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is still alive。〃
〃Because it is your dream！〃
Yes。 For that reason among others。
Covenant experienced a moment of stillness before the passion of Triock's response penetrated him。 Then he hauled himself up and peered Wearily through the fire at the Stonedownor。 Because he could think of nothing else to say； he murmured； 〃Why don't you get some rest？ You probably exhausted yourself waiting for me。〃
〃I have given up sleep。〃
Covenant yawned。 〃Don't be ridiculous。 What do you think you are？ A Bloodguard？〃
In answer； Triock laughed tautly； like a cord about to snap。
The sound made Covenant feel that something was wrong； that he should not have been so irresistibly sleepy。 He should have had the strength to meet Triock's distress responsibly。 But he could hardly keep his eyes open。 Rubbing his stiff face； he said； 〃Why don't you admit it？ You're afraid I'll sneak off as soon as you stop watching me。〃
〃I do not mean to lose you now； Thomas Covenant。〃
〃I wouldn't…do that to you。'' Covenant blinked and found his cheek resting against the hard ground。 He could not remember having reclined。 Wake up； he said to himself without conviction。 Sleep seemed to be falling on him out of the grayness of the sky。 He mumbled； 〃I still don't know how you found me。〃 But he was asleep before the sound of his voice reached his ears。
He felt he had been unconscious for only a moment when he became aware on a half…subliminal level of darknesses thronging toward him out of the winter； as abysmal as death。 Against them came faint alien gleams of music which he recognized and did not remember。 They melodied themselves about him in blue…green intervals that he could neither hear nor see。 They appeared weak； elusive； like voices calling to him across a great distance。 But they were insistent； they nudged him； sang to him； plied him toward consciousness。 Through his unprehending stupor； they danced a blind； voiceless warning of peril。
To his own surprise； he heard himself muttering： He drugged me。 By hell！ that crazy man drugged me。 The assertion made no sense。 How had he arrived at such a conclusion？ Triock was an honest man； frank and magnanimous in grief…a man who clove to mercy and peace despite their cost to himself。
He drugged me。
Where had that conviction e from？ Covenant fumbled with numb fingers through his unconsciousness； while an unshakable sense of peril clutched his heart。 Darkness and harm crowded toward him。 Behind his sleep…behind the glaucous music…he seemed to see Triock's campfire still burning。
How did he light that fire？
How did he find me？
The urgent gleams were trying to tell him things he could not hear。 Triock was a danger。 Triock had drugged him。 He must get up and flee…flee somewhere…flee into the Forest。
He struggled into a sitting position； wrenched his eyes open。 He faced the low campfire in the last dead light of evening。 Winter blew about him as if it were salivating gall。 He could smell the approach of snow； already a few fetid flakes were visible at the edges of the firelight。 Triock sat cross…legged opposite him； stared at him out of the smoldering abomination of his eyes。
In the air before Covenant danced faint glaucous gleams； fragments of inaudible song。 They were shrill with insistence： flee！ flee！
〃What is it？〃 He tried to beat off the clinging hands of slumber。 〃What are they doing？〃
〃Send it away；'' Triock answered in a voice full of fear and loathing。 〃Rid yourself of it。 He cannot claim you now。〃
〃What is it？〃 Covenant lurched to his feet and stood trembling； hardly able to contain the panic in his muscles。 〃What's happening？〃
〃It is the voice of a Forestal。'' Triock spoke simply； but every angle of his inflection expressed execration。 He jumped erect and balanced himself as if he meant to give chase when Covenant began to run。 〃Garroting Deep has sent Caer…Caveral to Morinmoss。 But he cannot claim you。 I can〃…his voice shook…〃I cannot permit it。〃
〃Claim？ Permit？〃 The peril gripping Covenant's heart tightened until he gasped。 Something in him that he could not remember urged him to trust the gleams。 〃You drugged me！〃
〃So that you would not escape！〃 White； rigid fear clenched Triock； and he stammered through drawn lips； 〃He urges you to destroy me。 He cannot reach far from Morinmoss； but he urges…the white gold…！ Ah！〃 Abruptly； his voice sharpened into a shriek。 〃Do not toy with me！ I cannot…！ Destroy me and have done！ I cannot endure it！〃
The cries cut through Covenant's own dread。 His distress receded； and he found himself grieving for the Stonedownor。 Across the urging of the gleams； he breathed thickly； 〃Destroy you？ Don't you know that you're safe from me？ Don't you understand that I haven't got one godforsaken idea how to use this…this white gold？ I couldn't hurt you if that were my heart's sole desire。〃
〃What？〃 Triock howled。 〃Still？ Have I feared you for nothing？〃
〃For nothing；〃 groaned Covenant。
Triock gaped bleakly out from under his hood； then threw back his head and began to laugh。 Mordant glee barked through his teeth； making the music shiver as if its abhorrence were no less than his。 〃Powerless！〃 he laughed。 〃By the mirth of my master！ Powerless！〃
Chuckling savagely； he started toward Covenant。
At once； the silent song rushed gleaming between them。 But Triock advanced against the lights。 〃Begone！〃 he growled。 〃You also will pay for your part in this。'' With a deft movement； he caught one spangle in each fist。 Their wailing shimmered in the air as he crushed them between his fingers。
Ringing like broken crystal； the rest of the music vanished。
Covenant reeled as if an unseen support had been snatched away。 He flung up his hands against Triock's approach； stumbled backward。 But the man did not touch him。 Instead； he stamped one foot on the hard ground。 The earth bucked under Covenant； stretched him at Triock's feet。
