"Knowledge is Power," by Brandon Ogren

“I told ya, I don’t know what‘s going on!” As Zash cornered the man in the bar, he began to wonder if the guy really didn’t know anything else. But it never hurt to be sure, right? Zash grabbed the man by the front of his shirt, and pulled the guy face to face to make sure he got his point across.

“You’re the one that tipped off the authorities about seeing me and got the bounty on my head, even though I’ve never been here before. So were you telling the truth or not?”

“Of course I am! I SAW them take you away!”

“Where did they take me then?”

“Why are you asking me when you‘ve been there?! Why would I know what they do with criminals like you! They told me that they would make sure you’d never get away again! They said I would be safe! You’re a demon!!! How do you always escape!?”

Zash would actually like to know that himself. Ever since his twin, Kard, had disappeared and left Zash with nothing but a name, Zash had been traveling the country side, working odd jobs to get by while looking for his murderous brother. He had been betrayed by his brother, and since then, he’d had to evade the authorities and the apparent bounty that he had on him. Every time he moved on to a new location, the people’s reaction were the same. He had supposedly already been caught, but then escaped. This is how he came to be where he is now; in yet another bar, pumping the people that turned “him” in for information.

Snapping back to reality, he looked down at the guy who had supposedly turned his brother in. The guy reeked of alcohol, and Zash had no patience for drunks, especially ones that didn’t give him the information that he wanted. Maybe he should move on…

Just as he was thinking of letting the guy go, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. As Zash took a glance behind, he saw a man of slighter build attached to the hand on his shoulder. The fact that this guy was smaller wasn’t exactly what caught Zash’s attention. It was the abnormal strength of the guy’s grip.

“Why don’t we go outside for this particular conversation?”

“Take your hand off me and I’ll consider it.”

As the man let go of his shoulder, Zash shrugged away thinking, “Damn, this guy is strong. I can already feel my shoulder start to bruise. Who is he?” As they stared at each other, Zash began to notice the crowd that had started to gather. The mysterious man leaned in closer.

“Have you considered my proposition, or do you plan on throwing a hat down and start playing the lute? I’m sure the authorities will just love to watch.”

“Tell you what, how about you tell me what you wanna talk about before I make my decision?”

“Does information about your brother interest you at all?”

Before he knew what he was doing, Zash flashed his dagger out of its sheath and had it at the other man’s throat. That really got the crowd going. Maybe he should consider a career in entertainment.

“Well as much as I’m sure you want the information to spray out of my throat, I think you’re gonna have to be a little more tactful.”

It was true too. Zash never was good with words. Just good at making other say the ones he wanted. And when he did, people had a tendency to be very observant about it, especially the town watch. “Fine,” Zash said, “I’ll play by your rules.”

“A wise decision.”

“Lead the way then.”

As they pushed their way through the crowd yelling for the town watch, out into the streets, and into the alley way, Zash had to wonder, again, who on earth this guy was. And why did he know anything about Zash or Kard? As they got away from the crowded streets, and headed down the alley, all Zash could do was think about that night.

It had happened just over a month ago. He and his twin brother, Kard, had been working on the roof of their parent’s house. Since their father was an alchemist, and had supposedly been incredibly busy with some special research, he never had any time to help around the house with anything. Later that night he heard screaming. As he woke and flew out of his bed, he had went to wake Kard, only to find out that he was missing. By the time Zash ran downstairs, it was too late. Both his mother and father were lying dead on the ground. On the kitchen table, in the glow of candle light, Zash noticed a note. It read, “I’m sorry Zash.” It was in Kard’s handwriting. At that moment, Zash had caught the scent of smoke. He turned to see that in his state of despair and confusion, almost half the room had become engulfed in flames. There was nothing he could do to save the house or the bodies in time. He had ran out of the house and into a member of the town watch from the village at the bottom of the mountain that they lived on. He immediately saw that Zash was hysteric and tried to arrest him for arson. That was the moment that revenge took over Zash’s life. He cold cocked the guard and ran through the woods, vowing that he would find Kard and avenge his parents.

Coming out of the past, Zash realized that the mysterious man had lead him to the outskirts of the village and into an empty alley. As the man turned to face him, Zash’s patience had reached it’s limit.

“Alright, we’re here. Now are you gonna tell me what I want to know? Or am I gonna have to revert to my original strategy?”

“I suppose this will do…there doesn’t seem to be anybody around.”

“Who are you and what do you know about my brother? It’s obviously something important if you didn’t freak out and panic when you saw me like everyone else did.”

“My name is Retsopmi, and you’re right. I DO know something.”

As Retsopmi said this, Zash began to notice something odd. There was suddenly some kind of high pitched noise in the air. As Zash looked around for the source, he realized it was coming from Retsopmi. Suddenly, Retsopmi’s eyes began glowing red and the noise became louder.

“Unfortunately for you, I cannot tell you.”

“GET DOWN!”

Out of thin air, a man appeared 3 feet in the air above Retsopmi and tackled Zash to ground. As he went down to the pavement, Zash looked in time to see strings of fire come out of Retsopmi’s eyes and blow a hole the size of Zash’s head into the wall of the nearest building.

