"When Earthsea's thousand and one islands were born" "The Nameless Ones ruled, with their evil energy engulfing the planet." "Until a powerful amulet was forged, from the faith of a devout order of priestesses which kept Earthsea at peace and the Nameless Ones restrained deep beneath the temple on the island of Atuan." "But then the Amulet was broken and evil in the form of Kargide invaders questing to rule the world spread across Earthsea like a plague, leaving only the priestesses' faith and prayer to guard the door and keep the Nameless Ones contained." "An ancient prophecy told of a young wizard who would someday arise to reunite the Amulet and bring a lasting peace to the world of Earthsea." "How's that?" "Well, you're getting better, Diana." "You're practicing conscientiously, studying hard." "You might make it to my level one day." " You mean down really below?" " No." "I mean to take you to the heights." "I mean to take you to places you've never been." "Oh, and you think you know how to do that?" "It's a knack." "I think I've got it." "Oh you do, do you?" " That kind of a knack?" " No." "Not that kind of knack." "But..." "I'm glad you showed it to me." "You have no idea how much trouble you're in, Ged of Ten Alders!" "I thought you could be pleased." "Easy, easy." "Well I'm not." "Ged?" "Ged?" "What is it?" "Ged!" "Ged, what's happening?" "Did you have another one of your visions?" "The one with the door..." " and the girl." " You scare me when you do that." "You're scared?" "Try having visions that make no sense." "May be you should get back to work?" "I'm ok now." "All the more reason for you to go." "Ok..." "I want the power of the Nameless Ones." "But to control their power" "I must first release them." "And I need to know how to open that door, Kossil." "The door's secured by secret means and that secret is secured in a single mind." "The High Priestess Thar, who learnt it from her predecessor, and will teach it to her lovely, lovely successor." "And when I am chosen and learn the secret," "I will slip into your chamber and crawl into your bed" "and whisper it in your ear." "And then, my dearest Kossil, all of Earthsea shall be ours." "So, is this wizard talking?" "No, your Majesty." "Really?" "And that is because?" "He is... dead, Sire." "Ah." "You were perhaps a bit overly... enthusiastic." "He was very frail, Majesty." "But before the end he did, hum..." "Please..." "Tell me." "He confirmed the prophecy, Sire." "That a magus will arise, who will reunite the Amulet of Peace and will end all war on Earthsea." "As I'm well aware!" "What I want to know, is "when" he will arise." "That's what this wizard revealed, your Majesty." " He's already arisen." " What?" "He's here, on Earthsea now, Sire." "At last..." "And his name?" "What... is his name?" "This wizard died before we could extract it, Sire!" "But he did give some insight." ""You will know him by the evil that he does"." "Riddles?" "I hate riddles!" "Make sure you keep the other one alive a little bit longer." "Oh." "Nice of you to drop in!" "Did I miss something?" "Some interesting hammering perhaps?" "Spare me the sarcasm!" "We do this for a living, you know?" " A "living", is that what you call it?" " Aye!" "Earning your keep by the sweat of your brow." "What's wrong with that?" "There's nothing wrong." "It's just that the port of Gont is 20 miles up the coast." "And they say it's bursting with life, full of ships, and interesting characters from all over Earthsea." "You know something?" "We've never been there." "We've never had any reason to go!" "There are 1,000 islands on Earthsea." "Maybe more." "Have you been to any of them?" "Even one?" "I'm sorry if the life I offer you isn't good enough, Ged." "It's the best I can do." "I keep us fed, I keep a roof over our heads!" "What more do you want?" " These repairs need taking back." " Not till you're done here!" " I'll be back before you know I'm gone." " Stop right there!" "Ged, come back here!" "Good as new!" " Your father's work?" " Yes." "No one better at patching a pot." "You make it sound like an insult." "Your father deserves your respect." "And a little compassion, too." "It's not been easy for him, raising a child by himself." "I'm not a child anymore." "Maybe if he tried seeing that." "Maybe if he tried understanding who I am." "Life would have been different for you had your mother lived." "So!" "What's the spell to be, today?" "Is it the one creating ice?" "Should I sit?" "What do you say?" "Actually, I was just going to make myself a salad for lunch." "Would you like some?" "No." "I'm not really hungry." " Marion, how did you learn everything about magic?" " Truthfully..." "I don't remember." "I don't remember anything before the... storm washed me up here." "Your mother took me in you know, and nursed me back to life!" "She was a good woman, your mother." "I wish I could have known her." " She would have been very proud of you." " For what?" "I mean I've hardly done anything." "I probably never will!" "You know..." "I think she would have wanted you to have this." " I can't, that's yours." " Ged..." "It was with me when she found me." "Take it in remembrance of your mother." "Ged?" "Ged?" " They're coming." " What?" "Kargides, I saw them!" " Kargides?" " I have to go." "Ged!" "Ged, where the hell are you going?" "Ged, answer me!" "Don't you run away when I talk to you." "I'm fed up with your disrespect!" " I thought I saw something." " Oh?" "More of your wizard nonsense." "Well, you're no wizard, you're a blacksmith!" "Get used to it." "I won't get used to it." "I'm better than that!" ""Better"?" "You insolent pup!" "I'll..." "Warn the village." "Tell them in to gather the weapons." " To fight Kargide warriors?" " Better to die like men than be hunted down like rabbits." "Go!" "He saw them coming." "Where's that son of yours?" "He'll be here." " There's no sign of him." " I said he'll be here!" " You must remember." " I can't remember, Ged." "Marion, you told me yourself you'd done it before." "So long ago..." " I don't have the strength any more." " I doesn't matter, I do." "All you have to do is remember the spell." "It's about time." "What does he think he's doing?" "I have no idea." "Ged, whatever you're doing, do it quickly because they're coming!" "Stand your ground!" "Ged, take this sword." "Damn you, take the sword!" "Call to them." "Draw them away." " What are you talking about?" " To the high falls!" "You Kargide dogs!" "Run!" "Run!" " Run to the high ground!" " Come on, this way you dogs!" "Move, move!" "Cowards!" "Come on, this way!" "This way!" "I did it." "Ged!" " Follow me." " Yes Sire." "Your Majesty." "To what do we owe this honor?" "I've come to seek spiritual guidance, Venerable Mother." " I hope I can provide it." " I'm sure that you can." "As you know, I've dedicated myself and all the resources available in a effort to bring order to our world of Earthsea." "Word has reached to us of your conquests, your Majesty." "Won at such cost!" "But it's a lengthy process." "There is much resistance." "Have you not asked yourself whether our island nations much be better left" " to rule themselves?" " As a matter of fact, I have." "And the answer was "No"." "Earthsea needs unity and order." "Yes, but if the price of unity and order is so high" "Venerable Mother I didn't come here to discuss my campaigns." "I came here, to tell you of my fears." "My fears that I won't live to see my work completed." "No one knows the time we have allotted, your Majesty." "True." "Maybe except for the Immortals." "The Immortals?" "The Nameless Ones live forever." "Do they not?" "That seems to be true." "So they must possess the secret of that immortality." "Not necessarily." "They are immortal, but they don't know why." "So can they not teach us it?" "The Nameless Ones cannot teach us anything, King Tygath." "They can only destroy us." "Which is why it is my order's vow to insure that they will be restrained forever, and yours to insure our success." "Perhaps robbing Earthsea of great power." "Power for good?" "If it were in the right hands." "There is no right hands for the Nameless One, King Tygath." "Our world almost came to an end, once before." "When another Kargide King had the same reckless notion." "They should never be released!" "And as far as I'm concerned they will never be!" "The wizard is already on Earthsea." "I must control the Nameless Ones before he's able to fulfill his prophesied destiny." " You asked Thar to help you?" " Yes, and she refused." "I can not kill her before the secrets have been passed on, but- she must pass them on soon." "Only to her successor." "Then she must be "encouraged" to select one." " She must select me." " Then see to it that she does." "He saved us, your lad." "Saved us all." "A wizard..." " Who's that father?" " Who is he?" "This is he who wove the spell of concealment?" "Aye." "He died on the High Falls." "Did he, now?" "Who are you?" "Peace, Ged." "You're back with us, now." "Back from where?" "From the darkness." " What did you do?" " I restored your son to you, blacksmith." "His spirit had not yet left him." "Who are you?" " My name is Ogion." " Oh, the Great Wizard!" "How can I repay you, Magus?" "Allow me to give Ged his real name." "No." "He has a name." "My wife and I, rest her soul, we