The Wordsmiths and the Warguild by Hugh Cook Page A

index."
            "The index?"
            "We summon things
forth from the odex by talking to it. The ancients of former times used the
index instead. The Book tells us that the index speaks in the Universal
Language, whatever that might be. For want of an index, we've been trying to
make our own Universal Language. That's why we've been gathering together all
the world's languages, trying to make them one."
            "And does that
promise you success?" said Togura, unalbe to conceal his doubts.
            "Nothing gives us
any guarantee of success," said Brother Troop. "But! Knowledge!
Wealth! Power! It's worth striving for, boy, it's worth striving for."
            "You said that the
Book was written in two languages."
            "That's right, my
son. One's the Voice of Jade and Gold, which I've spoken of already. The
other's the Cold Tongue, which even the wizards can't read. Back before the Devaluation,
we paid the wizard of Drum to make the attempt, to see if he could succeed
where others had failed. He couldn't. But he told us where we could find an
index."
            "He did?"
            "He did. After
consulting his Catalogues, he told us where we could find a number of them.
After the wizards became a power in the world, they discovered many things left
over from the Days of Wrath; they didn't understand most of them, but kept them
nevertheless, for thousands and thousands of years."
            "So where - "
            "I'm coming to that,
boy. Give me time, give me time. Over the years, the wizards acquired a number
of small, flat boxes, each marked with the sign of a hand and a heart. They
could never find out how to ope nthem, or what was inside. Now, thanks to the
Book of the Odex, we know. Each contains an index. Each will open with a Word.
That Word is Sholabarakosh."
            "Shola - "
            Later, boy. You'll have
plenty of time to memorise it before we send you seeking."
            The Brother's words gave
Togura something of a shock. They gave him a hint of what was in store for him.
He thought of protesting, but held his tongue. As the old saying goes, it's
best to hear out the bargain before you break it.
            "Thanks to the
wizard of Drum," said the Brother, "we know where to find these
boxes. The nearest is at the bottom of the green bottle in Prince Comedo's
Castle Vaunting, in Estar. A monster protects the bottle from those who would
acquire it. The box itself lies at the very bottom of the bottle and is
Guarded."
             "Guarded?"
            "I don't know what
is meant by that, and neither did the wizard of Drum. However, his Catalogue
says it, emphatically, which means there's death waiting nearby."
            "Charming,"
mutttered Togura.
            "What's that?"
said the Brother.
            "I said, that would
be a real challenge. Something I could get my teeth into."
            "Yes - or something
which could get its teeth into you. Anyway, to continue. There's also a box in
the Secret Store in Tormstarj Castle in the Ironband Mountains. That's south of
Estar, as you know."
            "Yes," said
Togura, who didn't, but didn't like to say.
            "There may possibly
be a third box in the Castle of Controlling Power. There is definitely one in
the possession of the Silver Emperor in Dalar ken Halvar. But that, of course,
is a step and a way."
            "Yes," said
Togura, from habit.
            "Galsh Ebrek may
hold another box."
            "Who?"
            "It is not a who,
it's a where. It's the High City in Yestron. You know where Yestron is, of
course."
            "Yes," said
Togura. "It's west of here."
            "No! East! Beyond
Argan. Beyond Ashmolea. Beyond Quilth. The west has nothing of interest, not to
us. Unless there's a box in Chi'ash-lan, which is problematical. You know where
Chi'ash-lan is, I