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th later。 Now。 We shall eat and rest。〃
Late that night we crept out from our camp toward the oasis。 Again； I thought of Deoce； and my eyes blurred。 The boil of anger caught me； and I became nothing but a long knife and a silent shadow。 Whether by caution or by a spell； the two sentries indeed did not see us。 Janos indicated one to Lione； and he took the other。 Both sentinels went down without a sound。 We moved on to the camp。 There were no tents pitched； and the fifteen or so nomads slept peacefully； using their saddles for pillows。 One man snored some distance from the others； and this man Janos indicated for himself。 The bowmen readied themselves 。。。 and Janos' hand flashed down。 The arrows； little more than toys； arced out。 We shouted once and charged。 A half…fuddled man arose in front of me； trying to fight free of his blankets； and my blade sank home…body forgetting Janos' orders to but touch an enemy。 Another nomad stumbled across my path； shouting… pain from a gashed arm。 I prepared to finish him 。。。 and before my eyes he collapsed。 Dead 。。。 and I saw him putrefy。 In an eye blink； what should have taken days or weeks to occur happened…the body swelled； bloated； burst； blackened； and then the flesh withered； until there was nothing but a skeleton lying on the sand。 This； then； was what Janos' spell had called the White Peace。
I recovered； looked for another enemy； and saw a slaver bounding toward the darkness beyond。 An arrow whispered past and touched but his arm before ricocheting away。 That man； too； shrieked； died； and rotted。 Then there was only one man left alive among all those foul corpses： their chief； on his knees and writhing in terror in front of Janos。
Janos ordered him tied to a nearby palm。 〃You speak the trader's language？〃 he asked。 The man nodded。 〃Look well； then。 This is the fate of those who are my enemies。 This 。。。 or worse。 You are permitted a chance to live。 Not because I would not love to see your bones gleaming like the rest of your pack； but because I wish the tale to be told to all your people of what happens to those who stand against Orissa。 I am the first。。。 but there will be others traveling this same route。 Remember what happened tonight； and stand well clear of my people。 Do you understand？〃
The man gabbled understanding。 Janos took a small eating knife from his pouch and imbedded it in the sand about three feet in front of the tied man。 〃I shall leave one horse tethered； and one water bag。 If you can stretch far enough； you can reach this knife and cut yourself free。 Then ride off 。。。 and carry the word。〃
He motioned and we left the camp； after ensuring one mount was securely tied； the others driven into the night； and all the food and water； except for one skin； taken for our own use。 No one spoke…less from a desire to impress the slaver than horror at what we had done。 No doubt Janos would have some rationale for what had happened； but this； to me； was sorcery of the blackest sort； and there would be a stain on all our souls for this night。
By the time the counterspell was cast that returned our knives and the remaining arrows to normal； it was close to dawn。 We forced food down； packed the asses； and started off。 We had gone but a sixth of a league when we heard the screams。 Screams of a horse； and then a man。 We saw great scavengers dropping into the oasis out of nowhere。 They were huge； but from this distance one could not tell if they were vultures； eagles； or kites。 The screams of the horse and slaver rose； then were cut off。 This desert was nothing but death； I thought； never having heard of any carrion eater attacking a healthy man or horse。 Janos swore…his example would not be as effective as he wished…and he muttered that the final words of his spell might have even brought these creatures on。 This was the first time he had tried that casting。
A bit later we saw a black cloud rise out of the oasis as the scavengers finished their meal。 They flew toward us； then veered away。 I squinted； trying to see what these monstrous birds were； and gasped as if I'd once more been plunged into that winter mill…pond in Orissa。 Others shouted or swore in horror as well。 The carrion eaters were a distance away； but we could see they were not birds or even some kind of bat who flew in the daytime。 They were human； or at any rate； of human form： each had a manlike torso； legs； and I thought I could discern arms and a head。 Their wings were not as large as they should have been； and I wondered if sorcery helped them keep aloft。 Maeen strung his bow and sent a war arrow lofting at them。 It was a fair shot； into the center of the flock； and they broke formation as doves do when hit by the shafts of hunters。 But Maeen's arrow did not appear to have struck their mark。 A soldier with eyes keener than mine saw something fall； which I thought to be Maeen's arrow； as the nightmare fliers disappeared into the distance。 Some minutes later we came to where the object had e to rest； and one of the men ran over and brought it back； face pale。 It was a human hand。 I picked up a bit of sand and sprinkled it as we marched away。 Not even a slaver deserved to wander as a ghost in this desolate region。
Days later we saw the rise of the butte that had been our brief paradise on my Finding。 We did not approach； holding to our plan of never repeating our track； but kept it in sight as an aid to navigation。 Janos was trying to use magic as little as possible in this area to avoid detection。 All of us still felt those watchful presences 。。。 but no one felt directly threatened as yet。 We found the creek that ran from the magical crater and refilled our waterskins。
Janos cast another spell over the party。 He used two boughs from the creekside willows to make an arch。 He made his Evocation； and a small whirlwind spun up in the center of that arch just to its peak。 He ordered each of us to pass through the whirlwind。 He chortled as the sand got in our eyes； ears； and hair。 He also had our animals led through in the same fashion。 They hated it； as much for the sorcery they felt around them as for the dust。 When we were done； he explained： the wasteland we were entering was magic…blasted。 This was where we would be most likely to be spotted。 Anyone looking for us by sorcerous means would； he was sure； now see nothing but a not particularly striking sandstorm or just a succession of whirling dust devils。
