The Diary of Zartoon

ENTRY 24

ENTRY 24

02.04.63.17.56

It did take me a while, but I finally figured it out. The computer was the control panel for everything in the palace, maybe even the palace itself. I tried a couple of the buttons and, when I pushed them, two guards appeared behind me. They didn't do or say anything, they just stood there so I thought I'd try something. "Go stand guard outside the door," I said. As soon as the last sound came from my lips, they both turned and walked out of the door and took their places on either side. "Do not let anyone in," I ordered. They bowed and then returned to their positions as the door closed behind them.

Then I got a surprise... more of a shock than a surprise. I turned back to the console, and there was a figure sitting in the seat. I could see that it was wearing the same type of cloak that I wore when I snuck in. Its back was to me, and it seemed to be ignoring me. Slowly I walked up behind the chair and spun it around as quickly as I could. It was a Zartoon. "How did you get in here," I asked.

The figure stood and faced me, eye to eye, but I still couldn't see its face. "Fa Nex," it said. "I am here to help you." I grabbed the cloak and threw the hood back. It was Pandorica. I wasn't sure how she got here or what she was doing here. I did know I was so glad to see a loving, friendly face, especially my Pandorica's.

"Have you found the sword yet?" she asked

I reached over and took her by the hand. "I haven't found it yet," I said with a slight smile. "I was hoping that I could find the answer in here."

"Did you have any luck?" she asked as she gently pulled her hand away.

I questioned myself. Why would Pandorica not want to hold hands with me, I thought so I just kept looking at her eyes. They were not the same warm eyes, I remembered. Oh yeah, they were still as beautiful, but there was just something strange about them. "No," I said. "I was still trying to figure the computer out when you showed up. By the way, how did you get in here?"

"Fa Nax, never mind that," she said. "Fa Nax, please you must not activate the full power of the computer. If you do, you will destroy the planet." I was able to think a minute while she continued. "When they created this place they made it a place of peace that could never be destroyed. They made sure that nothing would ever happen to it."

"So they built it to blow up," I asked.

"They built it so that it can defend itself and not be used by those who would disrupt the peace," she said with an intensity that bordered on a manic anger. "You must leave this place."

Oh no, This was not the Pandorica I knew back in the city. She was different, totally different. As she continued to speak I reached for a big button which was situated next to one of the power level controls. "Fa Nex," she yelled. "You have no idea what you are doing."

I did not give her a chance to say anything else. I put my hand on the button and pushed hard. As soon as I did she just disappeared into empty air. It was only a second before that I had figured out what she was. The computer had read my mind, and it had brought me, someone, I would trust. She was just a hologram, and I nearly fell for it. A moment later the entire building shook as if it were in a level 5 earthquake. I watched as the walls surrounding me disappeared, followed by the floor, the computer, and everything else. It was as if they were never there, within ten minutes the entire building was gone. All that remained were myself, and outside the hundreds of people who were there to worship.

I was confused, as no doubt so were all the others who had been listening to the hologram preaching. As I looked around this now desolate place, I found a cave which must have been beneath the building the whole time. At that moment the moons were rising, so I decided not to investigate any further that night. Instead, now I am going to get some sleep, as no doubt the cave will still be there in the morning.