Twelve-year-old science genius Zachary Jones resembles an overgrown leprechaun and thinks the worst of his troubles are enduring the teasing from his fellow classmates at Da Vinci's Middle School for Achievers in Salem, Massachusetts. But Zack has no idea he is about to become an unwilling pawn in a dangerous and epic game of magic, deceit, and world domination. After Zack's parents mysteriously disappear, an oddball pair of Irish grandparents-who Zack believed to be dead-show up with pets in tow even stranger than themselves. Suddenly Zack is propelled into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with ancient and dark forces with one thing in mind-to recover a valuable Celtic amulet entrusted to Zack. As the stakes grow more desperate, Zack is introduced to his rich and wondrous magical heritage at Dragonbane. As he embarks on an adventure to save the world, he soon discovers himself in ways he could never have imagined. Alchemy Jones and the Source of Magic is an action-packed fantasy tale that paints a rich and mesmerizing backdrop of a world on the flipside of reality-a place populated with wizards, creepy creatures, and luscious landscapes.

Alchemy Jones and the Source of Magic

By G. A. Boyd

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 G. A. Boyd
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4620-2232-8

Contents

Prologue.....................................................................xiiiChapter One Science Is a Magic...............................................1Chapter Two Into the Realm of Impossible.....................................9Chapter Three The Camp of Wonders............................................27Chapter Four Here, There Be Monsters.........................................40Chapter Five The Sphinx's Challenge..........................................57Chapter Six A Matter of Gravity..............................................69Chapter Seven A Travesty and a Tragedy.......................................82Chapter Eight A Sad Homecoming...............................................99Chapter Nine Grandparents of an Oddity.......................................109Chapter Ten A Tale of Magic..................................................120Chapter Eleven Through the Looking Glass.....................................133Chapter Twelve Wizard's Keep.................................................148Chapter Thirteen Leviathan...................................................164Chapter Fourteen Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire........................179Chapter Fifteen Zombies and Serpents and Goblins, Oh My!.....................194Chapter Sixteen The Ancient One..............................................212Chapter Seventeen Alfheim....................................................229Chapter Eighteen Where Nightmares become Reality.............................245Chapter Nineteen The Source of Magic.........................................259Chapter Twenty Showdown at Spook Lane........................................275Epilogue.....................................................................293

Chapter One

Science Is a Magic

The mid-December day was bright but very cold when he first showed up at Da Vinci's Middle School for Achievers in the New England town of Salem, Massachusetts. He probably would have blended right in with the rest of the normal-looking children at the school, being sort of normal-looking himself—normal, that is, except for the shock of unruly red hair he sported and the fact that his skin was so fair, he resembled an overgrown leprechaun. Zachary Jones was a thin, twelve-year-old boy. His frame was supported by a set of knobby knees and feet more reminiscent of a circus clown than a boy. Despite these shortcomings, there were hints in his looks and physical makeup that promised a handsome enough individual when he matured. He would just have to endure the indignation along the way until then. Besides his abnormally colored red hair, Zack (as he liked to be called) had the most intensive green eyes imaginable. Those close to him said he could stare down any animal or person foolish enough to challenge him in a staring contest.

But for all the intensity in his stare, he was a very mild-mannered child who seemed to make friends easily enough, for those who were willing. Unfortunately, he seemed to draw enemies just as easily. Maybe it was because his eccentric looks drew the bully type or the fact that his family was poorer than most, as his choice of clothes that day attested to—he looked like a reject from the local Goodwill bin. Both his parents had to work to make ends meet, while most of the kids at this school came from well-to-do parents. It was natural for the upper-crust lot to look down on the lowly—survival of the fittest, so to speak. Bullies would torment him on those principles alone.

The only reason Zack was even able to attend this school was because of a mysterious donor, an organization his parents never heard of, but heck, who was going to look a gift horse in the mouth? But that was just another stick to add to the fire of malcontent from others at the school who thought only those with rank had the privilege to be there. How dare any group force a lowly caste member of society onto them at this school? Zachary Jones knew he was in for a trial-and-tribulation period here. Maybe the cold December day was a foretelling of what was to come, and he only hoped that he might gain a patriot or two who would help minimize the collateral damage that was bound to occur, with him the center of it.

