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Without hesitation； he drew out the High Wood rod and placed it in the tall man's hands。 Then； very quietly； he said； 〃The foes who pursue me also seek this lomillialor。 It is a perilous thing I have given you。〃
The One did not appear to hear。 As his fingers closed on the wood； his eyes rolled shut； and a quiver passed through his frame； he seemed to be drinking in the High Wood's unique strength through his hands。
But then he turned outward again。 With several deep breaths he steadied himself until he was gazing calmly into Triock's face。
〃Perilous；〃 he said。 〃I hear you。 You spoke of the Land's need。 Do you require aid to fight your foes？〃
〃I require a message。〃 All at once； Triock's own urgency came boiling up in him； and he spouted； 〃The whole Land is at war！ The Staff of Law has been lost again； and with it the Law of Death has been broken！ Creatures that destroy stone have attacked Mithil Stonedown。 Revelstone itself is besieged！ I need…！〃
〃I hear you；〃 the tall man repeated。 His earlier awkwardness was gone； possession of the High Wood seemed to make him confident； capable。 〃Do not fear。 I have found that I must help you also。 Speak your need。〃
With an effort； Triock wrenched himself into a semblance of control。 〃You have heard the Wraiths；〃 he rasped。 〃They spoke to you of ur…viles…and white gold。 The bearer of that white gold is a stranger to the Land； and he has returned。 The Lords do not know this。 They must be told。〃
〃Yes。〃 The One held Triock's hot gaze。 〃How？〃
〃The Loresraat formed this High Wood so that messages may be spoken through it。 I have no lore for such work。 I am a Stonedownor； and my hands are not apt for wood。 I…〃
But the Unfettered One accepted Triock's explanation with a wave of his hand。 〃Who；〃 he asked； 〃who in Revelstone can hear such speaking？〃
〃High Lord Mhoram。〃
〃I do not know him。 How can I reach him？ I cannot direct my words to him if I do not know him。〃
Inspired by urgency； Triock answered； 〃He is the son of Tamarantha Variol…mate。 You have known Tamarantha。 The thought of her will guide you to him。〃
〃Yes；〃 the One mused。 〃It is possible。 I have…I have not forgotten her。〃
〃Tell the High Lord that Thomas Covenant has returned to the Land and seeks to attack the Gray Slayer。 Tell him that Thomas Covenant has sworn to destroy Foul's Creche。〃
The One's eyes widened at this。 But Triock went on： 〃The message must be spoken now。 I have been pursued。 A blizzard will not prevent any eyes which could see the High Wood in my grasp。〃
〃Yes；〃 the tall man said once more。 〃Very well…I will begin。 Perhaps it will bring this intrusion to an end。〃
He turned as if dismissing Triock from his thoughts； and moved into the center of his cave。 Facing the entrance of the chamber； he gathered the Wraiths around him so that he was surrounded in light； and held the lomillialor rod up before his face with both hands。 Quietly； he began to sing…a delicate； almost wordless melody that sounded strangely like a transposition； a rendering into human tones； of the Wraith song。 As he sang； he closed his eyes； and his head tilted back until his forehead was raised toward the ceiling。
〃Mhoram；'' he murmured through the pauses in his song； 〃Mhoram。 Son of Variol and Tamarantha。 Open your heart to hear me。〃
Triock stared at him； tense and entranced。
〃Tamarantha…son； open your heart。 Mhoram。〃
Slowly； power began to gleam from the core of the smooth rod。
The next 。instant； Triock heard feet behind him。 Something about them； something deadly and abominable； snatched his attention； spun him toward the entrance to the chamber。
A voice as harsh as the breaking of stone grated； 〃Give it up。 He cannot open his heart to you。 He is caught in our power and will never open his heart again。〃
Yeurquin stood just within the cave； eyes exalted with madness。
The sight stunned Triock。 Yeurquin's frozen apparel had been partially torn from him； and wherever his flesh was bare the skin hung in frostbitten tatters。 The blizzard had clawed his face and hands to the bone。 But no blood came from his wounds。
He bore Quirrel in his arms。 Her head dangled abjectly from her broken neck。
When he saw Yeurquin； the Unfettered One recoiled as if he had been struck…reeled backward and staggered against the opposite wall of the cave； gaping in soundless horror。
Together； the Wraiths fled； screaming。
〃Yeurquin。〃 The death and wrong which shone from the man made Triock gag。 He croaked the name as if he were strangling on it。 〃Yeurquin？〃
Yeurquin laughed with a ragged； nauseating sound。 In gleeful savagery； he dropped Quirrel to the floor and stepped past her。 〃We meet at last；〃 he rasped to Triock。 〃 I have labored for this encounter。 I think I will make you pay for that labor。〃
〃Yeurquin？〃 Staggering where he stood； Triock could see that the man should have been dead； the storm damage he had suffered was too great for anyone to survive。 But some force animated him； some ferocity that relished his death kept him moving。 He was an incarnated nightmare。
The next moment； the Unfettered One mastered his shock； rushed forward。 Wielding the lomillialor before him like a weapon； he cried hoarsely； 〃 Turiya Raver！ Tree foe！ I know you…I have seen you。 Melen…kurion abatha！ Leave this place。 Your touch desecrates the very Earth。''
Yeurquin winced under the flick of the potent words。 But they did not daunt him。 〃Better dead feet like mine than idiocy like yours；〃 he smirked。 〃I think I will not leave this place until I have tasted your blood； Unfettered wastrel。 You are so quick to give your life to nothing。 Now you will give it to me。〃
The One did not flinch。 〃I will give you nothing but the lomillialor test of truth。 Even you have cause to fear that； Turiya Raver。 The High Wood will burn you to the core。〃
〃Fool！〃 the Raver laughed。 〃You have lived here so long that you have forgotten the meaning of power！〃
Fearlessly； he started toward the two men。
With a sharp cry； Triock threw off his stunned dismay。 Sweeping his sword from its scabbard； he sprang at the Raver。
