The Pillars of Ponderay by Lindsay Cummings Read Free Book Online

on the surface of the earth. What are the odds of that happening?
    â€œWe’ll do the job right,” Albert said, putting on a brave face. “We’ll fix the Imbalance.”
    â€œI’m glad to see you’re excited,” Professor Flynn said. “This doesn’t usually happen, and as a result, while you’re here, you won’t be entering Calderon at all. Ponderay must take precedence. Next term, if everything returns to normal, you’ll resume First Unit responsibilities for Calderon. You’ll help train the next backup units in the Pit. But for now, with Ponderay, keep in mind, this is still a competition. You’ll be starting over, in a sense, competing against another team to see who will go inside the Realm.”
    Albert’s stomach twisted. “Just one other team? Who will we be competing against?” Please don’t be Hoyt’s team. Please don’t be Hoyt’s team.
    But looking into his dad’s eyes, Albert knew.
    â€œArgon,” Professor Flynn said. “So yes, you will be competing against Hoyt. I know you would rathercompete against almost anyone else, but Argon was the only other high-ranked team who could assemble on such short notice.”
    Albert groaned, scuffing the ground with the toe of his boot.
    Professor Flynn nodded. “We’ve spoken to Argon about this, and they’ve promised to be diplomatic about the entire competition.”
    â€œSure they will,” Leroy said, joining Albert’s side.
    â€œOh, this is going to be good.” Birdie rubbed her hands together.
    Professor Flynn clicked his tongue. “News of the competition is not why I had Petra bring you here this morning.”
    He sat down at his old wooden desk, the chair creaking under his weight. The three of them took their seats across from him. From here, Albert could really see them now: the dark circles underneath his dad’s eyes. Professor Flynn was exhausted. Both mentally and physically.
    â€œWhat’s wrong, Dad?” Albert asked. “Why’s the Core so tense? I mean, besides the obvious Imbalance.”
    â€œYou remember the events that unfolded last term,” Professor Flynn explained. “Well, with a second Realm acting up, that’s two in one year. Almost unprecedented.”
    â€œIt hasn’t happened since the eighteen hundreds,” Leroy added. Albert guessed his Synapse Tile was kicking in, now that they were back in the Core. Its powergave Leroy the ability to notice and remember the details of anything he saw, from directions to pages in a history book.
    â€œTrue indeed,” Professor Flynn sighed, and continued. “What I’m about to tell you three is top secret. Not to be shared with anyone.”
    He looked pointedly at all three of them, and they each nodded.
    â€œThe problems in the Realms are being caused by one of our own.”
    Albert gasped. Birdie clapped a hand to her mouth, and Leroy nearly toppled out of his chair. Farnsworth growled.
    â€œWhat?” Albert asked. His voice squeaked like Petra’s. “How do you know? And who would do that?”
    Professor Flynn shook his head. “I know it’s hard to believe, but whoever is setting these Realms off Balance is entering them from inside the Core. The Imbalance in Calderon last term, and this one now in Ponderay, is too drastic to be caused by natural means.”
    â€œBut why?” Birdie asked. “Why would someone want to do that?”
    Farnsworth whimpered and leaped into Albert’s lap.
    â€œSometimes Balance Keepers turn bad,” Professor Flynn said, his voice sad. “Sometimes, when given great power, people lose control.”
    It felt like someone had just dumped a bunch offifty-pound weights inside Albert’s stomach.
    â€œThat’s horrible. We have to find them. We can find them, right, Dad?”
    â€œThat is the hope,” Professor Flynn said.
    But he didn’t look