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〃Have I not told you that he also suffers？〃
The light voice sounded familiar to Covenant。 It brought the sunshine closer； contracted the mist until it was wholly within him； and he could feel cold brightness on his face。
〃You have told me；〃 said the forlorn man。 〃And I have told you that I should have killed him when he was within my grasp。 But all my acts go astray。 Behold…even now the Unbeliever es dying to my call。〃
The second speaker replied in a tone of gentle reproof； 〃My friend； you…''
But the first cut him off。 〃This is an ill…blown place。 We cannot help him here。〃
Covenant felt hands grip his shoulders。 He made an effort to open his eyes。 At first he could see nothing； the sunlight washed everything out of his sight。 But then something came between him and the sun。 In its shadow； he blinked at the blur which marred all his perceptions。
〃He awakens；〃 the first voice said。 〃Will he know me？〃
〃Perhaps not。 You are no longer young； my friend。〃
〃Better if he does not；〃 the man muttered。 〃He will believe that I seek to succeed where I once failed。 Such a man will understand retribution。〃
〃You wrong him。 I have known him more closely。 Do you not see the greatness of his need for mercy？〃
〃I see it。 And I also know him。 I have lived with Thomas Covenant in my ears for seven and forty years。 He receives mercy even now； whether or not he prehends it。〃
〃We have summoned him from his rightful world。 Do you call this mercy？〃
In a hard voice； the first speaker said； 〃I call it mercy。〃
After a moment； the second sighed。 〃Yes。 And we could not have chosen otherwise。 Without him； the Land dies。〃
〃Mercy？〃 Covenant croaked。 His mouth throbbed miserably。
〃Yes！〃 the man bending over him averred。 〃We give you a new chance to resist the ill which you have allowed upon the Land。〃
Gradually； Covenant saw that the man had the square face and broad shoulders of a Stonedownor。 His features were lost in shadow； but woven into the shoulders of his thick； fur…lined cloak was a curious pattern of crossed lightning…a pattern Covenant had seen somewhere before。 But he was still too bemused with fog and shock to trace the memory。
He tried to sit up。 The man helped him； braced him in that position。 For a moment； his gaze wandered。 He found that he was on a circular stone platform edged by a low wall。 He could see nothing but sky beyond the parapet。 The cold blue void held his eyes as if it were beckoning to him； it appealed to his emptiness。 He had to wrestle his gaze into focus on the Stonedownor。
From this angle； the sun illuminated the man's face。 With his gray…black hair and weathered cheeks； he appeared to be in his mid…sixties； but age was not his dominant feature。 His visage created a self…contradictory impression。 He had a hard； bitter mouth which had eaten sour bread for so long that it had forgotten the taste of sweetness； but his eyes were couched in fine lines of supplication； as if he had spent years looking skyward and begging the sun not to blind him。 He was a man who had been hurt and had not easily borne the cost。
As if the words had just penetrated through his haze； Covenant heard the man say； Should have killed him。 A man wearing a pattern of crossed lightning on his shoulders had once tried to kill Covenant…and had been prevented by Atiaran Trell…mate。 She had invoked the Oath of Peace。
〃Triock？〃 Covenant breathed hoarsely。 〃Triock？〃
The man did not flinch from Covenant's aching gaze。 〃I promised that we would meet again。〃
Hellfire； Covenant groaned to himself。 Hell and blood。 Triock had been in love with Lena daughter of Atiaran before Covenant had ever met her。
He struggled to get to his feet。 In the raw cold； his battered muscles could not raise him； he almost fainted at the exertion。 But Triock helped him； and someone else lifted him from behind。 He stood wavering； clinging helplessly to Triock's support； and looked out beyond the parapet。
The stone platform stood in empty air as if it were afloat in the sky； riding the hum of the breeze。 In the direction Covenant faced； he could see straight to the farthest horizon； and that horizon was nothing but a sea of gray clouds； a waving； thick mass of blankness like a shroud over the earth。 He wobbled a step closer to the parapet； and saw that the deep flood covered everything below him。 The platform stood a few hundred feet above the clouds as if it were the only thing in the world on which the sun still shone。
But a promontory of mountains jutted out of the gray sea on his left。 And when he peered over his shoulder past the man who supported him from behind； he found another promontory towering over him on that side； a flat cliff…face met his view； and on either side of it a mountain range strode away into the clouds。
He was on Kevin's Watch again； standing atop a stone shaft which joined that cliff…face somewhere out of sight below him。
For a moment； he was too surprised to be dizzy。 He had not expected this； he had expected to be recalled to Revelstone。 Who in the Land beside the Lords had the power to summon him？ When he had known Triock； the man had been a Cattleherd； not a wielder of lore。 Who but the Despiser could make such a summons possible？
Then the sight of the long fall caught up with him； and vertigo took the last strength from his legs。 Without the hands which held him； he would have toppled over the parapet。
〃Steady； my friend；〃 Triock's panion said reassuringly。 〃I will not release you。 I have not forgotten your dislike of heights。〃 He turned Covenant away from the wall； supporting him easily。
Covenant's head rolled loosely on his neck； but when the Watch stopped reeling around him； he forced himself to look toward Triock。 〃How？〃 he mumbled thickly。 〃Who…where did you get the power？〃
Triock's lips bent in a hard smile。 To his panion； he said； 〃Did I not say that he would understand retribution？ He believes that even now I would break my Oath for him。〃 Then he directed the bitterness of his mouth at Covenant。 〃Unbeliever； you have earned retribution。 The loss of High Lord Elena has caused…〃
