Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Clockwork Glowbirds (Orville Wellington Mouse Book 1)

by Tom Hoffman

  Orville nodded and the blue beam of light flashed again. Master Marloh vanished, almost instantly reappearing across the room.

  “Wonderful. It’s almost as if you’ve done this before. Now, I want you to blink yourself into a thought cloud and back again. If you’re taking too long I will take over.”

  “When I’m an energy field with no body I can still think?”

  “Of course. Your mind is separate from your physical body. You will not have a body but you will still have the consciousness and awareness you are used to.”

  “Well, here goes.” Orville glowed a brilliant blue and vanished. Less than a second later he blinked back again. “Creekers, that was amazing! You’re right, Sophia, I didn’t want it to end. I was just a cloud of energy and I could move around anywhere I wanted.”

  Master Marloh stepped over and clapped Orville on the back. “Well done, both of you. You have both successfully blinked, something which many shapers never do even after a lifetime of practice. That being said, you still have much to learn. You need to blink without thinking about it.” A long gleaming dagger appeared on the chair next to Orville. “Orville, I want you to throw that knife at me as hard as you can.”

  “Huh?”

  “Throw it at me, but don’t tell me when you’re going to throw it. Don’t worry, you won’t be able to hit me with it.”

  Orville reached down and picked up the knife. Without warning he hurled the deadly dagger at Master Marloh. Before the dagger had even left his paw Master Marloh was standing next to Orville.

  “See how fast I moved? I could have used a sphere of defense, but by blinking next to you I now hold the advantage of surprise. Both of you need to practice your speed. When you’re comfortable with it, I want you to throw a ball at each other and blink before the ball hits you. We have two days left until the High Council meets. You must be completely proficient in the art of blinking by then. Do not underestimate the shaping skills of Draken Mouse, or his willingness to use deadly force against you. The instant he realizes the significance of Proto’s projection he will react, and I know you are well aware of how a vicious beast reacts when cornered.”

  Chapter 35

  Stop.

  Orville cracked the door open, peering anxiously out onto the main floor of the Metaphysical Adventurers Headquarters.

  “They’re starting to arrive!” He watched as blue lights blinked across the room like fireflies on a warm summer night, each flash heralding the arrival of a mouse, rabbit, or muroidian. The main room, once filled with practice areas, work stations, and laboratories was now a sea of chairs, all facing a solitary raised podium on a wide stage.

  Sophia squeezed in next to Orville and peeked out. “How do you think Proto is going to do it? There’s not much time left. Once all the members are here Draken Mouse will be introduced, make his grand entrance, and then give his speech. There will be a show of paws and the election will be over.”

  Orville studied Sophia’s face. He had never seen her so tense.

  “He’ll do something, I know he will. Proto would never let us down.”

  “Not on purpose. But if something goes wrong... if something goes wrong I will go out there myself and tell them everything I know.”

  Master Marloh stepped across the small practice room toward them. “I don’t believe it will come to that, Sophia. I’m getting a good feeling about tonight.” With a brilliant flash two long green cloaks appeared in his paw. “Put these cloaks on when you go out there. Green cloaks are worn by initiate members of the Metaphysical Adventurers. With these cloaks on, your unfamiliar faces won’t arouse any suspicion. Sit as close to the podium as you can. We have no idea what Proto is going to do, but we must be ready for anything. Don’t forget there are a lot of members who support Draken, so no talking. Use thought clouds if you need to communicate. Ready?”

  Master Marloh pushed the door open and stepped out into the main room, Sophia and Orville trailing behind him. “Come on, Sophia, let’s go find seats near the front of the room.”

  The room was filling rapidly, the blue lights of arriving members flashing almost continuously, the room echoing with the dull drone of a hundred different conversations. Sophia and Orville were just in time and found two empty seats in the third row.

  The blue flashes finally dwindled and then stopped. The room grew quiet as a distinguished elderly mouse slowly made his way up to the podium. A gavel blinked into his paw and he rapped the podium three times.

