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Orson Scott Card's trip to Jakarta, Indonesia

Stories from students at Jakarta International School


The Djin's Power

by Ben Byrne

"Be gone, leave me alone, I know." A bright blue light shone around the man. "Go away or die!"

The other man stood still.

"So be it!" The light continued to glow and the other man coughed and choked.

The more the man in civilian clothing died and bent down the more the man in his red robe's arm began to look like a chicken. The dying man laughed as he died. He was laughing at the man's arm, which did look slightly strange considering it was a chicken's head. Finally, the man in civilian clothing died.

"Good riddance to you," said the robed man whose name was apparently Fewyen. "Serves you right standing up to me you died for it ahahaha." Fewyen moved his shoulder. "My arm it's gone!"

The rooster crowed, for somewhere there would be a rooster's body with Fewyen's tanned arm on where its head should be.

"Oh now I have to find this chicken!"

Far away, about 100 miles from where he was standing a farmer went to check on his chickens. "Hmm that's odd," he said. "This one must be sick, look it's wing is damaged."

But of course that was not the chicken, for in the forest a forest-chicken, which was capable of flying lived. This small chicken was also not the chicken. But in a rooster fight a rooster was getting beat up. This was the chicken with a hand on its head. Every movement that Fewyen made, with his chicken head the arm would do. So there fore Fewyen was slapping away at some other rooster, but of course he didn't know this, for all the rooster's head would do was make noises.

"Speak!" Fewyen said.

"That's right I was in the middle of a chicken fight you know that's not fair I was winning so badly!" the chicken replied.

"Where do you live?"

"Why should I answer that? Cluck."

"Because you'll get your body back as I'll get my arm!"

"I much rather like your body! It's warm," the rooster said.

"I'll cut you off!" the robed man threatened.

"But then no arm, don't you remember the rules?"

"Yes if I kill you then no arm! Guess the saying isn't true, 'Two heads are better than one.'"

"I'm Cluck!" the Rooster said.

"Good for you! Fewyen's my name so where you live?"

"Not here obviously!"

"Let's go then."

The two traveled for many miles. Finally it grew to nighttime, and the rooster's body was still many days away from them. Because Fewyen never ate, Cluck was hungry.

"Hey Fewyen do you suppose I could eat a bit," Cluck, in all his hunger said.

"Go find yourself food then," Fewyen replied.

"Not that I'm handicapped or anything but I'm sort of attached to you!"

"Really? How can a relationship between you and I begin?"

"Not emotionally, literally,"

"Oh yes I do remember now my arm isn't attached to me anymore, so what do you want? Grass, meat, deer?"

"Regular chicken food?"

"Now I'm not gonna waste any more body parts 'cause of you."

"Looks like I have eat grass then."

"Where do you live?"

"Shadowdale."

"Ah the city of shadows,"

"My master intends to leave soon do you think we could get there quick?"

"Can't fly!"

"Actually yes we can,"

"How do you mean?"

"I know a condor, he's a very good friend of mine."

"A condor?"

"Yes he goes by the name Bob."

"Bob? What a peculiar name for an animal!"

"Shh let us rest."

The one and a half slept. The next morning Fewyen woke up in fright, he looked at Cluck. Cluck stayed dead sleeping. "Awaken fool!" Fewyen said.

Cluck didn't move. "Is he dead?" Fewyen said in fright.

"No, I'm not dead, I like sleeping you know," Cluck said.

Suddenly there was an explosion, and from it a man arose. As his finger pointed at things, they exploded.

"Extraordinary!" Fewyen said.

Then a sharp high pitch noise filled Fewyen's ear. "Did you hear that Cluck?"

"Hear what?" Cluck asked.

"The shrill noise?"

"Noise? All I can hear is explosions!"

"Oh never mind."

The magic-user looked at the two-headed man, and tilted his head as if he was sad. Then laughed, and in a deep voice said, "Learn the ways of the enchanter!"

"What's an 'enchanter?'" Cluck asked.

"He uses natures ability, not his own ability!"

Then a thick smoke grew from the sleeves of the red robed man. Smoke then filled the air not allowing the two heads to see. Then the smog thinned, as it did something was missing. The robed enchanter was gone.

"Come Clucky!" Fewyen said in a gallant voice.

"I've got no choice do I?" said in his rather odd sounding voice

"To Shadowdale."

"BOB!"

"Oh yes your silly concord friend!"

A concord about the size of five exceptionally large men.

"My god!" Fewyen shouted in fright.

"Yes he is rather large," Cluck replied.

The concord squawked as the two walked on top of it.

"To Shadowdale!" Fewyen repeated.

It was a short flight until they landed. There a chicken sat down. Now this was not your average chicken. For an arm was poking out of its neck area.

"MY BODY!" Cluck said as the hand touched the chicken's head.

A bright light shone as the hand and head traded places.

"THANK GOD I'M AWAY FROM YOU FEWYEN!" Cluck shouted.

"Those will be your final words," Fewyen said.

As Fewyen moved his hand the Rooster began to grow. At that point an old man came to Fewyen. "Come with me, Fewyen."

Fewyen followed. "How'd you know my name?"

"I know almost everything, for I am the bearer of the Djin's power," the old man said.

"But why do you ask me to join you?"

"Because you are the one chosen to defeat the next generation of the opposing side."

"You mean evil?"

"No Fewyen," the man said in his deep voice. "They have no name as neither do we."

"We?" Fewyen asked with a questioning look.

"Look Fewyen we need to eliminate them, down to the last one so that none more can become again."

"We?" Fewyen asked again.

"This side."

"What?"

"We are angels, you did notice the five strange streaks in your hair?"

"Of course I did."

"That is the sign, five means you are the Dark Angel."

"Then aren't I the one prophesied to bring evil in . . ."

"THERE IS NO EVIL!" The old man interrupted.

"Look don't waste time!"

"Look give me your head, for my time is short!"

"It's Istarrabaff, and I must take another form, take me with you on your journey."

Istarrabaff then grew wings like no other. There was not just two wings but six wings. Then he shrunk and took the form of a sharp small pointed stone. The stone had a voice it said, "I'm enclosed inside here."

Then the robed man from the forest appeared. Enraged Fewyen attacked him.

"Foolish man, don't let your emotions take over you."

The stone began to speak, "Beware his powers seem to exceed yours."

"Shut up foolish stone for you can't do anything."

Then Fewyen clasped his hands together, and shouted, "Electric super charge!"

A power surged through Fewyen he felt as if he was able to do things that seemed impossible.

"Hmph, fire charge . . ." the robed man shouted. "Go!"

A ball of fire left the man's hand. Fewyen groaned as he pulled out his extra force. "Electricity go!"

A bolt of lightning left his hand yet at the same time it was connected by energy to his hand, he shot energy into it. The ball of lightning sucked dodged the ball of fire and just as the lightning was to strike the ball of flame hit Fewyen. Fewyen felt paralyzed.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" the robed man said. "For I am Sebarna, Angel of light, and you will never win."

Fewyen lost his senses and fell to the floor unconscious.

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