Another Fine Myth Part 1

Robert Asprin.

Another Fine Myth.

Chapter One:.

"There are things on heaven and earth, Horatio, Man was not meant to know."

-HAMLET.

ONE of the few redeeming facets of instructors, I thought, is that occasionally they can be fooled. It was true when my mother taught me to read, it was true when my father tried to teach me to be a farmer, and it's true now when I'm learning magik.

"You haven't been practicing!" Garkin's harsh admonishment interrupted my musings."I have too!" I protested. "It's just a difficult exercise."As if in response, the feather I was levitating began to tremble and wobble in midair."You aren't concentrating!" he accused."It's the wind," I argued. I wanted to add "from your loud mouth," but didn't dare. Early in our lessons Garkin had demonstrated his lack of appreciation for cheeky apprentices."The wind," he sneered, mimicking my voice. "Like this, dolt!"My mental contact with the object of my concentration was interrupted as the feather darted suddenly toward the ceiling. It jarred to a halt as if it had become imbedded in something, though it was still a foot from the wooden beams, then slowly rotated to a horizontal plane. Just as slowly it rotated on its axis, then swapped ends and began to glide around an invisible circle like a leaf caught in an eddy.I risked a glance at Garkin. He was draped over his chair, feet dangling, his entire attention apparently devoted to devouring a leg of roast lizard-bird, a bird I had snared I might add. Concentration indeed!He looked up suddenly and our eyes met. It was too late to look away so I simply looked back at him."Hungry?" His grease-flecked salt and pepper beard was suddenly framing a wolfish grin. "Then show me how much you've been practicing."It took me a heartbeat to realize what he meant; then I looked up desperately. The feather was tumbling floor ward, a bare shoulder-height from landing. Forcing the sudden tension from my body, I reached out with my mind... gently... form a pillow... don't knock it away....The feather halted a scant two hand-spans from the floor.I heard Garkin's low chuckle, but didn't allow it to break my concentration. I hadn't let the feather touch the floor for three years, and it wasn't going to touch now.Slowly I raised it until it floated at eye level. Wrapping my mind around it, I rotated it on its axis, then enticed it to swap ends. As I led it through the exercise, its movement was not as smooth or sure as when Garkin set his mind to the task, but it did move unerringly in its a.s.signed course.Although I had not been practicing with the feather, I had been practicing. When Garkin was not about or preoccupied with his own studies, I devoted most of my time to levitating pieces of metal-keys, to be specific. Each type of levitation had its own inherent problems. Metal was hard to work with because it was an inert material. The feather, having once been part of a living thing, was more responsive... too responsive. To lift metal took effort, to maneuver a feather required subtlety. Of the two, I preferred to work with metal. I could see a more direct application of that skill in my chosen profession."Good enough, lad. Now put it back in the book."I smiled to myself. This part I had practiced, not because of its potential applications, but because it was fun.The book was lying open on the end of the workbench. I brought the feather down in a long lazy spiral, allowing it to pa.s.s lightly across the pages of the book and up in a swooping arc, stopped it, and brought it back. As it approached the book the second time, I disengaged part of my mind to dart ahead to the book. As the feather crossed the pages, the book snapped shut like the jaws of a hungry predator, trapping the missile within its grasp."Hmmmm..." intoned Garkin, "a trifle showy, but effective.""Just a little something I worked up when I was practicing," I said casually, reaching out with my mind for the other lizard-bird leg. Instead of floating gracefully to my waiting hand, however, it remained on the wooden platter as if it had taken root."Not so fast, my little sneak-thief. So you've been practicing, eh?" He stroked his beard thoughtfully with the half-gnawed bone in his hand."Certainly. Didn't it show?" It occurred to me that Garkin is not as easy to fool as it sometimes seems."In that case, I'd like to see you light your candle. It should be easy if you have been practicing as much as you claim.""I have no objections to trying, but as you have said yourself so many times, some lessons come easier than others."Although I sounded confident, my spirits sank as the large candle came floating to the work table in response to Garkin's summons. In four years of trying I was yet to be successful at this particular exercise. If Garkin was going to keep me from food until I was successful, I could go hungry for a long time. "Say, uh, Garkin, it occurs to me I could probably concentrate better on a full stomach.""It occurs to me that you're stalling.""Couldn't I....""Now, Skeeve."There was no swaying him once he used my proper name. That much I had learned over the years. Lad, Thief, Idiot, Turnip-Head, though derogatory, as long as he used one of these, his mind was still open. Once he reverted to using my proper name, it was hopeless. It is indeed a sorry state when the sound of your own name becomes a knell of doom.Well, if there was no way around it, I'd just have to give it my best shot. For this there could be no half effort or feigned concentration. I would have to use every ounce of my strength and skill to summon the power.I studied the candle with a detached mind, momentarily blanking the effort ahead from my consciousness. The room, the cluttered workbench, Garkin, even my own hunger faded from view as I focused on the candle, though I had long since memorized its every feature.It was stout, nearly six inches across to stabilize its ten-inch height. I had carved numerous mystic symbols into its surface, copied painstakingly from Garkin's books at his direction, though many of them were partially obliterated by hardened rivulets of wax. The candle had burned many long hours to light my studies, but it had always been lit from a taper from the cooking fire and not from my efforts.Negative thought. Stop it.I will light the candle this time. I will light it because,. there is no reason I should not. Consciously deepening my breathing, I began to gather the power. My world narrowed further until all I was aware of was the curled, blackened wick of the candle.I am Skeeve. My father has a farmer's bond with the earth. My mother was an educated woman. My teacher is a master magician. I am Skeeve. I will light this candle.I could feel myself beginning to grow warm as the energies began to build within me. I focused the heat on the wick.Like my father, I tap the strength of the earth. The knowledge my mother gave me is like a lens, enabling me to focus what I have gained. The wisdom of my teacher directs my efforts to those points of the universe most likely to yield to my will. I am Skeeve.The candle remained unlit. There was sweat on my forehead now, and I was beginning to tremble with the effort. No that was wrong, I should not tense. Relax. Don't try to force it. Tenseness hinders the flow. Let the energies pa.s.s freely, serve as a pa.s.sive conductor. I forced myself to relax, consciously letting the muscles in my face and shoulders go slack as I redoubled my efforts.The flow was noticeably more intense now. I could almost see the energy streaming from me to my target. I stretched out a finger which focused the energies even more. The candle remained unlit.I couldn't do it. Negative thought. Stop it. I am Skeeve. I will light the candle. My father.... No. Negative thought. Do not rely on others for your strength. I will light the candle because I am Skeeve.I was rewarded by a sudden surge of energy at the thought. I pursued it, growing heady with power. I am Skeeve. I am stronger than any of them. I escaped my father's attempts to chain me to a plow as he had my brother. My mother died from her idealism, but I used her teachings to survive. My teacher is a gullible fool who took a thief for an apprentice. I have beaten them all. I am Skeeve. I will light the candle.I was floating now. I realized how my abilities dwarfed those around me. Whether the candle lit or not was inconsequential. I am Skeeve. I am powerful.Almost contemptuously I reached out with my mind and touched the wick. A small bright ember appeared as if in answer to my will.Startled, I sat up and blinked at the candle. As I did. the ember disappeared, leaving a small white plume of smoke to mark its departure. I realized too late I had broken concentration."Excellent, Lad!"Garkin was suddenly beside me pounding my shoulder enthusiastically. How long he had been there I neither knew nor cared."It went out," I said plaintively."Never you mind that. You lit it. You have the confidence now. Next time it will be easy. By the stars, we'll make a magician of you yet. Here, you must be hungry."I barely got my hand up in time to intercept the remaining lizard-bird leg before it smacked into my face. It was cold."I don't mind admitting I was beginning to despair, lad. What made that lesson so hard? Has it occurred to you could use that spell to give you extra light when you're picking a lock or even to start a fire to serve as a diversion?""I thought about it, but extra light could draw unwanted attention. As for starting a diversion, I'd be afraid of hurting someone. I don't want to hurt anyone, just...."I stopped, realizing what I was saying, too late. A heavy cuff from Garkin sent me sprawling off my stool."I thought so! You're still planning to be a thief. You want to use my magiks to steal!"He was towering in his rage, but for once I stood my ground."What of it?" I snarled. "It beats starving. What's so good about being a magician, anyway? I mean, your life-style here gives me so much to look forward to."I gestured at the cluttered room that was the entirety of the hut."Listen to the wolfling complain," Garkin sneered. "It was good enough for you when the winter drove you out of the woods to steal. 