I dreamed and could not wake, and the dream was dark with fear
at its core. For me there was no escape, for in this dream I walked
as one without will of my own. He who gave the order was
Rogear.
First there was the calling, a need so laid upon me that I left
the keep, trusted myself to the waters about it, swam for the
shore. Then I must have traveled yet farther across those deserted
fields until Rogear was there and he horsed me before him to
ride.
There were parts I could not remember. Food was put in my hands
and I ate, yet I tasted nothing. I drank and was aware of neither
thirst nor the quenching of it. We were joined by others, and I saw
them only as shadows.
On we rode into strange places, but these were the places of
dreams, never clearly seen. At last we came to the end of that
journey. There was—no! I do not wish to remember that part of the
dream. But afterward, I held my lord's gift in my hands and it was
laid upon me, as much as if I were in bonds, that I must stand, and
when orders came I must obey. But what I was to do — and why —
?
Before me was a cliff rising up and up, and behind me I heard a
sound, a sound that lashed at me. I wanted to run — yet as in all
ill dreams I could not move, only stand and look upon the rock and
wait —
Then —
There was pain bursting in my head, like fire come to devour my
mind, burn out all thought. But what vanished in those flames was
that which held me prisoner to another's will. Weakly I turned away
from the cliff to look upon those who held me captive.
Lord Amber!
Not as I had seen him last with bandaged eyes, fumbling in
blindness, but as a warrior now, ready for battle, though his sword
was sheathed and he had no knife-of-honor ready. Still, that he
warred in another way, I knew.
There were four others. And I saw then there was a star drawn in
the earth and that I stood in the point that fronted the cliff,
those others to my right and left in the other points.
One was Rogear, two were women, the fourth another man. He made
a move in the direction of Lord Amber, but the woman to my right
stayed him with a gesture. Rogear sprang before I could move and
held me like a battle shield.
"The game is still ours, Kerovan," he said, "and it is to the
death."
Kerovan! What did he mean? My lord was dead.
Lord Amber — it was Lord Amber who answered him. "To the death,
but to yours, not mine, Rogear." I saw him draw a sign in the air,
and there was a blue star that traveled to hang before Rogear's
eyes.
He loosed me and stepped away, saying, "So be it."
"No!" The woman to my right spoke. "There is no need. He is —
"
Rogear interrupted her. "There is every need. He is much more
than we deemed him. And he must be finished, or we shall be
finished too. Spin no more small spells, Lady. You had the
fashioning of him, flesh and bone, if not spirit. Lend me your full
will now!"
She glanced swiftly then at Lord Amber; then away. I saw her
lips tighten. In that moment she was far older than she had seemed
earlier, as if age settled on her with the thoughts in her
mind.
'Tell me," Rogear continued, "do you stand with me in this?
Those two" — he motioned toward the other man, the girl — "can be
counted as nothing now. It is us against what you sought to make
and failed in the doing."
I saw her bite her lip. It was plain she was in two minds. But
at last she gave him what he desired. "I stand with you,
Rogear."
"Kerovan," Rogear had called him, this man I would have taken
blood-oath was one of the Old Ones. At that moment, all those sly
whispers and rumors flooded back in my mind — that my lord was of
tainted blood, becursed, that his own mother could not bear to look
upon him. His own mother! Could it be —? Rogear said this woman had
the fashioning of him, flesh and bone, but not spirit. Not
spirit!
I looked upon Lord Amber and knew the truth, several truths. But
this was not the time for the speaking of truth, nor the asking of
whys and wherefores. He faced those who were deadly enemies, for
there be no more deadly enemies then those of close blood-kin when
evil works. And they were four against his one!
His one — ! I looked about me wildly. I had no weapons — not even
Toross' knife. But a stone — even my bare hands if need be — only
this was not fighting as I had known it. This was a matter of Power
— Power such as Math had loosed at her death hour. And I had no
gift of such. I tried to clench my fist. A chain looped about my
fingers and cut my flesh. The gryphon — I still had the gryphon! I
remember how Rogear had used it before — could not Lord Amber do
likewise? If I could throw it to him—But Rogear was between; he
need only turn, wrest it from me, use it as he had before —
With this in mind, I wrapped my two hands tight about the globe,
saying to myself that Rogear would not take it from me to use
against my lord, not while I had life to defend it!
