Roama World's The Pendant: Orphan Blade's Origins

Prelude Chapter: Introducing The RoamaVerse

Universe: Earthly Reality 87

Location: Pleasanton, California, USA

Year: 1954

It was a cold winter's evening in the Bay Area. A young six-year-old Madeline Dinh, who at the time was named Madeline Pham and her two older siblings, Jackson and Nancy Pham, were running around the house just before bedtime. It had been about six weeks since Madeline's parents followed up on their decision to move the family from Vietnam to the states. Madeline and her siblings didn't know the real reason for the move at the time, but her mother and father insisted on it. It had something to do with an imminent danger that they had been sensing was coming, but that was all young Madeline really knew and never really questioned any further. Madeline's parents did not want to take the risk of putting the family in danger. Nonetheless, the children adjusted well to the environment change. Madeline even preferred her new home, since it was not so hot and humid and there was just so much more room in the new house to run around and play.

Madeline's mother gathered the children to get them ready to go to bed, since they were to spend a day in San Francisco the following morning. After everyone was situated and ready to sleep, Madeline called her mother over to her room because she couldn't sleep.

"Má?" the young Madeline said as she was tucked in bed.

"Yes, con?" Madeline's mother asked.

"What is this blanket made of?" Madeline asked.

"It's Chakronium, dear. The strongest material in existence from mommy and daddy's other world," her mother said.

"Má?" Madeline asked.

"What is it, dear?" her mother asked a little impatiently. "You have so many questions tonight."

"Can you tell me about your other world?" Madeline asked curiously.

"Child, how many times must I tell you, you're still too young to understand it?" She asked Madeline.

"Please? I just really want to know," Madeline begged her mother. "I promise, I'll go to sleep after you tell it."

"Promise?"

"Yes, Má. I promise."

Madeline's mother tucked her in and sat on her bedside. She began to tell describe the tale of her other world.

"There once was a distant world. A world adjacent to Earth and many other Earths just like it. This place is called... The RoamaVerse."

Madeline began imagining this other world her mother spoke of as she continued telling the story to great detail.

"The RoamaVerse is the crossroad between the vast infinite Earthly Realities there are in existence."

"What's an Earthly Reality?" Madeline asked.

"An Earthly Reality is what we live in," her mother explained. "This Earth and the universe it's in is just one of many in existence, and they all connect to the RoamaVerse."

"Really?" Madeline asked. "How do we get to the RoamaVerse from here?"

"Not anyone can just access it," Madeline's mother further explained. "Only a special type of people can travel between their Earthly Realities and the RoamaVerse. They're called 'Transcenders.'"

"Are you and Ba Transcenders?" Madeline asked.

"Yes, your father and I are both Transcenders," her mother said. "And once you and your siblings are old enough, you three will also become Transcenders."

"Whoa, I can't wait for that!" Madeline said excitedly. "I want to see the RoamaVerse! Tell me more, mommy! What kind of people are there in the RoamaVerse?"

"The RoamaVerse consists of a population of people born and raised from various Earthly Realities, called NormaBorn Transcenders, and those that are born, raised, and are native to the RoamaVerse itself, called the RoamaBorn Transcenders. Each person that operates in the RoamaVerse has the right of passage between their Earthly Reality, other Earthly Realities, and the RoamaVerse," her mother said.

"What do people do in the RoamaVerse? Why does it exist?" Madeline asked.

"The RoamaVerse is a technologically and socially advanced society," her mother explained. "It was actually discovered by an intelligent alien species, known as Enlightened Beings, who worked together with the original Transcenders to build its foundations and principles. It was divided up into five different sectors, which are the European Sector, the Asian Sector, the African Sector, the Latin Sector, and the Middle Eastern Sector. The people who live among these sectors play a very important role in both the developing the RoamaVerse and providing outreach and aid to Earthly Realities using the RoamaVerse's exclusive and abundant resources."

"Which sector are you and Ba from?" Madeline asked.

"Of course the Asian Sector," her mother said. "We call it the Interdimensional Coalition of Asia Kingdom, or the ICA Kingdom. What we do is focus on providing developmental and humanitarian aid to Asias across many different Earthly Realities."

"Wait, it's a kingdom?" Madeline asked in fascination. "So it has kings and queens and princes and princesses?!"

"Yes, dear, and there are a lot of beautiful princesses there," her mother said. "Who knows? You may become a queen one day."

"Oh, that would be amazing! I want to be a pretty princess," Madeline said. "What's the kingdom like?"

"The kingdom is a gorgeous place," her mother said. "It's filled with mythical-like creatures, pretty sakura trees, a large green river, a huge palace for the royalties, and people with superpowers."

"Ohh, like our superpowers?" Madeline asked. She began radiating a blue energy on the palm of her hand as she stared into it deeply.

"Yes, exactly like ours. It's called Aura Manipulation," her mother said.

"Auro-what?" Madeline asked as she laughed from not being able to pronounce it.

"Aura Manipulation," her mother said as she herself radiated the same blue energy on the palm of her hand. "It allows us to feel the soulful energy of living creatures around us. We can feel their feelings, detect their movements, and use that energy to create projectile pulses for combat. It's what the ICA Kingdom's military force, the Ace Clan, uses."

"The Ace Clan?" Madeline asked.

"It's the clan your father and I operate under," her mother said. "We're both Ace Ninjas. We work alongside Ace Sorcerers, Ace Sorceresses, and Ace Militia to protect the kingdom from its enemies."

"Wow! I didn't know people used their powers for that," Madeline said. "No wonder why I always win hide and seek against my friends."

"I'm sure you do, child," her mother said. "Don't be using your powers openly though. We're not allowed to have anyone know about them."

"Yes mommy, I won't," Madeline said. "It would scare them anyway, which I don't want."

"That's exactly why," her mother said. "You are an amazing, smart, gifted, and talented little girl, which is why this world is not ready to accept someone so unique yet. Hopefully one day, they can learn to accept and love you the way we do."

"That's the very first thing I would want as a princess in the ICA Kingdom!" Madeline said enthusiastically. "To use my powers openly, but to do good!"

"Of course you will," her mother said. She gave Madeline a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room to go to sleep. "Now go to sleep. We're early tomorrow morning."

"Aww, that's it?" Madeline complained.

"Yes, I told you everything you need to know about the RoamaVerse for now," her mother said. "You'll learn more about it as you grow up. Good night!"

She shut off the lights and left Madeline's room. There was so much more Madeline wanted to learn about this other world and couldn't be more eager to see this world herself. What would she see? What would she experience? The multiverse just got bigger, and the stories to be told have just begun.