by Des Pensable
‘If you can tell others of your kin about the new access to your food in the cave below then your people, your water cousins and my people will be able to live peacefully, avoiding confrontation,’ said Aquitain, now back in his body shell.
‘I will make it known. Your ways may be strange Mind Wizard Aquitain, but your actions have proven your worth. I shall remember this night favourably. Perhaps we may meet again where I can repay your assistance. Here take this. Farewell for now,’ he said and flew off seawards. Aquitain saw a crystal sphere the size of an orange appear on the ground in front of him. He retrieved it, and looking into it saw clouds floating within. He had seen one of these in his Grandfather’s shop. It was an Orb of Air Elemental Summoning, a rare and powerful magical object. He quickly stowed it within his body shell.
Even though Logicons were not supposed the have emotions, Aquitain was elated. He had not felt so good for years. He could hardly believe what had transpired over the past few hours. In his own mind he had shown his worth as a mind wizard, and he wondered how much of it could have been accomplished if he hadn’t been able to change shape. His new ability seemed no longer a disability that he had to learn to live with, but something that would add an exciting new dimension to his life.
Zephira walked over to join him.
‘Well done Robby. I’m proud of you. All the gateway wizards are talking about you as if you are the town’s new hero. The people have been a bit concerned, and even afraid of you. I think that once the word gets around you might have a lot of new business.
‘Zephira, I am now Aquitain. As Rob I would never have been game to do what I did today, or even to talk to that beautiful druid girl. I’m a different person. As strange as it may sound, this Logicon body is changing me, it’s giving me a more positive outlook and more confidence. Yesterday I was worried about it, but now I’m not so sure. I like my newman body, but I also like the firm feeling of control I get from this Logicon body.’
Zephira wasn’t quite sure how to respond to what her cousin had said. It was true; the Logicon body was affecting him. She would need time to decide whether it was for better or worse. She wondered what would happen when he eventually regained his newman body. That would be interesting.
Later, after a few hours rest, Aquitain went into the town to see what response there would be to his show last night. This time the people’s reaction was different from that of the previous day. Everyone waved and stood around close by, wanting to hear his version of what had happened. This caused some problems, as he wasn’t sure how much the High Wizard would want him to disclose about what lay beneath their town. He modestly said that he had discussed the town’s worries with the spirits and had come to an understanding with them not to fight around the town’s fountain any more.
Nobody believed him. All sorts of wild rumours went around. People had seen the flares off the headland and thought that there must have been a huge magic fight resulting in the destruction of the spirits. Regardless of what had happened he had done it, and was no longer under any kind of suspicion by most of the people. Logicons were now acceptable in Twin Towers.
Chapter 9 Suspicions
Aquitain spent the next two weeks repairing damaged magical items. Once word of his skills spread, many people seemed to find and dust off an old family heirloom that needed to be repaired by the local town hero. He found it better to go into a torpid dozy state that the Logicons called sleep during the middle of the day, rather than at night. It seemed his body preferred to be awake during the evening and early morning hours, so he adjusted his working times accordingly.
He spent as much time as he could shape changed to his human form, and each day he grew more efficient and speedier at changing and could stay in his human form longer. He accepted Quab’s suggestions about diet, and consumed a whole dead chicken every second day along with certain herbs, which substantially reduced the odour of his excrement. He also learnt when it was likely to be ejected, causing less of a floor cleaning problem.
While he was generally accepted, he discovered that he had made one enemy. Senior Wizard Curbut was extremely upset that the High Wizard had accepted Aquitain’s proposal that they live peacefully with the elementals rather than destroy them. He refused to attend wizard defender training with Zephira, and joked and complained about talking boxes being unnatural and inviting trouble from the gods. Neither Zephira nor Aquitain knew what to do about Curbut’s obvious dislike for Aquitain, so they did nothing.