My lord Kerovan? I did not know the rights of that — whether
Lord Amber had lied to me. But had he, my heart told me, then it
had been with good reason. For just as I had shrunk from Rogear
when he played Kerovan to entrap me, so did I now range myself with
this other in time of battle. Old One or no, Kerovan or no, whether
he wished it or no, in that instant of time I knew that we were
tied together in such a way no axe bond or Cup and Flame ceremony
could add to. That I welcomed this I could not have said, only it
was as inevitable as death itself.
This being so, I must stand to his aid. Though how I could —
Almost I cried aloud with pain. My hands — ! I looked down. My
shrinking flesh could not hide the glow I held. The gryphon was
coming to life, growing hotter and hotter. Might I then use it as
Rogear had — to strike out in flame? But I could not hold it — the
pain was too intense now.
If I grasped it by the chain alone — ? I loosed it a little to
dangle. It was as if all the lamps that had once burned in
Ithkrypt's shattered hall were gathered into one!
"Look to her!" The girl on my left leaped at me, her hand
outstretched to strike the gryphon from my hold.
By its chain I swung it at her and she cowered away, her hands
to her face, falling to the ground with a scream.
So I had learned how to use what I held! Having so learned, I
prepared to put it into further practice. A small black ball fell
at my feet, thrown by the other woman. It broke, and from it curled
an oily black snake, to wreathe about my ankles with the speed of a
striking serpent, holding me as fast as if those coils were chains
of steel.
I had been so occupied by my discovery concerning the gryphon
that I had not seen what chanced with my lord. But now, fast
captive, unable to swing my globe far enough, I watched in
despair.
The other man held forth his right hand, and Rogear clasped it.
Just so was he handlinked to the woman, and the three faced my lord
as one. Now the woman took into her other hand, from where it was
set in her girdle as a sword might be, a rod of black along which
red lines moved as if they were crawling things. She pointed this
at my lord and began to chant, outlining his body with her
wand-head to loins and up again to head.
I saw him tremble, waver, as if a rain of blows battered him. He
held his arm ever before him, striving to move it so that the blue
band about his wrist was before the point of the rod. Yet that he
was hard set it was plain to see, and I wrestled with the smoky
tangle about my feet, striving to reach those evil three with the
globe.
"Unmade, I will it!" The woman's voice rolled like thunder. "As
I made, so shall it be unmade!"
My lord — by the Flame, I swear it! I saw his body shaken, thin,
becoming more shadow than substance. And out of nowhere came a wind
to whirl and buffet that shadow, tearing at it.
I feared to loose the gryphon, but this must be stopped — the
wind, that roll of chant — thunder — the rod that moved, erasing my
lord as if he had never been! Shadow though he was, torn as he was,
still he stood, and it seemed to me the black rod moved more
slowly. Was she tiring?
I saw Rogear's face. His eyes were closed, and there was such a
look of intense concentration there I guessed his will was backing
hers. Did I dare loose my only weapon now?
Hoping I had not made the wrong choice, I hurled the gryphon at
Rogear. It struck his shoulder, fell to the ground, rolled across
the point of the star, stopped just within the circle. But the hand
with which Rogear had gripped that of the woman fell from her
grasp, limply to his side. He went to his knees, dragging with him
the other man, who fell forward and lay still. While along Rogear's
body, spreading outward from where the gryphon had struck, played
lines of blue like small hungry flames, and he rocked back and
forth, jerking with his other hand to free himself from the hold on
the prone man. Yet it appeared he could not loose that finger
locking.
The lines of fire ran down his arm swiftly, crossing to the body
of the other man. Now Rogear did not strive to break that hold, and
I guessed that he was willing the fire to pass from him into the
other, who was now writhing feebly and moaning.
While he fought thus with his will, the woman stood alone. And
her wand was held in a hand plainly failing. My lord was no longer
a shadow, and the wind was dying. He looked to the woman steadily
and without fear. In his eyes was something I could not read. Now
he did not trouble to move his hand to ward off the rod. Rather, he
held the wristlet level between them at heart height and he spoke,
his words cutting through her chant.
