Samah did not want peace, however. He wanted the world his way—and only his way. And so he broke the world apart. Unfortunately, when he tried to put it back together, the world crumbled into smaller and smaller pieces, began to slip through his fingers.
Alfred now knew the truth. Alfred became a threat to Samah.
But it was Alfred—meek, bumbling Alfred, who fainted at the very mention of the word “danger”—who joined my fight against the dragon-snakes.* He saved my life, the lives of the mensch, and very probably the lives of his own ungrateful people.
*Serpent Mage, vol. 4 of The Death Gale Cycle.
Despite this—or perhaps because of it—Samah sentenced Alfred to a dire fate. Samah cast Alfred and Orla, the woman who loves him, into the Labyrinth.
Now I am the only one left who knows the truth about the danger we face. The evil forces embodied in the dragon-snakes do not seek to rule us—they desire nothing that constructive. Suffering, agony, chaos, fear—this is their goal. And they will attain it, unless we all join together to find some way to stop them. For the dragon-snakes are powerful, far more powerful than any of us. Far more powerful than Samah. Far more powerful than Xar.
I must convince my lord of this—a task that will not be easy. He already suspects me of being a traitor. How can I prove to him that my loyalty to him, to my people, was never greater than it is now?
And Alfred, what do I do about Alfred? The kind, vague, and bumbling Sartan will not long survive the Labyrinth. I could return there to save him … if I dared.
But—I must admit to myself—I am afraid.
I am more afraid now than I have ever been in my life. The evil is very great, very powerful, and I face it alone, as my name foretold.
Alone, except for a dog.
PROLOGUE
I WRITE THIS AS I SIT IN A SARTAN PRISON CELL, AWATTENG MY FREEDOM*
*Written in the human language, in Haplo’s hand, the entry can be found in the back of the journal left the Patryn by the dwarf maid, Grundle. Patryns typically use mensch language to record events and thoughts, considering their own magical nine language far too powerful to be used indiscriminately.
It will be a long time coming, I think, for the level of the seawater that will free me is rising very slowly. Undoubtedly the water level is being controlled by the mensch, who do not want to harm any of the Sartan, but merely rid them of their magic.* The seawater of Chelestra is breathable as air, but a wall of water sent crashing through the land would cause a considerable amount of destruction. Remarkably practical-minded of the mensch to think of such an angle. I wonder, though, how they have managed to force the dragon-snakes— the serpents—to cooperate.
* Reference to the fact that the seawater on the world of Chelestra nullifies tile powerful magics of both Sartan and Patryn. See Serpent Mage, vol. 4 of The Death Gate Cycle.
The serpents* of Chelestra…
* “Dragon-snake” is a mensch term, coined by Grundle. The Sartan word for the creature is “serpent.” Haplo adopts the Sartan word used in this volume, a change from his previous work. Why he made the change is unclear. One reason suggests itself—he did not want to confuse these false “dragons” with the true dragons who inhabit the worlds. Haplo used a Sartan word because the Patryns, having never encountered this evil, have no word for it.
I knew evil before them—I was born in, survived, and escaped the Labyrinth. But I have never known evil like them. It is these creatures who have taught me to believe in a higher power—a power over which we have little control, a power that is inherently evil.
Alfred, my old nemesis, you would be horrified, reading that statement. I can almost hear you stuttering and stammering in protest.
“No, no! There is a corresponding power for good. We’ve seen it, you and I.” That is what you would tell me.
Did you see it, Alfred? And if so, where? Your own people denounced you as a heretic, sent you to the Labyrinth, or so they threatened. And Samah doesn’t seem to me to be the type who makes threats lightly. What do you think of your power for good now, Alfred? … as you fight for your life in the Labyrinth.