 |
LADY OF ILLUSIONS
Page 1 of 2
By Donald Sullivan
Helen double-checked the settings on the machine just as she'd seen her uncle do it. She checked the headband on Jerry's head and made sure all the electrodes were connected, and then she checked the connections on her own helmet. She looked down at her ten-year-old cousin, who was eight years her junior.
"Sleepy yet?" she asked.
Jerry lay on the couch, wide awake. "A little, but it's too early for my bedtime. I'm not sure we should be doing this, Helen. If Dad catches us in here he'll ground me forever. And he'll never let you in here to watch him work again, and that's for sure."
"We agreed that we'd keep this our own little secret," she said. "Uncle Jim and Aunt Cathy won't be back from Washington until late tomorrow. We'll be okay. I promise."
Because Helen was doing well in her science class, her uncle, a government research scientist, allowed her in the private lab he'd set up in his basement to observe and sometimes assist him with experiments. Her uncle also experimented with psychic phenomena, and this particular machine was a result of those experiments. His "dream machine" had always been off limits to her.
"If I dream," said Jerry, "will you really be able to see what I'm dreaming?"
"Not only that, but I'll join you in your dream. I once saw uncle Jim connect Queenie to the machine, and he said he was able to see the dog dreaming of playing with a Frisbee. He said he projected his psyche into her dream and virtually played with her. I asked him to let me wear the helmet but he said I should wait until he worked out some of the kinks."
Jerry raised his head. "Suppose I'm dreaming of a girl or somethin'?"
She laughed. "In that case, I promise I won't enter your dream. And also, as I promised, if you're having a nightmare I'll wake you."
After a while, Jerry's breathing grew regular, and she could see that he had fallen asleep. At the first sign of rapid eye movement, she pulled the visor screen over her eyes and fine tuned the controls.
***
Jerry was walking on a trail going through a forest. He reached an open area and stopped. Suddenly a large shadow appeared on the ground, and he looked up to see a human figure astride a winged creature.
He broke into a run, but the figure swooped down and pulled him onto the winged creature. Helen watched as the creature rose up and disappeared in the clouds.
Something was wrong. Helen should be able to follow him in his dreams. She should be following his experience on the winged creature. She decided to awaken him and try to figure what had gone wrong. She raised the visor and looked down at the couch. Jerry was not there.
Bewildered, she looked down at the empty couch, refusing to believe what she was seeing with her own eyes. In near panic, she pulled the visor down and pressed the button that would project her psyche into Jerry's dream.
She felt a slight tremor going through her body, and then felt as if she were falling. Feeling momentarily disoriented, she recovered to find herself on the same trail that Jerry had followed in his dream. But Jerry was nowhere to be seen.
She surveyed her surroundings. The forest looked normal enough. It reminded her of an area where she often went jogging. A gust of wind stirred the branches of a nearby tree. Remembering what happened to Jerry, she kept a wary eye on the sky.
Of one thing she was certain: this was no dream. She was not a psychic projection; she was flesh and blood. But the machine had malfunctioned in some way and pulled her and Jerry into this place. She decided that it must be a world in a parallel universe.
She felt pangs of guilt about Jerry's predicament. She had never done anything like this before. She had always obeyed her parents and she respected her Uncle Jim. But she had foolishly let curiosity get the best of her, and now she and Jerry were in deep trouble.
She vowed that she would do everything in her power to find Jerry and rescue him. She also must find a way to return them to Earth. She reasoned that if they entered this world, then there must be a way out. But she first must find Jerry, and then seek a way to return.
She decided to follow the trail to see where it led. She set out, but after only a few steps something began to form before her, blocking her path. As she watched, the thing formed into a shimmering globe, about the size of a basketball. The globe moved around her and proceeded to float down the trail in the opposite direction.
It stopped, as if waiting for her. Not knowing why, she decided to follow the thing. Perhaps it would lead her to Jerry.
