Return of the Crimson Guard by Esslemont Ian C

Author:Esslemont, Ian C.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2008-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

After climbing the slope they reached the north plains. Dark clouds bruised the far north-east where the Ergesh mountain range caught the prairie winds. North, the road would bring them past an isolated sedimentary butte, or remains of an ancient plateau. Here, climbing its steep slopes and jumbled atop, rested the crumpled fallen remains of the Great Sanctuary of Burn. Entire wings of its boxy, squat architecture had slid down the cliff on massive landslides and faults while other quarters appeared untouched. From this distance, its canted maze of walls appeared to Ghelel as if a God had tossed down a handful of cards. Traces of grey smoke rose amid the ruins. ‘It must have been enormous.’

‘Yes. Largest on the continent. It housed thousands of monks. Now the cries of prairie lions sound instead of the drone of prayer.’

Ghelel glanced to the heavyset man; his pale eyes, hidden in a thick nest of wrinkles, studied the far-off remains. ‘You sound like a poet, Marquis.’

His thick brows rose. ‘I had hoped to be, but circumstances have made of me a soldier – Prevost.’

‘Yet the sanctuary does not seem entirely abandoned.’

‘Yes. As I said. The devout still gather. They slouch amid the wreckage, forlorn.’ He glanced to her. ‘Perhaps they dream of the glory that once was…’

Ghelel shied her gaze away to the ruins. ‘I see no scaffolding, no efforts at rebuilding.’

‘Perhaps their dreams are too seductive.’

‘Or they are too poor.’

Grinning, the Marquis nodded thoughtfully. After a time he cleared his throat. ‘I am reminded of some lines from Thenys Bule. Are you familiar with him?’

‘I have heard of him. “Sayings of the Fool”?’

‘Yes. It goes something like – “While travelling I met a man dressed in rags, his feet and shoulders bare. Take this coin, I offered him, yet he refused my hand. You see me poor, hungry, and cold, he said – yet I am rich in dreams.”’

Ghelel eyed the man narrowly. ‘I am not sure what to take from that, Marquis…’

‘Yes, well. The man was a fool after all.’

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