When Aquitain had run out of items to repair he again turned to the problem of the ball of clay. He asked Alpha about it, but nothing was recorded in his hidden memory. Jaztrix the gnome had visited him twice and apologized profusely for not being able to spend any time with him, as the High Wizard was keeping her busy. One early morning when Featherdown visited him to see how things were going, he showed the High Wizard the ball of clay and asked his opinion as to what it was.
Featherdown was silent for a few seconds and then suggested, ‘Why not check it out in Old Hoary’s Encyclopaedia? It’s in my library near my Yith Collection.’
‘You have Yith books?’ asked Aquitain, quite surprised.
‘Yes, I have quite a number of them. It seems that there were Yith on this world at some stage before the Great Storm. The druids occasionally find some volumes in ruined temples, and they end up here.’
‘I heard the old elemental mention the Great Storm. Do you know much about it?’
‘Only a little! From what I’ve heard there was a great magic storm some two to three hundred years ago. It must have raged for quite some time as it destroyed nearly all the fauna and flora on the world. The druids arrived not long after it had abated, and began the process of restocking the plant and animal life here.
‘They decided early on to use the world as a haven for many endangered species from other worlds, and consequently there is a wealth of extremely rare animals and plants here. Unfortunately, this policy has now caused problems, as there are more illegal hunters and poachers arriving every year.
‘To help alert them to poachers and other problems, the druids made a deal with the small sentient reptilian creatures known as the ‘Little people’. These creatures roam around the jungles in groups, living off the land and informing the druids of any problems they find. As you can imagine, the illegal hunters and poachers are aware of their arrangements with the druids, and sometimes attack and kill them. It’s a nasty business, and getting worse.
‘Anyhow I’ll be getting on. Feel free to examine my Yith tomes, but just keep it to yourself that they are there, will you? I don’t want a rush of scholars cluttering up my library,’ and he left.
Aquitain was falling into Logicon ways. He tended to logically analyse everything he saw or heard, and became interested in the most trivial details. In a strange sort of unemotional way, he was overjoyed when he heard about the Yith tomes. He couldn’t get at them quickly enough. He decided to skip his normal sleep break and have a peek at the Yith tomes. He had shed his newman clothes, slid into his body shell and was about to close up, when in walked Quab.
‘Hello Aquitain! I’ve considered your request to learn about shape changing to some creature forms. Normally this would not be allowed, as you aren’t a druid. However, since you resolved the problem with the elementals so peacefully and eliminated one of my problems, I have reconsidered.
‘I have checked the rules and it is permissible for me to deputize non-druids to help when carrying out important jobs if I am shorthanded. It has been anticipated that the deputies may see druid lore that normally they wouldn’t, so they need to be sworn to secrecy and to not reveal anything they see or hear. Are you prepared to assist me in some important druid business?’
‘When?’ asked Aquitain.
‘Why now, of course!’ said Quab.
Aquitain froze. This was a dilemma of the greatest magnitude. He wanted to do both things now, but one would have to wait but which one? His mind stopped, he couldn’t decide, but just stood there.
Quab waited for a reply, but none came. Aquitain seemed to be paralysed.
The druid walked around him then waved his hands in front of his eye lenses with no response. Finally he went over to the workbench, grabbed a hammer and belted Aquitain’s body shell a couple of times, and yelled.
‘Wake up, wake up. I haven’t got all day.’
Aquitain snapped out of the mental paralysis and said ‘Thanks Quab! You don’t need the hammer any more. I think I just had a fit of some kind.’
‘That has happened with me on a couple of occasions,’ Quab confided. ‘The first time I flew as an eagle, I was so scared that I froze and crashed. When I finally got airborne I was so scared of landing that I froze and crashed again. It happens when your newman mind doesn’t trust what your body wants to do or vice versa. Be careful, it could be dangerous.’
Aquitain considered what Quab had said, then recalled that Facit had warned him that Logicons could be caught up mentally by dilemmas or situations where there were no rules. Maybe the dilemma of wanting to do both things simultaneously had caused the problem. Quab was right. What if he froze up like that at some dangerous time? He would have to think about this when he got the chance.
