Eyes of the Alchemist

by Janet Woods

  His chamber guard sprang to attention when he opened the door. There was a large bunch of scarlet hothouse flowers in his hand. The trooper’s attempt to hide them under his cloak was unsuccessful when Kavan snatched them out and gazed at him with barely disguised suspicion. “Who are these destined for?”

  “For your . . . lady,” the trooper stuttered.

  “From whom?”

  “Uh . . . um . . . me, Lord.”

  He should have thought of a pretty gesture himself. Women set stock on such things. He frowned at the guard. “Who gave you permission to bring her flowers?”

  “No-one, Lord. I thought . . . I thought it might cheer her.”

  “They must have cost you a week’s credits.”

  The guard stared stoically ahead. “Yes, Lord.”

  Kavan took the flowers from the trooper and brought a handful of credits from his pocket. He dropped them in the trooper’s palm. “No-one brings my lady flowers, but me, understand.”

  “Yes Lord.”

  “Where did those come from?” he said when Athene came up the corridor carrying another armful of flowers.

  “The villagers are leaving them at the gate.”

  “Do they wish to suffocate my lady in vegetation?” he grumbled. “They’ll be bringing her cabbages and turnips next. Take them to the great hall, along with any others which might arrive.” He waved the red flowers under Athene’s nose before placing them back in the trooper’s arms and giving him a glare. “These are the only flowers allowed in there, and make sure she knows they’re from me.”

  “Certainly, my Lord,” Athene said. “Would you like me to include a message with them giving her your love?”

  The woman needed to know her place. “Don’t be so presumptuous,” he mumbled, certain his feelings were written on his face like those of the love-sick youth. “My lady has already been made aware of her lord’s regard.”

  Athene and the trooper gazed at each other and grinned when Kavan strode off, but it wasn’t until he’d turned the corner that they dared to laugh outright.

  * * * *

  When he left the manor with Torma in attendance Kavan was surprised to find a crowd had gathered outside the gates. The rumble of noise ceased and they gazed expectantly at him.

  His eyes widened when he saw the village women’s hair. Each had hacked off their long tresses in support of Tiana. It was a humbling experience for him to be thus censured. Ashamed, he silently begged her forgiveness.

  “What do you want of me?” he asked them.

  “News of Lady Tiana.”

  Their concern touched him. “My lady is out of danger and sleeping.”

  A great cheer went up. He hesitated for a moment, and then said. “For a long time now you’ve heard of my preparations for the joining of the rift. The time is almost upon us, for Truarc and Cabrilan are on a final convergence course.”

  A collective gasp echoed in the air.

  “As the time grows nearer there will be storms. When these occur you must strengthen your dwellings as best you can. Keep your children indoors lest they be injured by flying debris.”

  “What will happen when Cabrilan and Truarc join, lord?” someone shouted out.

  Which was a question Kavan hadn’t wanted them to ask. If he didn’t find the eyes the impact would shatter them into cosmic dust, but he wasn’t about to tell them that. It would happen when they were asleep so they’d have no time for terror.

  If he found the eyes . . .? He shrugged and amended it to when, for the chaotic scene had come to him in a vision when he was a lad, and his calculations had done nothing to indicate anything different.

  “There will be earthquakes. A mountain range will rise along the seam. Rivers will change course and ocean tidal waves spill over the low-lying land. Luckily, Cabrilan is built on high ground. There will be a period of famine.” He held up a hand for quiet when they began to grumble amongst themselves. “For several seasons my northern troopers have been secretly filling great storehouses with food preserves and grain. We’ll hunt game to supplement this and we have seeds in plenty to start new farming ventures.”

  “And do we have to feed the Truarc as well as ourselves?”

  “We already have Truarc amongst us and will be as one people. In return for our help, your children will be educated in their letters and will gain much in knowledge.” His voice rang with enthusiasm. “I’ve just unsealed the library of the alchemist. There are thousands upon thousands of books inside and instructions on how to reproduce them on the ancient machine contained therein.”

