‘As the last of my race I was desperate to find someone to carry on the worship of the God of Magic. Before I died I wished to see the continuation of what we believed was a most important cause, the return of magic to Midkemia.’
Miranda said, ‘There’s always been magic in Midkemia.’
‘I think he means the Greater Magic,’ said Pug.
‘More,’ said Gathis. ‘The return of magic in the order intended.’
‘Intended by whom?’ asked Miranda.
‘By the nature of magic itself.’
‘There is no magic,’ said Pug, laughing.
‘Exactly,’ said Gathis. ‘Nakor believes there is a primary reality in the universe that anyone may manipulate, take advantage of, and use beneficially, if he but tries. He is partially right. What is known as the Lesser Magic to humans is an intuitive magic, and magic of poetry and song, of feelings and senses. It is why the Lesser Magicians chose totems and elements with which to identify.
‘The priests of the other orders believe that all magic is prayer answered. They are correct, though not in the way they think. It is not their gods answering their prayers, but rather magic itself responding in accordance to the nature of their particular clerical calling. This is also why the high priests and other highly advanced members of each order can effect magic that resembles one another’s, while lesser practitioners would find such displays anathema.
‘All is of a piece.’
‘So you’re saying that magicians are in actuality worshiping Sarig?’ asked Miranda.
‘In a manner of speaking, but not exactly that. Each time a spell of the Greater Magic is incanted, the opportunity exists for prayer, for a tiny bit of that worship to feed Sarig, bringing him that much closer to returning to us.’
‘Well then,’ said Miranda, ‘why aren’t you down at Stardock gathering converts?’
Pug laughed. ‘Because of politics.’
‘Exactly,’ said Gathis. ‘Can you imagine what should occur if one such as I appeared and claimed all that I have told you?’
Miranda nodded. ‘I see your point. I’ve experienced enough to know you’re probably right, and I still find it difficult to believe.’
‘That’s because you’re a product of your training, as was I,’ said Pug. ‘We must rise above that.
‘What does this have to do with us? I mean, why are you telling us this now?’
‘Macros the Black was the single most powerful master of magic upon Midkemia until the advent of Master Pug’s return from Kelewan,’ said Gathis. ‘It is my mission to remain as close to whoever that person may be as long as I live.
‘As long as the Black One existed, no matter how far removed, I was bound to him. Now he no longer exists, and I must continue in my mission of working on behalf of Sang.’
‘So you want to create a similar bond with me?’ asked Pug.
‘In a manner of speaking, but you must understand exactly what this entails.
‘You know what the bond was between Macros and Sang. Sarig claimed Macros as his own, his agent on Midkemia, and provided him with his powers. You were the one who severed the bond between them.’
Pug said, ‘But at the last Macros used Sarig’s powers to defeat Maarg.’
‘Perhaps,’ said Gathis. ‘I was not a witness to that, but if it is as you described it to me when you first returned, then that was Sarig’s last gift to Macros, the power to destroy himself and the demon, rather than fall prey to whatever it was stood behind the demon.’
‘Whatever it was stood behind the demon?’ asked Miranda, and suddenly she was aware again of the knowledge that had been blocked from her memory. ‘I think I understand.’
Gathis nodded. ‘I think you do, as well. Master Pug, you, on the other hand, are not connected to Sarig. You were not even given your powers on this world. Your ties to the Tsurani heritage and their practices, your native ties to Midkemia, conspire to make you something of a neutral agent in this.
‘Which is why you now have a choice.’
‘And that is?’
‘You now understand that an ages-old conflict is under way, between powers so vast and ancient our mortal minds can barely comprehend them; we can only serve our tiny part in the great conflict. Your choice is this: you may continue to act as an independent agent for those causes you consider worthy, or you may dedicate yourself to Sarig, taking the place of Macros. If you do so, you gain greater power than you already have, for you will not only have the full measure of the gods’ powers and knowledge native to Midkemia, you will also have your knowledge from Kelewan.’
‘So you’re saying I was chosen and trained to be Macros’s successor?’
Gathis regarded Pug for a silent moment. ‘I have come to know this much about the gods: often we act for reasons about which we are uncertain. Who is to say if anything Macros ever did was without Sarig’s influences? Macros found you as a baby and unlocked something rare and powerful within you; I do not know if he understood where you would be today. I can’t say he chose you to be his successor, but I can say you now stand in the place where you can choose to be such. It is up to you.’