The ruin in which they had set up their camp had been a fortress at one time. The stones were roughly squared off, and they had been set without mortar. Uncounted centuries of blowing dust and sand had worn the massive blocks smooth and had rounded the edges. Sparhawk crossed what appeared to have been a court to the tumbled wall on the south side of the fortress and looked down toward the road.
A thick cloud-bank had crept in during the night to obscure the sky. Sparhawk peered toward the road, silently cursing the darkness. Then he heard a faint rustling sound just on the other side of the broken wall.
Dont get excited, Talen whispered.
Where have you been?
Where else? The boy climbed over the rubble to join the big Pandion.
Did you take Berit with you again? Sparhawk asked acidly.
No. Berits a little too noisy now that hes taken to wearing chain-mail, and his integrity always seems to get in the way.
Sparhawk grunted. Well? he asked.
Youre not going to believe this, Sparhawk.
I might surprise you.
There are more of those Cyrgai out there.
Are you sure?
I didnt stop one to ask him, but they look exactly the same as those ones we ran across west of Sarsos did. Theyve got on those funny-looking helmets, the old-fashioned armor, and those silly short dresses they wear.
I think theyre called kilts.
A dress is a dress, Sparhawk.
Are they doing anything tactically significant?
You mean forming up for an attack? No. I think these are just scouts. They dont have their spears or shields with them, and theyre doing a lot of crawling around on their bellies.
Lets go talk with Vanion and Sephrenia.
They crossed the rubble-littered courtyard of the ancient fortress.
Our young thiefs been disobeying orders again, Sparhawk told the others.
No, I havent, Talen disagreed. You didnt order me not to go look at those people, so how can you accuse me of disobeying you?
I didnt order you not to because I didnt know they were out there.
That did sort of make things easier. Ill admit that.
Our wandering boy here reports that the people creeping around down by the road are Cyrgai.
Someone on the other sides been winnowing through the past again? Kalten suggested.
No, Flute said, raising her head slightly. The little girl appeared to have been sleeping soundly in her sisters arms. The Cyrgai out there are as alive as you are. They arent from the past.
Thats impossible, Bevier objected. The Cyrgai are extinct.
Really? the Child Goddess said. How astonishing that they didnt notice that. Trust me, gentlemen. Im in a position to know. The Cyrgai who are creeping up on you are contemporary.
The Cyrgai died out ten thousand years ago, Divine One, Itagne said firmly.
Maybe you should run down the hill and let them know about it, Itagne, she told him. Let me go, Sephrenia. Sephrenia looked a little startled.
Aphrael kissed her sister tenderly, and then stepped a little way away.
I have to leave you now. The reasons are very complex, so youll just have to trust me.
What about those Cyrgai? Kalten demanded. Were not going to let you wander off in the dark while theyre out there.
She smiled. Would someone please explain this to him? she asked them.
Are you going to leave us in danger like this? Ulath demanded.
Are you worried about your own safety, Ulath?
Of course not, but I thought I could shame you into staying until wed dealt with them.
The Cyrgai arent going to bother you, Ulath, she said patiently. Theyll be going away almost immediately. She looked around at them. Then she sighed. I really have to leave now, she said regretfully. Ill rejoin you later. Then she wavered like a reflection in a pool and vanished.
Aphrael! Sephrenia cried, half reaching out.
That is truly uncanny, Itagne muttered. Was she serious about the Cyrgai? he asked them. Is it at all possible that some of them actually survived their war with the Styrics?
I wouldnt care to call her a liar, Ulath said. Particularly not around Sephrenia. Our little mother here is very protective.
Ive noticed that, Itagne said. I wouldnt offend you or your Goddess for the world, dear lady, but would you be at all upset if we made a few preparations? History is one of my specialties at the university, and the Cyrgai hadhave, I supposea fearsome reputation. I trust your little Goddess implicitly, of course, but... He looked apprehensive.
Sephrenia? Sparhawk said.
Dont bother me. She seemed terribly shocked by Aphraels sudden departure.
Snap out of it, Sephrenia. Aphrael had to leave, but shell be back later. I need an answer right now. Can I use Bhelliom to set up some kind of barrier that will hold the Cyrgai off until whatever it was that Aphrael was talking about chases them away?
Yes, but youd let our enemy know exactly where you are if you did that.
He already knows, Vanion pointed out. I doubt that those Cyrgai stumbled across us by accident.
He has a point there, Bevier agreed.
Why bother with holding them off? Kalten asked. Sparhawk can move us ten leagues on down the road faster than we can blink. Im not so attached to this place that Ill lose any sleep if Im not around to watch the sun come up over it.
Ive never done it at night, Sparhawk said doubtfully. He looked at Sephrenia. Would the fact that I cant see where Im going have any effect at all?