"Do you know me at last, Tephana. I am — " He uttered a sound
which might be a name, yet was unlike any name I had ever
heard.
She raised her rod like a lash, as if she would beat him across
the face in a rage too great to be borne. "No!"
"Yes and yes and yes! I am awake — at long last!" She twirled
the rod at shoulder height, as I have seen a man ready a throwing
spear. And throw it she did, as if she believed its point would
reach his heart.
But, though he stood so close, it did not touch him, passing
over his shoulder to strike against a rock and shatter with a
ringing sound.
Her hands went to her ears, as if that sound were more than she
could bear to hear. She wavered, but she did not fall. Now Rogear
dragged himself up to his feet, moved beside her. His one hand
still hung limply by his side, the other he raised swiftly, and let
it fall on her shoulder. His face was white, stricken, yet I saw
his eyes and knew that his will and his hate were blazingly
alive.
"Fool!" His lips moved as if his face had stiffened into a mask.
"Fight! You have the Power. Would you let that which you marred in
the making triumph over you now?"
Lord Amber laughed! It was joyful laughter, as if he had no
cares in the world.
"Ah, Rogear, you would-be opener of gates, ambitious for what,
if you knew all, you would not dare to face. Do you not yet
understand the truth? You seek to reach that which is beyond you:
not only to reach it, but to put to use that which is not for your
small mind — to Dark use — "
It was as if each word was a lash laid across Rogear's face, and
I saw such anger mirrored there as I thought no human features
could contain. His mouth worked, and there was spittle on his lips.
Then he spoke.
I cannot put into words what rang then in my head. I know that I
sank to the ground, as though a great hand were pressing me flat.
Above Rogear's head stood a column of black flame, not red like
honest fire but — black! Its tip inclined toward Lord Amber. But he
did not start away. He stood watching as if this did not concern
him.
Though I cried a warning, I did not hear my own words. The flame
leaned and leaned, out across the star, the circle which enclosed
it, poised over Lord Amber's head. Yet he did not even raise his
eyes to see its threat, only watched Rogear.
About Rogear and the woman he held to him, the flame leaped and
thickened as if it fed upon their bodies. It grew darker than ever,
until they were hidden. And the tip of the flame moved as if trying
to reach Lord Amber. Still it did not.
Slowly it began to die, fall back upon itself, growing less and
less. And as it went it did not disclose Rogear or the woman.
Finally it was but a glowering spark on the pavement — and nothing!
They, too, were gone.
I put my hands to my eyes. To see that ending — it gave me such
fear as I had never known, even though it did not threaten me. Then
— there was silence!
I waited for my lord to speak — opening my eyes when he did not.
And I cried out, forgetting all else. For no longer did he stand
confidently upright to face his foes. He lay as crumpled beyond the
circle as those who left within it — and as still.
About my feet the serpent no longer coiled. I staggered toward
him, stopping only to pick up the gryphon. That was plain crystal
again, its warmth and life gone.
As I had once held Toross against the coming of death, so did I
now cradle my lord's head against me. His eyes were closed. I could
not see their strange yellow fires. At first I thought he was dead.
But under my questing fingers his heart still beat, if slowly. In
so much be had won, he was still alive. And if I could only keep
him so —
"He will live."
I turned my head, startled, fierce in my protection of the one I
held. From whence had this one come? He stood with his back to the
wall of the cliff, leaning a little on a staff carven with runes.
His face seemed to shift queerly when I looked upon him, now
appearing that of a man in late middle life, again that of a young
warrior. But his clothing was gray as the stone behind him and
could have been that of a trader.
"Who — ?" I began.
He shook his head, looking at me gently as one who soothes a
child. "What is a name? Well, you may call me Neevor, which is as
good a name as any and once of some service to me — and
others."
Now he stood away from the cliff and came into the circle. But
as he came he used his staff to gesture right and left. The evil
outer circle was gone; the star also. Then he pointed to the girl,
the other man, to all other evidences of those who had striven to
call the Power here. And they were also gone, as if they were part
of a dream from which I had now awakened.
