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ord to mit his Eowards。 If he risked a guess； and guessed wrong； disaster would result。 So Covenant had been urgently summoned； and yet now was left to himself； with no demands upon him。
In addition； the Lord went on； there was another reason why he had been summoned at a time which now appeared to have been premature。 Warmark Troy had argued urgently for the summons。 This surprised Covenant until Callindrill explained Troy's reasoning。 The Warmark had believed that Lord Foul would be able to detect the summons。 So by means of Covenant's call Troy had hoped to put pressure on the Despiser； force him； because of his fear of the wild magic； to launch his attack before he was ready。 Time favored Lord Foul because his war resources far surpassed those of the Council； and if he prepared long enough he might well field an army that no Warward could defeat。 Troy hoped that the ploy of summoning Covenant would make the Despiser cut his preparations short。
Lastly； Callindrill explained in a gentle voice； High Lord Elena and Lord Mhoram were in fact evading the Unbeliever。 Covenant had not asked that question； but Callindrill seemed to divine some of the causes of his frustration。 Elena and Mhoram； each in their separate ways； felt so involved in Covenant's dilemma that they stayed away from him in order to avoid aggravating his distress。 They sensed； said Callindrill； that he found their personal appeals more painful than any other。 The possibility that he might go to Seareach had jolted Elena。 And Mhoram was consumed by his work on the krill。 Until the war bereft them of choice； they refrained as much as possible from imposing upon him。
Well； Troy warned me； Covenant muttered to himself as he left Callindrill and Faer。 He said that they're scrupulous。 After a moment； he added sourly； I would be better off if all these people would stop trying to do me favors。
Yet he was grateful to Faer and her husband。 Their panionly gestures helped him to get through the next few days； helped him to keep the vertiginous darkness at bay。 He felt that he was rotting inside； but he was not going mad。
But he knew that he could not stand it much longer。 The ambience of Revelstone was as tight as a string about to snap。 Pressure was building inside him； rising toward desperation。 When Bannor knocked at his door one afternoon； he was so startled that he almost cried out。
However； Bannor had not e to announce the start of the war。 In his flat voice； he asked Covenant if the Unbeliever would like to go hear a song。
A song； he echoed numbly。 For a moment； he was too confused to respond。 He had not expected such a question； certainly not from the Bloodguard。 But then he shrugged jerkily。 〃Why not？〃 He did not stop to ask what had prompted Bannor's unusual initiative。 With a scowl； he followed the Bloodguard out of his suite。
Bannor took him up through the levels of the Keep until they were higher in the mountain than he had ever been before。 Then the wide passage they followed rounded a corner； and came unexpectedly into open sunlight。 They entered a broad； roofless amphitheater。 Rows of stone benches curved downward to form a bowl around a flat center stage； and behind the topmost row the stone wall rose straight for twenty or thirty feet； ending in the flat of the plateau； where the mountain met the sky。 The afternoon sun shone into the amphitheater； drenching the dull white stone of the stage and benches and wall with warmth and light。
The seats were starting to fill when Bannor and Covenant arrived。 People from all the occupations of the Keep； including farmers and cooks and warriors； and the Lords Trevor and Loerya with their daughters； came through several openings in the wall to take seats around the bowl。 But the Bloodguard formed the largest single group。 Covenant estimated roughly that there were a hundred of them on the benches。 This vaguely surprised him。 He had never seen more than a score of the Haruchai in one place before。 After looking around for a while； he asked Bannor； 〃What song is this； anyway？〃
〃Lord Kevin's Lament；〃 Bannor replied dispassionately。
Then Covenant felt that he understood。 Kevin； he nodded to himself。 Of course the Bloodguard wanted to hear this song。 How could they be less than keenly interested in anything which might help them to prehend Kevin Landwaster？
