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Simon sensed the cold； dreadful something that waited growing stronger。 It was all around Green Angel Tower； drawing nearer； like a hunting beast ing stealthily through the darkness toward a campfire。
〃At Wentmouth；〃 Pryrates cried； 〃on the cliffs above the endless ocean where the Hayefur once burned for travelers from the lost West； the Second House is now built。 The Storm King's servant is there； and a far greater flame lifts to the skies。〃
〃Do 。。。 not 。。。〃 Binabik； held by Pryrates' magics； struggled to move forward from the walls。 His voice eemed to e from a great distance。 〃Do 。。。 not。。。 ！〃
The priest flicked a gesture toward him and the troll was silenced； squirming helplessly。
Again the bell rang； and the power of it seemed to pulse on and on； reverberating。 For a moment Simon heard voices rising outside； screams of pain and terror in the language of the Sithi。 Red lights flickered in the icicles hanging from the bell…chamber's vaulted ceiling。
〃Above Hasu Vale； beside the ancient Wailing Stone； where the Eldest before the Eldest once danced beneath stars that have burned out…the Third House is built。 The Storm King's servant lifts another flame to the skies。〃
Elias suddenly took a wobbly step。 Sorrow's blade dipped as he bent； although it still touched the other two swords。 〃Pryrates；〃 he gasped； 〃something 。。。 something is burning 。。。 inside me！〃
〃Father！〃 Miriamele's voice was faint； but her face was contorted with terror。
〃Because it is time； Majesty；〃 the alchemist said。 〃You are changing。 Your mortality must be scorched away by clean flame。〃 He pointed at the princess。 〃Look； Elias！ Do you see what your weakness does to you？ Do you see what the sham of love would bring you？ She would make you into an old man； sobbing for your meals； pissing in your bed！〃
The king straightened up and turned his back on Miriamele。 〃I will not be held down；〃 he gritted。 Every word seemed an effort。 〃I will 。 。。 take 。。。 what was promised。〃
Simon saw that the priest was smiling； though sweat trickled down his egg…smooth brow。 〃You will have it。〃 He lifted his arms once more。 Simon strained until he thought veins would burst in his temples； but could not pull free from the crossed swords。 〃In your brother's stronghold； Elias；〃 Pryrates said； 〃in what was the very heart of his treachery…at Naglimund we build the Fourth House！〃
Simon again saw the unfamiliar black sky framed in the window。 At the bottom of the sill； the Hayholt had bee a forest of pale； graceful towers。 Flames ran among them。 The strange sight did not vanish。 The Hayholt was gone； replaced by 。。。 Asu'a？ Simon heard shrieking Sithi voices echoing； and the roar of flames。
〃And now the Fifth House！〃 cried Pryrates。
The tolling of the phantom bell this time brought back Simon's view of storm clouds and whirling snow。 The high…pitched anguish of the Sithi gave way to the dulled shouts of mortals。
〃In the Pool of Three Depths； Utuk'ku gives way to the last of the Storm King's servitors； and beneath us the fifth and final House is created。〃 Pryrates spread his arms； palms down； and the whole tower trembled。 A kind of sucking pull reached down the length of Bright…Nail； through Simon's arm； tugging at his heart and even his thoughts as though it sought to draw them out whole。 Across from him； Camaris bared his teeth in an agonized grimace； Thorn quivering in his fist。
A fountain of icy blue light sprang up through the floor of the bellchamber； roaring and crackling as it passed through the blackness where the swords touched。 Diminished and distorted by that passage； it continued up past Simon's face and spattered the glinting ceiling with blue sparks。 Simon felt his body convulsing as tremendous energies flowed around him and through him。 Inside his battered thoughts the swords thrilled exultantly； their spirits released。 He tried to open his mouth and scream； but his jaws were locked tight； teeth grinding。 The coruscating blue light filled his eyes。
〃And now the three Great Swords have found their way to this place； beneath the Conqueror Star。 Sorrow； defender of Asu'a； scourge of the living； Thorn； star…blade； banner of the dying Imperium； Bright…Nail； last iron from the vanished West。〃
As Pryrates called each name； the great bell rang。 The tower and all around it seemed to shift with each sounding； the delicate towers and flames giving way to the squat； snow…covered roofs of the Hayholt； then appearing once more with the next reverberating clang。
Caught in the grip of terrible forces； Simon felt himself burning from within。 He hated。 Smoldering clouds of rage rose up inside him； hatred at being tricked； at seeing his friends murdered； at the terrible devastation that Pryrates and Ellas had caused。 He wanted to swing the sword in a deadly arc； to smash everything in sight； to kill those who had made him so horribly unhappy。 He could not shriek…he could not even move except to twitch helplessly。 The rage； ordinary escape blocked； seemed to pour out through his sword arm instead。 Bright…Nail became a blur； something not quite real； as though part of it had gone away。 Thorn was a dark smear in Camaris' hands。 The old man's eyes had rolled up in his head。
Simon felt his monstrous anger and despair break free。 The blackness where the swords met widened； an unending emptiness； a gate into Unbeing； and Simon's hate poured into it。 The void began to crawl up Sorrow's length toward Elias。
〃We harness the great fear。〃 Pryrates moved to a spot behind the king； who now seemed as trapped and helpless as the other two swordbearers。 The priest spread his arms wide； so that for a moment Elias seemed to have another pair of hands。 〃In every land； the fear has spread。 The kilpa make the seas boil。 The ghants crawl through the streets of the southern cities。 The beasts of legend stalk the snows of the north。 The fear is everywhere。
〃We harness the great fear。 In every land； brother is turned against brother。 Plague and famine and the scourge of war turn people into raging demons。