At last he neared me and my lord, and he was smiling. Putting
out the staff again, he touched my forehead and, secondly, touched
my lord on the breast. I was no longer afraid, but filled with a
vast happiness and courage, so that in that moment I could have
stood even against the full army of invaders. Yet this was better
than battle courage, for it reached for life and not death.
Neevor nodded to me. "Just so," he said, as if pleased. "Look to
your key, Joisan, for it will turn only for you, as that one who
dabbled in what was far beyond him knew."
"Key?" I was bemused by his order.
"Ah, child, what wear you now upon your breast? Freely given to
you it was with goodwill, by one who found the lost — and not by
chance. Patterns are set in one time, to be followed to the end of
all years to come. Woven in, woven out—"
The tip of his staff moved across the ground back and forth. I
watched it, feeling that I could understand its meaning if I only
made some effort, knew more.
I heard him laugh. "You shall, Joisan, you shall — all in good
time."
My lord opened his eyes, and there was life and recognition in
his expression, but also puzzlement. He stirred as if to leave my
hold, but I tightened that.
"I am — " he said slowly.
Neevor stood beside us, regarding us with the warmth of a
smile.
"In this time and place you are Kerovan. Perhaps a little less
than you once were, but with the way before you to return if you
wish. Did I not name you 'kinsman'?"
"But I — I was — "
Neevor's staff touched him once more on the forehead. "You were
a part, not the whole. As you now are, you could not long contain
what came to remind you of what you were and can be. Just as those
poor fools could not contain the evil they called down, which
consumed them in the end. Be content, Kerovan, yet seek — for those
who seek find." He turned a little and pointed with his staff to
the blankness of the cliff. "There lies the gate; open it when you
wish, there is much beyond to interest you."
With that he was gone!
"My Lord!"
He struggled up, breaking my hold. Not to put me aside as I
feared he now would, but rather to take me in his arms.
"Joisan!" He said only my name, but that was enough. This was
the oneness I had ever sought, without knowing, and finding it was
all the riches of the world spread before me for the taking.
I dreamed and could not wake, and the dream was dark with fear
at its core. For me there was no escape, for in this dream I walked
as one without will of my own. He who gave the order was
Rogear.
First there was the calling, a need so laid upon me that I left
the keep, trusted myself to the waters about it, swam for the
shore. Then I must have traveled yet farther across those deserted
fields until Rogear was there and he horsed me before him to
ride.
There were parts I could not remember. Food was put in my hands
and I ate, yet I tasted nothing. I drank and was aware of neither
thirst nor the quenching of it. We were joined by others, and I saw
them only as shadows.
On we rode into strange places, but these were the places of
dreams, never clearly seen. At last we came to the end of that
journey. There was—no! I do not wish to remember that part of the
dream. But afterward, I held my lord's gift in my hands and it was
laid upon me, as much as if I were in bonds, that I must stand, and
when orders came I must obey. But what I was to do — and why —
?
Before me was a cliff rising up and up, and behind me I heard a
sound, a sound that lashed at me. I wanted to run — yet as in all
ill dreams I could not move, only stand and look upon the rock and
wait —
Then —
There was pain bursting in my head, like fire come to devour my
mind, burn out all thought. But what vanished in those flames was
that which held me prisoner to another's will. Weakly I turned away
from the cliff to look upon those who held me captive.
Lord Amber!
Not as I had seen him last with bandaged eyes, fumbling in
blindness, but as a warrior now, ready for battle, though his sword
was sheathed and he had no knife-of-honor ready. Still, that he
warred in another way, I knew.
There were four others. And I saw then there was a star drawn in
the earth and that I stood in the point that fronted the cliff,
those others to my right and left in the other points.
One was Rogear, two were women, the fourth another man. He made
a move in the direction of Lord Amber, but the woman to my right
stayed him with a gesture. Rogear sprang before I could move and
held me like a battle shield.
"The game is still ours, Kerovan," he said, "and it is to the
death."
Kerovan! What did he mean? My lord was dead.