gave it to him!" "Blacksmith, know you not that every living being has a secret name, in which its power resides?" "And in this young man there lies much power." "You want to turn him into a magus?" " You restored him only to take him away?" " I don't know yet." "Would you a least permit him to find out the name his soul should bear?" "Aye." "You are" "Sparrowhawk" "That is the name in which your power resides." "Tell no one except those you trust with your soul." "For the rest of the world, you must be named "Ged"" "son of the blacksmith of the village of Ten Alders." ""Sparrowhawk"." "Do you wish to learn the ways of magic, Sparrowhawk?" "It would mean putting all that you know and love behind you." "Such power..." "Yes." "Then ask your father's blessing." "His blessing?" " Why would I need that?" " Consider it a test, in humility." "Father I wish to study with Ogion to be a wizard." "I ask your blessing on me." "Why should I give it?" "When it means forsaking everything I provided for you." " Giving up the home your mother brought you into the world in - 'Cause it's what she wanted for me, isn't it?" "She wanted us to be a family." "But we're not." "And I now have a chance to be somebody, do you begrudge me that?" "I don't begrudge you, son." "But I do fear for you." "I truly fear." "Ogion." "I'll come back." "You won't." "Will you?" "It was good though, wasn't it?" "I would have gone mad without you." "Oh Ged, I'm not sure I made all that much of a difference." "Just go." "Thanks." "Ged?" "I hope you'll find her." "Find who?" "The girl you've been dreaming about." "The entire raiding party, gone?" "We saw the mist from the ship, Sire." "It swallowed them up and then they were lured over the cliffs." "A very convenient "mist" this, for those villagers." " There was talk, Sire." " Talk about what?" " Talk of wizardry." " Was there?" " And the wizard?" " A young lad, your Majesty." "Unknown until then." "Is that so?" " And his name?" " We never found out, Sire." " But it doesn't signify, he's dead." " Dead?" " Despite his victory over my men?" " He went right over the cliffs in the fight." " Did he, now?" "Well, so be it." "I'm off to join the troops at Yoll, but if there's any more news about" ""unusual wizards"," "I want to be notified at once." "Understood?" " It is my understanding, Sire." " Good." "Cleave foot over seed, mixed every day, for a week." "Thank you." " What would we do without you, master?" " Struggle on friend, as we all do." "I didn't realize being a wizard involved so much animal husbandry." "A wizard's job is to serve the people he lives among, Ged." "Whether their animals are sick, crops fail, or they're threatened by" "Kargide warriors." "Our task simply is to make life on Earthsea tolerable, as I hope you're learning." "Well, frankly magus, since I've been with you I don't feel I've learned a thing." "Is that so?" "Well perhaps that is because you haven't figured out what I've been teaching, yet." " You sent for me, sister Kossil?" " I did." "Come in, Rosa." "I've been watching you with great interest." "And I've come to believe that you have much greater potential than anyone so far has acknowledged." " Potential, sister?" " Yes." "And if I ever become high priestess, I shall see to it that you receive your full due." "Thank you, sister Kossil." " I'm very honored." " But of course... for now... it is my sacred duty to aid, and protect our Mother Thar." " And to that end I need your help." " My help?" "Mother Thar... is unwell." "She goes to great lengths to conceal it." "She stubbornly refuses to take her medication." "We must see that she takes it." "A few drops concealed in her daily tea." "Wh" " Without her knowledge?" " That doesn't seem right." " Is it right to let her waste away?" "Do it, Rosa." "For her sake." "For the sake of our Sisterhood." "You will be rewarded one thousand fold." "Is it true a wizard can move clouds around in the sky so he never gets rained on?" "Yes Ged." "Quite true." "I'd be interested in seeing that." "Perhaps now would be a good time?" "Ogion?" "What's the use of having power if you don't use it?" "That's what I want you to think about, Sparrowhawk." "All right, I get it." "I said I get it!" "Ogion?" "Not those, Ged." "Much too strong." "But don't I need powerful spells if I am to become a powerful wizard?" "I don't want you to become a powerful wizard." "Until you master yourself." "Which requires years of roaming hills, gathering herbs, learning the nature." "Letting knowledge seep into your bones." "Seep?" "Why is that such a strangely unattractive word?" "I think it's a good word, I like it." "Come, let's eat." "Magus?" "Is there something moving in my bowl?" "You've never heard of eel and fish head chowder before?" "No." "No, I haven't." "This is one of my mother's best." "You'll develop a taste for it over time." "And what is the chief duty of the priestesses of Atuan?" "To bring the strength of the Gods, to Atuan to the High Priestess for the protection of all of Earthsea, sister Tenar." "That's right." "And it is the duty of the High Priestess to use that power to..." "Venerable Mother." "Please." "I came to talk to your teacher." "Tenar, I've just finished going through the examination papers for the young priestesses." "You came... first." "With the highest grade any priestess has ever achieved in the history of our Temple." "Finish your lesson, and come to my office." "I want to talk about your future here." "Begone!" "Begone!" "I command you to return to whence you came!" "What in the name of Earthsea do you think you were doing?" "Have you any idea what almost happened here?" " I'm sorry, I didn't think this" " No, you didn't think." "Did you?" "That's not your style." "Sorcery isn't a game we play for pleasure or for praise, lad." "Every word, every act, of our Art is done for good or for evil." "Before you speak or do you must know the consequences." " All right, I understand." " No!" "Certainly you didn't!" "Or this never would have happened." "This never would have happened if you didn't waste my time gathering useless herbs" " and watching sheep sneeze!" " Oh I've forgotten that you above the work of a humble wizard!" "Just as you're above the work of a mere blacksmith!" "It's not what I meant." "Master, all my life I've been told I was a fool." "A dreamer." "And now I find I have this appetite to learn everything as fast as I can." "Is that wrong?" "You're not wrong." "But not wise." "If you stay with me you'll need patience." "Do you have patience, Ged?" "I know I should say I have, but... that wouldn't be true." "No." "It wouldn't." "Would it?" "There's another way." "And perhaps it might be..." " Have you heard of the Island of Roke?" " The Island of the Wise." "Of course." " But I thought that was..." " For those who have extraordinary ability." "Which you have." "What do you think?" "That's simple." "Stay with me, and let wisdom grow." "Now, you wish you hadn't asked?" "Don't you?" "I don't want to leave you, Ogion." " I owe you my life." " You owe me nothing, Sparrowhawk." "But if you feel my path is too long and slow, you must make the choice yourself." "Roke Island or Ogion." "Then Roke it must be." "A beautiful island, Gont." "First time away?" "Yeah, I figured you for a land lover." "Well, don't worry about it." "You'll be back home." "Someday." "If you don't mind me asking..." "Oh, easy there." "How did you end up on this tub?" " My magus bartered my passage." " Magus?" "So where are you bound?" "Roke." "What it's like?" "Oh, I've never been to Wizard's Island." "What do you want to go there for?" "I see." "You're one of the powerful ones, eh?" "Well, I'd better stay on the right side of you then." "We'd all better stay on the right side of him if we want a better wind." "Here, stow that there." "Can you do anything about this breeze, young magus?" "No." "Captain, I'm not trained at sea wizardry, but I could... conjure a mist, if you want it?" "Well, a fat lot of good that's gonna do." "Have you any skills with a compass?" "Can you help us steer?" "No, Sir." "I go to Roke to learn these things." "Then you join the oarsmen for you trip my friend, for I afford no passengers here." "Take him below." "Find him an ore." "And take one for yourself as well." "You've coiled more than enough of rope for one day." "Aye, Sir." "Come on, then." "So, how are you at making people disappear?" "We did it, men!" "They won't dare to fight Kargides again." "And Earthsea shall be a safer place for it." "And Atuan a richer one, Sire." "Truly." "I must confide there's something..." "intoxicating about the power of death." "Slitting a man's throat, feeling his warm life drain upon one's fingers." "To control life..." "That, is the greatest power of all." "It's only a matter of time, your Majesty, before we control it all." "And on every island we take, the first thing we seek is information." "Information, Sire?" "About that young magus." "Who we must find, and kill." "To your men, General." "Roke ahoy!" "Rather you than me, in a place like that." "I can't wait to get started." "Doesn't it scare you, that kind of thing?" "No." "I've been wanting this my whole life." "I'd rather be sailing into a raging squall any day." "But, I wish you luck." "Who goes there?" "Who is it?" "Ged." "Son of