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of some distant commotion to which Miriander paid no heed. She led them through the open doors of the Night Court into the Cloister Court. Here, in the tranquil light diffused through the pearlstone ceiling, they gazed through the forest of white pillars towards the distant silver screen and prayed the entrance prayer.
    "Wise Father, you are the Clear Light. You are the Reason and the Goal. Guide me in the true way."
    Then Miriander resumed her instruction.
    "Noman understood that the Lost Child was weak and that his defenders must be strong. He feared that the evil in the world would overwhelm this precious seed of truth.
He devoted the rest of his life to building defenses that would stand against all that the future years might bring."

    "Was he so fearful?" said Seeker.
    "Fearful, and fearless," said Miriander. "His last words were 'My life is an experiment in search of the truth.'"
    Seeker shivered again as he heard this. It was so like his own name, the name he had always hated: Seeker after Truth.
    "His last words?" said the Wildman. "So he did die."
    "His last words before he left us, to submit himself to his last test. He was never seen again."
    She led them forward to the space before the silver screen so that they could each offer themselves to the All and Only in their own way. Morning Star approached the Garden with rising nervousness. She kept her eyes on the ground, fearful of the power of the light that streamed through the piercings in the screen. She longed to be close to the Loving Mother, who was also the Lost Child, but the colors were too intense for her, and she dared not look.
    This was Morning Star's most secret shame. Because she was unable to look into the Garden, she believed she must be unworthy. How if she was unworthy could she ever become a true Noble Warrior?
    The Wildman, meanwhile, was standing very still, staring into the green depths of the Garden. Without realizing he was doing so, he was clenching and unclenching his fists.
    He had felt the surge of power as he had entered the Community memory. He had listened to every word spoken by Miriander. The warlord Noman, the greatest of the Noble Warriors, had gained his power by fearlessness. He had forced his way into the secret guarded place. The Wildman saw no reason why he should not do likewise: no reason but fear of the unknown, and the Wildman had no fear of the unknown. The greater the risk, the more he embraced it.

    Morning Star guessed what he planned to do just a moment too late. She caught the surge of glowing red that burst from him, and cried out—
    "No, Wildman!"
    But he had already thrown himself at the silver screen, and finding fingerholds in the piercings, he was pulling himself up, moving so fast that he was almost at the top before Miriander responded. He had his back to her: there was no question of controlling his will.
    She jumped.
    It was a single spring, but it carried her up and over the Wildman's head. It seemed to the amazed novices that her heel did no more than brush his temple, but he dropped like a stone. Miriander landed and was standing still once more, as if she had never moved. The Wildman lay unconscious on the ground.
    "Carry him out."
    Morning Star knelt by his side, tears stinging her eyes.
    "Is he dead?"
    "No," said Miriander. "But his time with us has come to an end."
    Morning Star gave a low cry and covered her face with her hands. Seeker felt a shudder of horror at the teacher's words. At an end? That could only mean one thing. The Wildman would be cast out. Therefore, according to the promise he had made to the Elder, Seeker must be cast out, too.

    But as they carried the Wildman out into the Shadow Court, their private fears were overtaken by a greater commotion. The Pilgrim Gate had been opened, and a line of Nomana were standing between the gate and a shouting crowd out in the Nom square. The crowd was made up of villagers: farmers, herdsmen, fishermen. They were shouting, but not in anger.