Suffice it to say that Vashanka is gone from here, and that meaning of ‘here’
is a broad one, indeed and in deed! Vashanka is gone from here because he
cannot exist here, in this universe. He has been blown backward through a
wormhole in space, which is no easier for you to understand, eh? Accept this
truth, Hanse: Vashanka is ElseWhere. And though there is an infinity of
possibilities, of dimensions or chambers, one is closed to him forever; used
up. That one-yours-is impossible to him and does not exist for him.
“That which can never exist is the combination of Vashanka on this plane of
Reality. Since he is dead but gods may not die from the weapons of mortals, he
cannot be here. He can never return to this chamber of the House of Infinity.”
Hanse felt that Ils had said the same thing three several ways, and all were
nicely logical and avoided paradox, but … A wormhole? In space? Yet he was not
concerned with that and could not be. Vashanka was gone; Hanse must have won. He
felt fine, too, except that he could not seem to lift his head or feel anything.
Yet somehow being a hero made him behave as one; he did not mention that but
asked a hero’s question: “And Mignureal?”
“She is asleep in her bed. Was-she is risen now, and seeing to her siblings, for
in Sanctuary it is dawn. As I and mine are all-powerful here now…. !”
And Eshi rose, whole and unscarred, and rushed to the prostrate Hanse.
She knelt beside him and he knew her hands were on him because he could see
them. She looked up at the Lord of Lords.