Dunain..." "Yes?" "I bear a letter from the mage Ogion, for the Arch Magus of the school." "Very well." "Enter, if you can." "I can't enter without your help." "How true!" "But I can't help you if you don't tell me who you really are." "Sparrowhawk" "I'll take your letter to the Arch Magus." "Messengers are meant to wait by the river entrance." "That could be, but I'm no messenger, I've come here to study." "Disguised... as a peddler." "Do they consider that a jest, here at Roke?" "You're obviously from somewhere distant and... doubtless obscure..." "Allow me to inform you, you have the honor of addressing Jasper of Eolg." "Of the house of Havnor." "Ah, Jasper." "I'm glad you've taken the initiative of welcoming the new arrival." "I am Arch mage Nemmerle." "Arch Magus of this school." "It's an honor to be here, Sir." "Listen to this... from Ogion of Gont." ""I send a young man who could be one of the great wizards of Earthsea -"" ""if the wind blow true."" "Quite a testimonial, from a wizard of such esteem." "Most impressive." "Especially coming from one of Roke's prized graduates." " Ogion went here?" " Oh, yes." "A most distinguished alumnus." "Welcome to Roke, Ged of Ten Alders." "And may your stay here be profitable to you." "and to Earthsea." "Jasper." "Arch Magus?" "Show Ged around." "Introduce him to his fellow students." "Explain some of our traditions." " Now, Arch Magus?" " Yes, why not now?" "Tomorrow you'll start a program of studies which will not cease until you have become all that it is in you to become." "Which if Ogion is right, is quite a lot." "Well..." "Where to start?" "I wonder what it feels like to be a beginner." "It's been so long!" "This way, then." " Could use a bit of salt." " Ah..." "Vetch!" "The perfect table companion for you, Ged." "Vetch is a fisherman's son, so he can tell you about... bait, and as you're a blacksmith's lad, you can tell him all about, hmm bellows." "He's very good at that." "Cutting remarks, painful innuendos, humiliating insinuations." "If his magic were half as good!" "Let's get you some food." "You got anything actually edible in there?" "You know, hidden away?" "It's this lad's first day, so..." "Show some compassion." " Where are you from, Ged?" " Gont, and you?" "Vemish." "Ah..." "Vemish." "Well." " You've never heard of it, have you?" " Not really, No." "Not really?" "I'll let you off with that this once, but what you have to understand, my friend, is that Vemish is the paradise" " of Earthsea." " Has he been bending your ear about Vemish?" "Ignore her, Ged." "Look." "Vemish..." "Is right next to Iffish." "Which is just across..." "Fkutark." "And this..." "This is the bay where you can hear the mermaids singing in the moonlight." "Welcome to Roke, Ged." "Oh Tenar, you do make me laugh." "Oh, Kossil?" "I have some very good news." "Tenar here, has just graduated first, among the younger priestesses." "Well done Tenar." "I'm so pleased for you." "I remember when you first came here." "A lost, frightened little orphan." "Full of questions..." "You were a charming little waif." "Thirsting for understanding." "Wasn't she, Venerable Mother?" "And you Kossil..." "You are so... so formidable." "I'll take that as a compliment." "I've allowed you to take on far too much work over the years." "I decided to ask Tenar to take on some of your responsibilities." "As you wish, Venerable Mother." "Are you unwell?" "Something must have disagreed with me." "If you'll excuse me, I need to lie down." "Lesson fourteen, in the lesser Art of Changing..." "The pebble." "Get on with it, Ladies and Gentlemen." "I was hoping for a pancake." "I guess this will do." "That is good." "Brilliant." "What, are you trying to make me feel inferior?" "Diamonds!" "Well done, Ged." "Look at these, everybody." "Perfect... diamonds." "And these... are for you." "Well, that didn't last long." "You didn't expect it to stay that way, did you?" "Why shouldn't it, if the magic is strong enough?" "Because to change a rock in to a jewel you must change its True Name." "It can be done." "But it should not be done." "Not even to a single grain of sand until you know the good and evil that'll follow." "I don't understand." "Good and evil, isn't it just turning one thing into another?" "If the isles of Earthsea were turned into diamonds, how many people do you think would survive?" "Things are... as they are... for a reason." "At least you must understand that reason before you decide to change them." " That's fine." "But I still want to know how to do it." " I'm sure you do, Ged." "I'm sure you do." "But you will not learn it here." "Not until you learn true wisdom." "In some ways, this is the most dangerous of the Arts." "Because you're making things move through time and space, at your command." "As when I make this creature appear." "Venison!" "I've never known anyone to see the entire world though their stomach before." "Now you do, my friend." "Master Summoner, you spoke of time as well of space." "Does that mean a wizard could conjure anything, dead or alive?" "No wizard would conjure off the dead, young man." "Because they cannot be sent safely back to where they came from." "That's not gonna get you out of here any sooner than the rest of us." "I don't wanna leave." "Every time we learn the True Name of something we gain power over it." "I wanna gain as much power as I possibly can." "Well, done another one." " Master Namer, I'll take my next!" " Yes, another?" "Yes... right." "Right away." "You were in the middle of..." "Let me see..." ""Camus"..." ""Caster", "Service"..." "Yes... here we are." "At this rate you're going to be the most powerful wizard on Earthsea." "And the most annoying show off." "Come on, we've been on a steady diet of words for the last three months" "I want something you can actually chew!" "What's going on here?" "It appears the "Amazing Jasper" is going to summon something." "The young aristocrat's condescending to put on a magic show?" " Methinks he does it to impress the ladies." " I didn't realize they are that easy to impress." "Blacksmith!" "Perhaps you'd like to... impress us with a demonstration of your own." "You could make something minuscule seem enormous." "Your brain for instance." "You may wanna try that trick on yourself Jasper, just... aim a little lower." "Are you sure you want to try this?" "Why not, I think it will be quite an adventure." "Look how free it is!" "Besides, any wizard worth his salt should be able to shapeshift." "No one's questioning ability here, it's just a minor matter of breaking the rules." "Meant to be broken, Vetch!" "Meant to be broken." "Try saying that to the Arch Magus!" "Speaking of breaking the rules..." "I hear the splendiferous Jasper is going to be offered the wizardship of Pender, when he graduates." "It's quite a coup for someone his age, wouldn't you say?" "I'm sure he deserves it and he'll do a wonderful job." "Oh please..." "We both know he's a second rate show-off with the big head and rich relatives." "People like having an aristocrat for their wizard." "He'll do fine." "Yeah, well... you'd do much better." "Maybe if certain people shut up for a minute." "All right." "All right, watch this." "I think I finally got it." "Ged, you did it!" "I mean..." "What have you done?" "This is crazy, Ged!" "And dangerous!" "Yeah, I'm yelling at a bird." "Tried shapeshifting yet, Jasper?" "It's much more impressive than making apple trees, don't you think?" "There's no need for me to name the student who did this." "He knows who he is." "But I want to take this moment... to warn you all of the dangers of Shapeshifting." "You may have heard the tale of the wizard Voger of Wave, who delighted in taking the shape of a bear, and did so more and more often until the bear grew in him and the man... died away." "And he became the bear and killed his own small son in the forest." "And was then hunted down, and slain." "This shapeshifting business is not something to be toyed with!" "Is that understood?" "Understood, Arch Magus." "You're even lower than I thought, Jasper." "I don't know what you're talking about." "I'm talking about you sneaking to the Arch Magus about my doing something you can't!" "You have no idea what I can and can't do, little man." " We don't run in the same circles." " You think I'd want to?" "Oh, you want to, Blacksmith boy!" "Your whole life's spent trying to become something you're not." "The more you try to prove yourself my equal, the more you show yourself for what you really are!" "Ah yes..." "Brute force and ignorance, eh?" "The tools of your trade!" "Well, it's magus power we value here, not horse power!" "You think you have more magus power than I do?" "That sounds like a challenge!" " All right Blacksmith, I accept." " It wasn't a challenge!" "Tell him, Ged." "Stop this both of you, duels in sorcery are forbidden!" "You know that!" "There you are, bumpkin, a way out." "Feel free to back off!" "So, what'll it be?" "Ged, leave it alone." "What about summoning a spirit?" "You think I can't do that?" "From the dead." "What about the Lady Elfarren?" "Could you summon her, or would that be to hard for you?" "Are you out of your mind?" "It's fine with me." " Ged, don't do it!" " Why not?" "Why not, indeed?" "Roke Woods, midnight." "You're not a summoner, Ged." " And as for the