  Most of the crowd looked at him with blank eyes. The Cabrilan were more concerned with practical matters than book learning at the moment, and if there was to be a future he’d better get on with it?

  He shouldered his way through the crowd, fobbing off questions with instructions to ask Benlogan, who would issue a statement later that day and call for volunteers to form a support and rescue organisation.

  When they reached the lake he placed a hand on Torma’s shoulder, cuffing the other against his neck in a gesture of friendliness. “I go on alone.”

  “You cannot, Lord. I’m sworn to defend you with my life.”

  “You also swore to obey me,” he said and squeezed. When Torma dropped at his feet Kavan stared down at him, a wry smile on his face. “Sorry, Torma old friend, but you shouldn’t have dropped your guard.”

  He gazed up at the fall with anticipation in his eyes. “Here I am, Finn,” he said with soft menace. I’ve unsealed the Cabrilan augur, have learned the secret of the tomb and have come to collect the legacy of my ancestor, the grand alchemist.”

  It took but moments for him to gain access. Inside the cave, dark pressed in on him. He allowed his eyes to adjust then gazed at the serene form of the alchemist for a minitix. The cushion was dented. Finn had sat there the last time he’d seen him. Kavan’s mouth quirked into an ironic smile. He’d been young then, susceptible to illusion. The apprentice had put a strong fear spell on him to keep him from finding the truth – which meant Finn considered himself vulnerable. No wonder the spirit had kept to the shadows in his presence.

  For his own satisfaction he read the enigma on the alchemist’s book. He marveled now that what had once been so obtuse, was now so clear. He suspected Finn might have used his wiles to befuddle his understanding of it, before Tiana had pointed it out to him.

  He shrugged at his own arrogance. It was more than possible that Tiana had a better head for solving an enigma.

  A sequence of touches against a panel gave him access. The crystal tomb slid silently aside to reveal a set of stairs hewn into the rock. He took a deep breath and started his journey into the unknown. The steps led into a suffocating and clammy tunnel that spiraled ever downward.

  Lit only by the glow of his sword, he felt his way along, through cobwebs as strong as tailor’s thread. Dark forms scuttled out of his vision as his hands touched against slime-covered rock to keep him connected with reality. Things crunched and slid under his tread.

  He emerged into light and found himself standing on a ledge, high on a mountain. He felt disorientated. Below him was a rocky terrain. A step away was a flat rock on which Shazah gently pranced and snorted, inviting him on to her back.

  Suspecting she would take him where Finn willed he glanced upwards into a tumultuous maelstrom of white bubbles. Through them, he caught a gleam of silver. His eyes narrowed and he reached out a hand. It came back wet, he was under the surface of the lake, the maelstrom above was the fall. Sucking in a deep breath, he stepped out into the void and began to swim up towards the surface.

  At first, he thought he’d returned to the point of his departure. But when he emerged on to the land, the unconscious body of Torma was no longer where it had been left. Either he’d recovered remarkably quickly, or he had entered Finn’s Chimera world. Kavan gazed down at his clothes. He was still dry, which proved he was in chimera.

  The landscape was exactly the same as the one
he’d left behind. He made his way back to the manor, passing through the village. He recognized some of the people, but none of them recognized him. They went about their business as if he didn’t exist. He stepped back to avoid a collision but was not quick enough. The woman walked right through him.

  “By my beard,” he said, stroking his naked chin out of habit. “Finn has built himself another Cabrilan village to rule over.” His mind assimilated the information then threw back an answer. Finn’s motive was power for himself.

  Being invisible did not sit well with Kavan, but he realized it had its advantages. He gained access to the manor easily, the illusionary troopers impervious to his presence. Here were Torma, Javros and several other faces he knew, including those who’d perished in the war against Beltane.

  “I’ll avenge you, my brothers-in-arms,” he told the dead. “Your spent lives will not be in vain.”

  Music in the great hall drew him forward. Reclining on the chair of power was Finn. Next to him, Tiana was laughing at an acrobat doing cartwheels in time to music. He smiled at the vision of her. She was exquisite in a diaphanous gown of green spun with gold.

