Mirrortac’s “worlds” — 7: Skye

One of the places in my second book Three Stones of Destiny

Skye is a construct of an alien who has assumed the throne of a god to the Roznoghs. He has used elaborate magic to create a landscape designed to thwart any attempts to enter and reach the crystal palace that he has built for himself. Firstly, before anyone can even enter Skye, they must know the ancient incantation required to open the stone gateway leading from the forest on its edge. Once that is achieved, the interlopers must climb up many steps and onto the plain of Skye where time has being slowed down to such an extent that the sun appears to stay rigid in the sky for what would normally be many days. A pathway leads through an orchard of fruit trees that seem to go on forever, and if followed, will exhaust the traveler without them getting any nearer their destination. The Pathway Forever is more than exhausting, but literally maddening. The traveler will begin to hear a piercing screech that deafens and debilitates. If the traveler deciphers the riddle of escaping the Pathway Forever, they enter what appears to be a lush and inviting landscape of lush grasslands with shrubs and streams running through it. The Fields of Skye may seem pleasant at first, but the traveler soon finds he is under attack by swarms of insects — flying and crawling — that will injure and kill if some escape is not found.

If somehow any traveler has managed to survive all these onslaughts and illusions, they will find that the landscape again changes as they detect pungent smells and a searing, burning plain that is impossible to cross on foot. Within the plain is a huge boulder upon which stands the castle of Wergaen which protects the first Stone of Destiny, Oashu. The only way across the plain is to be swallowed up by a huge creature called the Tordwin. This spiny animal has many tiny feet designed to withstand the immense heat of the plain, and will transport a traveler inside its stomach before spewing it out again at Wergaen. A stone stairway leads up the side of the boulder to the castle above where its three towers rise up, and two green flags stand limp atop the central tower.  A portcullis guards the way into the castle where ghostly beings called web wraiths haunt the stairways.

On the other end of the plain is a mesa supporting the crystal palace where Yidu consults the master Werdstone. Tall bird-like beings, Sacred Chuffs, are at Yidu’s service, standing resolute among the rows of pillars leading up to the throne and the pedestal where the master Werdstone sits. Yidu can use the stone to tune into the smaller ‘chip’ of Werdstone that the daughter of the Werd carries with her.  He can also travel to each of the other two  Stones of Destiny on the planets of Thenigmas and Nerthule, as the links serve as portals across the immense distances of space. And finally, he can use the Werdstone as a communication device with his kin.