Lord Amber — it was Lord Amber who answered him. "To the death,
but to yours, not mine, Rogear." I saw him draw a sign in the air,
and there was a blue star that traveled to hang before Rogear's
eyes.
He loosed me and stepped away, saying, "So be it."
"No!" The woman to my right spoke. "There is no need. He is —
"
Rogear interrupted her. "There is every need. He is much more
than we deemed him. And he must be finished, or we shall be
finished too. Spin no more small spells, Lady. You had the
fashioning of him, flesh and bone, if not spirit. Lend me your full
will now!"
She glanced swiftly then at Lord Amber; then away. I saw her
lips tighten. In that moment she was far older than she had seemed
earlier, as if age settled on her with the thoughts in her
mind.
'Tell me," Rogear continued, "do you stand with me in this?
Those two" — he motioned toward the other man, the girl — "can be
counted as nothing now. It is us against what you sought to make
and failed in the doing."
I saw her bite her lip. It was plain she was in two minds. But
at last she gave him what he desired. "I stand with you,
Rogear."
"Kerovan," Rogear had called him, this man I would have taken
blood-oath was one of the Old Ones. At that moment, all those sly
whispers and rumors flooded back in my mind — that my lord was of
tainted blood, becursed, that his own mother could not bear to look
upon him. His own mother! Could it be —? Rogear said this woman had
the fashioning of him, flesh and bone, but not spirit. Not
spirit!
I looked upon Lord Amber and knew the truth, several truths. But
this was not the time for the speaking of truth, nor the asking of
whys and wherefores. He faced those who were deadly enemies, for
there be no more deadly enemies then those of close blood-kin when
evil works. And they were four against his one!
His one — ! I looked about me wildly. I had no weapons — not even
Toross' knife. But a stone — even my bare hands if need be — only
this was not fighting as I had known it. This was a matter of Power
— Power such as Math had loosed at her death hour. And I had no
gift of such. I tried to clench my fist. A chain looped about my
fingers and cut my flesh. The gryphon — I still had the gryphon! I
remember how Rogear had used it before — could not Lord Amber do
likewise? If I could throw it to him—But Rogear was between; he
need only turn, wrest it from me, use it as he had before —
With this in mind, I wrapped my two hands tight about the globe,
saying to myself that Rogear would not take it from me to use
against my lord, not while I had life to defend it!
My lord Kerovan? I did not know the rights of that — whether
Lord Amber had lied to me. But had he, my heart told me, then it
had been with good reason. For just as I had shrunk from Rogear
when he played Kerovan to entrap me, so did I now range myself with
this other in time of battle. Old One or no, Kerovan or no, whether
he wished it or no, in that instant of time I knew that we were
tied together in such a way no axe bond or Cup and Flame ceremony
could add to. That I welcomed this I could not have said, only it
was as inevitable as death itself.
This being so, I must stand to his aid. Though how I could —
Almost I cried aloud with pain. My hands — ! I looked down. My
shrinking flesh could not hide the glow I held. The gryphon was
coming to life, growing hotter and hotter. Might I then use it as
Rogear had — to strike out in flame? But I could not hold it — the
pain was too intense now.
If I grasped it by the chain alone — ? I loosed it a little to
dangle. It was as if all the lamps that had once burned in
Ithkrypt's shattered hall were gathered into one!
"Look to her!" The girl on my left leaped at me, her hand
outstretched to strike the gryphon from my hold.
By its chain I swung it at her and she cowered away, her hands
to her face, falling to the ground with a scream.
So I had learned how to use what I held! Having so learned, I
prepared to put it into further practice. A small black ball fell
at my feet, thrown by the other woman. It broke, and from it curled
an oily black snake, to wreathe about my ankles with the speed of a
striking serpent, holding me as fast as if those coils were chains
of steel.
I had been so occupied by my discovery concerning the gryphon
that I had not seen what chanced with my lord. But now, fast
captive, unable to swing my globe far enough, I watched in
despair.
The other man held forth his right hand, and Rogear clasped it.
Just so was he handlinked to the woman, and the three faced my lord
as one. Now the woman took into her other hand, from where it was
set in her girdle as a sword might be, a rod of black along which
red lines moved as if they were crawling things. She pointed this
at my lord and began to chant, outlining his body with her
wand-head to loins and up again to head.