'It beats sleeping under a bush,' you said.""And it still does. That's why I'm still here. But I'm not going to spend the rest of my life here. Hiding in a little hut in the woods is not my idea of a future to look forward to. You were living on roots and berries until I came along and started trapping meat for the fire. Maybe that's your idea of a wonderful life, Garkin, but it's not mine!"We glared at each other for several long moments. Now that my anger was vented, I was more than a little afraid. While I had not had extensive experience in the field, I suspected that sneering at magicians was not the best way to ensure a long and healthy future.Surprisingly enough, it was Garkin who gave ground first. He suddenly dropped his gaze and bowed his head, giving me a rare view of the unkempt ma.s.s of hair atop it."Perhaps you're right, Skeeve," his voice was strangely soft. "Perhaps I have been showing you all the work of magik, but not the rewards. I constantly forget how suppressed magik is in these lands."He raised his eyes to meet mine again, and I s.h.i.+vered at the impact. They were not angry, but deep within them burned a glow I had never seen before."Know you now, Skeeve, that all lands are not like this one, nor was I always as you see me now. In lands where magik is recognized instead of feared as it is here, it is respected and commissioned by those in power. There a skillful magician who keeps his wits about him can reap a hundred times the wealth you aspire to as a thief, and such power that...."He broke off suddenly and shook his head as if to clear it. When he opened his eyes again, the glow I had seen burning earlier had died to an ember."But you aren't to be impressed by words, are you, lad? Come, I'll show you a little demonstration of some of the power you may one day wield-if you practice your lessons, that is."The joviality in his voice was forced. I nodded my agreement in answer to that burning gaze. Truth to tell, I needed no demonstration. His soft, brief oration had awed me far more than any angry tirade or demonstration, but I did not wish to contradict him at this time.I don't believe he actually noticed my response. He was already striding into the large pentagram permanently inscribed in the floor of the hut. As he walked, he gestured absentmindedly and the charred copper brazier scuttled forth from its place in the corner to meet him at the center of the pentagram.I had time to reflect that perhaps it was that brazier that had first drawn me to Garkin. I remembered the first time I peered through the window of his hut seeking to identify and place objects of value for a later theft. I had seen Garkin as I have seen him so often since, pacing restlessly up and down the room, his nose buried in a book. It was a surprising enough sight as it was, for reading is not a common pastime in this area, but what captured my attention was the brazier. It hobbled about the room, following Garkin like an impatient puppy that was a little too polite to jump up on its master to get his attention. Then Garkin had looked up from his book, stared thoughtfully at his workbench; then, with a nod of decision, gestured. A small pot of unidentified content rose from the clutter and floated to his waiting hand. He caught it, referred to his book again, and poured out a dollop without looking up. Quick as a cat, the brazier scrambled under his hand and caught the dollop before it reached the floor. That had been my introduction to magik.Something wrenched my attention back to the present. What was it? I checked Garkin's progress. No, he was still at work, half hidden by a floating cloud of vials and jars, mumbling as he occasionally plucked one from the air and added a bit of its contents to the brazier. Whatever he was working on, it promised to be spectacular.Then I heard it again, a m.u.f.fled step outside the hut.But that was impossible! Garkin always set the... I began to search my memory. I could not recall Garkin setting the protective wards before he started to work. Ridiculous. Caution was the first and most important thing Garkin hammered into me, and part of caution was always setting wards before you started working. He couldn't have forgotten... but he had been rather intense and distracted.I was still trying to decide if I should attempt to interrupt Garkin's work when he suddenly stepped back from the brazier. He fixed me with his gaze, and my warning died in my throat. This was not the time to impose reality on the situation. The glow was back in his eyes, stronger than before."Even demonstrations should give a lesson," he intoned. "Control, Skeeve. Control is the mainstay of magik. Power without control is a disaster. That is why you practice with a feather though you are able to move much larger and heavier objects. Control. Even your meager powers would be dangerous unless controlled, and I will not teach you more until you have learned that control."He carefully stepped out of the pentagram."To demonstrate the value of control, I will now summon forth a demon, a being from another world. He is powerful, cruel, and vicious, and would kill us both if given the chance. Yet despite this, we need not fear him because he will be controlled. He will be unable to harm us or anything else in this world as long as he is contained within that pentagram. Now watch, Skeeve. Watch and learn."So saying, he turned once more to the brazier. He spread his hands, and as he did, the five candles at the points of the pentagram sprang to life and the lines of the pentagram began to glow with an eerie blue light. Silence reigned for several minutes, then he began to chant in a low mumble. A thread of smoke appeared from the brazier, but instead of rising to the ceiling, it poured onto the floor and began to form a small cloud that seethed and pulsed. Garkin's chanting was louder now, and the cloud grew and darkened. The brazier was almost obscured from view, but there... in the depths of the cloud... something was taking shape...."Isstvan sends his greetings, Garkin!"I nearly jumped out of my skin at the words. They came from inside the hut, but not inside the pentagram! I whirled toward their source. A figure was standing just inside the door, blinding in a glowing gold cloak. For a mad moment I thought it was the demon answering Garkin's summons. Then I saw the crossbow. It was a man, alright, but the crossbow, c.o.c.ked and loaded in his hand, did little for my peace of mind.Garkin did not even turn to look."Not now, you fool!" he snarled."It has been a long hunt, Garkin," the man continued as if he hadn't heard. "You've hidden yourself well, but did you really hope to escape....""You dare!?!" Garkin spun from his work, towering in his rage. The man saw Garkin's face now, saw the eyes, and his face contorted in a grotesque mask of fear. Reflexively, he loosed the bolt from his crossbow, but too late. I did not see what Garkin did, things were happening too fast, but the man suddenly disappeared in a sheet of flame. He shrieked in agony and fell to the floor. The flame disappeared as suddenly as it had come, leaving only the smoldering corpse as evidence it had existed at all.I remained rooted to the spot for several moments before I could move or even speak."Garkin," I said at last, "I... Garkin!" Garkin's form was a crumpled lump on the floor. I was at his side in one bound, but I was far too late. The crossbow bolt protruded with silent finality from his chest. Garkin had given me my last lesson.As I stooped to touch his body, I noticed something that froze my blood in its veins. Half-hidden by his form was the extinguished candle from the north point of the pentagram. The lines were no longer glowing blue. The protective spell was gone.With agonizing effort, I raised my head and found myself gazing into a pair of yellow eyes, flecked with gold, that were not of this world.

