The Four Corners of the Magical Realm

COSMOTOPIA

PART ONE: THE HIJACK

Monday, the 19th of March 2018 was a typical Monday morning in the Magical Realm State of Cosmotopia, the most fortified nation in the entire Realm. As the citizens of the heavily populated nation all prepared to go about their day without a care in the world, trusting as always, in the security of their country, all seemed right with the world.

Research showed that most Cosmotopians preferred tuning into a popular breakfast show hosted by the ‘Cosmic 98.2 FM’  network on their way to work. The breakfast show had the unapologetic DJ Tripp Wire and his counterpart, the scintillating Miss Adesina Okafor, a celebrated and award winning pop singer, best selling author and mother of two. The two hosts had perfect chemistry and kept listeners constantly tuning in bringing their radio network an estimated 6 million listeners per quarter of the year.

The Breakfast Show on 19th March 2018 was no different for the radio station that attracted an estimated 1,000,000 listeners across the nation. As most local and international radio stations at the time, Cosmic FM was covering the most recent event abuzz the Magical Realm- the death of a Scribe named Qiao Grayson that had sparked outrage since her mysterious abduction by what witnesses had said had been orchestrated by Denary’s Military Police Officers.

Since her disappearance in January 2018, she had not been heard of again and Mialand had demanded that the government of Denary release her from bondage or else face the repercussions of non-compliance. The Government of Denary denied playing any part in the abduction and disappearance of the Scribe and blamed it on the individual military police officers that had abducted her thus accusing them as the sole perpetrators of the crime.

Denary had since then apprehended the suspected officers  behind the sinister kidnap who had pleaded guilty to abducting Qiao Grayson and murdering her then disposing of her body. As a result of their crimes, the five military officers involved were each sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and were stripped of their rankings and military accolades.

However, Mialand was not satisfied with the sentencing and demanded the death sentence be issued by the government of Denary to each of the five officers who were all lycans. It was argued that these officers, had, admittedly incurred the Werewolf curse as a result of killing a witch without her legal consent for them to take her witch’s element and blood and it was well known that lycans that pertook of witch’s blood and element without such consent were cursed to become the dreaded Werewolves.

Werewolves turned into their feral animal states every full moon (and remained in that state until a new moon cycle begun) and were incapable of restraining themselves thus endangering more human and animal lives. However, the government of Denary did not heed calls for the execution of the military officers and insisted upon having them detained indefinitely instead.

Therefore, the Magical Realm was abuzz with analysis and talk shows weighing in on whether they felt life imprisonment for the Military Officers was fair or if it was letting them off easy. Conspiracy theories were also abound that the Officers were to covering up for the Royal Family’s extensive closet of corpses. The latest Conspiracy Theory gained great traction with backing from experts such as Curse Breakers, the religious and a significant general populace support.

Lady Adesina was just about to give her opinion on the latest Conspiracy Theory when suddenly, the radio systems’ signal was hijacked thus cutting the Breakfast Show off-air abruptly. Adesina and Tripp were both terrified knowing that it was no small trick to hijack the heavily protected radio signals and soon began to panic. However, after a short while, the radio signal was back up and Adesina and Tripp were given the all clear.

“We apologize for the technical difficulties and thank you for bearing with us. Now, where was I… Oh yes, this week’s winning Lottery numbers are- 12. 7. 11. 21. 22. I repeat- 12. 7. 11. 21. 22.  Over to you, Tripp, please tell our listeners what they’ve won this week…”

“Glad to, Adi, my sweet. You lucky badgers have won- Window. Candle. Squid. Dagger. Torch. I repeat it for those of you who are a bit slow at the back- Window. Candle. Squid. Dagger. Torch. Got that you trite? Great. Adi, I dunno about you but I think all this grim news about what’s her name is making me all gloomy. How about a happy tune?”

“You read my mind, Tripp, m’dear. Oh please play us a happy tune,” she responded.

Before long, the radio station began playing popular songs backwards with subliminal messages back-masked into the songs.

The entire debacle caused a state of emergency of a kind never before witnessed in the most secure nation in the world. Thousands of listeners that had tuned in had succumb to inexplicable ailments. It appeared that the listeners had all collectively had seizures after listening to the strange winning lottery ticket numbers and strange prizes announced on air by the radio hosts.

Some citizens had their hair turn white with fear before dying of cardiac arrests while others had started screaming at the top of their lungs claiming either to be engulfed in flames and burning; others still complained of choking as they claimed that the buildings they were currently occupying were burning to an extent of making escape impossible. Some citizens were choked by unseen monsters they claimed had giant tentacle-like appendages around their throats. In each case, the victims were suffering from what first respondents referred to as vivid hallucinations manifesting into physical symptoms.

The entire state of Cosmotopia was in a state of crisis with law enforcement agencies receiving distraught and panicked phone calls from all over the nation. All law enforcement officers were called in including those who were retired and on various types of leaves. The King of Cosmotopia declared a state of emergency as he watched his beloved state fall victim to the largest terrorist attack in recent times.

Hospitals were flooded with patients and there was spreading mass panic. The Protectors’ Agency was sent in to infiltrate and interrupt the broadcast still going on from Cosmic Fm. They were quick to block the signal of the radio station before storming the Building and apprehending everyone on site. Finally, they managed to apprehend a stunned Dj Tripp and Adesina.

“What the bloody hell is going on?” Tripp asked his arresting officers.

“Please, Officer, that is too tight. Why are you arresting us? What have we done wrong?” Adesina asked the Protector arresting her.

They were taken into a van and were not allowed to speak until they were in an interrogation room.

“Miss Adesina Okafor, Mr. Tripp Grader, please cooperate with us for us to make your experience here less… unpleasant,” the CP told them.

“Please, Madam, we have no idea why we are here. What is going on? Please- please let us go,” Adesina said tearfully.

“Tell us why you were part of an organized terrorist attack that is responsible for the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of Cosmotopians?”

“What are you talking about?” Tripp asked confusedly.

“12.7.11.21.22. Window. Candle. Squid. Dagger. Torch. What does that mean?” the CP pressed impatiently.

“What the bugger are you going on about? What’s that rubbish?” asked Tripp.

“That’s what I’d like to know, Mr. Grader,”

“Have you all gone completely insane? Why would we know what that means?” Tripp snapped.

“Oh… I see what you are doing here. It appears we will have to find other means of refreshing your memories. It is unfortunate but I am not above using any means, unconventional as they may be, to loosen tightly sealed lips,” the CP said. She nodded to the camera recording the interrogation and soon afterwards, some burly looking Protectors came bursting through the door.

“Oh Goddess, no! I swear to you on my children’s lives, I have no idea what it means! Please, Madam, if there was anything I knew about- about those numbers, I’d let you know,”

“Do whatever it takes to loosen these two up,” the CP ordered the Protectors.

Adesina and Tripp were dragged out of the room kicking and screaming for their lives but their cries would not be heeded as they were led away to a place unknown.

TO BE CONTINUED…