Pilgrim by Sara Douglas

little further.‖

And yet as they walked and investigated and exclaimed at every new delight, all Drago

could think of was that Sanctuary looked nothing less than an extended version of all the

orchards of all the worlds that the TimeKeeper Demons had dragged him through. Every time a

shadow flitted among the trees, or an Icarii descended from above, Drago jumped, more than

half-expecting it to be one of the Hawkchilds.

What should he make of this? What?

Sanctuary, surely—but a Sanctuary for whom?

A few hours later Drago, Faraday and Katie, Zenith, and StarDrifter, sat about a cheerful

fire in a side gully of the main valley of Sanctuary. Isfrael had sat with them a while before

returning to the forests of the Overworld with a somewhat theatrical shudder at the well-ordered

orchards of Sanctuary. All day the Icarii, eyes wide in wonder, had been walking down the

stairwell to the door and then across the chasm—stopping in groups to be examined by the bridge—before launching themselves into the inviting thermals of the approach to Sanctuary.

―This place will be both a blessing and a curse,‖ StarDrifter remarked, his eyes on the

dancing flames.

―Why?‖ Faraday asked.

StarDrifter turned his gaze lazily towards her. ―Who will ever want to leave?‖ he said.

―Who, trapped in this wondrous prison, will ever want freedom?‖

His voice was indescribably sad, and its melancholy communicated to all of them. The

Icarii, trapped again in an exile, but one that might trap them for eternity. Who would follow a

StarMan to leave this place, however urgent his summons?

Drago shuddered, and wondered again at the similarity of Sanctuary to the orchards seen

in his rush with the Demons across the universe.

―Skies exist to be torn apart,‖ Katie said, ―and towers to be torn down.‖

Every eye in the circle riveted itself on her. She smiled happily, revealing two rows of

tiny, perfect teeth. She laughed, and her glossy brown curls bounced about with the strength of

her merriment.

―Katie,‖ Drago said. ―Who are you? What are you? ‖

She quietened, and regarded him solemnly. ―Pilgrim,‖ she said, ―do you not know me?‖

Drago shook his head, and Katie dropped her face, and wiped a sudden tear from her eye.

―Then I am no-one,‖ she whispered, and buried her face in the folds of Faraday‘s gown.

―I have no meaning.‖

Faraday rested a hand on her head, her eyes questioning, pleading with Drago, but he

only shook his head again.

―I do not know,‖ he repeated, and spread his hands helplessly.

Partly because the movement of Drago‘s hands had reminded StarDrifter of the strange

gestures he‘d seen Drago making, and partly to divert the mood of the group, he spoke up.

―Drago, what is it you have been working with your hands?‖

Relieved to be given something to think about other than the orchards of Sanctuary or his

failure to comfort Katie, Drago leaned forward, his face enthusiastic. ―Enchantment, StarDrifter!

I have found a means to access the power of the Star Dance again.‖

StarDrifter‘s face stiffened. ―But I was the one to realise the power of dance to touch—‖

―Yes, yes, StarDrifter. I did not mean to slight your achievement, and I apologise if I

have hurt your feelings…but dance has such limitations!‖

―What do you mean?‖ StarDrifter was not quite ready to accept the apology.

Drago‘s face grew more serious, his tone more compelling. ―Think. If an enchantment

must be worked by dance…then how vulnerable is the dancer to whatever danger faces him or

her. StarDrifter, yes, dance manages to harness the power of the Star Dance, but of what use is

dance if the TimeKeepers swallow you whole in the midst of a slow waltz?‖

―But Song must have been as awkward,‖ Faraday said before StarDrifter could answer.

―Surely Enchanters had to sing an entire Song before—‖

―No,‖ StarDrifter said, a little reluctantly. ―In an Enchanter‘s early stages of training he

or she would have had to sing the entire Song, yes, but eventually the actual working of the

enchantment became so instinctive that all we needed to do was to run a few casual bars through

our head, or even only a few notes. Axis could act in seconds.

