all our plans。 I paid him no heed at the time； for I was not even aware you still lived。 It must have been then that he set out to find you。 Whether he divined your whereabouts by some arcane means or simply saw it in Eric's mind； I do not know。 Probably the latter。 He is occasionally capable of such a feat。 However he located you； you now know the rest。〃
〃It was Flora's presence in that place and her strange liaison with Eric that first made him suspicious。 Or so he said。 Not that it matters； now。 What do you propose doing with him if we get our hands on him？〃
She chuckled。
〃You are wearing your blade；〃 she said。
〃Brand told me； not all that long ago； that Bleys is still alive。 Is this true？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then why am I here； rather than Bleys？〃
〃Bleys is not attuned to the Jewel。 You are。 You interact with it at near distances； and it will attempt to preserve your life if you are in imminent danger of losing it。 The risk； therefore； is not as great；〃 she said。
Then； moments later； 〃Don't take it for granted； though。 A swift stroke can still beat its reaction。 You can die in its presence。〃
The light ahead grew larger； brighter； but there were no drafts； sounds； or smells from that direction。 Advancing； I thought of the layers upon layers of explanations I had received since my return； each with its own plex of motivations； justifications for what had happened while I was away； for what had happened since； for what was happening now。 The emotions； the plans； the feelings； the objectives I had seen swirled like floodwater through the city of facts I was slowly erecting on the grave of my other self； and though an act is an act； in the best Steinian tradition； each wave of interpretation that broke upon me shifted the position of one or more things I had thought safely anchored； and by this brought about an alteration of the whole； to the extent that all of life seemed almost a shifting interplay of Shadow about the Amber of some never to be attained truth。 Still； I could not deny that I knew more now than I had several years earlier； that I was closer to the heart of matters than I had been before； that the entire action in which I had been caught up upon my return seemed now to be sweeping toward some final resolution。 And what did I want？ A chance to find out what was right and a chance to act on it！ I laughed。 Who is ever granted the first； let alone the second of these？ A workable appromixation of truth； then。 That would be enough。。。 And a chance to swing my blade a few times in the right direction： The highest pensation I could receive from a one o'clock world for the changes wrought since noon。 I laughed again and made sure my blade was loose in the sheath。
〃Brand said that Bleys had raised another army …〃 I began。
〃Later；〃 she said； 〃later。 There is no more time。〃
And she was right。 The light had grown large； bee a circular opening。 It had approached at a rate out of proportion to our advance； as though the tunnel itself were contracting。 It seemed to be daylight that was rushing in through what I chose to regard as the cave mouth。
〃All right；〃 I said； and moments later we reached the opening and passed through it。
I blinked my eyes as we emerged。 To my left was the sea； which seemed to merge with the same…colored sky。 The golden sun which floated/hung above/within it； bounced beams of brilliance from all directions。 Behind me； now； there was nothing but rock。 Our passage to this place had vanished without a sign。 Not too far below and before me … perhaps a hundred feet distant … lay the primal Pattern。 A figure was negotiating the second of its outer arcs； his attention so confined by this activity that he had apparently not yet noted our presence。 A flash of red as he took a turn： the Jewel； hanging now from his neck as it had hung from mine； from Eric's； from Dad's。 The figure； of course； was Brand's。
I dismounted。 I looked up at Fiona； small and distraught； and I placed Drum's reins in her hand。
〃Any advice； other than to go after him？〃 I whispered。
She shook her head。
Turning then； I drew Grayswandir and strode forward。
〃Good luck；〃 she said softly。
As I walked toward the Pattern； I saw the long chain leading from the cave mouth to the now still form of the griffin Wixer。 Wixer's head lay on the ground several paces to the left of his body。 Body and head both leaked a normal…colored blood upon the stone。
As I approached the beginning of the Pattern； I did a quick calculation。 Brand had already taken several turns about the general spiral of the design。 He was approximately two and a half laps into it。 If we were only separated by one winding； I could reach him with my blade once I achieved a position paralleling his own。 The going； however； got rougher the further one penetrated the design。 Consequently； Brand was moving at a steadily decreasing pace。 So it would be close。 I did not have to catch him。 I just had to pick up a lap and a half and obtain a position across from him。
I placed my foot upon the Pattern and moved forward； as fast as I was able。 The blue sparks began about my feet as I rushed through the first curve against the rising resistance。 The sparks grew quickly。 My hair was beginning to rise when I hit the First Veil； and the crackling of the sparks was quite audible now。 I pushed on against the pressure of the Veil； wondering whether Brand had noticed me yet； unable to afford the distraction of a glance in his direction just then。 I met the resistance with increased force； and several steps later I was through the Veil and moving more easily again。
I looked up。 Brand was just emerging from the terrible Second Veil； blue sparks as high as his waist。 He was grinning a grin of resolve and triumph as he pulled free and took a clear step forward。 Then he saw me。
The grin went away and he hesitated； a point in my favor。 You never stop on the Pattern if you can help it。 If you do； it costs a lot of extra energy to get moving again。
〃You are too late！〃 he called out。
I did not answer him。 I just kept going。 Blue fires fell from the Pattern tracery along Grayswandir's length。
〃You will not make it through the black；〃 he said。
I kept going。 The dark area was just ahead of me now。 I was glad that it had not occurred over one of the more difficult portions of the Pattern this time around。 Brand moved forward and slowly began his movement toward the Grand Curve。 If I could catch him there； it would be no contest。 He would not have the strength or the speed to defend himself。
As I approached the damaged portion of the Pattern； I recalled the means by which Ganelon and I had cut the black road on our flight from Avalon。 I had succeeded in breaking the power of the road by holding the image of the Pattern in my mind as we had gone across。 Now； of course； I had the Pattern itself all around me； and the distance was not nearly so great。 While my first thought had been that Brand was simply trying to rattle me with his threat； it occurred to me that the force of the dark place might well be much stronger here at its source。 As I came up to it； Grayswandir blazed with a sudden intensity which outshone its previous light。 On an impulse； I touched its point to the edge of the blackness； at the place where the Pattern ended。
Grayswandir clove to the blackness and could not be raised above it。 I continued forward； and my blade sliced the area before me； sliding ahead in what seemed an approximation of the original tracery。 I followed。 The sun seemed to darken as I trod the dark ground。 I was suddenly conscious of my heartbeat； and perspiration formed on my brow。 A grayish cast fell over everything。 The world seemed to dim； the Pattern to fade。 It seemed it would be easy to step amiss in this place； and I was not certain whether the result would be the same as a misstep within the intact portions of the Pattern。 I did not want to find out。
I kept my eyes low； following the line Grayswandir was inscribing before me； the blade's blue fire now the only thing of color left to the world。 Right foot； left foot。。。
Then suddenly I was out of it and Grayswandir swung free in my hand once again； the fires partly diminished； whether by contrast with the