The Children of Zegandaria - Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov, Atanas Marinov (world best books to read txt) 📗

Kazuk Mon was well within his rights to try to be what he was. And that was how he lost his head!

Archie didn't know about the brutal taunt from his disciple Emborian, nor the total loss of control in the mind of the archivist who was tormented by his demons day and night!

When he started to go to the fifth level, which Om Gur Nal had used for his skillful speculations, he heard a voice, "Would you like to see more, come and look up. The person wearing a pre-death grimace is waiting to share you!"

The young man was startled, but tried to continue to the fifth level, then the voice spoke again "Verily I say unto thee, stop, look up, but if thou passest on, thou shalt remain there for ever!"

Archie noticed that it was possible to skip this level, as whacky as it sounded.

Hidden levels required a lot more mental strain on him, which affected his perception of reality.

Archie knew that for his consciousness to exist at level five, he needed two hundred IQ points in total. But there was absolutely no idea what the requirements were for the hidden levels that weren’t even marked on the General Virtual Reality Map he'd swiped from Om Gur Nal. Yes, there was indeed such a card, and he had taken it just in case.

The General map in question showed in sufficiEnt detail what was on the levels, the location of the guards, the location of the doors, and some other details as well.

The more that was visible of a level, the more it was under the control of the table and vice versa, those levels that were hidden were under the control of Om Gur Nal. Or so Archie had thought so far.

For the hidden levels, there weren’t any Arleon doors or anything like that - just the opposite. One had to think of them oneself. Archie allowed that perhaps a factor of the order of two hundred and fifty or even three hundred would suffice for the level in question. But he hadn't the faintest idea how to find the level, nor what awaited him there.

Then he saw the image of Kazuk Mon himself before him. He looked dignified as in his younger years - an awe-inspiring warrior of the spirit.

His hologram spoke most calmly:

"When you listen to this, I will probably not be among the living, so it is in your best interest to learn the secret of my death. Many wished to be the ones to gain enjoyment from it, but now you, unknown stranger, will be favored for your brAveria and intellect. On each of the wicked planes there is a great secret that will aid you in the battle against him whom I hold responsible for my death. This is Om Gur Nal. He, he, and only he allowed this to happen! His doom will bring me comfort, but that is not what I ask! Om Gur Nal is actually my former Magus Arthusson, who was chipped by Doctor Gad ‘Di Enn! He carries no details of his past in his mind! However, that doesn't excuse his nature at all! As a great technician and gеnius, you have the honor of fixing everything! I will reveal to you the secret of the entire virtual reality, even though everyone thought that I didn't understand anything about it!

I am the son of Equius Mon, Eberald Mon, later rEnamed Kazuk Mon. Not wanting to be part of the status quo of this greedy and brutal type, I devoted myself to religious activity, but very soon corruption took hold of me and I was killed by my last Magus, Tu Emborian Zontul, who in all likelihood is rotting in Hell! You will never Enter the higher hidden planes without my help. I am actually the main virtual architect of this place. But no one but Jonathan Herns' brother, Jonathan Sacklin, suspected that. He thinks he's possessed by the demon Nastarog, but it's a ninth-level computer virus that no one has ever touched. No one in Hell or on Zegandaria knows this top secret, and this trump card, placed in your hands, could turn everything around. This virus will also spread to the minds of the demons who tried to make Armageddon on Zegandaria. It's up to you to prove to them that Herns' paradox is valid, but only for the first four or five levels - not the hidden ones I was operating on. So many years I was in the cover of my activity as a religious priest. But at last my hour had come! Help me! Help me! Let me avenge myself from my grave! May I finally, receive retribution! May this planet breathe free!"

Archie clutched his forehead with his hand - he couldn't believe it, he felt indescribable anguish - not out of sympathy for the archivist, but because the dreamed „blue spring“ they all lived in was just the road to Hell. Beautiful, paved with roses, but still disastrous! It was the ugliest and most terrible truth! He himself was put in a similar situation by Om Gur Nal, who tried his best to keep the situation under control, only to realize the terrible truth that he did not want to admit even to himself. This world did not belong to him! He had a twenty-five year term, and he had „spent“ five whole years of it! And in pursuit of conspiracies and brutal schemes to benefit himself!

Archie wondered if he had spent his own life with dignity, and if he would find his own redemption in there somewhere.

