Evoquitus leaned forward intently, continuing in a voice that reflected sincerity and conviction. “It’s true, I had no right to steal your secrets. Had it not been for you and the others, I would either still be rotting in Quilac or I would be dead. Believe me, I am not ungrateful for all that you have done for me.
“But you must know as well as I do that your plan to refuel the Sun is destined to fail. A thousand sorcerers possessing powers equal to your own could not succeed, so what chance do just seven of us have? None!”
Anama could only nod mournfully, acknowledging the impossibility of the task at last. “It was all we had,” he whispered. “We could not just surrender to the void without a struggle.”
“It was a noble gesture,” Evoquitus assured his friend, “a most commendable gesture, but that’s all it was. You would not have listened to me had I confronted you with the truth before this, so I took it upon myself to rescue whatever I could of humanity’s truly worthwhile creations, that these things might survive to represent our species’ noble attempts to rise above its base nature.
“I have discovered the means to make this massif impregnable. It will remain intact, absolutely impervious to the decimating force that threatens to obliterate everything else in the solar system. In fact, the blast of infernal heat itself will serve to seal the massif and launch it like a rocket into the vastness of space.
“There is still time to do more, much more. Together we could create a number of safe havens like this one, that we might rescue the great writings, musical compositions, and cinematic and photographic works of mankind and more. Think of it, man! Imagine the salvation of those things that represent the very best and noble aspects of humanity! Isn’t that preferable to leaving nothing behind? If nothing of value remains, then we might just as well never have existed.”
Anama shook his head. “But not enough time remains to collect the things you suggest.”
“For those who possess the key to the past,” Evoquitus offered confidently, “an infinite amount of time is available. If necessary, we could simply avoid the solar catastrophe by seeking shelter in the past.”
The older man rose and began pacing back and forth as he tried to assimilate Evoquitus’ bold suggestions. What he proposed defied every precept upheld by the Six. How could this young novice perceive things so differently and, more importantly, was he right? Before allowing Evoquitus to proceed any further, it was essential that Anama present Evoquitus’ case to the others. There could be no margin for error in the dire situation in which they now found themselves; any decision to change course now must be the result of the unanimous decision of the Six. The others might perceive some flaw in Evoquitus’ plan that he had missed.
“You must realize I cannot simply agree to your plan,” Anama replied matter-of-factly. “I may represent the others, but I can neither consent to nor condemn the drastic change of plan you advise without consulting my compatriots. You can be sure, however, that I will present your ideas to them immediately that we might thoroughly evaluate the concept and its possible ramifications. I will then return and present you with our final decision.”
Satisfied that he had finally gotten through to his former master, Evoquitus nodded his consent to this arrangement.
“However,” added Anama, “as you were initiated in the art of sorcery under my tutelage, I am responsible for you. Therefore, until I return, I am obliged to relieve you of all supernormal abilities that I may be absolutely sure you are incapable of proceeding any further on your own. Until a student achieves full status as a mage, his teacher posseses the right and the power to revoke your powers, and I do so now. In light of the circumstances, I doubt you have any real objection to this.” Before the shocked Evoquitus could respond, Anama added, “I am sorry, but this is the only way and, be assured, I shall act expediently. In addition, you must give me your solemn word that you will not leave the massif before my return.”
The initial look of outrage slowly drained from Evoquitus’ face; he knew he had no choice but to acquiesce his superior’s wishes. It would only be for a few days before his powers would be restored, then he and the others could continue the great work together. He harbored no doubt they would perceive the validity of his plan. In the meantime, there was naught to do but consent and, like a defrocked priest, patiently await the decision of the hierarchy.
Evoquitus wandered through the vast expanses of his museum fortress, confident that the Six would decry the wisdom of his plan. He had expected his teacher’s initial condemnation, but he had been surprised at how easily he had convinced Anama that his was the more logical and practical means to deal with the inevitable total destruction of the solar system. Curiously, he had felt certain all along that he would win Anama’s approval. The very fact that Anama and the others had chosen him, above all others, for a decade-long tutelage under the most learned living sorcerers only served to reinforce his conviction that the events of his life were all predetermined.
Quite unexpectedly, however, Evoquitus realized that, if anyone had ever shown him love, it had been Anama. Further consideration made him realize that the deep feelings he harbored for his master approached the level of love. Unlike everyone else in Evoquitus’ life, Anama treated him as a person rather than a tool. With Anama and the others by his side, he could finally assume the role destiny had ordained for him as the ultimate guardian of beauty.
Still, he found it irritating that he could no longer force his resurrected servants to do his bidding. One by one those over which he held sway had crumbled to dust, finally achieving their eternal release. Feeling lonely within his titanic fortress, Evoquitus yearned for Anama’s speedy return.
He took comfort, however, in the knowledge that, despite the demise of all his uncouth attendants and the haunting silence of the halls and endless chambers of his prison, he was not truly alone, for Anama had not received a full accounting of the contents of Evoquitus’ treasures by any means.