Lady Elfarren..." " Why not her as well as anyone else?" "Jasper, give this up!" "Doing sorcery without reason is like lighting a fire in a forest." "You know that, tell him!" "It doesn't matter..." "He can't do it." "He hasn't got it in him." "Well, that's what he has to learn." "We'll see." "Arise all of you!" "I need your strength." "What's happening?" " The Nameless Ones, we need to pray" " I'll wake the others!" "I summon you, Lady Elfarren!" "Try to keep up, sisters!" "Pray sisters!" "Pray!" "Be still!" "What have you done?" "Get it off!" "Are you all right?" "No, Tenar.." "Something horrible happened here tonight." "Something beyond anything I've known." "May our faith prevail." "I saw him..." "Who?" "And it was as though I knew him." " Be still, my son." " Where am I?" "This is the first time you've opened your eyes in days." " Get them off of me!" " Certainly, certainly, but you must be thankful of these." "They've done, what my spells have not been able to achieve." "My liege!" "Ah..." "General Doar, just in time." "Is it true, Sire?" " We are invading Roke?" " We are indeed, General." "Our magus has just revealed himself." "Come, set sail, and have the rest of the fleet follow us as soon as they've put up to sea." "Arch Magus." "Ged." "How are you feeling?" "I'm so sorry." "So ashamed." "I too am ashamed of you." "And of this institution for producing someone who could commit such an act of folly." " Arch Magus I didn't..." " You have great power in you Sparrowhawk." "And you utterly misused it!" "You tried to summon a spirit of the dead." "And instead you brought out the most fearsome being our world has ever known." "You released a Nameless One." "I saw it as a shadow." "The shadow of your ignorance." "The shadow of your arrogance." "You brought a being of utter evil into the world, whose only objective, its deep, soul-gnawing hunger will be to find you." "And possess you." "Possess me?" "Devour your soul." "And as your powers are great, so when that happens it will become great and all Earthsea will be endangered." "It is a shadow now, but soon it will kill, absorbing its victim's body to become a creature even more horrible!" "A Gebbeth!" "And then you will really have reason to fear it." "Is there no way to defeat it?" "None!" "Unless you know its True Name." " Then I must go to the Master Namer." " Ged..." "He has no way of knowing." "Then what am I to do?" "As soon as you're strong enough you must leave Roke, never to return." "Leave Roke." "Go where?" "Wherever in the world it will least expect to find you." "That is your only hope." "But get well first." "You'll need all your strength." "At the moment we were blown to the floor, the young wizard was attacked by this, this great shadowy beast." " It was horrible." " Who is this wizard?" "I don't know." "If your vision be true, this is a particularly evil magus." " How so?" " Because... if the two events are related it would signify the most ominous act." "One of the Nameless Ones was released." "There has never been anybody or anything in the history of our Temple powerful enough to overcome our faith." "But what happened at the Door might have been beyond my powers." "And if that is so, our Temple is endangered." "No." "No, not with you to lead us, Venerable Mother!" "I don't know that I still have the strength my mission requires." "Ged." "I am so glad to see you." "We were all afraid you were going to die." "How do you feel?" "Frail." "Furious with myself and very very stupid!" "I really made a mess of things, didn't I?" "Yeah, on an epic scale." "But, you're alive." "That's what matters." " That looks pretty nasty." " Oh, I'm not in pain." "That thing possessed an ungodly strength." "It flicked me aside like a bug!" "Are you hurt?" "My feelings mostly." "But it could have killed you, Ged." "And so it will." "Wh-What do you mean?" "It is my fate." "The Shadow's only purpose is to see me gone." "And to make matters worse, if that's possible, my wizard training here has come to its end." "What?" "The Arch Magus asked me to leave Roke." "That's not very sporting of him." "But this could all work out." "I'm also leaving Roke." "I've gotten my appointment as a wizard!" "You finished the course?" "You got your staff?" "Believe it or not!" " I'm so happy for you." " And guess where the job is." " Home!" " Vemish?" " "Paradise on earth" that's wonderful!" " That settles it..." "You're coming with me." "We're going to Vemish together." "I appreciate the offer, Vetch." " I can't tell you how much that means to me" " But?" "I can't do that to you." "I've become a fugitive, to be hunted by the shadow till I'm done." "I can't bring that into your life." "Or the life of the people you'll be looking after." "All right." "But if you ever need me call on me by my True Name." "Astario" "I am Sparrowhawk" "Till we meet again, my friend." "There's Roke now, Sire." "We've beaten the rest of the fleet by at least a day." "Good." "That's strange, what do you make that to be?" "There!" "Action Stations!" "Yes sir!" "Who the hell are you?" "Arch mage Nemmerle." "Arch Magus of Roke." "You certainly know how to make an entrance." "Arch Magus, to what do I owe this... pleasure?" "My desire to avoid unnecessary loss of life, Tygath!" "Really?" "And what loss of life would that be?" "The loss of life if you tried to take Roke." "Because the weapons of Roke are formidable." "Oh, I'm sure they are!" "All I want really, is some information about some insignificant young magus." " Not available." " The magus?" " Or the information?" " Neither." "Tygath" " and that is final." " King" "Tygath!" "Seize him!" "Draw back while you still can, Tygath!" " Before you annihilate us all." " Kill him!" "How dare he talk to you like that, Sire!" "You heard him..." "he's the "Arch Magus of Roke"." "Soon to be a memory." "Now..." "When the rest of the fleet arrives" "Have half of them, fan out from here, and scour every island within a day's sailing radius from Osskil to Illion." "Certainly, Sire." "And the other half?" "Have them pay this pompous, chief magician a house call." "Listen mate, I didn't know she was your wife, and from what I gather, I'm not the first, you know?" "Ged!" "I can't believe it." "Want some more?" "Come on!" "He was a bit of a rough job, aye?" "Let me get you a drink!" "Here, come on." "Cheerios!" "What are you doing here on Osskil?" "I'm... really not sure." "And you?" "I'm on my way home after a profitable voyage." "And how is that charming captain of ours?" "I've long since pulled of that barge." "But tell me, the last we met you were on your way to becoming a wizard, weren't you?" " I am a wizard." "Sort of." " Well, good show!" "Where to next?" "Actually things didn't go all that well at Roke." "Oh really?" " I created a bit of a stir." " Oh... how so?" "Let's just say I've taken the trout." "Well, it's not that bad, is it?" "Listen." "You ever heard of a place called Teranon on the other side of the island?" " I cant' say that I have." " Now you have." "That's where I'm heading" "And from what I've heard, there hasn't been a wizard there in years." "Why don't you come with me?" "We lodge here tonight, leave in the morning." "There's a very fine goat house there." "If you don't mind paying for it." " You got a deal." " Ah, Cheers!" "Barkeep!" "Another jug of you finest ale for my long lost friend." "Oh, this is a bleak place." "I suppose it's more cheerful on the other side of the mountains." "I was saying I hope it's more cheerful where you come from." "Not a living soul for hours." "How much farther to the other side of island, Skiorch?" "I could do with some food and a bath." "Have you fallen asleep on your feet?" "How much farther?" "What's wrong?" "Skiorch!" "The Gebbeth!" "Ged" "Sparrowhawk..." "Are you a messenger or a message?" "You seem strangely familiar." "Did I not name you once?" "You've seen some trouble since we last parted, I think." "I return, Master, as I left." "A fool." "Let's see what a good fire can do." "Bring back some memories?" "Yes, it reminds me of why I left." "Get it down you, and get on with the story." "And so I transformed myself." "If you hadn't brought me back, that would've been that." "He will find me sooner or later." " Unless you know its name." " No one knows its name." "So you must defeat it." "Defeat it?" "I fought it twice, and twice I fled in terror." " Perhaps the third time is the charm." " Ogion, I've no strength against it." "And if you're going to suggest that I stay here, the answer is no." "I'm not inflicting that thing on you." "Good." "But in that case" "I have a hard thing to say to you." "Say it." "You must turn around." "Turn around?" "Yes." "If you keep running the evil will drive you, choosing the way you go." "You must do the choosing." "You must seek... what seeks you." "And have it devour me when we meet?" "So that I'm its creature, and my powers are a danger to all of Earthsea?" "You must make this Gebbeth your own." "If you're a fugitive when it finds you, if you abuse your strength and flee, it will prevail." "But if you're doing the seeking..." "I'll be able to destroy it?" "I can't tell." "But it's the best counsel I can give you." "If you want to cease being hunted you must become the hunter." "You know I've walked with great wizards and lived on