Coda, Chapter Thirteen: The Child of Light

Dawn was breaking over the frontier, and the night patrol were waiting for their relief, listening to the Grand Paragon talking about history

"Little by little we've been piecing together our oldest records and those of the Yalaini and Dericost. We've learned that our earliest ancestors were not native here, that they came from somewhere else on a purpose which they later forgot. They forgot it because they forgot the other worlds they had known; they lost their perspective, knowing only Auberean. But we, retaining that perspective, believe we know what that purpose was.

"Auberean, it seems, is the navel of the universe. This is the place where the opposing forces meet to do battle: good and evil, light and darkness. And that, maybe, is why the currents of mana, which our ancestors called the Blood of the World, run so freely here. You, who have lived on other worlds, have felt this. As soon as you had stepped through the portal, did you not feel the power of this world thrumming beneath your feet?"

The listeners nodded. "Like a beating heart," one said.

"The ephemerals felt it too. One of them wrote that on his homeworld, Ispar, the mana lay here and there in stagnant pools; a mage, finding one, could draw upon its power until it ran out. But here it runs full and fast, and unceasingly.

"The most difficult things to learn," Nagual went on, "are the things we've always known, that were not true after all. Those are the things that break the heart. The hardest thing of all to learn, we should have known from the beginning. Did we not read, from our earliest days, the song of Ibrexi Jikti:

" 'Darkness has churned the war against the shadow,
shadow has churned the war against the darkness,
and Light has fallen 'neath Darkness's sway' ?

"The thing that broke the heart, when we learned it --- but here comes our relief."

"Sir, I relieve you."

"Madame, I stand relieved."

Nagual collected his patrol with a glance and led them away. "--- the heartbreaking thing was to learn that the Old Ones, the Ancient Watchers, who taught us all we knew ..."

The patrol leader heard his voice diminish in the distance, and exchanged a glance with her cantor. They knew that his next words would be:

"... had already fallen to the Darkness."

"He has them on the hook," the cantor whispered.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Kallikan on the starboard bow," Jorgen called out.

"Right," Rebvaz said. "Got nets?"

The nets were deployed. The raging Kallikan plunged into them like a lover into his mistress's bed, and lay champing and snarling on the grass. Nets of fiber mesh would have torn in an instant, but these had been provided by Orlen Jarlns and were made of something blue and filmy. He said there were no words in Yalaini or Rouleian for what they were made of, and none of the hunting party had ever learned the Sho language.

"Careful," Tapuaua said. "Don't hurt it. Hold up the bag-mouth for a moment, and I'll cast the portal."

"Would've been a lot easier to shoot it," Rebvaz remarked.

"Orders are, Capture them, don't kill them," Jorgen said, "unless your own life's at risk."

"I'd say not even then," Tapuaua said, pointing at the entrapped Kallikan a thing that looked like a bird's beak and checking its alignment. "After all, you've got a Lifestone to resurrect at; the Kallikan doesn't."

"You sure of that?" Heidi said. "There are an awful lot of these things, for something that can die only once."

"Going, going, gone," Tapuaua muttered, and the blue bag twitched and was empty. "Let's find another one."

"Where are they going?" Nevea asked.

"Over to Shi Daraua on Omishan," Rebvaz said, "I think. He's got some plan for them. Do you know what he's doing, Tapu?"

"Daraua's older and wiser than I," Tapuaua said. "I frequently have no idea what he's doing. Is that another Kallikan over there, or a tree-stump?"

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Deep in an underground chamber beneath the Lyceum, that might once have been a burial chamber or an auxiliary book-room or a grain-bin, twenty Falatacot met in secret to worship the Light, represented by a crystal lamp in a niche behind Helethiska's shoulder.

"--- But alas, people are people," she was saying, "and they can lie about the most important things, and sometimes they do. In the end, you must consider not only what they say, but what they do: for even those who claim to follow the Light, may be on the path to Darkness. Remember Valind."

"Where is Valind now, Light-Mother?" asked one of the Falatacot sitting at her feet.

"She is far in the north, she and Kellin, with whom she conspired, and who gave himself over to the Living Shadow and has become the new Hopeslayer," Helethiska said.

