r

~_.

listen and grow wise. I do not make your fates, nor choose which ones should come forwards. At the Bondbreaking you both stood before me, raw-boned and young, the survivors of that great battle on the Causeway road and to each of you I gave a task. Thoron, through earlier deeds, was to ride the Warhorse, Amarch, and thus travel into legends as the last Errant rider of the Granite Kings. It cost you much, dear friend: the loss of Amarch and the Lord of Owls, Silverwing, but still you served me well and kept hope in men's hearts during the dark years, riding the lonely Greenways at my bidding.'

Turning to Tombel Nevian smiled. 'Yours was the more difficult task, the Keepership of Woodsedge, which became with the pa.s.sing suns a place that the Nightbeasts might attack, but more than that, the keeping and remembering of all the Lore of Elundium; that was a heavy burden for even the bravest Marcher Captain.'

'And I did not fail you, my Lord,' Tombel cried, his face flushed and angry. 'Although I have- lost everything, I did not fail you. I remembered every jot of Lore.'

'No, you did not fail me,' Nevian whispered, 'but on that lonely road you lost your way and found more in men's deeds than you did in the men themselves. The glitter of glory blinded you and the shock and crash of battle deafened your ears.'

Tombel hung his head and replied, 'I strove to serve you, Lord, and keep pure all the Lore you taught me.'

Nevian smiled and leaned forwards. 'If that is so, which is the greater man - he who lights the way in the darkness or he who carries the King's standard into battle?'

Tombel frowned. 'Only a king can choose who carries the standard!'

'But the man who pays for the candle choses the Candleman.

King Holbian chose Thane's father to carry the emblem that is now furled at your side. He carried the standard of the owl in blue and gold and on his death the King laid him across

161.

this throne as honour to all he had done lighting the way in a dark world.'

'Then I judged Thane wrongly,' Tombel whispered.

'No! You only judged him blindly. There was no malice or greed, just blindness.'

Tombel turned to Thoron, with tears in his eyes, and took his hand. 'My loss will be ten thousand times worse if I lose your friendship for the way I treated Thane and how I spoke to you on the high plateau.'

Thoron smiled and gripped his friend's hands. 'When the Nightmare is dead and Elionbel and Martbel are safe home then you can welcome Thane into your house, that will be enough.'

Nevian smiled and clapped his hands, shaking folds of the rainbow cloak to fill the Candle Hall with a bright light.

'Now to more pressing matters - to King Holbian and the Nightmare, EQulshards. Two nights ago I entered the Granite City, secretly pa.s.sing through the Nightbeast ranks up towards the sheer granite wall you scaled to reach this hall. I saw the Granite Tower tremble and collapse and in the dense stonelike fog that hung over the city I entered the Candle Hall and defended it against the Mghtbeasts, lighting the sky with a blinding light of blue and gold.'

'The King,' Tombel asked. 'Where was the King?'

'In the morning light I searched the summit of the city but the King and all the city folk, high and low born, had vanished. It was empty.'

'Perhaps they are beneath the tower,' Thoron ventured, looking darkly at the mound of granite blocks heaped up beyond the Candledoors.

'No. I have searched amongst the rubble and the King has gone. All I know is that he overcame his fear of the dark and sent the light of this hall out against the Nightbeasts.'

'When did Krulshards reach the city?' Tombel asked.

'Were we far behind him?'

'He was one daylight before you, hard-pressed and desperate for victory.'

'We will follow the Nightmare now without rest and rescue Martbel and Elionbel,' Tombel said, honing his sword on the sharp stone that hung from his belt.

'No!' answered Nevian firmly. 'Thane is on the Nightmare'

s heels, guided by Ogion the grey swan. Your purpose is to turn the warrior army you led to this city and hunt the Nightbeasts through all Elundium.'

'But Thane is only one man. How can he destroy Krulshards?'

Who followed Krulshards into the City of Night to rescue Thoron and bring him out into the light? Who else can face the darkness of Krulshards?'

Tombel stood silently, looking down at the polished marble, seeing clearly his weakness reflecting back.

'Kyot was with Thane, and Willow the Tunneller led them both to the high chamber where I hung,' Thoron answered quietly. 'Only they have the power to face the darkness.'

'But Thane is alone,' cried Tombel. 'Kyot is riding to Clatterford to seek Fairday the Crystal Maker.'

Nevian smiled. 'Let them follow their fates, just as you must follow yours. Marshal the warriors and turn the crescent back into Elundium.'

A movement between the doors of the Candle Hall turned

Tombel's head and he laughed aloud. 'Willow, Willow, come forward and meet the Master of Magic. Come and meet Nevian.'

Willow shyly crossed Candlebane Hall, his eyes full of the beautiful colours in the rainbow cloak. Kneeling at Nevian's feet he touched the hem of the cloak and said, 'It is so much more beautiful than the Elder's stories - the colours! The light!'

Nevian reached down and took Willow's hand. 'The Elder only saw the light of the pictures I painted in the darkness of the City of Night, but he had a great power, for he

remembered every leaf and branch and subtle shade I showed him, and in his turn he painted the pictures for you.'

'He named me after the willow tree, my Lord,' Willow answered, looking up into the face of the magician.

uNevian smiled, 'And he named you well, for you will put

firm roots into the soil of Elundium and be a blessing to its people.'

'Lord,' Willow asked, hesitating. 'Was this once a beautiful city? Only I felt it in the bones of the land beneath the piles of rubble as I climbed up to this hall.'

'It was the jewel of Elundium, Willow, built by King Mantern, the last Mason King before the Granite Kings arose. But why do you ask?'

'We have laboured, Lord, for time beyond counting in the darkness. Let us celebrate our freedom by rebuilding this city out of the rubble. Let us use our skills, learned through torture and pain, to raise the fallen Granite Tower sheer and beautiful up into the sunlight!'

Thoron laughed, and Eagle Owl, who had sat silently so far on his shoulder, hooted at the sunlight, and Tombel lifted Willow up on to his shoulders.

'It will be fit for a new King, and more beautiful than before!' Nevian cried, leading the way out into the sunlight

and up the winding steps to the top of the wall. .

'Each house and hall, each lane and winding alleyway, will grow up out of the ruins, you have our word on it,' Willow laughed.

'And you have my word that Elundium will be cleared of Nightbeasts!' Tombel said grimly, turning towards the siege ladder.