If nothing else had yet humbled the former Noble Lord, one look at the esteemed meeting place Rennis had procured would have done it.

The Province which Tarras had governed before the Inonni came had a fine auditorium. Cavernous but not intimidating, decorated but not ostentatious, and comfortable but not lavish. The acoustics were perfect, allowing one to stand upon the stage and project his voice to the very back row with little effort.

Tarras had used that chamber on many occasions to address the Carolas court, or to hold marriage ceremonies for the lesser Nobles. A very fine winter solstice celebration had been held one year when the harvest had become plentiful again after a decade of drought. He held meetings with other Nobles there only when forced, as they were bound to tell him it was not large enough, not decorated enough, or not lavish enough.

And yet, as he looked at the weatherbeaten barn, the old auditorium seemed overbearing.

He had watched from a distance as people trickled in. They arrived in all manner of mundane means, the very best of which would have been looked down upon by the lowest of the former Nobles. And yet the moment they stepped out and their transport wheeled, trundled, or rattled away, they regained all sense of privilege they once had and likely still believed they had.

They strutted forward as if this were any other meeting of their peers. They ignored the tattered and threadbare nature of their finery, as if believing the sheer radiance of their presence would compensate.

Tarras felt nothing but disgust and despair. He was tempted to walk up to them and startle them out of their complacency by forcing them to recognize him in his simple frock, only a bare step above what most of the peasants wore. Despite Rennis' pleas, he had refused to wear any finery of his own.

Tarras uttered a slow sigh. The Farviewing pearl felt like a lead weight in his pocket. He had respected Rennis' plea; he had not contacted the Mage Guildmaster.

He finally headed to the back of the barn when the stream of arrivals thinned. The door was splintered, the wood faded to dried gray, and the hinges squealed when he pulled it back. The meager flame behind the broken glass of an oil lamp flickered in the breeze until the door creaked shut behind him. Opposite the door, a heavy purple curtain hung across the opening to a makeshift stage constructed by local hired hands. They had had barely enough platinum between them to pay for the work.

Tarras heard the babble of conversation and occasional laughter. His anger and frustration surged, despite the realization it was not his place to wish misery upon them. Still, he felt a more solemn attitude was appropriate, for that would have told him they had grasped the gravity of the situation and realized their days of lavish parties and fine dining were over.

Tarras approached the curtain and grasped the edge, his arm tensing for a moment. Instead of pulling it back as he had intended, he nudged it to one side just far enough to peek past it.

Tarras had expected to see nothing more than the inside of an old barn, the rafters still stuffed with moldy hay, sunlight peeking through the warped boards of the roof, the floor stained with the dried remains of animal dung. Instead, bright banners and gold-trimmed tapestries festooned the walls. The simple oil lamps had been replaced with shiny brass or silver lanterns. A red carpet stretched down the center aisle. The edges of the stage had been dressed in lace and velvet.

Nothing matched. No two tapestries followed the same artistry. No two banners had the same color scheme. No two lanterns looked alike. A closer look at this garish potpourri of leftover riches would expose the deception and reveal the frayed threads, the chipped porcelain, or the dented metal. Yet it mattered not, as the symbolism was important; it symbolized they had not learned a damn thing.

Tarras stepped back and turned towards the door, his hand reaching for the Farviewing pearl. He stopped short of the threshold when Rennis appeared outside.

"So you are here," Rennis said.

Tarras removed his hand from his pocket. Rennis' eyes flicked to it and narrowed. "Yes, I am here," Tarras said in a low voice.

"And you still insist on wearing--"

"No."

Rennis paused, looking genuinely surprised.

"I will look too out-of-place. I would not appear as any sort of leader they would wish to follow."

Rennis let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you for finally coming to your senses. Come on, I have your things still laid out back at--"

Tarras raised a hand. "But you will allow me a few moments of reflection before I begin."

"What?"

"I have much to say which must be delivered in as few words as possible if I wish to keep their attention."

Rennis nodded slowly. His eyes flicked to Tarras' pocket again. "And there would be no other reason for your delay?"

Tarras did not speak; his stony gaze was his answer.

Rennis' jaw tightened. "Very well. Do what you must. But be aware that everything has repercussions."

"Believe me," said Tarras in a tired voice. "No one knows that more than I."