"Asheron slew the last Hopeslayer, and so gave his own life," the other said. "Who will slay this one?"

"We will," Helethiska said firmly, "we and our northern allies, whom you have never seen, yet you believe in them. Don't be afraid, but follow Asheron along the path of the Light.

"Now then. Sponsors, bring your candidates forward." Six people got up from the blocks and boxes on which they had been sitting, and arranged themselves in pairs. "Sponsors, have you instructed your candidates in the way of the Light? Have you searched their hearts with careful questioning, and are you assured of their good will?"

"Yes, Light-Mother."

"Candidates, do you wish to follow Asheron, who in times of greatest darkness led the way for his fellow mortals along the path to the Light?"

"Yes, Light-Mother."

"Then we welcome you into the company of the Light. Receive these candles." She handed short wax candles, about the length of a finger, to the three neophytes, as the rest of the faithful pulled candles of their own from pocket or pouch. Helethiska lighted her own candle from the lamp, and with it lit the three candles held before her. The neophytes, turning, lit the candles of their sponsors, who passed the flame to the rest, until in moments the whole cavern was aglow with a forest of little flames, small but bright. "Bring the Light which you have received, cautiously but without fear, to your friends and your fellows. Bring them in, if may be, before they die forever in darkness, without the Light."

("And without Lifestones," someone muttered.) Rising to his feet, Nagual intoned,

"The Child of Light, who is the Gate ---"

and the others joined in,

"--- that opens on the upward way,
and left for us who follow late
his footsteps leading toward the day ---"

But the door opened suddenly, and closed again behind one who had been watching outside. " 'Ware! Someone's coming. Sounds like a lot of them."

The candles were quickly extinguished and pocketed, and Helethiska put a block around the crystal lamp to conceal its light. They waited in the darkness. "Door locked?" someone whispered, and someone else said, "Yes."

There was the sound of a fist pounding on the door, and silence, and a shout of "Break it down!" Then a thunderous crash against the door, and another, and on the third the locks broke and the door swung open upon a blaze of torchlight and the Blood-Father surrounded by troops.

"Plan Two!" Nagual cried, and raised a gem that cast a portal into the middle of the room. The three sponsors seized their neophytes and manhandled them, protesting, through the portal. The rosy light flickered, and disappeared. Nagual drew the Sword of Light, and its white radiance filled the room.

"Helethiska!" the Blood-Father roared. "Nagual! I show you my favor, and you betray me! What have you to say for yourselves?"

"In the name of the Light," Helethiska answered, and Nagual said, "Charge."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The six Falatacot found themselves at the Fort Strathelar Lifestone, surrounded by startled northerners. "Falatacot!" someone cried, and another reassured him, "Yeah, but these are the good Falatacot."

"Touch the Lifestone," said one of the sponsors, and the three neophytes obeyed and marveled at the shower of blue light-flakes that descended upon them. "You're tied here now," the sponsor continued. "If you are killed, you'll return to life here, just a little the worse for wear. Only a few things can kill you now: old age, or poison, or --- Hey! Penthesilea! The Blood-Father found our meeting place. Tell the Raven, will you? We're going back to fight with our fellows."

"Will do," the Lugian said. "Do you need reinforcements?"

"Might help. The numbers were about equal, as far as I could see. Do you have a portal to the chamber?"

"I don't. Pfy does. Hey, PUF-FEE!" the Lugian bellowed as the Falatacot portaled away again.

They returned to a chamber full of confusion, lit by a few torches and the crystal lamp, which the Light-Mother had uncovered again and by the Sword. The defenders had certainly kept the attackers out of the chamber, and seemed in fact to be pushing them back up the ramp that led to it. The six who had returned joined the fight, and as they moved in Pfeil portaled in with half-a-dozen pickup troops: two Yalaini, two Lugians, a Human, and Reggik the tallest Drudge on Auberean with his Extreme Board with Nail of Nastiness. One of the attackers was down. Two of the defenders had fallen, and as the fighting slowly moved upstream they appeared again behind Reggik.