News of the most disturbing type awaited Anama on the occasion of his reunion with his fellow magi. Their most recent calculations indicated that the Sun had all but expended its fuel supply already. Any attempt to rekindle the star and thereby salvage its dependent worlds was now out of the question; all would perish within three weeks or less. Anama’s comrades were at a total loss as to the cause of this secondary acceleration. In light of this shocking revelation, Anama was compelled to reevaluate Evoquitus’ alternate proposal before presenting it to his peers.
The group was astounded by their unspoken leader’s account. An extended discussion concerning the responsibility for the impending disaster resulted, but in the end, all were compelled to accept Anama’s theory, laying the blame on their headstrong apprentice while admitting to their own lack of foresight as well. Further consideration of the matter was deigned futile as nothing could be done to avert the inevitable with so little time remaining.
Anama proceeded to delineate Evoquitus’ suggestion that storehouses of knowledge similar to the one already created could be devised to preserve man’s other meritous accomplishments. The proposal prompted a heated assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of such a challenging last-minute undertaking.
In the end, however, the Six concurred in declining to participate in what they viewed as a most dangerous course. As appealing as the conservation of humanity’s redeeming accomplishments might be, the benefits of such were greatly outweighed by the unpredictable repercussions that would surely result should the time-space continuum be disrupted by a further massive assault upon the past. They dared not challenge the ultimate stability of the rest of the universe for this seemingly selfish purpose.
It was also decided that Evoquitus would be permitted to continue his own plan so long as he refrained from any further ventures into the past.
Anama, unable to refute the group’s decisions, acquiesced to their wishes before departing the following morning to relay the news of the fraternity’s judgment to the waiting Evo
quitus.
Upon once again attaining the lofty entrance to Evoquitus’ opulent mansion, Anama entered without attempting to summon the doorman. Too well he knew the reanimated servants of his young apprentice would not have survived the withdrawal of the necromantic energies that endowed them with a semblance of life. The shattered remains of the prehistoric guardians he had encountered as he ascended the formidable stairway were ready proof of that.
The heavy wooden door gave way to his touch. Facing the nocturnal darkness of Evoquitus’ retreat for a second time, Anama used his powers to illuminate the murky hallway that he might more easily and quickly navigate the circuitous path through the disheveled mass of vitrines for the last time.
He forged his way forward, toward the grand vaulted chamber where Evoquitus surely awaited him with fervid anticipation.
Reaching the chamber’s threshold, the wizened traveler hailed his beloved student. When no response was forthcoming, he shouted Evoquitus’ name repeatedly into the spectral silence of the huge chamber. He still received no answer. Evoquitus had given his word that he would remain within the confines of the massif until Anama returned, so Anama felt sure that he must be somewhere within the dank fortress. He began to fear something sinister had taken place during his absence, though he could not imagine what it might be.
For the next few hours, Anama systematically searched the honeycomb of rooms and corridors in vain. Finally, he retreated to the central chamber, hoping to discern some clue as to his student’s whereabouts. There he came upon the missing sorcerer’s personal diary lying open upon a large wooden roll-top desk of ancient Shaker design. Due to the mysterious absence of the author, Anama did not hesitate to read the contents of the handwritten volume.
The diary contained a detailed record of not only the events of the previous two years but of Evoquitus’ emotional and intellectual reactions to those events. Each entry contributed to the extremely intimate portrait of author’s inner essence. From the very start, Evoquitus’ own words depicted him as a man who considered himself inadequate and of little value other than as a tool for others to use to their own ends. The unusual circumstances of his upbringing had taken a more terrible toll on the boy than Anama realized, to the extent that Evoquitus viewed himself as an incomplete being who had never been given the opportunity to understand what it meant to be a fully self-realized person. He saw himself as a commodity or tool of those who prevented him from experiencing any true social interaction.
The reader was intensely moved by Evoquitus’ desperate plight and his desperate need for even the slightest intimacy or sign of respect from those around him. He discovered at an early age that with tremendous effort he could satisfy those who controlled him, yet their acceptance depended not upon him but upon the results of his actions. He saw himself as a complete non-entity, isolated and separate from the very world in which he dwelled. His was an intolerably lonely existence in which he considered himself a solitary and unlovable individual.
The old mage berated himself for his utter lack of sensitivity to the feelings of his apprentice and beloved friend. Only at that moment did it occur to him that Evoquitus rarely, if ever, laughed aloud or smiled openly and spontaneously. Anama berated himself for being so self-involved in his role as the all-knowing instructor that he failed to notice the isolation and emotional pain harbored by one so near and dear to him.
Evoquitus’ diary went on to describe the only avenue Evoquitus believed could lead to redemption — his discovery that there were rare things of beauty in what he otherwise considered a foul and ugly world. For the first time in his life, he dared consider there might be a worthwhile meaning to existence and that he was destined to play the key role in its realization. The remainder of the diary shocked the reader as he recognized the scribblings represented a meticulous account of Evoquitus’ unwitting descent into madness.