  Finn turned his head. His opaline eyes gleamed but his smile lacked warmth. “Welcome to my world, Kavan. What brings you here?”

  “You have little imagination. It’s my world reproduced, and you know why I’m here. I’ve come for the eyes.”

  “Yes . . . yes, I know. Don’t be so tedious, sit down and have some refreshment.” He banged his cane on the floor and a pair of watchers appeared with a jug and glass. Their eyes were dull and they seemed to be under a spell.

  “Your servants, master.”

  “Master?” Kavan gazed at Finn in disdain. “You upstart, you’re master of nothing.”

  Tiana turned reproachful, emerald eyes his way. Her hair was incandescent with light. She was a siren, pulling him irresistibly towards her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. Helplessly drawn by the invitation in her eyes he moved to sit beside her. She smiled, placed a goblet of wine in his hand and turned her face to his. He kissed her clinging mouth and found it hard to pull away.

  Finn cackled and leaned forward a little. “A sweet little piece for a man to have in his bed.”

  Anger thrust knives into his guts at the inference, but Kavan managed to nod in agreement before his hand shot out to grasp Finn by his collar. He found himself holding only a dusty robe.

  The manoeuvre told Kavan what he’d set out to know. Finn had the reflexes of a cat and the ability to access his mind. The latter he could guard against.

  The magician smiled smugly at him from the corner of the room and threw his cane at Kavan’s feet. It changed into a hissing snake that reared up to strike. “You’ll have to do better than that,” Kavan snarled, kicking it aside and striding across the room towards him.

  Finn pointed his hand at Tiana. “If you don’t stop, I’ll throw a fireball at her.”

  Kavan hesitated for just a moment, and then he patted the braid on his arm and took another step forward. A loud crack filled the hall and Tiana’s hair caught fire.

  She screamed out in agony when the flames licked her face. Her skin blackened and began to peel. He could smell it burning. She collapsed to the floor and cried out, “Kavan, help me . . . the fire hurts me so.”

  Even though he knew it was only an image he couldn’t stand her pain. He emptied the contents of the goblet over her head and knelt beside her. The smoking, blackened face smiled at him and disintegrated. When he looked up, Finn had gone.

  “Where did he go?” he automatically shouted at one of the troopers standing in unnatural attention at the door. He received no answer. The watchers seemed uninterested in the proceedings and didn’t answer either. Snapping a finger in front of their faces did no good. “Bewitched,” he muttered, and headed for the door. The manor was empty of people now. A couple of gaps had opened in the walls showing darkness beyond. Small pieces broke off to spin out into the void.

  It must be a tremendous effort for Finn to create and maintain such an illusion indefinitely, he thought. What if someone destroyed it? He took a swipe at the wall. Although his sword cut through it, no scar was visible.

  From his pocket he extracted a small, round crystal. When he gazed into its depths Santo moved into his vision. He was leaning over a table studying a chemical elements chart.

  Kavan whispered his name.

  Santo gazed about him. “Who calls me?”

  “Lord Kavan.”

  Santo smiled. “If you are in the chimera world there must be a good reason?”

  “Aye, I seek the magician who dares to present himself as the alchemist’s spirit. He is an impostor called Finn. He tried to kill Tiana and she barely survived the attempt.”

  Santo’s head jerked up. “I suspected he was not who he pretended to be but I didn’t consider him dangerous. What is Finn’s purpose?”

  Kavan told him everything he knew, finishing with: “His agenda is to grab universal power for himself. In that he’s deluded for the gods are more powerful than he can ever imagine. To make the attempt he must use the elements needed to save our world from destruction. The only way to stop Finn is to destroy the chimera worlds.”

  “The chimera worlds are maintained by Finn’s mind. Balanced like cards, they’re stacked one against the other. It’s illusionary and it gradually decays unless the mind power is maintained. If one part is allowed to fall into too much disrepair the structure will gradually collapse.”

  “It’s already started. I haven’t got the means to destroy it but you could try.”

