LITMIR.BIZ

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our own in time and space.’ Before questions could be asked, he said, ‘Let me explain.’

      ‘This man was sick with fever, and his mind wandered.’ Tully’s face flickered with remembered pain. ‘He was part of an honor guard for someone he thought of only as ‘Great One.’ There were conflicting images, and I can’t be sure, but it seems that the journey they were on was considered strange, both for the presence of this Great One and for the nature of the mission. The only concrete thought I gained was that this Great One had no need to travel by ship. Beyond that, I have little but quick and disjointed impressions. There was a city he knew as Yankora, then a terrible storm, and a sudden blinding brilliance, which may have been lightning striking the ship, but I think not. There was a thought of his captain and comrades being washed overboard. Then a crash on the rocks.’ He paused for a moment. ‘I am not sure if those images are in order, for I think it likely that the crew was lost before the blinding light.’

      ‘Why?’ asked Borric.

      ‘I’m ahead of myself,’ said Tully. ‘First I’d like to explain why I think this man is from another world.

      ‘This Xomich grew to manhood in a land ruled by great armies. They are a warrior race, whose ships control the seas. But what seas? Never, to my knowledge, has there been mention of contact with these people. And there are other visions that are even more convincing. Great cities, far larger than those in the heart of Kesh, the largest known to us. Armies on parade during high holiday, marching past a review stand; city garrisons larger than the King’s Army of the West.’

      Algon said, ‘Still, there is nothing to say they are not from’ – he paused, as if the admission were difficult – ‘across the Endless Sea.’ That prospect seemed to trouble him less than the notion of some place not of this world.

      Tully looked irritated at the interruption. ‘There is more, much more. I followed him through his dreams, many of his homeland. He remembers creatures unlike any I have heard of or seen, things with six legs that pull wagons like oxen, and other creatures, some that look like insects or reptiles, but speak like men. His land was hot, and his memory of the sun was of one larger than ours and more green in color. This man was not of our world.’ The last was said flatly, removing from all in the room any lingering doubts. Tully would never make a pronouncement like that unless he was certain.

      The room was silent as each person reflected on what had been said. The boys watched and shared the feeling. It was as if no one were willing to speak, as if to do so would seal the priest’s information forever in fact, while to stay silent might let it pass like a bad dream. Borric stood and paced over to the window. It looked out upon a blank rear wall of the castle, but he stared as if seeking something there, something that would provide an answer for the questions that spun in his mind. He turned quickly and said, ‘How did they get here, Tully?’

      The priest shrugged. ‘Perhaps Kulgan can offer a theory as to the means. What I construct as being the most likely series of events is this: the ship foundered in the storm; the captain of the ship and most of its crew were lost. As a last resort this Great One, whoever he is, invoked a spell to remove the ship from the storm, or change the weather, or some other mighty feat. As a result, the ship was cast from its own world into this, appearing off the coast at Sailor’s Grief. With the ship moving at great speed on its own world, it may have appeared here with the same movement, and with the westerly blowing strong, and little or no crew, the ship was driven straight onto the rocks. Or it simply may have appeared upon the rocks, smashed at the instant it came into being here.’

      Fannon shook his head. ‘From another world. How can that be possible?’

      The old priest raised his hands in a gesture of mystification. ‘One can only speculate. The Ishapians have old scrolls in their temples. Some are reputed to be copies of older works, which in turn are copies of still older scrolls. They claim the originals date back, in unbroken line, to the time of the Chaos Wars. Among them is mention of ‘other planes’ and ‘other dimensions,’ and of concepts lost to us. One thing is clear, however. They speak of lands and peoples unknown and suggest that once mankind traveled to other worlds, or to Midkemia from other worlds. These notions have been the center of religious debate for centuries, and no one could say with certainty what truth there was in any of them.’ He paused, then said, ‘Until now. If I had not seen what was in Xomich’s mind, I would not have accepted such a theory to explain this day’s occurrences. But now . . .’

      Borric crossed to his chair to stand behind it, his hands gripping each side of the high back. ‘It seems impossible.’

      ‘That the ship and man were here is fact, Father,’ said Lyam.

      Arutha followed his brother’s comment with another. ‘And we must decide what the chances are that this feat may be duplicated.’

      Borric said to Tully, ‘You were right when you said this may herald a grave situation. Should a great Empire be turning its attention toward Crydee and the Kingdom . . .’

      Tully shook his head. ‘Borric, have you so long been removed from my tutelage that you miss the point entirely?’ He held up a bony hand as the Duke started to protest. ‘Forgive me, my lord. I am old and tired and forget my manners. But the truth is still the truth. A mighty nation they are, or rather an empire of nations, and if they have the means to reach us, it could prove dire, but most important is the possibility that this Great One is a magician or priest of high art. For if he is not one alone, if there are more within this Empire, and if they did indeed try to reach this world with magic, then grave times are truly in store for us.’

      When everyone at the table still appeared not to comprehend what he was alluding to, Tully continued, like a patient teacher lecturing a group of promising but occasionally slow students. ‘The ship’s appearance may be the product of chance and, if so, is only a cause for curiosity. But if it was by design that it came here, then we may be in peril, for to move a ship to another world is an order of magic beyond my imagining. If these people, the Tsurani as they call themselves, know we are here, and if they possess the means to reach us, then not only must we fear armies that rival Great Kesh at the height of its power, when its reach extended to even this remote corner of the world, we must also face magic far greater than any we have known.’

      Borric nodded, for the conclusion was obvious, once pointed out. ‘We must have Kulgan’s counsel on this at once.’

      ‘One thing, Arutha,’ said Tully. The Prince looked up from his chair, for he had been lost in thought. ‘I know why Xomich tried to run from you and your men. He thought you were creatures he knew in his own world, centaurlike creatures, called Thun, feared by the Tsurani.’

      ‘Why would he think that?’ asked Lyam, looking puzzled.

      ‘He had never seen a horse, or any creature remotely like it. I expect these people have none.’

      The Duke sat down again. Drumming his fingers on the table, he said, ‘If what Father Tully says is true, then we must make some decisions, and quickly. If this is but an accident that has brought these people to our shores, then there may be little to fear. If, however, there is some design to their coming, then we should expect a serious threat. Here we are the fewest in number of all the Kingdom’s garrisons, and it would be a hard thing should they come here in force.’

      The others murmured agreement, and the Duke said, ‘We would do well to try to understand that what has been said here is still only speculation, though I am inclined to agree with Tully on most points. We should have Kulgan’s thoughts upon the matter of these people.’ He turned to Pug. ‘Lad, see if your master is free to join us.’

      Pug nodded and opened the door, then raced through the keep. He ran to the tower steps and took them two at a time. He raised his hand to knock and felt a strange sensation, as if he were near a lightning strike, causing the hair on his arms and scalp to stand up. A sudden sense of wrongness swept over him, and he pounded on the door. ‘Kulgan! Kulgan! Are you all right?’ he shouted, but no answer was forthcoming. He tried the door latch and found it locked. He placed his shoulder against the door and tried to force it, but it held fast. The feeling of strangeness had passed, but fear rose

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