Chapter Two:.

Things are not always as they seem."-MANDRAKE.

ONCE, in the woods, I found myself face to face with a snake-cat. On another occasion, I encountered a spider bear. Now, faced with a demon, I decided to pattern my behavior after that which had saved me in the aforementioned situations. I froze. At least, in hindsight, I like to think it was a deliberate, calculated act.The demon curled its lips back, revealing a double row of needle-sharp teeth.I considered changing my chosen course of action; I considered fainting.The demon ran a purple tongue over his lips and began to slowly extend a taloned hand toward me. That did it! I went backward, not in a catlike graceful bound, but scrabbling on all fours. It's surprising how fast you can move that way when properly inspired. I managed to build up a substantial head of steam before I crashed head-first into the wall."Gaahh...." I said. It may not seem like much, but at the time it was the calmest expression of pain and terror I could think of.At my outburst, the demon seemed to choke. Several ragged shouts erupted, then he began to laugh. It wasn't a low menacing laugh, but the wholehearted enthusiastic laughter of someone who has just seen something hysterically funny.I found it both disquieting and annoying. Annoying because I had a growing suspicion I was the source of his amus.e.m.e.nt; disquieting because... well... he was a demon and demons are...."Cold, vicious, and bloodthirsty," the demon gasped as if he had read my thoughts. "You really bought the whole line, didn't you, kid?""I beg your pardon?" I said because I couldn't think of anything else to say."Something wrong with your ears? I said 'cold, vicious....' ""I heard you. I meant what did you mean.""What I meant was that you were scared stiff, by a few well chosen words from my esteemed colleague, I'll wager." He jerked a thumb at Garkin's body. "Sorry for the dramatics. I felt a touch of comic relief was necessary to lighten an otherwise tragic moment.""Comic relief?""Well, actually, I couldn't pa.s.s up the opportunity. You should have seen your face."He chuckled to himself as he strode out of the pentagram and began leisurely inspecting the premises."So this is Garkin's new place, huh? What a dump. Who would have thought he'd come to this?"To say I was perplexed would be an understatement. I wasn't sure how a demon should act, but it wasn't like this.I could have bolted for the door, but I did not seem to be in immediate danger. Either this strange being meant me no harm, or he was confident of his ability to stop me even if I tried to flee. For the sake of my nervous system, I decided to a.s.sume the former.The demon continued to inspect the hut, while I inspected him. He was humanoid; that is, he had two arms, two legs, and a head. He was short but powerfully built, a bit broader across the shoulders than a man, and heavily muscled, but he wasn't human. I mean, you don't see many hairless humans with dark green scales covering their body and pointed ears lying flat against their head.I decided to risk a question."Ah, excuse me.""Yeah, kid?""Um, you are a demon, aren't you?""Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess you could say I am.""Well, if you don't mind my asking, why don't you act like a demon?"The demon shot me a disgusted look, then turned his head heavenward in a gesture of martyrdom."Everybody's a critic. Tell ya what, kid, would you be happier if I tore your throat out with my teeth?""Well, no, but....""For that matter, who are you, anyway? Are you an innocent bystander, or did you come with the a.s.sa.s.sin?""I'm with him," I hastened to reply, pointing a shaky finger at Garkin's body. That bit about tearing my throat out had me on edge again. "Or at least I was. Garkin. The one who summoned... him!... I'm... I was his student.""No kiddin'? Garkin's apprentice?" He began advancing toward me, reaching out a hand, "Pleased ta... what's wrong?"As he moved toward me, I had started backing away from him. I tried to do it casually, but he had noticed."Well... it's... you are a demon.""Yeah. So?""Um... well, demons are supposed to be....""Hey, relax, kid. I don't bite. Look, I'm an old buddy of Garkin's.""I thought you said you were a demon?""That's right. I'm from another dimension. A dimension traveler, or demon for short. Get it?""What's a dimension?"The demon scowled."Are you sure you're Garkin's apprentice? I mean, he hasn't told you anything at all about dimensions?""No," I answered. "I mean, yes, I'm his apprentice, but he never said anything about the demon-suns.""That's dimensions," he corrected. "Well, a dimension is another world, actually one of several worlds, existing simultaneously with this one, but on different planes. Follow me?""No," I admitted."Well, just accept that I'm from another world. Now, in that world, I'm a magician just like Garkin. We had an exchange program going where we could summon each other across the barrier to impress our respective apprentices.""I thought you said you were a demon," I said suspiciously."I am'. Look, kid. In my world, you'd be a demon, but at the current moment I'm in yours, so I'm a demon.""I thought you said you were a magician.""I don't believe this!" The demon made his angry appeal to the heavens. "I'm standing here arguing with some twerp of an apprentice.... Look, kid."He fixed me with his gaze again."Let me try it this way. Are you going to shake my hand, or am I going to rip your heart out?"Since he put it that way... I mean, for a minute there, when he lost his temper and started shouting, he sounded just like Garkin. It gave credibility to his claim of friends.h.i.+p with my ex-teacher. I took his extended hand and shook it cautiously."I'm.... My name is Skeeve."His grip was cold, but firm. So firm in fact that I found it impossible to reclaim my hand as rapidly as I would have liked."Pleased ta meetcha, kid. I'm Aahz.""Oz?""No relation.""No relation to what?" I asked, but he was examining the room again."Well, there's certainly nothing here to arouse the greedy side of his fellow beings. Early primitive, enduring, but not particularly sought after.""We like it," I said, rather stiffly. Now that I was over being scared, I didn't like the sneer in his voice. The hut wasn't much and I certainly wasn't overly fond of it, but I resented his criticism."Don't get your back up, kid." Aahz said easily. "I'm looking for a motive, that's all.""Motive?""A reason for someone to off old Garkin. I'm not big on vengeance, but he was a drinking buddy of mine and it's got my curiosity up."He broke off his inspection of the room to address me directly."How about you, kid? Can you think of anything? Any milkmaids he's seduced or farmers he's cheated? You've got an interest in this too, you know. You might be the next target.""But the guy who did it is dead." I gestured to the charred lump by the door. "Doesn't that finish it?""Wake up, kid. Didn't you see the gold cloak? That was a professional a.s.sa.s.sin. Somebody hired him, and that somebody would hire another one."A chill ran down my spine. I hadn't really thought of that. I began to search my memory for a clue."Well... he said Isstvan sent him.""What's an Isstvan?""I don't... wait a minute. What do you mean, I might be the next target?""Neat, huh?" Aahz was holding up the gold cloak. "Lined, and completely reversible. Always wondered how come no one noticed them until they were ready to pounce.""Aahz....""Hmmm? Oh, didn't mean to scare you. It's just if someone's declared open season on magicians in general or Garkin specifically, you might have some.... h.e.l.lo, what's this?""What's what?" I asked, trying to get a look at what he had found."This," he said, holding his prize aloft. "It seems I'm not the only demon about."It was a head, apparently the a.s.sa.s.sin's. It was badly charred, with bone showing in several places. My natural revulsion at the sight was compounded by several obvious features. The chin and ears of the head were unnaturally pointed, and there were two short, blunt, horns protruding from the forehead."A devil!" I exclaimed in horror."A what? Oh, a Deveel. No, it's not from Deva, it's from Imper. An Imp. Didn't Garkin teach you anything?""Come again?" I asked, but Aahz was busy scowling at the head."The question is, who would be cra.s.s enough to hire an Imp for an a.s.sa.s.sin? The only one I can think of is Isstvan, but that's impossible.""But that's who did it. Don't you remember? I told you....""I thought you said 'Isstvan.' ""I did! Wait a minute. What did you say?""I said Isstvan. Can't you tell the difference?""No," I admitted."Hmmm... must be too subtle for the human ear to detect. Oh, well. No matter. This changes everything. If Isstvan is up to his old tricks there's no time to lose. Hey! Wait a minute. What's this?""It's a crossbow," I observed."With heat-seeking armor-piercing quarrels? Is that the norm in this world?""Heat-seeking....""Never mind, kid. I didn't think so. Well, that tears it. I'd better check this out quick."He began to stride into the pentagram. I suddenly realized he was preparing to leave."Hey! Wait a minute! What's going on?""It would take too long to explain, kid. Maybe I'll see you again sometime.""But you said I might be a target!""Yeah, well, that's the way it crumbles. Tell ya what. Start running and maybe they won't find you until it's over."My head was awhirl. Things were happening far too fast for clear thought. I still didn't know what or who the demon was or if I should trust him, but I did know one thing. He was the nearest thing to an ally I had in a situation where I was clearly outcla.s.sed."Couldn't you help me?""No time. I've got to move.""Couldn't I come with you?""You'd just get in the way, maybe even get me killed.""But without you. I'll be killed!" I was getting desperate, but Aahz was unimpressed. "Probably not. Tell ya what, kid. I've really got to get going, but just to show you I think you'll survive, I'll show you a little trick you might use sometime. You see all this crud Garkin used to bring me across the barrier? Well, it's not necessary. Watch close and I'll show you how we do it when our apprentices aren't watching."I wanted to shout, to make him stop and listen to me, but he had already started. He spread his arms at shoulder height, looked heavenward, took a deep breath, then clapped his hands.Nothing happened.

