Zollocco: A Novel of Another Universe

by Cynthia Joyce Clay

  Our human, you must come out of that tree and discover the image of yourself. Our human is afraid. She thinks she might transform into a monster like Raiboothnar. We remind her that no matter what she sees of herself, she can change it.

  Cautiously I climbed out of the tree. I walked deeper into the orchard. The dwarfed fruit trees which had surrounded Raiboothnar and me had returned to their places. Quietly I walked, fearing what Raiboothnar had become, fearing what I might become. But Zollocco was doing his best to charm me; birds were singing prettily; leaves rustled cheerfully; odors of mulch, fruit, and bark rose enticingly in the air. My spirits soared. Soon I could barely tell what was path and what was orchard floor. Eventually there was no trail to follow. Ahead of me was a particularly stumpy and twisted tree. Hanging from a branch of it, at eye level, was a single, shining, silver pear.

  I looked about me and gave voice to my concerns, "Zollocco, I do want to see this metaphor of myself, but surely there is another way. Why must I take a narcotic?"

  Ah! You are right Our human, to be put off at the idea of polluting your flesh with a toxin. But the fruit you see there has reality not in the way of Zollocco or of Imenkapur, but of Artoin. It is no poison. It is healthful. It is of a different reality than the physical and therefore has no physical effect though it will nourish your soul. Our human smiles. She understands and reaches for the fruit and tastes it.

  I took the lovely silver pear and bit it.

  "Look at that! Look at that!" yells Our haetrist

  Zollocco.

  "How beautiful," sighs Our moss.

  "Are those forsythia flowers falling?" ask the baby forsythia.

  "This is almost as good as if she turned into a snake,"

  say the serpents.

  We are all well pleased. Our human has put on a very

  good show for Us.

  I don't know how long I was in the trance, probably about ten or fifteen minutes I guessed. When I came out of the trance the pear was no where to be seen. I suspected there never had really been a pear at all---yes, that was right, Zollocco had said it didn't exist in this reality to which I had returned. But then I heard a donkey braying and men shouting. I hurriedly picked my way through the underbrush back towards the priest, the Toelakhan, and Raiboothnar.

  When I got to the edge of the orchard I saw the priest was busily climbing a tree and making rapid progress regardless of the fact that he was somewhat encumbered by his music case and the transporter. Raiboothnar was running around in circles chasing the Toelakhan this way and that. Only her husband remained motionless in the middle of the scene his mouth hanging open. Raiboothnar was nipping anyone she came close to and braying with nasty mirth. Suddenly her husband came out of his shock and ran towards Raiboothnar.

  He grabbed a hold of the mane that was now growing down her back, and screamed, "Wife, you are a magnificent creature."

  He leaped onto her donkey back. That man is enamored of an Ass, I and the Forest thought together.

  Raiboothnar let out a surprised bray, and, bucking, tried to throw him off. Her husband triumphantly waved his arm and expertly kept his seat.

  "Wife, look, there is the priestess, go get her!"

  Raiboothnar grinned. She seemed to have more and much larger teeth than she ever did before. She galloped towards me. I ran up a tree. Raiboothnar began pummeling the slender tree I was in with her hooves. The tree I was in uprooted itself and loped away from her. Raiboothnar galloped around the tree and pummeled it some more with her hooves. The tree was not as quick on its roots as Raiboothnar was quick on her hooves and was unbalanced by my weight. Three camouflage bees came to our rescue. Buzzing and changing color with fury the bees stung and stung Raiboothnar until she trotted away from us. Raiboothnar's husband tried to swat the bees away, and so the bees stung him too. Raiboothnar and her rider spouse stood and watched the tree and me, each of them shaking their fists at me. The bees stung them viciously, forcing Raiboothnar and husband to run off into the woods. The three camouflage bees followed the braying Raiboothnar and the cursing husband.

  The Toelakhan, no longer chased by the transformed Raiboothnar, had fallen to their knees in fright and exhaustion. The priest jumped out of the tree. He was quickly setting the switches of the transporter as he walked up to the Toelakhan. The Toelakhan realized this was their time and means to escape. They rushed the priest.

