he recognized off to one side. He did not know the deva well, though they had served Micus together on a few occasions. Nilsa was young but competent, if Garin’s memory served.
He worked his way through the crowd, trying to reach Nilsa. When he finally got near enough for her to hear him calling above the din, she looked up. Garin motioned for her to join him, then he slipped outside again.
They found a relatively quiet spot atop a wall dividing two sections of the Court that looked out over several lower levels. When they were both seated and comfortable, Garin took a deep breath and spoke.
“I hadn’t expected to see things this bad. I’ve been near Deepbark Hollowor rather, what’s left of it. I came back for reinforcements, but that doesn’t look very promising.”
Nilsa sighed. “It’s the same all over. Everyone is trying their best, but there just aren’t enough of us. And the numbers dwindle every moment.”
“What?” Garin asked, looking up into the younger angel’s face. “Why?”
Nilsa looked carefully at him. “You haven’t heard, have you?” she asked. “You have been away.”
“Tell me,” he insisted, fearing the news.
“Many are abandoning Tyr,” the other angel said, her voice cracking with emotion. “They are leaving his banner and flocking to other gods. Mostly Torm.”
Garin pursed his lips. “I had a subordinate do that today,” he said. “I would not have dreamed so many would abandon the Blind One.”
“I can’t say that I blame them,” Nilsa continued, drawing a sharp stare from Garin. “No, wait.” She held up her hands to forestall his admonitions. “I do not agree with them, but I do understand. What with Tymora’s departure, and the”
“What?” Garin interrupted, unsure he had heard correctly. He stared at her, shocked. “Tymora has left the realm?”
Nilsa was silent for a long moment. “I do not know everything,” she finally said, “but whispers have suggested that, in light of Cyric’s manipulations, Tymora cannot be certain of what is real and what is contrived between Tyr and her, and she is departing to spend time in contemplation.”
Garin could only shake his head. “Blessed Tyr,” he breathed.
“That’s not all of it, though,” Nilsa said. “The High Council has dissolved.”
Garin felt his eyes widen. That cannot be! He opened his mouth to protest, but he could not find the words.
“The membership was too sharply divided on many things, and once the High Councilor quit in protest over some of the other members’ actions, everything else crumbled.”
“This must not be allowed to continue,” Garin said, but he felt weary, without hope. “The law of Tyr must stand supreme.
If Micus taught me nothing else, he taught me that. Tauran was a pale imitation of him, and unworthy of his status. He and those fiends brought much of this upon us.”
“If you truly believe that, then I need your help,” Nilsa said. “I came here hoping to find a companion or two to aid me in a very important task, but I was on the verge of giving up and going alone when you spotted me.”
“What is it?” Garin said, giving the other angel his full attention. “What are you talking about?”
Nilsa studied his face for a moment, perhaps judging his sincerity, then she said, “Come with me.”
Intrigued, Garin nodded. “If there is a way to honor what Micus fought for, then I am ready to serve.”
Together, they took flight, and Garin followed Nilsa toward another part of the Court.
?
Tauran remembered scouring, burning pain. Zasian would succeed because Tauran had failed. The priest’s schemes would come to fruition because Aliisza had betrayed Tauran. Cyric would triumph. All was lost.
No. It must not happen that way, Tauran thought. He flailed helplessly, felt the searing fire consuming him. No!
Tauran awoke with a start. He heard himself screaming. His voice was raw.
The angel drew a ragged breath and willed himself to
He worked his way through the crowd, trying to reach Nilsa. When he finally got near enough for her to hear him calling above the din, she looked up. Garin motioned for her to join him, then he slipped outside again.
They found a relatively quiet spot atop a wall dividing two sections of the Court that looked out over several lower levels. When they were both seated and comfortable, Garin took a deep breath and spoke.
“I hadn’t expected to see things this bad. I’ve been near Deepbark Hollowor rather, what’s left of it. I came back for reinforcements, but that doesn’t look very promising.”
Nilsa sighed. “It’s the same all over. Everyone is trying their best, but there just aren’t enough of us. And the numbers dwindle every moment.”
“What?” Garin asked, looking up into the younger angel’s face. “Why?”
Nilsa looked carefully at him. “You haven’t heard, have you?” she asked. “You have been away.”
“Tell me,” he insisted, fearing the news.
“Many are abandoning Tyr,” the other angel said, her voice cracking with emotion. “They are leaving his banner and flocking to other gods. Mostly Torm.”
Garin pursed his lips. “I had a subordinate do that today,” he said. “I would not have dreamed so many would abandon the Blind One.”
“I can’t say that I blame them,” Nilsa continued, drawing a sharp stare from Garin. “No, wait.” She held up her hands to forestall his admonitions. “I do not agree with them, but I do understand. What with Tymora’s departure, and the”
“What?” Garin interrupted, unsure he had heard correctly. He stared at her, shocked. “Tymora has left the realm?”
Nilsa was silent for a long moment. “I do not know everything,” she finally said, “but whispers have suggested that, in light of Cyric’s manipulations, Tymora cannot be certain of what is real and what is contrived between Tyr and her, and she is departing to spend time in contemplation.”
Garin could only shake his head. “Blessed Tyr,” he breathed.
“That’s not all of it, though,” Nilsa said. “The High Council has dissolved.”
Garin felt his eyes widen. That cannot be! He opened his mouth to protest, but he could not find the words.
“The membership was too sharply divided on many things, and once the High Councilor quit in protest over some of the other members’ actions, everything else crumbled.”
“This must not be allowed to continue,” Garin said, but he felt weary, without hope. “The law of Tyr must stand supreme.
If Micus taught me nothing else, he taught me that. Tauran was a pale imitation of him, and unworthy of his status. He and those fiends brought much of this upon us.”
“If you truly believe that, then I need your help,” Nilsa said. “I came here hoping to find a companion or two to aid me in a very important task, but I was on the verge of giving up and going alone when you spotted me.”
“What is it?” Garin said, giving the other angel his full attention. “What are you talking about?”
Nilsa studied his face for a moment, perhaps judging his sincerity, then she said, “Come with me.”
Intrigued, Garin nodded. “If there is a way to honor what Micus fought for, then I am ready to serve.”
Together, they took flight, and Garin followed Nilsa toward another part of the Court.
?
Tauran remembered scouring, burning pain. Zasian would succeed because Tauran had failed. The priest’s schemes would come to fruition because Aliisza had betrayed Tauran. Cyric would triumph. All was lost.
No. It must not happen that way, Tauran thought. He flailed helplessly, felt the searing fire consuming him. No!
Tauran awoke with a start. He heard himself screaming. His voice was raw.
The angel drew a ragged breath and willed himself to
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