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I found him hard at work； deep in the bowels of an old building that smelled of parchment dust and the stale sulfur of ancient spells。 His eyes widened in surprise when he saw me； and I knew our meeting had been forgotten。 〃Amalric； my friend；〃 he shouted； jumping up from a writing table and spilling old scrolls on the floor。 〃What a happy coincidence。 I was just thinking of you。〃 His clothes were in absent disarray； and he was covered with so much dust； it fell in clouds when he bounded over to me； and made him sneeze。
〃You look like one of my old tutors；〃 I laughed； 〃and sound like him； too。 He was always going about with a snuffling nose and absent air。 It was a pity my father had to let him go。 The old fellow never knew what I was up to。〃
Janos smacked his forehead。 〃How stupid of me；〃 he said。 〃That's right； I invited you； didn't I？〃
〃If you insist on being absentminded；〃 I teased； 〃I suggest you form some other habit of abasement。 A few more knocks on your pate； and you'll be permanently addled。〃
〃You're right；〃 Janos said。 Still lost in his studies； he raised his palm to give his head another knock。 His wits returned as the hand reached eye level。 He stared at it a moment； then laughed。 〃You are right； twice！〃
I looked about the big room： from floor to vaulted ceiling； and from wall to distant wall； it was filled with scrolls of every shape and size。 On Janos' desk I saw one scroll held open by small weights。 The writing was not in any language I knew； but was' colorfully illuminated by geometric patterns painted in the margins。 〃These are the archives of the Old Ones；〃 Janos explained。 〃As far as I can tell； it is a plete record of all their spells…all the way back to their beginnings。〃
〃You must have made an even greater impression on the prince than I thought；〃 I said dryly。 〃For him to trust you with such ancient secrets。〃
〃Yes。 Yes； I have；〃 Janos said； so lost in his studies he did not note my mocking tone。 〃Although I am not certain he sees real value in these archives。〃 He sank back into his seat； picking up a scroll and studying the inscriptions。 〃For the wizards of Vacaan；〃 he said； 〃these are much picked…over leavings。 But they were a treasure of immeasurable value when the king's ancestors first settled here 。。。 on the very bones of the Old Ones。〃
I eyed the long walls of knowledge。 〃It is a pity we were not so blessed in Orissa；〃 I said。
Janos slapped the scroll down； excited。 〃You have it exactly；〃 he said。 〃Domas' people came here as ignorant as any barbarian。 Raveline admits it himself。 All they have acplished are refinements of what was once a great art。〃
〃I see you have not yet met the smart fellows。〃
Janos glowered。 〃Not a damned one。 I am ing to believe there are no smart fellows。 Not anywhere。〃
〃Not even your mentor； Prince Raveline？〃
〃Oh； he thinks he is；〃 Janos said。 〃But I'm learning more looking over his shoulder than listening。 What I get from a thing； and what he says is happening； are often opposites。〃
I indicated the scrolls。 〃What about the Old Ones？ Were there any smart fellows among them？〃
Janos sighed。 〃I know you'll think I'm a boaster；〃 he said。 〃But I must answer honestly。 No。 There were not〃
〃Did any of them stumble on the trail you are now following？〃
〃A few might have。 But for some reason； they never continued。〃 Janos snorted。 〃I suspect those were the wizards the Old Ones honored on the Holy Mountain。〃 Another snort。 〃Although what they were honoring remains a mystery I doubt is worth unraveling。〃
〃So that leaves only you；〃 I said。
Janos gave me an odd look； whose meaning I could not decipher。 Then he said； firmly； 〃Yes 。。。 Only me。〃
〃But only because the others have been blind； or abdicated；〃 I said。
〃Whatever the reason 。。。 No one has even e close to what I see。 All of them kept going in greater and greater circles； from one generation to the next They were doomed for never asking a single question： why？〃
〃Do you know the answer？〃 I asked。
Janos gave his head a mighty shake。 〃No。 But I am close； dammit！ Close。 I already see things no one has even dreamed of looking for。〃 Janos' excitement intensified。 〃You remember when I told you about the trick with the scorpion and the mouse？ How I put the scorpion away in one place； and took the mouse from another？〃 I nodded that I did。 〃Well； now I know the how and why of it。 There are many worlds； my Mend； that exist alongside our own。 Each world follows its own rules。 A demon has his。 We have ours。 When we summon the demon； we also summon the rules of his own existence； and with knowledge we can manipulate those rules to our ends。 Just as he can manipulate ours if he is the superior in the bargain。〃
〃Like Mortacious？〃 I asked。
Janos' face darkened。 〃Yes。 Like Mortacious。〃
〃How does one assure himself he will always be the superior？〃 I asked。
〃By knowing that no matter how different those worlds appear； no matter how different the rules seem； there is really only one law that mands everything。 The differences that so confuse us are merely many manifestations of that single law。〃
〃Do you know that law yet？〃 I asked。
Janos' eyes glowed with the passion of his hunt。 〃No。 But； as I said； I am close； my friend。 Very close。〃
I breathed a sigh of relief。 〃Good。 Now； listen to me； Greycloak。 All is not as it seems in Vacaan。 It can be a dangerous place if we tarry much longer。 I think all of us should leave as soon as I plete my business with the king。〃
〃Leave？〃 Janos said； astounded。 〃I couldn't leave now。 I told you 。。。 I am very close。〃
〃The terms of my bargain should keep much of that knowledge ing；〃 I said。 〃And I have a plan that can offer much more； besides。〃
〃What is that？〃 Janos asked； his tone was as if he were addressing a child。
I ignored it。 〃When we return to Orissa； I shall fund a great school of wizardry。 You will be in charge。 Think of all the eager assistants you will have to carry out any experiment you like。 If you all hammer at it jointly； why； soon the wall shall fall； and you will have all you seek。〃
Janos frowned。 〃But 。。。 then 。。。 others will know！〃