The diary became a detailed record of Evoquitus’ solitary efforts to seek out and deliver the most beautiful things the past had to offer. He retrieved these ancient treasures and brought them into his own time with total disregard for the unpredictable ramifications he knew would be the end result of irresponsible disruption of chronological events.
Later entries revealed that Evoquitus harbored an even stronger subconscious drive, one his benefactors had foolishly neglected to take into account. Although twenty-six years of age, Evoquitus had never had the slightest opportunity to express or experience his own sexuality. Understandably, he felt compelled to explore the strange cravings he found so impossible to resist. As he continued to read, Anama was reminded that he had earlier identified Evoquitus with Paris; only now did he come to realize the terrible veracity of that comparison.
After retrieving a number of precious objects from various eras and locations in the past, it occurred to Evoquitus that he should acquire at least some token of the fabled wealth of Troy. Timing his arrival well before the city’s fall, he too was struck by the unrivaled beauty of the infamous Lady Helen. Finding her irresistible, he used his powers to magically cause her to become infatuated with him to the extent that he convinced her to accompany him upon his return to that which was, for her, the distant future. Having isolated her within the desolately eerie interior of his massif, Evoquitus eagerly indulged in the surrendering of his virginity to such a marvelous creature.
Having remained chaste well into adulthood, Evoquitus was greatly dismayed to find the sexual experience, famed for its miraculous joy and rapture, failed to meet his expectations. With each successive coupling with his stunningly breathtaking lover, his disillusionment grew stronger.
As a further deterrent to his passion, Evoquitus realized the journey into the future had mysteriously drained the infamous Helen’s mind of all thought beyond the perpetual lust and craving for intimacy he had implanted within her.
Anama sighed loudly. Had the boy read his entire collection of treatises relating to time travel, he would have understood it is impossible to bring but a duplicate of living persons to the future. Early attempts to do so proved such replicas were naught but impermanent automatons devoid of all ability to think beyond the most primal levels. While inanimate objects had been transported through time without detectable alternation of that object, only a little was actually known about the resulting effects of transporting human duplicates from one time to another.
It seemed Helen’s tireless advances eventually became so annoying to Evoquitus that he deemed the situation intolerable. In a moment of extreme frustration, he magically rendered her incapable of movement. She became frozen in place, suspended between life and death and immune to the process of aging. She would remain in that condition until he chose to release her. In time, he began to view her as but a splendid icon, another acquisition for his burgeoning collection of beautiful things.
Unaware that his Helen was but a copy of the original, the distraught sorcerer spent a great deal of time trying to fathom the cause of the diminished mental capacity Helen had incurred due to her transportation through time. Frustrated, he eventually concluded the problem was the result of some inadvertent error on his part, some minute miscalculation in his manipulation of time. He did not discover the truth until he retraced his steps through time. When he returned to Troy, he was astonished to find the original, wholly intact Helen still there in the ancient past. He felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, for now he knew he had not actually harmed the real Helen. Unfortunately, this realization granted him the freedom to commit further abductions without suffering a guilty conscience.
Still, he continued to ponder the sexual disappointment he had experienced with Helen. Maybe, he thought, it had been a mistake to choose a woman as worldly and experienced as she for his initial sexual encounter. He concluded a novice like himself would be a wiser choice. Helen had repeatedly praised his sexual prowess, but she could hardly do otherwise due to the spell of infatuation he had cast over her senses. Her lavish endorsements of his physical qualit
ies and sexual abilities thus were not enough to reassure him; he needed further proof that he was at least an adequate lover. His own self-doubt, he realized, might well be the underlying reason sex had not as yet lived up to his expectations.
With increasing anxiety, Anama read on, increasingly concerned about the consequences of his student’s deranged conduct. It came as no surprise that Evoquitus wasted little time magically enticing a lovely, nubile maiden of Bronze Age Greece into the future, then into his bed. The results once again proved disappointing. The poor girl’s innocence failed to affect Evoquitus’ sexual enjoyment. Anama was not surprised when the diary disclosed that within a very short time, the frustrated Evoquitus placed the immobile girl next to Helen’s deathly-still form in a special gallery he created deep within the nethermost depths of the massif. Each of the mannequin-like figures was poised with care atop its own individual stone plinth bearing an inscription identifying the sedentary occupant by name as well as her original time and place of origin.
Undaunted, Evoquitus resumed his assemblage of inanimate artistic treasures, relentlessly raiding the great storehouses, temples and palaces of the pharaohs, the Greeks, the Roman emperors, the priest-kings of the Maya, Azteca and Inca cultures, and many others. He chose Minoan Crete as his next destination as he hoped to acquire a fine specimen of the brilliantly colored, lively frescos of that period as well as a few ivory and inlaid gold images of the Cretan snake goddess, Herpete. This trip would culminate in a particularly revealing experience for the unsuspecting sorcerer.
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