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〃Will you accept the blessing of Our Lady before you die？〃 he said。
Somebody had already begun a prayer behind him； Gentle heard； and he glanced around to see that there were another three assassins there； two of them armed in the same lunatic fashion； the third…a girl no more than Huzzah's age； bare…breasted； doe…faced…darting between the rows uncovering statues as she went。 No two were alike。 There were Virgins of stone； Virgins of wood； Virgins of plaster。 There were Virgins so crudely carved they were barely recognizable； and others so finely hewn and finished they looked ready to draw breath。 Though minutes before； Gentle had laid his hand on one of this number without harm； the spectacle faintly sickened him。 Did Athanasius know something about the condition of Maestros that he； Gentle； didn't？ Might he somehow be subjugated by this image； the way in an earlier life he'd been enthralled by the sight of a woman naked； or promising nakedness？
Whatever mystery was here； he wasn't about to let Athanasius murder him while he puzzled it out。 He drew breath and put his hand to his mouth as Athanasius drew a weapon of his own and started towards him at speed。 The breath proved faster than the blade。 Gentle unleashed the pneuma； not at Athanasius directly； but at the ground in front of him。 The stones it struck flew into pieces； and Athanasius fell back as the fusillade hit him。 He dropped his knife and clamped his hands to his face； yelling as much in rage as in pain。 If there was a mand in his clamor the assassins missed or ignored it。 They kept a respectful distance from Gentle as he walked towards their wounded leader； through an air still gray with motes of pulverized stone。 Athanasius was lying on his side； propped on his elbow。 Gentle went down on his haunches beside the man and carefully drew Athanasius' hands from his face。 There was a deep cut beneath his left eye； and another above his right。 Both were bleeding copiously； as were a score of littler cuts。 None of them； however； would be calamitous for a man who wore wounds the way others wore jewelry。 They would heal and add to his sum of scars。
〃Call your assassins off； Athanasius；〃 Gentle told him。 〃I didn't e here to hurt anybody； but if you press me to k I'll kill every last one of them。 Do you understand me？〃 He put his arm beneath the man and hauled him to his feet。 〃Now call them off。〃
Athanasius shrugged himself free of Gentle's hold and scanned his cohorts through a drizzle of blood。
〃Let him pass；〃 he said。 〃There'll be another time。〃
The assassins between Gentle and the door parted； though none of them lowered or sheathed their weapons。 Gentle stood up and left Athanasius' side； passing only to offer one final observation。
〃I wouldn't want to kill the man who married me to Pie 'oh' pah；〃 he said； 〃so before you e after me again； examine the evidence against me； whatever it is。 And search your heart。 I'm not your enemy。 All I want to do is to heal Imajica。 Isn't that what your Goddess wants too？〃
If Athanasius had wanted to respond； he was too slow。 Before he could open his mouth a cry rose from somewhere outside； and a moment later another； then another； then a dozen： all howls of pain and panic； twisted into eardrum…bruising screeches by the gusts that carried them。 Gentle turned back to the door； but the wind had hold of the entire chamber； and even as he made to depart； one of the walls rose as if a titanic hand had seized hold of it and lifted it up into the air。 The wind； bearing its freight of screams； rushed in； flinging the lamps over； their fuel spilled as they rolled before it。 Caught by the very flames it had fed； the oil burst into bright yellow balls； by which light Gentle saw scenes of chaos on all sides。 The assassins were being thrown over like the lamps； unable to withstand the power of the wind。 One he saw impaled on her own blade。 Another was carried into the oil and was instantly consumed by flame。
〃What have you summoned？〃 Athanasius yelled。
〃This isn't my doing；〃 Gentle replied。
Athanasius screeched some further accusation； but it was snatched from his lips as the rampage escalated。 Another of the chamber's walls was summarily snatched away； its tatters rising into the air like a curtain to unveil a scene of catastrophe。 The storm was at work throughout the length of the tents； disemboweling the glorious and scarlet beast Gentle had entered with such awe。 Wall after wall was shredded or wrenched from the ground； the ropes and pegs that had held them lethal as they flew。 And visible beyond the turmoil； its cause： the once featureless wall of the Erasure； featureless no longer。 It roiled the way the sky Gentle had seen beneath the Pivot had roiled； a maelstrom whose place of origin seemed to be a hole torn in the Erasure's fabric。 The sight gave substance to Athanasius' charges。 Threatened by assassins and Madonnas； had Gentle unwittingly summoned some entity out of the First Dominion to protect him？ If so； he had to find it and subdue it before he had more innocent lives to add to the roster of those who'd perished because of him。