“WHAT THE HELL?!”

“Questions later! Let’s go!” the hooded man said.

As the man in the hood grabbed his hand and pulled him down the alley, Zash looked behind him in time to see a strange, almost blank, look on Retsopmi’s face. What did that mean? More importantly, what the hell was that eye fire? What was Retsopmi, some kind of sorcerer? As all these, and more, questions flew through Zash’s head, the mysterious man pulled him around the alley corner.

“Do you want to leave?”

“Wait…what?”

“Do. You. Want. To. Live. Cuz the only way that’s gonna happen is if you let me get you out of here!”

“Ok, fine! Do it!”

One moment, he was looking at a growing crowd at the end of the alley, and the next, Zash was standing in a room with a bunch of glass tubes and metal casings with buttons and lights.

“What just happened?!” Zash exclaimed.

“Well, for starters, I saved your life.”

Suddenly, Zash froze. Amidst all of the chaos, he hadn’t noticed it before, but now he did. He recognized that voice. It was his own. And that meant…

“Well suppose I have some explaining to do…” said the man in the hood.

Suddenly, everything that Zash saw was red. He couldn’t feel his hands or feet. He was hot and cold at the same time. As Kard removed the hood covering his face, Zash stood there, possessed by rage he had never known possible.

“Zash, I know what you’re thinking, but you have to listen to me first.”

“If you knew what I was thinking,” Zash whispered, “then you would either be cowering in fear, or running for you life, you miserable wretch.”

Zash had his daggers in hand and running full speed in 3 seconds. He swung to kill, aiming for the throat, and sliced nothing but air.

“What the…?”

“I told you, just let me explain,” Kard said from behind.

Zash stumbled away and crouched into a defensive position. “Why does it seem that everyone is getting magic powers suddenly? Did I miss a special sale at the market or something?”

“Zash, just listen! It wasn’t me who killed our parents!”

“And you expect me to believe that, why?”

“Just listen to me. I’m not from this world. I’m originally from the parallel universe with a parallel world much more advanced than this. Both worlds has one of us in it. I’m one of you and you’re one of me.”

“What garbage is spewing out of your mouth!? How can you say that you didn’t do it! The note you left on the table was in YOUR handwriting! Don’t lie!”

“Zash, think about it. Why would I have any reason to kill our parents? And even if I did kill them, why wouldn’t I kill you?”

As these words hit Zash, all the red began to drain from his eyes. He stopped trembling. It was like everything in him just deflated. He stood and put his face in his hands. How could he have been so stupid? Why hadn’t he thought of that? He had been so hell bent on revenge that he hadn’t once, this whole time, thought of a reason why Kard would have done those things. But why had he written the note then?

“What about the note you left one the table? Why did you leave?”

“I didn’t leave, and I didn’t write that note. I was kidnapped. The note was a forgery.”

“If you knew you’re from a different world, why in GOD’S name did you keep it a secret!?”

“Because I just found out about it when I was kidnapped!”

Zash took a moment to calm down and gather his senses. There was no use in yelling at each other like this. As Zash calmed down, he looked over and saw some round metal disc attached to Kard’s belt.

“What is that?” Zash asked, pointing at the disc.

“Hm? Oh this is a teleportation device. This is how we escaped from that cyborg back in the alley.”

“A what device? And what’s a cyborg? Some member of a sorcerers cult?”

“This is a device that lets me, and anything I touch, go instantly from one place to another. The problem is that it’s a prototype,” Kard noticed Zash’s uncomprehending face, “which basically means, in this case, that I can only teleport people that are willing. It won’t work if the person doesn’t want to go. So it’s a good thing you weren’t stupidly stubborn back there or we would have been in trouble.”

“I still don’t understand though…what about that cyborg thing or whatever?”

“The people from my world were stupid and tried to make artificial people, called cyborgs, in order to make our lives easier. We became too advanced for our own good. The cyborgs started thinking because of an invention called a personality chip, and became convinced that they were better than us. Since our parents, or MY parents if it will make this easier for you to listen to, were in charge of the advanced experimental equipment, they managed to come to this world, because they knew that this was one of the more peaceful and simple worlds. My parents got here with enough time to leave me at your doorstep as an infant before they went back and were most likely seized by the cyborgs. It was these cyborgs that finally located the world that I was in after all these years and killed our parents.”

“Why didn’t the kill me too?”

“Because they didn’t suspect you of knowing anything.”

Zash stood there and took all of this information in, trying to think through it all. How could this be? His brother was himself from another world? People shooting fire from their eyes? What the hell was going on?

“I just wish there was a way to fix all of this. To make these cyborg things just disappear…”

“There is.”

Zash shot Kard in the face with a astonished stare. Well didn’t that perk a guy up?

“How?”

“Our father from my world, this world, found a way to go back into the past. He found a way to travel through time, Zash.”

“What?!”

“That’s right. We can go back and stop personality chips from ever being invented.”

“Why didn’t you ever do this in the first place?”

