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city of Patashoqua and the highway that ran from its gates towards the mountains。 In the Third； Scopique…his fears that the absence of the Pivot would invalidate his working allayed… was spreading his grasp across the Kwem towards the dust bowls around Maike〃。 In L'Himby； where he was soon to arrive； there were celebrants gathering at the temples； their hopes raised by prophetics who'd appeared from hiding the night before to spread the word that the Reconciliation was imminent。
No less inspired； Athanasius was presently traveling back along the Lenten Way to the borders of the Third and skimming the ocean to the islands； while a self more tender trod the changed streets of Yzordderrex。 He found challenges there unknown to Scopique； Tick Raw； or even Gentle。 There were slippery wonders loose on the streets that defied easy analogy。 But in inviting Athanasius to join the Synod； Scopique had chosen better than he knew。 The man's obsession with Christos； the bleeding God； gave him a grasp of what the Goddesses had wrought that a man less preoccupied by death and resurrection would never have owned。 In Yzordderrex's ravaged streets he saw a reflection of his own physical ravagement。 And in the music of the iconoclastic waters an echo of the blood that ran from his wounds； transformed…by love of the Holy Mother he had worshiped…into a sublime and healing liquor。
Only Chicka Jackeen； at the borders of the First Dominion； had to work with abstractions； for there was nothing of a physical nature he could win similitudes from。 All he had was the blank wall of the Erasure to set his mind on。 Of the Dominion that lay beyond…which it fell to him to encapsulate and carry into the Ana…he had no knowledge。
He hadn't spent so many years studying the mystery without finding some means to tussle with it； however。 Although his body offered no analogy for the enigma that lay on the other side of the divide； there was a place in him just as sealed from sight； and just as open to the inquiries made by dreaming explorers like himself。 He let mind…the unbeheld process that empowered every meaningful action； that made the very devotion that kept him in his circle…be his similitude。 The blank wall of the Erasure was the white bone of his skull； scoured of every scrap of meat and hair。 The force inside； incapable of impartial self…study； was both the God of the First and the thoughts of Chicka Jackeen； bonded by mutual scrutiny。
After tonight； both would be free of the curse of invisibility。 The Erasure would drop and the Godhead e back into view to walk the Imajica。 When that happened； when the same Godhead who'd taken the Nullianacs into His furnace and burned their malice away； was no longer divided from His Dominions； there would be a revelation such as had never been known before。 The dead； trapped in their condition and unable to find the door； would have a light to lead the way。 And the living； no longer afraid to show their minds； would step from their houses like divinities；； carrying their private heavens upon their heads for all to see。
About his own work； Gentle had little grasp of what his fellow Maestros were achieving； but the absence of alarm from the other Dominions reassured him that all was well。 All the pains and humiliations he'd endured to reach this place had been repaid in the little hours since he'd stepped into the circle。 An ecstasy he'd only known for the duration of a heartbeat suffused him； confounding the conviction he'd had that such feelings only came in glimpses because to know them for longer would burst the heart。 It wasn't so。 The ecstasy went on and on； and he was surviving it： more than surviving； burgeoning； his authority over the working stronger with every city and sea he retrieved into the circle where he sat。
The Fifth was almost there with him now； sharing the space； teaching him with its ing where the true power of a Reconciler lay。 It wasn't a skill with feits and sways； nor was it pneumas； nor resurrections； nor the driving out of demons。 It was the strength to call the myriad wonders of an entire Dominion by the names of his body and not be broken by the simile； to allow that he was in the world to its smallest degree； and the world in him； and not be driven to insanity by the intricacies he contained or else so enamored of the panoramas he was spread through that he lost all memory of the man he'd been。
There was such pleasure in this process that laughter began to shake him as he sat in the circle。 His good humor wasn't a distraction from his purpose but instead made it easier still； his laugh…lightened thoughts running from the circle out to regions both bright and benighted and ing back with their prizes like runners sent with poems to a promised land； and returning with it on their backs； flowering as it came。
In the room above； Little Ease heard the laughter and capered in sympathy with the Liberatore's joy。 What else could such a sound mean； but that the deed was close to being done？ Even if it didn't see the consequences of this triumph； it thought； its last night in the living world had been immeasurably sweetened by all it had been a party to。 And should there be an afterlife for such creatures as itself （although of this it was by no means certain）； then its account of this night would be a fine tale to tell when it went into the pany of its ancestors。
Anxious not to disturb the Reconciler； it gave up its dance of celebration and was about to return to the window and its duties as night watchman when it heard a sound its paddings had concealed。 Its gaze went from the sill to the ceiling。 The wind had got up in the last little while and was skittering across the roof； rattling the slates as it went； or so Ease thought； until it realized the tree outside was as still as the Kwem at equinox。
Little Ease didn't e from a tribe of heroes； quite the reverse。 The legends of its people concerned famous apologists； humblers； deserters； and cowards。 Its instinct； hearing this sound from above； was to be away downstairs as fast as its bandy legs knew how。 But it fought what came naturally； for the Reconciler's sake； and cautiously approached the window in the hope of gaining a glimpse of what was happening above。
It climbed up onto the sill and； belly up； slid itself out a little way； peering up at the eaves。 A mist dirtied the starlight； and the roof was dark。 It leaned a little farther out； the sill hard beneath its bony back。 From the window below； the sound of the Reconciler's laughter floated up； its music reassuring。 Little Ease had time to smile； hearing it。 Then something as dark as the roof and as dirty as the fog that covered the stars reached down and stopped its mouth。 The attack came so suddenly Little Ease lost its grip on the window frame and toppled backwards； but its smotherer had too tight a hold on it to let it drop； and hauled it up onto the roof。 Seeing the assembly there； Ease knew its errors in… ： stantly。 One； it had stopped its nostrils and so failed to smell this congregation。 Two； it had believed too much in a theology which taught that evil came from below。 Not so； not so。 ： While it had watched the street for Sartori and his legion； it '； had neglected the route along the roofs； which was just as ； secure for creatures as nimble as these。
There were not more than six of them； but then there 。； didn't need to be。 The gek…a…gek were feared among the feared； Oviates that only the most overweening of Maestros would have called into the Dominions。 As massive as tigers； and as sleek； they had hands the size of a man's head and heads as flat as a man's hand。 Their flanks were translucent in some lights； but here they had made a pact with darkness； and they lay…all but the smotherer…at the apex of the roof； their silhouettes concealing the Maestro until he rose and murmured that the captive be brought to his feet。
〃Now； Little Ease；〃 he said； the words too soft to be heard in the rooms below； but loud enough to make the creature evacuate its bowels in terror； 〃I want you to spill more than your shite for me。〃
It gave Sartori no satisfaction to watch Little Ease's life go out。 The sense of exhilaration he'd felt at dawn when； having summoned the gek…a…gek； he'd contemplated the confrontation that lay a few hours off； had been all but sweated out of him by the heat of the intervening day。 The gek…a…gek were powerful beasts and might well have survived the journey from Shiverick Square to Gamut Street； but no Oviate was fond of the light from any heaven； and rather than risk their debilitation； he'd stayed beneath the trees with his pride； counting off the hours。 Only once had he ventured from their pany and had found the streets deserted。 The sight should have heartened him。 With the area deserted he and the creatures would be unwitnessed when they moved on the enemy。 But sitting in the silent bower with his dozing legion； undistracted by even the sound of a fly； his mind had been preyed upon by fears he'd always put away until now； fears fueled by the sight of these empty streets。
Was it possible that his revisionist purposes were about to be overwhelmed by some still greater revision？ He realized his dreams of a New Yzordderrex were valueless。