Then Triock threw off his hood。 His visage was littered with broken possibilities； wrecked faiths and loves； but behind his features his skull shone with pale malice。 The backs of his eyes were as black as night； and his teeth gaped as if they were hungry for the taste of flesh。 Leering down at Covenant； he smirked； 〃No； groveler。 I will not strike you again。 The time for masquerading has ended。 My master may frown upon me if I harm you now。〃
〃Master？〃 Covenant croaked。
〃I am turiya Raver； also called Herem…and Kinslaughterer…and Triock。〃 He laughed again grotesquely。 〃This guise has served me well； though 'Triock' is not pleased。 Behold me； groveler！ I need no longer let his form and thoughts disguise me。 You are powerless。 Ah； I savor that jest！ So now I permit you to know me as I am。 It was I who slew the Giants of Seareach…I who slew the Unfettered One as he sought to warn that fool Mhoram…I who have captured the white gold！ Brothers！ I will sit upon the master's right hand and rule the universe！〃
As he gloated； he reached into his cloak and drew out the lomillialor rod。 Brandishing it in Covenant's face； he barked； 〃Do you see it？ High Wood！ I spit on it。 The test of truth is not a match for me。〃 Then he gripped it between his hands as if he meant to break it； and shouted quick cruel words over it。 It caught fire； blazed for an instant in red agony； and fell into cinders。
Gleefully； the Raver snarled at Covenant； 〃Thus I signal your doom； as I was manded。 Breathe swiftly； groveler。 There are only moments left to you。〃
Covenant's muscles trembled as if the ground still pitched under him； but he braced himself； struggled to his feet。 He felt stunned with horror； helpless。 Yet in the back of his mind he strained to find an escape。 〃The ring；〃 he panted。 〃Why don't you just take the ring？〃
A black response leaped in Triock's eyes。 〃Would you give it to me？〃
〃No！〃 He thought desperately that if he could goad Triock into some act of power； Caer…Caveral's glaucous song might return to aid him。
〃Then I will tell you； groveler； that I do not take your ring because the mand of my master is too strong。 He does not choose that I should have such power。 In other times； he did not bind us so straitly； and we were free to work his will in our several ways。 But he claims…and…I obey。〃
〃Try to take it！〃 Covenant panted。 〃Be the ruler of the universe yourself。 Why should he have it？〃
For an instant； he thought he saw something like regret in Triock's face。 But the Raver only snarled； 〃Because the Law of Death has been broken； and he is not alone。 There are eyes of pulsion upon me even now…eyes which may not be defied。〃 His leer of hunger returned。 〃Perhaps you will see them before you are slain…before my brother and I tear your living heart from you and eat it in your last sight。〃
He laughed harshly； and as if in answer the darkness around the campfire grew thicker。 The night blackened like an accumulation of spite； then drew taut and formed discrete figures that came forward。 Covenant heard their feet rustling over the cold ground。 He whirled； and found himself surrounded by ur…viles。
When their eyeless faces felt his stricken stare； they hesitated for an instant。 Their wide； drooling nostrils quivered as they tasted the air for signs of power； evidence of wild magic。 Then they rushed forward and overwhelmed him。
Livid red blades wheeled above him like the shattering of the heavens。 But instead of stabbing him； they pressed flat against his forehead。 Red waves of horror crashed through him。 He screamed once and went limp in the grasp of the ur…viles。
FIFTEEN
〃Lord Mhoram's Victory〃
The exertion of hauling the dead forms from the ground and throwing them at Revelstone had exhausted samadhi Satansfist； drained him until he could no longer sustain that expenditure of force。 He had seen High Lord's Furl torn from its flagpole atop the tower by his Cavewights。 He knew he had met at least part of his master's objective in this assault。 While his forces held the tower…while tons of sand blocked the inner gates of the Keep…while winter barrened the upland plateau above Revelstone…the Lords and all their people were doomed。 They could not feed themselves within those stone walls indefinitely。 If last came to last； the Giant…Raver knew that he could through patience alone make the great Keep into one reeking tomb or crypt。 He let his dead collapse into sand。
Yet his failure to burst those inner gates enraged him； made him pant for repense even though he lacked the strength to assail the walls himself。 He was a Raver； insatiable for blood despite the mortal limits of the Giantish body he occupied。 And other things pelled him also。 There was an implacable coercion in the wind； a demand which brooked no failure； however partial or eventually meaningless。
As the dead fell apart； Satansfist ordered his long…leashed army to the attack。
With a howl that shivered the air； echoed savagely off the carven walls； beat against the battlements like an ululation of fangs and claws and hungry blades； the Despiser's hordes charged。 They swept up through the foothills like a shrill gray flood and hurled themselves at Revelstone。
Lord Foul's Stone…spawned creatures led the attack…not because they were effective against granite walls and abutments； but because they were expendable。 The Raver's army included twice a hundred thousand of them； and more arrived every day； marching to battle from Foul's Creche through the Center Plains。 So samadhi used them to absorb the defense of the Keep； thus protecting his Cavewights and ur…viles。 Thousands of perverted creatures fell with arrows； spears； javelins jutting from them； but many many thousands more forged ahead。 And behind them came the forces which knew how to damage Revelstone。
In moments； the charge hit。 Rabid； rockwise Cavewights found crafty holds in the stone； vaulted themselves up onto the lowest battlements and balconies。 Mighty ur…vile wedges used their black vitriol to wipe clear the parapets above them； then pounced upward on sturdy wooden ladders brought to the walls by other creatures。 Within a short time； Revelstone was under assault all along its south and north faces。
But