Up to the level above, and then onward to the level above that, both sides calling for reinforcements to the startled spectators. "For the Light!" Nagual shouted, in a voice that rattled the paneling, and many replied "Light!" and joined him. "To me, you who are faithful!" bellowed the Blood-Father, and others made their way to his side. Still, the boundary between the forces, like the surface of a rising flood, continued to move upwards.

"How many are there with us, how many against us?" Nagual asked, during a momentary pause.

"Hard to tell," Helethiska said. "Neq'ara sent me a message yesterday, that more than half the First Cohort has joined us, and that it's an open secret in their camp, the laggards uncertain whether to report them or join them. But that's the First Cohort, and they are not here. In any case, whatever our numbers, we must secure the Library against them."

"That means securing the whole of this enclosure," Nagual said, "which means getting you up to the great gate, to block it against outside attack. If we can do that we can pick off the rest of them at our leisure, Light willing." They burst through another door and found themselves in the main hall, the Library doors on their left.

"The Library," Helethiska said.

"Yes, Mother," Nagual said, looking behind him. "Pfeil! Thank the Light and Asheron you're here! Take however many you need and secure the Library; none of the Bloods must get inside. Prepare for a siege; there are stores inside."

"Yessir," Pfeil said. "You, you, and you, and the rest of you, come with me. Reggik, be my messenger between the Grand Paragon and me. Let me know when he's secured the rest of the Lyceum; you know the passwords. Till then I won't let anyone in even if they swear they're Asheron himself. Move!" They crossed the floor at a run, yanked open the Library doors, and slammed them shut behind them.

"You got it, Big Bird," Reggik said to her back. "Nagual Funny-name, I'm gonna be on your tail for the next while. Only you don't got one." Nagual grinned before turning back to the conflict. The Blood-Father and his men were at the outer doors now, steadily being forced outside. Fresh troops, and those less fresh for loss of Vitae, were still pouring in from below. The last of the Blood-Father's troops were pushed outside, and the doors slammed.

"No time to relax!" Nagual cried. "We have to go after them before they bring in reinforcements of their own. Light and Asheron, what a rabble! I shouldn't have sent Pfeil inside. Is there anybody here who can get this lot organized?"

"Me, sir," said a tall Yalaini in green. "Palerath; I lead the True Inheritors, under Nalicana. I have twenty of my own here and we've all drilled under the Raven till we've practically broken out in grid paper."

"Good. Do you know the Lyceum? have you been here before?"

"No, sir."

"All right. Organize this lot into fellowships of those who do know the Lyceum, and those who don't, and send the former outside. Tell them they have to take the other buildings as well as guard the gate --- never mind, just send 'em to me. The rest, keep here to defend the door, and find if there are any Bloods left in this building. If you can take them prisoner, and keep them securely, do; otherwise take them out."

"Yessir."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Penthesilea arrived in the Cragstone Hall in a puff of air scented with the tropical flowers of Knorr. "Where's the Raven?" she shouted, and without waiting for an answer moved two doorguards politely aside and strode into the Raven's office. "The Blood-Father's rumbled Helethiska's meeting-place," she reported. "Pfeil's taken some reinforcements over there, and they could probably use more."

"Then it's in the open now," the Raven said. "I don't want to take all the units out of Osteth, we're still getting attacks at the Outposts, but I'll call up the second rotation and have them ready to go. Go back to Strathelar, to the Lyceum too if you can, and keep me posted."

"Yes, ma'am. I need to requisition a Lyceum gem."

"Oh, okay," the Raven said, and put a squiggle on a scrap of parchment that resembled an R with a beak. "Give 'em that. Get going."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"That should hold against anything," Helethiska said in satisfaction, looking up at the sheet of blue energy that filled all the space between the pillars of the Lyceum gate. "It will certainly hold against insects, and we've seen it'll hold against the Blood-Father. Where is he now?"

"Almost out of sight to the northwest," the sentry atop the wall reported. "He picked up a few stragglers on the way down, and I judge he's off toward the First Cohort's camp."

"That should prove interesting," Nagual said. "Who has a portal there? Preferably inside, preferably to Neq'ara's quarters. Anybody?"

