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dozen towers that once enfolded the Forest, three have failed. Two of those
were at the cardinal points of the wall. Where once every tower station at the
cardinal points had two functioning towers, now only the south and west
stations have two towers. The other failed chaos tower is the northeast
midpoint tower, and that has meant forcing more chaos energy through the
cupridium cables on the northeast ward-wall. That requires more chaos energies
precisely from the cardinal point tower stations most burdened. Thus& the
First Magus shrugs, & the barrier on that wall is not so strong as on the
other walls, and there have been more attempts by the Accursed Forest to break
through the wards there.
In the far more modest malachite chair behind the Emperor s shoulder, Ryenyel
sits, her eyes not upon the First Magus nor upon the Majer-Commander of Mirror
Lancers, but, once again, upon Bluoyal, the Merchanter Advisor to the Emperor
of Light.
We will use the remaining power in the towers to create a barrier, Chyenfel
continues, a barrier like that which separates the inner part of a tower from
the outer, and that barrier will also place a slumber-ward, if you will, over
all of the Accursed Forest. We think re-setting the chaos fields to do this
will take a good two-score mages. It will take a season to assemble all that
is necessary, and but an afternoon to accomplish it.
If it can be done, suggests the Emperor.
So you should be able to move the towers by the fall if His Mightiness agrees
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to this now? asks Bluoyal quietly.
All faces turn to the merchanter advisor at his interruption. To Bluoyal s
right, Rynst nods slightly, almost as if urging the merchanter to go on.
We are seeing more pirate attacks upon our trading vessels, the heavy trader
continues. Yet we understand that we can expect less support from the
fireships and fewer Mirror Foot on our ships with firelances. For generations,
those chaos towers have sat around a forest that hasn t caused a shade of the
trouble that the barbarians or the pirates have, all because the ancients
thought there was something there. So a few wild creatures escape, and a few
cattle and sheep are killed. It would be far cheaper to pay for the lost
livestock, and move the lancers and the towers to where they can do real
good.
If you may recall, offers Chyenfel, no chaos tower can be moved, unless it
was placed in something that contains it and can be moved, such as a fireship.
The records and history are quite clear on that. They are also quite clear on
the dangers of the Forest.
Has anyone tried to move them in, say, the past five generations? counters
Bluoyal.
Which one would you like to lose, honored merchanter? If we try to move one
surrounding the Forest, we cannot contain the wild order, even under the new
barrier. Why would we wish to move any of the others?
I was not thinking of the others, most honored First Magus.
As we have told the Emperor before, although you may have missed such,
honored advisor on trade and commerce, the towers will still be there,
although none will be able to see or sense them.
Not sense them? Bluoyal raises his bushy eyebrows.
They and the wards will be twisted so that they will not quite be as they
are& or that they do not appear as such, more precisely.
The Emperor of Light frowns. If the towers& vanish& will this not alarm the
people? You had not mentioned this aspect of your barrier. What of the
lancers?
We would see no need of the present numbers of lancers, answers Chyenfel
cautiously.
So that they could be moved northward, or placed on the new sail-powered
warships? interjects Bluoyal.
That would be the decision of His Mightiness, in consultation with the
honored Majer-Commander, replies the First Magus.
A moment. Toziel lifts his hand. Let me make this most clear. You are
telling me that unless I agree to your plan, I will have no choice?
Sire& Chyenfel offers patiently. You have no choice. If you try to move the
towers, they will fail, and the Accursed Forest will reclaim much of eastern
Cyador. If you do nothing, the towers will fail within years, if not sooner,
and the Forest will do the same.
Toziel looks at the perspiring magus. I cannot say that I am pleased with the
performance of the Magi i.
Sire& this day has been foretold from the very first. You have read the
original writings of the Firstborn&
And I would be the man to be Emperor when it may occur? Toziel s words are
like cold cupridium. So& for how many more years will your plan confine the
Accursed Forest, so that Cyador may continue to prosper?
Sire& as you know, we would use all the power in the Towers to create a
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