The Wizard's Sword (Nine Worlds of Mirrortac Book 1)

by Paul Vanderloos

  ‘Yes. And you use the word “mountain” for up-way?’ Shubek quizzed.

  ‘This be so. As is forest given the name “Green”, Shubek,’ the erfin said. ‘And what is this over-way?’

  Shubek expressed pleasure at Mirrortac’s questing nature.

  ‘We are glad you wish to know of us, Mirrortac. I am of mind that much expanding will be needed of you. The over-way is a structure of wood that we have built across the Ruttella Stream. We place it there as the way is less awkward when there is much to carry and the stream gush-ed strong.’

  A basket filled with fruit was placed between the two without word, allowing the talk to continue. Mirrortac nodded at the parting Meretees and turned his attention back to Shubek.

  ‘There is much of this expanding to do, as you call it, Shubek,’ he began, shifting his legs under him for comfort. ‘There is still a question which vexes my mind. I was in a world named Petrosium where I had killed a monster of six heads and of terrible darkness. All strength then left me and I was taken into a dream. When I awaken, I am upon a vessel, a flut as you have named it; and your people are there, riding the flut upon The Wet. How did I come to be upon this vessel? Did your people enter Petrosium?’

  A shadow of concern drifted across Shubek’s face as he pondered the question.

  ‘We do hope to purge you of this darkness you describe, Mirrortac. The Meretees know no darkness except that which surrounds us now when the light of sun does not reach us. I understand the darkness of which you speak is of the spirit when mind and soul are rejected of the Light that shines from Ra. You cannot kill that darkness with a silver blade. Only the form it inhabits is dead but the dark spirit of that you name “monster” will return to inhabit another form. Now I have not answered your question but is best you know that this dark blade of yours be used here for nothing bar the separation of fruit from our green brothers.’ Shubek was stern for the first time since Mirrortac’s arrival.

  ‘And the separation of his head from his body!’ Merftac rebuked.

  ‘Now of your coming here. As our Serenetees kin tell, you were found sleeping when they came to explore the new world of this Petrosium. There were three stone up-ways - the greatest of these split no doubt in the battle you made with the monster. Those who live in that place had assembled to reclaim you but you were not of their form and our kin wished to know of your origins as they had rightly seen that you had passed through many worlds and would possess much expanding for us. The ones of the stone up-ways did not understand this and it was clear they did not know Ra. They speak small talk and did appear that their intentions were set upon violating the forms of our kin before Ra decreed. Our kin lifted you up and took you to their flut in haste then left upon Sufra Mere, or The Wet as you have named it.’

  Mirrortac paused for some moments, pawing the earth as he considered what Shubek had said.

  ‘You tell me there is no darkness in this world of yours. I am amazed and say to you that this world is fortunate to know no such darkness. But it is silliness for you, Shubek to tell me that I should not put my blade to any monster or dark creature that brings threat to me and those whose care I value. How else am I to deal with such creatures? Allow them to kill me and all of those who surround me? Nay, you speak silliness. You have no experience of these dark ones.’ Mirrortac folded his arms in determined opposition.

  Shubek mocked the erfin with a wry smile, and glancing up said: ‘Mirrortac. I do not know of the battles and trials which have beset you in the worlds through which you passed but will say to you that as sureness as the blood spoiled blade secured at your waist, this darkness of which you speak is as much your own doing as it is the creatures whose eyes do not see the Light of Ra.’

  ‘Own doing!’ Mirrortac was indignant.

  ‘Yes,’ continued Shubek. ‘Now quench your anger my furry friend. That which you detest can only detest in return. Darkness lives in darkness. If you are of Light then how can darkness touch you?’

  ‘You mock with this riddle in words, Shubek. Indeed, I battled the monster Beeble-Zub with REAL light but when the stones were taken from me I had not light, for these had made the light. T’was then that my blade was charged with a magical light born of a feather. Beeble-Zub would have destroyed Petrosium and taken all the worlds had it not been for my good blade. Now, all is safe!’ the erfin proclaimed, casting the keeper a glance of pride.

  Shubek opened up a large piece of fruit and offered some of it to Mirrortac.