For it was Kevin who had summoned Lord Foul to Kiril Threndor to utter the Ritual of Desecration。 The legends said that when Kevin had seen that he could not defeat the Despiser； his heart had turned black with despair。 He had loved the Land too intensely to let it fall to Lord Foul。 And yet he had failed； he could not preserve it。 Torn by his impossible dilemma； he had been driven to dare that Ritual。 He had known that the unleashing of that fell power would destroy the Lords and all their works； and ravage the Land from end to end； make it barren for generations。 He had known that he would die。 But he had hoped that Lord Foul would also die； that when at last life returned to the Land it would be life free of Despite。 He chose to take that risk rather than permit Lord Foul's victory。 Thus he dared the Despiser to join him in Kiril Threndor。 He and Lord Foul spoke the Ritual； and High Lord Kevin Landwaster destroyed the Land which he loved。
And Lord Foul had not died。 He had been reduced for a time； but he had survived； preserved by the law of Time which emprisoned him upon the Earth so the legends said。 So now all the Land and the new Lords lay under the consequences of Kevin's despair。
It was not surprising that the Bloodguard wanted to hear this song…or that Bannor had asked Covenant to e hear it also。
As he mused； Covenant caught a glimpse of blue from across the amphitheater。 Looking up； he saw High Lord Elena standing near one of the entrances。 She； too； wanted to hear this song。
With her was Warmark Troy。
Covenant felt an urge to go join them； but before he could make up his mind to move； the singer entered the amphitheater。 She was a tall； resplendent woman； simply clad in a crimson robe； with golden hair that flew like sparks about her head。 As she moved down the steps to the stage； her audience rose to its feet and silently gave her the salute of wele。 She did not return it。 Her face bore a look of concentration； as if she were already feeling her song。
When she reached the stage； she did not speak； said nothing to introduce or explain or identify her song。 Instead； she took her stance in the center of the stage； posed herself for a moment as the song came over her； then lifted her face to the sun and opened her throat。
At first； her melody was restrained； arid and angular …only hinting at burned pangs and poignancies。
I stood on the pinnacle of the Earth： Mount Thunder； its Lions in full flaming mane； raised its crest no higher than the horizons that my gaze manded； the Ranyhyn； hooves unfettered since the Age began； galloped gladly to my will； iron…thewed Giants from beyond the sun's birth in the sea came to me in ships as mighty as castles； and cleft my castle from the raw Earth rock and gave it to me out of pure friendship a handmark of allegiance and fealty in the eternal stone of Time； the Lords under my Watch labored to find and make manifest the true purpose of the Earth's Creator； barred from His creation by the vary power of that purpose…power graven into the flesh and bone of the Land by the immutable Law of its creation： how could I stand so； so much glory and dominion prehended by the outstretch of my armsstand thus； eye to eye with the Despiser； and not be dismayed？
But then the song changed； as if the singer opened inner chambers to give her voice more resonance。 In high； arching spans of song； she gave out her threnody …highlighted it and underscored it with so many implied harmonies； so many suggestions of other acpanying voices； that she seemed to have a whole choir within her； using her one throat for utterance。
Where is the Power that protects beauty from the decay of life？
preserves truth pure of falsehood？ secures fealty from that slow stain of chaos which corrupts？
How are we so rendered small by Despite？ Why will the very rocks not erupt for their own cleansing；
or crumble into dust for shame？ Creator！
When You desecrated this temple； rid Yourself of this contempt by inflicting it upon the Land； did You intend that beauty and truth should pass utterly from the Earth？
Have You shaped my fate into the Law of life？ Am I effectless？
Must I preside over； sanction； acknowledge with the bitter face of treachery； approve the falling of the world？
Her music ached in the air like a wound of song。 And as she finished； the people came to their feet with a rush。 Together they sang into the fathomless heavens：
Ah； Creator！
Timelord and Landsire！
Did You intend that beauty and truth should pass utterly from the Earth？
Bannor stood； though he did not join the song。 But Covenant kept his seat； feeling small and useless beside the munity of Revelstone。 Their emotion climaxed in the refrain； expending sharp grief and then filling the amphitheater with a wash of peace which cleansed and healed the song's despair； as if the united power of the singing alone were answer e