“I am not surprised that you feel you are thinking more clearly,” said Xido. “You no longer have the constant presence of the other worlds in your heads. Here, where there are far fewer gates, you need not be so guarded.”
“I sometimes feel — empty,” admitted Na. “And powerless.”
“We’ll remedy the tter,” promised the god. “I can tell you two are feeling better so we can resume our lessons.”
“Let’s eat first,” Im suggested. “My appetite is back.”
There was plenty enough in their packs, food of both this world and the one they had left, but they realized there would be a need to replenish it soon. Both Na and Im tended to trust their divine companion to take care of such things.
Following the meal, he began. “Those who do not understand the ways of wizardry think that we send our spirits elsewhere. We know better. There is no such thing, only our material self — but that self can travel anywhere in infinite being. In theory, at least!”
“Have you found any pce you could not?” wondered Na.
“I have found pces I shouldn’t have!” came Xido’s reply. “Worlds so incoherent, so illogical, that most could never find their way out again. Remember,” he said, “anything can be out there. Anything is out there, but your finite mind may not be able to find it. To imagine it, I could say.”
“So I could send myself — um, a part of myself, right?” Im looked up at Xido who nodded an agreement. “A part of myself back to Hirstel?”
“You could and you shouldn’t. We will want to stick to safe worlds for now. There are little empty pces that are good to visit. If one of you and another sorcerer enters one of those, the two of you can converse, now matter how far apart you are. Even if you live in different worlds, though that is not advisable.” The god did not offer an expnation why.
“The link,” spoke Na. “I know of it. All we of Hirstel knew of it but had no reason to attempt it.”
“You will want to, here,” Xido told her. “And you will want to be able to send a part of yourself off to do little bits of magic, bindings, openings, that sort of thing.” He looked steadily at Na. “I know you can do bindings already.”
“Not too successfully, Xit!” she replied, her ugh a tad nervous. “But I see what you are speaking of. I do indeed reach through other worlds to accomplish such things.”
“Then you have a start. Know that you have much more to learn.” The next couple hours were spent in the teaching and practicing of simple magics, until it began to grow dark.
“All this was too easy in Hirstel,” said the deity as the lesson ended. “One could do such things unconsciously, and even those with little natural talent could summon demon helpers. Now, time for a fire. Maybe some more food too. Where has Akorzef gotten itself off to?”
“Here,” rumbled the demon, approaching from among the trees. “I have food, maybe.” It held up an assortment of lifeless creatures.
“You killed those?” asked Xido. “We won’t eat anything you found already dead.” Qu’orthseth accordingly threw aside a couple of carcasses, one a bit ripe. “The fish looks good.”
“Easy to catch!” stated the demon. “They think I am good to eat and swim up to me.”
“Hmm, the birds — really too small to fool with. And no snakes or insects, please. Too much like some of my retives.” He snickered at a joke no one else understood. “A squirrel? We can try that. First, a fire.” The god started it as he had before, borrowing a fme from somewhere. “More wood,” he told the Hirstelites as he fanned leaves and twigs abze.
“A different sort of lesson,” he informed them, once the fire was going. “More practical, right now.” The pair was intrigued as he showed them how to gut and cut up their intended dinner, using the sharp knife that hung at his side.
“We ate meat at the vilge,” observed Na, “but had no real idea where it came from. I am not sure I like this eating of animals.” Im said nothing but was inclined to agree. This squirrel creature looked too much like some of the rats he had been friendly with back in Hirstel! But both ate.
“If I’m not mistaken,” said Xido, after the meal, “many priests and holy men of the Ildin do not eat meat. Maybe all those who follow the good gods. You should have no difficulty following a vegetarian diet among them, if you wish.”
Im wondered just what those who followed the evil deities might eat. But he asked something else. “Would it be a bad pce for us to live? Or me, anyway?” He gnced at Na before continuing. “I just want to find somepce to, um, fit into this world.” The woman might be looking for more than that. She had desired power back in Hirstel.
“Or should we be heading to this Tesra of which you have told us?” asked Na.
Xido was not forthcoming with advice. “You could learn more of sorcery among the Tesrans. I can’t remain here and teach you forever.” He leaned back on an elbow and continued. “Not that there is a great deal of talent among their people. You two would stand out and that is not always a good thing.” He furrowed his dark brow. “I doubt you have been noticed yet though it is possible.”
Qu’orthseth had been adding nothing to their conversation. Im wondered if the crimson creature had gone into its replenishment state, oblivious to what was around. Suddenly, it roused. “Someone approaches.”
“The cops again,” said Xido. “I have warning spells in pce too.”
There they were, approaching along the path the travelers had walked earlier this day. Two of the big bluish beings, striding along side by side. Although they looked exactly — to his eyes — like the two previous police-demons, Im suspected at least one was a different individual.
It was the third demon, behind them, that was notably unlike any he had seen before. Just what color? It looked a deep grayish-blue at moments and more green at others. Then he realized its exterior was a polished bck, reflecting the world about it.
It stepped forward and they could see it was only slightly smaller than its companions. “Lord Xido,” it procimed, sounding somewhat like a deep detuned brass instrument, “we call on you to cease harboring the escaped criminal Qu’orthseth.” It spoke this in the Zikem Im understood.
The little deity only shrugged. “Take it if you wish and if you can. I’ll not stop you.” His smile mingled malice with amusement. “But touch not the boy.”
The bck demon turned its featureless face toward Im. “The human is of no importance to us, one way or another. It is simply in the way of justice and must be removed, as any other obstacle.”
“What is the hurry?” asked the god. “The mortal will die on its own some day.” Im did not like the sound of that, true though it most certainly was.
“Justice should not be required to wait,” responded the demon, drawing itself up with a definite air of self-importance. “The council has decreed this and so it shall be.”
Yes, demons can sound every bit as pompous as some human beings I know. In fact, I could name — ah, perhaps I’d best not and just get on with the tale.
“You have not the strength,” broke in Qu’orthseth. “Both I and the god Xido protect the mortal.”
“There are those we might call upon ourselves,” came the response. “Keep that in mind, both of you. Criminal and Crocodile!” it stated, in even louder and deeper tones, “you have been officially warned.” With that, it turned and walked back north, followed by the two constables. And then they walked into nothingness, disappearing back to their own realm.