Chapter Three:.

"The only thing more reliable than magick is one's friends!"-MACBETH.

AAHZ scowled and repeated the gesture, a bit quicker this time.The scene remained unchanged.I decided something was wrong."Is something wrong?" I asked politely."You'd better believe there's something wrong," Aahz snarled. "It's not working.""Are you sure you're doing it right?""Yes, I'm sure I'm doing it right, just like I've been sure the last fifty times I did it!"He was starting to sound annoyed."Can you....""Look, kid. If I knew what was wrong, I'd have fixed it already. Now, just shut up and let me think!"He sank down to sit cross-legged in the center of the pentagram where he began sketching vague patterns in the floor as he mumbled darkly to himself. I wasn't sure if he was trying some alternate incantation or was simply thinking hard, but decided it would be unwise to ask. Instead, I used the time to organize my scrambled thoughts.I still wasn't sure if Aahz was a threat to me or if he was my only possible salvation from a greater threat. I mean, by this time I was pretty sure he was kidding about ripping my heart out, but that's the sort of thing one wants to be very sure of. One thing I had learned for certain, there was more to this magik stuff than floating feathers around."That's got to be it!"Aahz was on his feet again, glaring at Garkin's body."That ill-begot son of a wombat!""What's a wombat?" I asked, then immediately wished I hadn't. The mental image that sprang into my mind was so horrifying I was sure I didn't want details. I needn't have worried. Aahz was not about to take time to answer me."Well, it's a pretty crummy joke. That's all I have to say.""Urn.... What are you talking about, Aahz?""I'm talking about Garkin! He did this to me. If I thought it would go this far, I would have turned him into a goat-fish when I had the chance.""Aahz.... I still don't...."I stopped. He had ceased his ranting and was looking at me. I shrank back reflexively before I recognized the snarl as his smile. I liked it better when he was raving."I'm sorry, Skeeve," he purred. "I guess I haven't been very clear."I was growing more uneasy by the minute. I wasn't used to having people, much less demons, being nice to me."Um.... That's okay. I was just wondering....""You see, the situation is this. Garkin and I have been... playing little jokes on each other for some time now. It started one time when we were drinking and he stiffed me with the bill. Well, the next time I summoned him, I brought him in over a lake and he had to do his demon act armpit deep in water. He got even by... well, I won't bore you with details, but we've gotten in the habit of putting each other in awkward or embarra.s.sing situations. It's really very childish, but quite harmless. But this time...." Aahz's eyes started to narrow, "But this time the old frog-kisser's gone too... I mean, it seems to have gotten a little out of hand. Don't you agree?"He bared his fangs at me again in a smile. I wanted very badly to agree with him, but I didn't have the foggiest idea what he was talking about."You still haven't told me what's wrong.""What's wrong is that stinking slime-monger took away my powers!" he roared, forgetting his composure. "I'm blocked! I can't do a flaming thing unless he removes his stupid prankish spell and he can't 'cause he's dead! Now do you understand me, fly-bait?"I made up my mind. Savior or not, I'd rather he went back where he came from."Well, if there was anything I could do....""There is, Skeeve, my boy." Aahz was suddenly all purrs and teeth again. "All you have to do is fire up the old cauldron or whatever and remove this spell. Then we can each go our separate ways and....""I can't do that.""Okay, kid," his smile was a little more forced. "I'll stick around until you're on your feet. I mean, what are friends for?""That's not it.""What do you want? Blood?" Aahz was no longer smiling. "If you're trying to hold me up, I'll....""You don't understand!" I interrupted desperately. "I can't do it because I can't do it! I don't know how!"That stopped him."Hmm. That could be a problem. Well, tell you what. Instead of pulling the spell here, what say you just pop me back to my own dimension and I'll get someone there to take it off.""I can't do that either. Remember, I told you I'd never even heard of....""Well. what can you do?!""I can levitate objects... well, small objects.""And...." he encouraged."And... urn... I can light a candle.""Light a candle?""Well... almost."Aahz sank heavily into a chair and hid his face in his hands for several minutes. I waited for him to think of something."Kid, have you got anything in this dump to drink?" he asked finally."I'll get you some water.""I said something to drink, not something to wash in!""Oh. Yes sir!"I hastened to bring him a goblet of wine from the small keg Garkin kept, hoping he wouldn't notice the vessel wasn't particularly clean."What will this do? Will it help you put your powers back?""No. But it might make me feel a little better." He tossed the wine down in one swallow, and studied the goblet disdainfully. "Is this the biggest container you've got?"I cast about the room desperately, but Aahz was way ahead of me.He rose, strode into the pentagram, and picked up the brazier. I knew from past experience it was deceptively heavy, but he carried it to the keg as if it were weightless. Not bothering to empty out Garkin's concoction, he filled it to the brim and took a deep draught."Aah! That's better." He sighed.I felt a little queasy."Well, kid," he said, sweeping me with an appraising stare, "it looks like we're stuck with each other. The setup isn't ideal, but it's what we've got. Time to bite the bullet and play the cards we're dealt. You do know what cards are, don't you?""Of course," I said, slightly wounded."Good.""What's a bullet?"Aahz closed his eyes as if struggling against some inner turmoil."Kid," he said at last, "there's a good chance this partners.h.i.