  ‘Tell me, friend,’ he began, chewing at a small lump of yellow fruit flesh. ‘Tell me what you or the people of this Petrosium gave to the monster? Did any of you offer it kindness? Did you love this creature?’

  Mirrortac gasped and clutched his head. ‘Kindness! Love! How can any good person or I love such a creature? It seeks only darkness and schemes against all of us who are of the spirits of Light!’

  ‘There. It is clear. How can this creature treat you well when you treat it so badly? You feed it only darkness so it gives darkness in return. I would not be of surprise-ness that this “monster” had been banished within its pit for many rools, despised and alone in its den of lovelessness. How I am tear-filled to think upon this now.’ Shubek sniffled, twitching his long whiskers.

  Mirrortac was bewildered at this reaction.

  ‘You would Love such a thing? It says itself that the darkness is safe. It seeks only darkness and black power over all worlds. It is of the Netherworld where all is darkness. How can you Love it? This vexes me.’

  Shubek looked up into the erfin’s eyes, his own stained with sorrow and difficult to ignore.

  ‘My dearness Mirrortac. Do not your spirits teach you Love? Even should this “monster” seek its darkness, let its choice belong to it only. Do not make its choice of more ease. Love it, Mirrortac. Love all creatures and all things for Ra has created it, even the darkness. You have no need of REAL light as you call it. That light is of the earth and of fire. The Light of Love is brightness beyond any that is not of spirit. Think upon this my warrior friend. Now, it is evening psalming time. You must quieten yourself while I gather up the Children.’

  ‘Mateote help us! How easy it would be for my warriors to spill their blood here. They are like cackling foté!’

  Shubek rose and called to all of the Children of the Divine Green gathered here. He was smiling again and his eyes were bright with joy. Mirrortac frowned and ate more of the tasty fruit. Night had fallen and tiny phosphorescent insects buzzed in clusters under low bushes and under leafy branches. That Shubek should suggest to him to love dark creatures that sought to destroy and eat all good people was silliness of the highest order, he thought.

  Soon all the gathered Meretees sat about Shubek in a wide circle, preening their fur and dabbing their faces with violet coloured sticks of clay which they carried with them in small woven fabric pouches. The child with the Glurk came to Mirrortac and, taking his hand, led him to a position within the circle. The ritual known as the psalming was about to start. Mirrortac looked around the circle of faces and gaudy robes, sniffing in the mingling scent of blossoms and exotic essences that they wore. The forest grew silent and contemplative. Shubek squatted in the centre of the circle, close to a white oval stone that, until now, had escaped the erfin’s attention. As he examined it, he noticed that a thin transparent film of mould was growing over the entire surface of the stone. Shubek placed his hand upon the stone and rubbed it, creating a glowing discharge as he did so. After much rubbing, the stone was glowing with enough light to illuminate the area in which they all sat, glowing with a cool light. Shubek’s palm also glowed and he stood up and etched a large circle in the earth, creating a glowing arc as he made his way around it. The glow in his palm was transferred in the process and Mirrortac noted that it was indeed the mould that exhibited this property of light.

  Out from the trees it seemed, popped the blinking shining eyes of many small creatures, attracted to the glow of the strange mould. A furry ball leapt out
into the circle and hobbled on two tiny feet, trailing three long tails, which it retracted into balls up against its body. The weird furry ball was quickly joined by more of them, leaping from branches and bushes all around the gathering. Hands reached out and fondled the creatures, which made no attempt to flee. They possessed big silver eyes and protruding snouts lined with small teeth arranged in a circle within their tiny mouths. The child petted one of the creatures and held it up to Mirrortac.

  ‘This is Wuffette,’ he pronounced with a smile. ‘It likes to suck at the fruit. And it has sticky feet to hold on, see.’ He upended the creature, exposing its three-toed feet, which bore sucking pads like those of frogs.

  Mirrortac stroked the soft orange fur of the Wuffette, feeling it tingle at the touch. The Wuffette warbled and rolled its big eyes then unrolled its tails and slung them about the erfin’s neck. The end of the tails were barbed with many tiny hooks but the barbs did not penetrate into the skin. The tails were tingly and soft around Mirrortac’s neck, embracing him in a loose cuddle.

  ‘Wuffette likes Mirrortac,’ the child said, grinning.