―Drago, surely we will learn of a way to modify the time it takes to dance a pattern?‖

―I have already learned it,‖ Drago said, and he proceeded to tell them what he surmised

about the connections between Star Dance, music, dance and symbol. ―All form patterns in their own way. The waterways do this with physical underground canals, Icarii Enchanters used to do

it with Song, all apparently can touch the Star Dance with dance—‖

―And you formed patterns with your hands!‖ Zenith said. ―Show us.‖

―Not so much patterns. More like symbols. Condensed patterns.‖ Drago hesitated. ―A

little like StarDrifter said about Enchanters eventually learning to run only a few notes through

their minds to effect an enchantment. I take a full Song, convert it to numbers, and then those

numbers into a symbol.‖

―Numbers?‖ StarDrifter sounded lost.

―Numbers form pattern as much as music does, StarDrifter. It is a simple thing to convert

a Song to its equivalent numerical form, and then that to its condensed symbol.‖

A simple thing? Faraday looked at StarDrifter‘s and Zenith‘s bemused faces, and almost

laughed. She swung her gaze back to Drago. Was this how he would use his Acharite magic?

And to effect the conversion so effortlessly! Drago had noted StarDrifter‘s and Zenith‘s

expressions as quickly as Faraday.

―StarDrifter…sing me one of the simplest of Songs, and I will show you how to convert

to symbol.‖

StarDrifter glanced at Zenith, then sang a brief lilting melody.

―It is a Song for making a fire flare,‖ Zenith said as StarDrifter finished.

―Good,‖ Drago said. ―Now, all you have to do is convert the tune to its numerical

equivalent,‖ and without apparent effort he ran off a series of numbers, ―and then those numbers

to their symbolic equivalent, which you must visualise,‖ and he very slowly sketched a

complicated symbol through the air.

Then, Drago drew it again, but with such speed, fluidity and grace that those watching

could hardly follow his movements.

Instantly the fire flared.

There was a silence.

―I have absolutely no idea how you did that,‖ StarDrifter said. ―Zenith?‖

She shook her head. ―It is beyond me. Those numbers, and the conversion of numerical

formula to symbolic representation. Ah! No, I cannot do it. Drago, why can‘t you just teach us

the symbols we need to sketch?‖

―I don‘t see why not,‖ Drago said, and slowly sketched the symbol through the air. ―But

you must do it with speed, for the form falls apart given too long to linger unaided in mid-air.‖

Both StarDrifter and Zenith—and Faraday, who was overcome with curiosity—attempted

to copy Drago‘s hand actions, but none could sketch the symbol with the accuracy, speed and

fluidity of Drago.

Frustrated words were spoken by StarDrifter, who could not believe he could fail at

anything magical, and by Drago, who thought the whole process so impossibly simple that only a

dullard could fumble it.

―Drago,‖ Faraday eventually said, gently. ―Do you remember what Urbeth said to us?‖

―Urbeth?‖ StarDrifter and Zenith said together.

Drago stared at her. What?

―We have come back through death,‖ Faraday reminded him, ―and thus can touch our—‖

―That doesn‘t explain why you fumble as badly as StarDrifter.‖

StarDrifter glared at Drago, but did not speak.

―I think,‖ Faraday said, with a gentleness even more profound than in her last statement,

―that much of the ability you display, Drago, is purely and simply you. It is StarSon DragonStar who works those symbols with such ease.‖

Zenith suddenly understood what Faraday was saying, and she, too, looked at Drago and

smiled with exquisite tenderness. She laid a hand on his arm. ―Drago, welcome to your own

unique ability. You are a mage beyond that which Tencendor has seen before.‖

―You are StarSon,‖ StarDrifter said, all trace of frustration and resentment now gone

from his voice.

Drago dropped his eyes and stared at his hands, now carefully folded in his lap.

―StarSon…as a man it has taken me a long time to come to terms with what I once demanded as

my right. As an infant I destroyed Caelum and all he could be. As a man my actions have

wreaked destruction upon Tencendor. It has been hard to snatch Caelum‘s heritage away for a

second time.‖

Drago glanced at the staff, which lay at his side, and then looked about the circle. ―If we

survive this time, I think the legends will decorate Caelum with the glory, not me.‖

StarDrifter and Faraday lowered their eyes, wondering if Drago was right. Well, and who

would not deny Caelum some bardic glory for his dreadful role?

Drago shuddered, and looked at the sky as if it were transparent. ―I feel the darkness of

the Demons drawing closer and closer to the Lake above.‖