Dream Finder cohs-1

by Roger Taylor

  But the fabric of the Great Dream could not be torn, for the one thread was of the nature of the timeless time and was indivisible. But so great was Marastrumel's strength in his anger that he split the weave and plunged his hands between and beyond and a strange new pattern was formed, the like of which was not to be found throughout the whole of the Great Dream, so pained and tortured was it.

  And in this pattern could be seen the world of men, each of whom bore within him the shadow of his two creators.

  And fearful of MaraVestriss's anger at this deed, Marastrumel wrenched free his hands recklessly, injuring them sorely. And, in great pain, he fled the Great Dream, departing into the outer silence.

  But MaraVestriss had no true anger for his child and he looked upon the fleeing figure only with sadness. For he had seen that Marastrumel had so harmed his hands that he would weave no more. Then he turned his gaze to the strange new pattern that had been made and he pondered.

  For though the damage had been done to but the tiniest portion of the Great Dream, yet also it was great, and he saw that in its repair there would lie yet greater harm to the Dream. And, too, he saw that this strange new pattern was one beyond his imagining and that it held many great wonders, such as the world of men, and other worlds, and the rich layered world of dreams within the Dream.

  And he asked himself, ‘How could this, which is beyond my imagining, have come about?'

  But he could find no answer.

  Then, for the first time, he asked, ‘How was it that out of the timeless time, I became?'

  And still there was no answer.

  And the strangeness of the pattern haunted him, so deliberate and purposeful did it seem; so well wrought despite the manner of its making. So MaraVestriss knew that he too was ignorant and he turned from the Great Dream and resolved to seek an answer to his question elsewhere before he could turn his hand to mending this strange, chance, pattern.

  But before he departed, he looked again at the world of men newly formed within the weave of the Dream. And he saw pain from the manner of its making and in its separateness from the Great Dream. So, in response to some unspoken voice, he touched the pattern gently, giving to certain of mankind the skill to weave the fabric of the Great Dream themselves. And these were the Mynedarion, though in his wisdom MaraVestriss left them unaware of his touch.

  And he gave to others the skill to walk amid the world of dreams within the Dream.

  And these were the Dream Finders.

  And MaraVestriss departed to seek an answer to his question.

  But from the silence beyond, Marastrumel, still lusting for possession of the Great Dream, had seen his final touch. And when MaraVestriss had departed, he returned stealthily and sought among mankind to find the Mynedarion, hoping through them to reshape the Great Dream in accordance with his own will.

  But they were few, and mankind was many. And their gift was hidden in the finest of the fine weaves of the pattern, and save for the occasional chance, he could not find them.

  'But he searches still,’ Antyr said into the library gloom, finishing the remembered tale and recalling how he would dive under the bed covers when his father reached this traditional end with mock menace. It was a warm, comforting memory.

  There was a long silence, during which only the hissing of the lamp could be heard. Antyr could feel Tarrian wanting to say, ‘A creation myth, nothing more. There are many such,’ but he could also feel uncertainty restraining him.

  'It is a creation myth,’ he admitted, sparing Tarrian his debate. ‘But even as that it must be the shadow of some dark reality. And that reality seems to be alive and happening to us now, doesn't it?'

  Tarrian made no reply.

  'What shall we do?’ Antyr asked.

  Tarrian shook his head. ‘I don't know,’ he said. ‘All I can think of is that we keep searching through the legends for some kind of a clue.

  Antyr looked at the picture again. At worst, his finding it was a remarkable coincidence. On the other hand …

  Tarrian interrupted. ‘Doesn't the legend tell about some of the Dream Finders arming themselves to protect the Mynedarion and oppose the will of Marastrumel?'

  Antyr recalled his thoughts as he and Tarrian had talked together after leaving the Duke the previous night.

  'Yes. They were the Dream Warriors. Adepts of the White Way.'

  Antyr and Tarrian stared at one another. Neither had spoken. Then a shadowy figure emerged silently from a gap between the shelves nearby. It stopped, and turned towards them. Then it emitted a blood-curdling shriek of rage.

  Chapter 10

  Antyr jumped to his feet in terror, and Tarrian, tail well between his legs, scuttled behind him, crouching low.

