The Chaos Balance

XLIX

“You bring me a message such as this?” Lephi looked down from the white throne at the aging and balding figure.

“I bring what was written.” The white wizard bowed.

“What use is a white wizard if he cannot contain the Accursed Forest? Why should I cosset and coddle you and your kind if you cannot even retain that monstrosity within its ancient borders? Now…even the wizard you have provided me sends messages, rather than face me.”

The figure in white robes did not respond, but merely waited.

“No one will face me. Am I so terrible? Tell me, ancient Triendar. Am I so terrible?”

“Themphi is not here, Your Mightiness, because he spends all his efforts to contain the Accursed Forest. Should he leave Geliendra, it would spread ever more rapidly.” Triendar bowed again, and a strand of wispy white hair drifted across his forehead, hair almost as white as the shimmering tiles on which he stood.

“He dare not leave? Then why did no one notice the power of the forest rebuilding? That is your task, is it not?”

“It is, and we are sending the young wizards to assist Themphi, those who are not already assigned to the Mirror Lancers, the sea watches…or the fireship. You have laid many tasks on few of us.”

“You did not answer my question.” Lephi glared at the older wizard.

“Until it occurred, Your Mightiness, there was no increase in the power of the forest.”

“How could that happen?”

“Do you recall, Lord of Cyador, when we told you of the surge of white power that came from the Westhorns last fall?”

Lephi rubbed his chin and squinted. “That I recall vaguely.”

“We believe that power helped the forest subvert the wards, but the dark forces were sly, and did not show their renewed might until the spring growing season. We did not sense the forces, because, until now, there were no new forces.” Triendar bowed yet again.

“There were no forces? Then from whence came the white blasts from the Westhorns?”

“We know not, save by rumor and glass. The glass shows a dark hold, a small hold, on the Roof of the World, and the rumors from the traders talk of dark angels who have pushed back the barbarians.”

“Pushed back the barbarians? That takes little skill. Nor to build a small hold on a mountain-as if any would choose to live there willingly. Talk to me not of distant and tiny holds.” Lephi snorted and stared at Triendar.

The white wizard waited silently.

“Come! What is your advice, ancient one?” Lephi finally asked. “Do I send every spare lancer and foot company, and every white wizard to Geliendra? Just because a forest has decided to grow outside its boundaries? Just because of rumors of dark angels on distant mountains?”

“In the ancient books, and in the tablets of gold, it was written that the wards would not last forever, not even until twenty generations. Yet it has been nigh on thirty generations since the white walls were laid and the wards set, and the Accursed Forest has abided.”

“I know my history. Tell me what you advise.”

Triendar nodded. “Let us provide the wizards, and you a few more companies of foot. Themphi has beaten back the side of the forest that would threaten Cyador, almost alone. We will contain the forest.”

“And the wards?”

“Those were from beyond the heavens, and we cannot rebuild or replace them.” Triendar shook his head slowly. “We are having difficulties, as you know, with the chaos-engines for the fireship, and we have the plans for those.”

“Let us not speak of the fireships. We must have them to teach the coastal traders a lesson. And the eastern barbarians. For too long, the people of Cyad have let their heritage lapse into laziness and dust. It will not continue.” Lephi took a perfumed towel and daubed his forehead. “I suppose this means that we must fight the forest each year from henceforth.”

“Yes, Your Mightiness.”

Lephi’s hand jerked as if to summon the arrows of light, but, instead, he lowered it, the gesture incomplete. “Find me a better solution, Triendar. There must be a better solution.”

“We will seek such, Your Mightiness.”

“Best you find it. You may depart.”

Triendar bowed and walked slowly across the shimmering tiles.