Key to Destiny

  “Negation,” Iva said. “It is a way of relating positively, and we wish to be positive with you. We believe you will like us better if we are good partners in sex."

  “And we wish to know how you enabled us to receive such pleasure,” Ivor said. “We recognize that it did not come from ourselves."

  Tell them, the Yellow Glamor's thought came. It is time for the next level of revelation.

  Aura saw Augur nod. He had received the thought too. “There is a brief explanation, and a full one,” he said.

  “Request,” Iva said. “Augur tell me the brief one, as we do it."

  “And Aura tell me the full one, as we do it,” Ivor said.

  All four humans smiled. “That means that you and I will take longer,” Aura said to Ivor.

  “Agreement. But Iva will know it too."

  Because what one learned, the other learned—and all ifrits, in due course. “Then we will tell as we demonstrate,” Aura said.

  Aura went with Ivor to a secluded glade. “Sex is, as you understand, a social lubricant,” she said as they prepared a suitable bed. “Normally one man and one woman form a relationship and confine their sexual activity to each other. But when humans travel, they need additional support, and sex, especially for a young woman, is a standard way to get it. Men generally desire sex more than women do, so a man will provide protection or resources in exchange for sex. This is the usual exchange of favors. My relationship is with Augur; I love him and will marry him."

  “Question?"

  “Love is a strong permanent attraction. Marriage is a public recognition and commitment, so that all others are aware of it. But travel is generally no fault: no permanent commitment is made, just a temporary one. The sex Augur and I have with you and Iva we consider to be no fault."

  “Statement: there is no love between us."

  “No love,” Aura agreed. “But sex does not require love."

  “Conclusion: you therefore lack desire for sex with me."

  “Candor?"

  “Question?"

  “Candor is when the truth is told, when it may not be pleasant for the other party."

  “Candor,” he agreed.

  “I do lack desire for sex with you. The only man I wish to have sex with is Augur, though I wouldn't mind it with King Havoc. But I have done it with a number of men, as no fault traveling or to oblige. I am considered an attractive woman, so men desire sex with me. I will do it with you."

  “Conjecture: you will do me a favor, and Iva will do Augur a favor."

  Aura laughed. “Perhaps."

  “There is humor. I do not understand."

  “Sometimes we react to an odd or different perspective. Augur is a man, and he does appreciate women. He probably enjoys sex with Iva. So you are correct, in a way I had not before considered. That is what I found funny."

  “I do not wish to require you to do what you prefer not to do."

  “Question: why not?"

  “I wish you to like me."

  “Do you understand like or love?"

  “Negation. I wish to learn."

  Aura was touched. “I am not sure that such things can be taught. Liking and loving develop from amicable association, in people with the capacity for them."

  “Regret."

  “I can not give you love, Ivor, but I can give you sex."

  “Negation,” he said sadly.

  “But I think I am coming to like you,” she said, kissing him.

  His return kiss was hungry. “Appreciation.” But he made no attempt to engage in sex.

  “There is one more thing,” she said. “We needed help to show you the pleasure of sex. Just as you have an ifrit in cloud form helping you to understand, we have what we call a Glamor helping us."

  “Question."

  “Of course. Glamors are superior humans, able to do more magic in more places. They are telepathic, among other things."

  “Question."

  “Telepathy: direct communication between minds, usually at a small distance. No vocalization necessary."

  “Relevance?"

  “A Glamor sent you and Iva the pleasure of sex. It was the only way we could find to enable you to experience it."

  “Demonstration?"

  The Yellow Glamor appeared. “Here is that pleasure."

  Both Ivor and Aura went rigid. Aura felt a phenomenal sexual climax, and knew the ifrit was sharing it, though they were standing apart from each other.

  The Glamor disappeared, and the pleasure faded. “Wonder,” Ivor said.

  “Welcome,” Aura replied. That had been a more direct and unsubtle demonstration than she would have chosen, but it was surely effective.

