By Neil Orint
Earth has a magical twin, and it is called Geminus.
While on Vashon Island, 15-year-old Henry Brooks discovers Geminus, a twin world to Earth powered by spirit and magic instead of materialism and technology. He travels to this new land with his friends Kate, Max, and his faithful dog Rocky.
Upon his return to Earth, Henry accidentally gives away his secret to Marcus, a deceitful and power-hungry boy who exploits the wealth of Geminus by introducing Earth weapons that upset the delicate balance of power.
Gonzalo Pizzaro, the bloodthirsty conquistador, discovered Geminus while on his quest for the Fountain of Eternal Youth. Using the Fountain’s waters, he and his crew have stayed alive for over 400 years, plotting to conquer Geminus and Earth. With Henry’s unwitting help, Pizzaro sets his plan in motion, bringing death and destruction to peaceful Geminus.
Feeling responsible for fixing the disaster he created, Henry sets off on a quest to make things right. He becomes an apprentice to Father Antonio, an eccentric shaman with tremendous powers; he learns the path of Spirit from mystical creatures such as Sasquatches and Yetis and meets Grace, an enchanting farm girl who steals his heart.
Together with his friends, Henry overcomes dangerous challenges, learns from magical creatures, and uses his newly discovered shamanic powers to save Geminus and Earth.
Chapter One: The Vision
Henry perched himself on the seat of the ancient swing deep within the forest. He wrapped his hands around the thick rope, rubbing off a thick layer of green mold until he revealed interlaced white and blue fibers. It was identical to the ropes they used to secure the Vashon Island ferry to the dock. How had it ended up here in the middle of the woods?
As his gaze followed the rope upward, about a hundred feet, he saw it attached to a branch of the oldest maple tree in the area – one of few that had survived the clear-cutting a century earlier. The rope was sturdy and looked like it had been there for ages, so Henry figured it could support his weight. The swing’s path would take him down a steep hillside and over smaller trees and underbrush. It looked safe enough.
“Should I do it, Rocky?” he asked his dog, a shaggy black-and-white mutt with gray whiskers. Rocky woofed and wagged his tail enthusiastically. “Why don’t you try it if you’re so eager?” Henry muttered.
A raven suddenly swooped by, sending raspy croaks through the forest and vibrations through Henry’s chest. I must do this, he thought, courage rising within him – and with a deep breath, he pushed off the platform.
Ferns brushed against his legs as he picked up speed. The wind roared in his ears and blew through his long mane of chestnut-colored curls. He briefly considered backing out, but it was too late now. He was going too fast. He could only hold tightly to the rope and hope for the best.
He flew down the hillside faster and faster. Fear and exhilaration churned in his stomach. He felt heavy as the swing reached the bottom of its arc, then light as he soared upward. Henry braced for impact as he approached the upper branches – but he passed through them unscathed, emerging into bright sunlight through a break in the forest canopy.
In the moment of suspension between rising and falling, the light and air shifted, and Henry felt like he had entered another world.
Instead of his grandpa’s farm, a forest of towering trees grew wild in the distance. Beyond them, spanning a narrow stretch of saltwater, endless green forests led to the Olympic Range, where mountains rose brilliantly, snow-capped even though it was mid-summer.
Enormous cedar longhouses adorned with intricate totem poles loomed over a fleet of colorful canoes. In the foothills, small farms with red barns and windmills dotted the landscape. A magnificent golden pyramid, modeled after the Inca style, stood proudly on the peninsula’s northern shore, its red-and-gold banners fluttering in the breeze. A Spanish galleon floated at a nearby wharf. Its brass cannons gleamed in the sun while conquistadors loaded it with supplies.
This can’t be Earth, Henry thought.
Neil Orint grew up on Vashon Island and now lives in Seattle. He’s currently working on the next volume in the “Discovery of Geminus” series.