the Isle of the Wise," "but you are my true master, Ogion." "Better late than never." "But you may be my master in the end." "Thank you, magus." "May it serve you well." "And now, master," "I must go hunting." "You called for me, Venerable Mother?" "Sister Kossil." "Our world is darkening and I grow weaker." "The time has come to appoint my successor." "You wish me to call the priestesses into conclave?" "That is what I wish." "They all know you as my strong right hand." "It's time they also knew who will lead the Temple, when I'm gone." "I understand completely." "Just... rest and relax." "I'll arrange everything." "You're there Gebbeth, aren't you?" "Well, here I am." "Why are we not inside as yet?" "Are your men incapable of breaking down a door?" "They cannot fight magic, your Majesty." " Who said that?" " Jasper of Eolg." " Of the House of Havnor." " Oh, Yes." "How ageable to finally meet you in the flesh." "Jasper of the House of..." "You've served me well." "If I were to open that door for you... and you seize all of Roke... you would be needing a new Arch Magus?" "Would you not?" "And..." "I gather you have someone in mind." "Just... get me in there." "Jasper." "Sisters..." "As our world darkens with each Kargide conquest, my health continues to fail, so" "I feel the time has come for me to name she... who will carry the secrets of the Tombs, after me." "I, hereby bestow, the Great Belt of Keys, to she who will be the next High Priestess." "That's impossible!" "The doors are impenetrable." "You should ask for you money back." "Jasper?" "No... not you." "We have given you power to bring light and goodness to the world." "And instead you have chosen darkness and evil." "You break my heart." "No..." "I think I'll do that." "Here..." "I believe this is yours." "You must have dropped it." "Come to me and receive the tokens of your office," "sister Tenar." "Sister Tenar." "Come to me." "I've been waiting for you, Ged." "And the waiting is over." "Stop!" "If you destroy me, you destroy us both." "So be it!" "I brought you into this world, and I will take you out of it." "No." "You must take me in, into your soul." "so together we can be great!" "You mean "evil"." ""Evil"?" ""Good"?" "Just words." "Accept me." "Let my power flow through you and anything is possible!" "Exactly!" "If you can't be alone, Shadow, it'll happen to both of us." "No, don't die." "No!" "I heard you crying out." "It's ok Rosa." "It was just a dream." "Is Mother Thar awake yet?" "I was just on my way to her chambers." "To cool her fever." "I'm gonna go with you." " Yes?" "What do you want?" " Some shelter for a weary traveler." "You'd better come in." "It's getting quite nasty out there." "May I offer you some broth?" "I was hoping for something of greater sustenance." "I have to admit, my dear Kossil, some women are merely satisfied to please, but you've made it into a science." "I've had the perfect specimen upon which to concentrate my studies." "Quite true." "And has the Venable Mother's illness brought her any closer to naming her successor?" "Sire." "There's been a slight... wrinkle in my plan." ""Wrinkle"?" "What wrinkle?" "She named sister Tenar to succeed her." "She what?" "How could you allow this to happen?" "It was no fault of mine." "That scheming little worm bent Thar to her will." "A task I set to you, I recall." "Do you have any idea how upset I will be if the secrets of the Nameless Ones are denied to me!" "I can imagine." " But I do have a plan." " You "had" a plan, Kossil." "Give me this one last chance, I promise I will not fail you." "Thar will not only regret her decision but she will beg for my assistance." "Very well." "Is there any chance Tenar's visions could draw the wizard to her as well?" "My thoughts exactly!" "In which case, he would be delivered to me on the same platter as my immortality." "Would he not?" "Our immortality, your Majesty." ""Our" immortality." "And now... would you care to continue our research?" "And it is the same person in every vision?" "Yes." "And it's as though I didn't want him to die." "The meaning of this vision will become apparent one day." "I hope." "For now, we should get some rest." "Tomorrow will be an important day, for I intent to show you the Labyrinth and share with you that which has been past on to me." "I pray that I'm worthy." "Rest now, Mother." "Bless you." "You have no idea how much you kindness has meant to me dear Rosa, over the last weeks." "I thought you'd be feeling better by now." "Its awful..." "God." "Even the children..." "Who would do such evil?" "Make way for the Magus." "Has anything been touched?" "No, Magus." "Complete silence." "What is this?" "I said silence." "This is my doing." "Just watch." "And now, the murderer." "Oh no!" "Who is it?" " I thought you were at the Kargide fortress?" " I was, I've only just returned." "I was checking to see if Tenar had another of her visions." "Well, she did in fact." "In this one it seems the young wizard was drowned." "Well." "That's not all bad." "And what, may I ask, are you doing at Tenar's chamber?" "I was only coming to check on her well being!" "Were you?" "Well..." "Perhaps, we should discuss this in the morning." "I know you dumb!" "You keep your purse to yourself, you old dumb!" "You look like you need a drink, my friend." " Have you seen a ghost or something?" " Ah, in truth, I think I have!" "Did you know the farmer Gladdy?" "The place outside Issmi." "Sure." "I know the man." "We just found him and his clan dead." "What?" "Robbers?" "No, it was no robbers." "Monsters!" "They were gutted like chicken!" "I saw it with my own eyes!" "The whole lot?" "Four of them." "And two travelers up on the cliffs." "Anyone seen who done it?" "No, but the magus conjured him." "We saw his image standing there as he was!" "He might be here by now, in the town." "Enough of that!" "What does he look like?" "He has a scar." "Magus!" "Go quickly, Sir." " The killer, he's here!" " Where?" "In the town." "He slipped out of the tavern." "He's being followed." "Well, call the shire reeve." "He found out who the killer was." "Isn't that enough?" "No sister." "This is something I must deal with." "Bar the door." "Let no one enter." "This way!" "Check those barrels!" "He's got to be here somewhere!" "There he is!" "There he is." "Vetch!" " You've got the wrong man." "I've done nothing!" " Except slit six people from end to end," " you monster!" " I didn't." "I swear!" "It has devoured you, hasn't it?" "The shadow!" "I am not the Gebbeth." "I swear." "Now let me go!" "Let... go!" "Vetch has done it!" "Well done, Magus." "Do you know him, Sir?" "I knew the poor soul whose body this thing has taken." "He would have torn us apart if you hadn't stumped him, master wizard!" "Three cheers for the Magus!" " No!" " Yeah!" "This is no cheering matter!" "The evil spirit my friend has raised has taken over his body, devoured him from within." "He deserves our pity." "He deserves to die!" "Drown him!" "That might be too kind." "I think he may welcome it." "Die..." "Die!" "..." "Die!" "Wait!" "Astario" "All may not be as it seems carry him to my house!" "No!" "Do as I say." "Am I not the Magus of these isles?" "All right." "Not wise!" "Listen, I'm... sorry." "I hope I wasn't too rough on you with that spell." "I only hope I can return the favor." " That bad?" " Um-hmm." "At least, you seem to have slept through the worst of it." " The water's getting cold, why don't you get me some more?" " Yes Master!" "Feel my shoulders." "Every muscle is shredded!" "You know Vetch, you should do some more hard work, your hands are starting to feel like girls'." "Although you do have the massage thing down." "Ged of Ten Alders, may I introduce my sister, Yarrow." "Hi." "A stone?" "You tied a stone to a rope?" "Primitive but effective." "If need be, Vetch, I was prepared to die with that creature." "It didn't work out the way I planned." "No, it didn't." "Did it?" "Because, of course, it had stolen something from me." " Your face." " Yes." "So now you're a fugitive because of his terrible crimes." "I am." "So what are you going to do now?" "Stay in the hunt, I suppose." "Where will you go?" "I don't know." "I feel as if I'm being pulled." "To the east." "And how will you know that you've gotten where you're going?" "Not sure." "That settles it." "Wherever the Gebbeth pulls you is where I am going." "No." "Vetch, she's right." "This isn't your battle." "You can't do it by yourself, old friend." "You've already proven that beyond a doubt!" "I was there when you released the shadow and I shall be present when you defeat it." "What if I never do?" "This is my doing, not yours." " You think we met by chance down at the seashore?" " What was it but chance?" "There's no such thing as chance meetings in the lives of wizards, Ged." "You know that!" "We quest together and that's all there is to it." "What if you're killed doing it?" "Then I die following the right path, little sister." "Would you have me do otherwise?" "Yes, I'd have you live." "So would I, Yarrow." "But once your brother's made up his mind, it's hard to change it." "Let me make you a pledge that if it's in my power to do so, I'll bring him safely back." "I sometimes fear that I'm not strong enough to bear the weight of these keys." "The weight lies not in