Manacia believed otherwise. He was not only a powerful wizardstronger than any other in the demon landsbut he had a mind for such puzzles and had attacked the curse full force with all the sorcerous resources at his command. Hundreds had died in those experiments. Body after body was dragged back at the end of a rope. But Manacia had hope because each time the victims crept a little further into the desert. The last group made it so far the king's archers had to fire arrows at them to force them to go deeper. Finally, all who were sent out returned unharmed. The shield appeared to work so well Manacia had to have the survivors killed so they couldn't use his spell to escape across the desert.
It was then he made his bargain with Sarn. The king had personally attended the bandit's departure. He'd praised the thief greatly, cast a special spell of blessings and watched Sarn and his friends thunder off into the desert for the human lands to seek Kyraniathe passage through the Valley of the Clouds that the Oracle had spoken of. The passage that was the key to forging the two great human regions into a great kingdom.
Manacia's hopes had been high that day. He was already dreaming of the time when his armies could follow. He had visions of swift and easy victories over the humans. Once he had a dream of a grand court ceremony, with human ambassadors bowing before his throne, bearing treaties that declared him King of Kings. Ruler of all Esmir.
Manacia peered into the human's dead eyes. He was certain it was the human side of the sorcerous equation that had foiled him. A side he somehow had not been able to penetrate. It was for this reason, not sentimentality, that Manacia had the head of his first victim displayed in his Necromancium. It was here in this vaulted chamber of watery light that his collection of black arts and books and materials were kept. There were jars and vials of the most evil liquids and powders and unguents. There were scrolls detailing horrid practices and spells. There were strange objects and idols with shapes so menacing they'd haunt the dreams of the most callous and uncaring demon.
Manacia rapped his talons against the jar. The liquid stirred and the head bobbed about. We'll begin again, my friend, he said to the skull. And once more you shall have the honor of being first."
He turned to the Grand Wazier. We'll start in the morning, he said. Have my wizards meet me here at first light. I'll solve this riddle no matter how long it takes."
"That's the spirit, Majesty, Fari said. Never admit defeat. Consider it an unpleasant setback, nothing more. I'll send word to the royal wizards at once!"
He turned as if to go, hesitated, then turned back, saying, There's still that other matter, Excellency. The matter that forced me to come here and disturb your thinking."
The king's mood had brightened now that he'd formed a course of action. He said, Yes, yes. I'd almost forgotten. What is it?"
"Many months ago, Majesty, Fari said, not long after Sarn and his friends left for the human lands, a strange event occurred which has only just come to my attention. A celestial disturbance, Majesty, that went unnoticed by our stargazers because Zanzair was heavily overcast that night. But a shepherd, far to the north where the skies were clear, reported seeing an immense shower of fiery particles. Other reports have trickled in since then, confirming the shepherd's sighting. As near as we can determine the display was in the human lands, over the Gods Divide."
Manacia shrugged. What of it? he said. There's nothing unusual about fiery particles falling out of the sky. Rarely do such occurrences have anything to do with our affairs. If it were a comet perhaps there'd be cause for concern. Or deeper study."
"Quite true, Majesty, Fari said. And if that were all there was to it I would not be here troubling you with news of such a minor event."
The king rapped his claws against the glass jar, impatient. Fari hurried on. Once the event was dated with some certainty, he said, your wizards recalled other signs that occurred at, or near, the same time. The water from our wells suddenly tasted foul and bitter, a condition that lasted for some weeks."
Manacia nodded, remembering that trouble.
"The day after the sighting, Fari continued, it was noticed that the liquid in the water clocks turned in the opposite direction. And one of the temple acolytes claimed when he rose that morning his reflection in the mirror was backwards, or, that is to say, he looked just like one demon sees another, left claw on the true left, right to right. Neither anomaly lasted long, Majesty, but there was concern at the time. Since then it has been observed that the ground has settled dangerously under some of our older buildings, causing them to sag. Moreover, bees have been swarming out of season, birds have appeared of a kind never seen before. And there has been an unusual number of birth oddities, two-headed swine, limbless dogs, fish with no eyes."
"This is indeed disturbing news, Fari, the king said. You were right to report it to me. Does anyone know what these things mean? Could it have anything to do with our attempt to defy the curse?"
Fari jolted in surprise. He thought a moment, tapping his bone cane against the floor. Then he said, I don't know, Excellency. It's a thought that hadn't occurred to me."
"But it is possible, the king said.
"Yes, Majesty. I suppose it is."
"What would you advise? the king asked.
Fari saw the danger at once and sadly shook his head. I'm ashamed to admit, Excellency, Fari said, that I am at loss. Not enough is known to form an opinion."
"We must find out, the king said. It might be dangerous to begin my experiments until we do."
Fari nodded. I can see how that could be so, Majesty, he said. This is a most unfortunate situation. Your Excellency's plans for invading the human lands will most certainly suffer a delay."
"It can't be helped, Fari, the king said. Curses have a way of spreading beyond their original intent. There are so many links, some not even known to the original spell casters, that it's impossible to account for all the effects a curse might trigger. That's why I first sent bandits instead of our own soldiers across the Forbidden Desert.
"As much as it grieves me to say this, Fari, it would be wise for us to proceed cautiously. But I want you to spare no expense. I want all my stargazers working on this. All my dreamcatchers. And I want daily sacrifices to the gods at the main temple, with weekly ones for the lesser houses of worship."
"Yes, Excellency, Fari said, bobbing his head and rapping his cane. Without delay. He hurried off, relieved that he'd once again shifted all possible blame and responsibility onto the backs of others, while still being assured of winning praise and honors for any successes.
For a change, however, he did not leave a happy king in his wake. Manacia was deeply troubled as he turned back to examine the head. The old fear of a rival oozed up to torment him. A shiver ran up his long bony spine.
Manacia suddenly wondered if even now his enemy was thinking of him.
If so, did that enemy have a human face?
And if he did, was it possible he had already discovered the way through the Gods Divide.
Had he found Kyrania?
Not long after Manacia's eve of disappointment, Safar and Iraj said farewell. They made a ceremony of it, returning to Alisarrian's Cave and the snowy pass where they'd battled the demons. Storms had further buried the evidence of the carnage and as they pushed across the snows on rough wooden skis there was nothing to hint of the events that had occurred there.
"Maybe it was just a dream, Safar said. Maybe it never happened at all and any moment now we'll wake up to an ordinary day in ordinary two ordinary lives."
Iraj barked laughter. I've never been ordinary, Safar, he said. And, admit it or not, neither have you. You'd save yourself a lot of bother if you just accepted it. He grinned. If you dreamed Astarias, he said, then you have the greatest imagination of any man in Esmira courtesan, young, beautiful, virginal and trained in all the arts to please a man. That was no dream, my friend. To make her one would be the greatest sin any god could imagine. When you're an old man it'll be memories of women like Astarias that will make your life seem well spent."