  "Careful! Don't be so rough, you'll damage it, and then how will you get out of here? I have set the transporter for you. Each man lay his hand on the wand and concentrate on the Know-All. Press that button. Yes."

  The Toelakhan faded from sight. The ornately bejeweled transported lay on the Forest's floor.

  Climbing out of the tree I was in, now that it had sunk its roots firmly back into the ground, I said, "I thought this transporter could transport itself?"

  "It can, but I set it so that it wouldn't. Thou dost not wish to visit the Know-all again, dost thou?"

  "No."

  The priest laughed. I laughed. It was very nervous laughter.

  "I don't think the Toelakhan will bother thee ever again," the priest commented.

  "The idea of Raiboothnar in these woods makes me very uneasy," I said, looking around at the trees.

  "I don't think she will come back. I have heard that all such

  transformed monsters flee to the Forest Munzfarheekam. I do believe the camouflage bees shall guide her there."

  I answered, "Let us hope so!"

  The priest looked up at the sky, "Soon it will be sunset; I understand thou dost have an unusually close affinity with this Forest. We are needed elsewhere, but if thou dost wish it, we may spend the night amidst Zollocco, and leave tomorrow. That is, if Zollocco has accommodations for humans.

  "Yes, I do not wish to leave Zollocco so soon, and yes there is a place where thou mayest stay. But tell me, what is this destination whereof thou dost speak?"

  "The Realm of Circle."

  I had intended to stay at least a week amid Zollocco, but this answer made me change my mind. I was full of curiosity, but was too amazed to speak. I led the priest to the mirnie bushes where we collected some berries. Then we made our way towards the pond to collect some kelp. On the way there, the priest spotted a spice-bark tree, and collected some spice-bark for us. I saw a snake coiled and watching us, its tongue darting in and out of its fanged mouth. I froze, stealthily pulled the knife out of my basket, and lopped off the snake's head.

  She's a little out of practice but Our snake courteously allowed for that and gave her an extra moment to manage to kill him. His strike would have been lethal to her of course, but he is an old snake and his fangs hurt him. It would have been quite painful for him to bite her. One of his fangs is loose and might have come out in her flesh. It is so nice to feed her of Ourself again.

  The priest was shocked. "Thou didst kill a snake! It is forbidden to kill a Forest creature!"

  "How else shall we eat tonight priest? Besides, I am sorely out of practice. That snake could have killed me with ease had he wanted to. Zollocco objects not to my killing for food. It is slaughter for entertainment, slaughter of mothers with infants, slaughter of the young, and excess slaughter that He forbids."

  "Methinks the tales I have heard of thee have some truth to them," remarked the priest.

  We had found the pond by now, and eventide was upon us. We rolled up our sleeves and pulled some kelp out of the pond.

  "What are these tales?" I asked.

  "It is said thou art a Forest creature adopted by this Forest Zollocco."

  "Oh." I turned to hurry to the stream.

  `Where art thou going? We must needs collect some water before we find our staying-place."

  "The stream that feeds into this pond has sweeter tasting water up this way. Also this direction takes us to the staying place."

  Somehow, I didn't want to tell the priest that the staying place was the space module from which I had escaped the Toelakhan until we got to it.

&
nbsp; "Very well," said the priest.

  We found the place where the soft moss grows besides the opening where the stream gurgles out of the ground. Here, I recalled, the stream's water can change its temperature drastically within a few minutes. I fetched my flask out of my basket and filled it. The priest had a hip flask and he filled that Daylight was fading. We hurried on.

  I had no sense from Zollocco that the priest was invited to stay out among the trees for the night. The priest had to stay in the module or risk being attacked. As for me, I felt quite at home and looked forward to sleeping in the limbs of a massive oak that stood in the center of Zollocco.

  The priest halted amazed. "It is a space module. Is it true then? Wert thou stolen from thy universe and listed as a zitam by the Toelakhan? Didst thou flee from them and find a home amidst Zollocco?"

  "Yes, it is true. Thou wert there when I Listed was."

  "Thou art truly a Forest creature, then."

  "In a manner of speaking, yes."

