"Why?" the woman asked, around a mouthful of pie.
"Because this is Robota, a golem from the future." Robota smiled and inclined her head. "And you are Magician Murphy and Sorceress Vadne."
The Magician leaped to his feet. "How do you, a stranger, know that?" he demanded.
"Because I am your son you just signaled the stork for, Grey Murphy."
Both of them stared at him. "How can this be?" the man demanded.
"I am also from the future, on a mission to what is my past. I will be delivered to you in Mundania, and grow up with you. before we all return to Xanth."
"We can't be in Xanth." Vadne said. "They would put us back in the Brain Coral's Pool we just escaped."
"You will be pardoned, and become productive citizens of Xanth. And I will marry a princess. Until I undertake this mission, fifty six years from now."
They doubted, but slowly the came to believe. "My son!" Vadne exclaimed, coming to hug Grey. It was odd, because she was slightly younger than he.
"That's so touching." the Gorgon said, blowing her invisible nose.
Robota turned to Magician Murphy "If I were real, would I be shedding a tear now."
Murphy brought out a handkerchief and wiped off her wet face. "Yes"
The scene blurred. Pia had to open her eves so she could wipe her own face.
"But you hardly know Grey Murphy," Breanna said "And you never met his folks."
"It's like a wedding." Pia said "You just have to cry."
Soon she returned to the observation. Grey, Robota. and the Gorgon had retreated behind a screen, and the memory of Magician Murphy and Vadne had evidently been wiped. The two bedraggled figures stood at the entrance to the chamber.
GREETINGS, INTRUDERS.
"Who are you?" Murphy demanded.
I AM COM-PEWTER. YOU ARE NOW IN MY POWER.
Actually that was no sure thing, because Murphy's talent was to make things go wrong. But the two worked out a deal: Pewter would help them get safely out of Xanth. if they gave him their just-ordered son. They agreed.
Then Pewter put them into temporary stasis and addressed the others.
GREY, YOU CAN AND WILL GUIDE THEM SAFELY OUT.
"I can and will." Grey agreed. "Otherwise I would jeopardize my own existence." He glanced around. "I will guide the Gorgon out, too."
YES. I WILL NOW WIPE HER MEMORY
"No!" the Gorgon cried. "Please! I beg of you. I promise never to tell. Let me remember this wonderful scene, and the way Magician Grey has helped me."
Pewter paused
"It makes sense," Robota said. "She will be in Mundania, and later will return to marry the Good Magician, who knows everything anyway. So it shouldn't make any difference."
AGREED.
"Oh. thank you!" the Gorgon cried. "And thank you, Robota! I will remember this favor." She paused, considering. "But never tell."
Then they organized for the trip to Mundania. Grey, Robota, and the Gorgon made an entry, and were introduced to Magician Murphy and Vadne as their guides to Mundania. The party of five set off.
The walk took several days, but was without event. They took the invisible bridge across the Gap Chasm and followed the trail north through the North Village. They disguised themselves, and no one recognized them. When they reached the border. Grey did not have to nullity the deadly shield; it had been taken down, on orders of King Trent. But they forgot one thing: to tune in the color of the water of the sea near the border. So they did not come out where Trent and his army had been, but in a different time and region of Mundania.
"That's all right." Grey said. "The border interface automatically registers you as you pass through it. and at such time as any of you return, you will return to the same time in Xanth that you left. Except that it will be as much later in Xanth as the time you spend in Mundania." He did not explain about the time traveling aspect; he and Robota were a special case.
The Gorgon's face reappeared as they left the magic. She was just as pretty as her sister the Siren, and had just as good a figure. “That's all right," she said. "I will make do."
They ascertained that this was the region they had passed through before, that spoke Italian. "I can teach you a few words," Robota said.
The Gorgon considered. Then she smoothed her skirt and inhaled. "I will pretend to be a mute girl, in need of a good man's protection. Do you think that will work?"
Grey considered her statuesque face and figure. "I believe it will. Still—“
"Thank you." She walked away, into the heart of drear Mundania.
