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ng curled on the ends of his wrists as if they were crippled； but he shifted his shoulder and elbow； turned himself onto his stomach； then levered himself with his forearms until he gained his knees。 There he rested while the pain of returning life stabbed its way down into his fingers。
The sound of heavy steps； heavy breathing； made him look up。
Samadhi Sheol stood over him。
Blood poured from Satansfist's forehead into his eyes； but instead of blinding him； it seemed only to enrich his raving ferocity。 His lips were contorted with a paroxysm of savage glee； ecstatic rage shone on his wet teeth。 In the interlocked clasp of his fists； the Illearth Stone burned and fumed as if it were on the brink of apotheosis。
Slowly； he raised the Stone over Mhoram's head like an ax。
Transfixed； stunned…as helpless as a sacrifice…Mhoram watched his death rise and poise above him。
In the distance； he could hear Quaan shouting wildly； uselessly； 〃Mhoram！ Mhoram！〃 On the ground nearby； Drinny groaned and strove to regain his feet。 Everywhere else there was silence。 The whole battle seemed to have paused in midblow to watch Mhoram's execution。 And he could do nothing but kneel and regret that so many lives had been spent for such an end。
Yet when the change of the air came an instant later； it was so intense； so vibrant and thrilling； that it snatched him to his feet。 It made Satansfist arrest his blow； gape unprehendingly into the sky； then drop his fists and whirl to shout strident curses at the eastern horizon。
For that moment； Mhoram also only gaped and gasped。 He could not believe his senses； could not believe the touch of the air on his cold…punished face。 He seemed to be tasting something which had been lost from human experience。
Then Drinny lurched up； braced himself on splayed legs； and raised his head to neigh in recognition of the change。 His whinny was weak and strained； but it lifted Mhoram's heart like the trumpets of triumph。
While he and Satansfist and all the armies stared at it； the wind faltered。 It limped； spurting and fluttering in the air like a wounded bird； then fell lifeless to the ground。
For the first time since Lord Foul's preternatural winter had begun； there was no wind。 Some support or pulsion had been withdrawn from samadhi Satansfist。
With a howl of rage； the Raver spun back toward Mhoram。 〃Fool！〃 he screamed as if the High Lord had let out a shout of jubilation。' 〃That was but one weapon of many！ I will yet drink your heart' s blood to the bottom！'' Reeling under the weight of his fury； he lifted his fists again to deliver the executing blow。
But now Mhoram felt the fire which burned against his flesh under his robe。 In a rush of exaltation； he understood it； grasped its meaning intuitively。 As the Stone reached its height over his head； he tore open his robe and grasped Loric's krill。
Its gem blazed like a hot white brazier in his hands。 It was charged to overflowing with echoes of wild magic； he could feel its keenness as he gripped its hilt。
It was a weapon strong enough to bear any might。
His eyes met Satansfist's。 He saw dismay and hesitation clashing against the Raver's rage； against samadhi Sheol's ancient malice and the supreme confidence of the Stone。
Before Satansfist could defend himself； High Lord Mhoram sprang up and drove the krill deep into his bosom。
The Raver shrieked in agony。 With Mhoram hanging from the blade in his chest； he flailed his arms as if he could not find anything to strike； anywhere to exert his colossal outrage。 Then he dropped to his knees。
Mhoram planted his feet on the ground and braced himself to retain his grip on the krill。 Through the focus of that blade； he drove all his might deeper and deeper toward the Giant…Raver's heart。
Yet samadhi did not die。 Faced with death； he found a way to resist。 Both his fists clenched the Stone only a foot above the back of Mhoram's neck。 With all the rocky； Giantish strength of his frame； he began to squeeze。
Savage power steamed and pulsed like the beating of a heart of ice…a heart laboring convulsively； pounding and quivering to carry itself through a crisis。 Mhoram felt the beats crash against the back of his spine。 They kept Satansfist alive while they strove to quench the power which drove the krill
But Mhoram endured the pain； did not let go； he leaned his weight on the blazing blade； ground it deeper and still deeper toward the essential cords of samadhi's life。 Slowly； his flesh seemed to disappear； fade as if he were being translated by passion into a being of pure force； of unfettered spirit and indomitable will。 The Stone hammered at his back like a mounting cataclysm； and Satansfist's chest heaved against his hands in great； ragged； bloody gasps。
