Wizard World 1: Changeling

VI

The giant mechanical bird deposited Mark Marakson on the hilltop. Mark brushed back the soft green sleeve of his upper garment and pressed several buttons on the wide bracelet he wore upon his left wrist. The bird took flight again, climbing steadily. He controlled its passage with the wristband and saw through its eyes upon the tiny screen at the bracelet's center.

He saw that the way ahead was clear. He shouldered his pack and began walking. Down from the hill and through the woods he went, coming at last to a trail that led toward more open country. Overhead, his bird was but a tiny dot, circling.

He passed cultivated fields, but no habitations until he came within sight of his father's house. He had plotted his return route carefully.

His work shed stood undisturbed. He deposited his pack within it and headed toward the house.

The door swung shut behind him. The place seemed more disarrayed than he had ever before seen it.

"Hello!" he called. "Hello?"

There was no reply, He went through the entire house, finding no one. Dust lay thick everywhere. Marakas could well be in the field, or tending to any of the numerous chores about the place. But Melanie was usually in the house. He looked about outside, investigating the barns and work sheds, walked down to the ditches, scanned the fields. No one. He returned to the house and sought food for lunch. The larder was empty, however, so he ate of his own provisions. But he operated the wrist-control first, and the speck in the heavens ceased its circling and sped southward.

Disturbed, he began cleaning and straightening about the place. Finally, he went out to the shed and set to work assembling the unit he had brought with him.

It was on toward evening, his labors long finished, when he heard the sound of the approaching wagon. He departed the house, which he had set back in order, and awaited the vehicle's arrival.

He saw Marakas drive up to the barn and begin unhitching the team. He walked over to assist him.

"Dad..."he said. "Hello."

Marakas turned and stared at him. His expression remained blank for an instant too long. During that instant, it struck Mark what had troubled him about his father's movements, his reaction time: he was more than a little drunk.

"Mark," he said then, recognition spreading across his face. He stook a small step forward. "You've been gone. Over a year. A year and a half... Almost two. What--happened? Where have you been?"

"It's a long story. Here, let me help with that."

He took over the unhitching of the team, the rubbing down of the horses in their stalls, their feeding.

"... So, when they destroyed my wagon, I had to leave. I was--afraid. I headed south."

He barred the barn door. The sun was just losing its final edge.

"But so long, Mark... You never sent us word or anything," Marakas said.

"I couldn't. How's--how's mother?"

Marakas looked away and did not reply. Finally, he pointed toward a small orchard.

"Over there," he said at last.

After a time, Mark asked, "How'd it happen?"

"In her sleep. It wasn't bad for her. Come on."

They walked toward the orchard. Mark saw the small, rocked-over grave, a part of the shadows and rootwork near one of the larger trees. He halted beside it, looking down.

"My going away..." he finally said. "That didn't have anything to do with it--did it?"

Marakas put a hand on his shoulder.

"No, of course not. "

"You never appreciate... Till they're gone."

"I know."

"That's why the place is--not the way it used to be?"

"It's no secret I've been drinking a lot. Yes. My heart hasn't been in things around here."

Mark nodded, dropped to one knee, touched the stones.

"We could work the place together, now you're back," Marakas said.

"I can't."

"They've got another smith now. New fellow."

"I didn't want to do that either. "

"What will you be doing?"

"Something new, different. That's a long story, too. Mother--"

His voice broke, and he was silent for a long while.

Finally, "Mark, I don't think too clearly when I've been drinking," Marakas said, "and I don't know whether I ought to tell you this now, later or never. You loved her and she loved you, and I don't know ..."

"I guess a man should know, sometime, and you're a man now, and things 'd of been a lot different without you. We wanted a kid, see?"

Mark rose slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not your father. She's not your mother. Natural-like, I mean."

"I don't understand ..."

"We never had any of our own that lived. It was a sad thing. So when we had a chance to make a home for a baby, we took it."

"Then, who were my natural parents?"

"I don't know. It was right after the war--"

"I was orphaned?"

"I don't think so. I couldn't understand all the wizard's fancy talk. But they couldn't bring themselves to kill old Devil Det's lad, so they sent him someplace far away and got you in exchange. He called you a changeling. That's all I know. We were so glad to take you. Mel's life was a lot happier than it would have been otherwise. Mine, too. I hope that doesn't change anything between us. But I felt it was time for you to know."

Mark embraced him.

"You wanted me," he said, a little later. "That's more than a lot of people can say."

"It's good to see you again. Let's go back to the house. There's some food and stuff in the wagon."

After dinner, they finished a bottle of wine and Marakas grew sleepy. Shortly after he had retired, Mark returned to his shed. They should all be circling high above now, he realized, bearing the additional equipment he needed, awaiting the signal to bring it to him. He carried the unit he had assembled earlier to a large, open area, from which he transmitted the necessary orders.

The dark bird-shapes began drifting down out of the sky, blotting out stars, their outlines growing to vast proportions. He smiled.