Yeurquin knocked him effortlessly aside； sent him careening to smack his head against the wall。 Then Turiya closed with the Unfettered One。
Pain slammed through Triock； flooded his mind with blood。 Gelid agony shrieked in his chest where the Raver had struck him。 But for one moment； he resisted unconsciousness； lurched to his feet。 In torment； he saw turiya and the Unfettered One fighting back and forth； both grasping the High Wood。 Then the Raver howled triumphantly。 Bolts of sick； red…green power shot up through the Unfettered One's arms and shattered his chest。
When Triock plunged into darkness； the Raver had already started to dismember his victim。 He was laughing all the while。
EIGHT
Winter
With snow swirling around him like palpable mist； Thomas Covenant left Mithil Stonedown in the pany of Saltheart Foamfollower and Lena daughter of Atiaran。 The sensation of purpose ran high in him…he felt that all his plex rages had at last found an effective focus…and he strode impatiently northward along the snow…clogged road as if he were no longer conscious of his still…unhealed forehead and lip； or of the damaged condition of his feet； or of fatigue。 He walked leaning ahead into the wind like a fanatic。
But he was not well； could not pretend for any length of time that he was well。 Snowflakes hurried around him like subtle gray chips of Lord Foul's malice； seeking to drain the heat of his life。 And he felt burdened by Lena。 The mother of Elena his daughter stepped proudly at his side as if his panionship honored her。 Before he had traveled half a league toward the mouth of the valley； his knees were trembling； and his breath scraped unevenly past his sore lip。 He was forced to stop and rest。
Foamfollower and Lena regarded him gravely； concernedly。 But his former resolution to accept help had deserted him； he was too angry to be carried like a child。 He rejected with a grimace the tacit offer in Foamfollower' s eyes。
The Giant also was not well…his wounds gave him pain…and he appeared to understand the impulse behind Covenant's refusal。 Quietly； he asked； 〃My friend； do you know the way〃…he hesitated as if he were searching for a short name…〃the way to Ridjeck Thome； Foul's Creche？〃
〃I'm leaving that to you。〃
Foamfollower frowned。 〃I know the way…I have it graven in my heart past all forgetting。 But if we are separated…〃
〃I don't have a chance if we're separated；〃 Covenant muttered mordantly。 He wished that he could leave the sound of leprosy out of his voice； but the malady was too rife in him to be stifled。
〃Separated？ Who speaks of separation？〃 Lena protested before Foamfollower could reply。 〃Do not utter such things； Giant。 We will not be separated。 I have preserved…I will not part from him。 You are old Giant。 You do not remember the giving of life to life in love…or you would not speak of separation。〃
In some way； her words twisted the deep knife of Foamfollower's hurt。 〃Old； yes。〃 Yet after a moment he forced a wry grin onto his lips。 〃And you are altogether too young for me； fair Lena。〃
Covenant winced for them both。 Have mercy on me； he groaned。 Have mercy。 He started forward again； but almost at once he tripped on a snow…hidden roughness in the road。
Lena and Foamfollower caught him from either side and upheld him。
He looked back and forth between them。 〃Treasure…berries。 I need aliantha。〃
Foamfollower nodded and moved away briskly； as if his Giantish instincts told him exactly where to find the nearest aliantha。 But Lena retained her hold on Covenant's arm。 She had not pulled the hood of her robe over her head； and her white hair hung like wet snow。 She was gazing into Covenant's face as if she were famished for the sight of him。
He endured her scrutiny as long as he could。 Then he carefully removed his arm from her fingers and said； 〃If I'm going to survive this； I'll have to learn to stand on my own。〃
〃Why ？'' she asked。 〃All are eager to aid…and none more eager than I。 You have suffered enough for your aloneness。〃
Because I'm all I have； he answered。 But he could not say such a thing to her。 He was terrified by her need for him。
When he did not reply； she glanced down for a moment； away from the fever of his gaze； then looked up again with the brightness of an idea in her eyes。 〃Summon the Ranyhyn。〃
The Ranyhyn？
〃They will e to you。 They e to me at your mand。 It has hardly been forty days since they last came。 They e each year on〃… she faltered； looked around at the snow with a memory of fear in her face…〃on the middle night of spring。'' Her voice fell until Covenant could hardly hear her。 〃This year the winter cold in my heart would not go away。 The Land forgot spring…forgot… Sunlight abandoned us。 I feared… feared that the Ranyhyn would never e again…that all my dreams were folly。
〃But the stallion came。 Sweat and snow froze in his coat； and ice hung from his muzzle。 His breath steamed as he asked me to mount him。 But I thanked him from the bottom of my heart and sent him home。 He brought back such thoughts of you that I could not ride。〃
Her eyes had left his face； and now she fell silent as if she had forgotten why she was speaking。 But when she raised her head； Covenant saw that her old face was full of tears。 〃Oh； my dear one；'' she said softly； 〃you are weak and in pain。 Summon the Ranyhyn and ride them as you deserve。〃
〃No； Lena。'' He could not accept the kind of help the Ranyhyn would give him。 He reached out and awkwardly brushed at her tears。 His fingers felt nothing。 〃I made a bad bargain with them。 I've made nothing but bad bargains。〃
〃Bad？〃 she asked as if he amazed her。 〃You are Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever。 How could any doing of yours be bad？〃
Because it let me mit crimes。
But he could not say that aloud either。 He reacted instead as if she had struck the touchstone of his fury。
''Listen； I don't know who you think I am these days； maybe you've still got Berek Halfhand on the brain。 But I'm not him…I'm no