"Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - StarShield Book 1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weis Margaret)

┬й Copyright 1997 by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman / All Rights Reserved. Page 4
 Far from her, at the boundaries of all creation, Kendis-dai heard the murmur of her passage.
Fear gripped him in the instant, for he knew that Obem-ulek was abroad and that his hatred was terrible
indeed. The Starshield he brought with him to guard creation. The Nightsword he wielded to order all
things to his will. His mantle he wore that all knowledge of what was and what would be could rule in
impartial judgment. Thus armored, he flashed across the skies of a million million worlds unheeding of
the chaos in his wake. In the moment he came to the eye of the galaxy and found the hateful Obem-ulek
drifting triumphantly through the stars.
тАЬShe is lost to you, Kendis-dai!тАЭ Obem-ulekтАЩs voice ripped time and space. Creation slowed
and watched. тАЬShauna-kir walks the stars no more.тАЭ
Yet Kendis-dai knew for the mantle of his wisdom was upon him. He saw the gem and saw all
that had gone before and all that was to happen after and he Knew.
She had fallen from the stars by her own volition.
тАЬYou offered her knowledge,тАЭ Kendis-dai spoke and his quiet words filled the universe. тАЬKnowl-
edge of life and death. Knowledge of pain and joy. Knowledge of health and sickness. You offered her
all that experience can teach.тАЭ
From far within the void, Obem-ulek grinned.
тАЬYou offered her life and death. There is only one great teacher of the gods,тАЭ Kendis-dai spoke
evenly. тАЬThe experience of mortality.тАЭ
тАЬI have won,тАЭ Obem-ulek roared. тАЬShe is fallen to mortality and shall die. You, Kendis-dai, are
but half a soul without her. Fall with her and you surrender creation to me! Stay and you shall fight me
as half a soul, sick for the loss of your mate for when she returns she shall be more powerful than us
both and my victory will be complete!тАЭ
Kendis-dai smiled and its brilliance shook the Void of Obem-ulek to its core.
тАЬYou are clever, Obem-ulek, but you know not the heart; and this is your flaw,тАЭ Kendis-daiтАЩs
words sparkled across the eternities. тАЬI do, indeed, go with my love into that forgetful place of mortal-
ity, but why should I not share my fate with those who made it possible?тАЭ
Thus did Kendis-dai embrace Obem-ulek whose cries fell through uncounted years to the ears
of frightened civilizations on untold worlds. Together they fell into mortality, forsaking their own
powers for wisdomтАЩs sake and for the love of Shaun-akir.
There, among mortals, did Kendis-dai vow to learn knowledge and experience with the prom-
ise that when the time was ripe and the universe was in need of his hand once more, he and Shaun-akir
would return to the stars and forge a new empire.
Until that day, the Mantle of Kendis-dai, his Nightsword and Starshield lay hidden by his guardian
servants in the temple of the stars. Far from the sight of mortal eyes, they wait until that day.

тАФ The Lay of Kendis-dai




┬й Copyright 1997 by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman / All Rights Reserved. Page 5
 ALPHA: THE BOOK OF MERINDA
(3256 Years Later)




┬й Copyright 1997 by Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman / All Rights Reserved. Page 6