by Brian Lumley
Epilogue
Hero rode from Ilek-Vad along the shore of the Twilight Sea. He rode alone and sadly. Sad for all that his yak was a fine, strong beast and its saddle of tooled leather with silver trappings; and despite the fact that his robe was new and rich, his saddle bags fully provisioned and his purse crammed with gold. He was a man alone, whose only desire had been to belong.
He cast back in his thoughts, remembering the journey which had brought him and his friends through the spring and into the summer, and all across dreamland to Ilek-Vad. There Aminza's foster family had greeted their long-lost child deliriously, Eldin with open arms, and Hero with the greatest kindness and hospitality. Then Eldin had received his reward, with all Ilek-Vad at his feet and his name on the lips of die city's thousands. Eldin the Wanderer, who had brought back Aminza Anz, one of Ilek-Vad's rarest flowers, long-stolen by a night-gaunt.
And Aminza: she had received her reward, too, hadn't she? She was home now, back where she belonged . . .
Hero had not stayed for the wedding, he found reasons enough to refuse the honor of being best man, and no one had seen him slip away. At least he had his dream-name, and a name to be proud of at that. Hero of Dreams . . . Cold comfort.
He reined in and stared a while down from silicon cliffs into the deep waters of the Twilight Sea. The bearded and finny Gnorri swam down there, flitting shadows that worked unceasingly on their submarine labyrinths. They were strange and they were silent, but they were not alone.
Hero turned his yak's head back to the trail, and as he did so a distant stirring of dust attracted his eyes. Way back on the track he had taken from the city, heading his way, a rider stood up in the saddle and waved frantically. A fellow traveler, most likely, who sought company along the way. Hero desired no company. Companions were insubstantial things that came and went like moon-shadows on a cloudy night. He looked ahead, not back, and spurred his yak to greater speed. Then a cry reached his ears on the still noonday air and he quickly reined in.
He still didn't look back at the distant speck which grew larger behind him. He didn't look, didn't believe. His ears were playing him false. They must be. And again the cry: a hoarse, distance-thinned shout. Now, recognizing the voice, his heart gave a great leap inside him. He turned at last, screwed up his eyes against the bright summer sun, and-
Yes, he was right. It couldn't be, but it was-
Eldin . . .
Officer Commanding
Traffic Section,
Edinburgh Central.
MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT Addendum to Police Report: TA 271/79
239
Sir,
The report under cover of the above reference should now be transferred to the "Fatal Section" and amended as follows:
1. David Hero: injuries, fatal.
2. Prof. Leonard Dingle: injuries, fatal.
Both the above named survived the accident for almost a fortnight but neither regained consciousness.
An interesting fact, however, in respect of Prof. Dingle. On his admittance to intensive care immediately after the accident, it was discovered that he had advanced cancer of the lungs. His post-mortem, just two weeks later, showed his lungs to be completely clear of diseased tissue! The doctors have no explanation.
3. Zaza Inman: no longer on the seriously ill list.
You may remember that Miss Inman (Zaza is believed to be her professional name) was a passer-by, a pedestrian, at the time of the accident. She sustained head injuries when she was struck by a wheel from Prof. Dingle's shattered car. I am pleased to report her partial recovery, in that she regained consciousness yesterday evening. We now think that she was working part-time with a visiting repertory company during the Edinburgh Festival.
Inquiries are now in progress toward tracing a friend of hers, a Mr. Eldin, possibly David Eldin, whose name she frequently repeated while semiconscious. When he is found we shall know more about her. Meanwhile she makes excellent progress, Sgt D Elliot,
Officer i/c,
Traffic Group "B"
Edinburgh Central.
THE END