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s position in the morning； and even recounted the knotted strings used to keep track of the number of paces traveled each day。 We should have been within a dozen spearcasts of our friends。 But there was nothing。 I checked the map I had made on our Finding； and it verified our locations。 But there was simply nothing there。 Janos and I agreed we must be south of the valley。 We chanced two days' travel to the north； found nothing； and returned to our former track。 The men were displeased…both Maeen and Lione had told them of the valley and its pliant women。 But they were near as dedicated as Janos and I； and we continued on…with no more than wistful thoughts of what we'd missed。
But then all thoughts of disappointment dissolved in excitement when the first man spotted the great mountain range。 The Fist of the Gods。 Even I felt wonder stir when I saw the pass between the 〃thumb〃 and 〃forefinger〃 that led through that black range。 But caution soon overtook wonder： we were in the dangerous territory； doubly so； since we also knew the city of Wahumwa lay in front of us。 We moved most carefully； taking as long as four hours to travel a single league； even though the ground was fairly open。 We avoided all rains； fearing they could be guarded by spells or men。
I called a halt for a council of war when Janos estimated we were a half day's travel from Wahumwa。 We had still seen no sign of their cavalry or scouts or even citizens。 The problem was that the treacherous city sat athwart the only approach to the pass。 After some thought； we determined to get as close to the city as possible during daylight； then go to ground。 We would wait and watch； then use darkness to slip around the city's walls and into the mountains。 If the approach was that tightly patrolled we would break the party into four groups； as we'd practiced； and each group would have an entire night to make passage。 Janos added that I should go with the first group； and set up a forward post。 He would go back and forth each night； and guide each of the groups。 I thought again of my egoism back in the wasteland and was ashamed to have allowed jealousy of a man volunteering to shuttle like this just to ensure the safety of others。
We journeyed onward； and at last we climbed the last foothill。 Beyond lay Wahumwa； Janos said。 He went forward with Sergeant Maeen。 Maeen would return if the rest of us needed to e up。 He should have been back within minutes； but almost an entire glass passed。 I could wait no longer； drawing my sword； I went in the direction they had taken； dodging from cover to cover。 Perhaps my friends had been captured。 I came out of a thick brush and saw them。 They stood on the edge of a crest； in plain sight of any one in the valley…and city…below。 I feared they had been caught in a spell。 I hastened forward； not sure what I would do if they were ensorcelled and turned on me。 I came closer…and then saw what had paralyzed them。
〃That；〃 I said； incredulous； 〃is Wahumwa？〃
Both men spun…they'd not heard me approach； and Janos' hand was on his sword hilt。 They relaxed then。 〃It is；〃 he managed。
〃Or was； anyway；〃 Maeen put in。
There was a city below us； but it was in ruins； its great wall had crumbled in many places。 Trees grew up； blocking roads both inside and outside the city。 There had been tall； monolithic buildings； as great as any in Lycanth； inside the walls。 Time and the weather had broken them； and the roofless buildings stretched stone fingers at the heavens。
I started to stammer questions； but Janos just shook his head； very grim。 〃There was a spell cast；〃 Janos said； almost in a whisper。 〃A Great Spell； indeed。 Call the men up。 I will。。。 I must enter the city。〃
Sergeant Maeen recovered and ran back for the rest of the party。 They； too； stood in amazement； until Janos ordered us to march and for everyone to keep his weapon ready。 We went through the gates at dusk。 Wahumwa had been great once…the gates themselves were iron…bound； solid marble slabs； now broken and hanging from rusted hinges。 The cobblestones themselves were monstrous； the size of a charabanc。 Now； grass； low bushes； and even some trees grew between them。 The buildings would have been lofty； and the avenues broad。 Now 。。。 nothing but ruins。 A few hundred yards more； and there would be nothing but rubble。 Janos led the way； seeming to know where he was heading。 We left the central thoroughfare and went up an overgrown roadway； toward a huge shattered building on a hilltop。 Maeen was pale…he knew； and I sensed； where Janos was taking us； but the grip on his blade was steady。
We entered the hall； and men cried out。 I had known what to expect； but it was still grisly。 The chamber was full of the bones of men； lying amid the rotten ruins of furniture。 Skulls were broken； and the bones were scattered； with not a single skeleton being whole。 〃Vultures； and wild dogs； must have e 。 。 。 afterward；〃 Janos said。 He picked up a leg bone and showed it to me。 It had been neatly split open by a gourmet and sucked for the marrow。 〃But no wild dog can do this。〃 He threw the bone away； and it clattered on stone。 〃As I said on the hill beyond； a Great Spell was cast。 Cast before the expedition reached the city。〃
〃Everyone we encountered； everyone we lived with；〃 Maeen said hoarsely； 〃was 。。。 what？〃
Janos shrugged。 〃Ghosts？ Demons； even。 Perhaps less than that； perhaps just the details a great sorcerer would add to an enchantment…like an artist would put details in a painting to convince you he really had sat at a banquet of the gods。〃
〃But 。。。 but you've th' talent；〃 Maeen managed。 〃How could they hoodwink you； too？〃 Janos had no answer to that； either。 I had never heard of wizardry this strong。 pared to this； Orissa's feat of magically tearing down Lycanth's wall was a marketplace curiosity。 To first make more than a thousand hardbitten soldiers see a city where there were ruins 。。。 to fill those ruins with people and animals 。。。 and for each of those illusions to walk； talk； drink； and even make love 。。。 and then； in a night of blood； to kill and then eat？ Especially when that death meal was nightmare； not illusion？ This was an impossibility。 But it was。
I shuddered。 〃We shall not sleep in this city； Janos； nor spend any more minutes than it takes us to flee；〃 I said firmly。 〃We are leaving immediately。 No man is to touch anything he does not have to； nor is he to take anything； not bone； not branch； not stone； from this cursed place。〃
No one argued。 Trying not to bolt in terror； we struck straight through the city to its outer gate； to where the road began climbing to the pass through the Fist above us。 None of us； not the soldiers； not me； not Sergeant Maeen； nor Janos Greycloak； dared look back。
CHAPTER TWENTY
The Disputed Lands
THE PASS THROUGH the Fist of the Gods was nearly as smooth as it had looked when Janos and I had first seen it from many leagues。 It climbed around the 〃knuckle〃 of the forefinger； into the heart of the mountains。 As before； and unlike the vision； the Fist was snowless。 Remembering Janos had attempted several reconnaissance's before； when the second expedition was wintering below in Wahumwa； I asked how far he had gotten before