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Morgon； finally warm； caught Aloil's attention as he began listening to their conversation。 The big wizard broke off mid…sentence and turned his blue； burning gaze across the fire。 The preoccupied frown in his eyes turned to amazement。
〃Morgon。。。〃
〃I'm looking for Yrth；〃 Morgon said。 〃Astrin told me he was with you。〃 Talies； both thin brows raised； started to ment。 Then he stepped to the king's pavilion and flung the flap open。 He said something； Mathom followed him back out。
〃He was here a moment ago；〃 Talies said； and Morgon sighed。 〃He can't be far。 How in Hel's name did you cross Wind Plain？〃
〃At night。 I was a carrion crow。〃 He met the black； searching eyes of the King of An。 Mathom； pulling his cloak off； said crustily； 〃It's cold enough to freeze the bare bones of the dead。〃 He threw it around Mor…gon's shoulders。 〃Where did you leave my daughter？〃
〃Asleep at Caerweddin。 She'll follow me when she wakes。〃
〃Across Wind Plain？ Alone？ You aren't easy on one another。〃 He prodded the fire until it groped for the low boughs of the oak。
Morgon asked； pulling the cloak tight； 〃Was Yrth with you？ Where did he go？〃
〃I don't know。 I thought he came out for a cup of hot wine。 This is no season for old men。 Why？ There are two great wizards here； both at your service。〃 He did not wait for an answer； he cast a quizzical eye at Aloil。 〃You are linked to him。 Where is he？〃
Aloil； staring down at the fuming oak logs； shook his head。 〃Napping； perhaps。 His mind is silent。 He made a swift journey across Yraris。〃
〃So did Morgon； by the look of it；〃 Tafies mented。 〃Why didn't Yrth travel with you？〃
Morgon； caught without an answer； ran one hand through his hair vaguely。 He saw a sudden glitter in the crow's eyes。 〃No doubt；〃 Mathom said； 〃Yrth had his reasons。 A man with no eyes sees marvels。 You stopped at Caerweddin？ Are Astrin and his war lords still at odds？〃
〃Possibly。 But Astrin is bringing the entire army to Wind Plain。〃
〃When？〃 Aloil demanded。 〃He said nothing of that to me； and I was with him three nights ago。〃
〃Now。〃 He added； 〃I asked him to。〃
There was a silence； during which one of the sentries； wearing nothing more than his bones under gold armor； rode soundlessly past the fire。 Mathom's eyes followed the wraith's passage。 〃So。 What does a man with one eye see？〃 He answered himself； with a blank shock of recognition in his voice； 〃Death。〃
〃This is hardly a time；〃 Aloil said restlessly； 〃for riddles。 If the way is clear between Umber and Thor； it will take him four days to reach the plain。 If it is not。。。 you had better be prepared to march north to aid him。 He could lose the entire strength of Ymris。 Do you know what you're doing？〃 he asked Morgon。 〃You have gained awesome powers。 But are you ready to use them alone？〃
Talies dropped a hand on his shoulder。 〃You have the brain of an Ymris warrior；〃 he said； 〃full of muscle and poetry。 I'm no riddler； either； but living for centuries in the Three Portions taught me a little subtlety。 Can you listen to what the Star…Bearer is saying？ He is drawing the force of the realm to Wind Plain； and he is not intending to battle alone。 Wind Plain。 Astrin saw it。 Yrth saw it。 The final battleground。。。〃
Aloil gazed silently at him。 Something like a frail； reluctant hope struggled into his face。 〃The High One。〃 He swung his gaze again to Morgon。 〃You think he is on Wind Plain？〃
〃I think；〃 Morgon said softly； 〃that wherever he is； if I don't find him very soon； we are all dead。 I have answered one riddle too many。〃 He shook his head as both wizards began to speak。 〃e to Wind Plain。 I'll give you whatever answers I have there。 That's where I should have gone in the first place； but I thought perhaps。。。〃 He broke off。 Mathom finished his sentence。
〃You thought Yrth was here。 The Harpist of Lungold。〃 He made a harsh； dry sound； like a crow's laugh。 But he was staring into the fire as if he were watching it weave a dream to its ending。 He turned away from it abruptly； but not before Morgon saw his eyes； black and expressionless as the eyes of his dead； who had been eaten to the bone by truth。
XVII
MORGON STOOD IN THE TREES AT THE EDGE OF WIND Plain at twilight； waiting as the night slowly drew the empty city and the long； whispering grasses into itself once again。 He had been there for hours； motionless； waiting； so still he might have rooted himself to earth like a bare； twisted oak without realizing it。 The sky spilled a starless black over the world； until even with his night…vision； the jewellike colors of the tower stones seemed permeated with the dark。 He moved then； aware of his body again。 As he took one final step toward the tower； clouds parted unexpectedly。 A single star drifted through the unfathomable blackness above it。
