Key to Destiny

  “Pretense is fine,” Futility said. She made no secret of her preference to be left alone, though Augur understood that she could perform phenomenally when she chose to.

  “How is it going?” Augur asked Aura.

  “Not many animals here,” she said. “Tree squirrels. Moles. Distant birds."

  “Counter Charm has phenomenal creatures,” Ini said. “I saw them with my telescope.” That was an optical device she had crafted that could greatly enhance vision; she had explained it during their sojourn for the altar ikon.

  “I'm sure. Perhaps our presence here makes them stay clear. There will be more as we explore beyond the Purple Chroma."

  “Few would make such a limited zone their permanent home,” Augur said.

  Aura kissed him and disappeared again, resuming her own survey.

  They moved on. The cataloguing got faster as they encountered repeat species. Both women continued apt. They reached the far end in the early afternoon. “We should be able to reach the center glade again by dusk,” Augur said. “Then we can make camp."

  “Agreement,” Ini said.

  Now they catalogued the unfamiliar plants. Augur and Ini were similarly fascinated, but it was obviously just a job to Futility. Most varieties were variations of types on Charm; they had evidently evolved from similar stock, responding to a slightly different environment. So all were essentially familiar, just different in detail. The colonization by the plants had surely been by one event that caught both planets.

  In late afternoon they reached the center glade. Augur and Aura had magic to sustain them, and Ini had the ikon, so they were not tired, but Futility was plainly worn. She did not complain, but it was best to make allowances. “Rest,” he told her. “You have done well. We'll make the camp."

  She flashed him a smile of appreciation. “I'll dance tonight."

  Augur conjured Red Chroma plant fibers from the neighboring zone, and Aura used Blue Chroma magic to meld them into tough, waterproof fabric. Aura conjured dead blue wood saplings, and he used Red magic to shape them into suitable supports. They had done this sort of thing before, and liked the interaction of their magics. Then, as Ini tackled the making of the tent, he gathered purple stones for a fireplace and Aura summoned dry purple wood for the fire. Finally they conjured organic substance, shaped it into familiar foods as Gale had done in the nonChroma zone, and Ini cooked it.

  The work was warm, and Aura doffed her clothing and worked naked. Ini stripped to white bra, panties, shoes, and a purple flower in her hair so as to be approximately visible. Augur was struck again by the contrast with her original body; the underwear shaped a strikingly sexy creature. Augur, also naked, had to exert some control to prevent a masculine reaction; there was something about the way panties and bra moved, with nothing else in sight, that was highly conducive. It would not be any chore to oblige her this night.

  “Swale is here,” Ini said. “I'll lend her my mouth."

  “What are you folk up to?” a different voice asked from Ini's body. “This looks like a regular camp."

  “Affirmation,” Augur said. “Greeting, Swale."

  “Acknowledged. Are you changing the subject?"

  “We have concluded that we can work more efficiently if we remain here overnight. So we will not need transport back to the main base. That should relieve the Glamors."

  “That should drive the Glamors wild,” Swale said. “You four are prime mortal diversion."

  “However, this is supposed to be a serious mission."

  Swale looked around, the action indicated by the motion of the flower. Futility had now stripped and stood beside Aura, two beautiful women smiling expectantly, while Ini was an invisible wonder. “Serious, my burning vulva! You're planning on private group sex!"

  “I did not say that,” Augur said, doing his best to sound insincere. “We have excellent reason to remain here."

  “Oh, yes. I'll tell them. But I'll be dropping by to get my piece of the action."

  “Appreciation."

  “Parting."

  “Parting,” they chorused.

  “She's gone,” Ini said. “That was fun."

  “It was,” Aura agreed.

  They had supper at dusk, and Futility danced. It was amazing how much sexual passion she conveyed, considering that she had no interest in sexual performance. They had conjured and ignited torches for light, and the flickering shadows enhanced the effect.

  “Observation,” Augur said. “Were you attempting to seduce me by such a dance, you could readily succeed."