  “Wish: I could feel that while kissing you."

  She laughed again, and this time he laughed with her. He was either learning humor, or getting expert at emulation. “That is I think beyond my power. But I will kiss you again.” She did so.

  There was something quite gentle and warm in his reaction. “Impression: I felt some of it."

  Was he learning love? That could be emotionally dangerous. “We have what is called a business or perhaps a social relationship. There is no permanence; it is no fault. Soon we humans will complete our mission on this planet and return to our own world."

  “Regret."

  They returned to the table. Augur and Iva were already there, of course, having finished in the brief explanation time. “Pleasure from a Glamor,” Iva said.

  “We wish to know more about Glamors,” Ivor said.

  “Tomorrow they will be here,” Augur said. He had evidently cleared this with them.

  Aura nodded. “I suspect it is time.” Her head was spinning again; they had made almost unbelievable progress, and it seemed likely to continue. She hoped they would not regret it.

  * * *

  Chapter 7—Cloud Formation

  Havoc nodded. “Yes, it is time,” he agreed. “We have taken two days to check out the region surrounding the section the tapestry map covers, and know there are no ugly surprises there. Now we can sample the key zone."

  Avian nodded his gray head. Then he and Havoc moved together toward the zone. The other Glamors stayed back. They had agreed to risk no more than two in the first exploration. That was why the mortals were not here; neither Ini, with the altar icon, nor Futility, with the tapestry map, would be risked until the way was certified safe.

  The terrain looked ordinary. They had selected a Gray Chroma zone to sample first, which was why the Gray Glamor was participating. They planned to have human/animal teams, to maximize the senses and reactions. All this care seemed unnecessary, but they trusted the nature of the challenge: extreme caution was best. There could be things here that none of them had encountered before. They needed to be prepared for the unexpected.

  Still, the gray terrain ahead seemed exactly typical of Gray Chroma zones elsewhere on this planet. The trees were the same as those Havoc had noted elsewhere, and the odd birds were too, as Avian had noted. It hardly seemed to require a special map from another planet; they could have flown over the zone and quickly sketched their own map. Yet nothing about this quest had been straightforward, and there seemed to be reason for the other aspects; there was surely reason here too.

  They stopped just beyond the limit defined by the map, having established that without passing it. “Your sample, Gray,” he said.

  Avian stepped across the unmarked line. One stride, two, three. Then he paused, squawked, and stepped back. See for yourself.

  Havoc shrugged and strode forward himself. On the third step, the zone changed. He was standing at the edge of a turbulent sea that had not been there before. Gray waves slapped against gray rocks at the shore, throwing up spume. The sound was consistent, and the smell of the water's edge was pleasant. Drops of water struck him like cool rain.

  This had to be illusion. Nothing like this was on the map, and it wasn't visible from outside. It had appeared only when he entered the defined zone. Yet it was diffe
rent from prior illusions he had encountered, both on Charm and Counter Charm, in that it was apparent only when he was actually in it. Most illusions were visible from inside or outside; they were fixed, overlaying reality at their sites. Symbol's illusion story shows were an example.

  Like Symbol's illusions, this one was full-fledged. In fact it went beyond, because hers did not have smell or touch, just sight and sound. This was the most effective illusion he had encountered.

  Or was it illusion? This was so realistic that it could be reality, and the illusion might be the placid scene seen from outside. That would mean that this entire region was quite other than anticipated. Yet why would they need a map of the illusion, in that case? It would be useless.

  Havoc squatted and picked up a wet pebble from the fragmented beach. It had been smoothed by millennia of washing, but the faint lines of its layered formation remained. He stepped back across the tacit line.

  There was the ordinary landscape, with Avian standing where he had been. The surging sea was gone. So was the pebble Havoc had held.

  “Interesting,” he remarked. “You saw the same?” He projected a mental picture of the sea.

  Agreement.

  “I think that is illusion."

  The bird nodded.

