Corisand sighed. ‘No, that has not changed. I have only recently come into my powers, and because we have been trapped as horses, my predecessor was unable to explain anything to me; nor could I access my magic. I have no idea how or why you brought me here, but I count it the greatest stroke of good fortune. Surely this could not have happened by chance. I’m hoping desperately that it means I might be the one Windeye, out of so many lost generations, who could save her people.’
Taku regarded her thoughtfully. ‘It would certainly explain why, after such a lengthy absence, I was able to call a Shaman of the Xandim back to this place. Perhaps you are right, Corisand. Your coming here can be no coincidence. This realm, like your own, is governed by a number of natural laws. In your mundane world, the laws are mainly physical, dealing with the forces and energies of objects interacting upon one another. Here, however, those natural laws are mainly magical. Before today, I would have been unable to bring you here, for in your equine form you lacked the magic to make that initial connection with me. But now something has changed. When Hellorin was brought through from your own world by Aerilia, one of the Moldai, that created the portal through which I could reach you.’
The Windeye frowned. ‘But who is Aerillia? And you mentioned the Moldai before. Who or what are they?’ she asked.
Aurora sighed pointedly at a further interruption.
‘It’s not my fault,’ Corisand protested. ‘This is all new to me, remember? It seems that I can draw upon the knowledge of my predecessors to give me an understanding of my own world, so I knew what a glacier was, for instance, though I have never seen one. But when it comes to this place, I have not the scantest knowledge about anything. So far, I have just been going on my instincts.’
‘And very good instincts they are,’ said Taku. ‘I imagine that the wisdom of your predecessors regarding this place is no use to you because such a tremendous length of time has passed since your forebears were able to access their powers and come here. The knowledge, useless to the Windeyes in their equine state, must have been lost during the intervening years.’
‘Will you help me reclaim it, Taku? I must learn to understand these things. As Windeye, the knowledge is my birthright, but it goes much deeper than that. If I am to free my people, I will need every advantage I can find.’
The serpent dipped his head. ‘Very well. Ask. I will do what I can.’
‘Why ask only him?’ There was an edge to Aurora’s voice.
A number of excuses raced through Corisand’s mind. Then she decided to stick with honesty. ‘Taku brought me here,’ she said, ‘and so far, he has been much more friendly.’
A flash of red lit up the sky. ‘I give my trust and friendship where and when they are merited. But I am willing to help you for now. Who knows? Trust and friendship may follow. I certainly would not be offering my assistance if I did not believe that.’
Corisand smiled. ‘I also believe that we could become friends, and I am glad of it.’ Addressing both now, she added, ‘You said Hellorin’s spirit was brought here. Does that mean I am only here as a spirit, too?’ She ran a hand down her body. ‘This certainly feels like solid flesh and bone to me.’
‘To all intents and purposes, it is solid flesh and bone,’ Taku told her. ‘Conditions in this world are formed by our powers and will and imagination, and can even extend to our physical forms. Here magic rules, and only those possessing magic can come here. Things are less rigid, less certain, more malleable. But though the body you are wearing now is a reality in this world, I was only able to bring your spirit here, Windeye. Your true physical form is back in the mundane world, in a semblance of sleep.’
Corisand felt crushing disappointment. ‘Then this human form - it isn’t even real.’
‘No.’ This time, Aurora answered. ‘There you are mistaken. It is real, and it belongs to you. If you finally succeed in freeing yourself and your people, and regain your human aspect in your own world, you will find it to be just as it is here and now.’
‘But what happens if the Horsemistress, or one of the other Phaerie, comes along while my spirit is here? Surely they’ll try to awaken me. What will become of me when they cannot? Or would their attempts to wake my body drag my spirit back there?’
‘Be easy,’ Taku said. ‘Time here runs very differently, relative to the world in which you live. We can return you very shortly after you left, so that there will be no opportunity for the Phaerie to be suspicious.’
‘Well, that’s a relief. But why did I assume this shape in the first place? Why not take the one to which I’m most accustomed?’
‘Ever since you became Windeye, and learned what you could be, your mind has yearned after this alternative form.’ Taku’s voice was kind and patient, as though he could sense just how much this meant to her. ‘Also, you have all the courage and wisdom of your forebears, Corisand. It was only natural that you would choose the more powerful aspect of your being - the one in which you could think and communicate clearly. The one in which you would be most useful to your people. The one in which you could fulfil your dreams, and access your true powers at long last.’
All at once, the serpent’s voice turned grave. ‘But I give you warning, Corisand. Heed me well. Other beings dwell here. Their will, their thoughts, their magic can influence and mould reality just as well as your own, and if it comes to a clash of wills, the most powerful will prevail. So a conflict here will not be won by physical strength, but by the power of magic and imagination. Always keep that in mind. One day it may save your life.’
A chill crawled up her spine. ‘And if I were to die here?’ she asked quietly. ‘What would happen to the Corisand of the mundane world?’
‘If you die here, you die in all realities.’
Aurora’s stark words were as shocking as a physical slap. The dreamlike sense of unreality that had beset her since her arrival in this strange new world burst like a bubble. She knew, however, that she could not afford to let herself be daunted. This miraculous opportunity had somehow been granted her, and she could not afford to let it go to waste. She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. ‘In that case, it is all the more important that you teach me what I need to know.’
‘Indeed.’ There was new respect in the serpent’s mien. ‘Then let us return to the association between the Moldai and the Forest Lord. The Moldai are an ancient, elemental race who dwell simultaneously in this realm and the mundane world. Here, they usually take the form of giants, and though they can change their shape as they choose, they are inevitably very large in scale. In the mundane world, their aspect is tremendous mountains of living stone. Originally, they were the offspring of Denali-- ’
‘Who can’t say that the rest of us didn’t warn her,’ Aurora interrupted in acid tones.
‘Be that as it may,’ Taku said, and resumed his tale. ‘The Moldai belonged solely here in this Elsewhere, but as they grew in power they became ambitious and, like the Forest Lord, desired the conquest of other realms. However, unlike Hellorin, who quit one place for the other, the Moldai wished for a foothold in both worlds, and in order to achieve this, they were prepared to stop at nothing.
‘They discovered that they would need a tremendous amount of power to achieve their ends. Something that could both store magic and magnify it. But they lacked sufficient lore to complete the task. For that, they needed the help of the Phaerie, a different race with a different form of magic. Hellorin agreed, and so, between the two ancient races, the Fialan, the Stone of Fate, was created.’
Corisand discovered that she had been listening with such attention that she’d been holding her breath. ‘What did it look like?’ she asked.