〃All the strength of fright and fury is ours； tunneled through the pattern of the Five Houses。〃 Suddenly Pryrates laughed。 〃You are all such small minds！ Even your terrors are small ones。 You feared to see your armies defeated？ You will see more than that。 You will see Time itself roll backward in its rut。〃
King Elias jerked and twitched as the blackness crawled up the blade toward him； but he seemed unable to release Sorrow。 〃God help me； Pryrates！〃 A convulsive shudder ran through him； a tremor of such power that he should have fallen to the floor。 The nightdark void touched his hands。 〃Aaaah！ God help me； I am burning up！ My soul is on fire！〃
〃Surely you did not think it would be easy？〃 Pryrates was grinning。 Sweat sheeted down his forehead。 〃It will get worse； you fool。〃
〃I do not wish immortality！〃 Ellas screamed。 〃Ah； God； God； God！ Release me！ I am burning away！〃 His voice was distorted； as though some inconceivable thing had invaded his lungs and chest。
〃What you wish is not important；〃 Pryrates spat back。 〃You will have your immortality…but it may not be all you had hoped。〃
Elias writhed。 His shrieks were wordless now。
Pryrates extended his hands until they hovered on either side of Sorrow's hilt； only inches from Elias' own lingers。 〃It is time for the Words of Unmaking；〃 he said。
The bell thundered； and once more Green Angel Tower was surrounded by the tragic delicacy of burning Asu'a。 The stars in that black sky were cold and tiny as snowflakes。 The tower seemed to shake like an agonized living thing。
〃I have prepared the way！〃 Pryrates called。 〃I have crafted the vessel。 Now； in this place； let Time turn backward！ Roll back the centuries to the moment before Ineluki was banished to the realms beyond death。 As I speak the Words of Unmaking； let him return！ Let him return！〃 He lapsed into a bellowing chant in a language harsh as shattering stone； as cracking ice。 The blackness spread out over Elias and for a moment the king vanished utterly； as though he had been pushed through the wall of reality。 Then he seemed to absorb the blackness； or it flowed into him； he reappeared； thrashing and shrieking incoherently。
Elysia； Mother of Mercy！ They've won！ They've won！ Simon's head seemed full of storm winds and flame； but his heart was black ice。
Once more the bell caroled； and this time the very air of the chamber seemed to grow solid and glassy； bending Simon's gaze as though he looked through a mirrored tunnel。 There seemed no up or down。 Outside； the stars began to smear across the sky in long white threads； tangling like wormholes in sod。 Even as his life bled from him and out of Bright…Nail in searing waves； he felt the world turning inside out。
The bell chamber grew dark。 Distorted shadows loomed and shifted across the icy chamber； then the walls seemed to open and fall away。 Blackness flowed through； bringing with it a deeper chill； a freezing； ultimate cold。
Elias' agonized screams had bee a choking near…silence。 He and Pryrates were now the only things visible。 The priest's hands flickered with yellow light； his face gleamed。 All the warmth of the world was leaking away。
The king began to change。
Ellas' silhouette bent and shifted； growing monstrously； even though his own contorted form was somehow still visible in the center of the darkness。
The deadening chill was inside Simon； too； seeping in where the flames of his fury had burned away his hope。 His life was being drawn out of him； sucked clean like marrow from a bone。
The cold； cold thing that had waited so long was ing。
〃Yes； you will live forever； Elias；〃 intoned Pryrates。 〃But it will be as a flitting shadow within your own body； a shadow dwarfed by Ineluki's bright flame。 You see； even with the wheel of Time turned backward in its track and all the doors opened to Ineluki once more； his spirit must have an earthly home。〃
The sounds of the storm outside had ceased； or could no longer penetrate through the strange forces that clutched the bellchamber。 The fountain of blue light flowing upward from the Pool had narrowed to a silent stream that vanished into the blackness of the swords' joining and did not reemerge。 When Pryrates had finished； there was no sound in the dark room but the rapid chuffmg of the king's breath。 Scarlet flames kindled in the depths of Elias' eyes； then his head rocked back as though his neck had snapped。 Vaporous red light leaked from his mouth。
Simon watched in horror； through the swords he could feel the way being opened； just as Pryrates had said。 Something too horrible to exist was forcing its way through into the world。 The king's body jerked like a child's doll dangling on a string。 Smoldering light seemed to spring forth from him everywhere； as though the very fabric of his body was fraying apart； revealing some burning thing beneath。
Somewhere Miriamele was screaming； her small； lost voice seemed to e from the other end of the universe。
The bellchamber was gone。 All around； angles as strange as if reflected in broken mirrors； stood Asu'a's needle towers。 They burned as the king's body burned； crumbled as Time itself was crumbling。 Five centuries were sliding away into the frozen black void。 Nothing would be left but ashes and stone and Ineluki's utter triumph。
〃e to us； Storm King！〃 shouted Pryrates。 〃I have made the way。 The Words of Unmaking release the power of the swords； and Time turns withershins。 History is undone！ We shall write it anew！〃
Elias writhed； and writhing grew larger； as though whatever filled him was too large for any mortal form and stretched him almost to the point of bursting。 A suggestion of antlers flickered on the king's brow； and his eyes were pits of shifting； molten scarlet。 His outline wavered。 a moving tide of shadow that made it impossible to discern his true shape。 The king's arms parted。 One hand still held the elusive blur of nothingness that had been Sorrow； the other hand extended and the fingers spread； black as charred sticks。 Emberlight played in the creases。
The thing paused； flickering a