(Quick Summary: The multiverse is a unique, scientific theory. The multiverse never actually existed. In fact, there were two young adults who were rumored to have created it. There was only one existing universe and timeline, until one of them altered it, making a series of universes which make up a multiverse—maybe even an omniverse Eventually, a parallel world was created and now it co-exists with the real world. (Luckily, two of our young heroes, Dae and Chris, manage to find the solution to this universal problem.)
Our short story starts here, where they arrived at the Forest of the Odd.
Dae and Chris travelled far and wide, just to reach the Forest of the Odd. According to some of the history and geography books they’ve read, it was a forest filled with abnormalities. As Dae looked at her map, she looked back at Chris and said, “We never should’ve gone here.”
“Well, Dae, we had many options,” Chris said.
“We chose this one because it’s the safest and most accurate way to save the universe. The Lost Book of Universes and Time is located in this forest,” he continued.
The Lost Book of Universes and Time was a special book. It contained all crucial, truthful, and necessary information about some scientific theories, (Examples of these are multiverses and parallel worlds, but there is more to that than just those two mentioned).
“Why couldn’t it be Minho and Felix?” Dae questioned, looking at Chris with a raised eyebrow.
Chris sighed, and looked back at Dae.
“Minho was the one who started all of this. Besides, they might make things worse,” he answered.
Dae and Chris continued walking. A few minutes passed, and Dae looked at her map. She stopped her tracks. Chris also stopped and looked at her in confusion.
“Why did you stop, Dae?” He asked in confusion.
“Look, ahead of us are three paths,” Dae said.
“Which path is the right one?” She continued, asking Chris.
Chris thought about it carefully. He looked at the three paths ahead of them. One path on the right side, one path on the left side, and one in the middle. He knew whatever decision he made would either lead them to the right way, or the wrong way. He looked back at Dae, and answered, “I think we should take the middle path,” he said, being so sure of himself.
He thought that going the straight, or middle path would lead you to the right way. Dae reassured herself that nothing would happen, so she nodded in agreement with Chris’ decision. They lead themselves down the middle path, confident that nothing will happen to them. An hour into walking, Dae was exhausted. She stopped walking and was panting. Chris was worried for her.
“Hey, Dae, here,” he said, grabbing the water bottle from his bag.
“Drink up; you’ll need it,” he continued, smiling at her as he handed her the water.
“Thank you,” Dae said as she took the water bottle from his hand.
Chris then continued talking. “You need to be alive throughout this whole journey. You’re the only one who can figure out this multiversal problem.”
Dae smiled a little and then stood back up again. Chris patted her back. They continued their journey. Everything was going fine, until Dae checked her map.
“Oh no! We went the wrong path!” She exclaimed.
“Wait, what?” Chris said, in a confused way.
“The correct way was the path on the right!” Dae exclaimed again.
“Oh..” he answered, thinking about his own mistake.
Chris knew he was responsible for this mess, as he was the one who made the decision.
“Well, let’s just hope things don’t get worse.” She smiled.
Dae thought everything wouldn’t get worse, than it already was, but it did. A goblin jumped out of the bushes and landed in front of them.
“Teenagers.. Young teenagers.. Ooh, and with backpacks..” The goblin murmured happily to itself, a grin appearing on its face after speaking.
Dae was disgusted and tried to hide the fact of how the goblin looked. Its boney and skinny body and the holed rag around its waist. Chris just smiled nervously, trying to stop a situation. The goblin sighed heavily and looked at them,
“My, my, my. I do apologize for myself,” The goblin says.
“Well, are introductions necessary? I think so,” The goblin continued.
Dae then made a stern and serious face, trying to hide her feeling of disgust. She looked at the goblin, waiting for it to continue speaking.
“My name is Imp, and I have a deal for you,” Imp said, smiling oddly at them.
Imp had evil thoughts, for it wanted to take their resources.
“Wow. Straight to the point?” Chris asked, confronting Imp.
