Serendipity. A beautiful word for a beautiful concept. Through this happy accident, gentle reader, a friendship was born: a friendship for the ages. From this moment, though the paths of their lives might send them apart, they would always find their way back to each other. Only one thing could part them forever, and I know Aunt Mandalee still misses my mother terribly. Having said that, my mother wasn’t entirely convinced their meeting was just an accident. She had the strangest feeling it was more than that.
“There is still one mystery,” Cat told her friend after she shared her story. They were enjoying a drink outside the FaerWay Tavern – for some reason, they didn't allow leopards inside. At least, she hoped it was Shyleen they were objecting to and no-one else.
“What's that?” Mandalee wondered.
“My staff.”
“Your staff?”
“Yes, I have no idea why it reacted the way it did when we touched it together before.”
“Has another cleric ever held it before?” Mandalee asked.
“Not while I’ve owned it, no, but it’s deeper than that. Mandalee, I don’t normally let anyone else touch it!” She trusted Jacob, but she’d never let him get his hands on it. “In fact, come to think of it,” she mused, “I’m not even sure why I let you. It just felt…right, somehow.”
“Are you saying we were destined to meet, or something?”
Cat shook her head, emphatically. “Not exactly. I’m not really one for destiny as such, but I do have the strangest feeling…”
“What kind of feeling?” Mandalee prompted.
Catriona took a few breaths to consider before responding, “Like somebody wanted us to meet. They didn’t make it happen – more like they encouraged it to happen. Like when you introduce two friends to each other, and you hope they’ll get along and you’re pleased when they do.”
“Well, you’re a druid, and I’m a Cleric of Nature, so maybe it was Blessed Alycia herself who encouraged it,” Mandalee suggested.
“Maybe,” Cat allowed. “Anyway,” she continued, dismissing it for the moment, “what would life be without a few mysteries?”
“Quiet?”
“You say ‘quiet,’ but all I hear is ‘dull,’” Cat replied, finishing her drink.
Mandalee smiled and downed the remains of hers.
“Why do I get the feeling my life is going to be neither of those things ever again now I’ve met you?”
Cat spread her hands. “I really can’t imagine!”
By this time, Catriona was getting slightly worried about Jacob. She would have expected him to have turned up by now. She sent out a sympathic message to him, conveying a sense of ‘searching’ and ‘concern.’
While she waited for a response, she explained to Mandalee that since Jacob had no magic, she had to initiate contact and it took mental effort to sustain it even for a short period. In theory, with another magic user, she believed she could set up a permanent, effortless, two-way sympathic link.
Jacob responded with the concept of ‘getting closer’ and ‘location query.’
“He’s on his way and wants to know exactly where I am,” she translated for Mandalee, then she sent a sympathic message, telling Jacob she was drinking at the rear of the tavern, rather than simply meeting outside as they had planned.
Jacob returned an image that conveyed suitable disgust at her projected image of the culturally offensive sign in front of her: a road or path over which hovered a nonsensical tiny ‘Faery,’ complete with wings.
Why was it so difficult for some humans to realise that Faery did not have wings; that was Piskeys, their smaller cousins. Except there weren’t any anymore.
*****
Long ago, gentle reader, Faery shared their forest homes with Piskeys. Then, gradually, infertility increased, and their numbers began to decline. Nobody knows why. By my mother’s time, the last of the winged Piskeys had died around eight hundred years ago, and the species became extinct.
But their legacy did not entirely disappear from Tempestria, because before their fertility problems began, interbreeding with Faery was common, and so modern Faery retained within their bodies, a small sliver of what the Piskeys once were. Their smaller, lighter builds were the primary example, but every now and then, a baby was born with tiny, vestigial wings on their back. The Piskey legacy was stronger in them, which also meant they could not have children.
Sadly, some humans were wilfully ignorant about other cultures, and depicting Faery like Piskeys with wings was an example of this. The way my mother saw it, it was not only insulting to the Faery, but also to the memory of the Piskeys who were no longer around to protest.
*****
Jacob’s response told Cat he had correctly deduced that, against her better judgement, she was an actual customer at the appallingly named FaerWay Tavern and told her he’d be there in five minutes.
After relaying that to Mandalee, she said, “I don’t want to be rude, but do you mind if we drop the conversation for a bit so I can read some of Shifting Stars? Having gone to so much trouble to get hold of this book, I’m itching to see if it was worth it.”
Mandalee said she didn’t mind at all and was curious herself. So, Cat opened the book that was apparently so ridiculed.