Then the cords were cut。
Pounding beyond the limits of control； the Illearth Stone exploded； annihilated itself with an eruption that hurled Mhoram and Satansfist tumbling inextricably together from the knoll。 The blast shook the ground； tore a hole in the silence over the battle。 One slow instant of stunned amazement gripped the air； then vanished in the dismayed shrieks of the Despiser's army。
Moments later； Warmark Quaan and the surviving remnant of his mounted Howard dashed to the foot of the knoll。 Quaan threw himself from his horse and leaped to the High Lord's side。
Mhoram's robe draped his bloodied and begrimed form in tatters； it had been shredded by the explosion。 His hands as they gripped the krill were burned so badly that only black rags of flesh still clung to his bones。 From head to foot； his body had the look of pain and brokenness。 But he was still alive； still breathing faintly； fragilely。
Fear； weariness； hesitation dropped off Quaan as if they were meaningless 。 He took the krill； wrapped it； and placed it under his belt； then with celerity and care lifted the High Lord in his arms。 For an instant； he looked around。 He saw Drinny nearby； shaking his head and mane to throw off the effects of the blast。 He saw the Despiser's army seething in confusion and carnage。 He hoped that it would fall apart without the Raver's leadership and coercion。 But then he saw also that the ur…viles were rallying； taking charge of the creatures around them； reorganizing the hordes。
In spite of the High Lord's weight； Quaan ran and vaulted onto Drinny's back。 Shouting to the Warward； 〃Retreat！ Return to the Keep！ The Gray Slayer has not lost his hold！〃 he clapped Drinny with his heels and took the Ranyhyn at a full gallop toward the open gates of Revel…stone。
SIXTEEN
Colossus
There were gaps in the darkness during which Covenant knew dimly that rank liquids were being forced into him。 They nourished him despite their rancid taste； his captors were keeping him alive。 But between these gaps nothing interrupted his bereavement； his loss of everything he could grasp or recognize。 He was dismembered from himself。 The shrill vermilion nail of pain which the ur…viles had driven through his forehead impaled his identity； his memory and knowledge and awareness。 He was at the nadir…captured； conquered； bereft…and only that iron stab in his forehead stood between him and the last numbness of the end。
So when he began to regain consciousness； he jerked toward it like a half…buried corpse； striving to shift the weight which enfolded him like the ready arms of his grave。 Cold ebbed into him from the abyss of the winter。 His heart labored； shuddering ran through him like a crisis。 His hands clutched uselessly at the frozen dirt。
Then rough hands flopped him onto his back。 A grim visage advanced； receded。 Something struck his chest。 He gasped at the force of the blow。 Yet it helped him； it seemed to break him free of imminent hysteria。 He began to breathe more easily。 In a moment； he became aware that he was beating the back of his head against the ground。 With an effort； he stopped himself。 Then he concentrated on trying to see。
He wanted to see； wanted to find some answer to the pleteness of his loss。 And his eyes were open…must have been open； or he would not have been able to perceive the shadowy countenance snarling over him。 Yet he could not make it out。 His eyeballs were dry and blind； he saw nothing but cold； universal gray smeared around the more pact gray of the visage。
〃Up； Covenant；〃 a harsh voice rasped。 〃You are of no use as you are。〃
Another blow knocked his head to the side。 He lurched soddenly。 Through the pain in his cheek； he felt himself gaping into the raw wind。 He blinked painfully at the dryness of his eyes； and tears began to resolve his blindness into shapes and spaces。
〃Up； I say！〃
He seemed to recognize the voice without knowing whose it was。 But he lacked the strength to turn his head for another look。 Resting on the icy ground； he blinked until his sight came into focus on a high； monolithic fist of stone。
It was perhaps twenty yards from him and forty feet tall…an obsidian column upraised on a plinth of native rock； and gnarled at its top into a clench of speechless defiance。 Beyond it he could see nothing； it stood against a background of clouds as if