Fire Sea

FIGHTING WORDS

“Blessed Sartan,” whispered a soft voice behind him, nearly causing Haplo to jump out of his rune-covered skin.

He turned swiftly, to find Alfred hovering in the air overhead, staring down at the fire-lighted bodies moving in the cavern. Haplo tensed, waiting, casting a furious glance at the dog, who had failed its trust.

At least I'll have the satisfaction of killing one Sartan before I die.

Alfred stared into the cavern, his face a pale glimmer in the reflected firelight, his eyes sad and troubled.

“Go ahead, Sartan!” Haplo demanded in a savage whisper. “Why don't you get it over with? Call to them! They're your brothers!”

“Not mine!” Alfred said in hollow tones. “Not mine!”

“What do you mean? That's Sartan they're speaking.”

“No, Haplo. The Sartan language is the language of life. Theirs”—Alfred lifted a hand, ghostly in its grace, and pointed—“is the language of death.”

Bantam Spectra Books
by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

THE DARKSWORD SERIES
Forging the Darksword
Doom of the Darksword
Triumph of the Darksword
Legacy of the Darksword

THE DEATH GATE CYCLE
Dragon Wing
Elven Star
Fire Sea
Serpent Mage
The Hand of Chaos
Into the Labyrinth
The Seventh Gate
and by Margaret Weis

STAR OF THE GUARDIANS
The Lost King

And he that was dead
came forth.
—John 11:44

I'
VE TRAVELED THROUGH DEATH'S GATE FOUR TIMES, YET I
don't remember anything about the journey. Each time I've entered the Gate, I've been unconscious. The first trip I made was to the world of Arianus, there and back—a trip that was nearly my last.
¹

On my return trip, I acquired a dragonship, built by the elves of Arianus. It's far stronger and much more suitable than my first ship. I enhanced its magic and brought this ship back with me to the Nexus, where My Lord and I worked diligently to further increase the magic protecting the ship. Runes of power cover almost every inch of its surface.

I flew this ship to my next assignment, the world of Pryan. Once again, I sailed through Death's Gate. Once again, I lost consciousness. I awakened to find myself in a realm where there is no darkness, only endless light.

I performed my task satisfactorily on Pryan, at least as far as My Lord was concerned. He was pleased with my work.

I was not.
²

On leaving Pryan, I endeavored to remain conscious, to see the Gate and experience it. The magic of my ship protects it and me to the extent that we both arrive at our destination completely safe and undamaged. Why, then, was I blacking out? My Lord hinted that it must be a weakness in me, a lack of mental discipline. I resolved not to give way. To my chagrin, I remembered nothing.

One moment I was awake, looking forward to entering the small dark hole that seemed far too tiny to contain my ship. The next moment I was safely in the Nexus.

It is important that we learn as much as possible about the journey through Death's Gate. We will be transporting armies of Patryns, who must arrive on these worlds prepared to fight and conquer. My Lord has given the matter considerable study, poring over the texts of the Sartan, our ancient enemy, who built Death's Gate and the worlds to which it leads. He has just now informed me, on the eve of my journey to the world of Abarrach, that he has made a discovery.

I have this moment returned from meeting with My Lord. I confess that I am disappointed. I mean this as no detriment to My Lord—a man I revere above all others in this universe— but his explanation of Death's Gate makes
little
sense. How can a place exist and yet not exist? How can it have substance and be ephemeral? How does it measure time marching ahead going backward? How can its light be so bright that I am plunged into darkness?

My Lord suggests that the Death's Gate was never meant to be traversed! He can't tell what its function is—or was. Its purpose may have been nothing more than to provide an escape route from a dying universe. I disagree. I have discovered that the Sartan intended there to be some type of communication between worlds. This communication was, for some reason, not established. And the only connection I have found between worlds is Death's Gate.

All the more reason that I must remain conscious on my next journey. My Lord has suggested to me how to discipline myself to achieve my goal. He warns me, however, that the risk is extremely great.

I won't lose my life; my ship's magic protects me from harm.

But I could lose my mind.
³

1
The Lord of the Nexus underestimated the magical forces that control Death's Gate and failed to provide Haplo with suitable protection for the journey. The Patryn crash-landed and was rescued by the Geg Limbeck (see Dragon Wing, vol. 1 of The Death Gate Cycle).

2
Haplo characteristically makes no further mention of what he considers to be his failure on Pryan, but it may relate to the fact that he was very nearly killed by a race of giants whose magic proved far stronger than the Patryn's (see Elven Star, vol. 2 of The Death Gate Cycle).

3
Haplo Abarrach, World of Stone, vol. 4 of Death Gate Journals.