Dae chuckles, and then also spoke, “We’re not taking any deals, Imp.”
Dae and Chris continue their journey, until Imp stops them again. “Look, I will stop you again, and again, and so on and so forth. Now, hear out my deal, or you two won’t be able to go on your merry way.” Imp said, looking at them.
Dae sighed, putting her right hand on her waist.
“Fine. What’s the deal?” She asked Imp.
“I will give you a riddle. If you solve it, you can continue on your journey. But, if you don’t, I’ll take your resources, and leave,” Imp said, grinning deviously at them.
Dae looked at Chris, thinking he would do something. Chris looks back at Dae, he sighs and nods, showing that he will answer the riddle for the two of them. He then looks at Imp.
“What’s the riddle?” Chris asked.
“Well, what is something that can possibly last a long time but can eventually end?” Imp asked, looking deviously at them, thinking they wouldn’t be able to answer it.
Chris thought about it carefully. Imp thought that it would be able to take their resources. But eventually, Chris answered, “Love.”
Dae stared at him in confusion before finally understanding his response to the riddle. Imp gasped and sighed, “My, you are right,” Imp said.
Imp walked away and let Dae and Chris continue on their journey. They looked at each other with bright smiles. They continued walking, but sped up their pace. Once more, an hour passed. It was almost nighttime, and the sky started getting dark. Dae was worried, but luckily, Chris had a smile on his face.
“Why are you smiling?” Dae asked Chris.
“Look!” He exclaimed.
Chris pointed to a white pillar that was tall and huge. It was the Kore Pillar, home of the Lost Book of Universes and Time. Dae lit back up, as she ran towards the direction of the pillar, while Chris ran following her. Night comes, and Dae and Chris reach the Kore Pillar. It was tall, and had stairs leading up. They were weary, as they used up their energy on their way.
“Do…Do you think the stairs leading up will lead us to the book?” Dae asked, panting.
“Yes, I think so!” Chris exclaimed enthusiastically.
They rested for a bit. After 5 minutes, they started walking the stairs leading up. They eventually reached the top, and stood there, and in front of them was the book. It was floating on top of a white pedestal, a purple-ish aura surrounding it.
Dae walked closer to the book, her hand reaching for it. A quiet and suspenseful feeling surrounded the room. Chris watched Dae in suspense, and eventually, she got the book. Then, the purple-ish aura surrounding it disappeared.
Dae smiled with success.
Chris sighed with relief. But now, how will they get back home?
“We got the book. However, how will we get back home?” Dae asked, her smile slowly fading.
Chris realized this and sighed again. Suddenly, the book opened, a blue orb mysteriously confined them, and they panicked over what was happening. The air around them became stronger!
“What is happening?!” Dae shouted.
“I don’t know!” Chris shouted back at Dae.
“Just hold on to the book!” He continued, still shouting.
Whoosh! They disappeared from the Kore Pillar. They could hear ringing in their ears. They were confused and intrigued by the events that happened. The ringing eventually stopped. They looked around, and they were finally back home.
Dae was still holding onto the book, and Chris stood back up straight. He was relieved. They looked at each other.
“Now we know. We have to think first before acting,” Chris said, chuckling afterwards.
“It did make sense. We were supposed to go the right path,” Dae spoke, rethinking about it.
“We thought one of those paths was the correct one, but it already told us the answer,” she continued.
“Yeah, you’re right. Go to the right path. It literally means go to the right path,” he said, sitting down afterwards.
“Now we know,” Dae said.
They finally managed to retrieve the Lost Book of Universes and Time, and got back home safely. Both Dae and Chris learned that they should think carefully before acting.
About the Author
Ma. Victoria Aedriana M. Ubaldo
Victoria Ubaldo is a young writer who writes mostly about imaginative stories, so that people could enjoy and take an interest in reading. She makes sure that she has an inspiration for every thing she writes. Victoria also makes sure that everything she learned and understood from writing can be applied to her stories.