After following the globe for about fifteen minutes, she came upon a village. She crossed a bridge leading into the village and then followed the globe to the door of a nearby cottage. The cottage door opened, and she was greeted by an old man dressed in a white robe. He had a long beard and his white hair hung down to his shoulders.
"Welcome," he said. "I have been expecting you."
Helen stared at the old man, not knowing what to say.
He spoke in a strange accent, but Helen had no trouble understanding him. "I am Rolyn, Wizard Priest of Conwie Village and member of the King's Council of Wizards." He stepped aside. Please come in and we will talk over tea."
Helen hesitated a moment, then stepped in. The old man might have information about Jerry. "Thank you. My name is Helen White."
He had been expecting her. Maybe now she would learn where she was and how she had gotten here. He claimed to be a wizard; did he have something to do with bringing her and Jerry to this world?
After she was seated, the old man served hot tea and sweet cakes. "And now," he said, "I would ask that you explain a few things to me."
Helen was taken by surprise. She had expected to receive an explanation, not to give one. Recovering, she said, "I'll try, but I'd also like a few explanations myself."
"That is only fair," he replied. "A short while ago, my crystal detected a harmonic disturbance in the forest. I peered into the crystal to see Grinstok, an evil outcast wizard, capture a young lad and fly off with him on his trovin. A moment later, I was startled to see you appear from nothingness, but it became obvious that you were seeking the lad.
Your attire tells me that you and the lad are from a distant land. Your sudden appearance tells me that you are a sorceress. I have two questions: Where do you and the lad come from, and what brings you to Ingliah?
Helen explained her experience to Rolyn as best she could--about her experiment with the dream machine and how it had gone wrong.
"As I understand it," said Rolyn, "you are an apprentice to your uncle, who is teaching you the art of sorcery. You attempted to cast a spell to enter the lad's dream, but your uncle had not yet taught you all the elements of the spell. Your spell went awry and sent you here."
Rolyn stroked his beard. "This place that you come from must be Erthworld, of which some wizards have spoken. Some wizards have the ability to cross the void and enter Erthworld when conditions are right. It is said that the Fynns can come and go at will. But I babble. What are your questions, milady?
"I have several," she said. "First of all, how is it that we understand each other?"
"Since I do not have the ability to cross the void, I cannot fully answer your question. But those who have crossed over into Erthworld say that there is a tongue there that is the same as Ingliah, which we are now speaking.
Helen accepted that. "My next question has to do with Jerry, my cousin. He is the boy who was carried off by the evil wizard called Grinstok. Can you tell me how to find this wizard?"
"The lad is your blood kin?"
"Yes, we are cousins."
"Then you are obliged to rescue him. But by the code of Ingliah, no one can accompany you on your quest except blood kin."
"All I'm asking is that you tell me where he is. I will do everything in my power to rescue Jerry, or I'll die trying."
"Well spoken. I don't know the extent of your powers of sorcery, but I must warn you that Grinstok is very evil and very powerful."
"You've got to understand that I am not a sorceress. In my world I am only a student. Magic appears to be common here, but there is no sorcery in my world."
"Magic is not common here," said Rolyn. "Only a few are born with the gift. But in this world, Helen White, you are a sorceress. Only one who is so gifted could have seen the shimmering globe that I sent to guide you here. Your powers are apparently stifled in your own world, but must have been released when you crossed over the void."
"If that's true," said Helen, "maybe I will have a better chance of rescuing Jerry."
"Perhaps. But it would be wise to first learn the extent of your powers, and then undergo a long period of training in how to use those powers. But I fear there is not time. Grinstok probably plans to give the lad to the Dark Ones on the Eve of Spirits, twelve days hence."
"But why would he do that? What would the Dark Ones do with him?"
"Grinstok must offer a sacrifice to the Dark Ones on every Eve of Spirits to hold his power. The Dark ones will teach the lad their ways, and he will eventually become one of them."
"Then I've got to set out as soon as possible."
"As you wish, milady. The code prevents me from going with you, but I can arrange for a horse, a weapon, a pack animal and provisions for you."