*****
The world is wrong, and the stars make no sense.
Catriona and Mandalee shared a look – not the most promising start.
Clerics would have us believe that the cosmos is a plaything of the gods, and not to be understood by mortals. But that is what they said about magic, and yet through study, wizards can now do what clerics said was impossible without recourse to any gods. I put it to you that the world is inherently understandable, conforming to laws that we can begin to formulate. At least it should be.
Yet the stars will not behave.
For a while, they do. Sometimes for long periods, their positions in the heavens are entirely rational, sensible, predictable. Then, every now and again, at seemingly random intervals, there is a Star Shift, and some of them stray off course. The question is: Is something moving the stars, or is something moving our world relative to them? What effect might that have on Tempestria? This is to say nothing of the void storms – the vortex that swirls all around us. That seems to change its pattern at the same time as the Star Shift. Why? What are the void storms? Is there some link between them and the stars? Is the movement of one the cause of the other, or are both symptoms of the same problem?
In this book, I intend to present my evidence and hope to at least begin to answer some of these questions.
*****
I am not going to reproduce the entire book here, gentle reader, for reasons of copyright violation if nothing else. Suffice to say, what followed was mainly annotated diagrams and star charts along with wild, speculative theories about the forces that might be involved. It appeared to be superficially scientific in its approach, but as Mandalee said, “You could probably write a book all about the science of the flight of pink elephants, but that doesn’t make them real.”
Even Catriona might have been sceptical except for one thing. It was the thing that made her seek out this book in the first place. The other books she had read that referenced Shifting Stars if only to point and laugh. References that suggested this book contained a supposedly first-hand account of an event that connected to something very precious to Catriona. After flicking through the book, she found it, right at the end, just as Jacob showed up and joined them.
*****
A figure appeared, glowing with a light that made it hard to see them directly. I could determine neither race nor gender. I thought I could detect a strange aura and a kind of magic that defied identification. The mage produced a small wooden staff, approximately three feet in height, topped with a large blue crystal. I know not from where they got it, save that they seemed to open some kind of rift or perhaps a door to some other reality and simply pulled the staff into our world. This figure invoked some sort of magic on the staff, or possibly through it, and the crystal atop the staff sent a coloured lightshow high into the sky. The void storms twisted and danced in response, and that is when one section of stars changed their position in the heavens.
Who was this figure, and what were they doing? My investigations lead me to believe this has happened many times before. Every time it does, this glowing figure seems to be able to hide from the gaze of almost everyone there present. But among the masses, there is always a Chosen One who can see through their magic. Unfortunately, since they are the sole witness, they are disbelieved and even ridiculed. That is why I have written this book, in hopes that it will touch the minds of those who can see this threat for what it is.
Shifting Stars is not just an academic curiosity, but a warning to all. It is my opinion that whatever this strange magic is, we must find a way to stop it before there are any further such occurrences. For if they continue unchecked, I fear they are going to destroy the world!
*****
Literally bookending one’s academic work with ‘The world is wrong’ and ‘They are going to destroy the world’ is unlikely to give it much credence, but I’m sure, gentle reader, you will recognise much of this. Catriona and her two friends certainly did.
“That sounds like your Angel with your Crystal Mage Staff,” Jacob remarked.
“Yes, it does,” she agreed, “and if he’s right about that, then I’m not going to be so quick to dismiss the rest of it. I think the conclusion is all wrong, though: I don’t believe my Angel is a threat. Not after all they did to mend Quarthonia.”
Mandalee concurred, “Why fix a village if you’re going to destroy the world?”
“Seems a bit counter-productive,” Jacob agreed.
“Question is,” Mandalee put in, “was there a star shift on the day you met your Angel?”
“No idea,” Cat said. “I wasn’t paying attention to that. I was looking at the land. But I certainly intend to find out and also to verify the ‘evidence’ of star shifts in this book. I’m not going to dismiss it out of hand like most people, but I’m not going to accept it on faith, either. Looks like I have plenty more studying to do.”
“Somehow I think you’ll cope,” Jacob said with a wry smile.
“I think you’re right,” Mandalee agreed.
Cat gasped, and apologised, “I’m so sorry, you two!” She closed her book and tucked it safely away. “I haven’t even introduced you. That’s so rude!”
“That’s OK,” Mandalee assured her. “We met this morning when I fished him out of one of my demon traps, which I’m going to have to start calling ‘people traps,’” she added with an annoyed frown, “since so far that’s all they’ve caught.”