He stood at the foot of the stairs； looking up at them as he had when be first saw them one wet autumn day two years before。 Then； he remembered； he had turned away； uncurious； unpelled。 The stairs were gold； and according to all legend they wound away from the earth forever。
He bowed his head as if he were walking into a hard wind and began to climb。 The walls around him were of the lustrous burning black between stars。 The gold stairs ringed around the core of the tower； slanting gently upward。 As he rounded it once and began the second spiral； the black gave way to a rich crimson。 The winds； he realized； were no longer the thin； angry winds of the day； their voices were forceful； sinewy。 The stairs beneath his feet seemed carved of ivory。
He heard the voices of the winds change again at the third spiral。 They held tones he had harped to in the northern wastes； and his hands yearned to match their singing。 But harping would be deadly； so he kept his hands still。 At the fourth level the walls seemed of solid gold and the stairs carved out of star fire。 They wound endlessly upward； the plain； the broken city grew farther and farther away from him。 The winds grew colder as he climbed。 At the ninth level he wondered if he were climbing a mountain。 The winds； the stairs； and the walls around him were clear as melted snow。 The spirals were getting smaller； and he thought he must be near the top。 But the next level plunged him into an eerie darkness； as if the stairs were carved out of night wind。 It seemed interminable； but when he came out of it again； the moon was exactly where he had seen it last。 He continued upward。 The walls turned a beautiful dawn…grey； the stairs were pale rose。 The winds had a cutting edge； merciless and deadly。 They were prodding him out of his own shape。 He kept walking； half…man； half…wind； and the colors around him changed again and again； until he realized； as others had realized before him； that he could spiral through them changing forever。
He stopped。 The city was so far beneath him he could no longer see it in the dark。 Looking up； he could see the elusive top of the tower very near him。 But it had been that near him； it seemed； for hours。 He wondered if he were walking through a piece of a dream that had stood among the abandoned stones for thousands of years。 Then he realized it was not a dream； but an illusion； an ancient riddle bound to someone's mind； and he had carried the answer to it with him all the way。
He said softly； 〃Death。〃
XVIII
THE WALLS ROSE AROUND HIM； CIRCLED HIM。
Twelve windows opened through midnight blue stone to the restless； murmuring winds。 He felt a touch and turned； startled back into his body。
The High One stood before him。 He had the wizard's scarred hands； and the harpist's fine； worn face。 But his eyes were neither the harpist's nor the wizard's。 They were the falcon's eyes； fierce； vulnerable； frighteningly powerful。 They held Morgon motionless； half…regretting that he had spoken the name that had turned in his mind after all that time to show its dark side。 For the first time in his life he had no courage for questions； his mouth was too dry for speaking。
He whispered into the void of the High One's silence； 〃I had to find you。。。 I have to understand。〃
〃You still don't。〃 His voice sounded shadowy with winds。 Then he bound the awesomeness of his power somewhere within him and became the harpist； quiet； familiar； whom Morgon could question。 The moment's transition bound Morgon's voice again； for it loosed a conflict of emotion。 He tried to control them。 But as the High One touched the stars at his side and his back； bringing them irrevocably into shape； his own hands rose； caught the harpist's arms and stilled him。
〃Why？〃
The falcon's eyes held him again； he could not look away。 He saw； as if he were reading memories within the dark eyes； the silent； age…old game the High One had played； now with Earth…Masters； now with Ghisteslwchlohm； now with Morgon himself； a ceaseless tapestry of riddles with some threads as old as time and others spun at a step across the threshold into a wizard's chamber； at a change of expression on the Star…Bearer's face。 His fingers tightened； feeling bone。 An Earth…Master moved