  “The object is to entertain by the dance alone,” she replied coldly.

  “He knows,” Aura said. “He was attempting to compliment your performance."

  “In that case, appreciation."

  A thick purple fog closed in around the camp as they retired. It muted the sounds of the night creatures, and had a pleasantly odd, musky smell. This was a nice place to stay, apart from its convenience.

  The tent was no larger that it needed to be for the four of them to lie beside each other on a common pad: Ini, Augur, Aura, Futility. That way he could oblige the Air Chroma woman without separating from Aura, while Futility was shielded from any direct contact with him.

  Ini was passionate. She straddled him, naked, lying on top, kissing him avidly. He was satisfied to be in darkness, not because of the concealment, but because it relieved the awkwardness of embracing a woman he couldn't see. “Just get the edge off, and I'll try to leave you alone thereafter,” she whispered.

  “I will try,” he whispered back. “But I'm no Glamor."

  “You will do."

  They got the edge off, and she rolled back to her place on the mat. “Personal question,” he murmured.

  “I do care for the Green Glamor,” she answered, knowing his concern. “As I do for Havoc. But I know that any relations I have with either are of a temporary nature, as is the case with you."

  “I regard you as a friend. That need not be temporary."

  “Appreciation. I need a friend."

  “Friendship between Chroma is hard to maintain."

  “Yet you and Aura show it is possible. Perhaps somewhere there is a man for me."

  “Surely somewhere,” he agreed.

  “Meanwhile there is sex."

  Half a loaf. “Parting,” he said.

  “Acknowledgment."

  Augur took Aura's hand, and they slept.

  He woke in darkness. Something was wrong. The fog seemed gone, but he was having trouble moving.

  “Problem,” Ini gasped beside him.

  It was an effort to speak, but he made it. “You too?"

  “Paralysis,” she breathed. “Limbs don't work."

  He struggled, and managed to move a hand enough to touch Aura. “Wake,” he said, not sharply.

  She woke. “Tired."

  “Problem. Check Futility.” He let his face go slack, having expended most of his energy.

  She made her own effort, and touched the other woman. He heard a squeak of protest, then of alarm.

  He summoned what remained of his strength and spoke loudly enough for them all to hear. “We. Are. Bound."

  They lay there, assimilating that.

  Then there was a sound. Something was approaching from outside. It sounded like a rat. Several rats.

  “Trap,” Aura gasped.

  “Use,” Futility said. “Magic."

  Augur tried, but discovered that his power of magic was similarly depleted. Somehow it had drained away.

  “Ikon,” Ini said. “Helps.” She made a heroic struggle and sat up. “Must. Get. Out.” But then she fell back to the mat exhausted.

  Meanwhile the sounds grew louder. Something—probably a horde—was coming in, and Augur doubted these were innocent rodents. They would be after paralyzed flesh.

  “Swale,” Ini said. The succubus had arrived. Then “Go. Tell. Glamors."

  But after a moment the news was bad. “Sw—Swale. Trapped. Too."

 
Even the succubus! There was no doubt now that hostile magic was involved. They were caught in a different kind of feeder trap. Augur realized, far too belatedly, that there was a reason the central spot was bare. It was where a serious predator lurked.

  But if magic deprived them of magical and physical mobility, what of the rats? Was this selective? Probably they had developed resistance to it, living in this area. But Augur and Aura had long experience with Purple Chroma, so might be able to resist it also. Or were the rats zeroed in, tolerated by the magic? Why, when they came to steal its prey?

  Slowly he worked it out: something here, perhaps buried in the ground beneath this spot, wanted the magic and perhaps also the life force of other creatures. Their bodies didn't matter, just their lives and magic. So the rats did it the service of cleaning out the flesh, of killing them faster and taking away the refuse. It was at least partially symbiotic.

  But it was purple. As it happened, he and Aura had long experience with the Purple Chroma. What the rats could do, they should be able to do also.

