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coast。 It was midafternoon。 My way was shaded； cool。 Grayswandir hung at my side。
I bore west； ing at length to the hills that rose there。 I refrained from beginning the shift until after I had reached a point that looked down upon the city that represented the largest concentration of population in this realm that was like my Avalon。 The city bore the same name； and several thousand people lived there； worked there。 Several of the silver towers were missing； and the stream cut the city at a somewhat different angle farther south； having widened or been widened eightfold by then。 There was some smoke from the smithies and the public houses； stirred lightly by breezes from the south； people； mounted； afoot； driving wagons； driving coaches； moved through the narrow streets； entered and departed shops； hostels； residences； flocks of birds wheeled； descended； rose about the places where horses were tethered； a few bright pennons and banners stirred listlessly； the water sparkled and there was a haze in the air。 I was too far away to hear the sounds of voices； and of clanking； hammering； sawing； rattling； and creaking as anything other than a generalized hum。 While I could distinguish no individual odors； had I still been blind I would have known by sniffing the air that a city was near。
Seeing it from up there； a certain nostalgia came over me； a wistful rag…tail of a dream acpanied by a faint longing for the place that was this place's namesake to me in a vanished shadow and of long ago； where life had been just as simple and I happier than I was at that moment。
But one does not live as long as I have lived without achieving that quality of consciousness which strips naive feelings as they occur and is generally loathe to participate in the creation of sentimentality。
Those days were passed； that thing done with； and it was Amber now that held me pletely。 I turned and continued southward； confirmed in my desire to succeed。 Amber； I do not forget。。。
The sun became a dazzling； bright blister above my head and the winds began to scream about me。 The sky grew more and more yellow and glaring as I rode； until it was as if a desert stretched from horizon to horizon overhead。 The hills grew rockier as I descended toward the lowlands； exhibiting wind…sculpted forms of grotesque shape and somber coloration。 A dust storm struck me as I emerged from the foothills； so that I had to muffle my face with my cloak and narrow my eyes to slits。 Star whinnied； snuffled repeatedly； plodded on。 Sand； stone； winds； and the sky more orange then； a slate…like crop of clouds toward which the sun was heading。。。
Then long shadows； the dying of the wind； stillness。。。 Only the click of hoof on rock and the sounds of breathing。。。 Dimness； as they rushed together and the sun is foiled by clouds。。。 The walls of the day shaken by thunder。。。 An unnatural clarity of distant objects。。。 A cool； blue； and electric feeling in the air。。。 Thunder again。。。
Now； a rippling； glassy curtain to my right as the rain advances。。。 Blue fracture lines within the clouds。。。 The temperature plummeting； our pace steady； the world a monochromatic backdrop now。。。
Gouging thunder； flashing white； the curtain flaring toward us now。。。 Two hundred meters。。。 One…fifty。。。 Enough！
Its bottommost edge plowing； furrowing； frothing。。。 The moist smell of the earth。。。 Star's whinny。。。 A burst of speed。。。
Small rivulets of water creeping outward； sinking； staining the ground。。。 Now bubbling muddily； now trickling。。。 Now a steady flow。。。 Streamlets all about us； splashing。。。
High ground ahead； and Star's muscles bunching and relaxing； bunching and relaxing beneath me； as he leaps the rills and freshets； plunges through a racing； roiling sheet； and strikes the slope； hoofs sparkling against stones as we mount higher； the voice of the gurgling； eddying flow beneath us deepening to a steady roar。。。
Higher； then； and dry； pausing to wring out the corners of my cloak。。。 Below； behind； and to the right a gray； storm…tossed sea laps at the foot of the cliff we hold。。。
Inland now； toward clover fields and evening； the boom of the surf at my back。。。
Pursuing falling stars into the darkening east and eventual silence and night。。。
Clear the sky and bright the stars； but a few small wisps of cloud。。。
A howling pack of red…eyed things； twisting along our trail。。。 Shadow。。。 Green…eyed。。。 Shadow。。。 Yellow。。。 Shadow。。。 Gone。。。