Rolyn went on. "As to your question of finding Grinstok, he dwells on the Mount of Shadows in the far northern region of the kingdom, where he has been since his banishment. He has set a spell of confusion that causes all who come near his hiding place to become lost and wander in the wilderness."
"Why was Grinstok banished from the council?" She asked.
"He was caught practicing the black arts, an evil form of sorcery, which is forbidden by the council."
"You said that a spell of confusion prevented people from finding his hideout. Is there a way to counter the spell?"
"None have succeeded so far. But there is a possible source of help that I have not yet mentioned. The village of the Fynns, The Wee Folk, lies near the Mount of Shadows. There are some powerful wizards among them who might help you. But I warn you, the Fynns are suspicious of strangers. But they are loyal to their friends, and if you can gain their trust they may provide valuable help."
"I can use all the help I can get. Where can I find the Fynns?"
"Their village can be sighted from the road that you will follow. It will be on your left. From there it is but a day's travel to The Mount of Shadows."
"At least I can stop there and ask them," she said. "They can only say no. Rolyn, I have a couple more questions. What kind of creature was Grinstok riding when he took Jerry, and how did he know that Jerry would be there?"
"He rides a very large bird called a trovin, a dangerous beast with a sharp beak and powerful talons. Grinstok is the only person to have trained one. He frequently flies the trovin over the kingdom spying on our activities. He probably came across the lad by pure chance."
***
The next morning Rolyn gave her a map of the route she would follow. As promised, he provided her with a horse, a pack animal, provisions, and a sword.
"Are you familiar with horses?" He asked.
"Yes. I learned to ride on my grandfather's farm." She laughed nervously. "I know nothing about swords. This thing will only get me killed."
"You should at least wear it. An armed traveler will be less tempting to robbers." He handed her a dagger. "If you can't use a sword, this may come in handy."
She mounted her horse, bade Rolyn farewell, and set out on her journey.
***
The journey would take eight days, Rolyn had said. The Eve of Spirits was twelve days away, so that gave her four days to seek help from the Fynns and then search for Grinstok's hideaway.
She planned to use her travel time to learn all she could about the extent of her powers. The night before, to the amazement of Rolyn, she discovered that she had a talent for creating illusions.
As she rode, she tried to remember everything she had ever heard about magic--from fairy tales to movies. Each time she remembered something, she would try it. Most of the things she could not do, but she was amazed at the few things that she could do.
She found that she could teleport short distances to any place within her line of sight. She could move objects with her mind. She had thought of these things as psi power, but whether psi or magic, the abilities were there.
But the ability that she liked best was her ability to throw an invisibility screen around her and the animals. She had seen such a screen in a movie once. She tried it, and was amazed that it worked for her.
She suspected that she could find more magic powers, but time was getting short. She decided instead to practice and sharpen those powers that she did have.
She refined her powers of illusion to the point that she caused her horse and donkey to stop dead in their tracks as she created the illusion of a brick wall. She honed her ability to move objects. She practiced until she could send her dagger flying unerringly to a target, and then bring it back to her waiting hand.
***
As Rolyn had said, she could see the village of the Fynns from the road. It was late in the day when she turned off onto the side road leading to the village. As she approached the village, a group of three came to meet her.
They were about three feet tall, and were wearing acorn-like hats, jerkins, breeches, and soft leather boots. They halted, and one of the three stepped forward.
"I am Gillem, chief of the Fynns. What brings you to our village, traveler?"
"I am Helen White, of Erthworld. My cousin was abducted by Grinstok, and I hope to rescue him and return to my world. The Wizard Rolyn told me of you, and I am here to seek your help."
One of the two Fynns behind Gillem spoke up. "The Fynns are not in the habit of helping strangers. Be on your way, traveler."
Conclusion on page 2
Home Page
Send E-Mail to: donsulli@juno.com
Copyright © 2008 Donald H Sullivan. All Rights Reserved