  The flap of their tent moved. A six legged rat appeared, its whiskers wiggling. He could see it mainly with peripheral vision. It was the same general type as on Charm. Normally harmless to human beings, but not when they were helpless. One rat could inflict a painful bite. A swarm of them could kill.

  Aura spoke. “Ill,” she said. “Usion."

  Illusion! That might help. Ini had an Air Chroma stone. Illusion was an Air specialty, and was just about the least challenging magic in terms of energy. In fact only telepathy was said to require less energy—but none of them were telepathic. A lot could be done with a little. Illusion was obviously known here on Counter Charm, but perhaps not as intricate as the Charm Air Chroma folk could make it.

  “Ini,” he said, fighting for strength. “Illusion."

  “Um.” Then a snake appeared, one of the category of worms and dragons, single legged. It was slithering through the air, its eyes glowing, its tongue forking. It looked absolutely real, except for its location. Were there similar snakes here? He didn't know. But perhaps it would manifest as a suitable predator to the rats.

  The rat spied the serpent. It skittered back, alarmed. So it did recognize a rat predator. So the illusion was effective. As long as the rats didn't catch on.

  Augur returned to his focus on the larger problem: how to get out of this trap. If rats were immune, could thinking like rats bring them immunity? Or if this were a special function of Purple Chroma magic, could he and Aura draw on their experience to nullify the paralysis?

  They had better try both approaches. “Aura,” he breathed. “Think. Like. Rat."

  Meanwhile, he would think purple. What qualities did Purple Chroma have that they could draw on? The Red Chroma related to demons, to blood, healing, and ectoplasm. The Blue Chroma related to animals. They had found combinations of qualities in the Charm Purple Chroma zone: demonic animals, and creatures adept with ectoplasm. As a Red Chroma man he was adept with ectoplasm. It was sometimes used to form illusions, though it was relatively slow and clumsy; its advantage was that it had some substance. Used to buttress illusion, it could be effective. And it did not require much physical or magical energy.

  He opened his mouth and concentrated. The ectoplasm stirred in his stomach, separating itself from its lining. It became a sinuous column and wended its way through his throat and out his open mouth. It formed a faint red cloud above his face. Then it stretched down toward the illusion snake on the floor.

  The rat reappeared, perhaps suspecting the illusion. The snake made a feint at it, warning it back, but this time the rat held its ground. If it bluffed out the snake, there would be no stopping it or its more timid companions.

  The ectoplasm curled down to touch the rat's tail. It coalesced around the tail, grabbing on by adherence. Then it twitched, tugging. Of course it could hardly move the tail, but the rat felt it. It scrambled back, thinking the snake had touched it.

  But soon the rat came again. It was hungry, and here was live meat. Others crowded behind it. It would not be possible to hold them off much longer.

  Then there was a new sound outside. The ground shuddered; larger creatures were striding toward the tent. The rats scattered. What was coming now? They were unlikely to have any chance against it.

  The tent flap whipped open. Light shined in. “We're in time,” a human voice said.

  It was the Lady Gale. And the Red Glamor. And the other Glamors. They had come to the rescue.

  But how had they known?

  “Swale,” Gale said, reading his question. “She was supposed to check on you, participate in only one episode, and return to me. When she didn't return I knew that either it was one remarkable party, or something was wrong. I tuned in on the ikon, and felt Ini's desperation. Then I knew."

  Glamors could tune in on different ikons? He hadn't realized. But it was fortunate they had done so.

  The Green Glamor bent down and lifted Ini. Augur saw the bra and panties Ini had put back on rise. Then the Red Glamor bent to take hold of Augur. She looked like a small, slight, weak woman, but her strength was phenomenal. She lifted him up effortlessly and carried him out of the tent and away from the deadly ground, following Gale. Behind them came the Blue Glamor, carrying Aura, and the Translucent Glamor, carrying Futility.

  “You thought you would escape us,” Red said to him, reprovingly. “We'll make you pay."

  At this point he was glad to pay.