Jollis stood once more in the austere reception chamber of the Holy Elder. The guards had allowed him inside upon sight without a word, and Jollis had not dared ask if he were expected. He had yet to announce himself, though it was likely the Elder knew he was there.

He had trouble raising his eyes to the tapestries, as if he did not consider himself worthy to gaze upon even these imperfect representations of the gods. Yet again, he longed to contact Kyllos for advice. He shook his head. He would contact his mentor when he had answers and not more questions.

His head jerked up as the curtain was suddenly swept aside, and Yurton stood in the doorway. The idea the Holy Elder was indeed only a man suddenly appeared in the forefront of Jollis' mind. Whether this was supposed to inspire relief or anxiety he did not know, but the thought itself was significant. Only when Yurton stepped into the room and his silver-trimmed robes swept about his feet did Jollis remember his place. He dropped to one knee and spoke the obligatory prayer, yet with little conviction.

"I accept your honored blessing," said Yurton, his voice even. "Now, rise, and face me as my equal."

Jollis bolted to his feet as Yurton still spoke and was met by an expression of mild surprise which settled back into its usual subdued pleasantness in the space of a breath. Yurton laced his fingers together tightly upon his belly and gave Jollis a small smile. "I anticipated you would honor me with your presence this morning, Wanderer. What may I say to help ease your mind?"

At first, Jollis dared to believe something of the divine existed in this man, until he realized a more mundane reason would suffice to explain Yurton's supposed precognition. As he turned more fully towards the Elder, his ankle twinged. The Healer had attended to it, but he had been advised to allow a full day for complete recovery. It was time he did not have.

"You were told of my potential visit?" Jollis asked.

"When you did not attend to the task which I had set for you, I was naturally curious, but Verano cleared up the matter at once."

Jollis did not respond, sensing there was more.

Yurton smiled. "It is in our best interests that you are comfortable with any task we ask of you. I would be most happy to offer counsel before you set about your latest one."

Jollis noted the Elder's choice of words. No matter what the outcome of this meeting, he was expected to carry out his mission. "I grow concerned, Holy Elder Yurton, that we approach the matter of the Rogue Mages without considering all alternatives."

"Ah, I see," Yurton replied with a nod of his head. "I can assure you, Honored Wanderer, that all of your concerns have already crossed my own mind during many evenings of deep meditation."

"And yet I am still asked to perform an act of kidnapping."

Jollis suppressed the urge to rush an apology to his lips, as his words were tantamount to an accusation. Yet Yurton seemed unperturbed. "When all things are considered, Jollis, it is the wise man in the end who accepts his place and does what is required for the greater good. Only the fool waits and hopes for greater wisdom where there is none."

Jollis tilted his head. He had never heard that one. All had been devised and recorded by the first Elder of the Holy Order during the Inonni Enlightenment. While the Holy Order technically had the privilege to invent new quotations, it had never been exercised.

Few could memorize all one thousand quotations, but Jollis had managed it. Yet he would rather believe the fault was in himself. Otherwise, either this Elder felt he could invent new ones to suit him, or he gambled Jollis had not memorized all of them and would assume this was one he did not know.

Neither alternative was promising. The former suggested unwarranted pride, the latter deception. Neither were traits associated with the Holy Order. Yurton seemed even more so like nothing more than an ordinary man.

"Is there anything else I can assist you with, Wanderer?" said Yurton in a pleasant voice.

Jollis forced a smile. "I am experiencing a sense of irony, Holy Elder. When I first met you upon my arrival, I was unsure of my path. It appears it has been laid out before me."

Yurton paused, and for a moment Jollis believed the implication of his statement had come through. The Holy Order was not a ruling body. They did not dictate. They espoused their teachings, and the Inonni followed out of a mutual desire to remain an Enlightened and civilized society. Yet Jollis' simple statement had accused Yurton of betraying this central philosophy.

"Then it is well and good you came to me, Wanderer," said Yurton. "If all you needed was clarification."

"I will attend to my mission by the midday meal," Jollis said. It was not something he wanted to say, but he had no further options.

"Very good, Honored Wanderer. I am sure once we have Marlon, it will be easier to convince the other Rogue Mages of our good intentions."

Jollis repressed a shudder when the vision of the fresh graves outside the Manor grounds appeared in his mind. His ankle throbbed.