ownership of these keys, my child." "The real weight is yet to be laid upon your shoulders." "Go in." "All the tunnels here look the same, so you must count." "For, as complex as a labyrinth might seem, once you know the pattern, it is rather simple." "then 2 left, then 1 right." "Have you been counting?" "Lead the way." "Once the Amulet was destroyed, it was only this labyrinth, but, more importantly, our great faith and prayer that kept Earthsea safe." "But this evil wizard, he may be more powerful than all our prayers." "That is why it is so important that you lead our Order with your courage and maintain the strength of your faith." "Good." "Well done, so far." "It's hard to believe that I'm actually here, learning the secrets of this sacred tomb." "Arriving as an orphan and being taken in to study was miracle enough, but... but the idea of that insignificant little girl..." "There is nothing insignificant about you Tenar." "I sensed your potential even then when you first arrived, wide-eyed and ragged and... full of hope and fear." "And not an insignificant amount of defiance." "I'm thankful that you took a chance on me, Venerable Mother." "I was an orphan too, when I first arrived at the Temple of Atuan as a scullery maid." "No?" "Indeed." "So you see our path, our destiny, is not that dissimilar." "This is overwhelming, Mother." "And, I must admit, a bit frightening." "You must never embrace fear." "The only other time I've been in this place was that horrible night." "This is the way which I refer to:" "The mantle, that is now your destiny to bear." "What I'm about to tell you holds the most sacred power of our Order." "It must never be uttered out loud to anyone, but your successor." "Who I hope you will choose as wisely as I believe I've chosen mine." "The Magus of Gont, where is he?" "I don't know!" "Very nice." "Something to warm the ice-cold neck of a wizard, perhaps?" "We know he sailed out of port with your brother." "What we need to know is their destination." "I don't know." "They... they may have traveled west." "One thing you can always count on, is for a woman to lie." "They most certainly sailed east." "Let's go." "No time for that!" "We must alert the king." "As the one with his hand on the teller, I feel compelled to ask just where we might be heading." "Just keep it steady." "This Gebbeth has an uncanny knack in drawing me to it." " He'll find us." " That's reassuring." "While we're waiting for this Shadow's beacon maybe we could occupy our time with more pleasurable thoughts?" " Like food, perhaps?" " Exactly." "And women, of course, but you don't seem to give much thought to either." "That's not true." "What's this?" "Our Ged has a girl?" "No, not exactly." "At least, I don't think so." "I never actually met her." " I've only seen her in my dreams." " Oh, right." "Yeah, I've got a bevy of those myself." "Vetch, this is the same girl, over and over again." "I mean it's strange." "She appears to me in visions, dreams." "As if I know her." "She's always wandering down the same passageway." "The real story of the Amulet is that one of my predecessors fell in love with a Kargide King and plotted with him to destroy the Amulet." "I read that but," "I don't understand." "Why would she do such a thing?" "Because they believed by that commiting this monstrous act, they will release the Nameless Ones." "Yeah, but to what end?" "To no end." "They believed it would bring them immortality." "Foolish notion." "Byt why... why didn't it release the Nameless Ones?" "Because, my dear child, they misjudged the power of our Order's faith." "That very spirit that we teach, and dedicate ourselves to every day of our lives, is still the keeper of the Gate." "And what became of the Amulet?" "Some tales have her realizing her folly fleeing in a small boat with one half of the Amulet." "A huge storm swallowed her up, and she disappeared." "Why don't we teach this?" "There's a lesson to be learned here!" "And as you've always said we must learn from our mistakes." "I suppose it is human nature to obscure the most shameful aspects of one's history, but you're right." "There are lessons to be learned from the truth." "You have my permission to teach it to the novices." "Kossil?" "It's time for afternoon prayers, Venerable Mother." "I feel very weak." "Do you mind leading them for me?" "Most certainly, Venerable Mother." "I need to lie down." "Rosa, my tea." "Now then, Rosa." "Why don't you tell me what's been troubling you?" "It's... nothing, really." "Come, now." "The bond between us is far to strong for secrets." "I..." "The medication, the drops I pour in Venerable Mother's tea each day, you said it would make her better but each day she only seems to get worse." "Your point being?" "I think the medication is harming her." "Do you?" "Well." "We must discontinue it." "Be on the safe side." "But we've medicated her without her permission or knowledge." " We must confess it." " Confess?" "To whom?" "To Venerable Mother and to sister Tenar, her successor." "No need for that, Rosa." "I forgive you." "I forgive us both." "It's not enough." "What do you mean not enough?" " Am I not enough for you?" " Oh, no." "I didn't mean it that way." "We must always be clear in our meaning, sweet Rosa." "And this is what I mean." "Vetch!" "Please, no more mutton." "Vetch wake up!" "We've arrived." "The Gebbeth?" "On the island." "He's expecting me." "Well, now he's gonna get even more than he expected." "It look singularly... uninviting." "That may be." "But this is where we must go." "What was that?" "The Gebbeth?" "No." "It's not..." "It's a dragon." " You didn't say there was going to be dragons." " I didn't know!" "Well, you don't seem too surprised." "This Gebbeth has a habit of luring me to danger." "And you, it seems, have made a habit of following!" " Did you see those red markings on the side of its head?" " Yes, very attractive." "I've read about a dragon once with markings like those!" "Fascinating, you'll tell me by the fire one day." "Wait a minute." "Red markings?" "Like the dragon that ravaged Tavnor?" "That's the one." "Do you remember its True Name?" "The one to bind it?" "The one to subdue it to your will so you can ask it any 3 questions you desire?" "Yes!" "I'm afraid not!" " I think it was Evow." " I think not." " Then what do you think it was?" " I don't know but it wasn't Evow." " I think we only get one go with this." " So what do you suggest?" "We learned this in the Isolate Tower." "Orm Embar!" "I speak your True Name, Orm Embar, and I order you to submit!" "Two questions, you can ask of me, wizard, and two only." "Isn't it usually three?" "Correct." "But with that, you're back to two." "Ha ha ha!" "All right then." "Tell me where I can find the Gebbeth." "The Gebbeth has fled to the tombs of Atuan." "A very dangerous place." "And your last question?" "Tell me his True Name, so that I may overcome him." "I'd be delighted to give you that information, if, in fact, your preference is to put your own safety ahead of that of Earthsea." "If you had the ability to reunite the Amulet of Peace, would you not do so?" "Of course!" "But that's not possible." "Anything is possible, if you deem it such." "Ged, it's a trick." "Just get the Gebbeth's True Name." "Yes... a disagreable dilemma." " What option do I have?" " Ged, think before you leap." "Where can I find the pieces of the Amulet?" "Very well, then." "Return to Evil's place of birth." "There, the puzzle will test your worth." "What you seek is within your grasp." "But the act of finding it may be your last." "A riddle?" "I traded my life for a riddle?" "What does it mean?" "Your question is over the limit." "If you hadn't wasted the first one, you might have left here with the Gebbeth's True Name." "Well... that's what you get trying to match wits with a dragon!" "You're worried about facing the Gebbeth?" "Or is it Jasper?" "No." "I was thinking about the island of Ede." "Ede?" "Where the myths are born." "And the White Towers of Havnor," "where the wrath folk of the south bend never come to land." "And the Ice Flows to the north." "I would have liked to see the Ice Flows." "You'll see the Ice Flows." "I traded the sunlight for the shadow, Vetch." "I grasped for power and this is where it brought me." "Which is fine." "As long as we bring this thing to an end." "Well..." "At least you got to see Vemish." "Vemish." "Rosa..." "Rosa!" "Rosa?" "Sisters!" "Sisters, come!" "Tenar?" "Oh no!" "Sire." "This just arrived from the isle of Sattins." ""Mast seen sailing east."" " To Roke, General." " Sire." "We make for Roke." ""What you seek is within your grasp"" ""but the act of finding it may be you last."" "Not a very encouraging prospect." "Do you think the Amulet would be here?" "The town seems more subdued now that the Kargides patrol, don't you think, Vetch?" "Vetch?" "Hey..." "Vetch?" "With the fate of Earthsea resting in the balance, you stop to eat?" "I'm hungry!" "It's not going to do Earthsea a bit of good if we starve to death." "You hardly look like a starving man, my friend." "But..." "No point taking chances." "Let's go." "Poor wretch." "I can never understand how men can cruelly mock those less fortunate." "Does it not occur to them how easily fate could have put them in his stead?" "Ah." "You again." "Sparrowhawk" "You