Dark Warrior Rising by Ed Greenwood

them all?”
    â€œWe won’t get them all.”
    â€œ What? But I thought—”
    â€œThat we were here to ‘see all,’ and direct the warblades of Ouvahlor to every last Talonar throat?”
    There was a brief silence, in which Aloun blinked at the older Watcher several times, ere mumbling, “Well … yes.”
    Luelldar passed a hand over his own brow. Ever-Ice give me the cold strength !
    â€œYou are mistaken,” he said wearily. “So listen, now, and heed. I do not want you plunging that boot knife you think I’m unaware of into my back when battle is raging high, bellowing that I’m some sort of traitor to Ouvahlor!”
    Aloun paled again, and his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but didn’t know what.
    Luelldar leaned closer to him, and said slowly, loudly, and firmly, “Ouvahlor does not intend to conquer Talonnorn. Now or in time any of us are likely to see.”
    â€œYou … you mean it,” the younger Watcher whispered. As he saw Luelldar roll exasperated eyes, he snapped, “Swear this is truth! Swear by the Ever-Ice!”
    Luelldar reached into the front of his robes, drew out the blue-white shard that he wore glimmering against his breast, and held it up on its chain so Aloun could see it well.
    Then he closed the fist of his other hand on it and said formally, “By the Ever-Ice that sears all falsehood, I swear: Ouvahlor does not intend to conquer Talonnorn. Now or in time any of us are likely to see.”
    Aloun’s mouth hung open as the older Watcher calmly restored his Ice shard to its customary place. When he found the use of it again, it was to splutter, “But—well—why then—?”
    â€œWhile you speak, you are slower to listen.” Luelldar quoted the very old saying in an almost droll voice, and waited for the younger Watcher to blush, find silence, and get over his emotions. Something the young
fool would not have time for in battle; he was far from ready for this duty yet.
    When Aloun was truly listening once more, Luelldar said gently, “We’ve discussed trade among Nifl cities more than once—and recently, too. Yes?”
    â€œYes.” The youngling said that one word and then stopped. Good; he was learning at last.
    Luelldar made him wait, just to see if the flood of questions would burst forth … and almost smiled, when it did not.
    â€œTalonnorn destroyed,” he explained almost gently, “benefits Ouvahlor little. We gain greater loot, if our warblades don’t destroy overmuch in the fighting, and lose more of our warblades, just to win two things: the enmity of a few surviving Talonar, who will be death-sworn to avenge their city and so willing to do anything to work us harm; and the fell regard of all Nifl cities—not just those of Olone—who will see us as too great a threat to be allowed to survive.”
    â€œThey’d ally in arms against us?” Aloun’s disbelief was clear. “Even two Nifl cities can’t trust each other enough to rise in arms together, to say nothing of three or more, and Olone and—”
    â€œThey would. A Pact exists to prove it.”
    â€œThe Darksway Pact?”
    â€œIs more than just an empty phrase we chant as infants, Aloun. If invoked, it will be answered. And, sooner or later, Ouvahlor will fall. Probably later, but it will be a long and wearying fight that consumes all of our lives, leaving us no time for laughter or pride or lording it over anyone.”
    Aloun was going pale again. Luelldar hid his smile. After all, this might be far from the last shock the attack on Talonnorn would deal this young Watcher.
    â€œBut let us turn away from such grim contemplations, and consider how Ouvahlor benefits if we shatter Talonnorn, and then withdraw. We are seen to be merciful—or at least, not so wantonly destructive as to be worth trying to eradicate. Any call for the Pact will