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He could see that his mands stunned them； that they were appalled at the mad prospect of attacking the Raver's army。 But he did not offer them any aid； any reassurance。 When the time came for the certain death of his purpose； he hoped to leave behind him men and women who had proved to themselves that they could meet extreme needs…leaders who had learned that they could do without him。
Yet he could not refuse to explain the reason for his mands。 〃My friends；〃 he went on with the rawness livid in his tone； 〃the light of the krill has failed。 You know the meaning of this。 Thomas Covenant has left the Land…or has fallen to his death…or has been bereft of his ring。 Therein lies our sole hope。 If the Unbeliever lives…and while the wild magic has not been brought into use against us…we can hope that he will regain his ring。
〃We must act on this hope。 It is small…but all hopes are small in this extremity。 It is our work to redeem victory from the blood and havoc of despair。 We must act。 Surely the Despiser knows that ur…Lord Covenant has lost the white gold…if it has been lost and not withdrawn from the Land or captured。 Therefore his thoughts may be turned from us for a time。 In that time we may have some hope of success against samadhi Raver。 And if Lord Foul seeks to prevent the Unbeliever's recovery of his ring； we may give a distant aid to ur…Lord Covenant by requiring the Despiser to look toward us again。〃
He could not bear to watch the aghast supplications which wrung the faces of his friends。 He put his arm over Drinny's neck and concluded as if he were speaking to the Ranyhyn； 〃This choice is mine。 I will ride against Satansfist alone if I must。 But this act must be made。〃
At last； Amatin found herself to gasp； 〃Melenkurion！ Melenkurion abatha！ Mhoram； have you learned nothing from Trell Atiaran…mate… from the Bloodguard…from Kevin Landwaster himself？ You beg yourself to bee a Desecrator。 In this way； we learn to destroy that which we love！〃
High Lord Mhoram's reply had the sting of authority。 〃Warmark； I will take no warrior with me who has not accepted this hazard freely。 You must explain to the Warward that the light of Loric's krill has failed。〃
He ached to rush to his friends； ached to throw his arms around them； hug them； show them in some way his love and his terrible need for them。 But he knew himself； he knew he would be utterly unable to leave them if they did not first show their independence to themselves and him by meeting alone his extreme demands。 His own courage hung too much on the verge of faltering； he needed some demonstration from them to help him follow the strait line of faith。 So he contained himself by hugging Drinny tightly for a moment； then turned on his heel and walked stiffly away to his private chambers。
He spent the next days alone； trying to rest…searching himself for some resource which would enable him to bear the impossibility and the uselessness of his decision。 But a fever was on his soul。 The foundation of serenity which had sustained him for so long seemed to have eroded。 Whether he lay on his bed； or ate； or paced his chambers； or studied； he could feel a great emptiness in the heart of the Keep where the krill's fire should have been。 He had not realized how much that white blaze had taught him to rely on the Unbeliever。 Its quenching left him face to face with futile death…death for himself； for Drinny； for any who dared follow him…death that could only be trusted to foreshorten Revelstone's survival。 So he spent large stretches of the time on his hands and knees on the floor； probing through the stone in an effort to sense how his mands were being met。
Without difficulty he read the preparations of the Warward。 The few hundred horses which had been stabled in the Keep were being made ready。 The duty rotations of the warriors were changed so that those who chose to follow the High Lord could rest and prepare。 And as a result； the burden of resisting samadhi's attacks fell on fewer shoulders。 Soon the defense took on a febrile pitch which matched Mhoram' s own fever。 His mands had hastened the Warward's ineluctable decline into frenzy and desperation。 He ground his teeth on that pain and hunted elsewhere in the city for the Lords。
He found that Lord Amatin had retreated to the isolation of the Loresraat's libraries； but Trevor； Loerya； and Hearthrall Tohrm were active。 Together； Lord Trevor and Tohrm went down into one of the unfrequented caverns directly under the tower。 There they bined their lore in a rite dangerously similar to Trell's destruction of the Close； and sent a surge of heat up through the stone into the passages of the tower。 They stoked the heat for a day； raised it against the enemy until the Cavewights and creatures began to abandon the tower。
And when the lowest levels were empty； Lord Loerya led several Eoman in an assault。 Under cover of darkness； they leaped from the main Keep into the sand； crossed the courtyard； and entered the tower to fight their way upward。 By the dawn of the third day； they were victorious。 Makeshift crosswalks were thrown up over the courtyard； and hundreds of archers rushed across to help secure the tower。
Their success gave Mhoram a pride in them that eased his distress for a time。 He doubted that the tower could be held for more than a day or two； but a day or two would be enough； if the rest of his mands were equally met。
Then； during the third day； Amatin returned to work。 She had spent the time in an intense study of certain arcane portions of the Second Ward which High Lord Mhoram himself had never grasped； and there she had found the rites and invocations she sought。 Armed with that knowledge； she went to the abutments directly above the courtyard； made eldritch signs and symbols on the stone； wove rare gestures； chanted songs in the lost language of the Old Lords…and below her the sandy remains of the dead slowly parted。 They pulled back far enough to permit the opening of the gates； far enough to permit an army to ride out of Revelstone。
Her achievement drew Mhoram from his chambers to watch。 When she was done； she collapsed in his arms； but he was so proud of her that his concern was dominated by relief。 When the Healers assured him she would soon recover if she were allowed to rest； he left her and went to the stables to see Drinny。
He found a Ranyhyn that hardly resembled the ragged； worn horse he had ridden into Revelstone。 Good food and treatment had rekindled the light in Drinny's eyes； renewed his flesh； restored elasticity to his muscles。 He pranced and nickered for Mhoram as if to show the High Lord he was ready。
Such things rejuvenated Mhoram。 Without further hesitation； he told Warmark Quaan that he would ride out against the Raver the next morning。
But late that night； while Trevor； Loerya； and Quaan all struggled against a particularly fierce flurry of onslaughts； Lord Amatin came to Mhoram's rooms。 She did not speak； but her wan； bruised aspect caught at his heart。 Her labors had done something to her； in straining herself so severely； she had lost her defenses； left herself exposed to perils and perceptions for which