two men into the cleft of Rivenrock； and sent them shooting out into the open morning of the Black River and Garroting Deep。
For a moment； sunshine and free sky and forest
reeled around Bannor； and fares of released pressure staggered across his sight。 Then the fortitude of his Vow returned。 Wrapping both arms around Covenant； he gave one sharp jerk which started the Unbeliever's lungs working again。
With a violent gasp； Covenant began breathing rapidly； feverishly。 Some time passed before he showed any signs of consciousness； yet all the while his ring throbbed as if it were sustaining him。 Finally； he opened his eyes； and looked at Bannor。
At once； he started to struggle weakly in his clingor bonds。 Bannor appeared to him like one of the djinn who watches over the accursed。 But then he lapsed。 He recognized where he was…how he had arrived there…what he had left behind。 He went on staring nakedly while Bannor untied the lines which lashed him to the boat。
Over the Bloodguard's shoulder； he could see the great cliff of Rivenrock…and behind it Melenkurion Skyweir…shrinking as the boat scudded downriver。 From the cleft； turgid black smoke broke upward in gouts sporadically emphasized by battle flashes deep within the mountain。 Muffled blasts of anguish rent the gut…rock； wreaking havoc in the very grave of the ages。 Covenant felt he was floating away on a wave of ravage and destruction。
Fearfully； he looked down at his ring。 To his dismay； he found that it still throbbed like an exclamation of purpose。 Instinctively； he clasped his right hand over it； concealed it。 Then he faced forward in the boat； turned away from Bannor and Rivenrock as if to protect his shame from scrutiny。
He sat huddled there； weak and staring dismally； throughout the swift progress of the day。 He did not speak to Bannor； did not help him bail out the boat； did not look back。 The current spewing from Rivenrock raised the Black River to near…flood levels； and the light Earthroot craft rode the rush intrepidly between glowering walls of forest。 The morning sun glittered and danced off the dark water into Covenant's eyes…but he stared at it without blinking； as if even the protective reflex of his eyelids were exhausted。
And after that； nothing interfered with his sightless vision。 The sodden food which Bannor offered to him he ate automatically； with his left hand concealed between his thighs。 Midday and afternoon passed unrecognized； and when evening came he remained crouched on his seat； clenching his ring against his chest as if to protect himself from some final stab of realization。
Then； as dusk thickened about him； he became aware of the music。 The air of the Deep was full of humming； of voiceless song…an eldritch melody which seemed to arise like passion from the faint throats of all the leaves。 It contrasted sharply with the distant； storming climacteric of Melenkurion Skyweir； the song of violence which beat and shivered out of Rivenrock。 Gradually； he raised his head to listen。 The Deep song had an inflection of sufferance； as if it were deliberately restraining a potent melodic rage； sparing him。
In the light of the orcrest； he saw that Bannor was guiding the boat toward a high； treeless hill which rose against the night sky close to the south bank。 The hill was desolate； bereft of life； as if its capacity to nourish even the hardiest plants had been irremediably scalded out of it。 Yet it seemed to be the source of the Deep's song。 The melody which wafted riverward from the hill sounded like a host of gratified furies。
He regarded the hill incuriously。 He had no strength left to care about such places。 All his waning sanity was focused on the sounds of battle from Melenkurion Skyweir…and on the grip which concealed his ring。 When Bannor secured the boat； and took hold of his right elbow to help him ashore； Covenant leaned on the Bloodguard and followed his guidance woodenly。
Bannor went to the barren hill。 Without question； Covenant began to struggle up it。
Despite his weariness； the hill impinged upon his awareness。 He could feel its deadness with his feet as if he were shambling up n corpse。 Yet it was eager death； its atmosphere was thick with the slaughter of enemies。 Its incarnate hatred made his joints ache as
he climbed it。 He began to sweat and tremble as if he were carrying the weight of an atrocity on his shoulders。
Then； near the hilltop； Bannor stopped him。 The Bloodguard lifted the orcrest。 In its light； Covenant saw the gibbet beyond the crest of the hill。 A Giant dangled from it。 And between him and the gibbet staring at him as if he were a concentrated nightmare …were people； people whom he knew。
Lord Mhoram stood there erect in his battle…grimed robe。 He clasped his staff in his left hand； and his lean face was taut with vision。 Behind him were Lord Callindrill and two Bloodguard。 The Lord had a dark look of failure in his soft eyes。 Quaan and Amorine were with him。 And on Mhoram's right； supported by the Lord's right hand； was Hile Troy。
Troy had lost his sunglasses and headband。 The eyeless skin of his skull was knotted as if he were straining to see。 He cocked his head； moved it from side to side to focus his hearing。 Covenant understood intuitively that Troy had lost his Land…born sight。
With these people was one man whom Covenant did not know。 He was the singer…a tall； white…haired man with glowing silver eyes； who hummed to himself as if he were dewing the ground with melody。 Covenant guessed without thinking that he was Caerroil Wildwood； the Forestal of Garroting Deep。
Something in the singer's gaze…something severe； yet oddly respectful…recalled the Unbeliever to himself。 At last he perceived the fear in the faces watching him。 He pushed himself away from Bannor's support； took the weight of all his burdens on his own shoulders。 For a moment； he met the trepidation before him with a glare so intense that it made his forehead throb。 But then； as he was about to speak； a fierce detonation from Rivenrock shook his bones； knocked him o balance。 When he reached toward Bannor； he exposed the shame of his ring。
Facing Mhoram and Troy as squarely as he could； he groaned； 〃She's lost。 I lost her。〃 But his face twisted； and the words came brokenly between his lips； like fragments of his heart。
His utterance seemed to pale the music； making the muffled clamor from Rivenrock louder。 He felt every blast of the battle like an internal blow。 But the deadness under his feet became more and more vivid to him。 And the gibbeted Giant hung before him with an immediacy he could not ignore。 He began to realize that he was facing people who had survived ordeals of their own。 He flinched； but did not fall； when their protests began…when Troy gave a strangled cry； 〃Lost？ Lost？〃 and Mhoram asked in a stricken voice； 〃What has happened？〃
Under the night sky on the lifeless hilltop…lit by the stars； and the twin gleams of Caerroil Wildwood's eyes； and the orcrest fire…Covenant stood braced on Bannor like a crippled witness against himself； and described in stumbling sentences High Lord Elena's plight。 He made no mention of the focus of her gaze； her consuming passion。 But he told all the rest…his bargain； Amok's end； the summoning of Kevin Landwaster； Elena's solitary fall。 When he was done； he was answered by an aghast silence that echoed in his ears like a denunciation。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he concluded into the stillness。 Forcing himself to drink the bitter dregs of his personal inefficacy； he added； 〃I loved her。 I would have saved her if I could。〃
〃Loved her？〃 Troy murmured。 〃Alone？〃 His voice was too disjointed to register the degree of his pain。
Lord Mhoram abruptly covered his eyes； bowed his head。
Quaan； Amorine； and Callindrill stood together as if they could not endure what they had heard alone。
Another blast from Rivenrock shivered the air。 It snatched Mhoram's head up； and he faced Covenant with tears streaming down his cheeks。 〃It is as I have said；〃 he breathed achingly。 〃Madness is not the only danger in dreams。〃
At this； Covenant's face twisted again。 But he had nothing more to say； even the release of assent was denied him。 However； Bannor seemed to hear something