The haggard man's expressionless face changed so quickly that Endereth was frightened. His eyes were ablaze, his crooked teeth gritted, and he ground them in his rage. "Curse you, Endereth Naurel˙r! You have driven her into the Void! Curse you!"
His drawn, hunched figure suddenly straightened, and now he towered over Ender, his silver cloak turning a vile dark purple as shadows billowed out from the earth. The ranger barely dared to breathe. It was in this moment her confidence left her. She had no sword, no way to protect herself, and with the horrific vision that appeared before her she knew that all hope was lost. Backing away, she tripped on a stone, and turning from the ever-growing terror fell face forward onto a boulder, and with a sharp crack she hit her head on the rough rock. Her eyes burned from the dust in the air around her, and a sob escaped Ender's throat. Tears streamed forth from her eyes, but Endereth made no move to stop them. She had not cried since that day on the same crag... the day she had met her company.
"Oh, no... no!" a disdainful voice cried out behind her. "You cannot cry! How shall I obtain your sight if you cannot see?!"
Ender looked back at the towering menace who caused her pain, though she saw but a blurred silhouette of him now. "What... did you say?"
The monster threw up his hands in frustration. "How am I ever to see as long as the Child of Sight is thus blind?"
Ender knew what he meant. As long as she cried, she could not see. If she could not see, he could not take her magic. And she had so many tears that had been withheld in the past... thus, as long as tears came, there was still time.
[ December 28, 2002: Message edited by: Ithaeliel ]
__________________
That best portion of a good man's life,
His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.
.................William Wordsworth
|