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wer's chest and slapped his snarling face。
After a moment of resistance； Foamfollower let out a roar。 Wrenching savagely； he heaved Bannor over Covenant's head； knocked the Unbeliever off his chest； and lurched panting to his feet。
Covenant retreated from the threat of Foamfollower's fists。 But as the Giant blinked and panted； he recovered himself； recognized his friends。 〃Covenant？〃 he gritted； 〃Bannor？〃 as if he feared they were Ravers。
〃Foamfollower；〃 Covenant responded thickly。 Tears of relief streamed down his gaunt cheeks。 〃You're all right。〃
Slowly； Foamfollower relaxed as he saw that his friends were unmastered and whole。 〃Stone and Sea！〃 he gasped weakly； shuddering as he breathed。 〃Ah！ My friends…have I harmed you？〃
Covenant could not answer； he was choked with fresh weeping。 He stood where he was and let Foamfollower watch his tears； he had no other way to tell the Giant how he felt。 After a moment； Bannor replied for him； 〃We are well…as well as may be。 You have done us no injury。〃
〃And the…the specter of High Lord Elena？ The Staff of Law？ How is it that we yet live？〃
〃Gone。〃 Covenant fought to control himself。 〃Destroyed。〃
Foamfollower's face was full of sympathy。 〃Ah； no； my friend；〃 he sighed。 〃She is not destroyed。 The dead cannot be destroyed。〃
〃I know。 I know that。〃 Covenant gritted his teeth； hugged his chest； until he passed the crest of his emotion。 Then it began to subside； and he regained some measure of steadiness。 〃She's just dead…dead again。 But the Staff…it was destroyed。 By wild magic。〃 Half fearing the reaction of his friends to this information； he added； 〃I didn't do it。 It wasn't my doing。 She…〃 He faltered。 He had heard Mhoram say； You are the white gold。 How could he be sure now what was or was not his doing？
But his revelation only drew a strange glint from Banner's flat eyes。 The Haruchai had always considered weapons unnecessary； even corruptive。 Bannor found satisfaction rather than regret in the passing of the Staff。 And Foamfollower shrugged the explanation aside； as if it were unimportant pared to his friend's distress。 〃Ah； Covenant； Covenant；〃 he groaned。 〃How can you endure？ Who can withstand such things？〃
〃 F m a leper；'' Covenant responded。 He was surprised to hear himself say the word without bitterness。 〃I can stand anything。 Because I can't feel it。〃 He gestured with his diseased hands because his tears so obviously contradicted him。 〃This is a dream。 It can't touch me。 I'm〃…he grimaced； remembering the belief which had first led Elena to break the Law of Death…〃numb。〃
Answering tears blurred Foamfollower's cavernous eyes。 〃And you are very brave；〃 he said in a thick voice。 〃You are beyond me。〃
The Giant's grief almost reopened Covenant's weeping。 But he steadied himself by thinking of the questions he would have to ask； the things he would have to say。 He wanted to smile for Foamfollower； but his cheeks were too stiff。 Then he felt he had been caught in the act of a perennial failure； a habitual inadequacy of response。 He was relieved to turn away when Banner called their attention to the weather。
Bannor made him aware of the absence of wind。 In his struggle with Elena； he had hardly noticed the change。 But now he could feel the stillness of the atmosphere like a palpable healing。 For a time； at least； Lord Foul's gelid frenzy was gone。 And without the wind to drive it； the gray cloud…cover hung sullen and empty overhead； like a casket without a corpse。
As a result； the air felt warmer。 Covenant half expected to see dampness on the ground as the hard earth thawed； half expected spring to begin on the spot。 In the gentle stillness； the sound of the waterfall reached him clearly。
Banner's perceptions went further； he sensed something Covenant had missed。 After a moment； he took Covenant and Foamfollower to the Colossus to show them what he had found。
From the obsidian monolith came a soft emanation of heat。
This warmth held the true promise of spring； it smelled of buds and green grass； of aliantha and moss and forest…loam。 Under its influence； Covenant found that he could relax。 He put aside misery； fear； unresolved need； and sank down gratefully to sit with his back against the soothing stone。
Foamfollower hunted around the area until he located the sack of provisions he had carried with him from the Ramen covert。 He took out food and his pot of graveling。 Together； he； Bannor； and Covenant ate a silent meal under the fist of the Colossus as if they were sharing a munion…as if they accepted the stone's warmth and shelter to do it honor。 They had no other way to express their thanks。
Covenant was hungry； he had had nothing but Demondim…drink to sustain him for days。 Yet he ate the food； absorbed the warmth； with a strange humility； as if he had not earned them； did not deserve them。 He knew in his heart that the destruction of the Staff purchased nothing more than a brief respite for the Land； a short delay in the Despiser's eventual triumph。 And that respite was not his doing。 The reflex which had triggered the white gold was surely as unconscious； as involuntary； as if it had happened in his sleep。 And yet another life had been spent on his account。 That knowledge humbled him。 He fed and warmed himself because all his work had yet to be done； and no other being in the Land could do it for him。
When the frugal meal was finished； he began his task by asking his panions how they had e to the Colossus。
Foamfollower winced at the memory。 He left the telling of it to Banner's terseness。 While Banner spoke； the Giant cleaned and tended Covenant's forehead。
In short sentences； Banner indicated that the Ramen had been able to defeat the attack on their covert； thanks to the Giant's prodigious aid。 But the battle had been a long and costly one； and the night was gone before Bannor and Foamfollower could begin to search for Covenant and Lena。 （〃Ur…viles！'' Foamfollower muttered at Covenant's injury。 ' 〃This will not heal。 To make you captive； they put their mark upon you。〃） The Mane…thralls permitted only two Cords； Whane and Lal； to aid in the search。 For during the night； a change had e over the Ranyhyn。 To the surprise and joy of the Ramen； the great horses had unexpectedly started south toward the sanctuary of the mountains。 The Ramen followed at once。 Only their mixed awe and concern for the Ringthane induced them to give Bannor and Foamfollower any aid at all。