+p is going to drive one of us crazy. I would guess it will be me unless you can knock off the dumdum questions every other sentence.""But I can't understand half of what you're saying.""Hmm. Tell ya what. Try to save up the questions and ask me all at one time once a day. Okay?""I'll try.""Right. Now here's the situation as I see it. If Isstvan is hiring Imps for a.s.sa.s.sins....""What's an Imp?""Kid, will you give me a break?""I'm sorry, Aahz. Keep going.""Right. Well... umm.... It's happening!" he made his appeal to the heavens. "I can't remember what I was saying!""Imps," I prompted."Oh! Right. Well, if he's hiring Imps and arming them with non-spec weapons, it can only mean he's up to his old tricks. Now since I don't have my powers, I can't get out of here to sound the alarm. That's where you come in, kid.... Kid?"He was looking at me expectantly. I found I could contain my misery no longer."I'm sorry, Aahz," I said in a small, pitiful voice I hardly recognized as my own. "I don't understand a single thing you've said."I suddenly realized I was about to cry, and turned away hurriedly so he wouldn't see. I sat there, with tears trickling down my cheeks, alternately fighting the urge to wipe them away and wondering why I was concerned over whether or not a demon saw me crying. I don't know how long I stayed that way, but I was brought back to reality by a gentle hand on my shoulder, a cold, gentle hand."Hey, kid. Don't beat on yourself," Aahz's voice was surprisingly sympathetic. "It's not your fault if Garkin was tight with his secrets. n.o.body expects you to have learned something you were never taught, so there's no reason you should expect it either.""I just feel so stupid," I said, not turning. "I'm not used to feeling stupid.""You aren't stupid, kid. That much I know. Garkin wouldn't have taken you for an apprentice if you were stupid. If anybody here's stupid, it's me. I got so carried away with the situation, I forgot myself and tried talking to an apprentice as if he were a full-blown magician. Now that's stupid."I still couldn't bring myself to respond."Heck, kid." He gave my shoulder a gentle shake. "Right now you can do more magik than I can.""But you know more.""But I can't use it. You know, kid, that gives me an idea. With old Garkin dead there, you're kind of cut off. What say you sign on as my apprentice for a while. We'll take it from the top with me teaching you as if you were a new student who didn't know a thing. We'll take it step by step from the beginning. What da ya say?"In spite of my gloom I felt my spirits lift. Like he said, I'm not stupid. I could recognize a golden opportunity when I saw one."Gee, that sounds great, Aahz.""Then it's a deal?""It's a deal," I answered and stuck out my hand."What's that?" he snarled. "Isn't my word good enough for you?""But you said....""That's right. You're my apprentice now, and I don't go around shaking apprentices' hands."I withdrew my hand. It occurred to me this alliance might not be all roses and song."Now as I was saying, here's what we've got to do about the current situation....""But I haven't had any lessons yet!""That's right. Here's your first lesson. When a crisis shapes up, you don't waste energy wis.h.i.+ng for information or skills you haven't got. You dig in and handle it as best you can with what you've got. Now shut up while I fill you in on the situation... apprentice."I shut up and listened. He studied me for a moment, then gave a small satisfied nod, took another gulp from the brazier and began."Now, you have a vague idea about other dimensions because I told you about them earlier. You also have firsthand experience that magicians can open pa.s.sages in the barriers between those dimensions. Well, different magicians use that power in different ways. Some of them, like Garkin, only use it to impress the yokels; summon a demon, visions of other worlds, that kind of schtick. But there are others whose motives are not so pure."He paused to take another gulp of wine. Surprisingly, I felt no urge to interrupt with questions."Technology in different dimensions has progressed at different rates, as has magik. Some magicians use this to their own advantage. They aren't showmen, they're smugglers, buying and selling technology across the barriers for profit and power. Most of the inventors in any dimension are actually closet magicians."I must have frowned without realizing it, but Aahz noted it and acknowledged it with a wink and a smirk."I know what you're thinking, Skeeve. It all sounds a little dishonest and unscrupulous. Actually, they're a fairly ethical bunch. There's a set of unwritten rules called the Smugglers Code they adhere to pretty closely.""Smugglers Code?" I asked, forgetting myself for a moment. Aahz didn't seem to mind this time."It's like the Mercenaries Code, but less violent and more profitable. Anyway, as an example, one item in that code states you cannot bring an 'invention' into a dimension that is too far in advance of that dimension's technology, like bringing guided missiles into a longbow culture or lasers into a flint and powder era."I kept my silence with great difficulty."As I've said, most magicians adhere to the code fairly closely, but once in a while a bad one crops up. That brings us to Isstvan."I got a sudden chill at the sound of that name. Maybe there was something different in the way Aahz p.r.o.nounced it."Some say Isstvan isn't playing with a full deck. I think he's been playing with his wand too much. But whatever the reason, somewhere he's gotten it into his head he wants to rule the dimensions, all of them. He's tried it before, but we got wind of it in time and a bunch of us teamed up to teach him a lesson in manners. As a matter of fact, that's when I first met Garkin there."He gestured with the brazier and slopped a bit of wine on the floor. I began to doubt his sobriety, but his voice seemed steady enough as he continued."I thought he had given the thing up after his last drubbing. We even gave him a few souvenirs to be sure he didn't forget. Then this thing pops up. If he's hiring cross-dimension help and arming them with advance technology weapons, he's probably trying to do it again.""Do what?""I just told you. Take over the dimensions.""I know, but how? I mean, how does what he does in this dimension help him rule the others?""Oh, that. Well, each dimension has a certain amount of power that can be channeled or converted into magik. Different dimensions have different amounts, and each dimension's power is divided up or shared by the magicians of that dimension. If he can succeed in controlling or killing the other magicians in this dimension, he can use its entire magical energy to attack another dimension. If he succeeds in winning there, he has the power from two dimensions to attack a third, and so on. As you can see, the longer he keeps his plot moving, the stronger he gets and the harder he'll be to stop.""I understand now," I said, genuinely pleased and enthusiastic."Good. Then you understand why we've got to stop him."I stopped being pleased and enthusiastic."We? You mean us? You and me?""I know it's not much of a force, kid, but like I said, it's all we've got.""I think I'd like a little of that wine now.""None of that, kid. You're in training now. You're going to need all the practice time you can get if we're going to stop Isstvan. Bonkers or not, he's no slouch when it comes to magik.""Aahz," I said slowly, not looking up. "Tell me the truth. Do you think there's a chance you can teach me enough magik that we'll have a chance of stopping him?""Of course, kid. I wouldn't even try if we didn't have a chance. Trust me."I wasn't convinced, and from the sound of his voice, neither was he.

