“Who is the Spring God?" Kidu asked on the return journey from Rain-Mapalthas. Dusk was almost setting into the empty sky and the dunes were growing dark. "I’ve studied every religion in the world. Neredun and their Field, Cloud, and Foam Gods. Aredun and their Fargod. The dozen or so gods of the Yghrs. Even all the folk religions of the Kiennese people. But I’ve never heard of the Spring God, until Timlan and I came across an old hermit at the top of the Mirror that also spoke of such a god."

“You've spoken of this hermit before," Menquist said. "What did he say?”

“That he and his Master came from the land of Spring, and he brought a baby with him.”

“Hmm, curious, curious,” Menquist said. “And what about the Spring God?"

“He only told me that the Spring God was coming, right before the hermit killed himself," Kidu said.

“And what did you think when he told you that?”

“I was taught that the true gods forsake those that build a house upon false premises,” Kidu said. “Or scripture read by a false prophet. A life of lies begets only a life of forfeit.”

“That’s what the Book of Five says. I wanted to know what did you think.” Menquist removed his hat to rest on his lap and looked up at the sky, not yet dark enough for stars. “Erehu was the name of one of those beliefs during the time of Arkromenyon, a long, long time ago. When the empire fell, so did many of the beliefs. In time, some religions fade into nothing, with not even a shred of evidence remaining to account for generations of believers. Yet the southern god Erehar withstood such fading. It is said that during a cold winter Erehar sat in a hillside cave and sang a song of the cosmos, and its notes pierced the cold air and brought spring to that hillside. A curious shepherd named Viniras had wandered far from his flock in search of a wayward sheep when he heard the song and witnessed its power. When Viniras found the god Erehar in that cave, he spoke to the god. He was the first man to ever do so, so Erehar made Viniras the shepherd responsible to watch over the flock of man. Viniras became the High Prophet. Thus the ancient religion Erehu was brought back and Viniras began to sing the Song of Spring. Do you think Erehar is not one of the gods? Perhaps even one of the Five? God of the Spring, he is called by the Isnumurti."

"In truth I don't know what to think anymore," Kidu said, his eyes drifting into the distance. "So many gods I have encountered since leaving Angshar. With every sliver of doubt that enters my mind, I fall back to the Book of Five. It’s all the truth I have ever known."

Menquist examined the monk's expressions, “But even for you, young Kidu, you challenge it. That is what you do, isn’t it? Not against the enemy charging at our gates. You've been challenging what you've been told was true. Trust first your instincts, is that not what Rengu taught you?"

"I dare not question the depths of the Book."

"Date it or not, it’s still up to you to experience truth, no matter its form," Menquist said. “I know something happened to you since we left each other after the council in Lanfrydhall. You met someone, didn’t you, someone who gave you a gift. You don't know what this gift is yet, for it is something that unlocks something hidden inside you. When that time comes, it will unlock when you least expect it.”

“How did you know?”

“Are you really going to ask me how I know things?”

“That gift…did Mazi have such a gift?” Kidu asked.

“Perhaps one day we will talk at length about what gifts he was given,” Menquist replied.

"I did not know the fate that had met Mazi," Agalric said. "It is a terrible thing to happen to a great hero.”

"How did this Soothsayer know these things?" Edmon asked.

"It doesn't matter," Singis said. "Not all that was said by the soothsayer was true. She lied about the Brotherhood."

“Lied?” Kidu asked. “For what purpose?”

"Perhaps she is protecting them. Perhaps she is a member of the Brotherhood herself," she answered. "She did speak some truths. She knew of Hirodias. You said I need to go to him, Menquist."

"Yes," Menquist said. "It gives me hope that you have found him, though I wish I could have been there when you did. He will need your help when the Isnumurti learns of his arrival in the west."

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"How will I find him?" she asked.

"Go to the heart of the Sea of Ruin," Menquist said. "Find old Arkromenyon. If he reunites with his people you will find him there."

"I told him to go to Old Menathinion," Singis said. "He suffered a great loss in Isimil. He wanted to lead an exodus with those who were living in Menathinion. It is from there he would be moving west."

"Old Menathinion! Then perhaps the pieces are not falling away from where they should be after all. If he gets the people to follow him, he will be moving very slowly," Menquist said. "You will need to catch him."

"I will accompany you," Kidu said. “I want to see the west.”

"No, you must stay with Edmon at all times," Menquist said. "You heard the woman, he could be in danger. Edmon is needed in Aredun, for when the governors are forced into action, Edmon must lead them."

