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Every muscle in his body locked。 He swung on his haunches； met Gbisteslwchlohm's eyes。
They were haunted； restless with a power not his own。 That much Morgon saw before the darkness swallowed the flame in his hand； leaving him blind again。
〃So；〃 he whispered； 〃the Founder himself is bound。〃 He stood up noiselessly； trying； in the same movement； to step into the fragment of dawn beyond the splintered doors in the High One's throne room。 He stepped instead over the edge of a chasm。 He lost his balance； crying out； and fell into nothingness。 He landed on the lake shore； clinging to the stones at Ghisteslwcnlohm's feet
He dropped his face against his forearm； trying to think。 He caught at the mind of a bat tucked in its secret corner； but the wizard gripped him before he could change shape。
〃There is no escape。〃 The voice had changed； it was slow； soft； as if he were listening beneath it for another voice； or a distant； uneasy rhythm of tides。 〃Star…Bearer； you will use no power。 You will do nothing but wait。〃
〃Wait；〃 he whispered。 〃For what？ For death？〃 He stopped； the word flickering back and forth between two meanings in his mind。 〃There is no harping this tune to keep me alive。〃 He lifted his head； his eyes straining again at the blackness。 〃Or are you expecting the High One？ You can wait until I turn to stone here like the Earth…Masters' children before the High One shows any interest in me。〃
〃I doubt that。〃
〃You。 You hardly exist。 You no longer have the ability to doubt。 Even the wraiths of An have more will than you do。 I can't even tell if you're dead or alive still； deep in you； the way the wizards lived； somehow； beneath your power。〃 His voice dropped a little。 〃I could fight for you。 I would do even that for freedom。〃
The hand left his arm。 He groped into the strange； sea…filled mind； to find the name it held。 It eluded him。 He struggled through swells and heaving tides； until the wizard's mind heaved him back on the shore of his own awareness。 He was gasping； as if he had forgotten to breathe。 He heard the wizard's voice finally； withdrawing into the dark。
〃For you； there is no word for freedom。〃
He slept a little； then； trying to regain strength。 He dreamed of water。 His raging thirst woke him； he felt for the water； tried to drink it again。 He spat it out before he swallowed it； knelt racked with coughing。 He drifted finally back into a feverish sleep and dreamed again of water。 He felt himself falling into it； drawing a cool darkness around himself； moving deeper and deeper into its stillness。 He breathed in water and woke himself； panicked； drowning。 Hands dragged him out of the lake； left him retching bitter water on the shore。
The water cleared his head a little。 He lay quietly； staring into the darkness； wondering； if he let it fill his mind； whether it would drown him like water。 He let it seep slowly into his thoughts until the memories of a long year's night overwhelmed him and he panicked again； igniting the air with fire。 He saw Ghisteslwchlohm's face briefly； then the wizard's hand slapped at his flame and it broke into pieces like glass。
He whispered； 〃For every doorless tower there is a riddle to open the door。 You taught me that。〃
〃There is one door and one riddle here。〃
〃Death。 You don't believe that。 Otherwise you would have let me drown。 If the High One isn't interested in my life or my death； what will you do then？〃
〃Wait。〃
〃Wait。〃 He shifted restlessly； his thoughts speeding feverishly towards some answer。 〃The shape…changers have been waiting for thousands of years。 You named them； the instant before they bound you。 What did you see？ What could be strong enough to overpower an Earth…Master？ Someone who takes the power and law of his existence from every living thing； from earth； fire； water； from wind。。。 The High One was driven out of Erlenstar Mountain by the shape…changers。 And you came then and found an empty throne where legend had placed the High One。 So you became the High One； playing a game of power while you waited for someone the stone children knew only as the Star…Bearer。 You kept watch on places of knowledge and power； gathering the wizards at Lun…gold； teaching at Caithnard。 And one day the son of a Prince of Hed came to Caithnard with the smell of cowdung on his boots and a question on his face。 But that wasn't enough。 You're still waiting。 The shape…changers are still waiting。 For the High One。 You are using me for bait； but he could have found me in here long before this； if he had been interested。〃