  “I bring this meeting of the High Council of Metaphysical Adventurers to order, and offer my heartfelt thanks for your presence here this evening. You all know why we are here. Draken Mouse has presented us with the requisite number of signatures for a show of paws to determine whether or not he is to be our new Supreme Counselor. I understand there are strong feelings on both sides regarding this matter, and perhaps even more so regarding the potential use of lethal force by our members. Please remain silent during Draken Mouse’s presentation. If you must communicate with other members, have the courtesy to use thought clouds.” The old mouse gazed slowly across the sea of members. “Above all, listen to your inner voice, listen to your heart. I now present to you the candidate for the position of Supreme Counselor of the Metaphysical Adventurers, Master Draken Mouse.”

  There was a brilliant flash of golden light and a mouse appeared near the podium. He was wearing a long formal blue cloak and approached the elderly mouse, firmly shaking his paw. He gave a friendly wave to the crowd of members.

  “Thank you, thank you all for being here on this very auspicious occasion. I know I have many supporters in this room, but I also know there are many members who are uncertain about what they may perceive as a radical new proposal regarding the use of deadly force. Let me assure you I am not suggesting the Metaphysical Adventurers go on a mad killing spree, destroying any mouse or rabbit or muroidian who disagrees with our views. What I am suggesting is that in the very rare instance when a member’s life is in jeopardy and there is absolutely no alternative, that he or she may be allowed to save their own life or the life of a loved one through the use of lethal force. There are no secret hidden agendas, simply a deep hope that opening this new option will save the precious lives of some of our members.” Draken look out across the crowd, his face a picture of deep sincerity and concern.

  “Liar!” The word popped out of Sophia’s mouth before she even realized she had said it. There were a few murmurs in the crowd.

  Draken Mouse frowned, trying to spot the source of the interruption. He was about to say something when he was interrupted by a sudden cry from the other side of the room. “Spectral door!” A mouse leaped to his feet and pointed up to an enormous black swirling spectral doorway, bolts of white lightning flashing wildly within the dark churning clouds. Hundreds of spheres of defense popped up across the room as the members leaped to their feet.

  “What is it? Where it is from?”

  Draken Mouse popped up a powerful sphere of defense, his eyes blazing with fury. He had the crowd eating out of his paw and someone had dared to interrupt him. Whoever was responsible would pay dearly.

  The members cried out in unison as a large blue sphere shot out from the spectral door and hovered silently above the crowd. The roiling spectral door vanished, leaving behind the mysterious metallic sphere.

  “What is that thing? What is it doing here? Is that an old blinker ship?” They watched with concern as the sphere descended until it was floating only ten feet above the main floor. A voice boomed out from the craft.

  “Oh my, this is quite thrilling indeed! So many shapers and adventurers all in one big room. I’m sad to say I don’t have a single tasty snack or beverage to offer you, but do feel free to shape any manner of refreshments you choose. I thought this would be the perfect time to begin my presentation. Our talk today will be on the dreadfully frightening and hideously brutal creatures found on the planet known as Periculum. If you think you would be able to survive on Periculum without
using lethal force, I’m afraid you would be quite mistaken. Good heavens, just feast your eyes on these frightful gigantic carnivorous centipedes!”

  Draken Mouse had no idea what was happening. This was not part of the show, but it certainly couldn’t hurt. Whoever this was obviously supported the use of lethal force. This could work to his advantage. Draken called out, “Everyone take their seats please! It’s all just a bit of theatrics to help make my point.”

  Orville shot a thought cloud to Sophia. “It’s Proto! That’s Proto’s voice!”

  “What is he doing? He’s supposed to be exposing Draken as a murdering fiend, not supporting him!” Sophia looked furious.

  “Just wait. I know he won’t let us down.”

  A wide beam of light shot out from the blue sphere and spread across the expansive wall behind the podium. Draken Mouse gave a sudden start when he saw the gigantic mass of writhing centipedes, then laughed to himself, knowing that Orville Mouse and his little friend Sophia were probably inside one of them.

  Proto’s voice rang out again. “Just look at those beasts! They’d be the perfect pet for my mother-in-law – if they weren’t too frightened of her!”

