Dark Tidings: Ancient Magic Meets the Internet Book 1 Read Free Page A

man conceded, losing a bit of his enthusiasm, “there’s just one small catch.”
    “Isn’t there always?” whispered Tung, who could sense the rapid approach of a tsunami of disappointment. Life’s a beach, and the tide’s coming in fast.
    “Explain it to me magic man, what’s the problem?”
    Madrick ignored him.
    “The Spell Spell creates random spells. It’s a bit like ‘and for my third wish, I’ll have three more wishes.’ It’s the spell which just keeps giving. Until it plays the cruellest trick of all.”
    “Come on, what’s the catch?”
    “Well you see, each spell must be used before the next one can be created.”
    Tung had worked it out now, so he stopped the old man mid-flow.
    “And the scroll’s previous owner hadn’t used the last spell, so the damned thing’s not worth the parchment it’s scribbled on. Or rather scribed on.”
    “Good guess, but I’m the one who hasn’t used the last spell. It’s me that’s causing the problem.”
    The old wizard slipped his hand inside his robe. After some scrabbling around, which could easily have been mistaken for flea-scratching, he withdrew a rather insignificant yellowed scroll which he unrolled and passed to Tung.
    “Mmm,” said Tung, as he strained to focus on the ancient manuscript. Try as he might, none of it made sense, partly because it was written in a strange, mystical script, but mainly because he couldn’t read. He was totally illiterate.
    “So what do you think?” said Madrick.
    “I think,” replied Tung as an idea sparked into life in his head, “I think that when you say it creates random spells, you mean random spells. You do the hocus-pocus, but you’ve absolutely no control over the spell which is created. And you’ve hocus-pocused up a spell you can’t use.”
    “Exactly right. You’re a remarkably astute young man.”

Chapter 4 - Michael
    Michael was twenty-one and he’d been messing with computers since the age of six. Computer games had dominated his childhood, but his love affair with technology really started when he discovered the Internet and all the wonderful things it had to offer a growing boy. His father’s attempts to restrict his access using parental controls and passwords were futile; an adult versus a determined teenager is no real contest. His dad built the best barriers he could, but they were more of a challenge than a hindrance. Creating workarounds sparked off an enduring fascination with security systems, encryption and the like.
    He enjoyed ploughing through thick, programming manuals. The books were the techie equivalent of a Big Mac triple cheeseburger. Specialist Internet forums became his home and computing magazines consumed all his pocket money. His appetite for knowledge, and burgers, was insatiable.
    Friends came and went. Who wanted to be mates with someone who spent every waking hour on a computer? So his early years were lonely, but they were the happiest days of his life. His parents were loving and supportive. He’d a roof over his head, a room of his own, plenty to eat and an Internet connection. Who could ask for anything more?
    By age fourteen, he was a legend among the Internet techno-geeks. He didn’t know everything, but he learnt early on that when the unexpected happens, he should behave as though he meant it to happen. Not only was that a fun challenge, but when pulled-off it made him look very clever indeed.
    This acclaim gave him a self-confidence which eventually matured into social confidence. Unusual for a computer buff who’d kept himself hidden from face to face contact with others. Now, he was comfortable in any circle and he’d a well thought out opinion on most topics and a clever anecdote or joke for nearly any situation. He was funny, articulate and an all-round likeable guy.
    At nineteen, he joined Noviru, an emerging high-tech company producing intelligent, anti-virus software. Their software was revolutionary; it learnt from its experience in the