Muko Part IV: Muko and the Time

By Greg Materna

The Citadel of Aivirai is a fantasy world of towers, lakes, bridges, walkways and symbolical trees. In its heart is a school called the Queen of Science Academy, for children of extraordinary mathematical ability. They sleep in dormitories, eat at communal tables, wear colour-coded uniforms, and attend classes taught by mathematical geniuses of past eras. It's a magical place where maths is central to every part of their lives.
The children have no idea how they arrived in Aivirai. Their only recollections of the past come through dreams. They don't understand the concept of parents, or family. The teachers maintain their distance, and discipline is kept by older pupils who appear and disappear at will. Only the eccentric Librarian is reputedly willing to listen to their problems in between ferociously protecting the books which she none-the-less stamps on every page.
The children are introduced to mathematical puzzles in class and given others to solve out of class, but for one boy, Muko, this isn't enough. He overhears two teachers talking about a mysterious but immensely important riddle, and such is his thirst for adventure that he wishes to be the first to solve it.
He forms a small team with three other children and becomes their leader. Amartia, the least sociable of them, is the mathematical genius behind much of their progress. Paidia and Gelio, close friends and comical sparring partners, also bring their intelligence to bear at crucial moments.
The children's quest begins with picking the brains of the delightfully absent-minded Professor Hedgehog, then tricking Pythagoras into getting them past the Librarian's strict access restrictions to seek out an ancient volume. A series of complex mathematical hurdles later, they find themselves in peril of their lives.
What have our four friends let themselves in for? Will they prevail against the machinations of strange artefacts and sinister mountain caverns? Solving the many riddles will add an extra dimension of enjoyment to reading the book, but it is also a magical adventure story accessible to any youngster with or without a mathematical bent.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Greg Materna
• Release date: Aug 15, 2020

Book preview

Author: Greg Materna

Text elaboration: Damaris West

Front cover: Patt Ramenta

Pictures: Agata Szczęsna

All Rights Reserved © 2020 Greg Materna

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Legends of Aivirai

MUKO

and the Time

part IV

Chapter 22

Beeep … Rethink … beep … beep … beep … beep … Inspire … beep … Analyze … beeep … beep … beeep … Compare … beep … Entrust … beeep … beep … beeep … beeep … Combine … beep … beep … Succeed … beep … beep … beep …

Muko didn't recognise his surroundings at all, although the tree growing out of the middle of the vast meadow where he found himself did look familiar: it looked very much like the Tree of Intelligence in the Queen of Science Academy courtyard. In fact he could tell it was the very same tree, but there was one problem: there was no building. The Academy itself was completely absent; all that there was, was the meadow and the tree.

He was looking directly at the tree and now a further problem came to light. He couldn't move. It wasn't just that he couldn't walk, he couldn't even move his head – or his eyes, for that matter. He tried to swivel his eyes around and they did move, slightly, but it felt as though some unknown force was pushing them back to their original position.

Every time he tried to move any part of his body – limbs, hands, head, eyes – it seemed that he set up some kind of imbalance in that area which resulted in a localised vibration. The more he tried to force the movement, the greater became the amplitude of the vibration. In the end he had to give up trying because the same thing happened every time: his attempt to move resulted in vibration, and an increase in effort resulted in stronger vibration. The vibrations were most unpleasant, but they stopped when he stopped trying to move, so that was what he did.

He stayed still for a while and cast his mind back, trying to remember recent events. He recalled the tournament hall, and his friends Amartia, Paidia and Gelio. Then in a rush the scene with Trupacius came back to him: how he'd lost control of himself and attacked the older boy. That must be the reason for his current predicament: he was in deep trouble.

There was a voice inside his head. It was saying: What did you do?

Muko answered as himself but also inside his head: I'm so sorry. I don't know what I did.

The voice persisted. Why did you do it? What did you achieve by it? Did it help you in any way?

Muko answered miserably: I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm really, really sorry.

Do you know where you are now? asked the voice.

No, I don't. But I just want to be back with Amartia and my other friends. Please – I really am sorry.

Then Muko heard another voice. It sounded very confident. The voice was asking: Do you know where you are?

Muko couldn't tell whether this new voice was also in his head or outside him. It seemed to be coming from behind him, but he wasn't able to turn his head so as to be absolutely sure.

Do you know where you are? the voice repeated.

Muko didn't reply out loud; he responded inside his head: I'm probably still in the Queen of Science Academy but ...

Oh, said the voice that seemed to be coming from behind him. I'd forgotten that you're unable to speak here.

It seemed to Muko, then, that someone put a hand on his shoulder. All of a sudden he was able to move. He didn't dare to turn away but the Imaginary – because that was who had been speaking to him – came round to stand in front of him, holding onto him this time by his arm. He was just a normal student, but he had an air of great self assurance. He was clad entirely in black.

Only Imaginary students can move freely here, the Imaginary explained. "You are in Nav. As a student from the Queen of Science Academy you shouldn't be here, but we sometimes bring you here to remind you about something you've forgotten. It's been quite a long time since we've had