Vadne nodded. "She will surely succeed."
"Now where do the two of you wish to be?" Grey inquired. "There arc different sections of Mundania, speaking different languages and having different customs."
They considered. "You seem like an honest young man." Magician Murphy said. He no longer knew Grey as his son. because of the memory wipe, but they had spent several compatible days together. "Take us to a region you feel will be good for us."
Grey paused, and Pia knew why: he didn't dare change his own history Robota whispered in his ear: "Where you lived."
So he watched the changing color of the sea, and brought them to the region and time within a year of where he had been delivered, which was fourteen years after the Gorgon's time, and on another continent, where English was spoken. The stork might find it a challenge to make a delivery outside of Xanth, but history indicated that it would succeed.
Grey explained the problem of language, and Robota told them a few useful words so they could get started "As I understand it." Grey said. "When Xanthians go to Mundania. they are not challenged; the Mundanes seem to believe that they have always been there. But they do need to learn the conventions."
"He did not say where he learned that," Justin remarked. "But it was surely from his parents—the very ones he is now addressing.”
They came to a crossroads. Three roads led away from them. Murphy and Vadne took one. and Grey and Robota took another. But Vadne hung back a moment. "Thank you. We will name our son after you,: she called.
Startled. Grey didn't answer. "Thank you," Robota called back in his voice, and nudged him with her knee so that he got moving. They were at the fringe of magic. so she had fair animation.
"That's playing it close,” Edsel commented. "I think we might find a paradox hidden somewhere in there, if we looked hard enough."
"Don't look." Breanna said.
Tristan smiled. "It does seem that this meets the technical situation of not changing the future.”
When they were alone, Grey reversed course and went back the way they had come, right back into Xanth. Robota oriented, and they entered just one day after their original departure.
The invisible giant was waiting for them. He picked them up and brought them rapidly to the cave.
"Why didn't the giant carry them from the cave, when they were leaving Xanth?” Pia asked.
"The giant might have remembered." Tristan said.
Then Grey and Robota entered the cave. "Did anything change?" Grey asked.
Pia exchanged a glance with Edsel. She had forgotten about that aspect toward the end.
"Not that we know of." Edsel said. "You did a nice job of covering your historical tracks "
"When my parents walked in, I thought we were lost." Grey admitted. "But then I realized that I was not overlapping myself, because I did not yet exist I had merely been signaled for."
"And when you got stoned, we thought you were lost," Pia said. "But Robota carried through "
"I had to." Robota said. "I could not handle the return alone. Also, it was what a souled person would have done."
Pewter's screen lighted DID YOU GET THE WEATHER DATA?
"Yes," Robota said. "And so much more. I have learned to emulate a conscience."
"For sure," Breanna agreed.
Grey turned to Edsel and Pia "I believe that completes your service for the Good Magician. You are now free to go." He turned to C
om Pewter. "And I believe it also completes my obligation to you, according to the terms of our agreement "
AGREED.
"And you may now open the closed file, and recover your personal portion of the adventure."
The screen dissolved into a pleased swirl of color as Pewter did just that.
"Hello." Ivy called from outside. "We're back. Are you?"
"Yes. dear," Grey called.
"Oh." Pia said, suddenly remembering. "Were Demon Ted and DeMonica here yesterday?"
"Why yes," Robota said. "We played together. But they departed before you arrived."
"Did they have a magic locket?"
"Yes, that was what we played with."
"Where did they go?"
"Demon Vore took them to the Fanta Sea. They love that."
"What is that?" Edsel asked.
"It's a pond where tolk can find their wildest dreams."
"I hope they didn't stay there," Edsel said.
"They should have been home by the end of the day," Tristan said.
ONE MORE THING, Pewter's screen printed. CONTACT WITH THE EXCHANGE COUPLE HAS BEEN LOST AGAIN.
"That's nervous business," Edsel said. "They could be in trouble."
Pia agreed. "We had better wrap up our business in Xanth and try to make the exchange back."