  The crowd roared with laughter. Draken Mouse was thrilled. He rubbed his paws together with glee. What a stroke of good luck this was.

  “Look out, here’s one of those terrifying Gnorli birds, the only beast alive feared by the great carnivorous centipedes of Periculum. Who wouldn’t consider using lethal force if this brute was screaming down from the sky toward you or a cherished loved one?” Simply dreadful, but nothing at all compared to this hideous monstrosity!”

  A moving image of the rolling Senyph Ocean now covered the front wall. Without warning a huge glistening orange wormlike creature resembling a centipede with six wings and a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth flashed out of the water. Cries erupted from the crowd, followed by clapping and cheering.

  Proto’s voice rang out again. “I think I just found the perfect vacation spot for my first wife! Come on in, the water’s fine!” Again the crowd roared with laughter.

  A second beast leaped out of the water, a ghastly creature with two green heads and a long wriggling scaly body covered with sharp yellow spikes. It opened its gaping mouth, revealing row after row of horrifically long curved teeth.

  “If that’s not a good enough reason to use lethal force, I don’t know what is.”

  Proto paused for effect, then continued. “Except perhaps for this terrifying beast! Hold on to your adventuring hats and take a look at this monstrous creation!”

  The image of the Senyph Ocean vanished, replaced by a close up view of a sparkling silver scout ship.

  “Whoops, where did this come from? One moment please while I adjust this storage crystal!”

  The group watched as a mouse stepped into view. They recognized him immediately as Sophia’s Papa, Rowland Mouse. So did Draken Mouse. He froze, a look of terror washing across his face. “No. No! This is impossible! Stop this right now!!”

  The crowd gave a unified gasp as the huge image of Draken Mouse appeared on the wall, obviously angry at Rowland Mouse. They watched as the two mice argued, Draken Mouse suddenly shoving Rowland away from him. They watched as Rowland held up his paws and backed away from Draken. They watched as Draken Mouse snarled and shot out a brilliant beam of purple light that hit Rowland square in the back. They watched as Rowland tumbled lifelessly to the ground. There was a terrible silence, then a furious roar of anger erupted from the members, so loud it shook the entire building. Rowland Mouse had been a trusted and beloved friend to many, and as one, the group shouted out their protest against Draken Mouse.

  Draken Mouse shrieked, “LIES! Nothing but lies! It’s a trick! Who is responsible for this?? Tell me right now who is behind this vicious plot to destroy my good name?? Stand up now and show your face, you sniveling coward!!”

  Before Orville realized what was happening Sophia had shifted back to her true form and stood up to face Draken Mouse.

  “I am responsible for this! Rowland Mouse was my father and I have irrefutable proof that you ruthlessly murdered him for your own personal gain. You murdered my father so you could have his job!” Sophia pulled a sheet of paper from her cloak and waved it in the air. “This is a letter written to me by my father exposing you for the fiendish creature you are. We know about your plans to start a war and invade Lapinor and Grymmore, we know about your plans to turn the Metaphysical Adventurers into a brutal militaristic force under your evil control!”

  Every member of the Metaphysical Adventurers leaped to their feet. A tall, red cloaked rabbit bellowed, “Draken’s not fit to be a member of the Metaphysical Adventurers! Throw the murderer in Malgraven Prison!” Cheers rang out from the crowd.

  Draken Mouse looked as though he might explode. His paws were tightly clenched, his face seething with a horrific burning anger. Sophia had never seen such rage in a mouse. His eyes were red and bulging, his fury focused directly at Sophia. Draken’s mind was gone. He shrieked, “You! You’re supposed to be dead, along with your friend Orville Mouse! Well, you’ll be dead soon enough!” He gave a maniacal screech and held out both paws, an inconceivably brilliant purple light blasting out across the room aimed with deadly intent at Sophia.

  An odd thing happened when Orville saw the purple light flashing across the room toward Sophia. It wasn’t something he had planned, and to be truthful it wasn’t even on his mental list of things which might possibly happen. But, nevertheless, out of Orville’s mouth popped a single word.