  They consulted with the other Glamors. Yellow was absent, safeguarding the mortals in their investigation of clouds, but they could update her when they understood more. Gale was with the children at the base. The others crossed the line one by one, experiencing the scene for themselves. All were impressed.

  They moved around the perimeter to an Orange Chroma zone. This faced a moderate mountain overgrown with orange trees and shrubs, with a path winding up the side that might have been made by one of the giant snails they had seen elsewhere. The Orange Sphinx Glamor approached it, with the Green Glamor, whose constituency was mollusks; he would be able to relate to a snail if they encountered it.

  The sphinx stepped across the assumed line, paused, and returned. The Green Glamor did the same.

  The others took their turns. When Havoc tried it, he discovered a scintillating desert, across which glittering things raced, keening melodically. It was hard to get a clear view of them; their courses were too erratic to anticipate well, and they seemed never to pause in place. They didn't leave tracks; instead their motion stirred up dust and sand, which soon settled behind them, leaving no clear prints. The heat was horrendous; as a Glamor he could handle it, but it would be bad for any mortals. This might be illusion, but it was nevertheless uncomfortable.

  This time Havoc turned around, facing back the way he had come. There was more desert—and one of the glitter things was angling toward him. It surely couldn't touch him, being illusion, but he had seen enough. He walked forward, crossing the line that had to be there.

  Back outside the zone, he turned and looked. There was the overgrown mountain again, quite peaceful. The illusion was completely gone.

  “Impressed,” he murmured.

  “Concurrence,” Green said. “I thought to check a snail; I found none there. I tried to penetrate the illusion to find the snail trail we can see from here, but could not find it."

  They moved on to another section. This was an Air Chroma zone, showing only vague fog, which was the Illusions Chroma's way of being undefined. The Invisible Glamor checked it, with the Silver Chroma Spider. Again, they withdrew after brief inspection, and let the others try.

  Havoc entered with Avian, this time together. And this time it was the base of a deep valley, with birds and small clouds overhead, and a creature reminiscent of a legendary Earth dinosaur roaming through it, questing perhaps for prey.

  Havoc looked around. He did not see or hear Avian. Gray? He thought.

  He got an answer, but it was hopelessly garbled. He knew a mind was near him, but not what it was trying to convey, or even whether it was the bird. It seemed that the illusion covered even telepathy.

  Behind him was the near slope of the valley, too steep to support more than crevice-dwelling plants and moss. It rose to a ridge far above. That would be a very long climb.

  There was agitation in the nearby thoughts. Something was bothering Avian. Havoc turned back to face the center of the valley—and saw that the dinosaur had winded them and was now striding purposefully toward them. It might be illusion—or it might be something real, like a dragon, modified by illusion. “Retreating,” he said, buttressing the thought with the word. He stepped into the steep slope, and was out.

  Avian was beside him, his tri-part beak looking disgruntled. The other Glamors nodded with understanding.

  “Impressed again,” Havoc said. “That is not passive illusion; it is aware of our intrusion."

  Those birds sent bird-mind signals, Avian thought. I received them clearly, but not yours, Havoc.

  “You were fogged,” Havoc agreed. “Body and mind."

  “Illusion is my Chroma specialty,” the Air Glamor said. “But I have not before encountered this type or competence. It covers everything."

  “Illusion can be penetrated,” the Red Glamor said.

  “Agreement. But did you penetrate this one?"

  “Negation,” she said, frowning. “That surprises me."

  “And me,” Air said. “I had to focus my entire effort on penetrating just one aspect at a time: sight, or sound, or smell, or mind. So I could make the dinosaur fade, but still heard the beat of its footfalls. This is a surprising challenge."

  “Question,” Havoc said. “Should we proceed regardless, or delay our investigation until we are better able to handle this special illusion?"

  “Delay,” Air said. “I need time to study this. I should be able to find a way in due course."

