Brother Lucas
^^^^^^^^^^^^^

                                                        Part VI

        Lucas labored as he'd never before in his life.  In the mornings and 
afternoons he alternately worked at the toy store or visited his grandkids.  
During the evenings and late at night, he studied and trained in the 
Underground Cathedral.  He averaged only about 4 or 5 hours of sleep each 
night, but it was enough; the training invigorated him as nothing else ever 
had.
        He sparred with Brother Thomas with his quarterstaff.  With each 
passing day the sparring matches grew faster, more brutal, and longer.  
Before too long, he was giving Thomas a run for his money in each match, 
even when he was giving no ground and using every trick he knew.
        He sat in the tremendous library, reading volume after volume of 
material on his new foe, studying his ways and plans.  He read of how he 
used children's imaginations and dreams to control them, how their very 
hopes were turned against them by corrupting them to the point they were 
unrecognizable.  He learned how it had taken him many years to gain power 
enough to have his followers summon him to this plane, and now sought to 
take over it for his own evil goals.
        He meditated and prayed in the tremendous sanctuary, quickly 
learning just how kind and friedly the Great and Holy Grimace was.  Shakes 
were his blessing to all that they may be free from spongification.  His 
friendship was available to any who would ask.

        During the third week of his training, he approached Thomas in the 
training room where he sat meditating.  He often found him sitting and 
thinking such as he was now, but this time something was different-- 
something was troubling him.
        "Brother, is something amiss?"
        "Aye, Brother Lucas, it is.  I have been given a vision."
        "You have been given a vision, yet you say something is amiss!  
Truly, Thomas, you must have something else on your mind!" he teased.
        "Nay.  Not all visions are of good things, you know.  Lord Grimace 
has warned me that you shall face your first challenge soon.  And yet, you 
are not ready.  You still have things you must learn."
        Lucas knelt down next to his brother and gazed into his eyes.  "Go 
on, my friend."
        "I fear for you and for your grandchildren, Lucas.  You must be ever 
vigilant.  We shall not spar today; I've taught you all I can.  Today you 
must learn other, more important things.  Today I shall show you some of the 
tunnels and passages that will be of the greatest import to you in your 
challange.  Then we shall begin with your spell training."
        "Spells?  Then there is some magic to this after all!"
        Thomas grinned.  "I never denied it, did I?  How else do you think 
that magical beings battle eachother?  Make no mistake; it is possible for 
us to damage them in regular combat and at times even to kill them, but 
often the wisest course of action is to exploit their biggest weakness--the 
magic and power of Grimace himself!"
        Lucas kicked himself mentally.  Of course there was magic involved!  
How else had the Dark One gotten here in the first place!  He grinned 
sheepishly at his mentor.  "Well, I guess that makes sense now, doesn't it?  
Shall we be on our way?"

        The next morning Lucas rose early.  He was going to visit his 
grandkids.  And had he not been warned to be vigilant?  Indeed he had.  So, 
today he rose earlier than usual.
        He arrived at his son's house just as he was getting ready to 
leave.  He greeted his father with a warm hug, and then headed off to work.  
His wife would be home most of the day today, however.
        The day started off much as usual... some board games, a little 
horse-play... but the day was simply not intended to stay that way.  A 
mysterious package guaranteed it.
        At about 11am, a UPS guy showed up at the front door, bearing a gift 
for young Charlie.  His bemused mother accepted the package, figuring it was 
from some relative sending an early birthday present, and let him rip the 
package open.  Inside he found a video tape and a plush toy.  Lucas fought 
to control an involuntary shudder as he recognized the toy--it was the same 
as those he'd inventoried so many of a few weeks before, and had received 
even more of since then.  His thoughts were interrupted by Mom's voice.
        "I need to run to the store for a little while," she explained.  
"Think you boys will be OK?"
        "Sure we will, right Sport?"
        "right G'ampa!" came the enthusiastic reply.
        "OK, I'll be back soon," she noted, and with that she turned and 
headed out the door.
        Unable to restrain his curiosity, little Charlie stuck the tape in 
the VCR and started it playing, leaving the plushie (to Lucas' uneasy 
relief) in the box for now.  A purple figure matching the plushie came on 
the screen and started to sing.
        As it did so, Lucas heard a sound coming from the box behind 
him--the one still containing the plushie.

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To Be Continued in Brother Lucas Part VII
        
"Brother Lucas"
Copyright 1996
David R. Hibbs


-- 
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"In the end there will be only one OS, The Mind.. Ponder that for a while..."
        --unknown
"But if the mind is an OS, then there will be infinite OS's, and a vast
        majority of them will still suck."  --me
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