  We built a fire, skinned and sliced the snake, and then rolled kelp, berries, and spice-bark inside the pieces of snake meat. We roasted these dainties as it grew very, very dark and as the celestial bodies came out. After our dinner, the priest played his flute for me. I could feel that Zollocco was enchanted by the sweet music.

  Human, We have only heard the music you play in your head or sing from your throat. It is a treat for Us to hear the music played on the gold snake. The snakes say it makes them feel ticklish to see a snake fingered like that, even if it is only a gold one.

  "Actually," I say to Ourself, "the flute is actually a golden reed, rather than a golden snake. A bit of a true reed is still used, on the mouthpiece. It vibrates, creating the sound."

  Our stalky grasses giggle with embarrassed pleasure. They are used to hearing the praises sung of snakes, and mirnie, and trees---of everyone but themselves. Their discovery that their worthiness has been so beautifully appreciated by humans is a joy none of Us will forget.

  We feel Ourself blending consciousness with Our Great Self, Ipernia. Saemunsil reminds Us that She has told Us about flutes several times and is glad that now that We see one We feel closer to the human shades. Munzfarheekam thanks Us for the two new monsters, the assitaur and the demon. Kiappia, Our Twin Sister, wishes to let humans return to the Stone School soon if Ourself, Zollocco, will consent. Yes, Our Beloved Zollocco does consent.

  The Forests---the Selves, the Spirits, the Shades, the Souls, the Atman, the All feel the entities of the two humans placed amidst Zollocco; and listen to the flute's notes melodiously shape and define the sound waves of the night's air. That human who came to join the Solar Systems Imenkapur lifts her voice in song, joining the flute in transforming the patterns of vibrations of the world. Priest and priestess, old one and young one, man of this universe and woman of elsewhere, join Ipernia, Imenkapur,and the Many Dimensions in the One through the presence of music. The Spheres turn.

  At last the priest grew too sleepy to play any more, and I yawned more verses than I sang. When I said good-night to the priest and nipped into the dark of the woods, the priest's eyebrows rose in astonishment. Not even Holy Ones stay alone in the Forests of Ipernia. This is a predilection of my own.

  The next morning I awoke in my robe-hammock hung high in the limbs of the massive oak to something prodding me. I looked down. It was the priest poking me with a stick and telling me to get up---the Realm of Circle would be forming soon and we must hurry there. When he was sure I was awake, he trotted off to the module. I went to the pond, washed my robe and hung it to dry, bathed, ate some kelp, dressed and donned my already dry robe. Then I went to meet the priest at the module.

  "Shall we be going?" he said.

  "Yes, let's."

  The priest set the dials of the transporter. I put my hand on the wand, as was necessary to be transported, and the priest flicked the last switch.

  We stood in the center of the Ninety-Nine. Men and women of all ages, they wore the robe of the Blue Dawn and the purple belt that I had only ever seen on the priest, my friend, and on the old man who had told me about the Realm of Circle when I was in Oasis. Each of the Ninety-Nine had their hoods pulled up so far I could not see their faces. The voices of the Ninety-Nine alone indicated their gender and age. Each of them sat behind an ornately carved wooden desk. These desks were adjoined, and formed three concentric circles around us. The priest and I were, in effect, in the middle of an amphitheater. The floor of the room was raked so that we looked up at the seated Holy Folk ringing us. A figure stood who held a long thin staff. The Holy One tapped this staff three times on the floor making the room reverberate with the sound.

  "Does the One in question stand before us?" demanded the single standing figure.

  "She does," answered the entire body in unison.

  "I understand she would not Speak for Grace. Who shall Speak for her?" continued the commanding figure.

  A Holy One stood as with the difficulty of years. "I shall," he said, and I recognized his voice as the old priest who was bereaved of his grand-son. He was the one who had told me about the Realm of Circle and the time of Ninety-Nine. "During my search for members of the Blue Dawn, I met many of that sect willing and eager to Speak for Grace. This priestess was the only One willing to wear a silent robe of compassion. She kept to her compassionate vow, even at risk to herself." The old priest remained standing.

  The figure with the staff spoke again, "Who else shall Speak for her?"