Chapter Four:.

"Careful planning is the key to safe and swift travel."-ULYSSES.

"HMMM... Well, it's not a tailored jump-suit, but it will have to do."We had been trying to outfit Aahz in a set of clothes and he was surveying the results in a small dark mirror we had found, turning it this way and that to catch his reflection piecemeal."Maybe if we could find some other color than this terrible brown.""That's all we've got.""Are you sure?""Positive. I have two s.h.i.+rts, both brown. You're wearing one, and I'm wearing the other.""Hmmm...." he said, studying me carefully. "Maybe I would look better in the lighter brown. Oh, well, we can argue that out later."I was curious as to his attention to his appearance. I mean, he couldn't be planning on meeting anyone. The sight of a green, scaly demon would upset most of the locals no matter what he was wearing. For the time being, however, I deemed it wisest to keep quiet and humor him in his efforts.Actually, the clothes fit him fairly well. The s.h.i.+rt was a bit short in the sleeves due to the length of his arms, but not too because I was taller than him, which made up for most of the difference. We had had to cut off some of the trouser legs to cover for his shorter legs, but they, like the body of the s.h.i.+rt, were not too tight. I had made the clothes myself originally, and they tended to be a bit baggy, or at least they were on me. Tailoring is not my forte.He was also wearing Garkin's boots, which fitted him surprisingly well. I had raised minor protest at this, until he pointed out Garkin had no further use for them but we did. Pragmatism, he called it. Situational ethics. He said it would come in handy if I was serious about becoming a magician."Hey, kid!" Aahz's voice interrupted my thoughts. He seemed to be occupied rummaging through the various chests and cupboards of the hut. "Don't you have anything here in the way of weapons?""Weapons?""Yeah, you know, the things that killed old Garkin there. Swords, knives, bows, stuff like that.""I know what they are. I just wasn't expecting you to be interested in them, that's all.""Why not?""Well... I thought you said you were a magician.""We aren't going to go through that again, are we, kid? Besides, what's that got to do with weapons?""It's just that I've never known a magician who used weapons other than his powers.""Really? How many magicians have you known?""One," I admitted."Terrific. Look, kid, if old Garkin didn't want to use weapons, that's his problem. Me, I want some. If you'll notice, Garkin is dead."It was hard to argue with logic like that. "Besides," he continued, "do you really want to take on Isstvan and his pack with nothing but your magik and my agility going for us?""I'll help you look."We went to work rummaging for weapons, but aside from the crossbow that had killed Garkin, we didn't find much. One of the chests yielded a sword with a jewel encrusted handle, and we discovered two knives, one white handled and one black handled, on Garkin's workbench. Aside from those, there was nothing even remotely resembling a fighting utensil in the hut. Aahz was not overjoyed."I don't believe this. A sword with a cruddy blade, bad balance, and phony jewels in the handle and two knives that haven't been sharpened since they were made. Anybody who keeps weapons like this should be skewered.""He was.""True enough. Well, if that's all we've got, that's what we'll have to use."He slung the sword on his hip and tucked the white handled knife into his belt. I thought he would give me the other knife, but instead he stooped down and secured it in his boot."Don't I get one?""Can you use it?""Well...."He resumed his task. I had a small knife I used to skin small game tucked in my own belt inside my s.h.i.+rt. Even to my inexperienced eye it was of better quality than the two Aahz had just appropriated. I decided not to bring it to his attention."Okay, kid. Where did the old man keep his money?" I showed him. One of the stones in the fireplace was loose and there was a small leather pouch hidden behind it. He peered at the coins suspiciously as they poured into his palm."Check me on this, kid. Copper and silver aren't worth much in this dimension, right?""Well, silver's sorta valuable, but it's not worth as much as gold.""Then what's with this chicken-feed? Where's the real money?""We never really had much.""Come off it... I haven't met a magician yet who didn't have a bundle socked away. Just because he never spent any of it doesn't mean he doesn't have it. Now think. Haven't you ever seen anything around that was gold or had gems?""Well, there are a few items, but they're protected by curses.""Kid, think for a minute. If you were a doddering old wreck who couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag, how would you protect your treasures?""I don't know.""Terrific. I'll explain while we gather it up."In short order we had a modest heap of loot on the table, most of it items I had long held in awe. There was a gold statue of a man with the head of a lion, the Three Pearls of Kraul, a gold pendant in the shape of the sun with three of its rays missing, and a ring with a large jewel we took from Garkin's hand. Aahz held up the sun pendant."Now this is an example of what I mean. I suppose there's a story about what happened to the missing three rays?""Well," I began, "there was a lost tribe that wors.h.i.+pped a huge snake toad....""Skip it. It's an old dodge. What you do is take your gold to a craftsman and have him fas.h.i.+on it into something with a lot of small out-juttings like fingers or arms or..." He held up the pendant. "... rays of sun. It gives you the best of two worlds."First, you have something mystical and supernatural, add a ghost story and no one will dare to touch it. Second, it has the advantage that if you need a little ready cash, you just break off a ray or an arm and sell it for the value of the gold. Instead of losing value, the price of the remaining item increases because of its mystical history, the strange circ.u.mstances under which it was torn asunder, purely fictional, of course."Strangely enough, I was not surprised. I was beginning to wonder if anything Garkin had told me was true."Then none of these things have any real magical powers or curses?""Now, I didn't say that. Occasionally, you stumble across a real item, but they're usually few and far between.""But how can you tell the real thing from a fake?""I take it that Garkin didn't teach you to see auras. Well, that figures. Probably was afraid you'd take his treasure and run. Okay, kid. Time for your first lesson. Have you ever daydreamed? You know, just stared at something and let your mind wander?"I nodded."Okay, here's what I want you to do. Scoot down in your chair until your head is almost level with the table. That's right. Comfortable? Fine. Now I want you to look across the table at the wall. Don't focus on it, just stare at it and let your mind wander."I did as he said. It was hard not focusing on a specific point, so I set my mind to wandering. What to think about? Well, what was I thinking about when the candle almost lit. Oh yes. I am Skeeve. I am powerful and my power is growing daily. I smiled to myself. With the demon's aid, I would soon become a knowledgeable sorcerer. And that would just be the start. After that...."Hey!" I said, sitting upright."What did you see?""It was... well, nothing, I guess.""Don't give me a hard time, kid. What did you see?""Well, for a second there I thought I saw sort of a red glow around the ring, but when I looked at it squarely, it disappeared.""The ring, eh? It figures. Well, that's it. The rest of the stuff should be okay."He sc.r.a.ped the rest of the loot into a sack, leaving the ring on the table."What was it?""What? Oh, what you saw? That was an aura. Most people have them. Some places do, but it's a sure test to check if an item is truly magical. I'd be willing to bet that the ring is what old Garkin used to fry the a.s.sa.s.sin.""Aren't we going to take it with us?""Do you know how to control it?""Well....no.""Neither do I. The last thing we need is to carry around a ring that shoots fire. Particularly if we don't know how to activate it. Leave it. Maybe the others will find it and turn it on themselves."He tucked the sack into his waistband."What others?" I prompted."Hmmm? Oh, the other a.s.sa.s.sins.""What other a.s.sa.s.sins?" I was trying to be calm, but I was slipping."That's right. This is the first time you've tangled with them, isn't it? I would have thought Garkin....""Aahz, could you just tell me?""Oh! Sure, kid. a.s.sa.s.sins never work alone. That's why they never miss. They work in groups of two to eight. There's probably a back-up team around somewhere. Realizing Isstvan's respect for Garkin, I'd guess he wouldn't send less than six out on an a.s.signment like this, maybe even two teams.""You mean all this time you've been fooling around with clothes and swords, there's been more a.s.sa.s.sins on the way?""Relax, kid. That's the back-up team. They'll be waiting a ways off and won't move until tomorrow at the earliest. It's professional courtesy. They want to give this bozo room to maneuver. Besides, it's tradition that the a.s.sa.s.sin who actually does the deed gets first pick of any random booty lying around before the others show up to take even shares. Everyone does it, but it's considered polite to not notice some of the loot has been pocketed before the official split.""How do you know so much about a.s.sa.s.sins, Aahz?""Went with one for a while... lovely la.s.s, but she couldn't keep her mouth shut, even in bed. Sometimes I wonder if any profession really guards its secrets as closely as they claim.""What happened?""With what?""With your a.s.sa.s.sin?""None of your business, kid." Aahz was suddenly brusque again. "We've got work to do.""What are we going to do?""Well, first we bury the Imp. Maybe it will throw the others off our trail. With any luck, they'll think he grabbed all the loot and disappeared. It wouldn't be the first time.""No, I mean after that. We're getting ready to travel, but where are we going?""Kid, sometimes you worry me. That isn't even magik. It's common sense military action. First, we find Isstvan. Second, we appraise his strength. Third, we make our plans, and fourth, we execute them, and hopefully him.""Urn... Aahz, could we back up to one for a minute? Where are we going to find Isstvan?"That stopped him."Don't you know where he is?""I never even heard his name before today."We sat in silence staring at each other for a long time.