"If there is nothing else, I will leave you to your--"

"I do have one last question, Elder, if you would be so kind."

Yurton paused, and Jollis thought he saw uncertainty in the man's face. Finally, Yurton nodded once.

"When the time arrives for Amanda, are you confident the procedure over which Verano continues to toil will be safe to use?"

Yurton's lips curled into an easy smile. "Ah, you still show concern for the young woman."

"Forgive me if I seem obsessed."

"Not at all. It is my hope you will come to understand that the future is what is important. The spread of Enlightenment is our most cherished goal."

"I do not dispute that in the least," said Jollis, a small quaver creeping into his voice. "But one who will be so key to its advancement deserves to be treated with utmost care, especially when she will have suffered so much to bring us what we need."

Yurton's fingers laced together more tightly. "I remind you of our own history. Enlightenment did not come easy. There was much toil, much bloodshed, much heartbreak. Everything we do now is intent on minimizing this."

"And this would include Amanda as--"

"But the total elimination of all strife is impossible, as you have seen for yourself with Oceanus," continued Yurton as if Jollis had not spoken. "This is something you must come to realize, Honored Wanderer. Surely you have done things yourself which you felt at the time were uncomfortable, even distasteful, but you did them because you knew of the ultimate goal, and of the good it would bring."

Jollis could only nod. He did not trust his voice. Everything he heard he had accepted as truth, and yet now, coming from the Elder, the words seemed to ring hollow.

"And thus it will continue to be. Worry yourself not about any one person, Jollis, even one as critical to our plans. Ultimately, it is the end result which matters. Mind your feelings, as they may lead you off the required path."

Jollis again simply nodded, though the Elder's final words were opposite those he had heard at the Inonni temple from the Priestess, who had assured him his feelings for Amanda were just and good. Yet as much as the Priestesses were said to be the avatars of the Goddess, the Holy Order was representative of the will of the gods. Who was he to believe now?

The divine do not make such mistakes, nor do they pit their representatives against one another. Thus Jollis could come to only one conclusion: one or the other of the divine's representatives was wrong.

"I hope that answers your concerns, Wanderer."

"Yes, Elder," said Jollis in a neutral voice. "It does indeed."

The Farview image of Uroddus hovered between Tarras and the tree. The former Noble Lord could see bits of bark through the Mage's face, giving it a streaked and mottled appearance as it remained deep in thought.

Tarras felt the need to speak into the silence. "It does not have to be you personally, Guildmaster," said Tarras. "But it should be someone from among the Mage Elders, someone who has good sense of organization."

"You do realize what you are proposing is unprecedented since the era of the Mage Wars," said Uroddus.

Tarras smiled, as the inflection of Uroddus' voice suggested he was warming to the idea. Despite the obligatory "warning," he sensed Uroddus wanted to pursue this idea as much as he did. "That would be another reason for sending someone other than you. I have also sent word to Uridon, asking for a representative from his merchant clan, and perhaps from a sea clan as well."

Uroddus nodded once, still deep in thought.

"What prompted this was a memory, Guildmaster, of when we met near Selemas Keep after the occupation. In that moment, I had believed resistance was actually possible. Only now do I understand why. It was the sense that we were united, that the Mages, former Lords, former Overlords, and the merchants were about to work together towards a common goal."

"And then we went our separate ways," said Uroddus.

"Yes, exactly. And I have spent the better part of a season trying to recapture that feeling of unity and purpose, before I understood what feeling I was attempting to recapture in the first place. If only I had the time to tell you of the experiences I've had among the peasants!"

"I would indeed like to hear it, but I sense you are in a hurry."

Tarras sighed. "I have to give a speech before former Nobility who escaped Inonni capture to tell them something I am sure they do not want to hear."

"That the old order is gone and will never return."

Relief flooded Tarras. The conviction he heard suggested the Guildmaster had come to the same conclusion.

Uroddus nodded. "Yes, I see. I do not envy you your task. I have had similar issues with the Mage Elders concerning the future direction of magical research."

"Can I assume it has something to do with the Inonni Portal technology?"

"It is more of a catalyst, but explanations will wait for when there is more time."

"It can keep. So what is your answer?"

