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bit frustrating for you to be in the body of a woman rather than at least
being able to embrace them as a man, and they all understand. No-one will
think badly of you for having lost your temper tonight," Joy said, then
grinned wryly. "But I will say that in my opinion, when you do decide to throw
a tantrum, you really do a proper job of it."
I glared at her suddenly. "Joy, I did not throw a tantrum!" I snapped, annoyed
- and was annoyed again when it came out as a woman's shriek, complete with
stamping of tiny feet.
Joy burst into giggles, and I made a moue'. "Well, then what do you call all
this, then?" she asked, waving a large hand at all the damage.
"Cordo came by to have a brief little chat with me, and try to kill me. He
failed. Between us, I'm the better mage," I replied, sitting on the parapet
again and crossing my arms - and was annoyed again to hear it come out as a
woman's sulking pout.
Joy gasped. "Cordo?! But-but you said he was dead!"
"I thought he was. When I last saw the men of the Dyclonic Circle, the force
of the mana storm had torn the atoms of their bodies apart. All but a handful
were simply destroyed, and those that remained were reduced to bubbling
puddles of dying flesh. Apparently, however, the tool of a god is a bit harder
to kill than that," I replied dryly. Joy paled, and I narrowed my eyes. "Oh,
he's a bit worse for wear, alright, and now looks more like a wax statue left
out in the sun a bit long - but he still lives."
"But-but Eddas! What will you do?! He could come back!"
"He won't. As I said, he's learned tonight that between us, I am the better
mage. Of course, he has the advantage that Morgar speaks to him nightly,
whereas Yorindar has spoken to me barely four times in over fifty years.
Yorindar is more conservative of his strength, and apparently chooses to use
me more as a single pawn on a very large game-board. An important pawn,
perhaps, but still only a pawn. Morgar, however, is apparently acting directly
through Cordo - he burns most of his energies doing so and limits his possible
options, but in the end, he may still win. Knowledge is Power, Joy, and Cordo
has far more knowledge of what may happen than I do, and may be more effective
at making Morgar's plans come about, because of that. Cordo is still a
highly-skilled battle-mage, Joy, and his insanity has not dimmed his power -
only his judgement. If Morgar can guide Cordo properly, he can still win
against Yorindar."
"But Eddas! What will you do?"
"Nothing, Joy. I simply wait."
"Wait?!"
"Yes, Joy. I sit here in my tower, and wait. Eventually, Yorindar will let me
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know that I am needed."
"But-but can't you go after Cordo?! You said you were stronger - can't you
find him and kill him?!"
I shook my head. "No, Joy, I did not say I was stronger, I said I was the
better mage between us. He is still my equal in power. As to following him...
Well, I would follow him and try to kill him if I could, but I've no idea
where he is. If I at least had a general notion, I might be able to try a
spell of teleport - but I've no idea."
"The Black Tower! He could be there, now!"
I shook my head again. "No, Joy, I sealed the tower with a spell. He cannot
enter - and if he managed to break the spell, the enchantment is such that I
would know. He's probably raised a new tower in some remote part of the
wilderness, and from there even now is plotting his revenge. All I can do is
wait, and see what Yorindar wishes me to do about it," I replied, and sighed.
"Joy, you must understand what I have come to understand - many of the things
that have happened to me and to those around me have been for a reason. Dyarzi
died so that I would search far and wide for a way to bring her back to me -
and, in the process, become the greatest mage in the history of my circle, and
perhaps in the history of my people. Perhaps even Master Frarim became my
teacher so that I would learn a love of scholarly pursuits, and the study of
magic as a pure science - necessary for me to have become the mage I am,
today. My suicide centuries ago was so that I would not be aware of the events
of the Great War, and perhaps be destroyed in it. The birth, life and death of
Ellysande Northstar was all for the purpose of giving me her body - and I am
in this body that I might both have something I might form into a powerful
vessel for the Raven of Yorindar, and at the same time never become the father
of my race. Your birth was so that you would bring about Darian's progeny -
who, apparently, are the main focus of Yorindar's efforts. Everything, from
the beginning to this very moment, has been according to Yorindar's plan. I [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]