[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
That Which Abides." He glanced up at the flower on the altar. "That accepts
you; we can no longer question."
Kadiya gave an inward sigh of relief. Now her thoughts turned to the three
who had not come with her. Had they been indeed left behind in that Skritek
guarded shrine, or ... dispatched else¬where? She had so little of magical
Page 96
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
learning. Jagun, Salin, and Smail had made themselves a part of her quest; she
could not leave them to death behind.
She spoke up boldly. "Those who came with me, are they still in that place of
doors and gates? Or have they been captured and taken elsewhere? They are my
people and I hold responsibility for them."
The woman shook her head. "They could not come with you. Only because you
held that from Yatlan" she pointed to the sword "could you make entrance.
They must remain where they were."
"Jagun will not give up! He will seek to follow and perhaps so be taken by
the Skriteks. If this gate of yours has opened once, surely it can again and
let me back to my people. That monster I trailed is plainly not here and there
remains the fact that it is he whom I hunt."
Now Lamaril shook his head in turn. "King's Daughter, we cannot open the Gate
save when all agree and lend their strength. It remains locked."
That he spoke the truth Kadiya did not doubt. The awe and the unease born
from that awe when she had first sighted these strangers was growing
stronger though the need for telling her story had lessened it for a while. No
way back? She
felt the heat of the amulet, the vibration of Power in the sword. She was not
ready to accept it yet. She could not return!
However, she went with them as they started down a long hall. Her sodden
boots squelched across patterns and she was suddenly aware of the strange
figure she must make in this place of light, order, and beauty with her
stained and cracked shell mail, the battered helm covering most of her
tan¬gled hair. For such a shabby figure to proclaim her¬self a warrior against
ancient evil was a farce. Kadiya bit her lip as she tried to match her steps
with those taller ones who walked with such swift grace.
The lengthy chamber gave directly upon the open and Kadiya looked out upon a
land under a warm sun where there hung no hint of storm cloud. Buildings of a
clear white, over which played faint rainbow hues, were scattered about like a
handful of carelessly tossed shells, rather than set in any pat¬tern of
streets as was Yatlan. Flowers and shrubs of brightly colored leaves covered
the ground between.
People moved on small paths between the build¬ings. When they sighted Kadiya
and her escort, they began to gather. All were Vanished Ones and they appeared
to regard her with as much surprise as she had first looked upon those in the
temple.
They were silent but Kadiya sensed what might have been a far-off murmur in
her head, and she believed that they were using mind speech on a level she
could not touch. The group gave way as Kadiya and the three came toward them
but several fell in to follow. She searched each face as she went, won¬dering
if she would be able to find among them
others who were represented among the guards in Yatlan.
One such she did sight another woman who joined the gathering company. They
Page 97
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
approached a second building, this nearly as commanding to the eye as that
which the Hassitti had taken for dwelling and storage in Yatlan. However, here
no vines cov¬ered the walls and the growth about the doorway had been tamed.
The air was soft about her and there were fragrances carried by every soft
puff of breeze. Her wonder grew. Much had been said of the Vanished Ones. It
would seem that they chose to dwell in a place which held more beauty than
Kadiya had thought possible for any land to produce.
The portal appeared to have no door. Laramil took a step in advance. Now he
brought one hand against a shining plate beside the frame of that opening. A
series of musical notes rose and fell in answer.
Kadiya saw only a solid shimmer of blue-green across the way. At the sound of
that message the curtain of light for so she thought it split apart
allowing them to enter.
Here was a hallway. Along it a number of doors opened, each curtained as far
as she could determine with sheaths of light which shaded from deepest blue to
a pale green. One of these, well down the hall, split also and then she was
facing two who came from that doorway.
The Vanished Ones she had first met had been awe inspiring but these two
were true Power held in tight reserve. Kadiya stumbled, and then she went
to her knees. The Archimage she had always sensed had been one to be given
full honor. These two, woman and man, were such that Binah might have served.
The Power which radiated from the new¬comers was so strong that it could be
felt, as one could feel the touch of the full sun at the height of the dry
season.
In her hand the three eyes, now ringed with the gem-brilliant motes the
flower had shed upon them, were fully open and staring, as if whatever
animated the sword recognized a master energy to which they must respond. The
amulet also blazed high. Yet Kadiya herself felt diminished, even though she
had, she thought, made no false parade of what she was.
"Daughter of a land we departed," it was the woman who spoke, "why have you
come to trouble us now? We had withdrawn as was right, for it was because of
stiff pride and dark choices we were forced into exile. We left those whom we
did not deal with fairly, those whose lives we arrogantly shaped, to live in
peace."
Kadiya dared now to look straight at the speaker. "Great One, choices may
have been made in the past, but the land is not free. One of evil who seems to
be one of your race, though much disguised by a fresh ill, has sown such death [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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That Which Abides." He glanced up at the flower on the altar. "That accepts
you; we can no longer question."