I saw him tremble, waver, as if a rain of blows battered him. He
held his arm ever before him, striving to move it so that the blue
band about his wrist was before the point of the rod. Yet that he
was hard set it was plain to see, and I wrestled with the smoky
tangle about my feet, striving to reach those evil three with the
globe.
"Unmade, I will it!" The woman's voice rolled like thunder. "As
I made, so shall it be unmade!"
My lord — by the Flame, I swear it! I saw his body shaken, thin,
becoming more shadow than substance. And out of nowhere came a wind
to whirl and buffet that shadow, tearing at it.
I feared to loose the gryphon, but this must be stopped — the
wind, that roll of chant — thunder — the rod that moved, erasing my
lord as if he had never been! Shadow though he was, torn as he was,
still he stood, and it seemed to me the black rod moved more
slowly. Was she tiring?
I saw Rogear's face. His eyes were closed, and there was such a
look of intense concentration there I guessed his will was backing
hers. Did I dare loose my only weapon now?
Hoping I had not made the wrong choice, I hurled the gryphon at
Rogear. It struck his shoulder, fell to the ground, rolled across
the point of the star, stopped just within the circle. But the hand
with which Rogear had gripped that of the woman fell from her
grasp, limply to his side. He went to his knees, dragging with him
the other man, who fell forward and lay still. While along Rogear's
body, spreading outward from where the gryphon had struck, played
lines of blue like small hungry flames, and he rocked back and
forth, jerking with his other hand to free himself from the hold on
the prone man. Yet it appeared he could not loose that finger
locking.
The lines of fire ran down his arm swiftly, crossing to the body
of the other man. Now Rogear did not strive to break that hold, and
I guessed that he was willing the fire to pass from him into the
other, who was now writhing feebly and moaning.
While he fought thus with his will, the woman stood alone. And
her wand was held in a hand plainly failing. My lord was no longer
a shadow, and the wind was dying. He looked to the woman steadily
and without fear. In his eyes was something I could not read. Now
he did not trouble to move his hand to ward off the rod. Rather, he
held the wristlet level between them at heart height and he spoke,
his words cutting through her chant.
"Do you know me at last, Tephana. I am — " He uttered a sound
which might be a name, yet was unlike any name I had ever
heard.
She raised her rod like a lash, as if she would beat him across
the face in a rage too great to be borne. "No!"
"Yes and yes and yes! I am awake — at long last!" She twirled
the rod at shoulder height, as I have seen a man ready a throwing
spear. And throw it she did, as if she believed its point would
reach his heart.
But, though he stood so close, it did not touch him, passing
over his shoulder to strike against a rock and shatter with a
ringing sound.
Her hands went to her ears, as if that sound were more than she
could bear to hear. She wavered, but she did not fall. Now Rogear
dragged himself up to his feet, moved beside her. His one hand
still hung limply by his side, the other he raised swiftly, and let
it fall on her shoulder. His face was white, stricken, yet I saw
his eyes and knew that his will and his hate were blazingly
alive.
"Fool!" His lips moved as if his face had stiffened into a mask.
"Fight! You have the Power. Would you let that which you marred in
the making triumph over you now?"
Lord Amber laughed! It was joyful laughter, as if he had no
cares in the world.
"Ah, Rogear, you would-be opener of gates, ambitious for what,
if you knew all, you would not dare to face. Do you not yet
understand the truth? You seek to reach that which is beyond you:
not only to reach it, but to put to use that which is not for your
small mind — to Dark use — "
It was as if each word was a lash laid across Rogear's face, and
I saw such anger mirrored there as I thought no human features
could contain. His mouth worked, and there was spittle on his lips.
Then he spoke.
I cannot put into words what rang then in my head. I know that I
sank to the ground, as though a great hand were pressing me flat.
Above Rogear's head stood a column of black flame, not red like
honest fire but — black! Its tip inclined toward Lord Amber. But he
did not start away. He stood watching as if this did not concern
him.
Though I cried a warning, I did not hear my own words. The flame
leaned and leaned, out across the star, the circle which enclosed
it, poised over Lord Amber's head. Yet he did not even raise his
eyes to see its threat, only watched Rogear.