"I do, sir," said a Mentalist. My sister's Quartermaster there."

"Go tell Neq'ara that, as the Humans say, our cover is blown; that the Blood-Father's headed his way with about five hundred troops, and to prepare. If he thinks he has enough of his Cohort on his side to expel the rest and defend his camp against them, he may; otherwise, he should evacuate and make his way here to help defend the Lyceum. Go." The Mentalist saluted and disappeared.

Reggik loped up to Nagual and waved. "Hey Nagual!" he said. "Palerath says he's looked all through the Library, no bad guys left. Pfeil's still inside the stacks though, won't come out till you say to. Jebel Thus has gone all through the Lecture building, nobody left. Jepetto's got units going through the Lab building now, looks good but he hasn't done all the labs yet."

"Thank you," Nagual said. "Tell Pfeil for me that she can come out now. Then tell Palerath to appoint someone quartermaster, find out what our supplies are like. I expect a lengthy siege here; if we're going to have to run a convoy through portalspace, I want to know it now."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"Second rotation is on their way, ma'am," a messenger reported, and the Raven said, "Good. Yes, Penth?"

"Things are looking pretty good in the Lyceum," Penthesilea reported. "Nagual's people have taken the buildings, they've blocked the big open gate, the only parts that aren't surrounded by walls are protected by sheer drops and a waterfall. I suppose a Nymph or two might still try to fly in, but there are plenty of Mentalists and archers and so on to shoot it down."

"All right. Who's in command there?"

"Nagual, I guess. Maybe Helethiska, but all she's doing is sitting by the gate letting an occasional straggling good guy in; Nagual's running the show. Of our people, Pfeil, with Palerath under her. I'm not sure how the Falatacot chain of command works, and I don't know if they are either right now, but everything is working."

"Great. Can you keep on running messages for me between here and there for a couple of hours? After that I'll find someone to relieve you."

"Sure. You could get Jorgen; he knows more portal spells than anybody I know. Except Tapu, but she's off with Daraua."

"All right. Next!"

For another messenger, a small Human female, was trying to make her presence known, peering between Penthesilea's not inconsiderable bulk and the doorframe. The Lugian backed off, smiling, and the Human stepped inside.

"Ma'am, I've been scouting the Hopeslayer's camp. There are several thousand of them now, Shadows of both kinds (that is, mortals in the Shadow Kingdom, like me, and the old Dericost shadows, robed and masked), and a few Undead, not many, and everything from Chaos Vermin to Waraths, again not many. And there are now a whole lot of Burun, thousands of them, everything from little Ruriks to huge spiky Immortals --- only they aren't as immortal as all that. I was watching one of them, a spellcaster, enchanting breastplates for some of his troops, and every time he cast, he swelled up like a frog, a little larger each time, and a little larger --- and then suddenly he burst like a balloon! There was green blood everywhere, and fragments of skin; and the other Burun seemed to take it in their stride. I mean, it was 'oh well, there goes the boss, we'll have to find someone else to follow.'

"I saw Naokim go by, at a distance, with his usual expression of 'Why am I, a great war-leader, always surrounded by idiots?' But he's always been like that. I have not seen the Hopeslayer at all, but I know he's there; there are always shadow-clouds in the middle of camp, and lightning flashes sometimes, as if powerful spells were being cast there. You understand, I daren't get any further in than the fringes, where everybody thinks I must be part of somebody else's outfit. Further in, they'd recognize me, or fail to recognize me, and I'd be toast, just like last time."

"All right. Go get some rest, and then make a written report, every detail you can remember. Thank you." The little Human went out, and the Raven sat lost in thought for a moment.

"Burun," she said thoughtfully, and then, "Messenger!"

A Tonk in Dominion colors stepped in. "Ma'am?"

"Have someone take a look at the Burun population in Omishan. See if it's down. Go yourself, if you'd like a break; but find yourself a replacement first." The Tonk bowed and vanished.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

As the sun fell into evening, the Lyceum camp organized itself, set up watches and duty schedules and delegated someone to cook the evening meal. A century of the Second Cohort attempted to attack the gate, and were cut down; the last half-dozen surrendered and were imprisoned in what had been a suite of faculty housing, till someone could determine what to do with them and whether to trust them. Just at sunset, someone came running up the ramp from the chambers below, crying, "The First Cohort is here!" Neq'ara, grinning, led four maniples of troops, two-thirds of the Cohort, up into the hall, and there was much cheering and slapping of backs.