I SHALL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE O-XONE, Pewter printed.
Pia bid farewell to Tristan and Robota, whom she had really come to like, and they left the cave. There was the duck footed boat with Princess Ivy and the triplets.
They rode back toward the Good Magician's Castle, telling the story. It was of course Grey's story, but Edsel and Pia were able to fill in main details and reassure Ivy that he had done nothing untoward during his adventure.
"Except sleep with the Gorgon," Pia said mischievously.
Ivy raised a brow. "Oh?"
"Well, you have to understand," Edsel said "She was eighteen and lovely then."
"And innocent," Breanna added.
"To keep her warm," Justin said.
Ivy laughed. "I'll ask her, next time she's the Designated Wife " But Pia suspected that she did not find the joke as funny as the others did.
They reached the castle and dropped Grey and Ivy and the triplets off. "Now we need to find those demon children." Pia said.
"Probably best to start with their parents," Breanna said. "Nada Naga should be able to round up DeMonica any time."
"Where can we find Nada Naga?"
"I believe she's visiting her home now," Justin said. "That would be Mount Etamin, north of the Gap Chasm."
Para set off. He knew the way there.
Progress was swift, thanks to the duck footed boat. Soon they were crossing the Gap Chasm, using the invisible bridge: the same one she had seen through Robota's eyes in the past, when she and Grey were guiding his parents and the Gorgon to the Xanth border. The Gap was as awesome as before, descending a mile or so into gloom. They had crossed the chasm when the harpies carried them south, but it seemed more formidable now that they seemed to be floating close to its maw. Suppose there were a break in the bridge, a section out?
Pia closed her eyes, feeling unpleasantly giddy. Soon they were back on solid land, to her relief, and forging along a new path. "Oh. we're coming to the Library," Breanna said enthusiastically. "I love this place.”
"You like to read?" Edsel asked.
"Not exactly."
Pia looked at her. What did she mean?
They came to a section where the tree trunks resembled the spines of books, complete with print. Two, close together, formed a gateway. In front of it was an armored knight on a steed galloping in circles.
Para halted. "What's that?" Pia asked.
"That's Sir Q Lation," Breanna answered. "Hi, Q! Feeling smart today?"
"Very well rounded, thank you," the knight replied courteously. "Do you wish me to show you around?"
"No, thank you," Breanna said "We're going straight through, this time."
"As you wish." The knight guided his armored mount to the side, and Para waddled on through the gate.
Just inside was an ogre stamping his big hairy feet. They left little marks on the pile of cards beneath. "That's the date stamper." Breanna said. "Hi, can I have a date?"
"For sure, paramour," the ogre responded with something like a smile. He tossed her a card with a date on it. If there had been any doubt before, now it was clear that Breanna had been here before.
Then there was a solid man sitting at a desk shaped like a huge tome. "Hi, Dick,” Breanna said. But the man stared stolidly ahead, not deigning to answer. "That's Dick Shunary," Breanna explained "He won't speak a word to anyone, though he knows every word in the book." She did not seem annoyed.
After a moment, Pia got it: shun In dictionary. A verbal pun.
"Let's see. there's a map in here somewhere, if we can find it." Breanna said. Para wove along different paths, searching. They came to a glade with a pattern of grass and sand, like a miniature golf course. "At last."
"At last what?" Pia asked.
"We finally found the map." She indicated the pattern, and Pia realized that it was indeed a map, with the sand marking paths.
"Atlas," Edsel murmured "Atlas at last."
Oh. Pia could have done without that.
They followed a path to a number of warriors doing a dance of victory. "That's the Conquer Dance," Breanna said.
"Concordance," Edsel murmured. He had more of a mind for this nonsense.
Beyond the dance was a dead tree. A feline snoozed in its bare branches. "Catalog." Edsel said.
"Can't we just get on out of here?" Pia inquired, pained.
"It does get rather wearing." Justin agreed. "Magic is the main thing that distinguishes Xanth. but surely its second attribute is puns "
They passed a tree with dampish small fruit. "Dew date." Breanna said happily.
