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"What do you mean?" Paul asked "The same power exists in other places?"

"Why, yes, of course It’s even here in Reality Prih thankfully not the dark and sinister version that exists in the Thirteenth Ever heard of luck?"

Master George continued, excited, not bothering to wait for anyone to answer "The Chi’karda is essentially the power of conviction, of belief, of strong choices There have been instances where wonderful things have occurred, where the tiny world of quantu, powerful display of Chi’karda Soood fortune, a windfall, a crazy coincidence Oh, it’s happened plenty, but in the Thirteenth, the Chi’karda hashideous"

"Man," Paul said "That is just plain aweso he felt exactly the opposite "I assure you, there’s nothing awesome about it once you knohat Mistress Jane intends to do with this dark Chi’karda"

"Who is this Mistress Jane?" Sofia asked, glancing at Tick then at Master George "Norbert told us she went looking for you in Alaska He said she threatened hirew dark "Mistress Jane is the most foul, despicable, wretched creature to ever walk the folds of the Realities She was once one of us, so and unity But she betrayed us for hopes of glory and power We have many spies in her camp, and we’re certain she plans to annihilate the Reality system in its entirety You have no idea the raer said through a yawn

"Pardon e replied

"The tree, the tree! Use your analogy to explain what she wants to do"

"Ah, yes" Master George turned his attention back to the kids "I branches we talked about--one of the main Realities that shoots off from the trunk of Reality Pri the dark Chi’karda of the Thirteenth Reality, Mistress Jane plans to sever the other branches fro them entirely Then she can conquer Reality Prime and rule the known universe If that happens, she’d be able to create her oisted Realities at will, essentially recreating the tree for her own purposes"

If the other kids in the group were anything like Tick, all Master George saw at thatthey underestimated the horrible intentions of Mistress Jane

"Oh, poppycock, we’re getting too deep into all of this," Master George complained as he paced back and forth in front of the fire "All you need to know is there are different versions of the world we live in called Realities and all of them are important in their oay Mistress Jane plans to use her newly discovered powers to destroy life as we know it And we, the Realitants--and I mean we--must stop her"

"How?" Tick and Paul asked in unison

Master George sood people I have soh a s a few seconds later In his hand he held a long golden rod, at least three feet in length and several inches in diaht, polished to perfection Up and down one entire side were a series of dials and knobs and switches, a small label below each one Once he returned to his lecture spot, Master George held the rod high for everyone to see

"This, my friends," he said proudly, "is a Barrier Wand"