"We did have the advantage of numbers," Neq'ara explained to Nagual, "but not by so many that we could imprison two maniples of them, nor could we trust them not to let the Blood-Father in, for instance. And we were reluctant to kill so many of our own people, only because they hadn't yet seen the Light. So we picked up everything we could and portaled here. If you want to get back into that camp before the war's over, we have a couple of portals --- and we left a couple of hidden back-doors that they don't know about."

The night was quiet; those who were not on watch slept in improvised quarters, the silence broken only by the continual piecemeal arrival of troop units from Dereth and deliveries of supplies. Palerath took a century out to investigate the other buildings in the Lyceum complex, and reported them all empty. He garrisoned each of them with Mentalists and archers, more to keep the enemy from taking them than because they were of any immediate use. Around midnight Helethiska, having found another mage who could maintain (and, if necessary, open) the gate, went back to her cot in the Library to get some sleep.

But when day broke, the lower slopes of the Lyceum mount glittered with the Blood-Father's troops. Every insect within a league's distance had been slain, and even the gromnarocs had taken flight. "Very well," Nagual said. "We have Lifestone ties and portals; he doesn't. We have three-quarters of Knorr and all of Dereth to supply us; he doesn't. It isn't even a question of who can starve out whom; we can last indefinitely, and he can't even bring in reinforcements from the grey world, without Helethiska. Except ---" he turned to look down from the wall upon those who stood by. "Who's my messenger to the Derethians?"

"Me, sir," said a red-bearded Human. "Jorgen."

"Jorgen, go to Fort Strathelar and tell the commander there to be wary; and go to the Raven and tell her the same thing. Because the one thing I can think of at present, that could upset this very favorable balance, is if Ju'xatl were to attack Strathelar, or here, or Ikeras, with a horde of intelligent Olthoi. And, since there could easily be something else I haven't thought of, I am loath to leave any of Dereth's strongholds undefended. Tell the Raven that, with the First Cohort here, we are very well-off at present, and if she wishes to withdraw some of her troops to Strathelar, I see no reason why she shouldn't."

"Yessir," the Human said, and disappeared.

Around the third hour after sunrise, a small party came up the hill, escorting the Blood-Father under a green flag of parley. The missile fighters watched him suspiciously from every window that he passed, but no shots were fired. The Blood-Father came to a halt at the sheet of blue energy that filled the gate, touched it experimentally, and rubbed his fingers as if they stung. He looked up scornfully at Nagual, high on the wall, and such was his presence that it seemed as if he were looking down at him. "Traitor, I have no need to speak to you," he said. "Where is the Blood-Mother?"

"No such person," Nagual said. "I can send a message to Helethiska, if you like."

The old man scowled. "Do."

Nagual beckoned to a messenger. "My compliments to the Light-Mother," he said, knowing that he was overheard, "and if she would care to come to the gate, her former colleague desires to speak with her." "Sir," the messenger said, grinning, and ran off.

A few minutes later he saw Helethiska leaving the Library building, combing her short grey hair with her fingers. Two Lugians and a Yalaini assisted her to the top of the wall. "Good morning," she said cheerfully.

"Why?" the Blood-Father said. "Why have you abandoned the ways of our ancestors, and sided with the weak-willed Yalaini?"

"Why, because they knew something we didn't," she said. "Mind you, we knew something they didn't: that there is no rest from fighting, except in death; that it is fatal to let the blade grow dull, or the sinews lax; that peace is only a little hush between battles. At least I'm sure it may be so on Auberean. But the Yalaini knew, some of them, that Auberean is the universe's battleground, and that the enemy from the beginning whispered into our ears, and those of our teachers.

