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We had gone but a dozen steps when I heard a shout from Cassini and whirled； hand touching sword。 He stood mazed； tottering； as if about to faint。 One of the men steadied him； but Cassini seemed not to notice。 〃My powers 。。。 my magic 。。。 they have returned！〃 I looked quickly at Janos； and from the smile beaming through his beard； knew Cassini was not deluding himself。 The Rift Tribe had powerful Evocators indeed if their spell could not only blind enemies who were physically present； but mask the eyes of sorcery as well。
All of the tribe was waiting in the village； which was made up of several central buildings； a feasting area； and cottages flung； seemingly at random； around the main gathering places。 There was a feast prepared； but I'm afraid none of us did it service and might even have shamed our hosts。 We were taken to huts； and men and women of the tribe offered us fresh clothing。 Other members of the tribe helped our sick undress and put them into waiting hammocks。 These nurses told us they already had potions and remedies ready to treat them。 It was obvious we were not the first to encounter the Rift； nor the first to stumble across that horrible wasteland。
Deoce and I bathed in the lake； changed； and feeling like the walking dead； forced ourselves to the feast。 Only a few of us… Deoce； Janos； Sergeant Maeen； and Lione among them…were around the great circular table。 I ate but little； feeling I might bee sick if I stuffed myself。 Lione and Maeen did get sick； but our hosts paid no mind。 Finally； staying awake became too torturous； and we made excuses and tottered to our huts。 I remember little of the next few days； beyond waking； eating； bathing； and making sure my men were taken care of。
But eventually I returned to my usual self； and in a shorter time than I would have thought。 Again and again in my life I've been reminded how much punishment this animal body can absorb and recover from； and never cease to marvel how some beings can let life slip away so easily。 Here in the valley was the first time I observed this。 One of the men we'd rescued from slavery died； and then a second。 In spite of the best incantations and herbs provided by Cassini and Morning Fog； the sickness seemed to cling to our people and keep them enfeebled。 Only Janos； Cassini； Deoce； Sergeant Maeen； and I had not fallen ill； and Lione refused to admit he had been taken by the disease。
As I recovered I began asking about the Rift Tribe。 There were perhaps two hundred of them living in this valley。 They tended to live long； peaceful lives。 New blood came to the tribe as wandering refugees or； very occasionally； traders who decided to retreat from the world。 The people cheerfully gave up their huts and moved in with friends because of the new stories they would hear of the world beyond。 The tribe's people lived on the crops planted farther up the valley； where the forest was thinner。 They used long； hollowed gourds for piping to run water from springs or creeks to their fields。 They hunted the abundant game as carefully as any herdsman decides which animal can be slaughtered without impairing the herd。 Once they had kept goats； but they had died a generation ago。 Cattle and horses they remembered but dimly from long ago in the past； and they seemed a bit fearful of our asses； who； being the sturdy creatures they are； had recovered instantly from their travails。
The Rift Tribe had e to the valley many generations ago。 In their homeland； they had been caught between two great warring peoples and were doomed。 But they had a great wizard； Morning Fog told me。 〃Powers great 。。。 very great 。。。 more than me 。。。 more than your shaman 。。。 he came from the Far Kingdoms。 You have heard of them？〃
I could barely restrain my excitement。 I called for Deoce and Janos to make sure I would miss none of the questions I now had； and Morning Fog did his best to answer them。 Yes； the wizard had been from the Far Kingdoms； a great man who had chosen to leave his world of gold and silk to help others who were not so strong。 He had happened on the tribe fortuitously； just after that war began。 He volunteered to lead them west； away from the destruction and death that would e。 Janos interrupted…did Morning Fog know how distant the Far Kingdoms were from the tribe's homeland？ He did not。 Nor did he know just how far the tribe had traveled under the Evocator's guidance before they came on this valley。 〃The tales say it was a long； terrible journey。〃 He shrugged。 〃But since when is any journey not a danger…filled saga； when told around the fire at night？〃
I had a question that seemed a bit irrelevant： the refugees and traders he'd told us about earlier； had any of them e from the Far Kingdoms？ No； Morning Fog said。 In fact； there had been no travelers from the east since before he had been born。
〃What；〃 Deoce wanted to know； 〃do your tales of the Far Kingdoms say？ Are they men or gods？ Are they good or evil？〃 That took the rest of the day； as Morning Fog ran through the tribe's legends； and then into the evening； as other older tribesmen and …women were consulted。 There was not much we had not already heard about this land of fabulous magic and enormous wealth。 There were only two items of note： all of the Rift Tribe's legends agreed…the Far Kingdoms were beneficent。 Why else would that Great Evocator be as saintly as he'd been？ The problem…and Morning Fog said this was most certainly the source of our magical troubles…was the lands around them； what the Rift Tribesmen called the Disputed Lands。 It was these kingdoms that had caught the Rift men and women in the nutcracker of one of their perennial wars。
As for who the Watchers were…no one in the valley had heard of or seen them； and were frightened when we described those ghostly sentinels。
〃So； we will travel again into darkness when we leave；〃 Janos muttered。
〃You do not have to leave；〃 Morning Fog told us。 〃There are many young women in our tribe who lack mates。 It is legend among our people that this； too； is a gift from the Great Evocator； to ensure that travelers who would most likely be male would not upset the balance if they decided to stay on。〃 It seemed as if all of my men had found panions； even if most were able to do little more than sip broth and have their fevered brows wiped。 And it was also clear that the customs of the tribe were quite open about sex … the tribeswomen changed their partners frequently； and sometimes visited； in pairs； with a particularly attractive…or potent…man。 Two of them asked Deoce if； to use their phrase； she wanted to 〃walk in the moonlight〃 with them。 Deoce pretended to be shocked； but I think she was flattered。 Even Cassini was seen to slip into the shadows once or twice with one of the women； further proof that despite my opinion； there had been a human or two in his ancestry over the centuries。
Most astonishing was Janos' behavior。 He was like a stag in rut。 There was a constant stream of women； sometimes singly； sometimes in groups； giggling their way toward the cottage he slept in … although it would appear he had little time for sleep。
As for myself； I needed no one but Deoce。 She was constantly inventive in her love； always fiery； but somet