Just Remember - Prologue

Prologue

Once upon a time, back in the days when magic was still on the earth, there was an evil wizard named Shiz. He was very powerful, and mean and wicked. Shiz wanted to rule the world, and everyone in it.

Shiz believed he was the most powerful wizard on the earth, and he believed that everyone was just like him, mean and evil and selfish.

There was another wizard who lived at the same time, who was also very powerful. His name was Emer. Emer was a good wizard, not like Shiz. He didn't use his magic to force people to do what he wanted. He was good and kind, and always tried to help people and make them happier. Emer believed that inside, most people were good, like him, and if they were left to themselves they would try to help each other and be kind and nice.

Shiz hated Emer. He wanted to prove that he was the most powerful wizard, and he challenged Emer to all kinds of duels and contests, but no matter how hard he fought, he could never prove that evil was more powerful than good.

At last, Shiz came up with a plan.

“We'll kidnap the kings son,” he said, “and take him far away from the palace and everything he knows. If, like you say, people are really good inside, then it won't matter where the prince is raised. He will still grow up to be kind and honorable, just like his father, and you will win. I'll admit that good is the most powerful force in the world and I'll leave this earth and never come back.”

“But, if I am right and people are really bad and evil, the little boy will grow up to be like the people he lives with, and it will prove that evil is more powerful. Then you will have to leave.”

“What will happen to the prince after he grows up?” Emer wanted to know.

“That depends,” Shiz told him. “If he grows up like his father, and is good and kind and just, even without his dad around to teach him, then when he is big he can go back to his father's palace and live with him forever, and everything his father owns will belong to him. But, if he isn't really good inside, if he grows up to be a normal person who lies and cheats and thinks only about himself, then when he is big he won't belong in a castle anyway, and will have to live with the common people.”

Emer thought about this plan. He hated to take the prince away from his father, but he really did believe that good was stronger than evil, and that the most powerful force in the world was love.

“All right,” he finally said. “I'll agree to your contest, but on one condition. While the prince is living away from his father, once a year we will each get to visit him.”

Shiz laughed. This was one of the stupid things Emer believed, that love would take care of everything, and if someone knew who they were, really knew it, then they would become that person. Shiz knew that no matter what Emer told the child during his visits, it wouldn't be enough to make him grow up like a king, so he agreed, and the contest began.