"Hey, Tomato Head," one student called out, eyeing Zack as he walked into the principal's office to register.

"Looks like the economics class made a trade with Ireland for one of their domestic goods—a leprechaun," another student chortled to his comrade.

"Darn if it doesn't look like O' Gray One has tried to cross-breed carrots with humans in his class today," another student snickered.

Zachary Jones took it all in stride as he entered the safe haven of the school's first in command. "I wonder who this O' Gray One is." He was puzzled by the last taunt called out to him. He would find an answer to that question soon enough, along with a whole world of amazing things to come.

Mr. Fargle was anything but your normal science teacher—just looking at him made you realize that this was not an ordinary man. His looks bordered on a wild combination of the once-famous childhood icon Captain Kangaroo and a slightly mad version of the great scientist Albert Einstein. Wearing a crooked pair of pop-bottle glasses and sporting an unmanageable, long gray mop of hair along with a disorderly crop of white mustache hair under his nose, he fit the mad scientist look to a T. Yet even though he had a look that might scare or intimidate kids, his teaching methods and patience with even the most unruly of children in his classroom had brought him the greatest respect and admiration from a multitude of alumni. Indeed, Mr. Wally Fargle, more affectionately known as "O' Gray One" by former students and fellow teachers because of his grandfatherly wisdom, had been an icon at the school for many years. As a teacher and mentor to the children at Da Vinci's Middle School for Achievers, his main job was to cram their little heads with everything they would need to survive future—and assuredly harder—scientific endeavors.

One of the reasons he was so popular with the students was the magical illusions he used to gain their attention at the beginning of class. Afterward, he would analyze the tricks, showing how they could be explained by scientific methods and principles.

"All right, everyone," he addressed the class on that particularly gloomy day. "I want you to concentrate on this here spoon I'm holding in my hand."

"But ... there's nothing there," a lone student piped up.

"Huh, so it seems," Wally answered, acting bewildered. Then with a dramatic flourish of his hand, a metal spoon appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"Awesome!" numerous students exclaimed, astonishment mirrored on their faces.

"Now that our little problem has been taken care of, be so kind to focus yer attention here on the spoon, and we should see something interesting happen."

As everyone sat staring wide-eyed at the eating utensil, with their brain power turned to maximum, the spoon started to move, bending forward on its own volition.

"Did we do that O'Gray One?" one of the students asked, awestruck by what he had just witnessed.

Then, with that warm and wizened smile of his and a sparkle in the blue eyes behind those thick lenses he wore, he winked and answered, "It would appear yer thoughts have bent my spoon here. You must be strong mentalists, indeed! However, upon studying the facts, you will see it is nothing more than the scientific principle of friction and heat, plus a little trickery, that actually caused the phenomenon. You'll notice I have a small piece of sandpaper glued to my thumb, and while I had you focus on the spoon, I was rubbing the dickens out of the back of this spoon's neck! The heat from the friction made this particular soft metal pliable enough for me to push the spoon forward so it appeared to be bending on its own. Of course, I've practiced this trick enough to make it more dramatic in appearance. So what have we learned here, class?"

"That science is a magic," called out another student.

"Well, that would appear to be the case," Mr. Fargle chuckled heartily. "But the answer is a little more complex than that. Anyhoo, I hate to be the party pooper here class, but I need you to open yer books to chapter eight, `Heat and Thermal Energy.'"

What everyone at the school and community didn't realize, though, was that Mr. Fargle was there for other purposes than just teaching and mentoring science students. Indeed, he was on the lookout for particularly exceptional students, as tasked by the secret organization to which he belonged—the League of Imaginary Scientists. He wasn't the only one, either. Others like Mr. Fargle had been placed at various schools for smart children throughout the United States and beyond, also keeping their eyes open.