〃Exactly；〃 I said。 〃That is the beauty of my plan。 If everyone knows then all of us are equals。 Together we can acplish as much； or more than they have in Vacaan。 And without the blinders you constantly bemoan； we can do it more quickly。〃
〃That could still take a lifetime；〃 Janos said。 〃My lifetime。〃
〃What of it？ You will still have the satisfaction of knowing someday it will be done。〃
Janos coughed and busied himself picking up the scrolls and sorting them。 〃I fear you are making a plex thing too simple；〃 he said。
〃Oh； e now； Janos。〃 I laughed。 〃You are always the one to insist on the opposite。 The simple is made too plex out of ignorance； or； more likely； the desire of the wizards to appear wiser than they are。 Why； from what you have told me already； and remember； I am a simpleton when it es to sorcery； I could put a right…thinking Evocator from Orissa on the same trail you are on。 If I told Gamelan； for instance； that business of many worlds； side by our own； and added your theory that one law mands all forces； seen or unseen； why； even that old brain might begin to glimmer。 Who knows where that glimmering would take even Gamelan？〃
Janos gave me that odd look again。 〃Who knows； indeed？〃 he murmured。
〃You see my point？〃 I asked。
〃Yes； I suppose I do；〃 Janos said。
〃Then you agree to my plan？〃 I pressed。
Janos twisted and untwisted his beard。 He picked up a scroll and stared at the inscriptions； absently； at first； then with more and more absorption。 I could see his thoughts racing away。 〃Janos；〃 I prodded again； and louder。 〃Do you agree？〃
He looked up； that charming smile of his flashing through his unruly beard。 〃Why； of course； I do； my friend。 Of course； I do。 e and see me when you're done with the king。 And we'll talk again。〃
〃What is there to talk about 。。。 if you agree？〃
Janos shrugged。 〃Oh； I am hunting a thing just now； and if I cannot find it by the time you are done 。。。 Well。。。 There might be a small delay。 A very small delay。〃 I had to be satisfied with that； for his eyes were glazing over； and his lips were muttering aloud the strange words he was reading in the old scroll。 I wished him farewell； got an absent whisper in reply； and left。
I fretted over our conversation for an hour or two； then； from the lazy fort of Omerye's arms； I took another look and fretted less。 The more I thought about it； the more sound my plan appeared； and after a while I believed it so sound； I knew my friend…he who worshipped reason…could not help but see it； too。 So there was only the business with King Domas to conclude； and then we would all return to Orissa bearing even more than what we had dreamed when we first set out for the Far Kingdoms。
The next day a royal invitation came。 But the summons was not from the king； it was from Prince Raveline。
CHAPTER TWENTY…FIVE
The Servants of Corruption
AT THE APPOINTED hour； a gondola pulled into the dock of my mansion。 It was large and could easily have carried twenty as well as one。 I was the only 〃guest〃 aboard。 There were four other men to be seen： a steersman at the rudder； a serving man in the luxurious glass…windowed cabin； plus two men in the bow with long trumpets to warn other craft out of the way。 The gondola carried eight oars on a side； the rowers were hidden belowdecks。 They might have been human； but if so had been trained to perfection： the oars bit； feathered； and stroked as if they were run by clockwork。 The trumpeters were not needed； for any gondolier who saw Prince Raveline's red； gold； and black house colors blazoned on my craft would scuttle away like water spiders fleeing a crafty old pike when it es up to the shallows to feed。
The boat turned off the main canal into an untraveled waterway that led beyond the city toward the Holy Mountain。 It was odd to be moving by water through green； rolling countryside that was as carefully manicured as an athletic field。 There were no farms； no farmers； nor did I see houses； roads； or even paths。 The canal curved in a series of eye…pleasing bends。 Far out in the country it ended in a circular pond。
A low； sleek carriage waited； it was drawn by six matched； blaze…faced black horses。 Four footmen led me to the carriage and bowed as I entered。 They mounted to their stations； and without a mand from the driver； the horses moved away。 Despite my apprehension； I peered eagerly out the carriage windows； curious as to what Prince Raveline's estate would look like。 I was not disappointed…but neither was I enthralled with splendor。 The road we traveled was made of stone blocks； each block stretching from one side to the other of the roadway； which was easily five times the height of a man in width。 Each was precisely fitted to its fellow。 I expected the road to e to a huge wall； with elaborate gates； but there was none。 The perfectly manicured countryside rolled on around me； with trees and ponds as precisely laid out as if a master gardener had been at work for aeons。 As inviting as it appeared； I felt that if I had e on this preserve knowing nothing； I would have found it cold and foreboding。 The longer our journey on that peaceful lane； the more my dread grew； I did not know whether the dread came from a protective spell； or if it was merely because I did know the identity of the estate's lord。
I saw the first guardians…there were two of them； standing on either side of the road。 They were nearly one hundred feel tall and carved from dark polished stone。 Each statue was of a woman； holding a naked sword vertically before her。 I knew no earthly being had served as a model for the sculptures…the women were impossibly beautiful； but hard； cold； distant…the faces as pitiless as a chieftain's from the ice fields of the south。 After we passed； I looked back at the forbidding monoliths and drew in a sharp breath。 Each statue had a second face； looking to the rear； and that face was a leering； malevolent； fanged demon。 I hoped for his sake that the sculptor had worked merely from his imagination； but from what I'd heard of Prince Raveline's interests； I suspected not。
I regained my posure and saw movement through gathering gloom。 I thought it