the chamber again. He raised his withered arm and clawed at the air. 'Triune!'
'She sees you, be assured of that,' said Leth. 'And has done for some time.'
'And I have prepared for her. That is the point. Did you not think that I might have anticipated all this, that I might have foreseen my possible discovery by one or more of my enemies? Hence the urgency. The energy of the Portal accumulates. It is almost critical. Triune, wherever you may be skulking, you truly have very little time in which to act.'
'Where are the Souls, Urch-Malmain?'
'I cannot be wholly certain, and that is the truth. I can tell you only what I believe, and what I was told.'
'Speak on.'
'Strymnia betrayed me, as you know. But her plan - indeed our plan - was that the Souls of both Orbelon and Triune would be encased here.'
Leth was incredulous. 'Here? In this tower?'
'No. In this world; in the Orb. Though of course, it was neither Orb nor world at that time. Nor was it ever intended to be. She placed Orbelon's Soul within the same Encystment of Perpetual Banishment in which she placed him, but separately, where the two might never be joined. It is appropriate, don't you think, that the god and creator who is unable to enter his world should be separated from his own Soul which in fact lies dormant within it?'
'And Triune? What of her Soul?'
'The same, as far as I am aware. Though I did not witness it, for I myself was tricked and cast into the Encystment. Still, I have searched diligently since awakening here, and I believe I know now where both Souls may be found.'
'And you will part with that information?'
'I will, provided I am permitted to return to Enchantment unopposed, as you say. And I must add that I am not able to deliver the Souls in person.'
'That is understood, though I will expect all possible assistance in retrieving them. Tell me, then, where are they?'
'Triune's Soul, I am convinced, lies buried deep beneath the Fortress of the Far Flame. Certainly there is evidence of something lying there.'
'Ascaria's fortress?'
'Her role, I perceive, as well as destroyer of this world, was Keeper of the Lost Souls. She was placed within the Encystment by Strymnia as an added safeguard, though it was not intended that she, or we, would ever achieve consciousness.'
'And the Soul of Orbelon?' enquired Leth.
'Ah, that is perhaps more difficult. Orbelon's Soul, so I believe, is nowhere to be found.'
Inside his helm Leth scowled. 'Is this a game you play?'
'Not at all. Perhaps I can demonstrate. Will you follow me?'
'Attempt no trickery.'
'But of course.'
Urch-Malmain led them out of the chamber of the Living Artefact and up the winding stairs of the Tower of Glancing Memory. They passed several Abyss warriors on the way, who regarded them with darkling looks. On the second level they met Count Harg, emerging from a sidechamber, a jet black lily blossom raised to his nostrils. He stared at Leth with blank surprise and seemed about to pass some comment, but at a glance from Urch-Malmain he held silence.
Urch-Malmain hauled himself on upwards to the third level, breathing hard and muttering to himself. He opened a door letting them into a small, well-appointed chamber, and slumped down into a chair. He gestured towards a window. 'There, Swordbearer. Go look.'
Through the lightly tinted glass Leth gazed out upon an uncomforting sight, and his heart fell. A distance away the Shore of Nothing shimmered hazily in the bright Orblight. Its enigmatic coloured sands stretched beneath gleaming red cliffs, and facing the cliffs, beyond the strange sands, was the End of the World, the Nothing. Leth recalled his vision and experience when he had walked upon the Shore with Lakewander; he felt again his horror of the void that waited beyond, a nauseous swell rising in his gut, and he shuddered.
I do not want to go
'She sees you, be assured of that,' said Leth. 'And has done for some time.'
'And I have prepared for her. That is the point. Did you not think that I might have anticipated all this, that I might have foreseen my possible discovery by one or more of my enemies? Hence the urgency. The energy of the Portal accumulates. It is almost critical. Triune, wherever you may be skulking, you truly have very little time in which to act.'
'Where are the Souls, Urch-Malmain?'
'I cannot be wholly certain, and that is the truth. I can tell you only what I believe, and what I was told.'
'Speak on.'
'Strymnia betrayed me, as you know. But her plan - indeed our plan - was that the Souls of both Orbelon and Triune would be encased here.'
Leth was incredulous. 'Here? In this tower?'
'No. In this world; in the Orb. Though of course, it was neither Orb nor world at that time. Nor was it ever intended to be. She placed Orbelon's Soul within the same Encystment of Perpetual Banishment in which she placed him, but separately, where the two might never be joined. It is appropriate, don't you think, that the god and creator who is unable to enter his world should be separated from his own Soul which in fact lies dormant within it?'
'And Triune? What of her Soul?'
'The same, as far as I am aware. Though I did not witness it, for I myself was tricked and cast into the Encystment. Still, I have searched diligently since awakening here, and I believe I know now where both Souls may be found.'
'And you will part with that information?'
'I will, provided I am permitted to return to Enchantment unopposed, as you say. And I must add that I am not able to deliver the Souls in person.'
'That is understood, though I will expect all possible assistance in retrieving them. Tell me, then, where are they?'
'Triune's Soul, I am convinced, lies buried deep beneath the Fortress of the Far Flame. Certainly there is evidence of something lying there.'
'Ascaria's fortress?'
'Her role, I perceive, as well as destroyer of this world, was Keeper of the Lost Souls. She was placed within the Encystment by Strymnia as an added safeguard, though it was not intended that she, or we, would ever achieve consciousness.'
'And the Soul of Orbelon?' enquired Leth.
'Ah, that is perhaps more difficult. Orbelon's Soul, so I believe, is nowhere to be found.'
Inside his helm Leth scowled. 'Is this a game you play?'
'Not at all. Perhaps I can demonstrate. Will you follow me?'
'Attempt no trickery.'
'But of course.'
Urch-Malmain led them out of the chamber of the Living Artefact and up the winding stairs of the Tower of Glancing Memory. They passed several Abyss warriors on the way, who regarded them with darkling looks. On the second level they met Count Harg, emerging from a sidechamber, a jet black lily blossom raised to his nostrils. He stared at Leth with blank surprise and seemed about to pass some comment, but at a glance from Urch-Malmain he held silence.
Urch-Malmain hauled himself on upwards to the third level, breathing hard and muttering to himself. He opened a door letting them into a small, well-appointed chamber, and slumped down into a chair. He gestured towards a window. 'There, Swordbearer. Go look.'
Through the lightly tinted glass Leth gazed out upon an uncomforting sight, and his heart fell. A distance away the Shore of Nothing shimmered hazily in the bright Orblight. Its enigmatic coloured sands stretched beneath gleaming red cliffs, and facing the cliffs, beyond the strange sands, was the End of the World, the Nothing. Leth recalled his vision and experience when he had walked upon the Shore with Lakewander; he felt again his horror of the void that waited beyond, a nauseous swell rising in his gut, and he shuddered.
I do not want to go
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