Sure enough, Zachary Jones's first day at school proved to be as difficult as he'd thought it would be among his peers. Zack became the butt end of every joke that could be conceived that day against him. Even his assigned locker was not immune to the ministrations of those who would make his life miserable. Someone—or some ones—had painted it a bright green and had written on the outside of the door "Leprechaun Trap." Zack sighed and shook his head, hoping that this wouldn't become a permanent thing while he was here. When he opened the metal door to grab a textbook, hands grabbed him from behind, shoved him inside the locker, and closed the door. He heard laughing and someone say, "Hey, if we let him out, he'll have to show us where his pot of gold is or at least give us a box of Lucky Charms." And this, of course, was followed by more laughter.

A bright side to the day became apparent, though, as he went to his first science class with Mr. Fargle. Upon entering the classroom, he was a bit startled by the science teacher's appearance, as was everyone upon the first encounter with him, but that was quickly dispelled when Mr. Fargle looked up with his bright blue eyes behind thick glasses and gave Zack a pleasant smile.

"Welcome to my class," said Mr. Fargle warmly. "I have it on my roster that you would be the young Mr. Zachary Jones, joining us today."

"That is correct, sir, thank you," answered Zack.

"My, such good manners," replied Mr. Fargle. "You can't be from around here. I don't think anyone remembers what manners are in this school."

Some loud snickering came from the back of the room, and Zack felt that Mr. Fargle's remark would bring more retribution against him later from the other kids. But he did have a strong feeling that his professor would prove to be one of those needed patriots for him, and that would make life a little more bearable here.

"You'll find that we are not as formal around here, however," Mr. Fargle informed Zack. "In fact, you may call me Wally or use the nickname almost everyone likes to use to defame my character—O' Gray One," he chuckled.

The mirth from this weird-looking and rather eccentric professor was just too infectious for Zack not to add his own laughter in response.

"I usually like to start off my classes with a magic trick based on some silly science principle or two," Mr. Fargle said as he waved his hand and deftly plucked an egg out of the air, to Zack's amazement. "In fact, we follow three basic principles in this class, based on observations and formulated by the infamous Arthur C. Clarke and posted right behind me," he finished, pointing, "so you won't forget them."

Zack looked past his science teacher to the posted principles on the wall and read:

First, when a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

Second, the only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

Third, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

"I want you to pay particular attention to the first one," Mr. Fargle said, winking at Zack, "as I expect all of my students to do." He straightened up, eyeing his class. "Who knows? With a little luck, maybe we can even breach the realm of the impossible on occasion."

"That would be interesting ... but somehow, seemingly ridiculous, I would think," Zack finished for Wally.

"Now then, I hear through the grape vine that you are quite adept in the art of science and chemistry," Mr. Fargle said to Zack.

"I can hold my own, sir ... er, O' Gray One," Zack answered with a big grin.

"Good," said Mr. Fargle. "Let's just see what you know about mixing numerous chemical concoctions together, then. Class, we will pair off and perform various experiments that I put together just for today."

Wally noticed Zack's discomfort at his mention of pairing up for the class. Wally had heard of the bullying Zack got from other kids, so he made a quick decision. He paired Zack off with another new student who had arrived at the beginning of the school year, a Miss Pennywinkle Hickok-McCormick.

Pennywinkle was a beautiful little girl whose long hair was as jet black as Zack's was bright red. Zack had noticed her in a couple of his other classes, and every time she caught him looking at her, she gave him one of those smiles that said volumes—"Yes, I caught you looking at me, and yes, I think you are kind of cute." He definitely thought she could be one of his supporters at this school. Now that Mr. Fargle had paired them up for class today, any awkward attempts of trying to talk to her were taken out of the picture. They had no choice but to converse now. But alas, Zack still felt like his tongue was a big, useless strip of cowhide as he attempted to say hello to her. She seemed to sense his discomfort and broke the ice for him by making the necessary introductions with a disarming smile that melted Zack's nervousness—well, mostly anyway.

