Do we? Tynian asked Ulath, speaking in Trollish.
I am not sure. Ulath rose, went to his horse, and took a map out of his saddle-bag. Then he returned to the fire. This is a picture of the ground, he explained to the enormous presences. We make these pictures so that we will know where we are going.
Schlee looked briefly at the map. The ground does not look like that, he told them. He squatted and thrust his huge fingers down through the snow into the dirt. This is how the ground looks.
Ulath jumped back as the earth under his feet shuddered slightly. Then he stared down. It was not so much a map as it was a miniaturized version of the continent itself.
This is a very good picture of the ground, he marveled.
Schlee shrugged. I put my hand into the ground and felt its shape. This is how it looks.
Where is Beresa? Tynian asked Ulath, staring in wonderment at hair-thin little trees bristling like a two-day growth of beard on the sides of tiny mountains.
Ulath checked his map and walked several yards south to a shimmering surface covered with minuscule waves. His feet even sank slightly into Schlees recreation of the southern Tamul sea. It is right here, he replied in Trollish, bending and putting his finger on a spot on the coastline.
That is where the ones who took Anakhas mate away told him to go, Tynian explained to the Troll-Gods.
We do not understand, Khwaj said bluntly.
Anakha is fond of his mate.
That is how it should be.
He grows angry when his mate is in danger. The ones who took his mate away know this. They said that they will not give her back to him unless he gives them the Flower-Gem.
The Troll-Gods all frowned, puzzling their way through it. Then Khwaj suddenly roared, belching out a great, billowing cloud of fire and melting the snow for fifty yards in every direction. That is wickedness! he thundered. It is not right to do this! Their quarrel was with Anakha, not with his mate! I will find these wicked ones! I will turn them into fires that will never go out. They will cry out with hurt forever!
Tynian shuddered at the enormity of that idea. Then, with a great deal of help from Ulath, he explained their disguises and the subterfuges those disguises made possible.
Do you in truth look different from how you looked before, Ulath-from-Thalesia? Ghworg asked peering curiously at Ulath.
Much different, Ghworg.
Much different, Ghworg.
That is strange. You seem the same to me. The God considered it. Perhaps it is not so strange, he amended. Your kind all look the same to me. He clenched his huge fists. Khwaj is right, he said. We must cause hurt to the wicked ones. Show us where the one called Berit has been told to go.
Ulath consulted his map again and crossed the miniature world to the edge of the large lake known as the Sea of Arjun.
It is here, Ghworg, he said, bending again and putting his finger to a spot on the coast. Then he bent lower and stared at the shore-line. It is really there. he gasped. I can see the tiny little buildings. That is Sepal!
Of course, Schlee said as if it were of no particular moment. It would not be a good picture if I had left things out.
We have been tricked, Tynian said. It was our thought that our enemies were in the place Beresa. They are not. They are in the place Sepal instead. The one called Berit does not have the Flower-Gem. Anakha has the Flower-Gem. Anakha takes it to Beresa. If the wicked ones meet with Berit in the place Sepal, he will not have the Flower-Gem with him to give to the wicked ones. They will be angry, and they may cause hurt to Anakhas mate.
It may be that I taught it too well, Ghworg muttered. It talks much now.
Schlee, however, had been listening carefully to Tynians oration. It has spoken truly, however. Anakhas mate will be in danger. Those who have taken her away may even kill her. The skin on his enormous shoulders flickered, absently shaking off the snowflakes which continually fell on him, and his face twisted as he concentrated. It is my thought that this will anger Anakha. He may be so angry that he will raise up the Flower-Gem and make the world go away. We must keep the wicked ones from causing hurt to her.
Tynian-from-Deira and I will go to the place Sepal, Ulath said. The wicked ones will not know us because our faces have been changed. We will be nearby when the wicked ones tell the one called Berit that they will give him Anakhas mate if he will give them the Flower-Gem. We will kill them and take Anakhas mate back when they do this.
It speaks well, Zoka told the other Troll-Gods. Its thought is good. Let us help it and the other onebut let us not permit it to kill the wicked ones. Killing them is not enough. The thought of Khwaj is better. Let Khwaj make them into fires that will never go out instead. Let them burn always. That will be better.
I will put these man-things into the time which does not move, Ghnomb said. We will watch them in Schlees picture of the ground as they go to the place Sepal while the world stands still.
