The Missing Link (22 page)

"Like a slighted sibling, darkness is not above a little mischief. When in the far past, Hub
witches discovered the connecting tunnels and learned to build their own, they did so whilst
disregarding the natural rhythms and trusting in their own abilities to keep all in balance. For a
time they were successful, and the benefits to your kin were indeed great.

"However through arrogance and forgetfulness, that understanding was lost and the
responsibility to the dimensions forgotten. In time the balance was undone, strife ensued and the
Great Conundrum resulted. And it would not be incorrect in saying that the Dark realm lent a hand
with this undoing. Darkness thrives on discord, and you Hub witches became the ideal vessels to
spread that discord to other realms."

"Is that what it's trying to do now? Create another Conundrum?"

"We have no way of knowing."

"Can it be stopped?"

"You can no more avoid darkness than the winter rains. It is part of all that is. And you
must also remember that its very presence allows us to appreciate the light that much more."

"But what does it all mean?"

"Perhaps it is no more than your expanding abilities to see and sense the music of life,
Carole. Perhaps you are simply becoming aware of that which has always been."

Zack looked up from his book as Carole appeared in the living room. "Success?"

"Hard to say." She placed her basket of faerie gifts on the floor. "Anything exciting
happen while I was gone?"

He marked his place and laid the book aside. "Does a visit from your parents
count?"

Carole gaped. "Here? What did they want?"

Lilly walked in from the kitchen. "For you to go home."

She snorted. "Fat chance of that."

"So what do we do now?" Zack said.

Carole glanced out a window. "I suppose I could visit that cave on the Celestial Nexus.
It's dark enough, now."

"After you show us what you've got in the basket," Zack said, while eyeing the sheathed
faerie knife.

* * * *

The fractured stone ledge was barely wide enough for her to grip with her toes. Carole
crouched precariously for a moment, before finding her balance and squeezing through a narrow
rent in the rock to the space beyond. She turned on the flashlight. The room was little more than a
shattered tumble of rock, crammed with bird nests and heaped with mounds of bird droppings.
Here and there were remnant patches of finished wall, but like the foundation stones outside, there
were only enough to indicate that this space had been carved out of the mountainside.

Clambering atop a pile of rubble, she swung the light towards a corner and saw the
remnants of a stairway. She squeezed past a fallen archway and started down, but could go only
about a dozen steps. The passage was completely filled with rock.

When she shone the light over the walls, she saw traces of color. Once there had
probably been a large mural decorating the stone, but now only a few stylized figures remained. She
committed the scene to memory and returned to the main chamber. There was nothing more to
see.

Back at the Devilles', Carole told them what she'd found. Exchanging flashlight for a pen
and paper, she made a quick sketch of the wall mural.

"Looks like a costume party," Zack said, when she'd finished. "That's Merlin the
Magician with Maid Marian, and he's King Tut." He stabbed a finger at the fourth figure Carole had
drawn. "I've no idea what that guy is supposed to be wearing. He looks sort of like a sausage."

"Maid Marian would be with Robin Hood, not Merlin," said Lilly. "Though they do look
medieval. King Arthur's court, maybe?"

"And he's definitely Egyptian," Carole said about the third. "The sausage guy wasn't as
fancy looking as the other three, and he seemed to be pointing to a star."

"But the other three aren't looking at it. They're actually facing the other way," Lilly said,
tracing lines of direction with her finger.

"Earth history on an ancient Hub building." Carole shook her head.

"Multitaskers are so weird," Zack said. "At least once a day someone tells us we're not
wanted here, and now we find they used to decorate their walls with our history. I wish they'd
make up their minds. Do they like us or hate us?"

* * * *

The following morning dawned gray and dreary. As it was the Day of Reflection, and
there was no school, Carole decided to report to Philamount, knowing he was an early riser. He
lived just past the Eastway, between the Rim and the Middleroad.

It took little time to reach the professor's home, but once there she saw that it was dark
inside. She peered through the kitchen window. There were breakfast dishes in the sink so she
knocked on the door. No one answered.

