.â
The blood drained from Manfredâs face. âYou did what? I donât believe it. I sent Simon back there too. He is another incarnation of the Hero.â
Dammar laughed. âOh, Manfred, you are a blind old fool. Donât you see? They both had to be there. The old prophecy foretold it. âWhen the two who are one return to the son.â The child who was born was theirs, one of them, it doesnât matter which. The child had to be born, carrying the genes of the Everlasting Hero so that the future hero would exist to come back and be the father. Itâs a great time travel paradox, isnât it?â
Manfred was stunned. You stupid old dunderhead. How could you not have seen it? It was son not sun. How could you have been so blind?
âDonât tell me you didnât know? You were there. How could you not understand?â
Manfred shook his head, sadly. âI donât know. I was bored and depressed. I only wanted out of there. Mandred knew something. I just didnât believe it.â
âDonât be too upset. Mandred was in my confidence. I sent a message to him with Ubadah. It was a risk, but it worked out.â You were lucky he passed to stone.
âBut the babyâs birth didnât cause the Sundering. Mandred passed to stone immediately after the birth, saying his work was done. Simon came back here, in grief over the loss of the mother. I went home to my cave. I never saw Ubadah there. The Sundering didnât occur until the next day. At the Sundering, all of the wise were flung back to Wizardsâ Keep, as if by magic. We existed only in FirstWorld and we had no copies in other dimensions. As far as I know, everything else was duplicated.â
It was Dammarâs turn to be stunned. âThat is news to me. I had assumed that it was the paradox of the childâs parentage that caused the Sundering.â
Manfred let his mind wander back to those cold, miserable, boring days with the tribe. âUbadah must have visited nine months earlier. I was away with a hunting party and missed him. Mandred spoke about it, but I thought he was making it up to tease me. Or to explain how the chiefâs daughter got pregnant. Thatâs it then, Ubadah must have been the father, even though the baby had red hair. Thatâs odd; I had always thought it must have been Simonâs.â
âThe Heroâs genes are recessive, like red hair and left handedness. When they are there, they donât always show. Now we have two problems. We must identify what needs to be done to ensure that the Sundering occurs.â Dammar paused and looked a bit worried.
âWhat is the second problem?â Manfred asked.
âWe must decide which of our two heroes must die.â
Decisions
Manfred was stunned. âWhat do you mean? One of our heroes must die?â He was incredulous. The beautiful youth stood up and faced Manfred. Even in his shock, Manfred couldnât avoid noticing his handsome physique. Pull yourself together, old fool. Remember itâs Dammar inside that body.
The blond boy spoke in his older man's voice, booming with authority and brimming with arrogance. âDonât you see, Manfred? The only way to defeat Gadiel is with the Everlasting Hero and the Sword â the all-powerful Trinity. Even that will not be enough unless the Sword has reached its maximum potential.â
Manfred shook his head. He was still bewildered. âI donât understand.â
âThe Swordâs power comes from the souls it consumes. They are held in the ruby. Since your version of the Hero has recovered it, I assume it has consumed the souls of a witch and at least two wizards?â Manfred nodded. He didnât like where this was going. âIt has consumed many of the first and second born, not to mention countless humans. To reach its maximum potential it has just one more soul to consume. One of the Heroes must die by the Sword. Only then will the remaining Hero have the power to defeat Gadiel. Ubadah is clearly the strongest and most worthy to live. I propose that Simon Redhead must die.â
âYou are crazy! I will never support such a proposition.â Manfred was boiling with fury. How could someone purporting to represent the Balance suggest such a thing? Manfred made a mental note to consider Dammarâs deeper motivations later. Thereâs more to this than meets the eye.
âDonât be so naĂŻve, old man. It is our one chance and the reason why fate has brought the two Heroes together at the same time. Ubadah is clearly the stronger and more suitable. He comes from FirstWorld after all.â And heâs your puppet.
âSimon has bonded with the Sword. He cannot be beaten by force of arms. So you might as well forget it.â
âHe must be persuaded to put down the Sword in Ubadahâs presence. Only you will be able to make that happen. Think on it, old man. The hounds of Hell are camped on your doorstep. In a short time, they will take Elannort. Wizardsâ Keep will not stand for long against them. Everything you have worked so hard and so long for will be lost. It will be your fault. There is a way. Is the death of a single innocent so big a price to pay?â
Manfred seemed to shrink into the cushions of his seat as if the weight of the multiverse had been placed on his shoulders. He looked like a defeated old man, waiting for death. Would you murder your child or your grandchild to save the multiverse? The sacrifice is too great. âLet the Sword take me, rather than Simon,â Manfred pleaded.
âIt would do no good. It has already consumed at least two wizards of equal power to you. I understand how you feel. I wish there were a better way, I really do. Take some time to think about it. I will organise myself some quarters and will talk to you in the morning. I wonât say goodnight and sleep well, because I know that you wonât. Ultimately, you will see that it is a small sacrifice to make for the greater good. I will see you early in the morning.â
Dammar turned and was about to leave the room without waiting for Manfredâs reply. He paused at the door and looked back. âYou know that as the last remaining Great Sage, I have the authority to command you. I hope it doesnât come to that.â He left.
As the door closed, Manfred released the pent up emotion inside him. The books on the table went flying to all corners, the Holy Grail was shattered into dozens of pieces, and Manfred was left sobbing into the couch cushions like an adolescent after their first break-up. May the Balance help me? May it help us all?
When Dammar returned, soon after dawn, Manfred was still in the same position. Dammar observed the wreckage. âI see that there is still some fire in your belly, Manfred. Thatâs good. You will need it before the end. Have you made your decision?â
Manfred sat up. He looked even more haggard than usual. His hair and beard were matted and his face streaked with tears. He spoke in a quiet, yet determined voice. âI have examined my conscience, at length. I cannot accede to your request. It would be immoral. I will not do it.â
Dammar drew his slim, youthful body to its full height. His voice was commanding and it carried great authority. âVery well, you leave me no choice. By the authority vested in me by the Great Old Ones and the Balance itself, I command that you follow my orders!â
Manfred looked at the beautiful youth, and sighed. âWhere is your authority, Dammar?â He withdrew his staff from inside his cloak. âA wizardâs authority lies in his staff. I donât see your staff. I donât even know if you really are Dammar.
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