With his eyes fixed on the tear； he vacated the chamber and headed towards the Erasure。 The route between was the storm's highway。 It carried the detritus of its deeds back and forth； returning to places it had already destroyed in its first assault to pick up the survivors and pitch them into the air like sacks of bloody down； tearing them open up above。 There was a red rain in the gusts； which spattered Gentle as he went； yet the same authority that was condemning men and women all around left him untouched。 It could not so much as knock him off his feet。 The reason？ His breath； which Pie had once called the source of all magic。 Its cloak clung to him as it had before； apparently protecting him from the tumult； and； though it didn't impede his steps； it lent him a mass beyond that of flesh and bone。
With half the distance covered； he glanced back to see if there was any sign of life among the Madonnas。 The place was easy to find； even amid this carnage； the fire burned with a wind…fed fervor； and through air thickened by blood and shards Gentle saw that several of the statues had been raised from their stony beds and now formed a circle in which Athanasius and several of his followers were taking shelter。 They'd offer little defense against this havoc； he thought； but several other survivors could be seen crawling towards the place； eyes fixed on the Holy Mothers。
Gentle turned his back on the sight and strode on towards the Erasure； catching sight … of another soul here weighty enough to resist the assault： a man in robes the color of the shredded tents； sitting cross…legged on the ground no more than twenty yards from the fury's source。 His head was hooded； his face turned towards the maelstrom。 Was this monkish creature the force he'd summoned？ Gentle wondered。 If not； how was this fellow surviving so close to the engine of destruction？
He started to yell to the man as he approached； by no means certain that his voice would carry in the din of wind and screams。 But the monk heard。 He looked round at Gentle； the hood half eclipsing his face。 There was nothing untoward about his placid features。 His face was in need of a shave； his nose； which had been broken at some time； in need of resetting； his eyes in need of nothing。 They had all they wanted； it seemed； seeing the Maestro approach。 A broad grin broke over the monk's face； and he instantly rose to his feet； bowing his head。
〃Maestro；〃 he said。 〃You do me honor。〃 His voice wasn't raised； but it carried through the motion。 〃Have you seen the mystif yet？〃
〃The mystif s gone；〃 Gentle said。 He didn't need to yell； he realized。 His voice； like his limbs； carried an unnatural weight here。
〃Yes； I saw it go；〃 the monk replied； 〃But it's e back； Maestro。 It broke through the Erasure； and the storm came after it。〃
〃Where？ Where？〃 Gentle said； turning full circle。 〃I don't see it！〃 He looked accusingly at the man。 〃It would have found me if it was here；〃 he said。
〃Trust me； it's trying；〃 the man replied。 He pulled back his hood。 His gingery curls were thinning； but there was the vestige of a chorister's charm there。 〃It's very close； Maestro。〃
Now it was he who stared into the storm： not to left and right； however； but up into the labyrinthine air。 Gentle followed his gaze。 There were swaths of tattered canvas on the wind high above them； rising and falling like vast wounded birds。 There were pieces of furniture； shredded clothes； and fragments of flesh。 And in among these clouds of dross； a darting form darker than either sky or storm； descending even as he set his eyes upon it。 The monk drew closer to Gentle。
〃That's the mystif；〃 he said。 〃May I protect you； Maestro？〃
〃It's my friend；〃 Gentle said。 〃I don't need protecting。〃 〃I think you do；〃 the other replied； and raised his arms above his head； palms out as if to deflect the approaching spirit。
It slowed at the sight of this gesture； and Gentle had time to see the form above him plainly。 It was indeed the mystif； or its remains。 Either by stealth or sheer force of will it had breached the Erasure。 But its escape had brought it no fort whatsoever。 The