‘I’d greatly appreciate becoming your deputy and rendering any assistance I can. I’ll put up a sign that I’m out and we can go,’ he said, trying to forget the problem for now.
After swearing Aquitain in as his deputy, they left for Quab’s druid sanctuary, which was located on the edge of the jungle to the north west of the town. They must have looked quite a sight together, a bushy bearded druid in a loose, roughly made robe, sandals and a palm leaf hat walking and talking to a creaking metal box. Several passers-by broke out in wide smiles and looked away so as not to laugh; but some wore frowns.
Quab first showed Aquitain around his sanctuary. It consisted of a large pentagonal block of land surrounded by thorn bush with entry gaps in each side. The rear backed onto a small stream. Near the front entrance to the sanctuary was a cottage with a small vegetable and spice garden and between it and the stream was a Living-Altar to the Lady.
This consisted of a semicircular area of trellis covered with vines bearing a profusion of colourful sweet scented flowers that cascaded down the sides. Under the trellis were log seats for those present at the service. To the front of the area was a tree with a half-table attached to it, with the two carved legs of the table facing toward the seats. At sunrise each morning, it was used to give praise to the Lady. The locals were encouraged to attend if they wished, but few did.
The cottage was a simple bamboo and palm leaf structure raised about two paces off the ground topped by a palm leaf thatched roof with wide overhangs. A pair of hammocks swung on the veranda that went around the outside. There was a doorway on each side and a few windows with shutters. The interior was divided into two areas. The largest was a living area, which had cupboards and shelves cluttered with countless bottles, packets and jars of seeds, and dried parts of plants and animals. The smaller room was a small animal and bird recovery area, which contained cages and various food stocks. Underneath the cottage, out of general sight, were cages for larger animals.
The rest of the area was covered with gardens and walkways, and there were countless birds and several animals roaming the grounds.
‘Come out of your shell, enjoy the peace and serenity, walk around and view my sanctuary. Nothing will harm you here. This is the preserve of the Lady,’ said Quab. ‘I’ll go and get some drinks.’
‘I’ll be naked Quab. What about visitors?’
Quab sang some magical words in a beautiful baritone voice and said, ‘I’ve closed the gates. You are now free to roam as you please. Druids have no concern about nakedness; we wander the land in our natural state as do all the animals. The Council has a rule that we wear clothes when in townships - elsewhere we do as we please.’
Aquitain slithered out of his shell and changed shape to his naked newman form. Immediately he felt the magic field. He looked where the entry gaps in the thorn bush had been and found them closed. Using his ability to detect magic, he saw everything around him glowing deep purple. He looked around for the source of the magic and noted that it came from a clump of bushes at the centre of the sanctuary.
He strolled over and saw that there was a large barrel shaped rock bearing magic symbols, and partially covered by bushes. He closely examined the magic emanating from the rock and decided that it was some sort of druid magic designed to give a calming, soothing effect; but hidden within it was some divination magic which was designed to detect something.
Quab was probably trying to determine something about Aquitain. He strolled to the boundary of Quab’s land. At one of the corners was another barrel shaped rock inscribed with magic symbols. Aquitain concluded that the whole sanctuary was warded. It was unlikely that anyone could enter or leave without Quab knowing. The druids were obviously very cautious for some reason.
Quab returned with a cool fruit drink that had a strong wine base. Aquitain drank it without comment, knowing the wine portion would have no effect on him.
‘Good. Let’s do some shape changing. First I’d like to observe your Logicon form, and perhaps experiment with it a little so that I can get an idea as to where we should start.’
It was obvious to Aquitain that Quab had him under scrutiny. Quab wanted to know what he was. Perhaps he didn’t believe he was a Logicon. Perhaps he didn’t believe he was a newman spirit in a Logicon body. It didn’t really make much difference, as Aquitain could only be what he was. So he submitted to all of Quab’s experiments.
