Both men spun…they'd not heard me approach； and Janos' hand was on his sword hilt。 They relaxed then。 〃It is；〃 he managed。
〃Or was； anyway；〃 Maeen put in。
There was a city below us； but it was in ruins； its great wall had crumbled in many places。 Trees grew up； blocking roads both inside and outside the city。 There had been tall； monolithic buildings； as great as any in Lycanth； inside the walls。 Time and the weather had broken them； and the roofless buildings stretched stone fingers at the heavens。
I started to stammer questions； but Janos just shook his head； very grim。 〃There was a spell cast；〃 Janos said； almost in a whisper。 〃A Great Spell； indeed。 Call the men up。 I will。。。 I must enter the city。〃
Sergeant Maeen recovered and ran back for the rest of the party。 They； too； stood in amazement； until Janos ordered us to march and for everyone to keep his weapon ready。 We went through the gates at dusk。 Wahumwa had been great once…the gates themselves were iron…bound； solid marble slabs； now broken and hanging from rusted hinges。 The cobblestones themselves were monstrous； the size of a charabanc。 Now； grass； low bushes； and even some trees grew between them。 The buildings would have been lofty； and the avenues broad。 Now 。。。 nothing but ruins。 A few hundred yards more； and there would be nothing but rubble。 Janos led the way； seeming to know where he was heading。 We left the central thoroughfare and went up an overgrown roadway； toward a huge shattered building on a hilltop。 Maeen was pale…he knew； and I sensed； where Janos was taking us； but the grip on his blade was steady。
We entered the hall； and men cried out。 I had known what to expect； but it was still grisly。 The chamber was full of the bones of men； lying amid the rotten ruins of furniture。 Skulls were broken； and the bones were scattered； with not a single skeleton being whole。 〃Vultures； and wild dogs； must have e 。 。 。 afterward；〃 Janos said。 He picked up a leg bone and showed it to me。 It had been neatly split open by a gourmet and sucked for the marrow。 〃But no wild dog can do this。〃 He threw the bone away； and it clattered on stone。 〃As I said on the hill beyond； a Great Spell was cast。 Cast before the expedition reached the city。〃
〃Everyone we encountered； everyone we lived with；〃 Maeen said hoarsely； 〃was 。。。 what？〃
Janos shrugged。 〃Ghosts？ Demons； even。 Perhaps less than that； perhaps just the details a great sorcerer would add to an enchantment…like an artist would put details in a painting to convince you he really had sat at a banquet of the gods。〃
〃But 。。。 but you've th' talent；〃 Maeen managed。 〃How could they hoodwink you； too？〃 Janos had no answer to that； either。 I had never heard of wizardry this strong。 pared to this； Orissa's feat of magically tearing down Lycanth's wall was a marketplace curiosity。 To first make more than a thousand hardbitten soldiers see a city where there were ruins 。。。 to fill those ruins with people and animals 。。。 and for each of those illusions to walk； talk； drink； and even make love 。。。 and then； in a night of blood； to kill and then eat？ Especially when that death meal was nightmare； not illusion？ This was an impossibility。 But it was。
I shuddered。 〃We shall not sleep in this city； Janos； nor spend any more minutes than it takes us to flee；〃 I said firmly。 〃We are leaving immediately。 No man is to touch anything he does not have to； nor is he to take anything； not bone； not branch； not stone； from this cursed place。〃
No one argued。 Trying not to bolt in terror； we struck straight through the city to its outer gate； to where the road began climbing to the pass through the Fist above us。 None of us； not the soldiers； not me； not Sergeant Maeen； nor Janos Greycloak； dared look back。
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Disputed Lands
THE PASS THROUGH the Fist of the Gods was nearly as smooth as it had looked when Janos and I had first seen it from many leagues。 It climbed around the 〃knuckle〃 of the forefinger； into the heart of the mountains。 As before； and unlike the vision； the Fist was snowless。 Remembering Janos had attempted several reconnaissance's before； when the second expedition was wintering below in Wahumwa； I asked how far he had gotten before being driven back； by snowstorms； I assumed。
〃I did not reach this point；〃 Janos said。 〃Not by far。 However； it was not snow that blocked my way； but gales and driven ice storms。 In the winter； hard winds blew across these peaks； so snow didn't cling to the rocks for long。〃
Our passage was easy： it would not take an athlete to negotiate this defile； I noted with pleasure； since few traders maintain their bodies with anything other than roasts and vintage wine。 It would also be simple for heavily burdened beasts； even horses； to cross this range； beasts carrying Orissa's trade goods to the Far Kingdoms。 Rock slides had tumbled from the heights； and boulders littered the ground； but since the pass was almost two spearcasts wide； it was simple to avoid these obstacles。 There was a small waterfall splashing down； and I saw where someone had laid rocks to make a pool。 This route had been traveled before 。 。。 and would be again。
Our path led up and around the mountain。 We could no longer see the valley and the cursed city behind us。 The way grew narrower。 I began to worry that perhaps we were following a blind alley； in spite of the pool we had seen； but was relieved to see the pass widen up ahead。
Janos was walking in front of the column； and I was just behind him； the rest of the party and the animals strung behind。 I spun as gravel clattered from above； one of our archers had a shaft nocked and was already looking up。 We saw nothing but bare gray rocks。 Probably it was nothing； but we became more cautious。 Where the pass widened； it also steepened； and I found myself breathing hard。 The track crested ahead； and I resolved we would pause when we reached that crest； where two boulders sat in the center of the passage。 Eagerness ran through our veins； but as Maeen had told us over and over again； haste produces only 〃accidents； ambushes； and wedlock … all of which are to be avoided。〃 Proof came shortly。 Panting； I was paying less attention to anything but my next step when someone shouted a warning。 I saw one of those two huge boulders at the crest rolling toward us。 It picked up speed； crashing from side to side of the pass； as it hurtled down。 But the warning had been timely； and we were able to pull ourselves and our animals out of its way with no damage。 The boulder rumbled into the distance and was gone。 I hurried to Janos。
〃Boulders；〃 he said； pointing out the obvious； 〃do not move of themselves。〃
He ordered all archers to string their bows； and put four of them behind me； each with instructions to scan a particular area above us。 He also brought Lione up； to march as second man in the party。 We moved to the crest； hoping to see the land open out and reveal the great cities of the Far Kingdoms。 Instead； we saw more mountains and the pass climbing on into the distance。
We examined the ground carefully where that boulder had sat for so many aeons before choosing its moment。 There were no scratch marks from a lever or pry bar that would indicate a human agency had sent it careening down。 Perhaps purely coincidence or； I was beginning to suspect； sorcery。 Perhaps we'd been located by our unseen enemies。 But none of us； especially Janos； felt any brush of wizardry。 We moved cautiously through the gorge。 The pass closed once more into a deep…V choke ahead； then the defile opened； climbing toward another false crest。 We were just in the middle of the narrow way when the heavens rumbled。 I thought thunder and looked up at the clouded sky。 Then I saw its cause： an avalanche was cascading down on us。 I shouted； one of myriad cries； and broke into a run； knowing I must escape the trap； I must flee to where the draw opened again as house…size stones and monstrous slabs rambled down。 The last of us…Maeen bravely bringing up the rear…had just cleared the danger area when the slide crashed across the pass； rocks shattering in demonic cacophony。
Slowly the crashing stopped； the ringing echoes died across the mountains； and the dust settled。 A