o How many people do you think are going to help us out?o Branwen asked Wigliff while they waited for the scouting party to return.


o Some, not all,o Wigliff replied. o These people are really egocentric. If it isno t affecting them directly, they wono t get involved.o


o But it might,o Branwen replied. o What if Paril attacks Morrowind?o


o Well, thato ll be a different story,o Wigliff replied. o And ito s likely to happen, but they wono t believe it is a possibility until it does.o


Branwen leaned against Wigliff, sighing. o So things areno t really all that different here than they were on Earth.o


Wigliff wrapped his arm around Branweno s shoulder. o o Fraid not. People are people, no matter what strange planet you drop them on.o


From the distance, they heard someone whooping with delight, then Tristem came swooping in on Dashieo s back. The Pegasus looked about as thrilled with the flight as he did. o That was INCREDIBLE!o he shouted, sliding off her back. Dashie folded her wings back in demurely, and started cropping grass like nothing had happened.


Wigliff grinned at his friend. o Io m glad you liked it. Now what did you see?o


Tristem sobered up. o I flew back to the Topiano s village. Ito s just like you said, burned out and empty. I followed the trail of destruction a long way, all the way to a huge mountain. I saw smokestacks with dirty black smoke coming out of them, and mechanical o ¦ things o ¦ all around these weird stone buildings. They were digging, crushing rock, things like that. I also saw the Topianso ¦ some of them. They were working fields. They were all in chains!o


o This is SO not OK,o Branwen said through gritted teeth. o The Topians are our friends. Paril cano t get away with this!o


o Well his mechanical contraptions are huge, and nasty looking. If they can be used to destroy a village like the Topianso place, we haveno t got anything to counter it,o Tristem replied.


o Not yet,o Wigliff countered. o Zaralith is waiting. Leto s go see Cyprezz and see what we can do to change the odds.o


Zaralitho s home was built of neatly-cut stone bricks and looked imposing. It was more a mini-fortress than a house. Wigliff knocked politely on the heavy wooden door. It swung outward, and Zaralith stood there, wearing dark leather armor. He reminded Branwen of Madmartigan from the movie Willow, but scarier.


o Leto s go,o Zaralith said with no preamble.


The three of them struck out of town, heading into a nearby forest. A faint pathway had been cleared through the undergrowth.


o I guess people dono t visit Cyprezz much?o Branwen asked.


o He doesno t encourage guests,o Zaralith answered.


o Why is he so o ¦ antisocial?o she asked.


o Heo s not generally accepted among the o normalso in town,o Zaralith replied. o Every group of people seem to need a scapegoat. The Morrowinders have Parilo ¦ and Cyprezz.o