Read Online The warlock insane by Christopher Stasheff - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Fantasy fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction - General, Fiction - Science Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
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too weak to both guard their castles and maintain law and order—and there were many, many soldiers who had fled defeat, and were desperate for food and shelter. So banditry became rife."
"Then the contest of diplomacy failed, for Rodomont thought himself strong enough to conquer Agramant."
"But he was wrong."
"Aye; they were evenly matched, and tore one another to bits. Thus the Golden Age ended, and the Four Kingdoms sank into the barbarism from which they had risen." Rod sighed, gazing off into space, his head ringing with the shouting and cries of great battles, with the thunder of hooves and the clash of weapons. He was shocked to feel tears in his eyes. "Can it not live again, Grandfather?"
"Aye—every time we tell its tale. I have begun it for you this time, my grandson. You are now on the verge of its greatest of days, for the knight Beaubras has but now set forth on his quest, and the Rainbow Page 41
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Crystal is yet to be found."
"Yet to be found?" Rod whirled, eyes widening. "But that means that Ordale hasn't come forth to show him the Faerie World yet—andOlympia still waits at the crest ofMount Stehr ! It's all still to come—the glory, the wonder, the enchantment!"
"Aye, all yet to come." The old man nodded, his eyes aglow. "And we have talked away the night, my grandson, and the east is burgeoning with the sun. The hour is come when poor, tenuous ghosts, wandering here and there, must troop home to churchyards."
"No!" Rod cried in a panic. "Don't go! We have so much still to talk about!"
"All that truly matters has been said." The count had risen and was backing away. "The history of Granclarte, and the good it sought to bring."
"But I need you! I can't be without you!"
"Nor will you be." Mist was rising from the clearing, all about the old man. "I am within your heart and your mind, Rodney—you cannot be without me. None can take me from you."
"But what of Granclarte?" Rod cried. "How will it endure without you?"
"Through you, mine heir. I bequeath it to you, root, stock, and branch. Let it rise again, Rodney. Let it grow, let it ever grow." And his voice was fading now, as his outline softened and his substance blurred into the mist, suffused with the golden light of dawn. "The night has gone, and the day comes—your day, my grandson, and your realm now. Live in it; fare well in it.
"Farewell…"
Rod stood, petrified, scalp prickling, seeing the ghost diffuse and fade, hearing his voice dwindle, speaking again, but so softly that it might have been the cry of a distant songbird: "Farewell…" Then it was the cry of a bird, far away, calling, summoning…
Rod turned away from the clearing in the glory of the newly risen sun and plodded back through the forest, his heart leaden, but his soul exalted.
"He was there, Fess," he said softly. "He was really there."
"So I judged, from the words I heard you say, Rod," the great black horse answered. "It is inspiring." But he didn't sound joyous. Rod frowned, peering closely, then understood, with a surge of sympathy.
"Hard on you, isn't it, Old Heart, to be reminded of your former master?"
"Robots do not grieve, Rod."
"Nor computers delight. Sure." Rod swung up into the saddle again. "But how could the time pass so quickly all of a sudden?"
"It did not really, Rod. The passage of time was no faster than in the evening." Page 42
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"It just felt like it." Rod shook his head. "Well, then, I'm safe in a way, Fess. I'm in Granclarte."
"Yes, Rod, safe in many ways—but remember the perils the good knight confronted."
"How could I forget them?" Rod replied. "But how did I come to be here, Fess? Why did I go crazy so suddenly?"
"I have given you my best answer," the robot said softly. "You must find your own now."
"I think I have." Rod nodded. "Yes, I think I have."
"In your grandfather's
"Then the contest of diplomacy failed, for Rodomont thought himself strong enough to conquer Agramant."
"But he was wrong."
"Aye; they were evenly matched, and tore one another to bits. Thus the Golden Age ended, and the Four Kingdoms sank into the barbarism from which they had risen." Rod sighed, gazing off into space, his head ringing with the shouting and cries of great battles, with the thunder of hooves and the clash of weapons. He was shocked to feel tears in his eyes. "Can it not live again, Grandfather?"
"Aye—every time we tell its tale. I have begun it for you this time, my grandson. You are now on the verge of its greatest of days, for the knight Beaubras has but now set forth on his quest, and the Rainbow Page 41
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
Crystal is yet to be found."
"Yet to be found?" Rod whirled, eyes widening. "But that means that Ordale hasn't come forth to show him the Faerie World yet—andOlympia still waits at the crest ofMount Stehr ! It's all still to come—the glory, the wonder, the enchantment!"
"Aye, all yet to come." The old man nodded, his eyes aglow. "And we have talked away the night, my grandson, and the east is burgeoning with the sun. The hour is come when poor, tenuous ghosts, wandering here and there, must troop home to churchyards."
"No!" Rod cried in a panic. "Don't go! We have so much still to talk about!"
"All that truly matters has been said." The count had risen and was backing away. "The history of Granclarte, and the good it sought to bring."
"But I need you! I can't be without you!"
"Nor will you be." Mist was rising from the clearing, all about the old man. "I am within your heart and your mind, Rodney—you cannot be without me. None can take me from you."
"But what of Granclarte?" Rod cried. "How will it endure without you?"
"Through you, mine heir. I bequeath it to you, root, stock, and branch. Let it rise again, Rodney. Let it grow, let it ever grow." And his voice was fading now, as his outline softened and his substance blurred into the mist, suffused with the golden light of dawn. "The night has gone, and the day comes—your day, my grandson, and your realm now. Live in it; fare well in it.
"Farewell…"
Rod stood, petrified, scalp prickling, seeing the ghost diffuse and fade, hearing his voice dwindle, speaking again, but so softly that it might have been the cry of a distant songbird: "Farewell…" Then it was the cry of a bird, far away, calling, summoning…
Rod turned away from the clearing in the glory of the newly risen sun and plodded back through the forest, his heart leaden, but his soul exalted.
"He was there, Fess," he said softly. "He was really there."
"So I judged, from the words I heard you say, Rod," the great black horse answered. "It is inspiring." But he didn't sound joyous. Rod frowned, peering closely, then understood, with a surge of sympathy.
"Hard on you, isn't it, Old Heart, to be reminded of your former master?"
"Robots do not grieve, Rod."
"Nor computers delight. Sure." Rod swung up into the saddle again. "But how could the time pass so quickly all of a sudden?"
"It did not really, Rod. The passage of time was no faster than in the evening." Page 42
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"It just felt like it." Rod shook his head. "Well, then, I'm safe in a way, Fess. I'm in Granclarte."
"Yes, Rod, safe in many ways—but remember the perils the good knight confronted."
"How could I forget them?" Rod replied. "But how did I come to be here, Fess? Why did I go crazy so suddenly?"
"I have given you my best answer," the robot said softly. "You must find your own now."
"I think I have." Rod nodded. "Yes, I think I have."
"In your grandfather's
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