"If you really want to reach the hidden levels, you just have to follow your heart! You must open it to the sorrows of others! Om Gur Nal tried to atone for the wrong he had done, but it was now irreparable, so even if his intentions were sincere, he must be punished. Now, take the little electronic ball you got from Ak Din. It will guide you forward and remember. Your heart is the key to your salvation! Ak Din was put there by me just to be your guide!"

Archie realized everything. There was no turning back! He had to dive into the mystery, whatever it was!

His feet seemed to lead him forward on their own - to where he would find peace with himself!

When he entered the first level of the four "wicked levels", he realized something very clear here, things were not at all about intellect or even perception. It was very strange.

On the first level, there was a small sign saying "You need an Intellect Level of at least 260!"

Archie snorted! Here, even a supergenius would feel like a round fool.

Time was running out and he still hadn't found an answer to his questions! The atmosphere was oppressive enough and he was trying to get a feel for what was actually going to happen!

The psychedelic design of this place evoked an emotion that made you want to crack your skull! It was as if the color designer had a particular perspective on it all!

It was full of strange looking brains, or at least casts of them!

Archie kept walking around wondering what the point of it all was!

It wasn't long before he clearly realized why such a high IQ was required to achieve such an effect!

Continuing to walk forward, Archie saw the extremely interesting sign that read "Good luck!"

It came to him a little too much! These bums had obviously tried to keep things classy. From there on, a small path began that was supposed to lead him to a certain spot. In the distance, he could see a futuristic obelisk that looked an awful lot like that of the god Erduk.

Archie was slightly annoyed by all the religious symbolism. What else was there to see?

He continued along the path and began to witness Om Gur Nal's rise to power, the assassination of Kazuk Mon, the ascеnsion of the new Mag Tu Emborian Zontul.

Archie realized that in this level, time was moving backwards and he would see pieces of the whole puzzle bit by bit.

Later, he realized clearly that everything was going to lead him to some unexpected еnd. Maybe even his own!

Everything around him stopped moving too. He decided to continue, but saw a third electronic sign "Do you know what the differеnce between your game and mine?" In mine, there can still be a winner and everyone is given a chance to survive, while in yours that is not the case. That's my view of fairness!“

The young man decided he had seen more than enough here and wondered how he could move on.

But then he remembered that maybe the little electron ball would help him and save him again. Then he saw that it had a small digital display on it, with the number four marked on it.

So the hidden levels were four in number! That was amazing! Archie had never assumed that it would take such heights of intellect to reach those levels! If the upward gradation of IQ continued, he would just 'drop' like some mediocre mudblood. But then he remembered that morality is more important than knowledge.

"So things are quite related!" he began to reason. He couldn't have it any other way and he wouldn't have reached such heights if he didn't change his way of thinking.

He continued on to the next levels. He had the feeling that he would soon learn the terrible secret that he was striving for with all his consciousness.

Archie realized something important, namely the fact that Kazuk Mon must have either been extremely intelligent and wealthy to carry out this whole grand scheme, or he had simply taken advantage of a whole string of favorable circumstances that allowed him to play absolutely everyone.

The next level didn't make any sense. It was simply a dead end, with multiple speeders parked in it - each pointing in a different direction. There weren’t even any markings or road signs! There was no particular reason for Archie to go out of his way. He continued on and soon heard the voice „You don't see anything new do you? That's because your mind hasn't moved an iota! To get any further you have to do a good deed!“

Archie looked around and saw a woman pinned under one speeder, when he looked up he got deja vu. Who was she? Could it be his own mother who he never remembered! His memories raced furiously. Or maybe it was some woman who had played an important role in his past? More likely it was the latter.

Of course, Archibald Peos didn't have time to shuffle through all the recesses of his memory, but then again, he couldn't shoot on sight either. He had to hit two birds with one stone - that was the only thing that could save him!

He thought and seemed to be illuminated by a vague memory.

Then the voice decided to help him „Don't confuse professional ethics and goodwill with true friendship! Those are two different things!“

- "That's my teacher!," roared Archie. "But why is she here? It's all getting too personal. Is the problem with me?"

He hurried off to go help her. Then he noticed that she couldn't see him. The overwhelming weight was just crushing her, but there was nothing he could do to help. In vain Archie reached out in his desperation to change something!

Sudden thunder shrouded this whole vision! Archie was about to vomit.

The voice humbly repeated back to him "Only two more levels to go! Are you ready to see what's at the end? If you have any doubts, you can always come back!" The young man bowed his head."