We’ve always known about him,’ Aphrael said pensively. ‘We
used to frighten ourselves by telling stories about him. There’s
a certain perverse pleasure in making one’s own flesh crawl.
I don’t think I ever really admitted to myself that he actually
~existed.’
‘Exactly what is he?’ Bevier asked her.
‘Evil.’ She shrugged. ‘We’re supposed to be the essence of
good – at least that’s what we tell ourselves. Klael is the opposite.
He’s our way of explaining the existence of evil. If we didn’t
have Klael, we’d have to accept the responsibility for evil ourselves,
and we’re a little too fond of ourselves to do that.’
Then this Klael is the King of Hell?’ Bevier asked.
‘Well, sort of. Hell isn’t a place, though. It’s a state of mind.
The story has it that when the Elder Gods – Azash and the
others – emerged, they found Klael already here. They wanted
the world for themselves, and he was in their way. After several
of them had tried individually to get rid of him and got themselves
obliterated, they banded together and cast him out.’
Where did he come from? Originally, I mean?’ Bevier pressed.
Bevier was very much caught up in first causes.
‘How in the world should I know? I wasn’t there. Ask
Bhelliom.’
‘i’m not so much interested in where this Klael came from as
I am in what kinds of things it can do,’ Sparhawk said. He took
Bhelliom out of the pouch at his waist. ‘Blue Rose,’ he said, ‘I
do think we must talk concerning Klael.’
‘it might be well, Anakha,’ the jewel responded, once again
taking control of Vanion.
‘Where did he – or it – originate?’
‘Klael did not originate, Anakha. Even as I, Klael hath always
been.’
‘What is it – he?’
‘Necessary. I would not offend thee, Anakha, but the necessity
of Klael is beyond thine ability to comprehend. The Child Goddess
hath explained Klael sufficiently – within her capabilities.’
‘Well, really!’ Aphrael spluttered.
A faint smile touched Vanion’s lips. ‘Be not wroth with me,
Aphrael. I do love thee still – despite thy limitations. Thou art
young, and age shall bring thee wisdom and understanding.’
‘This is not going well, Blue Rose,’ Sephrenia warned the
stone.
‘Ah, well,’ Bhelliom sighed. ‘Let us then to work. Klael was,
in fact, cast out by the Elder Gods, as Aphrael hath told thee although
the spirit of Klael, even as my spirit, doth linger in the
very rocks of this world – as in all others which I have made.
Moreover, what the Elder Gods could do, they could also undo,
and the spell which hath returned Klael was implicit in the spell
which did cast Klael out. Clearly, some mortal conversant with
the spells of the Elder Gods hath reversed the spell of casting
out, and Klael hath returned.’
‘Can he – or it – be destroyed?’
‘it is not “he” of which we speak, nor do we speak of some
“it”. We speak of Klael. But nay, Anakha, Klael cannot be
destroyed – no more than can I. Klael is eternal.’
Sparhawk’s heart sank. ‘I think we’re in trouble,’ he muttered
to his friends.
‘The fault is in some measure mine. So caught up was I in the
birth of this latest child of mine that mine attention did stray
from needful duties. It is my wont to cast Klael out at a certain
point in the making of a new world. This particular child did so
delight me, however, that I delayed the casting out. Then it was
that I did encounter the red dust which did imprison me, and
the duty to cast Klael out did devolve upon the Elder Gods. The
casting-out was made imperfect by reason of their imperfection,
and thus it was possible for Klael to be returned.’
‘By Cyrgon?’ Sparhawk asked bleakly.
‘The spell of casting out – and returning – is Styric. Cyrgon
could not utter it.’
‘Cyzada then,’ Sephrenia guessed. ‘He might very well have
known the spell. I don’t think he’d have used it willingly,
though.’
‘Cyrgon probably forced him to use it, little mother,’ Kalten
said. ‘Things haven’t been going very well for Cyrgon and
Zalasta lately.’
‘But to call Klael!’ ~Aphrael shuddered.
‘Desperate people do desperate things,’ Kalten shrugged. ‘So
do desperate Gods, I suppose.’
‘What do we do, Blue Rose?’ Sparhawk asked. ‘About Klael,
I mean to say?’