〃Peace； my friend；'' the other man said。 〃He has pain enough for the present。 Tell him no sad stories now。 We must bear him to a place where we may succor him。〃
Again； Triock looked at Covenant's injuries。 〃Yes；〃 he sighed wearily。 〃Pardon me； Unbeliever。 I have spent seven and forty years with people who cannot forget you。 Be at rest…we will preserve you from harm as best we may。 And we will answer your questions。 But first we must leave this place。 We are exposed here。 The Gray Slayer has many eyes； and some of them may have seen the power which summoned you。〃
He slid a smooth wooden rod under his cloak； then said to his panion； 〃Rockbrother； can you bear the Unbeliever down this stair？ I have rope if you desire it。〃
His panion laughed quietly。 〃My friend； I am a Giant。 I have not lost my footing on stone since the first sea voyage of my manhood。 Thomas Covenant will be secure with me。〃
A Giant？ Covenant thought dumbly。 For the first time； he noticed the size of the hands which supported him。 They were twice as big as his。 They turned him lightly； lifted him into the air as if he were weightless。
He found himself looking up into the face of Saltheart Foamfollower。
The Giant did not appear to have changed much since Covenant had last seen him。 His short； stiff iron beard was grayer and longer； and deep lines of care furrowed his forehead； on which the mark of the wound he had received at the battle of Soaring Woodhelven was barely visible； but his deep…set eyes still flashed like enthusiastic gems from under the massive fortification of his brows； and his lips curled wryly around a smile of wele。 Looking at him； Covenant could think of nothing except that he had not said good…bye to the Giant when they had parted in Treacher's Gorge。 Foamfollower had befriended him…and he had not even returned that friendship to the extent of one farewell。 Shame pushed his eyes from Foamfollower's face。 He glanced down the Giant's gnarled； oaklike frame。 There he saw that Foamfollower's heavy leather jerkin and leggings were tattered and rent； and under many of the tears were battle scars； both old and new。 The newest ones hurt him as if they had been cut into his own flesh。
〃Foamfollower；〃 he croaked。 〃I'm sorry。〃
The Giant replied gently； 〃Peace； my friend。 All that is past。 Do not condemn yourself。〃
〃Hellfire。〃 Covenant could not master his weakness。 〃What's happened to you？〃
〃Ah； that is a long tale； full of Giantish episodes and apostrophes。 I will save it until we have taken you to a place where we may aid you。 You are ill enough to bandy stories with death itself。〃
〃You've been hurt；〃 Covenant went on。 But the intensity in Foam…follower's eyes stopped him。
In mock sternness； the Giant manded； 〃Be silent； Unbeliever。 I will listen to no sad stories in this place。'' Gently； he cradled the wounded man in his arms； then said to Triock； 〃Follow carefully； Rockbrother。 Our work has only begun。 If you fall； I will be hard pressed to catch you。〃
〃Look to yourself；'' Triock replied gruffly。 〃I am not unaccustomed to stone…even stone as chill as this。〃
〃Well； then。 Let us make what haste we can。 We have endured much to e so far； you and I。 We must not lose the ur…Lord now。〃
Without waiting for an answer； he started down the rude stair of Kevin's Watch。
Covenant turned his face to the Giant's breast。 The breeze had a high lonely sound as it rustled past the cliff and eddied around Foamfollower； it reminded Covenant that the Watch stood more than four thousand feet above the foothills。 But Foamfollower's heart beat with forthright confidence； and his arms felt unbreakable。 At each downward step； a slight jolt passed through him； as if that foot had locked itself to the stair stone。 And Covenant no longer possessed even strength enough for fear。 He rode numbly in the Giant's hold until the hum of the wind increased； and Foamfollower dropped one step at a time into the cold sea of clouds。
In moments； the sunlight was gone as if it had been irretrievably lost。 The wind took on a raw； dry； cutting edge； too chill to be softened by moisture。 Covenant and Foamfollower descended through dim vistaless air as icy as polar mist…cloud as thick and thetic as a fist clenched around the world。 Under its pressure； Covenant felt icicles crawling up his spine toward the last warmth of life left in him。
Then they reached the ledge at the base of Kevin's Watch。 The precipice loomed darkly beside them as Foamfollower turned to the right and moved out along the ledge； but he stepped securely； as if he had no conception of falling。 And shortly he left the exposed cliff…face； began to clamber along the trail into the mountains。 After that； the last tension faded from the background of Covenant's mind。 His weakness opened in him like a funereal lily； and the mist drew him into a wan； slumberous daze。
For some time he lost track of where Foamfollower was going。 He seemed to feel himself bleeding away into the gray air。 Tranquillity like the peace of ice surrounded his heart。 He no longer understood what Foamfollower was talking about when the Giant whispered urgently； 〃Triock； he fails。 We must aid him now or not at all。〃
〃Yes；〃 Triock agreed。 He called mandingly； 〃Bring blankets and graveling！ He must have warmth。〃
〃That will not suffice。 He is ill and injured。 He must have healing。
Triock snapped； 〃I see him。 I am not blind。〃
〃Then what can we do？ I am helpless here…the Giants have no lore for cold。 We suffer little from it。〃
〃Rub his limbs。 Put your strength into him。 I must think。〃
Something rough began to batter Covenant； but the ice in him was impervious to it。 Vaguely； he wondered why Foamfollower and Triock would not let him sleep。
〃Is there no hurtloam here？〃 asked the Giant。
〃At one time there was；〃 Triock responded distantly。 〃Lena…Lena healed him in this same place…when he first came to the Land。 But I am not a rhadhamaerl…I do not feel the secret flavors and powers of the Earth。 And it is