The Background
There was a hole on the outskirts of small city located on the west end of an island in the southern hemisphere of a planet whose location is a mystery. Through this hole was a tunnel which doubled back and contined west toward the city. Halfway between the hole and city, the tunnel forked underground, with one prong continuing toward the city, and the other also heading toward the city, but much deeper than the first prong.
The existence of this hole was kept a secret for many generations by a surreptious society called the Clandestine Clan. Members of this clan wore striped black and purple robes and carried a wooden staff exactly 1.3 meters tall. At the top of this staff was a small spherical crystal ball set onto the staff with a gold frame. The clanmembers reffered to themselves as Nodes for reasons unbeknownst to them. They live in the city itself, in a special complex. They blend into a crowd and appear and act just like normal people, with the exception that they wear purple and black ropes.
The Story
Our story begins with a child in this secret society (pictured above, right). At the time when the events in this story occurr, he is 13 Earth-years old, preparing to enter manhood and accept his place in the secret society.
As he finishes his final lesson from the Grandmasterwizard, he inquires about his role in the society:
"What will my role be in our secret society, oh wise Grandmasterwizard?"
"Young, Kenowal, you are not yet ready for such important knowledge. Stick to your studies, and your fated role will find you."
"But, sir.. This is my final lesson."
The Grandmasterwizard paused for several moments and then finally quipped, "Yes I knew that."
"So when do I learn what my fated role is?"
"Let me ask the gods now." The Grandmasterwizard gesticulates madly while uttering undecipherable speech and rolling his eyes and rubbing his stomach while patting his head. Then he emerges from the trance and answers the boy, "You are fated to die."
"What?"
"You ask too many questions, you will bring down the Clan if you continue to live."
"Wait, sir... Did you call me 'Kenowal'? That is not me -- my name is 'Denowal.' Kenowal has his lesson right after me."
"Oh I see. Well then, I apologize. Your fate is great indeed. You are the one prophesized to the drill the Third Prong."
"The Third Prong, sir?"
"Yes. There is an emerging crisis right now in the tunnel and we desperately need to solve it. I am unaware of what the problem will be, but I do know that at some point a Third Prong will be necessary."
"Where will the Third Prong lead?"
"That I do not know. It is your fate to solve this problem and save our society. May the Gods protect you."
"Thank you, sir." The boy leaves, and another boy comes in after him. This boy sits down in from the Grandmasterwizard and opens his books and bows his head, ready to begin his final lesson. The Grandmasterwizard picks up his staff, utters a spell and brings the crystal sphere down on the boy's head, crushing his skull under the force.
Kenowal heard the crack of the impact from outside the classroom. He whistled, wiped his brow, and turned on his heel, walking off with the elation of averting sudden death.
"This is unprecendented!"
"The Grandmasterwizard has never made a mistake before, he has been the most astute and powerful of all the Masterwizards."
"And he is the purest of heart. He has only the best interest of the Society and the tunnel in mind."
"Therefore, this act must be the result of evil forces. Treachery exists among our ranks. We must immediately begin a psi-search of all our members for traces of evil."
"Psi-search every member? Are you insane? He won Grandmastership for his ability to psi-search people, and he is the only one capable of performing his job. To re-evaluate all of us would take eons."
"Not with our combined effort if we divide up the society into even parts and each take a smaller segment."
"What if one of us is the agent of evil, though?" a third elder pointed out.
"Impossible. We wizards and masterwizards have been thoroughly checked out by the Grandmasterwizard."
"He made a mistake today. Maybe he has made one before." By now the rest of the dining chamber was silent and listened to the elders discussing this.
"How dare you question the Grandmasterwizard. I move to disband Wizard Juyateoh."
"Now settle down, Hayewno. No need for drastic action."
"This is the perfect time for action. The Grandmasterwizard is going to resign, and one of us masterwizards will take his place. We must be sure to eliminate all evil agents in our society before the decision takes place." The room stirred in comotion at the mention of the Grandmasterwizard resigning. "Societymembers, there is a crisis emerging! We must unite and purge."
| As the crowd continued to stir, Kenowal began to sweat nervously under his robe. Quickly surveying the scene, he quiety left and headed for the bathroom. No one noticed that he left. Once in the bathroom, he removed his hood and wiped his brow. He knew that if the elders psi-searched him, they would find that he was responsible for Denowal's death. Not only had he destroyed the savior from the "emerging crisis," he managed to start the crisis too. He had to escape from here before he was found out. He entered the third stall from the wall and stuck his foot in the toilet. He straightened his ankle and rotated his knee to push his foot further into the toilet. Soon, his leg was down the drain of toilet to his knee. He then flushed the toilet. This was the secret maneouver to activate the secret room. He learned about this room by eavesdropping on the elders, then trying every bathroom stall in the complex until he found the room. Once the stall rotated 180 degrees, he quickly pulled his foot out and stepped out into a dark room. |  |
"THIS IS A PUBLIC MESSAGE TO ALL SECTORS. YOUNG KENOWAL'S PRESENCE IS REQUESTED AT THE FRONT OFFICE. REPEAT, YOUNG KENOWAL, REPORT TO THE FRONT OFFICE IMMEDIATELY." Oh no, they are onto me, Young Kenowal thought to himself and quickly bolted for the secret exit. He had never gone through this exit before, but he knew it was a secret exit.
Kenowal was a bit nervous about trying out this door, but he began to hear the echo of footsteps from the bathroom and knew the wiser members would soon find him here. So he opened the door and threw himself through.
"Ah...What the hell are you doing here?" Oh, no, Kenowal thought. An old wise looking Node was sitting in his chair.
"Dad?"
"Go home, Kenowal, and send for Denowal. I am expecting him."