The Ancient Enemy (51 page)

"Karnemin," it said, "hear my thoughts."

What?
He wanted to shout, but he could not make a sound.

"It has to end," whispered the little voice. "You cannot wreak destruction anymore upon the world."

The admiral found himself staring into a pool so pure it was transparent. The light shifted, and it became a mirror.

He saw himself and all his pathetic affectations and pretensions such as his wish to be considered part of the urban intellectual elite, when he was just a rustic sea captain. He was so inauthentic, it was laughable. To the men like Biswas, with their university learning, he must seem like a complete fool.

The mirror darkened, became a mouth centered on a web of tentacles. Something huge and hungry was trying to pull him into its mouth. Curiously serrated teeth champed expectantly ahead. He screamed and thrashed, and in a blink it was gone, and he stood on the ramparts of one of the enormous buildings. The place was sheathed in shining material and high above flew long pennons, ribbons of extraordinary color in the sky. He felt the wind rushing past his face, tears flowing down his cheeks. Then something like a giant bird flew past overhead with a great howl that shook the world.

Heuze finally dropped the scroll from nerveless fingers.

The vision cut off abruptly. He was back in his chamber, down on his hands and knees where he'd fallen. The monkey fellow was gone. A breeze came in the window and blew the message along the floor.

With shaking fingers he rolled the message up and sealed it again with fresh wax and his own seal.

By the purple ass of the Great God, he would send it on, oh yes. He wanted someone up the line to get that message. Oh yes. It would do them good.

Thru Gillo swam for the distant shore with a steady stroke. The Assenzi had said that once the leader of the men read the message, he would send it on. The Assenzi had great magic under their control, there was no doubt about that.

Far ahead was the line of cliffs. The sea was warm, and he felt like he could swim forever.