Chapter 40

A Visitor from Afar

The breeze blew gently through the trees of the park, making a swishing sound that drowned out the noise of the traffic. Alyndia stood by her paintings that she’d set up on the park sidewalk by the lake where the other artists did.

Passers-by stopped to look at the paintings. Some of them would comment on the unearthly scenes: the green skies, the odd-shaped buildings, and the unusual flora and fauna.

Rosie sat nearby, painting as she always did, stopping occasionally to haggle the price of a work she had on display that day.

A young woman holding the hand of her five-year-old daughter walked up and casually looked over Alyndia’s paintings. “Where is that?” the woman asked her about one painting.

“That’s my old apartment,” Alyndia replied.

“That’s a really unusual décor. I studied interior design in college, and I can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like that. I want to say it’s Arabic, but it’s not. I want to say it’s Persian, but it’s not that either. Is it Indian?”

“It’s Cerinyan, actually.” Alyndia noticed Rosie grinning when she said this, but the artist said nothing.

“I’ve never heard of that before,” the woman continued. “Is that something you made up?”

“Well—yes, and no.”

“You’ve got quite an imagination to paint like that. Where do you get your ideas?”

“I travel a lot.”

“I can see.”

The little girl tugged at her mother’s arm and pointed to a man selling cotton candy nearby.

“Nice work,” the woman said, suddenly sounding flustered. “Maybe I’ll buy something from you sometime.”

“You’re always welcome.”

The woman walked off, her child pulling her along to the cotton candy.

“People seem to like your work,” Rosie said after the woman was out of earshot.

“Maybe.”

“You’re good advertising for my lessons.”

Alyndia laughed. She watched Rosie dab a lighter shade of blue into the lake she was painting to emphasize the ripples.

“I like how you do that.”

“I’ll teach you.”

Alyndia fanned herself. “You know, it’s really hot out here.”

“It’s summer. What do you expect?”

“I wouldn’t mind taking a dip in this lake.”

“That’s a fifty-dollar fine, dear.”

“I’m thirsty. I was going to get some soda at that stand over there. Do you want anything?”

“No, thanks. I have my water bottle right here.” She picked it up and took a sip from it from a thick plastic straw.

“Okay. I’ll be right back.”

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Alyndia walked along the sidewalk that rimmed the lake toward the stand that sold drinks. At that moment, she felt the flux of magic around her. She paused and looked around. What was that? she wondered. Then she noticed a patch of silver light sparkling in the shade of a tree about thirty paces from the sidewalk. She watched the people around her in the immediate area. No one else was reacting. Either they hadn’t noticed it or only she could detect it.

Cautiously, she walked toward the shimmering light. As she drew closer, she saw that the light had human form. Even up close, it was scarcely visible. The image was nearly transparent, but it blurred and distorted whatever could be seen through it. Her residual spiritual sense told her that the image was not Connie, the feel of whose energy she had long ago become accustomed to.

“Who are you?” Alyndia asked the light. As soon as the words left her lips, she heard a voice in her head.

“It is I, Calicus.”

The mention of his name sent a chill down her spine.

“I trust that you are relishing your visit in this world.”

“I’m doing the best I can.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m sharing my paintings with the people of this world.”

“Each of your actions alters the fabric of fate in the world in which you live. The code states that you must not alter it.”

“Forgive me. I am trying to make my impression here as small as possible.”

“Your place was on Cerinya. Your fate was to assist in the banishment in Chaos.”

“But I also know I was fated to die on the quest just before its completion.” Her voice now quavered, and she trembled despite the heat in the park.

“Ah! You did the scry.”

“Yes. I knew my fate before I came here.”

“It has become known, Alyndia, that you shirked your responsibility to escape your death.”

“I came here not to escape it. I came here to be with the one I loved.”

“But you had no way of knowing at the time whether the quest would succeed without you.”

“I thought they would manage.”

“Alyndia, your act of incompetence and irresponsibility has altered the fabric of fate in Cerinya. It is now uncertain whether the quest will succeed. It is impossible for me to scry because Constance Bain’s otherworld energy blocks it. Do you understand the implications of what you have done? Moreover, you have jeopardized the life of an innocent.”

Alyndia began to cry. “I’m so sorry, Calicus. I would reverse it if I could.”

“Indeed, we shall reverse this. And when you return, you will be judged and punished accordingly for your deed. I would slay you where you stand if I were certain it did not jeopardize the quest.”

“I have already decided not to resist if I am to return. I willingly go to my punishment.”

“Yes, I see this in you. This will be taken into account.”

“My magic does not work here. Is there anything I can do?”

“Yes. A crisis has developed. Something you do not know about.”

“What crisis?”

“I have not time explain it to you at this time. My time to speak to you is limited. At this time, you must do all you can to assist Gerald Layton in preparing the interworld aperture device. And you must be present if the time comes to use it.”

“Why?” she asked, her voice quavering. “I cannot live in Cerinya with this body. I will die if I pass through the aperture.”

“I foresee an event in which you will need to use the device.”

Alyndia was now trembling. “Calicus, please! I am afraid.”

“You need not be. My divination is connected with the bracelet that brought you to that world.”

“The bracelet shattered when Connie put it on.”

“And yet it must be recovered by you and returned to us.”

“How can I do that? I don’t even know where it is.”

“Alyndia, do not ask…”

At that moment, Calicus’s image and voice faded out and then returned.

“…know the answer to. Helping us...benefit...you...the judgement."

“I’ll do everything I can, Calicus,” she assured him, extrapolating his words.

“I now leave you, Alyndia. Prepare...chamber. Please...not hesitate. Do...now.”

The sparkling light vanished, and she ceased to feel his presence. She wept where she stood. At that moment, she felt a pair of hands rest gently on her shoulders. She spun around. It was Rosie. The artist did a double-take when she saw Alyndia’s tear-streaked face.

“You said you were going to get something to drink, but when I came looking for you, I saw you standing over here all by yourself. You looked like you were talking to somebody. Is everything all right?”

Alyndia wiped her eyes. “It’s nothing. I’m all right now. Why were you looking for me?”

Her look of concern waxed into a smile. “Oh, there’s a guy over there. He says he makes book covers for science fiction novels. He wants to buy all of your paintings.”

Alyndia managed a smile. “He does?”

“Yes! All of them. But I told him I didn’t know how much you wanted for them. That’s why I went looking for you.”

They started walking back. Alyndia saw a young man standing there by her paintings, looking around impatiently. Rosie gave her Kleenex tissue from her purse. She quickly dabbed away her tears and blew her nose in order to make herself presentable.

“How do I look?”

“Like a tormented artist,” she said, smiling. “You know, if he likes your work that much, maybe you can offer to make book covers for him. What do you think of that? I can’t believe it—I’ve been coming out here for years and never has such an opportunity come my way. You’re so lucky and talented, Alyndia.”

“I am? Somehow, I don’t feel that way today.”