  Mirrortac found the creature endearing, and, glancing about him, noticed that many of the Wuffettes were likewise hanging off necks, arms and curled up within laps.

  A chorus of warbling contented Wuffettes filled the circle. Shubek awaited everyone’s attention, rubbing at the stone from time to time and humming to the Wuffettes that hobbled around him. The warbling settled into a hush and all eyes were soon upon the keeper.

  Shubek closed his eyes and placed both his hands upon the stone. The Wuffettes blinked around them with big innocent eyes.

  ‘Zoooooooo – awwwwwwwwmmmmmmmm.’ Shubek hummed out a long continuous sound and the others closed their eyes too. Mirrortac watched and listened.

  ‘Zoooooooo – awwwwwwwwmmmmmmm,’ they all hummed, harmonising together into a deep sound that resounded off the trunks of surrounding trees. The Wuffettes rustled in their places, swivelling their ball-shaped bodies, indifferent to the ritual being performed around them. The humming went on, levelling off into a tonic drone. As the chants and songs continued, Mirrortac’s eyes grew heavy. He did not know when sleep overcame him. He was listening to the singing one moment, lulled by the melody and unaware that his eyes had closed. The rise and fall of the voices was like the sea, rhythmic and changing. It was the breath of the air, the sway and dance of tree limbs, the swooping form of wings, the gentle roll of a world within worlds. Sleep had arrived and he was in his dreaming place. He could see trees and Wuffettes with their snouts buried in ripe fruit. The ground was several erfin-lengths below and he could feel himself rising, suspended as a bird in air. The Wuffettes crooned up at him as he passed them, brushing as he did through leaves, past trunks, higher and higher towards the canopy of the Divine Green. All around him the forest was enveloped in a soft golden aura, like moonlight in the depths of night. He passed through the canopy and above it, catching sight of the whole of the forest as it climbed up the dim misty slopes of the Up-way Zu-laire. Mogog blazed down at him with his white moon face while a sprinkling of moon-drops peeked out from his glare.

  Shubek and the Children of the Divine Green were gathered eating fruit when Mirrortac awoke again, squinting into the sharp light of Luma as it shone through the gaps of forest above the leading ridge of Zu-laire. He stretched out, rolled himself up into a sitting position and yawned. It was already quite warm in the forest despite the shade that the trees offered. Shubek was talking to some of the child Meretees and they were laughing at his little rimes about creatures and plants of the forest around them.

  After eating their fill of fruit they all made ready to depart, hugging each other and singing each to themselves. Shubek came to Mirrortac and embraced him. ‘How does the dawn greet your mind, friend? Shubek said.

  Mirrortac glanced over at the path, which wound its way into the forest. ‘How far is this path and where does it lead?’ he asked.

  Shubek smiled. ‘How do you measure distance in your world, Mirrortac?’

  ‘We speak in erfin-lengths and mooniths. Mooniths are as far as we could walk in the space of half the waning of Mogog, the night ruler.’

  ‘And if one should walk slower or faster, what is a moonith then?’ Shubek quizzed him.

  ‘A moonith is judged at a steady pace. All erfins have come to know this pace. This is as a guide to measurement only.’

  Then I will speak in the passing of days as the Green sees distance. You shall see twelve dawnings in the Green but this is as the path leads you. There will be more dawns and other paths. Many leaves will fall and many more will grow anew in your passing here. I expect your feet will walk their moonith before this path ends.’

  ‘And where does the path end?’ Mirrortac asked, his ears twitching for an answer.

  ‘It ends,’ Shubek deliberated. ‘It ends at the centre of the world.’

  ‘The world of Plumer-Ra?’

  ‘No. Plumer-Ra is our island. The world is Mareos. Mareos is the greater world.’ Shubek indicated the pathway. ‘This path ends at the centre of Mareos but YOUR path ends at the centre of your world.’

  ‘Eol? Does it speak in riddles again?’ In his bewilderment, Mirrortac had slipped into the speech pattern of Petrosium.

  Shubek squeezed the erfin’s shoulder. ‘I speak not of Eol, brother. Do not concern yourself. You will know in time.’

  At that, Shubek called on the Meretees to leave and, turning to the erfin said: ‘Follow the path and see where it leads. You cannot say to the up-way - “I am there!” - when you are here. First you must take the steps to go there. Come!’