"I agree to the proposal," said Uroddus. "Though it will be awhile before I am able to free a Mage Elder for such an assignment. We are working on something right now which is critical to hampering the Inonni effort. Please understand that I cannot give voice to the details."

"Understood. But I will relay this to Rennis. He could use some good news along those lines."

Uroddus adjusted his spectacles. "I daresay the end result will be difficult to keep secret. Good day to you, Tarras."

"Good day, Guildmaster," Tarras said just before Uroddus' image faded out.

Tarras looked thoughtful as he picked up the Farview pearl. Now he was intrigued. What exactly were the Mages planning?

The site around the Portal formerly belonging to the late Overlord Gronnus D'yoran looked as if a tornado had hit it. Most of the Mages present were of the younger set. Freed from the watchful gaze of their Mage Elder teachers, they resorted to whatever techniques were most expedient. When the clearing proved too small to fit all their tents, they flattened the nearby trees with magic. When the space inside the Portal building felt too confining to allow more than a handful of Mages to examine the device at once, they blew out the walls.

"And just how will you prevent the Portal device from being drenched in the next spring storm?" Q'kollan had demanded before the dust from pulverized masonry had settled.

"We'll just hoist a shield over it if we have to," had come the flippant answer.

Q'kollan had barely resisted the urge to throttle the boy. Katla finally noticed the Mage's tension and took him aside. "They are acting like madmen," Q'kollan growled. "I had not expected this from such a diverse group."

Katla raised an eyebrow.

Q'kollan sighed. "I did not mean it quite that way."

"Oh yes, you did," Katla snapped. "You thought the Empiricists would act this way but not the Traditionalists."

"You must admit the younger generation of Mages seem to gravitate towards the Empiricist line of thinking. So I have some basis in fact for what you would label prejudice."

Katla held her retort and turned her gaze towards the clearing, where another rather bright burst of magic exploded in a shower of sparks. "At least you can be sure their magic is mathematically precise," Katla offered in as conciliatory a tone as she could muster.

Q'kollan did not look mollified, but some of the edge to his voice had eased when he spoke again. "I am more concerned we will be discovered by the Inonni. Every bit of magic we do is that much more chance we will be noticed."

"No one is more worried about that than me, Master Q'kollan. But that's all the more reason to get this done fast."

Q'kollan frowned. "I know. I hate doing that. I would much rather take a more methodical approach."

Katla smirked. "I know. I took a course you taught, remember? Magical Logic and Methodology."

Q'kollan's lips twitched into a small smile. "Yes, and you were one of my best students."

Katla's eyes widened, and her cheeks grew pink.

"I have embarrassed you," said Q'kollan in a more subdued voice, though with a hint of amusement. "My apologies."

Katla shook her head. "No, not at all, it's just ... I'm not used to hearing such praise from a Mage Elder."

Q'kollan stared. "Are you quite serious?"

"Yes, very serious."

"But I have seen your coursework for other instructors. Granted, you took approaches which were considered contrary to orthodoxy at the time, but they worked and worked well."

"So now you see my point about what my fellow Empiricists have suffered?"

Q'kollan was silent for a long moment. "I thought I had, but apparently I was mistaken. It appears I have grossly underestimated the problem." He glanced at the clearing. "Which explains their behavior. They have something to prove. Like, in a way, our esteemed Guildmaster."

Katla nodded and chose to say nothing more. She above all others knew the toll it had taken on Uroddus, and consequently, their relationship. She was simply happy to have finally reached an understanding with a Traditionalist she respected.

Q'kollan frowned again as another bright burst of magic erupted from the clearing. "This revelation will not make me feel any less nervous, however."

"You're not the only one," Katla said. "The more we review these equations, the more dangerous this operation gets."

"So there is little hope in quelling the more explosive nature of this operation?"

"Blame the Inonni," Katla said tartly. "They're the ones powering the old Overlord Portals to ridiculous heights. When we turn the power back on itself, it has to have somewhere to go."

"Blaming the enemy is little comfort when we will be the harbingers of death, especially when some may be our own brethren, as misplaced as they are now."

Katla's eyes glistened. "I'll take whatever comfort I can get, Mage Elder," she said in a strained voice. "And as for the expatriates who may get caught in this, the Guildmaster promised he would try to take care of that today."

