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Lamaril's rod was at the ready. Light washed over each step as he started to climb, cleansing the way as
he went. They were steep, those stairs, and plainly intended for the feet of the taller Vanished Ones. The
Hassitti were using both hands and feet to aid their ascent, and Kadiya could only take a step at a time,
sideways with her back to the wall, so that she might aid Salin. The wisewoman seemed even more frail
and shrunken, yet she made no complaint, only drew from a belt pouch what looked like a half handful of
dried leaves which she packed into her mouth and chewed upon determinedly as if she ex-pected some
aid from that endeavor.
Dusk had caught them, but the dark did not seem to deter the Sindona. Perhaps through some talent
night seeing was theirs, but Kadiya, keeping resolutely from looking down over the unprotected outer
side of those stairs, found this now nearly as great a trial as the ascent of the rubble had been.
There must be an end to this. Had they passed from the foothills into the true mountains? She shiv-ered
from the bite of the wind, though luckily it was not strong  not strong enough to pluck them from this
stair, at least.
They came out at last on a flat stretch of stone so smooth it might have been pavement. The fore of that
gave on a space well open to the winds of fast coming night; the rear was another rise. This of rough
stone unworked, creviced here and there.
Lamaril and the others who had flanked him in the battle with the mist curtain went directly to the stone
wall. Once there they held out their open palms, rods pointed to the surface. Again the rods began to
move of themselves. Lamaril's left his hand to strike horizontally at a point a little above his helmed head.
Those of his companions flashed a few to each side.
Kadiya saw those weapon-tools move again, La-maril's first right and then left, drawing a thread-thin
line of light across the rock. The other operated in a similar way to draw two vertical lines. What they
outlined was an oblong which might mark a door.
However, those lines of light winked out almost as soon as they had first appeared. Lamaril quickly
touched the rod but did not try to release it from its hold on the stone. Once more the lines showed and
then were gone.
Now he set his hands to the rock within the frame the rods had drawn. Kadiya watched his whole body
tense. Two of his companions moved in behind him, one reaching for the Commander's right shoulder,
the other for the left.
Power! Kadiya caught the backwave of what they were expending. It was plain that the Sindona were
attempting to force some opening.
The backlash of energy was increasing steadily. In Kadiya's hands the sword twisted in protest. She saw
the eyes there close as if in pain.
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Another surge of the Power. Still Lamaril and the rest faced an unyielding wall. The lines had flick-ered
out this time not to return.
"Sealed." Lamaril stepped back, having plucked his rod from its point against the rock. "Sealed as it was
left  but it does not answer for us."
Resheathing the rod at his belt he once more faced the wall. Now he set the fingertips of both hands
against the rock surface, sending them back and forth in sweeps, keeping within the section the lines had
outlined.
"There is darkness here woven darkness!" The mind speech had not come from Lamaril, rather it was
Salin who stepped forward now. The wisewoman's face showed both disgust and an un-derlying fear.
"Darkness," she repeated as Lamaril turned his head to look down at her.
"The work of Varm's chosen!" Lalan stared. "Then he has won here before us!"
"I think not," said Lamaril slowly. "If that were so this way surely would have been opened since he
wishes what is within to come forth. Caskar set the final locking  and he was not of Darkness. Nor
was Binah, who watched that setting that she might keep full guard. Kadiya," now his mind touch reached
the girl, "you have told us of this Orogastus who meddled in the forbidden. What manner of man was
he?"
She tried to think of all Haramis had told them. But she also knew that there was much concerning the
sorcerer which had been private to her sister and never shared, even though Haramis at the end had
stood against Orogastus and brought him down with the Power of their combined talisman.
"He knew much, but he was strange and from another land. We never knew whence Voltrik brought him
as an advisor. Only we were certain that Voltrik moved to his bidding thereafter, whether the King knew
it or not.
"Haramis said that  though he knew much  he was thirsty for more and that he believed that he
would find hidden secrets in the mire ruins. He was certainly one of the Dark and he sought always to
master Power."
"From another land ..." Lamaril was thoughtful. "And Power draws Power. This might have drawn him."
"His own place was here in the mountains," Kadiya added eagerly.
"A seeker who meddled, and perhaps set a lock so that his meddling would be safe until he could come
again," Lalan hazarded.
"Perhaps  yet one escaped to reach Varm. And it could behis sealing which bars us now. So."
La-maril looked back to the wall. "We can do the same. When he reaches here he may be so delayed."
He turned his full attention to the Uisgu wisewoman.
"What know you of sealing Power?"
She settled herself cross-legged on the rock of the wide ledge, moving with difficulty. But at her ges-ture
Smail brought up their pack and worked loose the ties for her.
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"What I have, Noble One, is small. I farsee, I fore see ... a little. I have arts of healing to some degree.
What I have of protection is for the hunter, the far traveler, or one troubled with ill dreams " [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]