“Is Shangonu?” Wulfston asked.
“Yes. He is a builder, Savishna a destroyer. But that is the way of gods. Savishna and Shangonu were born of the Great Mother to be the opposing forces that continue life, for the old and weak must make room for the new and strong. But human brothers and sisters should not be opposing forces… and my sister wants you at her Ceremony of Vision. I will do nothing-nor neglect to do anything-to oppose her desire.”
As he had promised, Kamas woke Wulfston before the Ceremony of Vision, and took him to an anteroom of the temple to prepare. They were garbed in plain brown, featureless garments, and Wulfston reluctantly handed Lenardo’s ring over to an attendant, who had also taken Kamas’ chain and pendant.
Then they paused to wash faces, hands, and feet before entering the temple itself.
The temple was a part of the castle, with the castle wall as its front wall, allowing the people of the city to enter for worship. Tonight, however, that door was closed and barred.
Wulfston had seen screens and benches piled up in hallways and anterooms they had passed through on their way here; obviously at times the huge temple was divided with colorful hangings into smaller areas, and worshipers could sit on benches for the ceremonies. Now, though, the temple was empty except for a low round dais in the center, amid a circle of flaming candles set in high wooden holders. Their light flickered across images painted on the ceiling high above, but Wulfston could not make them out.
At the very center of the ceiling, directly above the dias, a circular hole revealed the stars above.
The room could have held hundreds of people. Tonight there were only five: Tadisha, Ashuru, Kamas, Barak, and Wulfston. Wulfston and Kamas silently approached from one side, Ashuru, Tadisha, and Barak from the other. All wore the same plain brown garments.
As they entered the circle of candlelight, they stepped up onto the platform, which appeared to be wood covered with the same plain brown cloth as their robes. Tadisha stepped to the center, the other four around her.
Ashuru said, “This is a Ceremony of Vision, a Seeking to know what the presence of Lord Wulfston of the Savage Empire means to the state of Africa. Shangonu guide us to a true Vision, and protect my daughter while her spirit wanders under his guidance.”
Tadisha bowed to her mother, and received her kiss on the forehead. Then she turned from Ashuru and sank into the cross-legged position used by Readers and Adepts for concentration. Ashuru was now behind Tadisha, Wulfston directly in front of her, facing the Karili queen. Barak was on Tadishas right side, Kamas on her left.
The four who were standing joined hands, as Ashuru said, “We form a circle of protection for Tadisha.
Once we are seated, that circle must not be broken. Lord Wulfston, do you understand?”
“I understand,” he replied. “We must not break the circle.”
Ashuru’s eyes glittered in the candlelight so that he could not read them, but she was apparently satisfied- perhaps because with her Seer’s powers she could tell that this experience was not so alien to Wulfston as he had expected it to be.
The setting was different, the people were different, but the sense of shared energy he felt as they clasped hands was exactly the same as he had known time and again working with Lenardo, Torio, Julia-
The four let go of each other’s hands, but the sense of energy suspended between them remained as they stepped back.
Tadisha sank onto the platform, lying on her back, carefully smoothing her robe beneath her so that nothing would cut off her circulation.
When Ashuru, Kamas, and Barak settled into the cross-legged position that could be held for hours without fatigue, Wulfston did likewise, sitting at Tadisha’s feet. She lay prone, relaxed, eyes closed.
Wulfston had seen the process a hundred times before, but always the moment when the Reader’s face went slack, as if she had gone into a coma, disturbed him. Reading Tadisha’s personality suddenly disappear, he discovered, was even worse.
He composed himself, expecting a long wait. But only a few minutes passed before Tadisha’s eyes opened again and she quickly sat up. She looked around the circle, confused. Then her eyes fastened on Wulfston’s.
The eyes were still green, but they blazed with the light of hatred.
It was not Tadisha!
To his horror, he realized that no one else was reacting. Ashuru, Barak, Kamas, all remained in a kind of trance, oblivious to the change in Tadisha.
The look she gave him was rabid. Wulfston had once been called upon to destroy a dog with that look in its eyes, an animal he could not control. He had had to kill it.
But he could not kill Tadisha!
What he Read from the creature facing him, though, was a stranger’s mind awhirl with fragments of memory… and of madness. Incredible emotional agony fed the need to destroy, to kill.
She became unReadable, but not before he realized that the whirlpool of destructive passion could only be-
Z’Nelia!
He jumped to his feet, and so did Tadisha’s body, now a living weapon set to strike him down. A cruel, triumphant smile came to her lips as her arms came up in an unmistakable gesture.
Wulfston braced his Adept powers, hoping all his strength had returned.
“The circle!” cried Ashuru, eyes snapping open. “Don’t break-” A scream choked off her words as Tadisha’s body whirled, lightning streaming from her fingertips as Wulfston Read Ashuru’s agony of recognition that this was not her daughter-too late to protect herself!
Ashuru slumped, burned, and Z’Nelia turned back toward Wulfston.
“Mother!” Kamas gasped, and Wulfston left Ashuru to her sons attentions.
Z’Nelia could use all the force she wanted, and know Wulfston dared not retaliate for fear of harming Tadisha!
Wulfston dropped off the platform to the floor, sending out an Adept command to Z’Nelia to sleep.
A fireball nearly singed his scalp.
Tadishas body was already sleeping; his command had no effect on the evil currently inhabiting it.
Old and feeble as he was, Barak flung himself at Tadisha’s body as she stalked toward the edge of the platform, readying to attack Wulfston again.
When the old man got in her way, she tossed him aside with Adept strength. Wulfston heard the crack of fragile bone snapping as the old man hit the stone floor. One of the candlesticks fell over on him, igniting his robe. Wulfston spared a thought to put out the flame-
But now Tadisha towered above Wulfston, a perfect target that he dared not attack! She reached toward him-
He squatted beside the platform, got his hands under the edges, and lifted.
The next fireball burst against the ceiling.
Tadisha’s body let out a surprised yelp and fell off the platform hard, arms flailing.
More of the tall candlesticks clattered to the floor.
Wulfston frantically looked for cover.
He dived behind the upturned dais, narrowly evading a bolt of Adept lightning that charred even the stone floor.
He peered around the edge as Tadisha’s body lurched to its feet.
Wulfston crouched behind the heavy platform, using Adept strength to roll the unwieldy shield to protect Ashuru and Kamas, who had toppled off when he spilled Z’Nelia.
The dais exploded into fiery shards.
Tadisha’s body faltered, staggering to keep its balance, but there was still terrible hatred in the eyes. Both hands slowly came up to point at Wulfston, and he braced his Adept powers, still not knowing how to defend himself without hurting Tadisha’s body.
He remembered the image of Norgu, Adept strength used up, killing his father’s assassin by flinging the diamond-headed spear with simple muscle power.