remember me." "Astario" "I'm glad to see not much has changed around here." "Save for a few kindly Kargides, I wonder how much magic they've learned." "Hey." "What on Earthsea are you two doing here?" "It's a long story." "I don't know if you've heard but when the Kargides took over they killed our Arch Magus." "Yeah, Ged had a vision." "We've just come from Sattins." " A dragon directed us here." " Well!" "I see we have a pair of distinguished alumnii amongst us!" "And to what, exactly, do we owe this unexpected pleasure?" "No matter." "We shall take this up in my chambers." "Guards!" "You can leave them." "I'll be fine." "What I'm about to reveal to you must never leave this room." "Is that understood?" "Very well then." "Arch Magus?" "How?" "Come now, Ged." "Did you really think that a mere dagger could be the instrument of my demise?" "You must breathe word of this to no one, the time is not yet safe for my return." "But... what of the real Jasper?" "Crossing the town square did you per chance happen upon a village fool?" "Yes, but..." "That was Jasper?" "To think I actually felt sorry for him." "I thought it was a fitting punishment." "So tell me Ged, how goes it?" "Well Sir, I'm still alive." "That's a very good sign." "But what has brought you back here?" "It's a compendium of toxins." "You must believe me, I've never seen that before!" "Believe you?" "Is it just a coincidence that you were implicated by Rosa's dying letter, and then we find this here?" "Bring her to Mother Thar's chamber." "I am brokenhearted by your treachery." "But I am innocent." "Then how do you explain this scroll of poisons found in you room?" "I cannot." "I can only imagine that it was placed there by someone who wished me ill." "Dearest Mother, what motive would I have to harm you?" "That is between you and your conscience." "That I took you in, treated you as I would a daughter." "Made you my Successor!" "How could I not see the malice you harbored?" "Rosa's last words and her honor betrayed your plot." "Have you anything to say, Tenar?" "I would not have thought that you could so easily dismiss your own feelings." "I was blinded by those feelings." "But no longer." "I release you of all your duties." "And strip you of all the authorities with which I invested you." "The Keys." "Surely it doesn't end there, Mother Thar!" "She ought to be locked up, for the protection of us all." "See that that is done." "You will wait my final judgment." "Take her away." "So the exact line is" ""What you seek is within your grasp. "" "Well." "Though they may be loathe to admit it, even dragons know that the whole world is conceivably within a wizard's grasp." "So perhaps we should look at this more literally." "What personal possessions do you carry with you at all times?" "Only this." "Let me have it." "Lady Elfarren's Amulet of Peace." "I never dreamed that my eyes would one day look upon it." "How did you come by it?" "On the Isle of Gont." "My first teacher, she gave it to me." "The priestess who split the Amulet was rumored to have perished at sea." " Could this have been she?" " I don't know." "It was said that she just turned up years ago, after a great sea storm." "She didn't know who she was, but she taught me everything she knew." "And without knowing it entrusted all Earthsea to your care." "Do you recognize those symbols?" "They are runes." "In an archaic form I haven't studied since I was a boy." "They translate to a simple rhyme." ""When the Nameless Tombs become unsealed," "The Amulet's key will be revealed."" "Nameless Tombs?" "That would be at the Temple, on the Isle of Atuan." "Then that is where we must go." "A dangerous place, protected by Kargide barbarians." "The Temple will diminish your magic, so be very careful once you get there." "If they don't get him first." "Kargides coming!" "Not to worry." "Prepare yourselves to travel." "Will you be all right?" "I'll be fine, Ged." "Good luck." "I want all floors searched!" "Yes Sire!" "Your highness!" "Quickly, they'll escape!" "Where are the fugitive wizards?" "That's what I mean, you must have passed them, just now in the market..." "Not that I saw them." "What exactly is your part in this," " Master Jasper?" " Nothing, your Majesty." "They held me at knife point." "To the market!" "Of course, the other half of the Amulet isn't secreted away in some flowery meadow next to a babbling brook." "No!" "It had to be in the Tombs of Atuan, the very home of Tygath and his bloodthirsty Kargide horde!" " Not to mention the Gebbeth." " Not to mention!" "Although, we are wizards after all." "The least we should be able to do is..." "get by a few Kargides." "Exactly." "You there!" "On whose authority are you here?" "Yours Captain." "Don't you recognize us?" "Of course, um... the sun blinded me for a moment." "What news do you bring?" "News King Tygath wants to hear, Sir." "You'd better hurry up and tell him, then." "And report back here to me after you've delivered your message." "Yes, Captain." "Whatever demons" "Rosa was struggling with, she thought to be hers alone." "And thus she succumbed to them." "We all have our demons." "But if we face them together we can prevail." "For each other." "For our sisterhood!" "Farewell dearest Rosa." "May your soul find in death the peace that eluded you in life." "Should we do what we did at the harbor?" "Or maybe not be seen at all." "Even better." " You're ready?" " Yeah." " This is a real tribute to our Roke training." " Shhh!" "I'm just trying to break the tension, that's all." "Looks like the magic is weakening!" " I think maybe we missed a class." " Run!" "What of Tenar, Mother?" "That she's safely confined is enough for now." "Until I decide her fate." "What if you should... of course I pray that you don't, but... if you should leave us before that time?" "Then my Successor will make that decision." "And have you give any thought to who that might be?" "In due time, Kossil." "In due time." "Thank you for the concern." "The Arch Magus was right." "Wizard magic will not be enough in this place." "There's another power here." "It's not magic but a great power for good." "It makes sense." "This is where the Amulet of Peace came from." "So, where will we find it?" "The Temple of Atuan, you must go under." "Look at these stairs." "Come on." "I wonder if your Gebbeth's lurking." "The Gebbeth, I almost forgot about him!" "I'll wager he hasn't forgotten about you." "I remember this from my dream." "Was it locked in your dream?" "Because it is now." "Well, we can't try a standard spell." "I didn't... what?" " I have nothing to say to you, Kossil." " But I have much to say to you." "Then you'll be wasting your time." "Time, a concept to which you really ought to give some thought, dear Tenar." "For at present, your fate is either to suffer swift execution, or to rot in this cell until you're old and haggard." "You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" "The Arch Magus said that Shapeshifting is only risky if you do it too often." "You think we can muster up enough wizard power to pull it off?" "Maybe if we concentrate together." "I can offer you freedom." "Only Mother Thar can do that." "I have her ear." "And soon, given her state of health," " I shall have her place." " A "state of health"" "brought on by you!" "Mere conjecture." "But I forgive you." "What do you want of me?" "Give me the incantation and I'll give you your freedom." "Then I guess we both must go without." "Not now, Vetch!" "The spell may not hold." "See?" "Now will you listen when I say shed a few pounds?" "Get in there!" " Who goes there?" " Bind him!" "Hey Ged, are you there?" "It wasn't so bad, being a rat!" "Except for maybe this gnawing itch for cheese." "Are you coming?" "Ged?" "You're not coming, are you?" "So, I guess I have to do this by myself." "All right, Vetch." "Your move." "The Amulet." "Hmm..." "There's got to be some way to make sense of this." "Venerable Mother." "We found him trying to break into the Labyrinth." "Explain yourself." "He refuses to speak." "We don't hold thieves in good stead here." "In fact we send them to the Kargide fortress for execution." "Why are you here?" "I came not in search of plunder but in search of peace." " In the form of an Amulet." " Ridiculous!" "That Amulet was destroyed long ago." "She speaks the truth." "The fate of Earthsea depends on the finding of this Amulet." "What makes you think you're the one for this task?" "I was told by a Dragon." "Pfff!" "Only a fool would listen to a Dragon." "It requires a wizard to reunite the Amulet" "I am a wizard." "Oh, the evil wizard." "I don't understand." "There's nothing to understand." "If you had come to me directly with this tale, instead of sneaking in like a criminal," "I might have given it more credence." "As it stands," "I shall have to have you confined until" "I arrive at the truth of this matter." "Take him to a cell." "Venerable Mother" "Your health fails you." "For the sake of the Order" "You must name a successor!" "And that successor would be you?" "Who else?" "Why?" "Why have you been so intent in this successor issue?" "It was you, not Tenar." "Give me the incantation!" "The incantation?" "You hope I will give you immortality?" "I am dying, Kossil." "I am dying and you've seen to that." "When we donned the