Thinking he might have already left for his office, Carole backtracked to Hub Central and
tried both the front and back doors. The school was also dark and locked. She returned to the
Devilles' cottage and, sitting on the front step, stared at the twin towers rising from the roof of the
school.

From the outside they were identical, complete with matching windows.
But why put
windows in a tower with no rooms? Unless...
She stood and stepped inside the cottage. Lilly was
sitting at the kitchen table. She glanced up, gave Carole a questioning look.

"Morning, Lil. Back in a sec." A quick smile and she was off.

She landed on the third floor corridor next to where the second tower stairway should
have been, and rapped against the wall. Solid stone.

She focused on the tower, leaped again and landed inside a grimy, unfinished and
mostly empty room. There was a small writing desk sitting near the middle of the floor. She moved
closer.

On top of the desk and layered in centuries of dust, was an open book. Carole gently
brushed the dust away. It was a journal and, though faint, there was writing. Writing which she
could read and understand.

15,323 AL, Cycle of reflection, 20th rise: Subtle enquiries
continue to be fruitless and as I had feared, the madness has seized hold of many. I
must be bolder in my search, but whom to trust?

15,323 AL, Cycle of reflection, 30th rise: I have been discovered. My actions
were foolish perhaps, but at least I now know with certainty that I am truly
alone.

15,324 AL, Cycle of renewal, 8th rise: The madness spreads. They search for
me everywhere and the sparks of violence are beginning to ignite. It is time to make
preparations to quit this world once and for all.

15,324 AL, Cycle of renewal, 27th rise: This will be my final entry. As I write
the Hall of Records is a smoldering ruin, the Celestial Nexus still ringed in flames,
and yet they continue to hunt for me. The fools. Do they think fire will erase me as
easily as it has erased the records of their inglorious deeds? For I am Udiken Malcor,
the last free-faller, and I leave this cursed world to the smoke and ash of its
deceit.

Carole tried to turn to an earlier page but the entire book crumbled to powder at her
touch.

The Center for Transdimensional Studies was packed. Tables had been replaced with
rows of chairs, most of which were already occupied. As usual, Professor Seafeather had reserved
front row seats for Carole and the twins, though today they weren't in the center, but to the extreme
right.

At the moment, the professor, dressed in a hot pink outfit, was hovering near the
entranceway, greeting and handing programs to all who entered. Professor Hotspot hadn't yet
arrived, which was odd. Carole had never known him to give Professor Seafeather free reign over
anything, especially if there was a crowd on hand.

There was some activity to her left. She watched Ferdinand Dalimar and Reginald Squim
take the last two aisle chairs at the other end of her row. They were acting very self-conscious, and
slouched low in their seats.

She pointed out the two seniors to Zack and Lilly. "What do you suppose that
means?"

"Who let them in without a leash?" Zack said.

There was a sudden commotion at the doorway. Professor Snively Hotspot, sporting a
canary yellow suit with flickering fuchsia zigzags, bounded into the hall, all but shoving Professor
Seafeather aside. He enthusiastically Long-Legged his way towards the front of the hall.

Carole's jaw dropped.

Lilly nudged her. "Look at Seafeather."

Professor Seafeather, along with most everyone else, was staring at Hotspot, seemingly
spellbound.

"Not good," Carole said. "He didn't see this coming."

Professor Hotspot sprang onto the stage. "Friends, multitaskers, welcome," he
began.

His words caused a flurry at the doorway as people rushed to fill the remaining empty
seats. "Welcome to the Center for Transdimensional Studies."

Professor Seafeather suddenly came to life and scurried for the stage.

"Welcome to this most auspicious and timely meeting. It is long overdue, since we've
not come together as a community for some time. Much has happened. Much needs to be discussed.
But first allow me to turn the stage over to a man who needs no introduction at all, Professor Meron
Seafeather." Hotspot smiled benignly.

Professor Seafeather was forced to sprint the final yards. "Thank you, my dear friend,
Snively," Seafeather puffed, as he climbed onto the stage. He tugged his suit straight, ran his fingers
through his hair and turned to face the audience, a smile plastered across his face. Clasping his
hands together behind his back, he glanced upwards, seemingly to study the ceiling. The noise in
the hall, quickly faded.