〃He will e。〃
〃I doubt that。 He allowed you to deceive the realm for centuries。 He is not interested in the welfare of men or wizards in the realm。 He let you strip me of the land…rule； for which I should have killed you。 He is not interested in me。。。〃 He was silent again； his eyes on the expressionless face of darkness。 He said； listening to the silence that gathered and froze in every drop of liquid stone； 〃What could be powerful enough to destroy the Earth…Masters' cities？ To force the High One himself into hiding？ What is as powerful as an Earth…Master？〃 He was silent again。 Then an answer like a glint of fire burning itself into ash moved in the depths of his mind。
He sat up。 The air seemed suddenly thin； fiery； lie found it hard to breathe。 〃The shape…changers。。。〃 The blade of dryness was back in his throat。 He raised his hands to his eyes； gathering darkness to stare into。 Voices whispered out of his memory； out of the stones around him： The war is not finished； only silenced for the regathering。。。 Those from the sea。 Edolen。 Sec。 They destroyed us so we could not live on earth any more； we could not master it。。。 The voices of the Earth…Masters' dead； the children。 His hands dropped heavily on the stone floor； but still the darkness pushed against his eyes。 He saw the child turn from the leaf it touched in its dreaming； look across a plain； its body tense； waiting。 〃They could touch a leaf； a mountain； a seed； and know it； bee it。 That's what Raederle saw； the power in them she loved。 Yet they killed each other； buried their children beneath a mountain to die。 They knew all the languages of the earth； all the laws of its shapes and movement。 What happened to them？ Did they stumble into the shape of something that had no law but power？〃 His voice was whispering away from him as if out of a dream。 〃What shape？〃
He fell silent abruptly。 He was shivering； yet sweating。 The smell of water pulled at him mercilessly。 He reached out to it again； his throat tormented with thirst。 His hands halted before they broke the surface。 Raederle's face； dreamlike in its beauty； looked back at him from the still water between his hands。 Her long hair flowed away from her face like the sun's fire。 He forgot his thirst。 He knelt motionlessly for a long time； gazing down at it； not knowing if it was real or if he had fashioned it out of longing； and not caring。
Then a hand struck at it； shattering the image； sending rings of movement shivering to the far edges of the lake。
A murderous； uncontrollable fury swept Morgon to his feet。 He wanted to kill Ghisteslwchlohm with his hands； but he could not even see the wizard。 A power battered him away again and again。 He scarcely felt pain； shapes were reeling faster than language in his mind。 He discarded them； searching for the one shape powerful enough to contain his rage。 He felt his body fray into shapelessness； a sound filled his mind； deep； harsh； wild； the voices out of the farthest reaches of the backlands。 But they were no longer empty。 Something shuddered through him； flinging off a light snapping through the air。 He felt thoughts groping into his mind； but his own thoughts held no language except a sound like a vibrant； untuned harp string。 He felt the fury in him expand； shape itself to all the hollows and forms of the stone chamber。 He flung the wizard across the cavern； held him like a leaf before the wind； splayed against the stones。
Then he realized what shape he had taken。
He fell back into his own shape； the wild energy in him suddenly gone。 He knelt on the stones； trembling； half…sobbing in fear and amazement。 He heard the wizard stumble away from the wall； breathing haltingly； as if his ribs were cracked。 As he moved across the cavern； Morgon heard voices all around him； speaking various plex languages of the earth。
He heard the whispering of fire； the shiver of leaves； the howl of a wolf in the lonely； moonlit backlands； the dry riddling of corn leaves。 Then； far away； he heard a sound； as if the mountain itself had sighed。 He felt the stone shift slightly under him。 A sea bird cried harshly。 Someone with a hand of tree bark and light flung Morgon onto his back。
He whispered bitterly； feeling the starred sword wrenched from his side； 〃One riddle and one door。〃
But； though he waited in the eye of darkness for the sword to fall； nothing touched him。 He was caught suddenly； breathless； in their tension of waiting。 Then Raederle's voice； raised in a Great Shout； shook stones loose from the ceiling and jarred him out of his wait