  Anguish filled Santo’s eyes. “To destroy chimera I would have to kill Finn. To do that would be to lose what I’ve become. I’ll be a weak, crippled child again.”

  “If you don’t destroy him he’ll destroy you. His intention is to enter your body and meld your mind to his. Only you truly know how powerful that will make him.” A sense of urgency tore through him. “I’ve unsealed the library of the Grand Alchemist. Inside the books there are wonders untold. Access will be granted and you’ll have recourse to the true master’s teachings. In addition, I promise you’ll have my protection, for I’ll adopt you into my household if that is your wish. No doubt Tiana would approve of the arrangement.”

  The use of Tiana’s name turned the tide in his favor. Santo considered for a moment, then he shook his head. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to stop Finn, but I’ll do my best.”

  Kavan thought for a moment. “First I must get the watchers to safety. They seem to be bewitched.”

  A faint smiled touched the lips of the apprentice. ‘What you see are illusions. The watchers have their own chimera world. There is a series of caves hidden deep in the forest bogs, and guarded by the sacred eels. There, they drink the juice of the eel and they mate and sleep, sustained by the dreams of ages past, which is retained in their genes and passed down from one generation to the next. From the watchers ranks the eels select one each of the older pairs as sustenance for their survival, thus keeping the population under control.”

  “I knew nothing of this.”

  “It’s a sacred and secret place to them. A watcher who revealed the location would be cast out to die, for it could not survive without the companionship of its fellows.”

  “How did you come to hear of it, then?”

  “All knowledge is mine to gain in this world.” Santo appeared sad for a moment. “When the chimera world collapses my mind will be a blank page again. So will yours, because you’ll forget I told you.”

  Kavan cut through the rhetoric; too much was at stake to bother with Santo’s problems or his recently learned wisdom. “Where’s Finn now?”

  “He could be on his way to find me. I must prepare with meditation and protective spells, for although his knowledge is less than I thought his magic is strong and he’s cunning in his ways. He thinks he controls my will but I’ve learned how to resist it now without being detected. If he has a weakness, it’s in his vanity.
”

  “I’ll try and slow him down a little, Santo. Which way do I go?”

  “To the left, Lord. Keep always to the left and watch out for obstacles. Good luck.”

  Kavan slid the ball back in his pocket and strode off through the village. There were fewer people abroad now and he confidently walked straight through those who got in his way.

  The road out of the village was deserted. He could see the end of the world he was in, like a flat line across the horizon. A small figure scurried along in the distance.

  “Finn!” he yelled out.

  The figure turned, and then disappeared, as if the road had opened up under him.

  Kavan started to run. When he neared the next world he saw the line had become a widening gap. Going too fast to stop he took a flying leap across the void.

  Two paths forked on the other side. One road led up and one down – and in the distance he glimpsed what seemed to be the mountain of his dreaming place. Travelling fast, he came to an abrupt halt when he ran out of road. Too late, he remembered he should have gone to the left.

  Something behind him hissed. He turned and his blood ran cold. A pack of mountain cats were stalking back and forth across the path, their tails lashing. Noting their predatory eyes their slavering jaws and the leanness of their stomachs, he unsheathed his sword.

  From above him came a low and menacing growl.

  * * * *

  Heart pounding, Tiana woke. It was still dark and she was floating high above the bed. Beneath her a small candle burning on the table lit the room. Athene was asleep in a chair and Tiana giggled. The woman was snoring, and that’s what had woken her.

  Where was Kavan? She remembered him bringing her home, remembered falling asleep in his arms. Her hair! The muscle-bound savage had slashed off her hair. She descended too fast in her annoyance, hit the bed and tumbled to the floor.

  Scrambling to her feet, she crossed to the table to admire a vase of blood-red flowers. She’d never seen such exotic blooms before and found much to admire in them. Kavan must have left them for her. She touched one of the downy petals, inhaled the delicate perfume and smiled to herself. Sometimes her lord was so sweet and romantic, when he wasn’t cutting of her hair. Frowning again she searched for a mirror, but to no avail.