The Illearth War

“Hail, High Lord!” he said cheerfully. When Troy let go of him, he bowed humorously to her, then turned and repeated his bow to his captor. “Hail, Warmark! You are perceptive-but rough. Is this the hospitality of Revelwood?” Glee filled his voice, effaced any reproof in his words. “Your strength was not needed. I am here.”.

“By hell,” Covenant muttered. “By hell.”

“Indeed?” said Amok with a boyish grin that seemed to light up the laughing curls of his hair. “Well, that is not for me to say. But I am well made. You bear the white gold. It is for your sake that I have returned.”

All the people of Revelwood had surged to their feet when Amok appeared, and the Lorewardens now stood in a ready circle around the Warmark and his captive. Both Corimini and Asuraka were confusedly questioning the High Lord. But Elena deferred to Lord Amatin. Stepping into the circle, Amatin asked Amok, “How so?”

Amok replied, “Lord, the white gold surpasses my purpose. I felt the sign of readiness when the krill of Loric came to life. I went to Revelstone. There I learned that the krill was not awakened by the Lords of Kevin's Lore. I feared that I had erred. But now I have travelled the Land, and seen the peril. And I have learned of the white gold, which awakened Loric's krill. This shows the wisdom of my creation. Though the conditions of my life are not met, I see the need, and I appear.”

“Are you changed?” said Amatin. “Will you give us your knowledge now?”

“I am who I am. I respect the white gold, but I am unchanged.”

“Who is he?” Corimini insisted.

By answering the Eldest, High Lord Elena provided Amatin with a moment in which to prepare herself. 'He is Amok, the waiting bearer of knowledge. He was made by High Lord Kevin to-to answer certain questions. It was Kevin's thought that when those who came after him had mastered the krill, they would be ready for Amok's knowledge. But we have not mastered the krill. We do not know the questions.'

At this, a breath of astonishment blew through the Loresraat. But Troy could see that the Lorewardens immediately understood the situation better than he did. Their eyes gleamed with possibilities he did not comprehend.

At a nod from Corimini, the two Elders, Asuraka and Drinishok, entered the circle and stood on either side of Lord Amatin, placing their knowledge at her service. She acknowledged them, then raised her studious face to Amok and said, 'Stranger, who are you?'

“Lord, I am what you see,” Amok responded cryptically. “Those who know me have no need for my name.”

“Who made you?”

“High Lord Kevin son of Loric son of Damelon son of Berek Heartthew the Lord-Fatherer.”

“Why were you made?”

“I wait. And I answer.” The boy's open grin seemed to mock the incorrectness of Amatin's questions.

Irritated by Amok's riddling, Drinishok interposed, “Boy, do you bear knowledge that belongs to the Warlore?”

Amok laughed. “Old man, I was old when the grandsire of your grandsire's grandsire was a babe. Do I appear to be a warrior?”

“I care nothing for age,” the Sword-Elder snapped. “You behave as a child.”

“I am what I am. I behave as I was made to behave.”

When Lord Amatin spoke again, she emphasized her words intently. “Amok, what are you?”

Without hesitation, Amok replied, “I am the Seventh Ward of High Lord Kevin's Lore.”

His answer threw a stunned silence over the whole gathering. Both Elders gasped, and Corimini had to brace himself on Elena's shoulder. A burst of wild emotion shot across Elena's face. Mhoram's eyes crackled with sudden, visionary fire. And Lord Amatin gaped-amazed or appalled at what she had uncovered. Even Troy, who had not devoted his whole life to the mysteries of the Wards, felt abruptly unbalanced, as if his precarious perch had been jolted by something inscrutable. Then a ragged cheer sprang up among the students. The Lorewardens pressed eagerly forward, as if they wanted to verify Amok's existence by touching him. And through the clamour, Troy heard High Lord Elena exclaim, “By the Seven! We are saved!”

Covenant also heard her. “Saved?” he rasped across the din. 'You don't even know what the Seventh Ward is.

Elena ignored him. She beamed grateful congratulations to Lord Amatin, then raised her arms to quiet the assembly. When some degree of order had returned to the viancome, she said, “Amok, you are indeed well made. You chose wisely in returning to us. Now the Despiser does not overpower us as much as he may think.”

With an effort, old Corimini forced himself to remember his long experience with the unattainability of the Wards. In a thin voice, he quavered, “But still we do not know the questions to unlock this knowledge.”

“We will find them,” Elena responded. Sharp determination thrummed in her voice.

After a pause to steady herself, Lord Amatin returned to her inquiry. “Amok, the Wards which we have found contain various knowledges on many subjects. It is so with the Seventh Ward?”

Amok seemed to think that this was a penetrating question. He bowed to her as seriously as his bubbling spirits permitted, and said, “Lord, the Seventh Ward has many uses, but I am only one answer.”

“What answer are you?”

“I am the way and the door.”

“How so?”

“That is my answer.”

Lord Amatin looked toward Elena and Mhoram for suggestions, and Troy took the opportunity to ask, “The way and the door to what?”

With a chuckle, Amok replied, “Those who know me have no need for my name.”

“Yes, I remember,” Troy growled. “And among those who do not know you, you are named Amok. Why don't you think of something else to say?”

“Think of some other question,” the youth retorted gaily.

Troy retreated, baffled, and after a moment Lord Amatin was ready to continue. “Amok, knowledge is the way and door of power. The Earthpower answers those who know its name. How great is the power of the Seventh Ward?”

“It is the pinnacle of Kevin's Lore,” said Amok slyly, as if he were making a subtle joke.

“Can it be used to defeat the Despiser?”

“Power is power. Its uses are in the hands of the user.”

“Amok,” Amatin said, then hesitated. She seemed almost afraid of her next question. But she clenched her resolve, and spoke it. “Does the Seventh Ward contain knowledge of the Ritual of Desecration?”

“Lord, Desecration requires no knowledge. It comes freely to any willing hand.”

The Lord sighed, then turned to Asuraka and asked the Staff-Elder for advice. Asuraka referred the question to Drinishok, but he was out of his element, and could offer her nothing. On an impulse, she turned to Corimini. The two conferred in hushed tones for a moment. When Asuraka returned to Amok, she said tentatively, “Amok, the other Wards teach knowledge concerning power. Are you the power of the Seventh Ward?”

“I am the way and the door.”

“Do you bear the power itself within you?” she insisted.

For a moment, Amok appeared to study the legitimacy of this question. Then he said simply, “No.”

“Are you a teacher?”

“I am the way and-”

Suddenly Lord Amatin grasped a new idea, and interrupted Amok. “You are a guide.”

“Yes.”

“You were created to teach us the location of some knowledge or power?”

“Ah, that may be as it happens. Much is taught, but few learn.”

“Where is this power?”

“Where all such powers should be-hidden.”

“What is the power?”

Laughing, the youth replied, “There is a time for all things.” Then he added, “Those who know me have no