Then there was a dolorous researcher poring over a several volume set. "Sigh Clopedia." Breanna said.
"I do love her." Justin said. "Even here."
Breanna faced him. "Shut up or I'll use the card file on you."
"Card file?" Pia asked, unable to stop herself.
"It trims the edges of the King, Queen. Jack, and so on." the girl explained with a straight face. "And there are some book jackets." Pia looked. Sure enough, there were shivering books with warm jackets.
They passed a moving picture of young women dancing and removing items of apparel. "Para!" Breanna said severely "I told you not to go by the film strip."
"That's quite all right." Edsel said, watching avidly.
The boat veered, taking them by a high building. "What's this doing here in the library forest?" Pia asked.
"It's a story collection."
"You walked into that one." Edsel said.
They peered up to the thirteenth floor, where spirits flitted in and out of the windows. "Don't tell me. let me guess." Edsel said. "That's a ghost story."
"Enough!” Pia cried. "Get me out of here!"
"She really means it," Edsel warned Breanna.
"Yes. she's series," the girl agreed.
If Pia had had a pillow, she would have whammed them with it. Fortunately the exit loomed. There was only one insubstantial plant barring their way. "Through that mist tree," Breanna told the boat.
Edsel opened his mouth to say something smart, but caught Pia's dagger of a glance.
"We found our way out because we have the indecks." Breanna said, patting the interior of the boat.
Index. The female dog was still doing it.
But now they were out of the library and back in normal magic jungle.
"Do you know. I once met a lady who gave nothing but opposites." Justin remarked innocently. "Her name was Ami Nym. I believe she would have felt at home at that library."
"But we don't really need the library," Breanna said. "We can see the paper view." She held up a roll of paper.
Pia knew she was going to hate herself,
but she had to ask. "Paper view?"
"You pay for each time you see it."
"That docs it!" Pia screamed. She jumped out of the boat, landed off-balance, and whirled into the soft side of a cow -like creature. The thing made a soft, sickly "Mooo!"
"I — I'm sorry." she said, recovering her balance. "I did not see you." The cow looked so sad that all her anger dissipated.
The boat halted, and she climbed back in. "Moo-sick soothes the savage beast." Edsel murmured.
Pia tried to summon back her rage, but was worn out.
"Actually, it is the savage breast that is soothed." Justin said.
"She's got two of those,” Edsel agreed smugly.
"And they are most elegant," an elephantine creature remarked, leaning over the boat to stare at her blouse.
"Pay no attention to the sycophant." Breanna said "It flatters every-body with equal insincerity."
"We are approaching Mount Etamin," Justin said.
Pia was relieved — until she saw the dragon circling the peak. In a moment the dragon spied them, and swooped down.
Breanna seemed unalarmed. She stood carefully in the boat "Hi, Draco!" she called. "It's us — Justin and Breanna. And friends. Coming to see Nada Naga."
The dragon waggled with wings and veered off. Pia was not entirely reassured. "What would have happened if we had not been friends'"
"He'd have toasted us." Breanna said, shrugging. "But I wouldn't have let us come here if I hadn't known it was safe."
"Draco is an honorable dragon." Justin said. "He has a very nice collection of gemstones in his nest. I believe he is the only dragon to possess some black beryls."
Para ran up to a tunnel and into the mountain. Soon it opened into a lighted cave. A huge snake loomed, forming the head of a human being. "Who are you, and what is your business here?"
"Breanna of the Black Wave, Justin Tree, Edsel and Pia of Mundania, and Para Boat." Breanna said. "We need to see Princess Nada Naga about her daughter. DeMonica."
The naga guard rolled his eves. "Has that demon child gotten into more mischief?"
"Not exactly. She has something we need. A locket "
"Wait here." The human face disappeared, and the serpent slithered through a hole in the wall.
Soon two other snakes returned The big one formed a lovely human head with a small golden crown "Hello, Breanna," the princess said.