So the four of them began the hunt。 But they had lost too much time； wind and snow had obscured the trail。 They lost it south of the Roamsedge and could find no trace of Covenant。 At last they concluded that he must have gained other aid to take him eastward。 Together the four made what haste they could toward the Fall of the River Landrider。
The journey was made slow and arduous by kresh packs and marauders； and the four feared that Covenant would have left the Upper Land days ago。 But when they neared the Colossus； they came upon a band of ur…viles acpanied by the Raver； Herem…Triock。 Then the four were dismayed to see that the band bore with it the Unbeliever； prostrate as if he were dead。
The four attacked； slew the ur…viles。 But they could not prevent the call which Herem sent。 And before they could defeat Herem； rescue Covenant； and retrieve the ring； that call was answered by the dead Elena； wielding the Staff of Law。 She mastered the four effortlessly。 Then she gave Whane to Herem； so that Triock's anguish would be more poignant。 When Jehannum came to her； that Raver entered Lal。 Covenant knew the rest。
Bannor and Foamfollower had seen no sign of Lena。 They did not know what had delayed Covenant's arrival at Landsdrop。
As Bannor finished； Foamfollower growled in angry disgust； 〃Stone and Sea！ She has made me unclean。 I must bathe…I will need a sea to wash away this coercion。〃
Bannor nodded。 〃I； also。〃
But neither of them moved； though the River Landrider was nearby beyond a low line of hills。 Covenant knew they were holding themselves at his disposal； they seemed to sense that he needed them。 And they had questions of their own。 But he felt unready for the things he would have to say。 After a silence； he asked painfully；' Triock summoned me…and he's dead。 Why am I still here？〃
Foamfollower mused briefly； then said； 〃Perhaps because the Law of Death has been broken…perhaps it was that Law which formerly sent you from the Land when your summoner died。 Or perhaps it is because I also had a hand in this call。〃
Yes； Covenant sighed to himself。 His debt to Triock was hardly less than what he owed Foamfollower。
He could not shirk the responsibility any longer； he forced himself to describe what had happened to Lena。
His voice was dull as he spoke of her…an old woman brought to a bloody and graveless end because in her confusion she clung to the man who had harmed her。 And her death was only the most recent tragedy in her family。 First and last； her people had borne the brunt of him： Trell Gravelingas； Atiaran Trell…mate； High Lord Elena； Lena herself…he had ruined them all。 Such things altered him； made a different man of him。 That made it possible for him to ask another question after he had told all he knew of his own tale。
〃Foamfollower〃…he framed his inquiry as carefully as he could… 〃it's none of my business。 But Pietten said some terrible things about you。 Or he meant them to be terrible。 He said…〃 But he could not say the words。 No matter how he uttered them； they would sound like an accusation。
The Giant sighed； and his whole frame sagged。 He studied his intertwined hands as if somewhere in their clasped gentleness and butchery were a secret he could not unclose； but he no longer evaded the question。 〃He said that I betrayed my kinfolk…that the Giants of Seareach died to the last child at the hands of turiya Raver because I abandoned them。 It is true。〃
Foamfollower！ Covenant moaned。 My friend！ Sorrow welled up in him； almost made him weep again。
Abstractedly； Bannor said； 〃Many things were lost in The Grieve that day。〃
〃 Yes。〃 Foamfollower blinked as if he were trying to hold back tears； but his eyes were dry； as parched as a wilderland。 〃Yes…many things。 Among them I was the least。
〃Ah； Covenant； how can I tell you of it？ This tongue has no words long enough for the tale。 No word can enpass the love for a lost homeland； or the anguish of diminishing seed； or the pride…the pride in fidelity… That fidelity was our only reply to our extinction。 We could not have borne our decline if we had not taken pride。
〃So my people…the Giants…I also； in my own way…the Giants were filled with horror…with abhorrence so deep that it numbed the very marrow of their bones…when they saw their pride riven…torn from them like rotten sails in the wind。 They foundered at the sight。 They saw the portent of their hope of Home…the three brothers…changed from fidelity to the most potent ill by one small stroke of the Despiser's evil。 Who in the Land could hope to stand against a Giant…Raver？ Thus the Unhomed became the means to destroy that to which they had held themselves true。 And in horror at the naught of their fidelity； their folly practiced through long centuries of pride； they were transfixed。 Their revulsion left no room in them for thought or resistance or choice。 Rather than behold the cost of their failure…rather than risk the chance that more of them would be made Soulcrusher's servants…they…they elected to be slain。
〃I also…in my way； I was horrified as well。 But I had already seen what they had not； until that moment。 I had seen myself bee what I hated。 Alone of all my kindred； I was not surprised。 It was not the vision of a Giant…Raver which horrified me。 It was my…my own people。
〃Ah！ Stone and Sea！ They appalled me。 I stormed at them…I ran through The Grieve like a dark sea of madness； howling at their abandonment； raging to strike one spark of resistance in the drenched tinder of their hearts。 But they…they put away their tools； and banked their fires； and made ready their homes as if in preparation for departure…'' Abruptly； his suppressed passion broke into a cry。 〃My people！ I could not bear it