  'I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry,’ the figure said hastily, stepping forward and waving a reassuring hand. ‘I'm afraid it's Kany, my Companion, he's just realized that your Companion's a wolf.’ There was a pause as the figure craned forward, obviously listening to something intently. Antyr caught part of a high-pitched and earnest babble. ‘And that he's just eaten a rabbit,’ the figure concluded, his voice fading into nothingness as the sentence proceeded, so that the word ‘rabbit’ was mouthed significantly rather than spoken.

  Antyr's wits cleared sufficiently for him to see that he was being addressed by an old man, grey-bearded, hunched and frail.

  'You frightened us half to death,’ he said, both more loudly and more aggressively than he had really intended. ‘Coming out of the shadows like that…'

  'I'm so sorry,’ the figure apologized again. ‘I can see I've upset you.’ He held out his hand. ‘My name's Pandra, Indares Pandra. I'm afraid we dropped off when we were reading and when we woke we accidentally overheard your conversation.’ He cleared his throat awkwardly.

  'You mean you were eavesdropping,’ Tarrian said, erect now, and mildly indignant as he stepped out from behind Antyr.

  The old man began a long and pensive, ‘Er…’ which was obviously rising to buttress a strong denial, but which concluded in a staccato ‘Yes’ as the speaker opted for the truth at the last moment.

  'Forgive me … us,’ he added.

  The sudden slide into abject contrition released Antyr's tension and made him smile. His still uncertain legs however, prompted him to sit down again and he indicated a nearby chair for the new arrival.

  The old man hesitated for a moment.

  'It's all right,’ Tarrian said, his voice echoing slightly so that Antyr knew he was speaking so that both Pandra and his Companion could hear. ‘Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you.'

  'I'm not afraid, you savage,’ came the high-pitched voice that Antyr had heard briefly before. ‘I'll have your snout off if you give me any trouble.'

  Somewhat to Antyr's surprise, Tarrian sat down looking rather sheepish and made no attempt to answer this seemingly unwarranted abuse. Then, as Pandra sat down, he pulled from the pocket of his gown a black rabbit. It was quite small, but its ears were well chewed and its face was scarred, giving it a distinctly bad-tempered, not to say ruffianly, appearance. After a pause for a long and rather laboured scratch it scuffled lopsidedly to the edge of the table and peered over at Tarrian.

  Antyr caught a whiff of some swift animal exchange between the two, during which Tarrian spent most of the time with his ears drawn back while Kany chattered his teeth fiercely at him. Then, after some hesitation, Tarrian craned forward slowly, and rabbit and wolf touched noses briefly.

  Antyr knew better than to inquire into the details of the debate. Companions were necessarily wild and free, and their animal affairs were very much their own, as most Dream Finders usually discovered quite early in their careers.

  Satisfied, however, that the two Companions had made some kind of a professional peace-albeit, he suspected, based on a mutual dislike of ‘moggies’-Antyr turned again to the old man.

  'Perhaps it's we who should apologize for waking you with our noise,’ he said. ‘We thought we were alone.'

  Pandra
shook his head. ‘No, it's fortunate you came,’ he said. ‘We could have slept till Dreamsend if you hadn't. I doubt anyone is likely to be down here before then.'

  'Yes,’ Antyr agreed regretfully, though smiling again at the old man's manner. ‘I was surprised to see the place so deserted. It used to be so busy once.'

  'Before your time, though, I suspect,’ Pandra replied, then he looked at Antyr intently. ‘What's your name, young man?’ he asked. ‘You've got the look of someone.'

  Antyr introduced himself.

  Pandra's eyes narrowed. ‘Antyr,’ he said, testing the name for a moment before realization dawned. ‘You're not Petran's lad, are you?’ he asked.

  Antyr nodded. ‘Yes, I am,’ he said. ‘Did you know him?'

  'Well, well. Fancy that,’ Pandra exclaimed, ignoring the question but sitting up and smiling broadly. ‘Kany, it's Petran's lad.'

  'I heard,’ said the rabbit irritably.

  Pandra continued, unabashed by his Companion's manner.

  'Well, well,’ he repeated. ‘I should have known from the wolf, I suppose. They're not common these days. Now what's your name, Antyr's Companion? Don't tell me.’ He turned his face up towards the gloomy darkness of the ceiling for inspiration. ‘Tra … Tra … Tranian … no … Tarrian, that was it. Tarrian. Well, well. Don't you remember him, sitting alongside Petran, Kany?'