About Rogear and the woman he held to him, the flame leaped and
thickened as if it fed upon their bodies. It grew darker than ever,
until they were hidden. And the tip of the flame moved as if trying
to reach Lord Amber. Still it did not.
Slowly it began to die, fall back upon itself, growing less and
less. And as it went it did not disclose Rogear or the woman.
Finally it was but a glowering spark on the pavement — and nothing!
They, too, were gone.
I put my hands to my eyes. To see that ending — it gave me such
fear as I had never known, even though it did not threaten me. Then
— there was silence!
I waited for my lord to speak — opening my eyes when he did not.
And I cried out, forgetting all else. For no longer did he stand
confidently upright to face his foes. He lay as crumpled beyond the
circle as those who left within it — and as still.
About my feet the serpent no longer coiled. I staggered toward
him, stopping only to pick up the gryphon. That was plain crystal
again, its warmth and life gone.
As I had once held Toross against the coming of death, so did I
now cradle my lord's head against me. His eyes were closed. I could
not see their strange yellow fires. At first I thought he was dead.
But under my questing fingers his heart still beat, if slowly. In
so much be had won, he was still alive. And if I could only keep
him so —
"He will live."
I turned my head, startled, fierce in my protection of the one I
held. From whence had this one come? He stood with his back to the
wall of the cliff, leaning a little on a staff carven with runes.
His face seemed to shift queerly when I looked upon him, now
appearing that of a man in late middle life, again that of a young
warrior. But his clothing was gray as the stone behind him and
could have been that of a trader.
"Who — ?" I began.
He shook his head, looking at me gently as one who soothes a
child. "What is a name? Well, you may call me Neevor, which is as
good a name as any and once of some service to me — and
others."
Now he stood away from the cliff and came into the circle. But
as he came he used his staff to gesture right and left. The evil
outer circle was gone; the star also. Then he pointed to the girl,
the other man, to all other evidences of those who had striven to
call the Power here. And they were also gone, as if they were part
of a dream from which I had now awakened.
At last he neared me and my lord, and he was smiling. Putting
out the staff again, he touched my forehead and, secondly, touched
my lord on the breast. I was no longer afraid, but filled with a
vast happiness and courage, so that in that moment I could have
stood even against the full army of invaders. Yet this was better
than battle courage, for it reached for life and not death.
Neevor nodded to me. "Just so," he said, as if pleased. "Look to
your key, Joisan, for it will turn only for you, as that one who
dabbled in what was far beyond him knew."
"Key?" I was bemused by his order.
"Ah, child, what wear you now upon your breast? Freely given to
you it was with goodwill, by one who found the lost — and not by
chance. Patterns are set in one time, to be followed to the end of
all years to come. Woven in, woven out—"
The tip of his staff moved across the ground back and forth. I
watched it, feeling that I could understand its meaning if I only
made some effort, knew more.
I heard him laugh. "You shall, Joisan, you shall — all in good
time."
My lord opened his eyes, and there was life and recognition in
his expression, but also puzzlement. He stirred as if to leave my
hold, but I tightened that.
"I am — " he said slowly.
Neevor stood beside us, regarding us with the warmth of a
smile.
"In this time and place you are Kerovan. Perhaps a little less
than you once were, but with the way before you to return if you
wish. Did I not name you 'kinsman'?"
"But I — I was — "
Neevor's staff touched him once more on the forehead. "You were
a part, not the whole. As you now are, you could not long contain
what came to remind you of what you were and can be. Just as those
poor fools could not contain the evil they called down, which
consumed them in the end. Be content, Kerovan, yet seek — for those
who seek find." He turned a little and pointed with his staff to
the blankness of the cliff. "There lies the gate; open it when you
wish, there is much beyond to interest you."
With that he was gone!
"My Lord!"
He struggled up, breaking my hold. Not to put me aside as I
feared he now would, but rather to take me in his arms.
"Joisan!" He said only my name, but that was enough. This was
the oneness I had ever sought, without knowing, and finding it was
all the riches of the world spread before me for the taking.