Chapter Five:.

"Only constant and conscientious practice in the Martial Arts will ensure a long and happy life."-B.LEE.

"I THINK I've got it figured out, kid."As Aahz spoke, he paused in honing his sword to inspect the edge. Ever since our trek began he had seized every opportunity to work on his weapons. Even when we simply paused to rest by a stream he busied himself working their edges or adjusting their balance. I felt I had learned more about weapons in the last week just watching him tinker than I had in my entire previous life."Figured what out?""Why people in this world are trained in weapons or magik, but not both!""How's that?""Well, two reasons I can see just offhand. First off, it's a matter of conditioning. Reflexes. You'll react the way you're trained. If you've been trained with weapons, you'll react to crisis with a weapon. If you're trained in magik, you'll react with magik. The problem is, if you're trained both ways, you'll hesitate, trying to make up your mind which to use, and probably get clobbered in the process. So to keep things simple, Garkin only trained you in magik. It's probably all he had been trained in himself."I thought about it."That makes sense. What's the other reason?"He grinned at me."Learning curve. If what you told me about life expectancy in this world is even vaguely accurate, and if you're any example of how fast people in this world learn, you only have time to learn one or the other.""I think I prefer the first explanation."He chortled to himself and went back to sharpening his sword.Once his needling would have bothered me, but now I took it in stride. It seemed to be his habit to be critical of everything in our world, and me in particular. After a week of constant exposure to him, the only way I would worry is if he stopped complaining.Actually I was quite pleased with my progress in magik. Under Aahz's tutelage, my powers were growing daily. One of the most valuable lessons I had learned was to draw strength directly from the earth. It was a matter of envisioning energy as a tangible force, like water, and drawing new energy up one leg and into my mind while releasing exhausted energy down the other leg and back into the earth. Already, I could completely recharge myself even after a hard day's walking just by standing motionless with my eyes closed for several minutes and effecting this energy exchange. Aahz, as always, was unimpressed. According to him, I should have been able to do the energy exchange while we were walking, but I didn't let his grumbling dampen my enthusiasm. I was learning, and at a faster pace than I had dreamed possible."Hey, kid. Fetch me a piece of wood, will you?"I smiled to myself and looked around. About ten feet away was a small branch of deadwood about two feet long. I leisurely stretched out a finger and it took flight, floating gently across the clearing to hover in the air in front of Aahz."Not bad, kid," he acknowledged. Then his sword flashed out, cutting the branch into two pieces which dropped to the ground. He picked up one of the pieces and inspected the cut."Hmmm... there may be hope for this sword yet. Why did you let them fall?"This last was directed at me."I don't know. I guess you startled me when you swung the sword.""Oh, really?"Suddenly he threw the stick at me. I yelped and tried to duck out of the way, but it bounced painfully off my shoulder."Hey! What was that for?""Call it an object lesson. You know you can control the stick because you just did it when you fetched it for me. So why did you duck out of the way? Why not just stop it with your magik?""I guess it never occurred to me. You didn't give me much time to think.""Okay, so think! This time you know it's coming."He picked up the second piece of wood and waited, grinning evilly, which with pointed teeth is easy. I ignored him, letting my mind settle; then I nodded that I was ready.The stick struck me squarely in the chest."Ow!! "I commented."And there, my young friend, is the difference between cla.s.sroom and field. Cla.s.sroom is fine to let you know that things can be done and that you can do them, but in actual practice you will never be allowed the luxury of leisurely gathering your power, and seldom will you have a stationary target.""Say, uh, Aahz. If you're really trying to build up my self-confidence, how come you always cut my legs out from under me every time I start thinking I'm getting someplace?"He stood up, sheathing his sword."Self-confidence is a wonderful thing, kid, but not if it isn't justified. Someday we'll be staking one or both of our lives on your abilities, and it won't do us any good if you've been kidding yourself along. Now let's get down to work!""Um... have we got the time?""Relax, kid. Imps are tenacious, but they travel slow."Our strategy upon leaving the hut had been simple. Lacking a specific direction for our search, we would trace the force lines of the world until we either found Isstvan or located another magician who would be able to steer us to him.One might ask what force lines are. I did. Force lines, as Aahz explained them, are those paths of a world along which its energies flow most freely. In many ways, they are not unlike magnetic lines.One might ask what magnetic lines are. I did. I will not quote Aahz's answer to that, but it was not information.Anyway, force lines are a magician's ally and enemy. Those who would tap the energies of those lines usually set up residence on or near one of those lines. This makes it easier for them to draw upon the energies. It also makes it easier for their enemies to find them.It was Aahz's theory that searching the force lines was how Garkin was located. It was therefore logical that we should be able to find Isstvan the same way.Of course, I knew nothing of force lines or how to follow them, at least until Aahz taught me. It was not a difficult technique, which was fortunate as I had my hands full trying to absorb all the other lessons Aahz was deluging me with.One simply closes one's eyes and relaxes, trying to envision a two-pointed spear in glowing yellows and reds suspended in midair. The intensity of the glow indicates the nearness to a force line; the direction of the points shows the flow of energies. Rather like the