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felt herself almost physically battered by the nature of it： the huge； piled slabs of windowless stone； lightless； unyielding。 Fortress of a god。
In the darkness and the cold his servants had unbound her from the swan。 With grasping hands she had been dragged…for her legs were numb…into the bowels of Starkadh； where the odor was of decay and corrupting flesh； even among the cold； and the only lights gleamed a baneful green。 They had thrown her into a room alone； and filthy； exhausted； she had fallen onto the one stained pallet on the icy floor。 It smelt of svart alfar。
She lay awake； though； shivering with the bitter cold for a long time。 When she did sleep； it was fitfully； and the swan flew through her dreams crying in cold triumph。
When she woke； it was to the certitude that the terrors she had endured were but a shelf on the long way down； and the bottom was invisible yet in the darkness； but waiting。 She was going there。
It wasn't dark in the room now； though。 There was a bright fire blazing on the opposite wall； and in the middle of the room she saw a wide bed standing； and with a constriction of the heart she recognized her parents' bed。 A foreboding came upon her； plete and very clear； she was here to be broken； and there was no mercy in this place。 There was a god。
And in that moment he was there； he had e； and she felt her mind shockingly peeled open like a fruit。 For an instant she fought it； and then was enveloped； stricken by the ease with which she was exposed。 She was in his fortress。 She was his； it was made known to her。 She would be smashed on the anvil of his hate。
It ended； as suddenly as it had begun。 Her sight returned； slowly； blurred； her whole body trembled violently； she had no control over it。 She turned her head and saw Rakoth。
She had vowed not to cry out； but all vows in this place were as nothing before what he was。
From out of time he had e； from beyond the Weaver's Halls； and into the pattern of the Tapestry。 A presence in all the worlds he was； but incarnate here in Fionavar； which was the First； the one that mattered。
Here he had set his feet upon the Ice； and so made the northland the place of his power； and here he had raised up jagged Starkadh。 And when it was full…wrought； a claw； a cancer in the north； he had risen to the topmost tower and screamed his name that the wind might bear it to the tamed gods whom he feared not； being stronger by far than any one of them。
Rakoth Maugrim； the Unraveller。
It was Cernan； the stag…horned forest god； who set the trees whispering in mockery of that claim； and in mockery they named him otherwise： Sathain； the Hooded One； and M？rnir of the Thunder sent lightning down to drive him from the tower。
And all the while the lios alfar； newly wakened； sang in Daniloth of Light； and Light was in their eyes； their name； and he hated them with an undying hate。
Too soon had he attacked； though the years may have seemed long to mortal men。 And indeed there were men in Fionavar then； for Iorweth had e from oversea； in answer to a dream sent by M？rnir with sanction of the Mother； to found Paras Derval in Brennin by the Summer Tree； and his son had ruled； and his son's son； and then Conary had ascended to the throne。
And in that time had Rakoth e down in fury from the Ice。
And after bitter war been beaten back。 Not by the gods…for in the waiting time； the Weaver had spoken； the first and only time he had done so。 He said that the worlds had not been woven to be a battleground for powers outside of time； and that if Maugrim were to be mastered； it would be by the Children； with only mildest intercession of the gods。 And it had been so。 They had bound him under the Mountain； though he could not die； and they had shaped the wardstones to burn red if he but assayed the smallest trial of his powers。
This time it would be otherwise。 Now his patience would bear ripe fruit for the crushing； for this time he had been patient。 Even when the circle of the guardians had been broken； he had lain still under Rangat； enduring the torment of the chain； savoring it then to sweeten the taste of vengeance to e。 Not until Starkadh had been raised high again from the rubble of its fall had he e out from under the Mountain； and with red exploding triumph； let them know he was free。
Oh； this time he would go slowly。 He would break them all； one by one。 He would crush them with his hand。 His one hand； for the other lay； black and festering； under Rangat； with Ginserat's unbroken chain around it still； and for that as much as anything would they pay full； fullest measure before they were allowed to die。
Starting with this one； who knew nothing； he saw； and so was trash； a toy； first flesh for his hunger； and fair like the lios； a presaging of his oldest desire。 He reached into her； it was so easy in Starkadh； he knew her whole； and began。
She had been right。 The bottom was so far down； the truest depths of night lay beyond where she could ever have apprehended them to be。 Facing hate in that moment； a blank； obliterating power； Jennifer saw that he was huge； towering over her； with one hand taloned； gray like disease； and the other gone； leaving only a stump that forever dripped black blood。 His robe was black； darker even； somehow； a swallowing of light； and within the hood he wore there was…most terrible…no face。 Only eyes that burned her like dry ice； so cold they were； though red like hellfire。 Oh； what sin； what sin would they say had been hers that she be given over to this？
Pride？ For she was proud； she knew； had been raised to be so。 But if that was it； then be it so still； here at the end； at the fall of Dark upon her。 A sweet child she had been； strong； a kindness in her nature； if hidden behind caution； not opening easily to other souls； because she trusted only her own。 A pride in that； which Kevin Laine； first of all men； had seen for what it was； and laid open for her to understand before he stepped back to let her grow in that understanding。 A gift； and not without pain for himself。 A long way off； he was； and what； oh； what did any of it matter in this place？ What did it matter why？ It didn't； clearly； except that at the end we only have ourselves anyway； wherever it es down。 So Jennifer rose from the mattress on the floor； her hair tangled； filthy； the odor of Avaia on her torn clothes； her face stained； body bruised and cut； and she mastered the tremor in her voice and said to him； 〃You will have nothing of me that you do not take。〃
And in that foul place； a beauty blazed like Light unleashed； white with courage and fierce clarity。
But this was the stronghold of the Dark； the deepest place of his power； and he said； 〃But I will take everything；〃 and changed his shape before her eyes to bee her father。
And after that it was very bad。
You send your mind away； she remembered reading once； when you're tortured； when you're raped； you send your mind after a while into another place； far from where pain is。 You send it as far as you can。 To love； the memory of it； a spar for clinging to。
But she couldn't； because everywhere she went he was there。 There was no es