Can you truly see something as small as a man-thing in Schlees picture of the ground? Ulath asked the God of Eat with some surprise.
Can you not? Ghnomb seemed even more surprised. We will send Bhlokw with you to help you, and we will watch you in Schlees picture of the ground. Then, when the wicked ones show her to the one called Berit to prove to him that they truly have her, you and Tynian-from-Deira will step out of the time which does not move and take her away from them.
Then I will reach into Schlees picture of the ground and take them up in my hands, Khwaj added grimly. I will bring them here and make them into fires that will never go out.
Can you truly reach into Schlees picture of the ground and pick the wicked ones out of the real world? Ulath asked in astonishment.
It is easy, Khwaj shrugged.
Tynian was shaking his head vigorously.
What? Schlee demanded.
The one called Zalasta can also come into the time which does not move. We have seen him do this.
It will not matter, Khwaj told him. The one called Zalasta is one of the wicked ones. I will make him into a fire which will never go out as well. I will let him burn forever in the time which does not move. The fire will be just as hot there as it will be here.
The snow was heavierand wetterafter they crossed the rocky spine that divided the rivers flowing west from those that flowed east. The huge cloud of humid air that hung perpetually above the Astel Marshes lapped against the eastern slopes of the Mountains of Zemoch, unloosing phenomenal snowfalls that buried the forests and clogged the passes. The Church Knights grimly forced their way through sodden drifts as they followed the valley of the south fork of the River Esos toward the Zemoch town of Basne.
Patriarch Abriel of the Cyrinic Knights had begun this campaign with a certain sense of well-being. His health was good, and a lifetime of military training had kept him in peak physical condition. He was, however, fast approaching his seventieth year and he found that starting out each morning was growing harder and harder, though he would never have admitted it.
About mid-morning on a snowy day, one of the scouting parties ranging ahead returned with three goatskin-clad Zemochs. The men were thin and dirty, and they had terrified expressions on their faces. Patriarch Bergsten rode on ahead to question them. When the rest of them caught up to the gigantic churchman, he was having a rather heated discussion with an Arcian Knight. But theyre Zemochs, your Grace, the knight protested.
Our quarrel was with Otha, Sir Knight, Bergsten said coldly, not with these poor, superstitious devils. Give them some food and warm clothing and let them go.
But
Were not going to have trouble about this, are we, Sir Knight? Bergsten asked in an ominous tone, swelling even larger. The knight seemed to consider his situation. He backed up a few paces. Ahno, your Grace, he replied, I dont believe so.
Our Holy Mother appreciates your obedience, my son, Bergsten told him.
Did those three have anything useful for us? Komier asked.
Not much, Bergsten replied, hauling himself back up into his saddle. Theres an army of some kind moving into place somewhere to the east of Argoch. There was a lot of superstition mixed up in what they told me, so I couldnt get anything very accurate out of them.
A fight then, Komier said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
I sort of doubt that, Bergsten disagreed. As closely as I could make out from all the gibberish, the force up ahead is composed largely of irregularsreligious fanatics of some kind. Our Holy Mother in Chyrellos didnt make many friends in this part of the world when she tried to re-assimilate herself with the branches of Elene faith in western Daresia during the ninth century.
That was almost two thousand years ago, Bergsten, Komier objected. Thats a long time to hold a grudge.
Bergsten shrugged. The old ones are the best. Send your scouts out a little further, Komier. Lets see if we can get some kind of coherent report on the welcoming committee. A few prisoners might be useful.
I know how to do this, Bergsten.
Do it then. Dont just sit there talking about it.
They passed Argoch, and Komiers scouts brought in several prisoners. Patriarch Bergsten interrogated the poorly clad and ignorant Elene captives briefly, and then he ordered them released.
Your Grace, Darellon protested, that was very unwise. Those men will run back to their commanders and report everything theyve seen.
Yes, Bergsten replied, I know. I want them to do that. I also want them to tell all their friends that theyve seen a hundred thousand Church Knights coming down out of the mountains. Im encouraging defections, Darellon. We dont want to kill those poor misguided heretics, we just want them to get out of our way.
I still think its strategically unsound, your Grace.
Youre entitled to your opinion, my son, Bergsten said. This isnt an article of the faith, so our Holy Mother encourages disagreement and discussion.