Weis & Hickman Deathgate Cycle 04 Serpent Mage

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.""Undoubtedly, if I had not been so much on my own, I would have never beenforced to ask such questions," Alfred answered."But I didn't have anyone toturn to." He stood tall, no longer crushed with awe, no longer meek,apologetic.He was strong with the lightness of his cause."And it seems, fromwhat I read in the library, that others asked the same questions before me.And that they found answers."Several Council members glanced uneasily at each other, then all eyes turnedto Samah.He looked grave and sad, not angry."I understand you better now, Brother.Iwish you had trusted us enough to tell us this before."Alfred flushed, but did not lower his gaze to his shoes, as he was wont.Heregarded Samah steadily, intently, with that clear-eyed gaze that had oftendisturbed Orla."Let me describe our world to you, Brother," said the Councillor, leaningforward, fingertips together on the top of the table."Earth, it was called.Once, many thousands of years ago, it was ruled exclusively by humans.Consistent with their warring, destructive nature, they unleashed a dreadfulwar upon themselves.The war did not destroy the world, as so many had fearedand predicted.But it changed the world irretrievably.New races, they say,were born out of the cataclysmic smoke and flame.I doubt the truth of that.Ibelieve these races were always present, but had remained hidden in theshadows, until the light of a new day should dawn."Magic came into the world then, supposedly, though all know that this ancientforce has been in existence since the beginning of time.It, too, was waitingfor the dawn."There had been many religions in the world over the centuries; the menschbeing glad to toss all their problems and frustrations into the lap of somePage 145ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlnebulous Supreme Being.Such Beings were numerous and varied.They were neverseen, capricious, demanded to be taken on faith and faith alone.No wonder,when we Sartan came to power, the mensch were thankful to switch theirallegiance to us, to flesh and blood beings, who laid down strict laws thatwere fair and just."All would have been well, had it not been that our opposite number, thePatryns, rose to power at the same time.The mensch were confused, many beganto follow the Patryns, who rewarded their slaves with power and wealth seizedat the expense of others."We fought our enemy, but battle proved difficult.The Patryns are subtle,tricky.A Patryn would never be crowned king of a realrn, for example.Theyleft that to the mensch.But you would be sure to find one of their numberacting in the role of 'adviser' or 'councillor.' ""And yet," Alfred inserted mildly, "from what I have read, the Sartan wereoften to be found in such roles themselves."Samah frowned at the implication."We were true advisers; we offered counseland wisdom and guidance.We did not use the role to usurp thrones, to reducethe mensch to little more than puppets.We sought to teach, to elevate, tocorrect.""And if the mensch didn't follow your advice," Alfred asked in a low voice,clear eyes unwavering, "you punished them, didn't you?""It is the responsibility of the parent to chastise the child who has behavedheedlessly, foolishly.Certainly we made the mensch see the error of theirways.How would they learn otherwise?""But what about freedom of will?" Alfred took several steps toward Samah,passion carrying him forward."Freedom to learn on their own? To make theirown choices? Who gave us the right to determine the fate of others?"He was earnest, articulate, confident.He moved with grace, with ease.Orlathrilled to hear him.He was speaking aloud the questions she had asked oftenin her own heart.The Councillor sat silent during the onslaught, cold, unassailable.He letAlfred's words hang in the quiet, tense atmosphere for a moment, then caughtand returned them with studied calm."Can a child raise itself, Brother? No, it cannot.It needs parents to feedit, teach it, guide it.""The mensch are not our children," Alfred returned angrily."We did not createthem! We did not bring them into this world.We have no right to try to ruletheir lives!""We did not try to rule them!" Samah rose to his feet.His hand flattened onthe table, as if he might have struck it, but he controlled himself."Wepermitted them to act.Often, we watched their actions with deep sadness andregret.It was the Patryns who sought to rule the mensch.And they would havesucceeded, but for us!"At the time of the Sundering, the power of our enemy was growing exceedinglystrong.More and more governments had fallen under their sway.The world wasembroiled in wars, race against race, nation against nation, those who hadnothing slitting the throats of those who had everything.No darker time hadever been and it seemed worse must come."And then it was that the Patryns managed to discover our weakness.Throughvile trickery and magic, they convinced some of our people that this nebulousSupreme Being, whom even the mensch had now ceased to worship, actually didexist!"Alfred started to speak.Samah raised his hand."Please, let me continue." He paused a moment, put hisfingers to his forehead, as if it ached.His face was drawn, fatigued.With asigh, he resumed his seat, looked back at Alfred [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki