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Morgon moved after a moment。 His body felt drained； cumbersome as stone。 〃Learning your land…law。〃 He leaned back against the damp wall behind him； his face uplifted； vulnerable to Danan's searching。
〃Where did you get such power？ From Ghisteslwchlohm？〃
〃No。〃 He repeated the word suddenly； passionately； 〃No。 I would die before I did that to you。 I will never go into your mind。〃
〃You are in it。 Isig is my brain； my heart。〃
〃I won't break your bindings again。 I swear it。 I will simply form my own。〃
〃But why？ What do you want with such a knowledge of trees and stones？〃
〃Power。 Danan； the shape…changers are Earth…Masters。 I can't hope to fight them unless。。。〃
The king's fingers wound like a tree root around his wrist。 〃No；〃 he said； as Ghisteslwchlohm had said； faced with the same knowledge。 〃Morgon； that's not possible。〃
〃Danan；〃 he whispered； 〃I have heard their voices。 The languages they spoke。 I have seen the power locked behind their eyes。 It is possible。〃
Danan's hand slipped away from him。 The king sat down slowly； heavily； on a pile of rock shard。 Morgon； looking down at him； wondered suddenly how old he was。 His hands； calloused with centuries of work among stones； made a futile gesture。 〃What do they want？〃
〃The High One。〃
Danan stared at him。 'They'll destroy us。〃 He reached out to Morgon again。 〃And you。 What do they want with you？〃
〃I'm their link to the High One。 I don't know how I am bound to him； or why。 I only know that because of him I have been driven out of my own land； harried； tormented into power； until now I am driving myself into power。 The Earth…Masters' power seems bound； restrained by something。。。 perhaps the High One； which is why they are so desperate to find him。 When they do； whatever power they unleash against him may destroy us all。 He may stay bound forever in his silence； it's hard for me to risk my life and all your trust for someone who never speaks。 But at least if I fight for him； I fight for you。〃 He paused； his eyes on the flecks of fire catching in the rough； rich walls around him。 〃I can't ask you to trust me；〃 he said softly。 〃Not when I don't even trust myself。 All I know is where both logic and hunger lead me。〃
He heard the king's weary sigh in the shadows。 〃The ending of an age。。。 That's what you told me the last time you came to this place。 Ymris is nearly destroyed。 It seems only a matter of time before that war spills into An； into Herun； then north across the realm。 I have an army of miners； the Morgol has her guard； the wolf…king。。。 has his wolves。 But what is that against an army of Earth…Masters ing back into their power？ And how can one Prince of Hed； even with whatever knowledge of land…law you have the strength to acquire； fight that？〃
〃I'll find a way。〃
〃How？〃
〃Danan； I'll find a way。 It's either that or die； and I am too stubborn to die。〃 He sat down beside the king； gazing at the rubble around them。 〃What happened to this place？ I wanted to go into the minds of the dead children； to see into their memories； but there is nothing left of them。〃
Danan shook his head。 〃I felt it； near the end of summer： a turmoil somewhere in the center of my world。 It happened shortly before the shape。。。 the Earth…Masters came here looking for you。 I don't know how this place was destroyed； or by whom 。。。〃
〃I know；〃 he whispered。 〃Wind。 The deep wind that shatters stone。。。 The High One destroyed this place。〃
〃But why？ It was their one final place of peace。〃
〃I don't know。 Unless。。。 unless he found another place for them； fearing for their peace even here。 I don't know。 Maybe somehow I will find him； hold him to some shape that I can understand； and ask him why。〃
〃If you can do even that much … only that … you will repay the land…rulers for whatever power you take from the realm。 At least we will die knowing why。〃 He pushed himself up and dropped a hand on Morgon's shoulder。 〃I understand what you are doing。 You need an Earth…Master's power to fight Earth…Masters。 If you want to take a mountain onto your shoulders； I'll give you Isig。 The High One gives us silence； you give us impossible hope。〃
The king left him alone。 Morgon dropped the torch to the ground； watched it burn away into darkness。 He stood up； not fighting his blindness； but breathing the mountain…blackness into himself until it seeped into his mind and hollowed all his bones。 His thoughts groped into the stone around him； slid through stone passages； channels of air； sluices of slow； black water。 He carved the mountain out of its endless night； shaped it to his thoughts。 His mind pushed into solid rock； expanded outward through stone； hollows of silence； deep lakes； until earth crusted over the rock and he felt the slow； downward groping of tree roots。 His awareness filled the base of the mountain； flowed slowly； relentlessly upward。 He touched the minds of blind fish； strange insects living in a changeless world。 He became the topaz locked in a stone that a miner was chiseling loose； he hung upside down； staring at nothing in the brain of a bat。 His own shape was lost； his bones curved around an ancient silence； rose endlessly upward； heavy with metal and jewels。 He could not find his heart。 When he probed for it within masses of stone； he sensed another name； another's heart。
He did not disturb that name bound into every fragment of the mountain。 Slowly； as hours he never measured passed； he touched every level of the mountain； groping steadily upward through mineshafts； through granite； through caves； like Danan's secret thoughts； luminous with their own beauty。 The hours turned into days he did not count。 His mind； rooted to the ground floor of Isig； shaped to all its rifts and channels； broke through finally to peaks buried under the first whiter snows。
He felt ponderous with mountain。 His awareness spanned the length and bulk of it。 In some minute corner of the darkness far beneath him； his body lay like a fragment of rock on the floor of the mountain。 He seemed to gaze down at it； not knowing how to draw the immensity of his thoughts back into it。 Finally； wearily； something in him like an inner eye simply closed； and his mind melted into darkness。
He woke once more as hands came out of darkness； turned him over。 He said； before he even opened his eyes； 〃All right。 I learned the land…law of Isig。 With one twist of thought I could hold the land…rule。 Is that what you'll ask of me next？〃
〃Morgon。〃
He opened his eyes。 At first he thought dawn had e into the mountain； for the walls around him and Yrth's worn； blind face seemed darkly luminous。 Then he whispered； 〃I can see。〃
〃You swallowed a mountain。 Can you stand？〃 The big hands hauled him to his feet without waiting for his answer。 〃You might try trusting me a little。 You've tried everything else。 Take one step。〃
He started to speak； but the wizard's mind filled his with an image of a small firelit chamber in a tower。 He stepped into it and saw Raederle rise； trail fire with her as she came to meet him。 He reached out to her； she seemed to e endlessly toward him； dissolving into fire when he finally touched her。
He woke to hear her playing softly on a flute one of the craftsmen had given her。 She stopped； smiling as he looked at her； but she looked weary and pale。 He sat up； waited for a mountain to shift into place in his head。 Then he kissed her。
〃You must be tired of waiting for me to wake up。〃
〃It would be nice to talk to you；〃 she said wistfully。 〃Either you're asleep or you vanish。 Yrth was here most of the day。 I read to him out of old spell books。〃
〃That was kind of you。〃
〃Morgon； he asked me to。 I wanted so badly to question him； but I couldn't。 There seemed suddenly nothing to question。。。 until he left。 I think I'll study wizardry。 They knew more odd； petty spells than even witches。 Do you know what you're doing？ Other than half…killing yourself？〃
〃I'm doing what you told me to do。 I'm playing a riddle…game。〃 He got to his feet； suddenly ravenously hungry； but found only