From BOOK ONE Chapter Seven of An Era in Anddemar
[Sir Jaide and the exiled Shapemage Jessiah encounter the Vidar Quain Nhaiarva on the planet of 'waking dreams', Yonah . . . ]
They headed away, glimpsing elusive beings at the edge of vision. Suddenly they were startled by a brilliant illumination of the skies. All around fell intense light such that everything was bathed and burned by pure radiance. Vertically down from behind distant hills shone three great beams of light, side by side, each widening downward slightly, as does a sword toward the hilt. And although sharply edged, the Seynwater beam, furthest to the left, seemed fashioned of flowing water moving upward, the middle one, the Seynfire, of slow fire descending, and the third of simple, airy light that weirdly distorted the skies seen through it. For a moment the sight of the two companions was curtained with darkness, so blinding was the Seynlight as it broke through from distant Selwynd, Anddemar’s second satellite galaxy and the realm of the Grail. And for Jessiah the vision was a cathartic release into fresh mysteries beyond the confines of his knowledge and magic.
‘It is the Seynlight of Anddemar,' said Sir Jaide. ‘Nhaiarva will of a surety be here, or perhaps one who is greater still.'
They moved on toward the three enormous Pillars until they arrived at a plain of snaking rivulets into which the Seynlight poured like a blend of liquid gold and silver. Then the light faded rapidly, such that land and sky reclaimed their soft edges. And they saw standing not far from them the Vidar Quain Nhaiarva, closing a book in her hands after she had marked its place. Looking up toward them, she showed no surprise. She walked toward them, the book clasped before her as the three rays of Seynlight reappeared further in the distance, like frozen slats of silent lightning.
She was robed in a gold and green, wide flowing dress which looked to be made of overlapping leaves, underlain with darker green at the open front of the skirt and at the long sleeves, which cascaded down at the elbows. Her chestnut hair was bound about her head and adorned with a close-fitting coif sprinkled with seed pearls. She was tall and graceful, her face grave, kind and beyond age, the eyes deep pools brimming with a haunting sadness yet a latent mirth as well.
As she drew near, Jessiah gazed in awe, wondering if in truth he beheld one of the Seven Vidar of Anddemar. Reassured by her welcoming stance, he perceived the strength and wisdom of many Eras that lay upon her brow. With a look of friendly greeting, Sir Jaide with deep respect bowed to her.
‘Sir Jaide, you are, as ever, welcome here,’ she said. ‘This world has deep empathy with you and I know its balm has been a sanctuary for you ‘ere now. Yet I know the wordless questions that still plague you in solitude, and I tell you now there will be great struggles before they are finally answered. But I say this in consolation, not to feed despair, for answered they will be in the fullness of time.’ Her voice was rich and low, smooth as the flow of nectar, yet wild as the wind. Tiny birds feathered in iridescent greens, scarlet, saffron and aqua, all emitting faint pinpoints of sound, fluttered down to land on her shoulders and arm, some pecking lightly at her book. One by one, they flew away again toward where the Three Pillars of Seynlight had last been seen, for the vision had vanished and in its place was a pale apricot sky strewn with ultramarine wisps of cloud.
Copyright 2026 Maureen B. Roberts [Vandrassian Press]
Artwork Copyright Lee Matthews