“My brain is flawed. I hate all I see. I cannot control my fears. Nevertheless that which underlies my brain — my blood, my body, my spirit — that which is me loves you, the you underneath the mask.”
Etarr studied the white face with a fierce intentness. “How can you love when you hate?”
“I hate you with the hate that I give to all the world; I love you with a feeling nothing else arouses.”
Etarr turned away. “We make a strange pair …”
The turmoil, the whimpering joinings of flesh and half-flesh quieted. A tall man in a conical black hat appeared on the dais. He flung back his head, shouted spells to the sky, wove runes in the air with his arms. And as he chanted, high above a gigantic wavering figure began to form, tall, taller than the highest trees, taller than the sky. It shaped slowly, green mists folding and unfolding, and presently the outline was clear — the wavering shape of a woman, beautiful, grave, stately. The figure slowly became steady, glowing with an unearthly green light. She seemed to have golden hair, coiffed in the manner of a dim past, and her clothes were those of the ancients.
The magician who had called her forth screamed, exulted, shouted vast windy taunts that rang past the crags.
“She lives!” murmured T’sais aghast. “She moves! Who is she?”
“It is Ethodea, goddess of mercy, from a time while the sun was still yellow,” said Etarr.
The magician flung out his arm and a great bolt of purple fire soared up through the sky and spattered against the dim green form. The calm face twisted in anguish, and the watching demons, witches and necrophages called out in glee. The magician on the dais flung out his arm again and bolt after bolt of purple fire darted up to smite the captive goddess. The whoops and cries of those by the fire were terrible to hear.
Then there came the clear thin call of a bugle, cutting brilliantly through the exultation. The revel jerked breathlessly alert.
The bugle, musical and bright, rang again, louder, a sound alien to the place. And now, breasting over the crags like spume, charged a company of green-clad men, moving with fanatic resolve.
“Valdaran!” cried the magician on the dais, and the green figure of Ethodea wavered and disappeared.
Panic spread through the amphitheater. There were hoarse cries, a milling of lethargic bodies, a cloud of rising shapes as the demons sought flight. A few of the sorcerers stood boldly forth to chant spells of fire, dissolution, and paralysis against the assault, but there was strong counter-magic, and the invaders leapt unscathed into the amphitheater, vaulting the dais. Their swords rose and fell, hacking, slashing, stabbing without mercy or restraint.
“The Green Legion of Valdaran the Just,” whispered Etarr. “See, there he stands!” He pointed to a brooding black-clad figure on the crest of the ridge, watching all with a savage satisfaction.
Nor did the demons escape. As they flapped through the night, great birds bestrode by men in green swooped down from the darkness. And these bore tubes which sprayed fans of galling light, and the demons who came within range gave terrible screams and toppled to earth, where they exploded in black dust.
A few sorcerers had escaped to the crags, to dodge and hide among the shadows. T’sais and Etarr heard a scrabbling and panting below. Frantically clambering up the rocks was she whom Etarr had come seeking — Javanne, her red hair streaming back from her clear young face. Etarr made a leap, caught her, clamped her with strong arms.
“Come,” he said to T’sais, and bearing the struggling figure, he strode off through the shadows.
At length as they passed down upon the moor, the tumult faded in the distance. Etarr set the woman upon her feet, unclamped her mouth. She caught sight for the first time of him who had seized her. The flame died from her face and through the night a slight smile could be seen. And she combed her long red hair with her fingers, arranging the locks over her shoulders, eyeing Etarr the while. T’sais wandered close, and Javanne turned her a slow appraising glance.
She laughed. “So, Etarr, you have been unfaithful to me; you have found a new lover.”
“She is no concern of yours,” said Etarr.
“Send her away,” said Javanne, “and I will love you again. Remember how you first kissed me beneath the poplars, on the terrace of your villa?”
Etarr gave a short sharp laugh. “There is a single thing I require of you, and that is my face.”
And Javanne mocked him. “Your face? What is amiss with the one you wear? You are better suited to it; and in any event, your former face is lost.”
“Lost? How so?”
“He who wore it was blasted this night by the Green Legion, may Kraan preserve their living brains in acid!”
Etarr turned his blue eyes off toward the crags.
“So now is your countenance dust, black dust,” murmured Javanne. Etarr, in blind rage, stepped forward and struck at the sweetly impudent face. But Javanne took a quick step back.
“Careful, Etarr, lest I mischief you with magic. You may go limping, hopping hence with a body to suit your face. And your beautiful dark-haired child shall be play for demons.”
Etarr recovered himself and stood back, eyes smouldering.
“I have magic as well, and even without I would smite you silent with my fist ere you worded the first frame of your spell.”
“Ha, that we shall see,” cried Javanne, skipping away. “For I have a charm of wonderful brevity.” As Etarr lunged at her she spoke a charm. Etarr stopped in mid-stride, his arms fell listless to his side, and he became a creature without volition, all his will drained by the leaching magic.
But Javanne stood in precisely the same posture, and her gray eyes stared dumbly forth. Only T’sais was free — for T’sais wore Pandelume’s rune which reflected magic back against him who launched it.
She stood bewildered in the dark night, the two inanimate figures standing like sleep-walkers before her. She ran to Etarr, tugged at his arm. He looked at her with dull eyes.
“Etarr! What is wrong with you?” And Etarr, because his will was paralyzed, forced to answer all questions and obey all orders, replied to her.
“The witch has spoken a spell which leaves me without volition. Therefore I cannot move or speak without command.”
“What shall I do? How can I save you?” inquired the distressed girl. And, though Etarr was without volition, he retained his thought and passion. He could give her what information she asked, and nothing more.
“You must order me to a course which will defeat the witch.”
“But how will I know this course?”
“You will ask and I will tell you.”
“Then would it not be better to order you to act as your brain directs?”
