‘I'm fine. Really, I'm fine. Give me some air.’ She brushed their hands away and clambered without help to her feet. Tom and Vehofnehu remained firmly in her face, and she pushed past them to see the Flame. A small crowd had gathered around it too, alarmed by its sudden activity. The intensity of its light was already fading. Within two breaths it had gone out completely.
The absence of the Flame and the future it tried to keep out ached in her chest like a wound. But there was no pain. Only happiness. Shilly wanted to down tools and run to Sal, to tell him everything. But she restrained herself. Time would reveal all. There was no point rushing things. When she was certain of her condition—certain that the voice out of the future wasn't a phantom from another world-line, something she would never see realised in hers—she would tell him that much, and let the rest unfold naturally. Let him be as surprised as she had been.
They would have a daughter. She would love her parents as did any ordinary child. She would be rich with the Change even at such a young age, and Pukje would teach her things she shouldn't know. But her daughter's childhood friend would do little more than cause minor mischief. Of that she would make absolutely certain.
It'll all be okay, the girl had said.
Better than okay, Shilly thought. Barring unforeseeable disasters, soon she would, at last, have a family of her own.
‘Perhaps I'll take a bit of a break,’ she told Vehofnehu. ‘Then I'd like to head back to shore. Can someone call Rosevear and ask him to see me when I arrive?’
‘I'll make sure it's done,’ said Vehofnehu. He didn't ask what was wrong, and he didn't proffer any reassurances. He simply loped off on his errand, leaving her in Tom's clumsy hands.
You sly dog, she thought. How much do you know?
But she didn't call him back. She tipped her head back so the cool, untainted sunlight caressed her tear-stained cheeks, and resolved to wait.
The tree surprised everyone, a skinny sapling reaching for the sky where the previous day there had been none at all. Once noticed, however, few gave it a second thought. Strange things were second nature to the people patrolling these parts.
The sapling went undisturbed and was allowed to grow tall and strong, immeasurably broadening a hair-thin crack in the stonework into a hole wide enough to pass a trunk wider across than a pair of outstretched arms. Human, Panic and man'kin enjoyed its shade without considering its origins.
Every Senior Maintainer bore a fragment of the Change-robbing Caduceus, as a sign of rank and also so that when they gathered together no one could eavesdrop on their business. They occasionally remarked on the tree's strange vitality, but no one ever suggested removing it. The green of its leaves added welcome colour to an otherwise bleak vista. Children, what few there were in such a remote outpost, enjoyed playing in its branches. Fallen twigs never ended up in the kitchen fires: some were whittled into elegant shapes; others were cut and varnished and given away as good-luck charms; a handful went into the making of a magnificent wooden chair, designed to seat the Goddess of the Flame, should she ever return.
The elderly Grandscribe himself once came to visit. During the tour of operations he paused under the tree and stroked its rough bark, smiling gently.
‘This old wonder has a story or two, I bet.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘If only it could talk, eh?’
His guides led him to supper, where waited the mother of his children and their eldest granddaughter, the twelfth in his proud line.
When they were gone, the native stretched its broad arms and rejoiced in its beautiful world.
Of the Sisters of the Flame**:
Adrasteia, Aglaia, Allekto, Anath, Atropos, Decuma, Urd.
Brigit, Euphrosine, Gabija, Lachesis, Nona, Sul, Teisiphone, Verdandi.
Klotho, Megaira, Mist, Morta, Skold, Thaleia, Wolkenthrut.
(**aka Aoroi, Charites, Disir, Erinyes, Eumenides, Fatit, Furiae, Idisi, Miren, Moirai, Moires, Norns, Parcae, Semnai Theai, Valkyrien)
Of the Ogdoad (the Eight):
Amun & Amaunet (invisibility, air, vitality)
Huh & Hauhet (the eternity of space, immortality)
Kuk & Kauket (the darkness that reigned before creation)
Nun & Naunet (the primeval waters)
Of the Holy Immortals***:
Armaiti (compliance, earth)
Avesta (truth, fire)
Horva (perfection, water)
Maitreya (the kind one)
Mannah (sound views)
Shathra (war, metal)
Srosha (obedience)
(*** aka Amesia Spentas, Pitaras)
Of the Nine Minor Deii of the Underworld:
Aeshma
Aiakos
Citipati
Culsu
Ereshkigal
Erlik
Iblis
Nyx
Vodnik
Of known Energumen:
Dagda Ollathir/K'op'ala
Ea A'as/Haukim
Esus Karitei-mo/He-li Di
Harun/Moukir
Haruna/Nakir
Lama Sedu/Guta
Neith Bechard/Aldinach
Vilkata Lascowicz/Upuaut
Of other Mirror (or significant) Twins:
the Alcis
the Asvins
the Iron Twins
the Kabiroi
the Leukippoi
Castor & Pollux (the Dioskuroi)
Romulus & Remus
Xolotl & Quetzalcoatl
OF THE FIRST REALM
Dei = Baal (aka Ba'l, Baal-Hadad, Bel, Belos, Bol, Helal)
Rival = Mot (aka Muth)
Previous dei = Geb
Minor dei = Kybele (aka Agdistis), Laskowicz (aka Vilkata)
Inhabitants: the genomoi, among whom are numbered the Duergar Clans; the Ghul (aka Jinn) and the Feie (aka Charites, Gratiae, Kuretes); the energumen; the Swarm; humans.
