Noboru, the Experimenter

Heavy drops drummed on the tiles of the sloping roofs. Flashes of lightning cut through the low black clouds. Thunder shook the thin paper partitions of the rooms. In such bad weather, not a single living soul would dare to go on a journey, but not Noboru. Orc inventor has long waited for such a day. For three years he thought over schemes and assembled mechanisms in order to take revenge on the engineers of the undermont kingdom.

In the city of Ishikawa, they appeared only once. On the eve of the spring equinox matsuri, they arrived in a large caravan, showing the wonders of engineering to ordinary citizens. They made iron pans and helmets float between two huge copper coils. But their goal was not to inspire new inventors or share technology. They only charge per view. Those who asked about the principle of operation of their machines, they ridiculed.

Noboru was deeply hurt by their audacity. “Commoners do not understand high engineering!” – laughed the short, bearded dwarf. Even being waist-deep to orc, he managed to look down on that one.

It took the orc a whole year to unravel their trick. And two more to move on. Much farther than the bearded shorties would imagine. A huge machine of wires, relays and coils rested on Noboru’s back as he slowly climbed the highest hill in the area in bad weather. The scheme has been completed. It only remained to get enough energy to make it work. A dynamo would not be enough. It needs a real explosion of energy! Such as lightning.

The orc stopped, breathing heavily. He tasted sweat in the raindrops running down his face, though he was shivering from the cold. Through the dense wall of rain it was impossible to see the city spread out below. Noboru was waiting. Streams of water ran down his body and mechanisms. As he began to despair, he felt a tingle in his back. A corona discharge began to rise from the huge coil of his machine. This hill was not for nothing called Inazuma-no-Oka – Lightning Hill. Noboru laughed, raising his hands to the sky and a blinding flash greeted him.

When the orc was able to open his eyes, the sky was clear above him. For a few seconds it seemed to him that he was simply unconscious and lay on the hill until the end of the storm. But no. The water still soaked his clothes. The machine on his back crackled, scattering sparks on the dry grass. He got up and looked around. There were no signs of recent rain, no familiar landscapes around. Noboru’s invention worked! It took him to other lands, perhaps even to another principality! Orc hurried to the houses. He was eager to show the world his miracle.