Professor Seafeather spread his arms wide. "Friends. Certainly much has happened
since we've last met. Much good has happened. Reports from our cadre of leapers indicate that the
effects of the Great Conundrum have vanished from all realms visited thus far. We can certainly
predict that as more are visited, we will hear no reports to the contrary.

"Leaping can continue as in the past. Trade, commerce, education and evolution may
return to what it once was. Assistance to those less fortunate realms may once again be given.
All-in-all a stellar report."

Professor Hotspot clapped his hands forcefully. "Solid links my friend. Solid links." The
rest of the audience joined in on the applause.

Professor Seafeather raised his hands and waited for the noise to abate. "And here at
home, I have been informed by Professor Startling that our preschool class is showing great
promise, the best in years." The man looked over his shoulder. "Professor?"

Professor Startling walked on stage from the wings and waited for the applause to end.
"That is certainly the case. I can't remember a more enthusiastic and dedicated group of students.
And though perhaps a little out of the ordinary, I believe a short demonstration will show everyone
how well our preschoolers are doing. Class?" The preschoolers swarmed onstage, surrounding their
teacher.

"Did you know about this?" Carole asked Lilly.

"Not a clue. I can't believe the little stinkers were able to keep it a secret."

Professor Startling arranged the children into a line facing the audience. "I'd also like to
say, that I think a good deal of our success has to do with Zack and Lilly Deville." A rush of
whispering swept through the hall. Professor Startling waited for the noise to abate before
continuing, "Not only have the Devilles led by example, but they've provided unique insights into
what life is like in other realms. In fact, that is what today's demonstration is all about. Jo-Jo?"

The small boy took half a step forward and looked at his feet. Carole could see his mouth
moving but she didn't hear any sound.

"Louder please," professor Startling encouraged.

"...and we been learning about plasticating animals that live in the Monobrain realm.
Zacky has told us all about them. One's called a bullfrog, and this is what it does."

Jo-jo stepped back in line. On a cue from their teacher, the preschoolers dropped into
squats and with a chorus of enormous belches, started hopping around the stage on rubbery legs.
The audience murmured appreciatively. Zack bit his lip to keep from laughing, while Lilly looked
horrified.

"Very good class." Professor Startling snapped her fingers twice. Jo-Jo and Gerald
seemed not to hear, and a helper rushed over to herd the two bullfrogs and the rest of the
preschoolers off, while the audience clapped enthusiastically.

Professor Startling continued. "I'd also like to point out that both Zack and Lilly Deville
are showing remarkable progress with their own training. They've become quite flexible in their
mental exercises and show definite improvements in the physical."

A further buzz swept through the place. Carole noticed the twins sinking lower in their
chairs.

"Excellent, excellent." Professor Seafeather beamed. "Wonderful news, Professor
Startling."

She nodded a silent thank-you and followed the preschoolers through the back
exit.

"But should we have expected anything less?" he added. "After all, we are multitaskers
and traveling throughout the realms helping others, is what we do. It's what we are."

"Absolutely! Couldn't have said it better my dear friend, Meron." Professor Hotspot, his
suit blinking wildly, stepped in front of Seafeather and spread his arms wide.

Carole's stomach tightened.

"The realms have returned to what they once were, and so should life at the Hub. A
return to the flow of knowledge, the business of balance, the assistance of evolution, for the
betterment of all. Life as it was, and as it now is...well, mostly is. We've had a bit of a population
explosion since that nasty Conundrum business." Professor Hotspot chuckled. "Definitely a few
more familiars to house and feed.

"Not that we shouldn't look after them. No one would ever suggest that. We are
multitaskers after all and must set the example for others to follow, even if there are now many
more hogs than student leapers. Even if, sadly, there will always be many, many more familiars than
students for them to assist. Even if that heroic herd of hogs will continue to breed, continue to swell
in number, continue to require ever more of our food supplies and living space..." Professor Hotspot
clasped his hands piously in front of himself.