"But the Light, also, whispers to us, telling us the path that we should walk in, if we will only listen. Will you listen? I am anxious to tell you about the path of the Light, and of Asheron, who more than any other mortal left us his footprints to follow ---"

But the Blood-Father let loose a cry of rage, and snatching a dagger from his side, he threw it upwards, straight into Helethiska's heart. She toppled and fell; those below crowded around her.

"Hold!" Nagual cried, and seeing a Mentalist rising from the top of the wall to cast, seized his shoulder and pushed him forcefully down again. "Hold your fire, everyone!" He glared at the troops along the wall until he was certain none of them would move. "Hold your fire; hold your tongues. We know something he doesn't." And he leapt down from the wall and pushed the little crowd aside. Helethiska lay there dead, a little smile on her face.

"All right," he said under his breath. "Where is she Lifestoned?"

"Strathelar," someone said.

"All right. Do we have a Vitae healer?"

"Several. Aldwan's right here."

"Good. One of you get Aldwan and meet the Light-Mother at the Strathelar Lifestone, and escort her back here; and make haste."

"Yessir."

Nagual remounted the wall, smiling. His smile seemed to discomfit the Blood-Father, who stood below, looking from one to the other of the guards on the wall, who were all smiling (some whispers had gone back and forth), standing almost at ease, not in the least like troops who have lost a commander. Nagual glanced back over his shoulder from time to time, and presently saw Helethiska re-emerge from the Library, leaning a little on Aldwan's strong arm. Those on the ground carefully lifted her once more onto the wall.

"Good morning again," she said. "Now, as I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted ---"

It is possible that the Blood-Father, given the opportunity, would have stood his ground, but his companions could not. Crying out with fear, they turned and fled, carrying their commander with them, down the road to rejoin their troops at the hill's foot, while the ranks of the Light cheered.

Now there was quiet for about half an hour. Those in the Lyceum had no way of knowing what the Blood-Father said to his troops, but it must have been persuasive, for at the end of the half hour they formed into their centuries and began marching up the road. As they passed the outlying buildings, sufficient troops peeled off and attacked them, fighting till all within were sent to the Lifestone and came back, a little shamefaced, into the Lyceum. Jorgen went off duty and Penthesilea reappeared just long enough to present to Nagual half-a-dozen other messengers well equipped with portals, to carry his messages wherever he cared to send them.

By now the ground outside the walls was thick with troops, and Nagual stationed additional forces at the edges of the walls, lest someone manage somehow to work his way around them without plunging into the waterfall. Most of those stationed atop the walls were missile fighters, Mentalists and bowmen and hammer-throwers, with healers stationed beneath them to keep them fit. Most of the front ranks below were likewise Mentalists, with a few Hieromancers behind to do duty as healers, and even fewer Templars to step out occasionally, take some damage, and retreat again having strengthened their fellows. Missiles coursed upward and showered downward all afternoon. The healers were busy, the Vitae healers more so. The besiegers kept getting in reinforcements that came in across country. The defenders could return endlessly from the Lifestone, recover Vitae, and return to the battle, but being continually killed and resurrected was wearying to the spirit. As night fell, Nagual sent to the Raven, asking for additional archers so that his Mentalists could rest.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"Very well," the Raven told the messenger, who happened to be Aracoeli. "Find whoever's overseeing staffing at this hour, and tell him, and find out how many he can send. Then tell Nagual how many are coming, and then go to the officer on duty at Strathelar and have him find bunks for that many tired Falatacot."

"Yes, ma'am," Aracoeli said, and turned to go. Then at the door she turned back and said, "You know what they need down there? They need a morale boost. They have troops enough to let one group rest while another patrols the walls. They have enough Vitae healers to keep them in top health and Vigor. What they need is a visible reminder that the Light is with them. They need Asheron." She went out and closed the door behind her.

"That would not be wise," Asheron said. The Raven by now was herself tired enough that she barely started at his sudden appearance.

"Aracoeli's right, though," she said. "The sight of you, more than anything else ---"

"Raven, dear, the whole reason we have kept secrecy this long, hiding me from the sight of the people I have loved and who have done me the honor of loving me, is that Kellin must not know I am still on Auberean until it's time. That time will be when he attacks, when his troops are on the march, when he feels that with the Kemeroi behind him nothing can stand before him, when his morale is at the highest. That is the moment when the sight of me will do him the most psychological and spiritual harm: not only because he is the Hopeslayer and I am his Light-chosen opponent, but because he is Kellin and I am Asheron, and the crown of his hope was that he thought me dead."