But dark peaks with skirts of snow； jostling one another about me。。。 Frozen snow； as dry as dust； lifted in waves by the icy blasts of the heights。。。 Powdery snow； flour…like。。。 Memory here； of the Italian Alps； of skiing。。。 Waves of snow drifting across stone faces。。。 A white fire within the night air。。。 My feet rapidly numbing within my wet boots。。。 Star bewildered and snorting； testing each step and shaking his head as if in disbelief。。。
So shadows beyond the rock； a gentler slope； a drying wind； less snow。。。
A twisting trail； a corkscrew trail； an adit into warmth。。。 Down； down； down the night； beneath the changing stars。。。
Far the snows of an hour ago； now scrubby plants and level plain。。。 Far； and the night birds stagger into the air； wheeling above the carrion feast； shedding hoarse notes of protest as we pass。。。
Slow again； to the place where the grasses wave； stirred by the less cold breeze。。。 The cough of a hunting cat。。。 The shadowy flight of a bounding； deer…like beast。。。 Stars sliding into place and feelings in my feet once more。。。
Star rearing； neighing； racing ahead from some unseen thing。。。 A long time in the soothing then； and longer still till the shivers go。。。
Now icicles of a partial moon falling on distant treetops。。。 Moist earth exhaling a luminescent mist。。。 Moths dancing in the night light。。。
The ground momentarily buckling and swaying； as if mountains were shifting their feet。。。 To every star its double。。。 A halo round the dumbbell moon。。。 The plain； the air above it； filled with fleeting shapes。。。
The earth； a wound…down clock； ticks and grows still。。。 Stability。。。 Inertia。。。 The stars and the moon reunited with their spirits。。。
Skirting the growing fringe of trees； west。。。 Impressions of a sleeping jungle： delirium of serpents under oil cloth。。。
West； west。。。 Somewhere a river with broad； clean banks to ease my passage to the sea。。。
Thud of hoofs； shuttling of shadows。。。 The night air upon my face。。。 A glimpse of bright beings on high； dark walls； shining towers。。。 The air is sweetened。。。 Vision swims。。。 Shadows。。。
We are merged； centaur…like。 Star and I； under a single skin of sweat。。。 We take the air and give it back in mutual explosions of exertion。。。 Neck clothed in thunder； terrible the glory of the nostrils。。。 Swallowing the ground。。。
Laughing； the smell of the waters upon us； the trees very near to our left。。。
Then among them。。。 Sleek bark； hanging vines； broad leaves； droplets of moisture。。。 Spider web in the moonlight； struggling shapes within。。。 Spongy turf。。。 Phosphorent fungus on fallen trees。。。
A clear space。。。 Long grasses rustling。。。
More trees。。。
Again； the riversmell。。。
Sounds； later。。。 Sounds。。。 The grassy chuckling of water。。。
Closer； louder； beside it at last。。。 The heavens buckling and bending in its belly； and the trees。。。 Clean； with a cold； damp tang。。。 Leftward beside it； pacing it now。。。 Easy and flowing； we follow。。。
To drink。。。 Splashing in its shallows； then hockhigh with head depressed； Star； in it； drinking like a pump； blasting spray from his nostrils。。。 Upriver； it laps at my boots。。。 Dripping from my hair； running down my arms。。。 Star's head turning； at the laughter。。。
Then downriver again； clean； slow； winding。。。 Then straight； widening； slowing。。。
Trees thickening； then thinning。。。
Long； steady； slow。。。
A faint light in the east。。。
Sloping downward now； and fewer trees。。。 Rockier； and the darkness made whole once again。。。
The first； dim hint of the sea； lost an odor later。。。 Clicking on； on； in the nightsend chill。。。 Again； an instant's salt。。。
Rock； and an absence of trees。。。 Hard； steep； bleak； down。。。 Ever…increasing precipitousness。。。
Flashing between walls of stone。。。 Dislodged pebbles vanishing in the now racing current； their splashes drowned in the roar's echoes。。。 Deeper the defile； widening。。。
Down； down。。。 Farther still。。。
Now pale once more the east； gentler the slope。。。 Again； the touch of salt； stronger。。。
Shale and grit。。。 Around a corner； down； and brighter still。。。
Steady； soft and loose the footing。。。
The breeze and the light； the breeze and the light。。。 Beyond a crop of rock。。。 Draw rein。
Below me lay the stark seaboard； where rank upon rank of rolling dunes； harassed by the winds out of the southwest； tossed spumes of sand that partly obliterated the distant outlines of the bleak morning sea。
I watched the pink film spread across the water from the east。 Here and there； the shifting sands revealed dark patches of gravel。 Rugged masses of rock reared above the swell of the waves。 Between the massive dunes … hundreds of feet in height … and myself； there high above that evil coast； lay a smashed and pitted plain of angular rocks and gravel； just now emerging from hell or