‘Thou canst do nothing, Anakha. Thou didst well when thou
didst meet Azash, and doubtless will do well again in thy dispute
with Cyrgon. Thou wouldst be powerless against Klael,
however.’
‘We’re doomed then.’ Sparhawk suddenly felt totally crushed.
‘Doomed? Of course thou art not doomed. Why art thou so
easily downcast and made disconsolate, my friend? I did not
make thee to confront Klael. That is my duty. Klael will trouble
us in some measure, as is Klael’s wont. Then, as is our custom,
Klael and I will meet.’
‘And thou wilt once more banish him?’
‘That is never certain, Anakha. I do assure thee, however,
that I will strive to mine utmost to cast Klael out – even as Klael
will strive to cast me out. The contest between us doth lie in the
future, and as I have oft told thee, the future is concealed. I will
approach the contest with confidence, however, for doubt doth
weaken resolve, and timorous uncertainty doth weigh down
the spirit. Battle should be joined with a light heart and joyous
demeanor.’
‘You can be very sententious sometimes, World-Maker,’
Aphrael said with just a hint of spitefulness.
‘Be nice, Bhelliom chided mildly.
‘Anakha.’ It was Ghworg, the God of Kill. The huge presence
came across the frosty meadow, plowing a dark path through
the silver-sheathed grass.
‘I will hear the words of Ghworg,’ Sparhawk replied.
‘Have you summoned Klael? Is it your thought that Klael will
aid us in causing hurt to Cyrgon? it is not good if you have. Let
Klael go back.’
‘it was not my doing, Ghworg. Neither was it the FlowerGem’s
doing. It is our thought that it was Cyrgon who summoned
Klael to cause hurt to us.’
‘Can the Flower-Gem cause hurt to Klael?’
‘That is not certain. The might of Klael is even as the might of
the Flower-Gem.’
The God of Kill squatted on the frozen turf, scratching at
his shaggy face with one huge paw. ‘Cyrgon is as nothing,
Anakha,’ he rumbled in an almost colloquial form of speech.
‘We can cause hurt to Cyrgon tomorrow – or some time byand
-by. We must cause hurt to Klael now. We cannot wait for
by-and-by. ‘ Sparhawk dropped to one knee on the frozen turf. ‘Your
words are wise, Ghworg.’
Ghworg’s lips pulled back in a hideous approximation of a
grin. ‘The word you use is not common among us, Anakha. If
Khwaj said, “Ghworg is wise”, I would cause hurt to him.’
‘I did not say it to cause you anger, Ghworg.’
‘You are not a Troll, Anakha. You do not know our ways. We
must cause hurt to Klael so that he will go away. How can we
do this?’
‘We cannot cause hurt to him. Only the Flower-Gem can make
him go away.’ Ghworg smashed his fist against the frozen ground with a
hideous snarl.
Sparhawk held up one hand. ‘Cyrgon has called Klael,’ he
said. ‘Klael has joined Cyrgon to cause hurt to us. Let us cause
hurt to Cyrgon now, not by-and-by. If we cause hurt to Cyrgon,
he will fear to aid Klael when the Flower-Gem goes to cause hurt
to Klael and make him go away.’
Ghworg puzzled his way through that. ‘Your words are good,
Anakha,’ he said finally. ‘How might we best cause hurt to
Cyrgon now?’
Sparhawk considered it. ‘The mind of Cyrgon is not like your
??
mind, Ghworg, nor is it like mine. Our minds are direct.
Cyrgon’s is guileful. He threw your children against our friends
here in the lands of winter to make us come here to fight them.
But your children were not his main force.
‘Cyrgon’s main force will come from the lands of the sun to
attack our friends in the city that shines.’
‘I have seen that place. The Child Goddess spoke first with
us there.’
Sparhawk frowned, trying to remember the details of Vanion’s
map. ‘There are high places here and to the south,’ he said.
Ghworg nodded.
‘Then, even further south, the high places grow low and then
they become flat.’
‘I see it,’ Ghworg said. ‘You describe it well, Anakha.’ That
startled Sparhawk. Evidently Ghworg could visualize the entire
continent.
‘in the middle of that flat place is another high place that the
man-things call the Tamul Mountains.’
Ghworg nodded in agreement.
‘The main force of Cyrgon’s children will pass that high place
to reach the city that shines. The high place will be cool, so your
children will not suffer from the sun there.’