How would I know? She sounded a little cross.
Please, Sephrenia, he said. Ive got a problem, and I need your help.
What in Gods name is going on? Berit exclaimed. He pointed to the north. Look at that.
They stared at the strange phenomenon moving steadily toward them across the arid desert.
Fog? Ulath said incredulously. Fog in the desert?
Lord Vanion, Khalad said in a troubled voice, does your map show any towns or settlements off to the north?
Vanion shook his head. Nothing but open desert.
There are lights out there, though. You can see them reflecting off the fog. Theyre close to the ground, but you can definitely see them.
Ive seen lights in the fog before, Bevier said, but never quite like that. That isnt torchlight.
Youre right there, Ulath agreed. Ive never seen light quite that color beforeand it seems to be just lying on the fog itself, almost like a blanket.
Its probably just the camp of some desert nomads, Sir Ulath, Itagne suggested. Mist and fog do strange things to light sometimes. In Matherion youll see light reflected off the mother-of-pearl on the buildings. Some nights its like walking around inside a rainbow.
Its probably just the camp of some desert nomads, Sir Ulath, Itagne suggested. Mist and fog do strange things to light sometimes. In Matherion youll see light reflected off the mother-of-pearl on the buildings. Some nights its like walking around inside a rainbow.
Well know more about it in a little bit, Kalten said. That fogs moving straight toward us, and its bringing the light with it. He raised his face. And theres absolutely no breeze. Whats going on here, Sephrenia?
Before she could answer, shrieks of terror came from the south, where the road was. Talen scurried across the littered yard to the tumbled wall. The Cyrgai are running away! he shouted. Theyre throwing away their swords and helmets and running like rabbits!
I dont like the feel of this, Sparhawk, Kalten said bleakly, drawing his sword.
The fog-bank approaching them had divided and flowed around the hill upon which they stood. It was a thick fog such as one might see in a coastal city, and it moved across the arid, barren desert, marching inexorably upon the ruined fortress.
Theres something moving in there! Talen shouted from the far side of the ruin.
They were only blurs of light at first, but as the strange fogbank drew nearer, they grew more and more distinct. Sparhawk could clearly make out the shapes of nebulous bodies now. Whatever they were, they had human shapes. Then Sephrenia shrieked as one seized in the grip of an overpowering rage.
Defiled ones! Defiled ones! Foul and accursed!!
They stared at her, stunned by her sudden outburst. The lights in the fog never faltered but continued their glowing, inexorable advance.
Run! Itagne suddenly shouted. Run for your lives! Its the Delphaethe Shining Ones!
Part Two Delphaeus
11
It was the fog perhaps. The fog blurred everything. There were no precise outlines, no clear, sharp dangers, and the glowing figures in the mist approached slowly, seeming almost to float up the graveled slope toward the ancient ruin, bringing their obscuring fog with them. Their faces, their very shapes were indistinct, softened until they seemed hardly more than glowing blurs. It was the fog, perhapsbut then again, perhaps not. For whatever reason, Sparhawk felt no alarm. The Delphae stopped about twenty yards from the broken walls of the ruin and stood with their glowing fog eddying and swirling around them, erasing the night with its cold, pale fire. Sparhawks mind was strangely detached, his thoughts clear and precise.
Well met, neighbors, he called out to the shapes in the mist.
Are you mad? Itagne gasped.
Destroy them, Sparhawk! Sephrenia hissed. Use the Bhelliom! Obliterate them!
Why dont we see what they want first?
How can you be so calm, man? Itagne demanded.
Training, I suppose, Sparhawk shrugged. You develop instincts after a while. Those people out there dont have any hostile intentions.
Hes right, Itagne, Vanion said. You can definitely feel it when someone wants to kill you. Those people out there dont want to fight. Theyre not afraid of us, but theyre not here to fight. Lets see where this goes, gentlemen. Keep your guard up, but lets not precipitate anythingnot yet, anyway.
Anakha, one of the glowing figures in the fog called.
Thats a good start, Vanion murmured. See what they want, Sparhawk.
Sparhawk nodded and stepped closer to the time-eroded boulders of the fallen wall. You know me? he called, speaking in Tamul.
The very rocks know the name of Anakha. Thou art as no man who hath ever lived. The language was archaic and profoundly formal. We bear thee no malice, and we come in friendship.
Ill listen to what you have to say. Sparhawk heard Sephrenias sharp intake of breath behind him.
We offer thee and thy companions sanctuary, the Delphae out in the fog told him. Thine enemies are all about thee, and thy peril is great here in the land of the Cyrgai. Come thou even unto Delphaeus, and we will give thee rest and safety.