Simon said, ‘I have a spell which would allow me to decipher these within a week, two at the most.’
‘We don’t have the time,’ said Pug. The discovery that Maarg was dead and that someone or something else was using his name to mask his identity was troubling. This was not the first time in his life that he had discovered that what he assumed to be true was only a half-truth. ‘With no one here, we can arrange for some students to collect and return it to Sorcerer’s Isle. Then,’ he said with a weak smile, ‘you can study them at your leisure.’
Magnus came to stand next to his father and spoke softly. ‘What is it?’
‘Something is terribly wrong,’ said Pug, not caring if the other two magicians overheard him. ‘Every piece of information we received about the Demon Legion led us to believe that things in their realm were much as they had been when we battled the Emerald Queen.’ A demon captain, named Jakan, disguised as Lady Clovis, the Emerald Queen, had engineered a war that had engulfed half of Midkemia. ‘But now we see that Maarg is dead, a victim of his own gluttony, stranded here . . .’ His eyes widened. ‘Is it possible?’
‘What?’ asked Magnus.
‘That everything that has happened to me from the day I was captured by the Tsurani, was part of a much larger plan. Your grandfather said so, Ban-ath said so, and I’ve always seen myself as a player in a larger drama. But like a player, I’ve only been concerned with my part. Oh, I’m aware of the roles of others, your mother, Tomas, Nakor when he was with us, even Ban-ath’s to a lesser extent. But just because I understand my role, or think I do, and just because I know of the others’, doesn’t mean I can comprehend the complete drama.’ He visibly winced, ‘I am such a fool!’
‘What?’ asked Magnus, obviously not following his father’s deductions.
‘At first I blamed the Nameless One, because I was told he was at the heart of every evil that befell Midkemia. It was logical, even obvious, given that he is the God of Evil.
‘But what if there’s another agency, another cause of evil that is creeping into our realm using the Nameless One to prevent us from seeing his hand behind things.’
‘The Dasati Dark God?’
‘Perhaps he was a tool as well. Did he strike you as particularly subtle, though?’
‘He gulled the Dasati into thinking he was their Death God,’ reminded Magnus.
‘True, but that is a simple deception compared to what I’m imagining.’
‘What are you imagining, Father?’
‘I assumed that Jakan, the demon playing the role of the Emerald Queen, wanted to reach the Lifestone, to seize its power for his own use. I was unclear about what that use was, to fortify his own role in our universe; to return and battle Maarg for supremacy of the Fifth Circle of Hell; or some other motive. I was so intent on stopping him, I almost got myself killed, and I really didn’t care why he wanted the Lifestone.’ He looked at Magnus and a rueful smile crossed his face. ‘What if he was simply bait?’
‘For what?’
‘To lure Maarg here, to die of starvation, while someone, or something else, gains domination of the Fifth Circle. Jakan was on Midkemia, Tugor died fighting Hanam, and Maarg was left here to die.
‘Someone else is ruling the Fifth Circle, but doesn’t want us to know his identity.’
‘Why?’
‘Because understanding that identity might be key to defeating him; or else why guard it so jealously with all this misdirection?’
‘Perhaps Amirantha can shed some light on this, or maybe the elf, Gulamendis?’
‘We certainly will need to speak with both of them.’ To the other two magicians he said, ‘Come here and stand close.’ To Magnus he said, ‘Take us back to the rift, please.’
The four magicians gripped hands and Magnus used his power to take them to a position just before the rift, a short distance from the edge of the plateau overlooking the city of Ahsart. Pug started to step through and halted.
Instantly Magnus said, ‘What is it?’
‘We’re being blocked!’
‘What?’ asked Randolph.
‘We cannot go through this rift.’
‘How is that possible?’ asked Simone.
Pug looked around the hillside and saw a large rock. He threw it at the portal and when it touched the shimmering grey void that marked the rift, it bounced back. ‘It wouldn’t have killed you, but you’d have received a bloody nose from walking into that.’
‘Who could do this?’ asked Magnus.
Pug took a deep breath and said, ‘The same evil bastard who’s able to subvert Amirantha’s summonings and use them against him, I think.’
‘Belasco?’ asked Magnus.
‘Or whoever his master really is,’ answered Pug. He looked around and pointed to another clear area. ‘Come, let us begin. We’re not going to waste time trying to overcome that barrier. I know enough rift lore to construct another that will follow this one to our home. It should only take an hour or so, less with your help.’
Randolph said, ‘Tell us what to do.’
They began.