“I have some ideas about that,” Cat told her. Turning to Jacob, she teased, “How could you be so careless? Just watch where you’re going!”
“Hey, it’s not my fault! The Trickster pushed me in!”
“Oh, that old chestnut!” Mandalee groaned, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah,” Cat agreed. “I tried that one the first time.”
“I wasn’t buying it,” Mandalee said, “and it’s OK, I know Cat was the Trickster. You don’t need to pretend.”
“Good to know. Wait – the first time?” Jacob wondered.
With a blush, Cat admitted, “Oh, yeah, I’m actually in no position to wind you up about walking into one of Mandalee’s traps – I managed it twice!”
“Twice?” Jacob repeated, suppressing a smile.
“Yep,” Mandalee confirmed, “and the second time she did it naked!”
“No!”
“Looking quite a lot like you.”
“Oh, this gets better!” Jacob grinned. “Really?”
Cat nodded. “Sat there in my – well, your birthday suit.”
“With nothing but her staff in her hand,” Mandalee added.
“I hope that’s not a euphemism!” Jacob quipped.
All three cracked up at that.
When they’d sufficiently calmed down, Jacob asked, “So why’d you do it, Cat?”
“I was distracted by a spider, and my magic got a bit confused by Mandalee’s,” she explained. “Then, once inside her trap, I was cut off from nature and couldn’t do anything.”
Jacob shook his head. “No, I mean, why did you push me in Mandalee’s trap? That wasn’t in the plan!”
“What are you talking about?” Cat frowned. “I didn’t push you in that trap, you just blundered in by mistake like I did.”
“No,” he disputed, “you were running around as the Trickster, and you pushed me in the trap!”
“Wait, are you serious?” Cat asked.
“Yes, of course!”
“No kidding? You’re honestly saying the Trickster pushed you in that trap?”
“Yes, really, no kidding! Why are you asking this, Cat? You were there!”
“No, Jacob, I promise you I wasn’t.”
Mandalee leaned forward, a serious look on her face. “So, Jacob, if the Trickster really did push you in my trap…”
Jacob nodded.
“…and Cat, it definitely wasn’t you…”
Cat shook her head.
“…that means, there really is a Trickster loose in Compton!”
Eyes wide, Catriona gasped, “Mandalee, didn’t you say something about if you were to believe all the reports of sightings, the Trickster would have to be in two places at once?”
“You’re right, I did,” the demon hunter confirmed. “Seems I dismissed the reports too easily.”
“We have to track it down!” Cat said, resolutely.
“We?” Mandalee wondered. “It’s my job, there’s no need for you to get involved.”
“But it’s my fault!”
“How is it your fault?” Jacob asked. “You didn’t bring it here.”
“Actually, she might have,” Mandalee countered. “Tricksters are drawn to pranks and mischief, and with everything Cat’s been up to, I’m afraid a real Trickster may have taken it as an invitation to come out and play!”
“That’s why I have to help,” Cat insisted.
She stood up, ready to spring into action, but she swayed on her feet and had to use her staff to hold herself up. She hadn’t realised how tired she was.
“It’s getting late, and you’re exhausted,” Jacob observed.
Catriona smiled weakly.
“I am feeling a bit drained, now you mention it,” she conceded. “Big day.”
“Go home and rest up,” Mandalee advised, reaching out a steadying hand. “You can help me tomorrow if you like. It’s not like it’s a Greater Demon that’s going to drag people down to hell. It’s only a Trickster.”
Cat agreed and asked where Mandalee was staying.
“Out here,” said the demon hunter. “Bit difficult to find a room that allows leopards,” she said, stroking Shyleen.
Once again, Cat fervently hoped it was the leopard people objected to.
“Besides, I prefer to be out underneath the stars…even if they are all wrong!”
“I remember what that was like,” Cat replied, with a distant, slightly haunted look. “I haven’t really done it since the night I met my Angel…since my Mum and Dad…since they were…well…”
Jacob put his arm around her and Mandalee quickly moved the conversation along so her friend wouldn’t have to finish that sentence.
“What about your sympathic thing?” she suggested. “You could contact me like that when you’re ready to get going.”
As an experiment, Catriona projected, ‘tired, sleep.’
“Curious sensation,” Mandalee remarked and tried to project back. It took her a few goes, but soon she managed to send, ‘night, dreaming’ which Cat took to mean, “Goodnight, sweet dreams.”
Cat thought the latter was unlikely since she had never experienced a dream in her life, but she took the sentiment in the spirit in which it was intended.
With that, they exchanged hugs and went their separate ways.