"Hello. My name's Pennywinkle Hickok-McCormick," she said sweetly. "I heard Mr. Fargle say your name was Zachary Jones."

"Yes, that's correct, b-but you ... you may call ... call m-me Zack," he stammered shyly. "That's q-quite a n-name you have there, Pennywinkle," Zack further stuttered, lacking anything suave or more clever to say, as he was still overcome by his shyness. Then he blushed even more as he realized that he might have offended her. "I'm s-s-sorry, I didn't mean that in any way bad," he continued, feeling like he was digging a deeper and deeper hole that he might not be able to get out of.

"First of all, please call me Penny—I hate being called Pennywinkle," she replied in mock anger. "Second, it's all right; I'm not offended. I guess it is quite a mouthful. My family decided to trace our genealogy back because of the nature of our name. It turns out I'm the offspring from quite an interesting stock from the Old West era."

"Who would that be?" Zack asked, his interest piqued even more now.

"The records we've uncovered show my great-great-great-grandparents were one James Butler Hickok and Martha Jane Cannary-Burke—otherwise known as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane," Penny answered proudly. "They had a baby girl out of wedlock named Jane, who was put up for adoption. A Jim O'Neil and wife were said to be the adoptive parents. The girl and her mother kept in touch after Wild Bill was murdered; she preferred to use her mother's name over that of her adoptive parents. It took a while, but my parents traced all the documents to prove our bloodline."

"No way," Zack said in amazement. "They were both famous characters of the Old West, two notorious marksmen and gunfighters, each carving his or her own unique niche in history."

"Yes, it was kind of exciting to find that out."

"Did any of that marksman stuff get passed down to you?"

"You never know," Penny giggled, giving Zack a sly wink. She then grabbed his right hand in greeting, giving it a couple of strong pumps. And that was the beginning of what would prove an infamous friendship forged with Zachary Jones. Of course, others yet to come would bloom that would prove just as important, some maybe more.

To Mr. Fargle's delight, Zack proved to be everything the teacher hoped for, not only being very adept at mixing chemicals but also taking to other scientific disciplines as well. Mr. Fargle never questioned what Zack experimented with or the elements he used. Zack seemed to have a natural knowledge about such things. Something was very peculiar about a few of the chemical concoctions that Zack mixed together, though; they would produce some unusual results at times.

Once, the mixing of chemicals and minerals produced a bizarre gaseous cloud that swelled up out of the container that held the concoction. It bubbled and boiled in the air and then seemed to take on facial characteristics. Two glowing orbs appeared over a bulbous projection, much like a nose. Under that nose was a dark opening in the likeness of a toothless mouth, and as it gaped, a sighing noise emanated from within the orifice. The whole thing swelled, filling the room with its smoke, while it moaned even louder. Everyone was running and screaming in all directions, when suddenly the gaseous blob popped like a balloon. The action briefly created a hurricane-force wind that blew out all the windows in the classroom. Absolutely nothing of the vaporous mass was left afterwards—all traces of its gas and minerals were gone. Zack couldn't quite explain what caused that; he was just trying to invent a mixture that would change the composition of any mineral to something else altogether.

Another time Zack mixed some chemicals with natural ingredients that indicated he was concocting some kind of new soda pop/energy drink creation. The kids in class that day were his test subjects as he happily passed around the cloudy mixture; that is, after Mr. Fargle gave his approval upon seeing nothing of danger go into the brew. All his classmates took a sip of the witch's potion and found the flavor to be quite intoxicating—it had a fruity fizz to it. Then unexpectedly, to Zack and Wally's amazement, everyone started to move in really slow motion. After a couple moments of this, the students did a complete flip-flop and sped up much faster than usual. The sensation was the same as watching a movie in fast forward on a DVD player. Time was trying to catch up with itself after having been slowed down ... and then everything went back to normal again.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Alchemy Jones and the Source of Magicby G. A. Boyd Copyright © 2011 by G. A. Boyd. Excerpted by permission of iUniverse, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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