By the afternoon he had had enough and wanted Quab to show him something useful. Quab stated that to fully appreciate shape changing he had to concentrate on the detail, as it was this that made the difference. The smart shape changer studied the creature he wished to mimic for some time before actually attempting it. Some druids spent days watching a creature and observing its habits; some drew pictures and others created small sculptures. All this effort was undertaken in order to know and understand the detail.
‘Imagine shape changing to a creature without a reproductive organ. All the other members of the species would notice immediately. Attention to detail is imperative,’ he said.
Quab decided that they would start with shape changing to a snake, as this was comparatively easy. First he insisted on discussing the differences between snakes, how some were poisonous and others not, their strategies for attack and defence and the subtle differences in head shape, coloration and scale size. He then talked about how snakes viewed the world from their lowly position on the ground, their strengths and weaknesses.
Later they started drawing snakes and modelling their shapes using clay. Quab’s instructions and methods brought back memories and reinforced much of what he had learnt from Facit back in Panmagica. Finally, he demonstrated many important features about shape changing to snakes by changing himself, and Aquitain was most impressed by his abilities.
Aquitain decided that he knew enough at that stage to change to a large constrictor, and after two hours of attending to fine details, he managed to change to a very convincing constrictor indeed. By nightfall Quab was quite impressed.
‘Now let’s see how much you have learnt,’ he said. ‘Go out of the sanctuary to the north into the jungle, make a kill, eat it and come back. I’m hungry myself, so I think I’ll have some dinner while you’re gone.’
Aquitain wasn’t quite sure whether Quab was jesting or not, but when he went into the cottage leaving Aquitain outside in snake form, he assumed that he meant what he had said. So off he went slithering down to the thorn bush barrier, then along it until he found a small gap to pass through, and then off into the night.
It was quite strange being a hunter in the dark, sliding along silently; tasting the air, listening and feeling vibrations through the ground. Several small animals detected him and sprinted off in panic. He noted that he could detect the warmth of other creat
ures. After an hour of searching, he felt that his shape change was about to expire when a lizard as large as he was suddenly attacked him, by charging down a tree trunk as he was passing by, and grabbing him by the neck.
He couldn’t believe that he could be ambushed so easily. He was so immersed in watching for warm-blooded creatures that he had been caught by a cold blooded one, which he had not seen. He writhed around trying to get a coil around it, but it hung on biting tightly into his neck. The reality of the situation finally hit him. It wasn’t a game any more; the lizard wanted to eat him. He would have to cheat.
He first used a mental power that allowed him to toughen his skin, preventing any further damage around his throat. He then reverted to his Logicon shape. The lizard still hung on, but must have been a little confused. He then reformed as a snake, but this time the lizard was hanging onto his tail. He quickly struck back at the lizard, sinking his teeth in around the shoulder, and started coiling his body around it and squeezing. Moments later it shape changed into a newman. It was Quab. ‘You win,’ he shouted. ‘Let go!’
Aquitain quickly let go, uncoiled and shape changed back to his human form.
‘What are you playing at Quab?’ asked Aquitain, more than a little concerned. ‘I could have killed you!’
Quab was bleeding from the snakebite puncture marks across the shoulder. He whispered a prayer to the Lady and placed his hand over the bite. His hand glowed momentarily and the bite puncture was gone.
‘That’s better,’ he mumbled, then added, ‘Sorry! It was supposed to be a lesson on vulnerability. Everything has an enemy. That lizard I changed to likes eating snakes. You cheated, but you showed good initiative to swap back to your slime form and reform your snake form the other way round. I’m impressed. Let’s call it a night and have another session tomorrow, if you’re still keen.’
‘How did you know I wasn’t a real snake?’ asked Aquitain.
‘I was tracking you all the while to make sure you didn’t get hurt. I noticed that you never looked up the trees as you slid past them. That could have been a fatal mistake. You must remember that everything feeds off something. Hunters know their victim’s weaknesses. If you shape change you must be aware of your weaknesses, and preferably how your enemies might exploit them.’
