st； azure on his shoulders； and the rock and snow of the mountains flickered on his right side。 His unkempt hair flared； reflecting the sun。
He came directly toward Covenant and Elena； and soon Covenant could make out his face…soft androgynous features thickly bearded； deep eyes。 When he stopped before them； he and the High Lord exchanged no rituals or greetings。 He said to her simply； 〃Leave us；〃 in a high； fluted voice like a woman's。 His tone expressed neither rejection nor mand； but rather something that sounded like necessity； and she bowed to it without question。
But before she left； she put her hand again on Covenant's arm； looked searchingly into his face。 〃Thomas Covenant；〃 she said with a low quaver in her voice as if she were afraid of him or for him。 〃UrLord。 When I must leave for this warwill you acpany me？〃
He did not look at her。 He stood as if his toes were rooted in the grass； and gazed into the Unfettered One's eyes。 When after a time he failed to reply； she bowed her head； squeezed his arm； then moved away toward Revelstone。 She did not look back。 Soon she was out of sight beyond the hill。
〃e；〃 said the Unfettered One in the same tone of necessity。 Without waiting for a response； he started to return the way he had e。
Covenant took two uncertain steps forward； then stopped as a spasm of anxiety clenched his features。 He tore his eyes off the Unfettered One's back； looked urgently around him。 When he located his socks and boots； he hurried toward them； dropped to the grass and pulled them onto his feet。 With a febrile deliberateness； as if he were resisting the tug of some current or pulsion； he laced his boots and tied them securely。
When his feet were safe from the grass； he sprang up and ran after the interpreter of dreams。
TEN： Seer and Oracle
LATE the next evening； Lord Mhoram answered a knock at the door of his private quarters； and found Thomas Covenant standing outside； silhouetted darkly like a figure of distress against the light of the glowing floor。 He had an aspect of privation and fatigue； as if he had tasted neither food nor rest since he had gone upland。 Mhoram admitted him without question to the bare room； and closed the door while he went to stand before the stone table in the center of the chamber…the table Mhoram had brought from the High Lord's rooms； with the krill of Loric still embedded and burning in it。
Looking at the bunched muscles of Covenant's back； Mhoram offered him food or drink or a bed； but Covenant shrugged them away brusquely； despite his inanition。 In a flat and strangely closed tone； he said； 〃You've been beating your brains out on this thing ever since it started。 Don't you ever rest？
I thought you Lords rested down here…in this place。〃 Mhoram crossed the room； and stood opposite his guest。 The krill flamed whitely between them。 He was uncertain of his ground； he could see the trouble in Covenant's face； but its causes and implications were confused； obscure。 Carefully； the Lord said； 〃Why should I rest？ I have no wife； no children。 My father and mother were both Lords； and Kevin's Lore is the only craft I have known。 And it is difficult to rest from such work。〃
〃And you're driven。 You're the seer and oracle around here。 You're the one who gets glimpses of the future whether you want them or not； whether they make you scream in your sleep or not； whether you can stand them or not。〃 Covenant's voice choked for a moment； and he shook his head fiercely until he could speak again。 〃No wonder you can't rest。 I'm surprised you can stand to sleep at all。〃
〃I am not a Bloodguard；〃 Mhoram returned calmly。 〃I need sleep like other men。〃
〃What have you figured out？ Do you know what this thing is good for？ What was that Amok business about？〃
Mhoram gazed at Covenant across the krill； then smiled softly。 〃Will you sit down； my friend？ You will hear long answers more fortably if you ease your weariness。〃
〃I'm not tired；〃 the Unbeliever said with obvious falseness。 The next moment； he dropped straight into a chair。 Mhoram took a seat； and when he sat down he found that Covenant had positioned himself directly across the table； so that the krill stood between their faces。 This arrangement disturbed Mhoram； but he could think of no other way to help Covenant than to listen and talk； so he stayed where he was； and focused his other senses to search for what was blocked from his sight by the gem of the krill。
〃No； I do not prehend Loric's sword…and I cannot draw it from the table。 I might free it by breaking the stone； but that would serve no purpose。 We would gain no knowledge…only a weapon we could not touch。 If the krill were free； it would not help us。 It is a power altogether new to us。 We do not know its uses。 And we do not like to break wood or stone； for any purpose。
〃As to Amok…that is an open question。 Lord Amatin could answer better。〃
〃I'm asking you。〃
〃It is possible；〃 Mhoram。 said steadily； 〃that he was created by Kevin to defend against the krill itself。 Perhaps the power here is so perilous that in unwise hands； or ignorant hands； it would do great harm。 If that is true； then it may be that Amok's purpose is to warn us from any unready use of this power； and to guide our learning。〃
〃You shouldn't sound so plausible when you say things like that。 That isn't right。 Didn't you hear what he said？ ‘I have misserved my purpose。〃'
〃Perhaps he knows that if we are too weak to bring the krill to life； we are powerless to use it in any way； for good or ill。〃
〃All right。 Forget it。 Just forget that this is something else I did to you without any idea what in hell I was doing。 Let it stand。 What makes you think that good old Kevin Landwaster who started all this anyway is lurking in back of everything that happens to you like some kind of patriarch； making sure you don't do the wrong thing and blow yourselves to bits？ No； forget it。 I know better than that； even if I have spent only a few weeks going crazy over this and not forty years like the rest of you。 Tell me this。 What's so special about Kevin's Lore？ Why are you so hot to follow it？ If you need power； why don't you go out and find it for yourselves； instead of wasting whole generations of perfectly decent people on a bunch of inprehensible Wards？ In the name of sanity； Mhoram； if not for the sake of mere pragmatic usefulness。〃
〃Ur…Lord； you surpass me。 I hear you； and yet I am left as if I were deaf or blind。〃
〃I don't care about that。 Tell me why。〃
〃It is not difficult…the matter is clear。 The Earthpower is here； regardless of our mastery or use。 The Land is here。 And the banes and the evil…the Illearth
Stone； the Despiser…are here； whether or not we can defend against them。
〃Ah； how shall I speak of it？ At times； my friend； the most simple； clear matters are the most difficult to utter。〃 He paused for a moment to think。 But through the silence he felt an upsurge of agitation from Covenant； as if the Unbeliever were clinging to the words between them； and could not bear to have them withdrawn。 Mhoram began to speak again； though he did not have his answer framed to his satisfaction。
〃Consider it in this way。 The study of Kevin's knowledge is the only choice we can accept。 Surely you will understand that we cannot expect the Earth to speak to us； as it did to Berek Halfhand。 Such things do not happen twice。 No matter how great our courage； or how imposing our need； the Land will not be saved that way again。 Yet the Earthpower remains； to be used in Landservice…if we are able。 But that Power…all power…is dreadful。 It does not preserve itself from harm； from wrong use。 As you say； we might strive to master the Earthpower in our own way。 But the risk forbids。
〃Ur…Lord； we have sworn an Oath of Peace which brooks no promise。 Consider…forgive me； my friend； but I must give you a clear exampleconsider the fate of Atiaran Trell…mate。 She dared powers which were beyond her； and was destroyed。 Yet the result could have been far worse。 She might have destroyed others； or hurt the Land。 How could we； the Lords we who have sworn to uphold all health and beauty how could we justify such hazards？
〃No； we must work in other ways。 If we are to gain t