  Mirrortac shook his furry head and followed as the Meretees walked onwards along the pathway. A flock of glistenings took wing from the lower branches of a nearby tree, winging up to a higher limb only a few hundred erfin-lengths farther ahead. The day’s march took them deeper into the Divine Green and closer to the mountain, which towered above them for some 1500 erfin-lengths. The variety of animal and plant life was abundant. There were trees that bled with the profusion of their sap, sap used to bind wood in the building of fluts and other things; there were mushrooms that grew to half an erfin-length and used in food preparation; creatures that hopped and crawled and slid and burrowed; and many colourful birds - all fruit and nectar eaters, adorned in feathers of various bright colours. Mirrortac learned the names of these and enquired of Shubek in the uses of some of the plants of the forest.

  When evening came again, the erfin had learnt much already but there were secrets of which the Meretees would give only vague hints. Mirrortac would not allow his curiosity to remain unsated. He thirsted for the knowledge of all the secrets of the Green and of the mysterious Meretees.

  Another day took them through a thickly wooded part of the green where trees with drooping aromatic leaf sprays grew in clumps on either side of the path. The Meretees discarded the vines they wore and took on fresh strips of the branches of this tree, sniffing at its scented leaves as they skipped and sang. The path took them away from the mountain and into a grove of the sweet scented winkle trees.

  Towards dusk, they emerged out of the grove and on to a beach of white glistening sand. Here they disrobed and swam in the calm protected waters between Plumer-Ra and the jagged rock ridge that Shubek called the Two-Ra Ruf. Mirrortac waded in the shallows, watching clawed and shelled creatures playing at the game of life in their watery world. When he returned to shore it was raining but the cool sting of the falling droplets was a refreshing cleansing of the bitter cling of the seawater. That night they psalmed a tribute to Sufra Mere, the great lake that lay between them and the distant world of Petrosium. Mirrortac wondered what had become of the talkative petros. Would he become a legend in their long memories?

  There were no fruits to eat at this place so many fishes had been caught in the waning daylight. Shubek made a ritual apology to the little spirits of the waters then they all ate. The night was dreamless and restful for Mirrortac who wa
s very tired. Mogog kept vigil over the night, admiring his dappled reflection in the shallow waters that swooshed over the sands of the beach. Day returned in a blaze of sun as Luma rose over the low grove of winkle trees. Shubek wasted no time resuming the trek down the long winding pathway back into the forest. He seemed in unaccustomed haste and was smiling broadly, patting trees as he passed and singing tributes to the Green. The grove petered out after a time and they found themselves in the big wood country, marching towards a broad ridge that swung out in front of the pathway like a giant foot.

  The country began to change quickly now, climbing up over the foothills of Zu-laire, the mountain whose lofty peak stood misted in its shroud of wispy cloud above. The path wound and zigzagged across the rubbly ground, into gullies and over a steady procession of hills and smaller ridges. The older Meretees of the group stumbled with their thinning flappy feet up the steep hillsides, breathing in gasps but undaunted in spirit. The trees grew taller and straight and were similar now to the Faug Forest although not as high. It was humid here and the strong green scent of the thick emerald coloured forest brought back memories of gorkles, thocks and monster snerks. Vines festooned in red and orange trumpet-shaped blossoms grew in streamers like lace from tree to tree, often hanging low over the path, causing all to stoop down and crawl their way beneath. Giant butterflies with transparent wings interlaced in silver designs, flitted from flower to flower, drawing out their coiled proboscises to sup at the nectar within. Strange umbrella-shaped creatures floated up into the high spaces, swaying long strings of cilia that dangled down from the outer circle of their bodies. These Shubek called Pluffy - a creature that was semi-transparent with converging dark veins that met in an inner circle at the centre of the umbrella-shaped body. The Pluffy were a soft lilac colour and fed upon ‘enriched air’ as Shubek explained it. Mirrortac craned his neck at the colonies of pluffy as they bobbed in pulsing motions in the high spaces between the trees. Shubek led them higher along the path that now cut its way in a zigzag up the main ridge that jutted out from the Up-way Zu-laire. It was very steep and progress was slow but Shubek pushed onwards, intent upon reaching a specified destination along the path.