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〃You broke through my illusion as if it scarcely existed。〃 The voice was tranquil； yet sinewy。 〃I held it with all the power that I still possess。 There are only two others who could have broken it。 And you are more powerful than either。 Star…Bearer； I am Iff。〃 He pronounced his full name then； a series of harsh syllables with a flowing； musical inflection。 〃You freed me from the Founder's power； and I place myself in your service； to my life's end。 Can you see me？〃
〃No；〃 Morgon whispered。 〃I want to。〃
Stars of torch fire ringed him； upholding an arch of light。 The sense of vastness melted away。 The gentle； wordless awareness of something not quite real； like a memory haunting the edge of his mind； was very strong。 Then he saw a death's head gazing at him quizzically； and another； amid a tangle of assorted bones。 The chamber he stood in was circular； the damp walls of living earth were full of deep slits。 The hair prickled on the nape of his neck。 He was standing in a tomb； hidden beneath the great school。
He had interrupted the last living wizards of burying their dead。
IX
HE RECOGNIZED NUN IMMEDIATELY： A TALL； THIN woman with long grey hair and a shrewd； angular face。 She was smoking a little jewelled pipe； her eyes； studying him with an odd mixture of wonder and worry； were a shade darker than her smoke。 Behind her； in the torchlight； stood a big； spare wizard whose broad； fine…boned face was carved and battered with battle like a king's。 His dead hair was flecked with silver and gold； his eyes were vivid； smoldering with blue flame。 He was gazing at Morgon out of the past； as if three stars had burned for a moment across his vision sometime in the darkness of forgotten centuries。 Kneeling next to one of the crevices in the wall was a dark…eyed wizard with a spare face like a bird of prey。 He seemed fierce； humorless； until Morgon met his eyes and saw a faint smile； as at some incongruity。 Morgon turned a little to the tall； frail wizard beside him； with the voice of a Caithnard Master。 His face was worn； ascetic； but Morgon； watching him step forward； sensed the unexpected strength in his lean body。
He said tentatively； 〃Iff？〃
〃Yes。〃 His hand slid very gently up Morgon's shoulder； taking the crow； and Morgon thought suddenly of the books the Morgol of Rerun had brought to Caithnard with drawings of wildflowers down their precise margins。
〃You are the scholar who loves wild things。〃
The wizard glanced up from the crow； his still face surprised； suddenly vulnerable。 The crow was staring at him darkly； not a feather moving。 The hawk…faced wizard slid the skull he was holding into a crevice and crossed the room。
〃We sent a crow much like that back to Anuin； not long ago。〃 His spare； restless voice was like his eyes； at once fierce and patient。
Nun exclaimed； 〃Raederle！〃 Her voice slid pleasantly in and out of her pigherder's accent。 〃What in Hel's name are you doing here？〃
Iff looked startled。 He put the crow back on Morgon's shoulder and said to it； 〃I beg your pardon。〃 He added to Morgon； 〃Your wife？〃
〃No。 She won't marry me。 She won't go home； either。 But she is capable of taking care of herself。〃
〃Against Ghisteslwchlohm？〃 A hawk's eyes met the crow's a full moment； then the crow shifted nervously back under Morgon's ear。 He wanted suddenly to take the bird and hide it in his tunic next to his heart。 The wizard's thin brows were puckered curiously。 〃I served the Kings of An and Aum for centuries。 After the destruction of Lungold； I became a falcon； constantly caught； growing old and escaping to grow young again。 I have worn jesses and bells and circled the wind to return to the hands of Kings of Anuin for centuries。 None of them； not even Mathom of An； had the power even to see behind my eyes。 There is great； restless power in her。。。 She reminds me of someone； a falcon…memory 。。。〃
Morgon touched the crow gently； uncertain in its silence。 〃She'll tell you；〃 he said at last； and the expression on the aged； proud face changed。