Maeen had a question。 〃What； sir； if some of the Watchers are in our path？ Will they see us？〃
〃I do not know； Sergeant；〃 Janos said。 〃I am certain my spell will blind any sorcerous vision； but I do not know if the Watchers are physical beings or not； nor even how they 'see。' If we spot any of them； my advice is to make the asses kneel； and cover yourselves and them with your robes。 Then attempt to think like a sand dune。〃
Another question came； this from Hebrus； our music teacher。 〃Sir Greycloak； have you still no idea who or what is looking for us？ I would have hoped by this time you might have found some clues…just as I can tell which of my dullard students is approaching by the tuneless way he thumps his lyre。〃
Janos shook his head。 〃I still don't know。 Perhaps one； perhaps many。 Of course the Archons of Lycanth are our enemies； and have almost certainly set out wards。 Nisou Symeon of Lycanth can well afford to send the best Evocators after us。 Perhaps； even； someone from Orissa。 Not all the Evocators in our city accepted the change。〃 He shrugged。 〃Mayhap the gods themselves。 Or the wizards of the Far Kingdoms。〃
〃I thought th' Far Kingdoms was holy；〃 Lione said。 〃Not holy； mebbe； but； well； like I grew up bein' taught th' Evocators was。 Good。 Wantin' to make th' world better。 Helpin' folk。〃
〃So the tale is told；〃 Janos said； 〃and I have no reason to doubt it。 But if you were as powerful as the rulers of the Far Kingdoms； would you not post the finest sentries around your riches； and investigate closely any who approached you？〃 Lione's expression； which had resembled a child who's about to be told fairies do not live at the bottom of the garden； changed； and his relief showed plain。
So shielded； we set out across the blasted land。 We encountered no troubles beyond those of a physical nature。 The creatures of the pit； now that we were aware of them； were no threat； and I was pleased at our progress。 I found myself once being just a bit jealous of Janos。 He was behaving as if he was the sole mander of this expedition。 I stopped myself and turned my mind away…scolding it for giving in to fatigue。 This belonged to none of us yet to all of us。 If he preferred to walk in front； he had at least as much right as I did。 Possibly more； since my rank was hereditary and his； even though it was lesser； hard earned。 The mind； when tired； falls prey to many such dark thoughts。
Our intent had been to make a stop at the Rift valley and rebuild our strength for a few days。 But either our positioning or our maps were in error。 We reached the area of low rolling hills where we should have caught sight of the cleft； but saw nothing。 We checked our navigation； both against the stars that night； and the sun's position in the morning； and even recounted the knotted strings used to keep track of the number of paces traveled each day。 We should have been within a dozen spearcasts of our friends。 But there was nothing。 I checked the map I had made on our Finding； and it verified our locations。 But there was simply nothing there。 Janos and I agreed we must be south of the valley。 We chanced two days' travel to the north； found nothing； and returned to our former track。 The men were displeased…both Maeen and Lione had told them of the valley and its pliant women。 But they were near as dedicated as Janos and I； and we continued on…with no more than wistful thoughts of what we'd missed。
But then all thoughts of disappointment dissolved in excitement when the first man spotted the great mountain range。 The Fist of the Gods。 Even I felt wonder stir when I saw the pass between the 〃thumb〃 and 〃forefinger〃 that led through that black range。 But caution soon overtook wonder： we were in the dangerous territory； doubly so； since we also knew the city of Wahumwa lay in front of us。 We moved most carefully； taking as long as four hours to travel a single league； even though the ground was fairly open。 We avoided all rains； fearing they could be guarded by spells or men。
I called a halt for a council of war when Janos estimated we were a half day's travel from Wahumwa。 We had still seen no sign of their cavalry or scouts or even citizens。 The problem was that the treacherous city sat athwart the only approach to the pass。 After some thought； we determined to get as close to the city as possible during daylight； then go to ground。 We would wait and watch； then use darkness to slip around the city's walls and into the mountains。 If the approach was that tightly patrolled we would break the party into four groups； as we'd practiced； and each group would have an entire night to make passage。 Janos added that I should go with the first group； and set up a forward post。 He would go back and forth each night； and guide each of the groups。 I thought again of my egoism back in the wasteland and was ashamed to have allowed jealousy of a man volunteering to shuttle like this just to ensure the safety of others。
We journeyed onward； and at last we climbed the last foothill。 Beyond lay Wahumwa； Janos said。 He went forward with Sergeant Maeen。 Maeen would return if the rest of us needed to e up。 He should have been back within minutes； but almost an entire glass passed。 I could wait no longer； drawing my sword； I went in the direction they had taken； dodging from cover to cover。 Perhaps my friends had been captured。 I came out of a thick brush and saw them。 They stood on the edge of a crest； in plain sight of any one in the valley…and city…below。 I feared they had been caught in a spell。 I hastened forward； not sure what I would do if they were ensorcelled and turned on me。 I came closer…and then saw what had paralyzed them。
〃That；〃 I said； incredulous； 〃is Wahumwa？〃
Both men spun…they'd not heard me approach； and Janos' hand was on his sword hilt。 They relaxed then。 〃It is；〃 he managed。
〃Or was； anyway；〃 Maeen put in。
There was