terical than confident。 He had a sudden desire to scream。 〃We won't have to march any faster than this。 We're just going to turn south a fraction more； so that we'll reach that old ruined city ‘Doriendor Corishev；' Mhoram calls it。 We should get there before noon tomorrow。〃
He felt that he was speaking too quickly。 He forced himself to slow down while he explained his intentions。 Then he was relieved to see dour approval in the faces of his officers。 First Haft Amorine took a deep； shuddering breath as she caught hold of her courage again； and Quaan's eyes glinted with bloody
promises for the enemy。 Shortly； he asked； 〃Who will mand the Eoward which must remain？〃
〃Permit me；〃 Amorine said。 〃I am at the end of my strength for this marching。 I wish to fight。〃
The Hiltmark opened his mouth to answer her； but Troy stopped them both with a gesture。 For a moment； he juggled burdens mentally； seeking a point of balance。 Then he said to Quaan； 〃The Lords and I will stay behind with First Haft Amorine。 We'll need eight Eoward of volunteers； and every horse that can still stand。 The Bloodguard will probably stay with us。 If we handle it right； most of us will survive。〃
Quaan frowned at the decision。 But his acceptance was as candid as his dislike。 To Amorine； he said； 〃We must find those who are willing； and prepare them today； so that tomorrow no time will be lost。〃
In answer； the First Haft saluted both Quaan and Troy； then rode away among the Warward。 She carried herself straighter than she had for several days； and her alacrity demonstrated to Troy that he had made the correct choice。 He nodded after her； sardonically congratulating himself for having done something right。
But Quaan still had questions。 Shortly； he said； 〃I ask your pardon； Warmark…but we have been friends； and I must speak of this。 Will you not explain to me why we march now？ If Doom's Retreat is not the battleground you desire； perhaps Doriendor Corishev will serve。 Why must this terrible march continue？〃
〃No； I'm not going to explain。 Not yet。〃 Troy kept his final plan to himself as if by silence and secrecy he could contain its terrors。 〃And Doriendor Corishev won't serve。 We could fight there for a day or two。 But after that； Fleshharrower would surround us and just squeeze。 We've got to do better than that。〃
The Hiltmark nodded morosely。 Troy's refusal saddened him like an expression of distrust。 But he managed a wry smile as he said； 〃Warmark； is there no end to your plans？〃
〃Yes；〃 Troy sighed。 〃Yes； there is。 And we're going to get there。 After that； Mhoram is going to have to save us。 He promised…〃
Because he could not bear to face Quaan with his inadequacies； he turned away。 Clapping Mehryl with his heels； he went in search of the Lords。 He wanted to explain his intentions for Doriendor Corishev； and to find out what additional help Mhoram or Callindrill could give the Warward。
During the rest of that day and the next morning； he received regular reports from the Bloodguard on Fleshharrower's progress。 The Giant…Raver's army was large and unwieldy； it had covered only nine leagues during the day after it traversed Doom's Retreat。 But it did not halt during the dark night； and took only one short rest before dawn。 Troy judged that the Giant would reach Doriendor Corishev by mid…afternoon。
That knowledge made him ache to drive the Warward faster。 But he could not。 Too many warriors left the army or died that night and the next morning。 To his dismay； the attrition tripled。 A litany of numbers ran through his brain： eleven； thirty…three； ninety…nine …at that rate； the march itself would claim four thousand four victims by the end of six days。 And lives would be lost in Doriendor Corishev。 He needed plex equations to measure the plight of his army。 He did not try to hurry it。
As a result； the warriors were only a league ahead of Fleshharrower when they started up the long slope toward the ruins of Doriendor Corishev。 The ancient city sat atop a high hill under the perpetual frown of the mountains； and the hill itself crested a southrunning ridge。 The ruins were elevated on a line that separated； hid from each other； the east and west sides of the Southron Wastes。 In past ages； when the city lived and thrived； it had manded perfectly the northern edge of that region； and now the low； massive remains of fortifications testified that the inhabitants of the city had known the value of their position。 According to the legends which had been preserved in Kevin's Lore； these people had been warlike； they had needed their strategic location。 Lord Callindrill translated the name as 〃masterplace〃 or 〃desolation of enemies。〃
The legends said that for centuries Doriendor Corishev had been the capital of the nation which gave birth to Berek Halfhand。
That was the age of the One Forest's dominion in the Land。 Then there were no Wastes south of the mountains； the region was green and populous。 But in time it became too populous。 Groups of people from this southern country slowly moved up into the Land； and began to attack the Forest。 At first； they only wanted timber for the civilization of Doriendor Corishev。 Then they wanted fields for crops。 Then they wanted homes。 With the unconscious aid of other immigrants from the north； they eventually acplished the maiming of the One Forest。
But that injury had many ramifications。 On the one hand； the felling of the trees unbound the interdict which the Colossus of the Fall had held over the Lower Land。 The Ravers were unleashed…a release which led with deft inevitability to the destruction of Doriendor Corishev's monarchy in the great war of Berek Halfhand。 And on the other hand； the loss of perhaps a hundred thousand square leagues 'of Forest altered the natural balances of the Earth。 Every falling tree hammered home an ineluctable doom for the masterplace。 As the trees died； the southern lands lost the watershed which had preserved them from the Gray Desert。 Centuries after the ravage of the One Forest became irreversible； these lands turned to dry ruin。
But the city had been deserted since the time of Berek； the first Lord。 Now； after millennia of wind and dust； nothing remained of the masterplace except the standing shards of its walls and buildings； a kind of ground map formed by the bloodless stumps of its grandeur。 Warmark Troy could have hidden his whole army in its labyrinthian spaces and ways。 Behind fragmentary walls that reached meaninglessly into the sky； the warriors could have fought guerrilla war for days against an army of parable size。
Troy trusted that Fleshharrower knew this。 His
plans relied heavily on his ability to convince the Giant that the Warward chose to make its last stand in Doriendor Corishev； rather than under the certain death of Garroting Deep。 He marched his army straight up the long hillside； and into the toothless gate of the masterplace。 Then he took the warriors through the city and out its western side； where they were hidden from Fleshharrower by the ridge on which the city stood。
There he gave Quaan all the instructions and encouragement he could。 Then he saluted the Hiltmark； and watched as the main body of the Warward marched away down the slope。 When it was gone； he and his volunteers returned to the city with the two Lords； First Haft； Amorine； all the Bloodguard； and every horse still strong enough to bear a rider。
Within the ruined walls； he addressed the eight Eoward that had offered to buy the Warward's escape from Doriendor Corishev。 He had a taut； dry feeling in his throat as he began； 〃You're all volunteers； so I'm not going to apologize for what we're doing。 But I want to be sure you know why we're doing it。 I have two main reasons。 First； we're going to give the rest of the warriors a chance to put some distance between them and Fleshharrower。 Second； we're going to help squeeze out a victory in this war。 I'm preparing a little surprise for Foul's army； and we're going to help make it work。 Parts of that army move faster than others but if they get too spread out； they won't all fall into my trap。 So we're going to pull them together here。〃
He paused to look over the warriors。 They stood squarely before him with expre