〃Is she afraid of us？ For what conceivable reason？ In falcon…shape； I took meat from her father's bare hand。〃
〃You are Talies；〃 Morgon said suddenly； and the wizard nodded。 〃The historian。 At Caithnard； I read what you wrote about Hed。〃
〃Well。〃 The sharp eyes were almost smiling again。 〃I wrote that many centuries ago。 No doubt Hed has changed since then； to produce the Star…Bearer along with plow horses and beer。〃
〃No。 If you went back； you would recognize it。〃 He remembered the wraiths of An； men； and his voice caught slightly。 He turned to the wizard built like a Ymris warrior。 〃And you are Aloil。 The poet。 You wrote love poems to。。。〃 His voice stuck again； this tune in embarrassment。 But Nun was smiling。
〃Imagine anyone bothering to remember all that after a thousand years and more。 You were well…educated at that College。〃
〃The writings of the Lungold wizards … those that were not destroyed here … formed the base of riddlery。〃 He added； sensing a sudden question in Aloil's mind； 〃Part of your work is at Caithnard； and the rest in the king's library at Caerweddin。 Astrin Ymris had most of your poetry。〃
〃Poetry。〃 The wizard swept a knotted hand through his hair。 〃It should have been destroyed here。 It was worth little more than that。 You e bearing memories into this place； tales of a realm that we will not live to see again。 We came here to kill Ghisteslwchlohm or die。〃
〃I didn't；〃 Morgon said softly。 〃I came to ask the Founder some questions。〃
The wizard's inward gaze seemed to pull itself out of memory； turn toward him。 〃Questions！〃
〃It's proper；〃 Nun said soothingly。 〃He is a riddle…master。〃
〃What has riddlery to do with this？〃 〃Well。〃 Then her teeth clamped back down on her pipe； and she sent up a stream of little； perturbed puffs without answering。 Iff asked practically； 〃Do you have the strength？〃
〃To kill him？ Yes。 To hold his mind and get what knowledge I need。。。 I must。 I'll find the power。 He is no use to me dead。 But I can't fight shape…changers at the same time。 And I am not sure how powerful they are。〃
〃You do plicate matters；〃 Nun murmured。 〃We came here for such a simple purpose。。。〃
〃I need you alive。〃
〃Well。 It's nice to be needed。 Look around you。〃 The firelight seemed to follow her hand as she gestured。 〃There were twenty…nine wizards and over two hundred men and women of talent studying here seven centuries ago。 Of those； we are burying two hundred and twenty…four。 Twenty…three； not counting Suth。 And you know how he died。 You have walked through this place。 It is a great cairn of wizardry。 There is power still in the ancient bones； which is why we are burying them； so centuries from now the small witches and sorcerors of the realm will not e hunting thighbones and fingerbones for their spells。 The dead of Lungold deserve some peace。 I know you broke Ghisteslwchlohm's power to free us。 But when you pursued that harpist instead of him； you gave him time to strengthen his powers。 Are you so sure now that you can hold back a second destruction？〃
〃No。 I am certain of nothing。 Not even my own name； so I move from riddle to riddle。 Ghisteslwchlohm built and destroyed Lungold because of these stars。〃 He slid his hair back。 〃They drove me out of Hed into his hands and I would have stayed in Hed forever； content to make beer and breed plow horses； never knowing you were alive； or that the High One in Erlenstar Mountain was a lie。 I need to know what these stars are。 Why Ghisteslwchlohm was not afraid of the High One。 Why he wants me alive； powerful yet trapped。 What power he is watching me stumble into。 If I kill him； the realm will be rid of him； but I will still have questions no one will ever answer … like a starving man possessing gold in a land where gold has no value。 Do you understand？〃 he asked Aloil suddenly； and saw in the burled shoulders； the hard； scrolled face； the great； twisted tree he had been for seven centuries on King's Mouth Plain。 〃I understand；〃 the wizard said softly； 〃where I have been for seven hundred ye