forever. Or, some say, a hundred."
"And some say ten," said Gry.
The Waylord smiled, though not with much cheer. "I like that version," he said. "Did they say where these true men were to meet?"
"No." Caspro looked at Gry, who also shook her head.
"Well, the story was told me in a manner that made it hard to forget. It was the son of our Gand here, Iddor son of Ioratth, who told it to me. Many times." He paused for a while and then said, very low, "I don't like to speak it here in this house. Forgive me. This is what I was told: All light and righteousness belong to Atth, the Burning God, whose power is visible in the sun. There is nothing sacred outside the Fire of Atth. All fire is holy for his sake. The moon they despise, calling it the slave, the witch. The earth is a place of exile. A foul place, unholy, infested by demons, utterly cold and dark but for the light and warmth reflected on it by the sun of Atth. And on earth Obatth, the enemy of Atth, is
manifest—in the evil fortunes of men, and the evil men do, and the evil spirits they worship. And most of all, in one certain place.
"In that place, all the foulness of earth gathers together, darkness drawing inward into earth, the reverse of light shining out from the sun. It is an anti-sun that eats light. It is black, wet, cold, vile. As the sun is being, it is unbeing. A void, a great hole in the earth, deep beyond depth. It is called the Night Mouth.
"And it is there that the Thousand True Men are to gather to bear the Fire of Atth into the kingdom of Obatth. They will enter the darkness, make war on the Other Lord, and destroy him. Then they will come forth with their banners of flame, and all earth will burn as bright as the sun both night and day. All demons and shadows will be driven into outer darkness beyond the stars. And the sons of Asudar will rule over all men in righteousness, worshipping the Burning God."
The Waylord's voice was monotonous and rough, scarcely audible, and I saw that his hands were clenched one in the other.
"Old traditions of Asudar said that the Night Mouth was in the west, on the coast. Dorid the priest-king in his city Medron ordered the lesser priests of Atth to find this center of darkness. Some thought the mountain Sul itself contained the Night Mouth, but the others said no: Sul, they said, is a volcano, it contains fire and so is sacred to Atth. Opposite it—across the water from it—would be the dark place, the bottomless well of evil. The Night Mouth would be found here, in the city of Ansul.
"It is supposed to be guarded by a wizard of terrible powers, who can summon armies of evil spirits, the foul emanations of the earth. And the gods of the heathen will gather to defend it, the thousand false gods.
"So the armies of Asudar were sent to take the country and city of Ansul by force and find the Night Mouth. When it is found, King Dorid will send the Thousand True Men into it with banners of fire, a burning army. Light will banish darkness, and good will vanquish evil."
He drew a harsh breath. He bit his lips and looked away from the candle, hiding his face in shadow.
"I never heard that tale," Caspro said. His own voice was shaken. He spoke, I think, to give the Waylord time to recover himself. "Tales of how earth is the battlefield of Atth and Obatth, yes. An unending war. And people in the desert knew there was a mountain called Sul far
in the west, an uncanny place, but only because it's surrounded by the sea. Salt water they call the curse of Obatth ... This tale of the Night Mouth must be a secret knowledge. Priestly lore."
"Useful to justify an invasion," said Gry.
"If so, it would be more widely known, wouldn't it? Do the common soldiers know the story, Waylord?"
"I don't know. I know they were told to search for certain things. Certain houses. Caves, wizards, idols, books ... There are many caves in the hills above the city. And idols and books—there was no end of them in Ansul. The soldiers were
"And some say ten," said Gry.
The Waylord smiled, though not with much cheer. "I like that version," he said. "Did they say where these true men were to meet?"
"No." Caspro looked at Gry, who also shook her head.
"Well, the story was told me in a manner that made it hard to forget. It was the son of our Gand here, Iddor son of Ioratth, who told it to me. Many times." He paused for a while and then said, very low, "I don't like to speak it here in this house. Forgive me. This is what I was told: All light and righteousness belong to Atth, the Burning God, whose power is visible in the sun. There is nothing sacred outside the Fire of Atth. All fire is holy for his sake. The moon they despise, calling it the slave, the witch. The earth is a place of exile. A foul place, unholy, infested by demons, utterly cold and dark but for the light and warmth reflected on it by the sun of Atth. And on earth Obatth, the enemy of Atth, is
manifest—in the evil fortunes of men, and the evil men do, and the evil spirits they worship. And most of all, in one certain place.
"In that place, all the foulness of earth gathers together, darkness drawing inward into earth, the reverse of light shining out from the sun. It is an anti-sun that eats light. It is black, wet, cold, vile. As the sun is being, it is unbeing. A void, a great hole in the earth, deep beyond depth. It is called the Night Mouth.
"And it is there that the Thousand True Men are to gather to bear the Fire of Atth into the kingdom of Obatth. They will enter the darkness, make war on the Other Lord, and destroy him. Then they will come forth with their banners of flame, and all earth will burn as bright as the sun both night and day. All demons and shadows will be driven into outer darkness beyond the stars. And the sons of Asudar will rule over all men in righteousness, worshipping the Burning God."
The Waylord's voice was monotonous and rough, scarcely audible, and I saw that his hands were clenched one in the other.
"Old traditions of Asudar said that the Night Mouth was in the west, on the coast. Dorid the priest-king in his city Medron ordered the lesser priests of Atth to find this center of darkness. Some thought the mountain Sul itself contained the Night Mouth, but the others said no: Sul, they said, is a volcano, it contains fire and so is sacred to Atth. Opposite it—across the water from it—would be the dark place, the bottomless well of evil. The Night Mouth would be found here, in the city of Ansul.
"It is supposed to be guarded by a wizard of terrible powers, who can summon armies of evil spirits, the foul emanations of the earth. And the gods of the heathen will gather to defend it, the thousand false gods.
"So the armies of Asudar were sent to take the country and city of Ansul by force and find the Night Mouth. When it is found, King Dorid will send the Thousand True Men into it with banners of fire, a burning army. Light will banish darkness, and good will vanquish evil."
He drew a harsh breath. He bit his lips and looked away from the candle, hiding his face in shadow.
"I never heard that tale," Caspro said. His own voice was shaken. He spoke, I think, to give the Waylord time to recover himself. "Tales of how earth is the battlefield of Atth and Obatth, yes. An unending war. And people in the desert knew there was a mountain called Sul far
in the west, an uncanny place, but only because it's surrounded by the sea. Salt water they call the curse of Obatth ... This tale of the Night Mouth must be a secret knowledge. Priestly lore."
"Useful to justify an invasion," said Gry.
"If so, it would be more widely known, wouldn't it? Do the common soldiers know the story, Waylord?"
"I don't know. I know they were told to search for certain things. Certain houses. Caves, wizards, idols, books ... There are many caves in the hills above the city. And idols and books—there was no end of them in Ansul. The soldiers were
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