Elsewhere the news had all been dark. The Almecs had slaughtered most of the residents of Boria, Pejkan and Caval, and 3,000 soldiers were now marching slowly up the coast towards Egaru. They would be in sight of the capital in eight days. Another army of similar size was preparing to move from Ammon’s capital.
Methras had sunk two golden ships, but more and more were sailing up the river, bringing soldiers and weapons of war.
Viruk, with Sofarita’s aid, had linked with the agent Boru and together they were bringing Ammon to Egaru. She had last seen the wagon earlier that day, trundling over the farmlands near her own village of Pacepta. The settlement was deserted, the farmers having taken to the hills in search of safety.
The Almecs had landed armies all over the continent. To the far south they had crushed the nomads, killing hundreds. To the east they had fought a pitched battle with the Hantu tribe. The Almecs had suffered heavy losses, but at the day’s end more than 2,000 Hantu lay dead upon the field, among them the leader Rzak Xhen.
Twenty miles from Egaru another Almec army was camped close to the mist barrier around the Valley of the Stone Lion. They had assembled a structure of metal poles, boxes and wires and were studying the mist. Twenty of their men had tried to march through. One made it back. He died within moments, his body aged beyond belief.
Sofarita had flown through the mist, to find that Anu’s pyramid had reached the thirty-first course, and was now almost 200 feet high. She had entered Anu’s tent. He was asleep on his cot bed. His hair was sparse and cloud white, deeply etched lines scored his face, and his limbs were stick thin. Anu awoke and gazed up at her. ‘I was wondering when you would visit,’ he said, aloud. ‘Or am I dreaming?’
‘It is no dream, Holy One.’
Anu closed his eyes and lay back. A faint blue aura glimmered around his body, and then his spirit rose clear. ‘It is good to see you, child,’ he said. ‘How are you faring?’
‘The power is growing all the time,’ she told him, ‘sometimes slowly, sometimes with surges that overwhelm me. It is not constant. It frightens me.’
His spirit hand took hers. ‘You are a brave woman, Sofarita. The Source chose well. But then he always does.’
‘I did not ask to be chosen,’ she said. ‘Nor did I want to be.’
‘I think you are wrong. If you had known the terrible evil that was to come, and had been offered the power to oppose it, I believe you would have made this choice. You are strong, and good, and fair hearted.’
‘And I am to die.’
‘We are all going to die, child. Everything does.’ He released her hand. ‘Tell Rael I need another chest. I must speed the Dance.’
‘I will tell him. Why is it that you are allowing yourself to age?’
‘I have no wish for immortality, Sofarita. It is a heavy burden, with few genuine pleasures.’
‘When you are gone the Music will die with you.’
He smiled and shook his head. ‘The Music cannot die. All that will fail will be men’s understanding of it. Perhaps that is good. Time will tell. But I feel there is enough evil in the world already, without magic adding to it.’
‘The Almecs are trying to break through your barrier of mist. Can you hold them back?’
‘I could, but I will not,’ said Anu. He paused. ‘Can you sense the presence of Almeia when she is close?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you sense her now?’
‘No.’
‘Good, then let us talk. I am not a man given to lies, but I have left Rael and the others with the belief that my pyramid will save them, that it will be a new power source to recharge the chests. This is exactly the opposite of the truth. When the Music flows from it all crystal power will be drained. The chests will empty, the zhi-bows fail. Immortality for the Avatars will cease. Equally, when the Music reaches the west, the Crystal Queen will die. But first I must finish the pyramid. At this moment Almeia believes the pyramid will be a power source for her. While she believes this no attempt will be made to stop me. It is vital that she does not learn the truth. You must keep her focused upon you, Sofarita. In any way you can.’