Characters: Bechard, Coatlicue, Elah-gabal, the Galloi, Gurzil, Kutkinnaku, Locyta, Mimir, Pukje, Tlaloc, Utu, Tezcatlipoca (aka Moyocoya).
OF THE DEVACHAN
The Devachan between the First and Second Realms is commonly known as Bardo. It has no occupants, and no dei. On the edge of Bardo is the Underworld. The Underworld is ruled by nine minor deii and inhabited by ‘devels’, which are divided into two classes: borphuro devels (aka Daevas) and tartikni devels (Dimanes). Regular commuters between First and Second Realms include: the Draci, the Dr'h, Gracchi, the Holy Immortals, the Ifrit, and the riders of the energumen. The entrance to the Devachan between the Second and Third Realms is controlled by the Sisters of the Flame and is commonly known as Sheol.
OF THE SECOND REALM
Dei: Yod (the Nail)
Second: Gabra'il (aka Gabriel, Jibrill)
Rival dei: Barbelo
Inhabitants: daktyloi (left-handed), which are divided into elohim (aka high daktyloi, angels, Malak) and devels. Other creatures include egrigor, the ekhi, the fomore, the Ogdoad (the Eight), saraph, the Vaimnamne (the silver steeds).
Other characters: Hantu Penyardin, Juesaes, Mulciber, Nehelennia, Simapesiel, the handsome king (aka Sun Wu-Kong, Sun Hou-zi, Sun Hou Tzu), Tatenen.
Places: Abaddon, Bethel, Elvidner, Sheol, Tatenen, the Path of Life.
OF THE THIRD REALM
Dei: Goibniu (aka Goban, Govannon)
Rival Chusor (aka Kotar)
From the perspective of the First and Second Realms, the Third Realm is difficult to comprehend. It does have inhabitants (known as right-handed daktyloi) such as the trickster philosophers K'daai and Kaltesh, but information rarely survives literal translation.
‘Bardo’: The name of the Devachan between the First and Second Realms.
‘Cataclysm’: Heralds change in the Devachan, allowing the major Realms to overlap or disintegrate, permanently or temporarily.
‘Dei’: Dominant being of a Realm; a power.
‘Devachan’: The void between Realms.
‘First Realm’: The corporeal world, of
matter (flesh) and physical objects.
‘Ghosts’: The entourage of the Three Sisters; the remnants of those who have chosen immortality over death in Sheol.
‘Hekau’: The ability to be understood (or not) in the Second Realm.
‘Human’: A multi-realm being whose complete life follows a continuous cycle from the so-called animal soul in the First Realm (Anima, Nephesch), through spirit in the Second Realm (Akasha, Ruach), to a higher soul still in the Third Realm (Amerata, Nechemah) and back again. The evolution from one Realm to the next is accomplished by either death or apotheosis.
‘Path of Life’: The route followed by the Holy Immortals, leading through the Realms (via Tatenen in the Second Realm, Sheol in the Third, Wunderberg in the First, and other places); each Realm is entered twice per cycle, travelling in different ‘directions’ each time.
‘Realm’: A ‘plane of existence’ capable of supporting life. The voids between Realms, the Devachan, are occasionally considered to be minor Realms in their own right, although they are rarely habitable.
‘Second Realm’: The world of spirit (will) and identity.
‘Soul’: Shorthand for the ascendant human; may refer to an incarnation in either the Second or Third Realm (as does the generic term daktyloi for other beings).
‘Third Realm’: The world of fate (choice) and destiny.
‘Underworld’: The first stop of an ascendant human lies ‘beneath’ the main part of the Second Realm and is populated by judges (sent involuntarily) and guides (willing), plus the lost and their tormentors.
From wintry Sweden to the top of the world: it was always going to be a long journey. With nigh on a million words invested in the realms of the Change, you would think I'd have nothing left to say. But writers can always find more words, and in this case most of them begin with ‘thanks’:
to Robin Potanin for reading faithfully and without reward for so long,
to Greg Bridges for producing not just consistently wonderful art but for surpassing himself every time,
to Stephanie Smith, Linda Funnell, Shona Martyn and everyone at HarperCollins for taking a chance on something outside the mould, and for giving me a breathing space when I most needed it,
to Lou Anders for thinking that the words ‘mad genius’ are a compliment (one I'm happy to accept),
and to the wonderful Amanda Nettelbeck for taking me on a much-needed journey back to where it all started.
I would also like to acknowledge Jan Harrow of the Creative Writing Department at Adelaide University for shoring up my belief that a writer never stops growing. Without challenges writers wither, both on the page and in their hearts. We all know it, even though sometimes we long for an easy life.
This series began and ended under difficult circumstances in the real world, but I think the fictional one benefited from it, and I am grateful to those who helped and continue to help me along the way.
Sean Williams
Adelaide, South Australia
Sean Williams is the author of thirty-five novels, eighty short stories, and the odd odd poem. He writes across the field of science fiction and fantasy for adults, young adults, and children, and he enjoys the occasional franchise, too, such as Star Wars and Doctor Who. His work has won awards, debuted at number one on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list, and been translated into numerous languages. His latest series is Troubletwisters, cowritten with Garth Nix. Visit him online at www.seanwilliams.com.
The author supports A Just Australia.
www.ajustaustralia.com
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