“I needed to know you were ok first…and I need your help. I can’t do this by myself.”

“Well lead the way!”

As Kard led Zash out and across a hallway, into another room. Inside was a large metal case with many buttons and flashing lights. Zash had never seen something like it in his life.

“What on earth IS that?”

“This is a time machine. This is how we’re gonna fix everything. It allows us to go back to when Dr. Kallyn is working on personality chips for the cyborgs.”

“Dr. Kallyn? He’s the guy we’re after?”

“Yes. If we get rid of him, everything will go back to normal.”
Alright, this is it. All he had to do is take some skinny scientist and Zash he could have his life back. “I can’t fail“, he thought.

“Lets do this.”

“Ok, since I’m the one that’s figured out how to work this thing, you go first, and I’ll be right behind.”

Zash gave a nod and stepped into the time machine. As he stood there, Kard pressed a button. A glass shield of some kind came down from the top of the doorway. From inside, Zash could here Kard’s muffled voice.

“Are you ready?”

Zash gave the thumbs up, “Punch it.”

Kard pressed another one of the buttons. Suddenly, Zash was surrounded by a blinding white light…

. . .

As Retsopmi walked through the laboratory double doors, he took the remote control out of his front pocket and changed the frequency of the personality chip inside 013’s computer. As he waited for it reboot, Retsopmi walked up to examine it.

“Ah good, he didn’t damage you at all. As much as you out power and maneuver him, humans can be unpredictable to the point where almost anything can happen.”

The cyborg stood up straight and turned to face Retsopmi, “Yes Dr. Kallyn, I was able to complete my assigned task efficiently and without harm to the subject.”

“Well done 013. And how goes the burning process?”

“Data is now at 87% doctor.”

“Good. I dislike waiting.”

As the personality transferor finished and went into cool down mode, Zash leaned against the glass inside, rubbing his eyes. Zash then looked up and saw Retsopmi staring at him. The force with which Zash punched the glass probably would have killed a man.

“RETSOPMI!? What the hell is going on?!”

Zash seemed slightly shocked at the sad look on Retsopmi’s face. “I’m sorry, Zash.”

“About what? Trying to kill me? Kind of a funny time to grow a conscience don’t ya think? Kard! What are you doing? Get out of here!”

013 turned to face Zash, “I have no reason to fear my creator.”

“Your creator? Kard, what are you talking about?!”

“013, please install the personality chip into system 183.”

“Yes Dr. Kallyn.”

As 013 walked out through the lab double doors and down the hall, Retsopmi turned back to face Zash. He had a stunned look on his face.

“Dr. Kallyn?”

“Yes that’s correct. I am Dr. Retsopmi Kallyn.”

“You’re the one that’s responsible for all of this. You ruined my life! Why are you doing this!?”

“Fine, I will explain. When your alternate parents took the alternate you of this world to your world, they broke the law.”

“Law? What law?”

“The law that we have put in place to protect your race. Your alternate parents told your parents about the situation. Our world became compromised, so we had to eliminate the four of them. The law states that no human from either universe can know about the other universe. Who knows what would happen.”

“What give you the right to make a law if you don’t even know what the outcome would be!?”

“Humans are illogical. We have made logical assumptions, and none of them promotes your race’s well being.”

“Why did you only kill my parents? Why did you leave me?”

“Because you were never aware of the truth.”

“Then what are you doing with me now? What did you do to Kard?”

“When we captured your alternate self, I made the error of telling him that we planned on transferring both of your personalities into one of us. When he heard that, he destroyed himself in attempts to stop the transfer. We only got a 64% transfer, but it was sufficient enough to convince you.”

“So why am I here? I still didn’t know about your stupid world! You tried to kill me!”

“False. I had to get you here somehow. The only way to do that was via teleportation. Unfortunately, your alternate parents destroyed much of the advanced equipment that we had, and the prototype is all that we had. We could not force you here, therefore I acted as the enemy so that when 013 ‘saved’ you, you would instinctively trust it.”

“You still haven’t answered my question. WHY did you bring me here?” Zash said as he was slowly reaching the brink of hysteria.

“We have come to the conclusion that it would simpler to decided to try and see if one from your universe can become one of us.”

“What?! No! I refuse!”

As Zash said this, the double doors opened into the lab.

. . .

“No…” Zash thought, “no that…that can’t be…me?”

As Zash watched himself walk into the lab with Kard, or 013, that imposter, all he could was stare. Nobody else could be him…right?

“Ah, I see the installment was a success.”

“Indeed it was Dr. Kallyn,” the two cyborgs replied in unison.

“Excellent. You see Zash? There’s no reason to be upset. You’re one of us and can stay here.”

“I AM NOT ONE OF YOU! I’m still in this case! See?! Here! HERE!”

“I’m sorry Zash, but we like to be as efficient as possible, so I’m going to end this.”

End it? “No….nnnNNNNOOOO!!!”

As the electric charge surged through Zash’s body, the last thought that went through his head was; maybe we aren’t meant to know everything. Give everybody too much knowledge, and we will destroy each other. After all, knowledge is power.