"And you are sure, Mage Marlon, that you are secure in your current location?"

Marlon offered a small smile to the glimmering Farview image of Uroddus. "As secure as we can be, Guildmaster. For all of Jothan's faults, he did afford us enough time to make a very organized retreat from our old home."

Marlon noticed the Guildmaster's eyes roaming as if trying to take in the expatriate Mage's surroundings. Out of a sense of pride for his idea he almost ordered the pearl to expand its field of view. He stood inside a tiny peasant hut, part of what had once been a thriving hamlet until a series of bad spring storms some years ago had flooded the farmlands with silt, rendering them untenable.

It had been a simple matter to reoccupy the town and clean up the huts and the farmlands with magic. Now they donned simple peasant attire while outside, so their community would appear as nothing more than just another hamlet. Marlon had considered taking up farming and encouraging the others to do the same to further enhance the illusion.

"Please, don't concern yourself," said Marlon. "But I hope you'll understand if I don't reveal our exact location at the moment."

"I understand, and it is not important to me right now," said Uroddus.

"Then I assume you didn't call just to wish me well."

"Unfortunately, no. I need to give you and your fellow expatriates warning."

"I beg your pardon?" Marlon said in a voice of rising alarm and suspicion.

Uroddus slipped off his spectacles and tapped them against his palm. "That was perhaps not the best wording I could have used. There is a plan to hamper the Inonni's Portal research, and it may cause some ... incidental damage."

Marlon's eyes widened. "Guildmaster, just what did you find from the readings I relayed to you?"

"Forgive me for not keeping you better informed," said Uroddus, and he proceeded to explain to Marlon what had been theorized.

Marlon stared. "That makes no sense! How can they know so much about Portals and not know how to create a transdimensional one?"

"Be that as it may, all the evidence points to this conclusion. It also suggests the Inonni are extremely interested in the technology, and we do not like where that might lead. Thus we are preparing to remotely shut down the old Overlord Portals upon which they are experimenting."

Uroddus explained how they intend to use another Overlord Portal to reverse the energy flow to the others.

"With all due respect, Guildmaster ..." Marlon began, then stamped his foot against the creaking timbers of the floor. "Blast the respect! You're all quite mad!"

"I assure you we feel the theory is sound."

"That's not what I mean! The amount of energy you're talking about is staggering. The explosion it could create at each ... great gods, I don't think we even have a unit of measurement for such a thing!"

"Which is why I am contacting you," said Uroddus in a somber voice. "If you have any contact at all with your fellow expatriates who went over to the Inonni ..."

He trailed off when Marlon shook his head. "Jothan is the only one I had contact with, and he went silent soon as he sent me those readings. I have no idea what happened to him."

Uroddus nodded once and returned his spectacles to his face. "Perhaps this can be used as a means to impress upon others not to join the Inonni."

Marlon frowned. "I'm not sure I should convey any of this plan to anyone."

"I would feel better if you did. I trust you and your comrades to remain silent to anyone outside your own circle."

Marlon blinked. While he had few doubts anymore as to the Guildmaster's sincerity in wishing better relations with the expatriates, this was the first sign of overt trust extended from the Guild Hall to his brethren. However, Marlon himself was not quite sure all his own brethren could be trusted. "I will consider it."

"Thank you. I truly hope we can minimize the destruction, but we feel we cannot allow any intact Overlord Portal to fall into Inonni hands. Good day to you."

"Good day to you, Guildmaster," Marlon said in a flat voice.

Jollis stepped through the Portal, and his world became filled with coarse thatch and mud-brick a finger's breadth from the tip of his nose.

Rather than exhibit surprise at a wall sitting between him and his quarry or alarm that he could have become part of the wall had the Portal opened just several hand-spans forward, he obeyed instinct and dropped into a crouch to conceal himself until he knew where he was.

Behind him, the Portal still churned and seethed, though with barely a crackle. It remained for another moment, anticipating his quick return, then collapsed with no more than a soft snap, leaving nothing but a patch of ionized air in its wake which raised the hairs on the back of Jollis' neck.

He understood what had happened: Marlon was inside a dwelling so small the Portal had managed to leave Jollis outside. He had heard of similar mishaps which had allowed some minor Lords to escape during the infiltration of Oceanus.