It took him several hours to unload the equipment and convey most of it to the barn. He was bone-tired when he had finished. He sent all but one of these products of his assembly lines flying back to his city in the south. That one he set to circling again, at a great altitude.

He returned to his shed to sleep, pausing in the orchard a final time.

The following day, Mark assembled a small vehicle which, he explained to Marakas, drew its energy from the sun. He could not convince him that this was not a form of magic. That he did not wish to explain from where the parts had come only added to this impression. Mark gave up when he saw that it did not seem to matter to Marakas, and he went on with the installation of special features. That afternoon, he loaded it with equipment and drove off along the trail that followed the canal. He returned several times for additional tools and equipment.

For the next five days, he remained away from the farm. The afternoon that his work was completed, he drove toward the village. He headed the car down its street and halted it at the same spot where his steam wagon had been destroyed. He activated several circuits and picked up the microphone.

"This is Mark Marakson," he said, and his voice rang through the town. "I've returned to tell you some of the things to which you would not listen before--and many new things, as well. ..."

Faces appeared at windows. Doors began to open.

"This wagon, like the other, is not powered by a demon. It uses natural energies to do work. I can build planting and plowing and harvesting devices of similar design which will function faster and more efficiently than any a horse can draw. In fact, I already have. I propose to furnish these for no charge to all of the farms in the area and to provide instruction in their use. I would like to turn our land into a model of scientific farming techniques, and then into a manufacturing center for these vehicles. We will all grow rich, providing them to the rest of the country--"

People emerged onto the street. He saw familiar faces and some new ones. If any were shouting this time, he could not hear them above his own broadcast words.

"I also have things to teach you concerning the alternation of crops, the use of fertilizers and superior irrigation techniques. The water levels here have always been something of a problem, so I have set up a demonstration of how this can be controlled by installing a series of automatic flow-control gates along the ditches at the abandoned Branson farm above the west bend of the river. I want you to go and take a look at this--to see how they work all by themselves--after you have had a chance to think over my words. No demons there either."

Stones and pieces of dirt and dung had begun striking the vehicle while he spoke, but these rebounded harmlessly and he continued:

"I have also fertilized, plowed, tilled and seeded one of the old fields there. I want you to see how smoothly and evenly this was done, and I want you to watch and see what the yield from that plot comes to. I believe that you will be impressed. ..."

Four men rushed forward and set hands upon the side of the car. They immediately leaped or fell back.

"That was an electrical shock," he stated. "I am not foolish enough to give you the same opportunity to harm me twice. Damn it! We're neighbors, and I want to help you! I want my town to be the center from which the entire country receives the benefits I wish to bring it! I have amazing things to teach you! This is only the beginning! Life is going to be better for everyone! I can build machines that fly and that travel under water! I can build weapons with which we can win any war! I have an army of mechanical servants! I--"

The pelting had become a steady hail, and larger, heavier objects were now falling.

"All right! I'm going!" he cried. "All that I want you to do is to think about the things that I have said! They may seem a lot more reasonable later, when you have cooled off! Go and look at the Branson place! I'll be back another time, when we can talk!"

The vehicle moved slowly forward. A few people chased after for a time, hurling some final rocks and words. Then they fell behind. He left the village.

As he swung to the left, climbing about the side of a small hill, he saw a slim figure in a blue blouse and gray skirt, standing by the side of the trail, waving to him. He slowed immediately when he recognized Nora.

Coming to a stop, be leaned over and opened the door.

"Get in," he said.

She studied the car through narrowed eyes, then shook her head slowly.

"No," she said. "I thought you'd come this way, and I came on ahead to warn you--not to go for a ride in the thing."

"Warn me?"

"They're angry--"

"I know that."

She struck her fist against her palm.

"Don't interrupt! Listen! Could you hear what they were saying?"

"No. I---"

"I didn't think so, over all that noise. Well, I could, and I don't think that they are going to calm down and see things your way. I think that the only reason you're alive right now is that they couldn't break into this thing. ..." Gingerly, she reached out and touched the door. "Don't go back to the village. You probably ought to leave again--" Her voice broke and she turned away. "You never got in touch," she managed later. "You said that you would, and you never did."

"I--I couldn't, Nora."

"Where were you?"

"Far away ..."

"Far? As far as Anvil Mountain, or one of the other forbidden places? That's where you got this thing, isn't it?"

He did not reply.

"Isn't it?" she repeated.

"It's not the way you think," he answered then. "Yes, I was there, but--"

"Go away! I don't want to know you any more! I've warned you. If you value your life, leave here again--and this time, don't come back!"

"I can convince you you're wrong--if you'll listen, if you will let me show you some--"

"I don't want to listen and I don't want to see anything!"

She turned and ran off through the trees. He would have pursued her, but he feared leaving the car there, should any villagers be following.

"Come back!" he called.

But there was no answer.

Reluctantly, he closed the door and continued on. A puzzled centaur peered after him from the hilltop.