needle of a compa.s.s, whatever that is.Once we had determined that Garkin had set up shop directly on a force line, as Aahz had suspected, and established direction of the flow of energies, we had another problem. Which way did we follow it?The decision was doubly important as, if Aahz was correct, there would be a team of Imp a.s.sa.s.sins waiting in one direction, very probably in the direction we wanted to go.We solved the problem by traveling one day's journey perpendicular to the force line, then for two days parallel to the line in our chosen direction, then returning to the line before continuing our journey. We hoped this would bypa.s.s the a.s.sa.s.sins entirely.It worked, and it didn't.It worked in that we didn't walk into an ambush. It didn't work in that now it seemed they were on our trail, though whether they were actually tracking us or merely following the force line back to Isstvan was unknown."I keep telling you, kid," Aahz insisted, "it's a good sign. It means we've chosen the right direction, and that we'll reach Isstvan ahead of his a.s.sa.s.sins' report.""What if we're heading in the wrong direction?" I argued. "What if they're really following us? How long do we travel in this direction before we give up and admit it?""How long do you figure it will take for you to learn enough magik to stand up to a pack of Imp a.s.sa.s.sins armed with off-dimension weapons?""Let's get to work," I said firmly.He looked around, and pointed to a gnarled fruit tree strewn round with windfalls across the clearing."Okay. Here's what I want you to do. Stare at the sky or contemplate your navel or something. Then when I give the word, use your power to grab one of those fruits and toss it to me."I don't know how many hours we spent on that drill. It's more difficult than it sounds, mustering one's powers from a standing start. Just when I thought I had it down pat, Aahz switched tactics. He would engage in a conversation, deliberately leading me on, then would interrupt me in mid-sentence with his signal. Needless to say, I failed miserably."Relax, kid. Look, try it this way. Instead of mustering your power from scratch each time, create a small s.p.a.ce inside yourself and store up some energy there. Just habitually keep that reserve squirreled away and ready to cover for you while you get set to level your big guns.""What's a gun?""Never mind. Just build that reserve and we'll try it again."With this extra bit of advice at my disposal the drill went noticeably better. Finally Aahz broke off the practice session and put me to work helping him with his knife practice. Actually I rather enjoyed this task. It entailed my using my powers to levitate one of the fruits and send it flying around the clearing until Aahz pegged a knife into it. As an extra touch of finesse, I would then extract the knife and float it back to him for another try. The exercise was monotonous, but I never tired of it. It seemed almost supernatural the way the s.h.i.+mmering, somersaulting sliver of steel would dart out to intercept the fruit as Aahz practiced first overhand, then underhand, now backhand."Stop it. Skeeve!"Aahz's shout jolted me out of my reverie. Without thinking, I reached out with my mind and... and the knife stopped in midair! I blinked, but held it there, floating a foot from the fruit which also hung suspended in place."Hel-lo! That's the stuff, Skeeve! Now there's something to have confidence in!""I did it!" I said, disbelieving my own eyes."You sure did! That little piece of magik will save your life someday."Out of habit, I floated the knife back to him. He plucked it from the air and started to tuck it in his belt, then halted, c.o.c.king his head to one side."In the nick of time, too. Someone's coming.""How can you tell?""Nothing special. My hearing's a bit better than yours is all. Don't panic. It isn't the Imps. Hooved beast from the sound of it. No wild animal moves in that straight a line, or that obviously.""What did you mean, 'in the nick of time'? Aren't we going to hide?""Not this time." He grinned at me. "You're developing fast. It's about time you learned a new spell. We have a few days before whoever it is gets here.""Days?"Aahz was adapting rapidly to our dimension, but units of time still gave him trouble."Run through those time measurements again," he grumbled."In seconds, minutes, hours....""Minutes! We've got a few minutes.""Minutes! I can't learn a new spell in a few minutes!""Sure you can. This one's easy. All you've got to do is disguise my features to look like a man.""How do I do that?""The same way you do everything else, with your mind. First, close your eyes... close 'em... okay, now picture another face...."All I could think of was Garkin, so I pictured the two faces side by side."Now move the new face over mine... and melt away or build up the necessary features. Like clay... just keep that in the back of your mind and open your eyes."I looked, and was disappointed."It didn't work!""Sure it did."He was looking in the dark mirror which he had fished from his belt pouch."But you haven't changed!""Yes I have. You can't see it because you cast the spell. It's an illusion, and since your mind knows the truth, it isn't fooled, but anyone else will be. Garkin, huh? Well, it'll do for now."His identification of the new face took me aback."You can really see Garkin's face?""Sure, want to look?"He offered the mirror and grinned. It was a bad joke. One of the first things we discovered about his dubious status in this world was that while he could see himself in mirrors, n.o.body from our world could. At least I couldn't.I could now hear the sounds of the rider coming."Aahz, are you sure....""Trust me, kid. There's nothing to worry about."I was worried. The rider was in view now. He was a tall muscular man with the look of a warrior about him. This was reinforced by the ma.s.sive war unicorn he was riding, laden with weapons and armor."Hey, Aahz. Shouldn't we.:..""Relax, kid. Watch this." He stepped forward, raising his arm. "h.e.l.lo, stranger! How far to the next town?"The man veered his mount toward us. He half raised his arm in greeting, then suddenly stiffened. Heaving forward, he squinted at Aahz, then drew back in terror. "By the G.o.ds! A demon!"