  “And we don't want to risk the success of our mission on fouled up perceptions,” the Red Glamor said. “We don't even know what we are searching for.” She glanced around. “There could be danger, even for us."

  “And there is more to study in the normal regions,” the Blue Glamor said. “I have found insects of strange types, and want to fathom their natures.” Her constituency was the insects.

  “True for many of us,” the Black Glamor said. “I am discovering different types of saprophytes."

  “There may even be a new type of human being, for all we know,” the Red Glamor said with a smile. “Let's reconvene when Air has solved his riddle."

  There was general agreement. They went to their several pursuits. Havoc returned to the main base, where Gale and Symbol tried to stay even with the children.

  “Visit or stay?” Gale inquired when she saw him appear. She was nursing Voila.

  “We have encountered intractable illusion. Air is working on it, so we have spare time for now."

  She gestured toward Symbol, who was watching Warp and Weft explore dirt while holding Flame. “Deal: Pick one of us for two minutes hot sex in exchange for an hour's baby-sitting with the terrors."

  “Both of you together for four minutes, for half an hour with the terrors."

  “Done.” Gale set Voila down in the crib, went to Symbol, and spoke briefly with her. Symbol smiled and quickly set up a self-playing illusion showing figures made of candy, dancing. The children were immediately distracted by it. She left them and walked toward Havoc.

  Gale fashioned an illusion sphere whose surface was reflective. She stepped into it with Symbol. “Four minutes, starting—now."

  Havoc joined them in the sphere. From inside it was transparent, so they could see the children clearly. There was a bed in it, and both women were lying on it, nude, Symbol thoroughly powdered. Their breasts tended to lose definition in that position, but remained evocative. Their lifted knees were toward him, showing their shapely thighs to their furred clefts. He could concentrate and see through Symbol's illusion powder, but there was no point in rendering her invisible.

  Havoc vanished his own clothing and joined them. Gale grabbed his upper section, kissing him as she bore him down on the bed by the force of her breasts. Symbol g
rabbed his lower section, and straddled him, lifting his stiffening member to fit into her. Then she plumped down on him, taking him all the way in. In a moment he was jetting into her center.

  Then they changed places. Symbol took over the kissing, at the same time catching his hands in hers and pressing them against her ample hot breasts. The powder smeared as his fingers slid across her flesh, leaving streaks of translucence through which he could see the bit of liquid in her center that was his ejaculate; her illusion was thorough. Gale addressed his member, massaging it back to full strength, sliding it in, and clenching rhythmically on it. Soon he was jetting again. As a Glamor he could do it, as both women well knew.

  Then the two of them hauled him off the bed and lay back on it themselves. “Time's up,” Gale said. “Wake us when the half hour is done.” Still naked, they closed their eyes, emulating blissful sleep. Symbol's illusion powder was now streaked across Gale as well.

  Havoc got back into his clothes, admiring the two forms. Both were beautiful women, and both loved him. What more could he ask? They had delivered exactly what had been offered: very fast, intense sex. But he could see that the constant effort of keeping up with the children had tired them, physically or emotionally. They had been more than ready for just such a break. Love, he thought, projecting it so Symbol could receive it too.

  Gale smiled and Symbol blushed. That was interesting; Symbol was far more experienced and cynical, but she was the mistress, not the wife, and a sincere expression of love profoundly affected her. As far as he knew, he was the only man who could cause her to do it. Love had unbalanced her equilibrium, perhaps to her embarrassment. Or had it? Her flush had to be illusion too, for it would not show in its natural state. So she was probably having an extra bit of fun with him.

  He stepped out of the sphere. There were Warp, Weft, and Flame staring in. The little monsters had set up an illusion scene of themselves watching the illusion show, and scrambled to watch the real show by reversing the sphere's reflectivity so that they could see in without being seen from inside. The adults, preoccupied, had not noticed.

  “Our secret,” he murmured. The three nodded enthusiastically. They knew they'd never get to see another like it if either woman caught on.