Kadiya gave an inward sigh of relief. Now her thoughts turned to the three
who had not come with her. Had they been indeed left behind in that Skritek
guarded shrine, or ... dispatched else¬where? She had so little of magical
Page 96
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
learning. Jagun, Salin, and Smail had made themselves a part of her quest; she
could not leave them to death behind.
She spoke up boldly. "Those who came with me, are they still in that place of
doors and gates? Or have they been captured and taken elsewhere? They are my
people and I hold responsibility for them."
The woman shook her head. "They could not come with you. Only because you
held that from Yatlan" she pointed to the sword "could you make entrance.
They must remain where they were."
"Jagun will not give up! He will seek to follow and perhaps so be taken by
the Skriteks. If this gate of yours has opened once, surely it can again and
let me back to my people. That monster I trailed is plainly not here and there
remains the fact that it is he whom I hunt."
Now Lamaril shook his head in turn. "King's Daughter, we cannot open the Gate
save when all agree and lend their strength. It remains locked."
That he spoke the truth Kadiya did not doubt. The awe and the unease born
from that awe when she had first sighted these strangers was growing
stronger though the need for telling her story had lessened it for a while. No
way back? She
felt the heat of the amulet, the vibration of Power in the sword. She was not
ready to accept it yet. She could not return!
However, she went with them as they started down a long hall. Her sodden
boots squelched across patterns and she was suddenly aware of the strange
figure she must make in this place of light, order, and beauty with her
stained and cracked shell mail, the battered helm covering most of her
tan¬gled hair. For such a shabby figure to proclaim her¬self a warrior against
ancient evil was a farce. Kadiya bit her lip as she tried to match her steps
with those taller ones who walked with such swift grace.
The lengthy chamber gave directly upon the open and Kadiya looked out upon a
land under a warm sun where there hung no hint of storm cloud. Buildings of a
clear white, over which played faint rainbow hues, were scattered about like a
handful of carelessly tossed shells, rather than set in any pat¬tern of
streets as was Yatlan. Flowers and shrubs of brightly colored leaves covered
the ground between.
People moved on small paths between the build¬ings. When they sighted Kadiya
and her escort, they began to gather. All were Vanished Ones and they appeared
to regard her with as much surprise as she had first looked upon those in the
temple.
They were silent but Kadiya sensed what might have been a far-off murmur in
her head, and she believed that they were using mind speech on a level she
could not touch. The group gave way as Kadiya and the three came toward them
but several fell in to follow. She searched each face as she went, won¬dering
if she would be able to find among them
others who were represented among the guards in Yatlan.
One such she did sight another woman who joined the gathering company. They
Page 97
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
approached a second building, this nearly as commanding to the eye as that
which the Hassitti had taken for dwelling and storage in Yatlan. However, here
no vines cov¬ered the walls and the growth about the doorway had been tamed.
The air was soft about her and there were fragrances carried by every soft
puff of breeze. Her wonder grew. Much had been said of the Vanished Ones. It
would seem that they chose to dwell in a place which held more beauty than
Kadiya had thought possible for any land to produce.
The portal appeared to have no door. Laramil took a step in advance. Now he
brought one hand against a shining plate beside the frame of that opening. A
series of musical notes rose and fell in answer.
Kadiya saw only a solid shimmer of blue-green across the way. At the sound of
that message the curtain of light for so she thought it split apart
allowing them to enter.
Here was a hallway. Along it a number of doors opened, each curtained as far
as she could determine with sheaths of light which shaded from deepest blue to
a pale green. One of these, well down the hall, split also and then she was
facing two who came from that doorway.
The Vanished Ones she had first met had been awe inspiring but these two
were true Power held in tight reserve. Kadiya stumbled, and then she went
to her knees. The Archimage she had always sensed had been one to be given
full honor. These two, woman and man, were such that Binah might have served.
The Power which radiated from the new¬comers was so strong that it could be
felt, as one could feel the touch of the full sun at the height of the dry
season.
In her hand the three eyes, now ringed with the gem-brilliant motes the
flower had shed upon them, were fully open and staring, as if whatever
animated the sword recognized a master energy to which they must respond. The
amulet also blazed high. Yet Kadiya herself felt diminished, even though she
had, she thought, made no false parade of what she was.
"Daughter of a land we departed," it was the woman who spoke, "why have you
come to trouble us now? We had withdrawn as was right, for it was because of
stiff pride and dark choices we were forced into exile. We left those whom we
did not deal with fairly, those whose lives we arrogantly shaped, to live in
peace."
Kadiya dared now to look straight at the speaker. "Great One, choices may
have been made in the past, but the land is not free. One of evil who seems to
be one of your race, though much disguised by a fresh ill, has sown such death [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]