For the moment, Jollis was fully in the mindset of his mission. This meant only a short delay in taking his quarry, but now he had to find a way to get to Marlon. He could not risk opening the Portal closer; even with the vaunted Inonni technology, a margin for error existed which could very well place him inside one of the walls.

Jollis surveyed his surroundings. He had been fortunate to arrive on the back side of the hovel, facing thick woods. He assumed the Rogue Mages had taken residence in a small hamlet, the dwellings likely arranged in a rough ring about a clearing. He admired them for their cleverness.

He listened for the shouted warnings and incantations of alerted Mages but heard none. His good fortune continued; no wards to detect intrusion had yet to be set about the perimeter.

As expected, he felt the pull of a Farview summons. He withdrew the pearl from a pocket and waved a hand over it. A shimmering, stark silent image of a Cohort appeared. The Cohort lifted a hand and gestured, using a sign language intended for just such a moment when stealth was needed. The gesture said, what is wrong?

Jollis gestured back: Wall. Dwelling is tiny. I am outside.

The Cohort gestured back, I will recall you.

NO, signed Jollis, using an emphatic. I am undetected. I will find way inside.

The Cohort paused, then signed in resignation, I will wait.

Jollis terminated the Farview. He heard movement inside the dwelling and crept around its side. He passed under a window, its shutters open to the breeze.

"They're mad, all of them, if they think they can do something like that!" a shrill female voice suddenly burst through the open window.

Jollis dove into the grass and made himself as small as possible. His luck apparently had its limits; Marlon was with someone.

"I'm not so sure," responded a male voice, which Jollis assumed to be Marlon. "Not after having met this Guildmaster. If the stories on how he came to power are true, I could almost believe they could do it."

"Even if they could, what use is it?" the woman cried, her voice quavering. "They cause much destruction for little purpose! The Inonni will simply find some other way to get what they want."

Jollis lifted his head. He had intended to pass under the window and locate the entrance, but now he remained still and listened. He heard a low sigh from Marlon. In a softer voice, he said, "You're still worried about Barranus."

"Of course I'm worried about him! And aren't you worried about Jothan? Have you heard from him at all since he promised me he would find out what happened to Barranus?"

"And you're afraid he'll be hurt if the Mage Guild pulls this off."

"I-I don't even know if he's still alive," the woman said in a trembling voice. "But if this happens ... then he certainly won't be."

Jollis' heart lurched, and he was not sure why. He should be treating this as any other mission despite its implications.

"And why are you telling me this?" the woman demanded. "Why burden me with it? Why even trust me, considering what you probably think of Barranus?"

"Taarla, I've never known you to lie about anything. If you tell me Barranus was working to uncover what the Inonni were up to, then I believe you."

Jollis' eyebrows rose. Renewed respect for the Rogue Mages surged through him. He admired the tactics of a worthy adversary. And yet he felt something clench when he thought of them as "adversaries." Just how far, really, was that word from "enemies?"

"Little comfort that gives me, Marlon," Taarla sobbed.

"It's all I can offer. I can't stop the Guildmaster or his plans. I'm not sure I'd want to if I could."

Taarla sniffled. "I-I know. I can't even conceive of how they can do it. That much energy! They'd be just as likely to destroy themselves as the Portal devices they target."

Jollis' eyes widened very slightly.

"It must be done," said Marlon. "We have to stop them from acquiring even more power."

"How could they not already know this?" Taarla wailed. "It's ludicrous! It came to us easily once--"

"It'll take too long to explain, and I'm not sure I understand it completely myself." Marlon sighed. "As much as anyone here will hate to admit it, we've missed much in our absence from the Mage Guild."

"I am not going back!" Taarla cried.

"Please, I'm not saying anyone should, not now. That's the least of our problems."

"This is still madness. Maybe I can take that as some solace, that this effort will be for nothing and Barranus will survive."

Jollis felt an urge to tell her the truth if for no other reason than to bring closure. Or to repay a debt he felt was owed. He was unsure of his true motivation.

A sudden banging noise sounded from the front of the dwelling facing the clearing, and Jollis lay low in the grass as he spotted the young woman stalk away. From inside came a deep, regretful sigh and approaching footsteps, then a loud creak and silence.

