as he reached out, giving him the power of understanding.
Pina could feel a slight draining of his strength and resolved that for the moment he would not waste the power of his crystal on the others.
These were not Sarnak's demons, at least. He had seen them fighting Sarnak's servants, and their performance was credible. But they were obviously not of the world of Haven, Such warriors as these must be from another portal, perhaps caught by accident in what he suspected was an attempt to bring forces from another dimension.
Well, it looked like the attempt had turned against whomever had tried it. Now he had to decide quickly what to do with the results.
"Where are you from?" Pina asked Mark.
"Pennsylvania."
"What is this Pennsvana?"
"America."
"Never heard of this America."
And it was with that single statement that Mark felt a deep sense of despair. It stated to him perhaps more than anything else just how far away they must now be. In a world at war, there was hardly anyone alive from Eskimo to New Guinea native who had not heard of America. With the realization came a sudden premonition that he most likely would never see home again.
Pina looked appraisingly at the two of them.
"I have decided," he intoned. "You are outlanders, caught in the web of another. You seem to be warriors and that is good. I shall inform my lord and you shall pledge vassalage unto my master."
"Vassalage? What the hell is this?" Mark replied. "Listen, buddy, I'm an American, even if I am in some other godforsaken corner of the universe, and I'm no serf to anyone."
Pina stepped back.
"Mark, shut up," Ikawa said. He stepped forward and spoke quickly.
"The nation of America is very proud; there, every man is his own lord with no vassalage. He means no insult to you, I swear it."
Ikawa turned on Mark. "Listen, we need an alliance if we are to survive. You and I made an alliance and some of your men and mine called it treason. But we did it. It's the same thing here. I am in pledge of vassalage to my Emperor, yet I live with Bushido, with pride."
Mark, feeling calmer, nodded; and Ikawa approached Pina.
"I can pledge alliance to you as well but my first pledge is to my Emperor, and not I nor any of my men is an oath-breaker."
Pina nodded. These men might be useful. They had pride. He could blast them with a wave of his hand, but he knew that his lord could always use warriors.
However, there was something strange about these men; they did not feel like mere mortals. It was almost as if...
Pina's eyes began to glow, probing deeply into the two leaders. In amazement he could see the Essence growing within them. These men did not have the cellular restrictions bred by the Creators into nearly all of the humans on this planet. He was looking at potential sorcerers! This was like a gift from the gods.
He stepped back, whispered to his companions who gave him a shocked look, and with a sense of urgency touched his communications crystal.
A moment later, he announced, "My master Allic has decided that you may be of more value than was first thought. He is willing to make terms in return for allegiance. It is now important that your men understand also, so bring them to me and I will teach them our tongue."
* * * *
The map still shimmered with a soft glow. It had been a long night and Allic settled into a high-backed chair, stretching his legs with a groan.
"Well, Varma, what do you think?"
"A game within a game, my lord. Was it Sarnak or Macha who planned us harm, and why the outlanders at this time? Is their arrival a plot within a plot?"
Varma the jester sat by Allic's feet, for the moment comfortable in his role as soundingboard and confidant. There was no formality when the two of them were alone, no need to play the idiot jester entertaining with jokes upon himself and his deformity.
"The Essence flowing in them is pure, unalloyed," Allic said quietly. "Obviously, they come from a world where the Essence does not exist, they
Pina could feel a slight draining of his strength and resolved that for the moment he would not waste the power of his crystal on the others.
These were not Sarnak's demons, at least. He had seen them fighting Sarnak's servants, and their performance was credible. But they were obviously not of the world of Haven, Such warriors as these must be from another portal, perhaps caught by accident in what he suspected was an attempt to bring forces from another dimension.
Well, it looked like the attempt had turned against whomever had tried it. Now he had to decide quickly what to do with the results.
"Where are you from?" Pina asked Mark.
"Pennsylvania."
"What is this Pennsvana?"
"America."
"Never heard of this America."
And it was with that single statement that Mark felt a deep sense of despair. It stated to him perhaps more than anything else just how far away they must now be. In a world at war, there was hardly anyone alive from Eskimo to New Guinea native who had not heard of America. With the realization came a sudden premonition that he most likely would never see home again.
Pina looked appraisingly at the two of them.
"I have decided," he intoned. "You are outlanders, caught in the web of another. You seem to be warriors and that is good. I shall inform my lord and you shall pledge vassalage unto my master."
"Vassalage? What the hell is this?" Mark replied. "Listen, buddy, I'm an American, even if I am in some other godforsaken corner of the universe, and I'm no serf to anyone."
Pina stepped back.
"Mark, shut up," Ikawa said. He stepped forward and spoke quickly.
"The nation of America is very proud; there, every man is his own lord with no vassalage. He means no insult to you, I swear it."
Ikawa turned on Mark. "Listen, we need an alliance if we are to survive. You and I made an alliance and some of your men and mine called it treason. But we did it. It's the same thing here. I am in pledge of vassalage to my Emperor, yet I live with Bushido, with pride."
Mark, feeling calmer, nodded; and Ikawa approached Pina.
"I can pledge alliance to you as well but my first pledge is to my Emperor, and not I nor any of my men is an oath-breaker."
Pina nodded. These men might be useful. They had pride. He could blast them with a wave of his hand, but he knew that his lord could always use warriors.
However, there was something strange about these men; they did not feel like mere mortals. It was almost as if...
Pina's eyes began to glow, probing deeply into the two leaders. In amazement he could see the Essence growing within them. These men did not have the cellular restrictions bred by the Creators into nearly all of the humans on this planet. He was looking at potential sorcerers! This was like a gift from the gods.
He stepped back, whispered to his companions who gave him a shocked look, and with a sense of urgency touched his communications crystal.
A moment later, he announced, "My master Allic has decided that you may be of more value than was first thought. He is willing to make terms in return for allegiance. It is now important that your men understand also, so bring them to me and I will teach them our tongue."
* * * *
The map still shimmered with a soft glow. It had been a long night and Allic settled into a high-backed chair, stretching his legs with a groan.
"Well, Varma, what do you think?"
"A game within a game, my lord. Was it Sarnak or Macha who planned us harm, and why the outlanders at this time? Is their arrival a plot within a plot?"
Varma the jester sat by Allic's feet, for the moment comfortable in his role as soundingboard and confidant. There was no formality when the two of them were alone, no need to play the idiot jester entertaining with jokes upon himself and his deformity.
"The Essence flowing in them is pure, unalloyed," Allic said quietly. "Obviously, they come from a world where the Essence does not exist, they
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