  * * * *

  Aura was never so relieved to see the Blue Glamor, and not just because she was of her own Chroma. She had almost given up hope of escape, despite making some progress thinking like a rat. That had returned some strength to her body, but not enough to enable her to fight back. She had never before felt so helpless, and she hated it.

  Once the whole party was well clear of the glade, they jumped back to the base camp in nonChroma. There, while the four mortals slowly recovered, they talked, one on one.

  “So it is some kind of demon,” Blue said. She was no longer bothering with her mortal camouflage identity of Lucent the Amazon. “But not the kind we know on Charm."

  “Agreement,” Aura said. “This one seems to suck out the magic and life from its victims. Probably it starts with desire: we wanted to camp there. We thought it was our own idea. Now I think it wasn't; we merely found reason to do what we wanted to do, which was to submit to the life-eater. We were such fools."

  “Not fools, merely ignorant of the ways of this world, as all of us are. We Glamors have visited here for years, but never bothered to learn much of anything about the larger planet. We just planted our trees and relaxed. That was, in retrospect, foolish."

  “How were you able to rescue us without being caught yourselves?"

  “Excellent question. I think we may have overwhelmed it with numbers and speed; it took time to subdue the four of you. But it may also be that it doesn't know how to handle Glamors. This world is as ignorant of us as we are of it. We may bring a concentration of magic it is not equipped to handle."

  “Ini will surely develop a theory."

  “Affirmation. Meanwhile the presence of mortals here is helping us to discover liabilities we hadn't noticed before. We shall try to be more careful. Now I think it is time for you to rest in comfort."

  “For that I need Augur,” she said wanly.

  “You will be with him, alone, this night. Futility, too, will be let be. We are not entirely ignorant of your needs."

  So it was. Augur joined her, and the Glamors let them be. She held his hand throughout the night, comforted by his presence. Ini remained with the Green Glamor, who seemed genuinely concerned for her.

  Next day they returned to the Purple Chroma zone and completed the survey of plants. Then they ranged outward and tackled the animals, her specialty. But this time they had the more active support of the Glamors, both for safety and effectiveness. The Glamors fashioned a magic bubble that floated invisibly across the landscape, regardless of Ch
roma, masking them from the awareness of the wildlife below. This turned out to be a much better way to spot and study animals.

  At first Aura was distracted by the wonder of it. She had known magic like this in her home Chroma zone, but had never seen much purpose in it, other than to transport travelers across the zone. But this was beyond Chroma, indifferent to the changes in colors, and it worked just as well when they crossed nonChroma zones. The ability of the Glamors to use magic anywhere was now revealed as far more than mere duplication of Chroma ways.

  Then she settled down to business. The animals had been rare in the Purple Chroma zone, and now they understood why: those that hadn't been killed were wary of the life eater. They were common in the other zones. At first she spied the birds, because they were readily visible in the air. No—not birds, but giant flying insects. Insects were not her specialty, but she quickly saw that these were different: they had six legs, not five. There were none like that on Charm. So they had come from a different colonization.

  Then she spied true birds, but again they were different: one wing whirling overhead, rather than three. Another separate colonization. So would the legs classification of Charm hold here? Every essential type of living thing belonged to one of the major groups, identified by their number of legs. None for the Demons, one for the Worms, two for the Fish, three for the Birds, and so on. Humans were four legs, using two to walk on, two as appendages. There were no humans native to this world; did some other creature have four legs? She was eager to find out.

  “There!” Ini said, pointing.

  Aura looked. It was a large creature with five legs moving rapidly along below. But there was something odd about its progress. She couldn't see the legs moving.

  “I saw one of those with my telescope,” Ini said. “They have wheels."

  “Wheels!” Aura had never imagined that. This was certainly no insect!

  The bubble moved close, and the wheels became apparent. This was a Yellow Chroma animal, moving along an almost level channel through the forest, surely a path made by its own kind. With such a clear path, wheels were clearly superior for motion; the animal was moving faster and with less apparent energy expenditure than any footed creature could. But what would it do when it needed to go off the path? Suppose an obstruction fell across the path?