"Who is this Hirodias?" Edmon asked.

"He is the future Yon, the Arkromenyon title for King," Menquist said. "He was born to the line of Hesperyon, the last Sunset King of the western peoples. He was taken from his family as a child and for years I have been searching for him. His people have waited for his return for a very long time. A unified west is our chance at defeating Isnumur."

"Unified barbarians you mean," Agalric said.

"The Inspector cannot take the Queensgate pass," Edmon said. "It is a high pass that is treacherously narrow and the perfect chokehold. The crags that guard that road serve as natural defense towers. If the Isnumurti Sword has taken the pass, they would plunge their sword into her like a razor into an exposed vein. There is no way known to me of how she can get into the Sea of Ruin."

“Known to you,” Menquist said.

"The only other way is through the Purge," Edmon shook his head. "Though if Delger had retaken New Hearth, the forest would probably be crawling with Isnumurti."

"Perhaps there is another way," Singis said. "There is the Kolasi Frouros."

"Over that mountain range?" scoffed Agalric. "You may have dragged your skirt across the desert sands a bit too long. Crossing over uncharted mountains is no small feat."

"Not over, Prince Agalric," Singes replied. "Under. I have spent many years traveling along the Old War Road. I've seen almost every inch of it from the Eastern shorelines of Sildur to the western Queensgate. There are parts of the road that aren't in use anymore, but those are the parts of the world that my cases often take me. In some parts of these roads, the cobblestones and mortar have worn away, and reveal something quite old. You see, the Old War Road was built about eight hundred years ago."

"Ronyn the Builder sought to rebuild the old roads that served as supply routes for the ancient empire," Edmon said. "Kienne had just gone through a terrible civil war. When the war was over, the cities were in smoke and ruin. Ronyn rebuilt the cities and spent years paving the roads, finally connecting Kienne to the other kingdoms."

"Ronyn didn't just build those roads, he paved over the existing one," Singis explained. "And in the parts of the road that have worn away, far from any cities, I've discovered what the ancient roads look like. They are not made of brick, but rather odd tracks of steel rails. Steel roads used to run along the ridge of the Smote, connecting Arkromenyon to the eastern outposts."

"Steel roads?" asked Edmon. "I've been on the Old War Road and I've never seen such a thing."

"Singis is right," Menquist said. "The ancient roads were used to move large caravans quickly between the cities. Caravans with heavy cargo, gliding across the road. In those old roads one could travel in days and not weeks. But those rails have long been mined and melted. This is why Banningtown has so many smithies, because it has an abundance of that old metal that they keep melting and reforging."

"I've been to the foot of the Queensgate," Singis said. "I knew that if that ancient road exists, the Queensgate pass was too high for the ancient road to move such heavy cargo. I knew there had to be another flat road that perhaps snaked between the moutains. I ventured north of the Old War Road and searched for several days alone in the Kolasi Frouros. It wasn't a blind search, for I knew what I was looking for. I was deep inside those ranges for days. Eventually I had found something against the hillside. Several pylons, made of the same hardened steel as the rails. The pylons had unfamiliar markings, I assumed they were the ancient language of Arkromenyon. But I had found the ancient road. It went through a tunnel pass that ran beneath the mountain. It looks like Ronyn the Builder paved over the old steel road and veered away and chose to finish his road at the Queensgate. That is the way through to the Sea of Ruin, and the way I have told Hirodias to take."

"That is your path then," Menquist said. "You will have to chase Hirodias through those tunnels."

"Alas the tunnel pass was in disarray, and collapsed as far as I could tell," Singis said. "I was hopeful he could find his way through."

Agalric laughed. "I was waiting for when I would become useful! A few fallen rocks are not adversaries. The Soot are built upon fallen rocks. I will take you through those tunnels."

"Very well," Menquist said. "We will begin our leave of one another here. Prince Agalric and Singis will come with me to Isimil. Then the two of you will continue west from Isimil, first to Old Menathinion to follow Hirodias' trail. I will remain behind in Isimil to have a chat with Tsetsurg. Edmon, when you get to Banningtown, send Agalric’s men to Isimil, will you?”

“I’ll have the clearances ready for their arrival,” Singis said.

“And I’ll continue to work the politics of Aredun from this side, while Captain Delger and the Song Lord holds ground to the south,” Edmon said.

“Politics for now will do, but wait for my word. I will get you your Yghr army,” Menquist winked.