Marlon had taken a seat very close to the window. Jollis looked up. The window was narrow but tall. He could grasp the sill and pull himself up, and in the space of half a breath slip through the window and descend upon his quarry. He had heard no additional thump with Marlon's descent into the chair, thus the Mage did not use a staff. Without the need to disarm the Mage, Jollis' task was easier. It would then be a simple matter to summon the Portal; once focused on Jollis' location, it would be far more accurate.

He stared at the window. He calculated he could do it in less time than it would take a man to cross the tiny room. He could hold his breath until he was back through the Portal with Marlon and not gasp for air when he breathed again.

And yet everything he had heard in the conversation -- and everything he had not heard -- played in his head.

And his meeting with Yurton happened again.

And his conversation with Verano repeated itself.

And looming as a brooding backdrop, stark and accusing, was the memory of the graves and the words of the guilt-stricken Cohorts.

And he continued to stare at the window, his body still tensed as if ready to spring.

Then he realized his motivation for wanting to tell the woman everything: guilt. Not for himself, but for Verano. For Yurton. For the single lie perpetrated through the centuries.

Could he free himself from it? Could he complete his task and claim he had followed what he had thought was right? The Holy Order spoke, and thus it was so! He had lived by that tenet through his entire task in Oceanus. It drove him to help unseat a global power in a single night, and to send a young woman he loved on an odyssey of pain and sacrifice with only the belief that she served a noble purpose sustaining him.

It had allowed him to be the spy, the infiltrator, the liar, and sometimes the assassin all his adult life. He had killed for a cause he had believed was right because the Holy Order had decreed it crucial to maintaining and spreading Inonni Enlightenment. He had equated one with the other, but now the equation was unbalanced.

He heard another creak. Marlon had stood, and now retreated from the window. Jollis' moment was lost. He withdrew to the back of the dwelling and signaled with his Farview pearl for the Portal to open. He stood and stepped through as soon as it had formed.

He was back in the Overlord Manor, a Cohort looking first relieved, and then confused. Two warriors whom had raised their staffs anticipating a possible hostile arrival now glanced at one another and slowly lowered their weapons. Between them swept Mage Verano. "What happened?"

"The Portal placed me just out of reach due to the smallness of his dwelling," said Jollis in a forced neutral voice. "I waited for an opportunity to enter and take him but non presented itself."

Jollis felt sick. Lying was far too easy. Yet how often had he done it himself? He had lied to an overbearing but distraught and downtrodden Overlord and led him to his death at the hands of an insane Emperor. He had lied to Roquan to gain his trust and access to Amanda. He had lied to Amanda so she would not discover his ultimate goal.

And what lies, he wondered, had been told to the Urisi about the man they wanted from the Oceanus fleet?

"You must go back!" Verano cried. "I must have Marlon!"

"I cannot, not now. He was with someone. I heard them conversing. From that I learned they are establishing close ties with the Oceanus Mage Guild. I fear their community may be too close-knit for me to take Marlon safely."

Verano looked livid, but quickly calmed himself. He uttered a forlorn sigh and folded his hands before him. "This did not stop us from taking the Noble Lords."

"Noble Lords were insular," said Jollis in a clipped voice. "Isolated. They lived in luxurious suites which allowed more room to open a Portal and thus allow a greater margin for error. This is not the case here. We must rethink our strategy."

Verano kneaded his hands but nodded. "Very well. Elder Yurton will be interested in their collusion with the Mage Guild. Did you hear anything else of consequence?"

Jollis paused. He had started to piece together a probable scenario. The Oceanus Mages had deduced as he had, and as Jothan had before him, that the Inonni did not know how to open transdimensional Portals but wanted to learn. The Oceanus Mages intended to stop them in a manner which could lead to much destruction and death.

The gods had smiled fortune upon him for allowing him to discover such a crucial bit of intelligence. Perhaps they had even guided the Portal themselves to force him to remain outside. And yet, for a brief moment in his mind, he was back at the Imperial Palace in Oceanus, when Yonlas had given him the secret assignment from Kyllos. His own words came back to him in icy clarity: The fool lies when it pleases him to do so; it is the wise man who practices deception when it serves a greater good.

The words rang hollow. He had no idea what the greater good was anymore.

"No, Mage Verano," said Jollis, his stomach clenching. "I heard nothing further of import."

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