  'All carnivores look the same to me,’ Kany replied testily, muttering as an afterthought, ‘all teeth, curled lips, and slobber.'

  'I'm sorry,’ Pandra mouthed softly to Antyr. ‘Neither his memory nor his manners are what they were once.'

  'I heard that,’ Kany said. Pandra stroked him gently and made a clicking noise with his tongue.

  He looked at Antyr and shook his head proprietorially. ‘It's good to see you, Antyr,’ he said. ‘I can just about remember you as a little thing by your father's side. I didn't know him well, you understand. I don't think anyone really did. He was a bit stiff in his ways. But he was a fine man. Great integrity. Knew his craft, and always willing to help. He was highly regarded by those who mattered. I was shocked when he died so suddenly.'

  He pursed his lips reflectively.

  'Let's leave,’ Tarrian said privately to Antyr. ‘We've things to do and we're going to get his life story in a minute.'

  Antyr flicked him with his foot discreetly.

  'He used to worry about you, as I remember,’ Pandra went on. ‘Used to say you were something special, but he didn't know what. Still, that's parents for you, isn't it. Fuss and fret. Think their kids are going to be great artists, or Senedwrs, or some such, but you go your own way in the end, don't you? End up like the rest of us. Getting by. Earning a crust. Fussing and fretting over your own children in your turn.'

  'Antyr…’ Tarrian murmured significantly.

  'Do you remember anything particular that my father said about me?’ Antyr said, on an impulse. Tarrian let out an audible sigh and flopped down on the floor.

  Pandra shook his head. ‘To be honest, I can't say that I do, Antyr,’ he replied. ‘It was just fathers’ talk, and as I say, I didn't know him all that well. He was always a bit distant.'

  His eyes met Antyr's. ‘Why do you ask?'

  Antyr was about to shrug off his inquiry casually, but something in Pandra's gaze drew him forward. ‘I've a problem,’ he said somewhat to his own surprise. ‘Something strange has happened-to both of us.’ He indicated Tarrian. ‘And I, we, just don't know what to make of it or where to turn for advice.'

  'Oh dear,’ Pandra said sympathetically, but not particularly hopefully. ‘If I can help you I will, of course, but I'm very slow these days, virtually retired now. Very much out of touch with modern developments.'

  'I don't think it's a modern problem,’ Antyr said. ‘I think it might be a very old one.'

  'Ah. I wondered what you were doing thinking about the MaraVestriss legend.’ Kany's high-pitched voice interrupted the conversation. ‘What were you looking for?'

  Though the rabbit looked old, the curiosity in its voice was that of inquiring and vigorous youth, and both Antyr and Tarrian started.

  Pandra lifted a restraining hand. ‘I'm sorry,’ he said. ‘I'm afraid Kany's very nosy. Not to say rude.'

  'Well?’ asked Kany ignoring the comment.

  'I don't know what we were looking for, but this is what we found,’ Antyr said, indicating the illustration.

  Kany sidled over to the book and peered at it, his nose twitching. ‘And?’ he asked.

  'Master of the monosyllable, this one,’ Tarrian muttered, prompting another prod from Antyr's foot.

  'I was visited by such an apparition last night,’ Antyr said bluntly. ‘And separated from the protection of my Companion.'

  Pandra's eyes widened in disbelief and then alarm. He drew in a noisy, shocked breath. Kany made a strange, high, whistling sound.

  'Separated? What do you mean? What happened?’ the old man managed, after a moment, his face full of concern.

  Briefly, Antyr told him, aware that Kany and Tarrian were communicating between themselves as he did.

  When he had finished, the dusty silence of the library seemed to close around the group. Pandra shook his head in dismay. ‘I've never heard the like,’ he said, eventually. ‘Never. How could such a thing be? If you weren't a Dream Finder I'd say you'd been dreaming.'

  'I don't know,’ Antyr said. ‘That's why we're here. Floundering around. Searching for anything that might tell us what's happening or what to do.'

  'It should be a matter for the Guild Council, I suppose,’ Pandra said, without conviction. ‘But it's not what it was.'