vestment of our Sisterhood, we were all set on a path." "You too, Kossil." "A path of peace." "And forgiveness." "Somewhere you lost that path." "I hope you'll find it again." "I forgive you." "Don't die!" "Give me the incantation!" "Give it to me!" "Send for Tygath." "He's to come at once." "Tell him I'm on the verge of attaining all that he desires." "And I have his wizard." "Who are you?" "I can barely hear you." "Come to your door." "Hello?" "I said, who are you?" "Ged of Ten Alders." "And what is your position in life, Ged, of Ten Alders?" "I'm a blacksmith." "And you?" "My name is Tenar." "I am..." "I was... a priestess." "Why are you locked up?" "How do I know to trust you?" "That you haven't been put here to gain my confidence?" "Yes, they are desperate to learn the great secrets of blacksmithing." "What have you done to be here?" "I didn't do anything." "Someone bore false witness against me." "And what would be your fate?" "I don't know." "I have to rely on my faith to see me through it." "Faith?" "I never had much use for that in my life." "I always believed magic to be stronger than faith." "My only belief is in the ability to control my own destiny." "So... being locked up in here was part of your plan?" "Could be." "All right, no." "But faith would not have been my salvation." "Now, that's debatable." "But at least we have something in common." "And that would be?" "Getting out." " Hail, King Tygath!" " Yes, yes." "I want increased patrols on the islands of Roke, Vemish, and Gont!" "That wretched wizard is bound to come home to roost!" "This was just received, Sire." ""Ged"" ""of Ten Alders"" ""at the Tombs of Atuan."" "Well." "It seems our little bird is indeed coming home to roost." "And in my nest." "All right Vetch, don't panic." "You could just go back the way you came, or choose at random." "What are you doing over there, blacksmith?" "Practicing my trade." "Almost have it!" "I'm out." "Just keep an eye out while I work on yours." "That's amazing!" "How did you do that?" "Can you question the worth of a blacksm" " You!" " You?" " The evil wizard of my nightmares!" " Evil?" "You're sure you have the right person?" "I saw you on a hilltop, conjuring evil!" "You saw it, then." "It was real?" "It was an act of anger and pride." "A foolish act of youth." "I've aged since then and paid." "A Gebbeth has haunted me ever since!" "Trying to possess me." "And how do I know it hasn't succeeded?" "Because you know me." "Don't you?" "Just as I know you." "I've had visions of you for as long as I can remember." "It's the same with you, isn't it?" "Yes." "But how do I know if you're the wizard or the Gebbeth inside the wizard's body?" "Look into my eyes." "So you can devour me?" "I won't devour you." "Just... look into my eyes and see my soul." "You know we've been brought together!" "You have faith in that, let it give you faith in me!" "I've dreamed of this." "I don't know why we've been brought together." "But you do, don't you?" "So that you could guide me through the Labyrinth." "The Labyrinth?" "Why?" "I hold the Amulet of Peace, or at least half of it." "That's impossible." "Show me." "That is the Amulet!" "I recognize it from my studies, how did you get this!" "Now, do you believe me?" "So this is our destiny." "If not us, then who?" "Someone is coming." "Take the first three rights that you come to, and then two lefts and a right and you'll find yourself at the door of the Chamber of the Nameless Ones." "But before that you have to get through the door to the Labyrinth and I don't have the key anymore." "You're summoned to the chambers of the Head Priestess." "I know who you are." "And I know why you're here." "I implore you, take me in his..." "No!" "No..." "No." "I'll give you one last chance." "Give me the incantation and stay alive." "Or join our good Mother on the other side." "If my death disrupts your evil goals then I die gladly." "Then di..." "This is how I reward failure." "The keys." "Pick them up." "Now!" "Open it." "Open... it!" ""Three rights and two left"" ""then right."" "Understand this, priestess if we encounter one more dead end only your head will accompany me the rest of the way." "I'll make a present of it to the wizard, before I kill him." "Do I make myself clear?" "Now go!" "Keep moving." "My destiny awaits me at the door of the Nameless Ones." "This must be the wizard." "At last, we finally meet!" "You've not been easy to come by." "Let her go." "What's this?" "A desperate act of heroism?" "I said let her go!" "And what should compel me to do so?" "Your powerful magic?" "This!" "I'll deal with you later." "Give me this!" "This is where brute force trumps slight of hand!" "You see," "I've been doing this all my life, my boy." "And you're just... an amateur." "Come on, wizard!" "Are you afraid?" "Come on, wizard!" "Thank you for showing me the way." "So frustrating when you can't find your keys, isn't it?" "Wizard!" "Vetch!" "It seems we made it you and I." "Vetch, what's wrong?" "Come over to me, Ged." "The Gebbeth!" "You met with the Gebbeth!" "I am your friend." "We will be great together." "I don't know what you've done with Vetch, but you are not my friend." "And now is the time of your destruction." "You came close to it once." "But now we're in a place where my power has grown and yours is diminished." "What have you done with my friend?" "He's gone to a place you're about to go to." "Stay away from me." "Ged..." "Ged..." "I can no more stay away from you... than you can resist me." "I can resist you." "I do... resist you." "Yes." "Let the hatred well up!" "In that instant we become one!" "Anger opens myself to you, doesn't it?" "So I'll purge myself of it." "Not possible." "There's simply too much." "Remember Jasper." "How he despised you." "How he ruined you!" "You would have killed me if you could have, wouldn't you?" "That will not be necessary." "He got his just reward." "You hate me don't you?" "Didn't I stand in the way of everything you ever wanted to become?" "I don't hate you, father." "I never did." "I missed my mother." "Our family." "I needed to find myself." "Very well." "But do you not hate the thing that killed your best and most loyal friend?" "You must make this Gebbeth you own." "I neither hate nor fear you, Gebbeth." "I know your True Name, shadow." "And it is" "Sparrowhawk" "No." "You are Sparrowhawk!" "We are Sparrowhawk." "You and I, together." "You are the darkness inside of me." "I understand that now." "I accept that." "Sparrow hawk!" "Where are you, wizard?" "What an appropriate spot for your demise!" "No." "Yours." "You think you can stop me?" "How the devil did you manage to do that?" "Part of me was missing, Tygath." "But I found it again." "Come here, you." "Open the doors of the Nameless Ones." "Now!" "I refuse to betray my faith and my duty!" "Don't even think of intervening, wizard, or this blade will slide into her pretty neck before you can even move a step!" "Once again, open the doors." "You may kill me." "You may kill every priestess in this Temple but I must honor our Venerable Mother who entrusted me with the keys and the incantation which our Order has guarded since the time of Lady Elfarren." "Do it!" "What?" "Do as he says." "Let them out." "Ged, what are you saying?" "I can't!" "Would you listen to the man!" "He's finally come to his senses!" "You must do it!" "Look into my eyes." "If it's not us then who?" "Come to me" "Nameless Ones." "Fill me with your ancient wisdom and grant me the gift of Immortality!" "Come to me." "Come to me, my children!" "Is he gone?" "I think our world is finally rid of its greatest tyrant." "But at what cost?" "Vetch!" "Vetch, my friend." "What are you doing?" "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my first magus and teacher, Ogion." "A great man." "He brought my soul back from the brink, and if Vetch's spirit has not yet left his body," "I may be able to do the same for him." "Where am I?" "Back with friends." "Come on." "But Ged, what can we do now that we've let them out?" "You let them out?" "What would possess you to do such a thing?" "I finally understood it was the right thing to do." "How can that be?" " They're going to wreak havoc throughout the world." "Look what they've done here!" " They would wreak havoc un..." "Unless..." " Unless...?" " Unless...?" "the Amulet of Peace was to be made whole." "Have you found the other half?" "I believe I know where it rests." "Arul's riddle..." ""When the Nameless Tombs become unsealed,"" ""the Amulet's key will be revealed."" "Just like the dragon's riddle which the Arch Magus pointed out must be" "looked at literally." "You had it all along." "It's incredible!" "But can it be made whole again?" "Not alone." "But perhaps together." "May the faith of the Priestesses and the magic of the Wizards come together at last," "reuniting this amulet so that all of Earthsea is in peace forevermore." "We command the Nameless Ones to disperse begone, and trouble us no more." "Sparrowhawk." "So you flew true, after all." "You have done a great thing, Ged of Ten Alders." "And in turn, you too are now great, aren't you?" "Not great, but maybe whole." "Perhaps our unity will finally bring wholeness to our world." "And as to what became of Ged and Tenar and those who loved them, well, that's another story."