  “Stop.”

  There was something about the way he said it that rang familiar. Then he remembered it was exactly the same word the little mouseling in his woodcutter dream had spoken. Much to Orville’s surprise, the instant he said the word, everything around him stopped. The brilliant beam of purple light stopped, frozen in mid air. Orville glanced about the room in wonder. His dear friend Sophia, along with every other member of the Metaphysical Adventurers, had been transformed into living statues. He looked across the room at Draken Mouse, his frozen face twisted and contorted with a monstrous rage. He wondered how a mouse could be filled with so much hatred and burning anger.

  Orville was surprised and yet not surprised when the Thirteenth Monk blinked into view on the podium next to Draken Mouse. He studied Draken’s face curiously, then blinked down next to Orville.

  “Good evening, Orville Wellington Mouse. You’ve been quite busy, I see. I don’t know of many mice who are capable of stopping time with a single word. Tell me what you’ve learned today.”

  The words of the Thirteenth Monk jarred Orville’s memory. He realized he had changed profoundly in the fraction of a second before he had uttered the word, “Stop.”

  The transformation had occurred so quickly he could barely comprehend it, never mind putting it into coherent words for the Thirteenth Monk.

  Orville put one paw over his eyes, trying to think, trying to remember. “I heard your voice in my head. I heard the words you said to me in the monastery. Every dream is real until you wake up. Somehow, in that split second I realized that the woodcutter dream seemed absolutely real until I woke up inside the dream. The dream was real until I woke up, and once I woke up I could do anything, even destroy the ferocious forest wolf. I simultaneously realized that the world I live in, the world of Muridaan Falls, the world of everything and everyone I am familiar with has always seemed absolutely real to me. Until that fraction of a second when I woke up in this world, just as I woke up in my dream. I understood clearly then the source of unlimited power. Just as the woodcutter and the wolf and the trees and the stars shared a single consciousness in my dream, so does every mouse and rabbit and every tree and star and galaxy in this world that I call my home. There were no limitations for me now. I could access the shared power of every shaper in this room, of every shaper on every planet in the universe. I could access the power of a billion stars, a trillion galaxies. And I could use the power of an entire univ
erse against one angry little mouse who took the life of another mouse simply for his own personal gain.”

  The Thirteenth Monk motioned for Orville to take a seat. “What will you do now? What will you do with this infinite source of power?”

  Orville shook his head. “I don’t know. Draken Mouse tried to kill Sophia, and he succeeded in killing Sophia’s Papa.”

  “So you will kill him?”

  “No. I can’t do that. If I killed him I would become just another Draken Mouse, become the very thing I am fighting against.”

  “Ah, this is a good start. Just because you possess unlimited power doesn’t mean you are obligated to use it. Draken Mouse is a villainous, brutal, egotistical, murdering fiend. But he is still a mouse, and as you well know, he shares a consciousness with you, just as the wolf and the little mouseling shared a consciousness in your dream. They are one. If the wolf kills the mouseling he is killing part of himself, and if you kill Draken Mouse you would be killing part of yourself. So, I ask you again, what will you do?”

  “The world needs to be protected from mice like him. I will take away his shaping powers and he will be placed in Malgraven Prison. After that, it is up to him and him alone. He must choose between hatred and love.”

  The Thirteenth Monk nodded. “As it should be. We are all exactly where we should be at every moment in time. We are all connected and we are all here to help each other awaken to the true wonder of this world. Even a creature as despicable as Draken Mouse serves a purpose. Perhaps he has taught you the greatest lesson of your life, Orville Wellington Mouse. You can be grateful to him at least for that.”

  “Umm... do you think I should tell Sophia about... this waking up business?”

  “That’s up to you, but do remember every mouse is learning exactly what they need to learn at this moment, nothing more. When Sophia is ready you will know it.”

  “Oh, I think I understand. Well... now that I’ve stopped time, I guess I need to figure out how to start it again. I also need to do something about that purple beam of light shooting toward Sophia.”