  He pursed his lips and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. ‘Fees seem to be the only thing that they're interested in these days. And anyway, I wouldn't trust some of them to find the Duke's palace on Viernce Liberation Day, let alone a dream. And as for dealing with this…’ He shook his head. ‘Kany, what do you think?'

  'I think I'm too old for this,’ the rabbit replied. ‘And so are you. I've heard Tarrian's side, and it's bad. Beyond anything we can help with. Take me home.’ There was a brief private communication between the two which ended with Pandra picking the rabbit up and placing him back in his pocket. He threw an appeal for understanding to Antyr.

  Antyr nodded. ‘I'm sorry,’ he said. ‘It was thoughtless of me to burden you with such a problem. Maybe I will take it to the Council, after all. They should know about it even if they don't know what to do with it.'

  'They'll either form a committee to look into it, or strike you off the roll for intemperance,’ Kany said unexpectedly.

  Antyr's mouth dropped open.

  'I'm sorry, I had to do a little burrowing into you,’ Kany said sincerely, but in a tone of regretting the need rather than the deed. ‘But if it's any consolation, the wolf's right. What happened was none of your doing.'

  Antyr shot an angry glance at Tarrian who must have conspired in this intrusion, but his reproach was met with the same attitude. ‘Companion's need,’ Tarrian said, almost tersely. ‘Who knows what danger we're in. And we need all the help we can get.’ Adding privately, ‘He might be a bad-tempered old rodent, but he's sharp, believe me.'

  Antyr heard the justice in Tarrian's words but he still felt humiliated by this clandestine observation of his inner thoughts. ‘Damn you both,’ he said turning away. ‘You could have asked.'

  Kany chuckled darkly in the warm comfort of Pandra's pocket. ‘Since when does a hunter tell the prey what's going on?’ he said.

  'He means you'd have shut him out, Antyr,’ Tarrian interjected hastily, seeing Antyr's jaw tighten. ‘It's very difficult not to. Especially when you're afraid.'

  Pandra reached across and laid a hand on his arm. ‘Don't be angry,’ he said. ‘You know he's right. Kany's confirmed the reality of what happened. Something like that could have been an accidental coincidence of thoughts between you and Tarrian. A sort of unknowing mutual deception. I've heard of such things happening. Never actu
ally met anyone to whom it's happened, mind you, but…'

  Antyr put his hands to his head and closed his eyes. He had not even been aware of the faint, flickering hope that he now felt dying out, but its passing left him feeling starkly alone.

  And frightened.

  He stared into the shapeless colours that flitted behind his eyelids, and wished himself far away.

  'I need a drink,’ he said bitterly, only just overcoming an urge to sweep all the books off the table.

  'Have as many as you like,’ Kany said brutally. ‘Drink yourself into a stupor if you want, but you're the focus of this problem and it won't go away.'

  'How the hell do you know anything?’ Antyr said angrily.

  'I know because I'm old, like the wolf here,’ Kany snapped back, in like vein. ‘A damn sight older than you, I might add. And because I know most of my strengths and weaknesses.'

  'I know my weaknesses well enough,’ Antyr replied acidly. ‘As does everyone else in Serenstad judging from the amount of advice I'm given about them.'

  'I really am too old for you humans and your endless foolishness,’ Kany said wearily. His voice was suddenly quieter, but there was such restrained fury in his reply that Antyr quailed before it. ‘It's your strengths you don't know, not your weaknesses.'

  The rabbit's words seemed to burn into Antyr's head.

  'Strengths, Antyr,’ Kany repeated, more gently, and speaking privately to him. ‘Pandra here is a fine Dream Finder. One of the old school. Cares about his craft, cares about his clients, and me. I couldn't wish for better. But you're different. You're far beyond him. I can tell that even without working with you. And Tarrian is beyond me. He keeps it from me but he must have been touched by humans of rare skill in his growing.’ He paused, puzzled. ‘And by something, someone, else … strange … subtle … but…'

  His voice drifted into silence.

  Antyr, still shaken by the unexpected power radiating from such an incongruous source, picked up his last word. ‘But what?’ he said in some despair. ‘I'm not aware of any strengths in myself. And if I were, what use is this strength if I can't know how to use it?'