Chapter 6 - The Psychophant

“Tic, tic tic,” said the creeping thing. 

It scuttled from the shadows of the forest and became illuminated by a single beam of light through a crack in the leaves above. Its body was like that of an insect, and it tick tick ticked through the trees. 

“I am what they call… the Psychophant. I go by that name, for I was never given another.”

And BeeSheep was deeply afraid in his soul. For he had never seen anything like the Psychophant. Its body was like that of a great spider. A body, bulbous like a bud, with thin hairs and great legs extending forth from either side. On the back of the bulbous body, was a large book.

The Psychophant did not have a face, only a mouth like a crack across smooth carapace. The mouth had human teeth. Around the cracked mouth in the carapace was an oval ring of bronze pins. 

When it changed faces, sometimes two or three of the arms would stretch the skin across the pins so that they might hold it in place.

(This is why many have seen the Psychophant by streams and rivers, for he must take his collection and wet them, lest they become dry and brittle and crack upon the pins.)

“Tic, tic, tic,” said the Psychophant as one side of his arms passed the skin up to the pins, and the other side removed the face, passing it back down to be placed back in the great book. The Psychophant was never still, always rotating through the faces in the collection, one after another.

“Are you… looking for a goddess?”

A face was stretched taut, “I have several… tic, tic, tic, would you like to see?” The face was removed, and another put in its place.

“I like the faces of the gods, tic, tic, tic,” the Psychophant chuckled. “For they satisfy me so… completely.”

For a whole minute, all was silent save for the breathing of the Psychophant. The lips of the face flapped with each warm breath.

“Say…” implored the Psychophant, seeming to awaken from his trance. “What was your goddess’ name again?”

BeeSheep buzzed and swallowed nervously.

“Tic, tic, tic,” the Psychophant recoiled. “Of Far Meadows? Of hills and grasses? Of soft and grazing animals…? Ah, yes. Yes, yes, yes. Be glad little BeeSheep, for I say unto you that your goddess is not among my collection.”

And BeeSheep was so relieved that for a moment he stopped flying. 

He caught himself and hovered in the air again. He buzzed a question, and the Psychophant smiled. And the toothy smile stretched the skin of the face so that it cracked and tore between the lips, splitting the face in two.

“Oh, bother…” tsked the Psychophant. “Truly the skin of humankind is my least favorite of skins.” His arms removed the face, and another was placed upon the pins.

“Tell me, BeeSheep,” asked the creeping thing with many faces. “What would you be willing to do in order to get some… tic, tic, tic, information…?”

And BeeSheep frowned at his words, for he perceived that the Psychophant was a shrewd being indeed. So, he inquired as to what deal the face wearer might wish to make.

“You see, friend BeeSheep, I am a collector of faces. They endear themselves unto me, and because I have no face, I place them upon these pins so that I might wear it. I have in my book of faces, images of gods. Of men, and women. Of digyr, both great and small. Of creatures made pure, and amalgamations alike. Tic, tic, tic. There are other faceless ones whom covet my collection. 

However, there is one face that I will never be able to own. A face that I will never be able to peel from its skull, a face that I will never dip in yon waters so that I may moisturize it. The face of Shava of the Stream. For it was Shava, fairest among the daughters of man, whom Vanassa, Digyr of Exceeding Beauty cursed.”

“For her blood was exchanged into honey, and her stream exchanged into milk that revitalizes so that she may not die. She was cursed to bathe in her stream lest she experience great pain. An everlasting beauty for all to gaze upon in her nakedness. This causes her great and unending shame.”

“Barter for us a deal, little friend. Give unto me the face that I cannot have, and I will tell you where to find Livadi of Far Meadows.”