The door flew open, and the little Human from the Shadow Kingdom burst in. "The Hopeslayer's army is on the march," she said, and then she caught sight of Asheron and her jaw dropped.

"Go on!" the Raven said.

"He ---" she swallowed. "He came south from the Chaos Planes, crossed the water-channel, passed the Lifestone. He's now headed southeast, along the coast, toward the Arwic Northern Outpost, and then towards Arwic I guess, unless he decides to go toward Kehan."

"All right," the Raven said. "You stay right here." She pushed the little scout back against the wall, to stand unmoving, staring at Asheron. She went out and closed the door behind her. "Two messengers!" she said. "You, Flame, get to Arwic Northern Outpost immediately. Tell them they're to evacuate at once, to Arwic or wherever they can get to. The Hopeslayer is on the move and they can't fight him from behind those wooden palisades. You, Tulakhe, go to Arwic and tell them to prepare for attack. They need to get the Wandering Folk inside too. Everyone's to get inside the walls. Got it? Go!"

She went back inside her office, where Asheron and the little Human were standing exactly as she had left them. "Go find a bunk and get some sleep," she told the girl, "and don't tell anybody anything whatever until you get permission from me." The girl nodded and went out. "You heard what she said?"

"I did indeed," Asheron said.

"Now is the time, my Lord. If you go to the Lyceum now, there is no way the news will reach the Hopeslayer before he reaches Arwic --- or, more likely, Cragstone."

Asheron smiled, and bowed. "I am already there," he said, and vanished.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

In the hour before midnight, as the forces of the Blood-Father pressed close against the walls of the Lyceum, a great shout went up from inside, and the sound of many voices singing, and a shining shape rose up out of the darkness to walk along the top of the walls. Few, if any, of the terrified Falatacot knew that the figure they saw was Asheron, or had ever heard of him. But it took little imagination to conclude that they were seeing the Light in mortal form, the Light of which the remnant of the First Cohort had told them, the Light their ancestors had scorned. Some, in spite of their terror, continued to fight. A few, thoroughly demoralized, broke and ran in the dark, till they fell and broke their legs or their necks or drowned in the sea. Most stumbled away and took shelter in the canyons and gullies of the Olthoi-ravaged land, until day might come and they might surrender. As his troops melted away, the Blood-Father strode up to the gate, and shook his sword at the shining figure of Asheron, and turned away with a curse. Then Nagual leapt down from the wall, and drew the Sword of Light, and slew the Blood-Father with it before the gate.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

As day broke, Asheron (now nearly invisible in the sun's light) vanished again. Nagual, with little left to do, had given command of the wall to Palerath and caught a few hours of sleep. But he was up again to greet Nalicana, who came with the full light of day, with Thromer and Daraua and Rinauri, to see the results of the battle. "The war's not over," he told her, as he bowed to kiss her hand. "I don't know how many remain to come over to our side; but they will. With the Blood-Father dead, they've lost most of their reasons not to."

"Well done, Nagual," she said, and smiled. "I hardly dare to ask anything else of you, and yet there's no one else ---"

"I've had four hours' sleep, and breakfast, and we won," Nagual said. "Name your desire."

"Well, most of the Burun are gone from Omishan to the far north, where they've joined the Hopeslayer," Nalicana said. "Those that remain are moving southward through the Vesayens, and gathering around the Ithaenc Cathedral. Not to attack it --- it isn't as if anyone lived there, other than three Tonk elders who have fled to Ikeras for safety --- but as if they hoped to find healing there."

"Healing," Nagual whispered. "Rinauri! How many of those Burun did you fight without your gloves on, before we met?"

"Only one that I know of," the Tonk said. "That one appears to have been enough."

"Take me there," Nagual said. "I couldn't find my way around Omishan, even with a map. In fact, I'm not sure I could find Omishan with a map." Rinauri summoned a portal, and the two of them vanished into it.