  Another figure stood, a gauntlet of the Wild Rain covered one hand, "A fellow to me by my membership in the Wild Rain did bring to me a zitam. He said to me, `Here is a Zitam that we must find a home for. A priestess of the Blue Dawn did free this zitam and all of the zitam caged aboard the Know-All. This priestess did also free Holy Folk who were held captive on that same Toelakhan Museum. Canst thou complete that good priestess's work by helping this zitam to a new home?’ I was glad to do so; so I am glad to speak."

  "Who else shall Speak for this One?" demanded the figure with the staff.

  Yet another Holy one stood. A series of pins set in a circle on her shoulder glittered. "A sister of my Sorceries of the desert world Aridia sent a message to me upon her death through the secret magic of our art. She told me that not only did this One brave the sorceress's spider, not only did this One reunite a ruptured family and work to heal the ailing labor of a Sister of my Sorceries, but she spoke with birds and the birds were content to do her will!"

  "Who else shall Speak for this One? None else? Sir and Member of the Blue Dawn, Holy One found in the Member of the Blue Dawn, did this priestess enter the Sacred Grove of the Forest Zollocco?"

  The priest at my side called out in a strong voice, "She did, indeed. As we, those found within the Realm of Circle have faced ourselves within the sacred groves of other Forests, so did she face the magic of a sacred grove."

  The figure with the staff urged, "Now tell us of what thou didst perceive of the trial of this priestess."

  The priest beside me said, "This priestess did enter the orchard, which is the Forest Zollocco's sacred grove, without mishap or trial. She did follow the path that leads nowhere, and then she did step unfaltering into the wild heart of the orchard. A most beauteous silver pear appeared on a branch of the most stunted and deformed of all the orchard's trees. This priestess did reach and take that brilliant fruit and ate of it. Immediately she was engulfed within a large dark sphere, so dark was its interior that it out-did the vacuum of space in its blackness. Within this sphere, this priestess shone, like this moon on which we stand does shine upon the face of Ipernia. This sphere, as dark as the very depths of night, lifted gently to the level of orchard's tree tops, the priestess erstwhile within. She looked up, and then did stretch up her hands, and was showered by flecks of golden light that appeared above her in the dark sphere. At last when the shower of golden light ceased, she lowered her arms and shone with the gold light she had absorbed. All the light she had received she radiated ou
t again into the dark of the sphere. As the sphere brightened with golden radiance, it lowered to the ground and faded away. The priestess stepped forth and returned to the path."

  The figure with the staff said, "We have heard thy tale, and yet too few do Speak for this priestess. Not enough has been heard for us to re-forge the Realm of Circle with this One."

  The priest at my side spoke again, "But hear my words, for I do speak for this priestess, not just as witness to her ordeal, but as an observer of her affinity with the Forest Zollocco. This priestess, alone of all Holy ones, was allowed by Zollocco to hunt Forest creatures for food and to sleep by herself at night in the depths of Zollocco. Well do we all know such things are unheard of, until now."

  The authoritative figure with the staff replied, "We must ask the Forest World Ipernia if this priestess is the One who brings this inharmonious time of Ninety-Nine to a close and completes the Realm of Circle." Then she rapped with her staff twice more, the sound again reverberating thunderously.

  On hearing the rap of the staff, the three standing Holy Folk seated themselves, and the priest at my side hurried up one of the three narrow aisles between the desks and seated himself at one of the empty desks. The figure with the staff seated herself at her desk. From where I stood, in the center of the three concentric rings of beautifully carved wooden desks, I could see a single grain of wood glowing on the desk of the old priest I had met in Oasis. On the desks on either side of his, a single grain of wood was also growing into a thin, glowing, white line. A line spread from desk top to disk top. A, thin, luminescent circle was being drawn along the desk tops of the inner circle. The glowing circle on the inner circle became complete. On the outer circle of desks, too, a full circle was made by a glowing grain of wood which threaded from desk top to desk top. The same phenomenon started to happen to the middle ring of desks. The excitement in the room was climbing. A quarter circle, a semi-circle, a three-quarter circle, a circle---and yet a circle not quite complete glowed on the middle row's wooden desk tops.