The room was a welter of blood。 I counted five； no six of my own down； wounded； or dying。 I saw Tegry once more。 He'd pulled himself up to a sitting position； against one wall。 His face was ghastly； black； red； and blistered。 His hair and beard had been burned away by the oil as it clung and seared。 His blind eyes saw nothing； but he must have sensed my footsteps。 He held …his hands out； mumbling what might have been a plea for mercy。 He received it； dying more cleanly and quickly than the death he had tried to send me and mine。
I heard Janos shouting。 I told two servants to block the entrance to the tunnel； recovered my sword； and the rest of us went up the stairs at a run； stumbling now； exhausted； winded。 Janos was standing in the balcony； a bow in hand。 Methodically he was whipping war arrows into the crowd below。 〃Now they attack；〃 he shouted。 〃You bowmen 。。。 on line。 Choose your targets well。 Those men there； first。 Remember； you cannot hit all of them if you cannot hit any of them。〃
The mob had secured a battering ram from somewhere； and eight men held its handles and ran back and forth； crashing the bronze…fisted end again and again into the villa's door。 The heavy iron…bound oak boomed in defiance at each blow； but I knew it eventually must yield。 Bowstrings twanged and arrows sang； but as each man on the ram fell； two more would run to replace him。 Either Cassini's sorcery or the crowd's blood lust was very strong。 Again the ram crashed against the door； and I heard splintering wood； loud as the door began giving way。
〃Back below；〃 I shouted。 〃Janos。 Stand with me。 You others 。。。 rip away the block on that tunnel。 We will give you what time we can。〃
Again we went downstairs into that blood…drenched room。 This would be the last moment for the Anteros。 Halab's portrait was before me。 In a few moments I would be joining him。 〃You men；〃 I cried。 〃Your service is finished。 Flee； now； down the tunnel； while there's still a chance。〃
〃The hell with you and your orders； Lord Antero；〃 J'an growled； muscles rippling as he readied a great axe； an axe we used to split beef carcasses。 〃I die when an' where I see fit。 There'll be no damn' Evocator or his spawn seein' the back of me this night。〃
Maeen was beside him and said nothing； but spat on the floor and drew a final line with his foot。 I looked about me and realized that more than ten of my servants had chosen to die here； as J'an had。 There was a great lump caught in my throat。 I looked at Janos。 His teeth gleamed white against his beard。
〃Now；〃 he said。 〃Now let there be such a doom of blood the gods themselves will hear the keening and know that Janos Kether Greycloak； Overlord of Kostromo； will be among them。〃 He grinned。 〃There will be sagas sung of this night； I wager。 And I am ready。〃
Not being gifted at funeral oratory； I forced what I hoped was a death…dealing smile across my lips； said nothing； and lifted my sword and dagger。
The door crashed in 。。。 and the screams started。 From the outside！ I heard the keen of pipes； the boom of drums； bowstrings again； and spears thudding into the walls outside； and screams and frenzy。 All of us were brought back from that exaltation of death to the real world。 We looked at each other； bewildered； as the sounds of a great battle built outside。 Janos yanked the axe from J'an； and with three great blows ripped the door away。 We ran outside。
From out of the night came three phalanxes of the Maranon Guard。 They moved slowly and deliberately forward； spears overlapped； overstepping bodies as they came。 Behind the attacking groups were archers and javelin hurlers； casting as they found targets。 The Guard's pipers and drummers were crashing a deadly cadence。 I saw Rali leading her column； but she had no time to be looking for me。
The mob scattered and ran 。。。 into the country 。。。 into the fields； back the way they'd e。 I sheathed my dagger and pulled a spear from where it had hurled itself in the ground。 Cassini would be fleeing with the rest。 It was utterly forbidden to raise a hand against an Evocator； but I had so much blood on my hands； I was not worried about another few drops； whether they came from a sorcerer or not。
But Cassini had not fled。 He was not running。 I saw him just where he'd been before the mob attacked。 He stood in the center of the street。 He was all alone…his advisers and assistants must have fled with the rest I do not know if he was in shock or under some pulsion。
Suddenly he spread out his arms to the sky and began shouting； shouting words in some unknown language。 I drew back from my spearcast and then froze。 The thunder from the heavens rose； booming； louder than the Guard's drums； louder than an entire army's percussion。 Everyone…soldiers； my servants； Janos； the wounded…were as if petrified。 White faces looked upward。
The thunder grew louder。 Then； from the still pletely cloudless sky； a great hand formed of blue flames。 The hand reached down； toward us。 I wanted to scream； to bury myself in the earth； but could not move。
The hand came down on Cassini。 His shouts became shrieks； and then the fingers closed on the Evocator。 They lifted him perhaps ten feet above the ground 。。。 and squeezed； like a gardener killing a worm。 The fingers opened and dropped what was left of Cassini onto the roadway。 Then flames； hand； and thunder vanished； as if they'd never been。
I turned away。 Janos was standing there； still mazed。 I walked past him； through the ruins of my door； over the bodies scattered across my anteroom。 Outside I could hear shouts and cries as reality…or what we accept as reality…returned。
I did not wish to share my thoughts with anyone at this moment。 We had won； yes。 But the 〃war；〃 for that is what it was； wasn't over for me。 There was one more battle to be fought； one more victory to be gained； a victory owed to the dead and to the yet to be born。
〃LORD AMALRIC ANTERO； and Sir Janos Kether Greycloak； please step forward。〃
Janos and I were in the citadel of the Magistrates。 It was less than a week later； but it was as if an era had passed in Orissa。 The Old Guard who'd believed themselves triumphant had vanished from the halls of power。 Now Ecco sat at the center of the Magistrates' Bench。 Sisshon had announced he was suffering from a rare disease within two days of the battle of the villa； and retired for intensive； private treatment。 His supporters had similarly found tasks that generally took them far from the city。
Three days after the battle； the Emergency Regulations had been suspended； and Orissa began working its way back to normalcy。 But there were changes…one of the most notable had been the knighting of Janos。 He noted； a bit amusedly after the ceremony； that his knighthood would not be hereditary。 〃Evidently they worry about what a half…breed's bastard offspring might bring upon them in the years to e； assuming I have any such issue。 But I am well content with this honor； since as we all know the world shall end with my death or transfiguration。〃 He laughed mightily and； in the pany of Sergeant Maeen and Rali； drank with his spurs on。
Most important； the Evocators' stranglehold on the city had been broken。 Those who'd been in Cassini's camp were no longer to be seen in public。 As a matter of fact； none of the Evocators paraded through the city with the same panoply they had in the past。 Jeneander； Prevotant； and their ilk were busy trying to determine what the new order would be and how they could somehow control it。
Gamelan had returned and now spoke for the Evocators。 For this momentous event he now sat beside Ecco at the bench。 We stood at attention as he spoke。 Behind us was a throng of our supporters； from Rali to Malaren to； it seemed； half the inhabitants of Cheapside。
〃It is the decision of this Council；〃 Ecco went on； 〃after full consideration and consultation with the proper spiritual forces； that the city of Orissa proclaim a Great Finding； a journey intended to unite the men and women of this city with the fabled beings of that land monly known as the Far Kingdoms。 To this end； we direct all citizens of Orissa； and all residents of lands under their protection； provide Lord Antero and Sir Greycloak with anything they