Songtsan Gampo frowned impatiently. “So? What went wrong?”
The geshe’s mind replayed in detail the encounter of the storm elemental with the travelers on the steppe, as he’d read it from the elemental’s time track.
The emperor pursed his lips, scowling. “And it could not resist the man? Then how is an elemental superior to a demon for our purpose?”
The geshe bowed more deeply still. “Your Magnificence, much that is told of demons is untrue. A demon has no power except over the victim’s mind. True that is enough, in some cases, to wreak havoc, but not with this man. An elemental, on the other hand, has power over physical substances—storm, earthquake, volcano. And storms can move about, strike almost anywhere, while an earthquake or volcano is restricted. But this man has greater calm, greater strength of serenity, than we had realized; than we could have imagined. He sat facing violence and death, and . . . We have seen what happened.”
The emperor frowned thoughtfully. He was almost invariably intolerant of failure, and even more of “reasons” for failure, but he knew from his own limited dabblings that wizardry could be most difficult to work. And this geshe was not only exceptionally gifted; the man was a continuous education to him. ‘ How does an elemental have power over substance while a demon does not?” he askedt “Enlighten me.”
“Your Magnificence, a demon was once a man, who visited such evils on other men that he cannot confront returning in another incarnation to balance the kharmic equation. The enormity of his debt overwhelms him, ren-
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dering him more or less demented! He dwells in the lowest level of the astral plane, a level of guilt and continuous distress, and cannot escape to a higher level until he has willingly reincarnated and balanced his equation.”
In his single-mindedness, the emperor missed the lesson implicit in the geshe’s explanation. Instead he took over the explanation at that point. “And the wizard gives him form,’ he said, “that he may move abroad within the material plane.”
“The wizard helps him give himself form, Your Magnificence, from spirit stuff. Provides guidance, and a certain necessary focus that he cannot provide himself. Once he has it, he may or may not be grateful, and loyal to a point. And usually he cannot long retain that substance he has taken, which alone keeps him in the material plane.”
“Umm. And elementals?”
“The air, the earth, the sea—all have energies of their own. Great energies, including a diffuse, low-grade intelligence of a sort. And they are already in the material plane. I, with the energy of the Circle, gather—gather and mold—a quantity of that energy; a large quantity. The result is a powerful entity with its own limited intelligence, an entity which perceives, and which directs itself according to its maker’s command. And unlike a demon, when it disperses, it no longer exists, except as the diffuse energy from which it was formed.”
“Um. And subject to its maker’s command, you say. But not this time, it seems. It met a new commander.”
“Not exactly, Your Magnificence. The man did not command it. He simply established an affinity with it. After which it could not bring itself to destroy him.”
“The difference has no practical significance.”
Another bow, very deep this time.
“And this is what you came to tell me?”
“In part, Your Magnificence. In addition, since that encounter, the Circle has not been able to locate the man at all, even to sense his continued existence.”
“And you are concerned by this?”
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“Indeed, Your Magnificence. I have little doubt he still plans to come here.”
Smiling, the emperor turned to his brother. “How many of your soldiers, Drukpa, would it require to kill one barbarian wizard?”
The general snorted. “One. Oh, perhaps as many as four or five ordinary soldiers, if the wizard happened also to be a great fighting man.” Raising an arm, he caused its sleeve to slide to the elbow, and flexed a remarkably large and powerful forearm. “A warrior like myself could handle any wizard,” he added. “I am not susceptible to their tricks and illusions.”
The emperor turned back to the geshe. “There! You see? And imagine what one of my yeti guards would do to him! We will not worry further about this shaman you speak of. But I am interested in him now; I would like to study him.” He cocked an eyebrow. “I have heard of a spirit, a demon if you will, being called up and caused to clothe itself within an animal, a bird or other creature. What do you say to that?”