‘Yes, I think I’ve heard something like that before.’
‘I know, in his own way, Cang still has some form of compassion for us. It’s just that he has walked so long upon the earth that he finds it difficult to remember being human. Every mote of his existence has been directed at freeing us from our fate, so I cannot blame him for being the creature he has become. He sees people in terms of lifetimes and events,and finds relating to us as individuals difficult. In the end, we shall be grateful.’
‘He seems to have forgotten that people dislike being used. If he had really known us so well, we would all be following him willingly, not tricked into submission.’
‘Yet here you are, Samuel. I see little difference.’
‘Then perhaps that is the difference between us,’ Samuel replied. He looked up momentarily and noted the comet was still present in the clear evening sky, grown in brilliance since the last time he remembered examining it. ‘Perhaps this is an omen of what is to come,’ he noted. ‘The comet follows us into the desert.’
Balten barely raised his gaze for a moment. ‘Perhaps-but there are both good omens and bad; we shall see which this turns out to be.’
‘What about him?’ Samuel asked, gesturing back towards Canyon, with his god holdingontightly behind him, her arms wrapped around his belly. ‘What need do we have of him now?’
‘Perhaps, none-I don’t know. I spoke to the woman and she didn’t want him left behind. And I know something about Canyon-if there is one thing he is terrified of, it is that girl. Since his plans have been revealed, he is living in fear. I think that is how she likes it.’
‘So be it,’ said Samuel. ‘He deserves whatever he gets.’
And they rode on in silence after that, into the dark desert night.
The rocks and flats turned back to sand soon after that, and they traded their horses for camels at a small Paatin trading post. Once again, the owner knew Balten and there was no need for payment.
The tall animals handled the uneven terrain with ease, but the ride was lurching and turbulent. Every motion from the beasts had their riders holding on for dear life. Only Balten seemed at ease upon them and he kept his eyes to the horizon. They travelled for many nights, sheltering by day in huts and hovels that marked the way. When the scorching sun went down,they headed due east, lighting their way with mage-lights when required, each throwingitsghoulish light upon the dunes around them. When the sun rose, they sought shelter once again. They measured their travels by flasks of water and the hours until they could next quench their thirsts.
‘I don’t think it’s rained here in a thousand years,’ Eric noted.
Samuel observed the skies. There was not a drop of moisture to be felt and he wondered if he could change the weather here, even with the power of his ring. He doubted it.
The desert soon became great waves and hills of sand, utterly devoid of life. They rode the crests of these dunes when they could, and dipped down into them when required, mindful of all the warnings that Balten recited for them on each occasion.
‘Do you remember what I told you in the mountains, Samuel,’ Balten remarked, ‘that we would miss the cold of the mountains once we entered the desert?’
Samuel smacked his parched lips. ‘Unfortunately, I do and,unfortunately, you were right.’ He rodeonin silence before posing a difficult question to the man riding beside him. ‘How long have you known that I have no power-that I am dependent on the ring?’
‘I am not blind, Samuel. When you first told me the Argum Stone had been destroyed in the battle with Ash, I had no reason to disbelieve you, but I am also not a fool. I can sense the ring in your pocket and I can see it on your finger when you cast your spells. It is not such a feat to work out what is happening.’
‘Then perhaps there are others who know about this?’
‘Perhaps, Samuel, but I would not worry about it if I were you.’
‘Oh?’
‘You are amongst friends here-mostly-and after,our task has been completed,the ring will be destroyed. Perhaps you will have no power when that is done, butultimately,you will have little choice in the matter. We cannot let you keep your power if it costs the lives of the world.’
Samuel knew the words were true, but still they worried him. He could not imagine living without his magic and found himself contemplating his actions if that moment truly arrived. He was not sure that he could face living as a common man. If he was calleduponto destroy his ring for the sake of humanity, he only hoped he would have thecourageto do it.
They passed the days without anyuntowardevent or sign of another soul, until one morning at dawn, as they were just preparing to find shelter, a dark wave began to approach from the east. Balten held his hand over his eyes and peered into the distance. He pulled his scarves tightly around his face and the others mirrored him, ensuring their features were hidden.
‘What shall we do?’ Eric asked.
‘Ride straight past them,’ Balten commanded. ‘Do nothing. They have no wizard.’
The host of black-robed men, all on foot,approached.They marched thirty abreast and five hundred deep. They did not waste energy marching in the regulated manner of the Empire, but sauntered casually beside each other, walking lightly on the shifting sands. True to his word, the entire host of men passed them by as if they did not exist.
Looking back at them, Canyon asked, ‘Are they magicians?’
‘No,’ Balten replied. ‘Black is the colour of the Aalatan,one of the larger tribes. The desert people’s only weakness is that their tribes have always been enemies. But their queen has united them now, and they have reluctantly banded together in vast numbers. They all fight for her.’
‘Where do all these people come from?’ the Emperor asked. ‘How can a land so empty produce so many soldiers?’
‘There are clusters of settlements here and there, but this desert is bigger than ten empires. Moreover, the Paatin are fanatical towards their queen, even more so than the Koians and their god.’
‘And what of their magicians…these wizards. Is all their magic so tainted and strange?’
‘Not at all,’ Balten returned. ‘Their wizards have always had magic akin to our own, but it is Om-rah who has tainted them of late. He has delved into magic of transformation and changed himself piece by piece until he is little more than a monster. I suspect he has found some snippets of the Ancient Lick, for his spells stink of such perversion. He hascreatedspells that change men into abominations of nature-granting them the aspects of other creatures-but the toll on them is high. They only live for minutes once the spell has done its work;then they die. Unfortunately, with the Paatin being more than willing to sacrifice themselves for their queen, he hasunlimitedsubjects willing to give themselves for his rank experiments.’
Samuel nodded in understanding and,as he rode on the back of the heaving animal, he considered ways to combat such a fiend. Slowly, they trod their way across the sands, leaving nothing but footsteps to mark their passing.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Far ahead, they saw something glittering between the dunes. At first, they thought it was just another mirage but,as they came closer,it became evident that, almost unbelievably, there was watervisibleamongst the sands.
‘Well,look at that!’ the Emperor exclaimed and,as they neared,they could see that it was,indeed,a lake in the middle of the desert.
It was only ankle-deep, but they could scarcely see the other side, and they ran and splashed in its shallows, enjoying the coolness on their skin. Even the Koian woman trod in and pumped her feet up and down in the mud, looking intrigued at the feeling of it between her toes.
