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.Still, he pushed the edyrem’s pace just a little more…and a little more…and a little more…Just before dark on the fourth day, they came upon another river.The edyrem began crossing.Uldyssian wasat his most cautious and set several sentries in place.Yet it seemed that his concern was unwarranted.They were not attacked, and no one was caught by the river.When the last of his followers had made it over, Uldyssian ordered them on, while he stood and surveyed thearea of the river with more than just his eyes.And still there was nothing.It made no sense to use the last few minutes of dim light to take them farther from such an obvious source ofwater.With reluctance, Uldyssian called a halt.He set up the usual perimeter and then, recalling the attack,placed additional sentries a bit deeper into the jungle.All of his guards remained in contact with one another.Even with that done, he still summoned Saron for one more precaution.“I want you to find four others andbegin a continuous patrol of the camp itself.Reach out with your minds.You need to be aware of anysensation that seems at all out of the ordinary.”“Yes, Master Uldyssian.I understand completely.” The Torajian bowed and immediately went off to locate the ones he needed.Uldyssian vowed to himself to have Jonas and another band take over after a couple of hours.He wanted all his sentinels to be fresh of mind.But as the night lengthened, Uldyssian began to wonder if he had just had a case of nerves.The nearer theygot to the capital, the more his task there began to weigh upon him.It was very possible that confronting themage clans might even get them at least to side temporarily with Inarius.Better the enemy they thought theyunderstood, rather than Uldyssian’s unknown and unpredictable powers.That they would find themselves in a far worse situation if the edyrem were beaten would be something hewould have to impress upon them.But all that had to wait until they reached their destination.Uldyssian finally gave in to his exhaustion, his lastthoughts concerning his overzealous precautions.It had only been his nerves —A bright white light suddenly erupted in his face, blinding him.Uldyssian let out a shout, but his voice was somuted that even he could bearly hear it.He reached out with his thoughts to Serenthia and the others — butcould not find them.There existed only the light…only the light and then, gradually, a wondrous figure from whom it was clear theblazing illumination originated.Far taller than any human, he strode confidently toward Uldyssian, hisbreastplate gleaming and the tendrils of pure force that were his wings flaring a rainbow of fierce colors.23 of 193And as he neared the son of Diomedes, he transformed into the leader of the Cathedral of Light, the Prophet.“Uldyssian ul-Diomed,” came the musical voice.The youth stood just about the former farmer’s height but seemed somehow still to be able to gaze down upon him from well above.His luminous silver-blue eyes penetrated to Uldyssian’s very soul, making the human feel as if he could hide nothing.“My errant child…”Uldyssian belatedly leapt to his feet.He stared into the Prophet’s beautiful, perfect face — unmarred by scar,wart, or even the slightest beard — which was framed by glistening, golden locks that fell far past hisshoulders.“I’m no acolyte of yours, Inarius, and certainly not your child!”“No…” the beatific figure agreed with a glorious smile full of perfect teeth.“But you are the child of the child of the child several times over who was begat by my even more errant son, he who now calls himself Rathma.”Uldyssian had been told of a blood link between himself and the angel, but if there was one, it was as farremoved from him as if he were related to the animals that he had raised.If Inarius thought to spark somefamilial bond, then the angel was sorely deluded.“I do not seek to call family to family,” the Prophet remarked with unsettling accuracy, “but I do come to you with power to grant you absolution even now.You need not continue on this path of sin after sin, my son.I can still forgive you.”His statements might have been considered mere audacity by Uldyssian if not for the jarring fact that not onlywas it still impossible to reach out to the others, but even the encampment could not be found.Uldyssian wascompletely surrounded by the light emanating from his adversary.Even when he took a step back, nothingchanged.The ground itself was enshrouded by the celestial illumination [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]