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But then the first shape set its hands on the gates； and High Lord Mhoram sprang forward。 Whirling his staff； he sent a blast down the side of the tower； struck the dead form where it stood。 At the impact of his Lords…fire； it shattered like sandstone and fell into dirt。
At once； he and Lord Amatin set to work with all their might。 Their staffs rang and fired； rained blue strength like hammer blows down on the marching shapes。 And every blow broke the dead into sand。 But every one that fell was replaced by a score of others。 Across all the terrain between the watchtower and Satansfist's arc； the ground heaved and buckled； pitching new forms into motion like beings dredged up from the bottommost muck of a lifeless sea。 First one by one； then by tens； scores； fifties； they reached the gates and piled against them。
Through the stone； Mhoram could feel the strain on the gates mounting。 He could feel Trevor's fire and Trell's mighty subterranean song supporting the interlocked gates； while hundreds； thousands； of the blind； mute forms pressed against them； crushed forward in lifeless savagery like an avalanche leaping impossibly up out of the ground。 He could feel the groaning retorts of pressure as if the bones of the tower were grinding together。 And still the dead came； shambling out of the earth until they seemed as vast as the Raver's army and as irresistible as a cataclysm。 Mhoram and Amatin broke hundreds of them and had no effect。
Behind the High Lord； Tohrm was on his knees； sharing the tower's pain with his hands and sobbing openly； 〃Revelstone！ Oh； Revelstone； alas！ Oh； Revelstone； Revelstone！〃
Mhoram tore himself away from the fighting； caught hold of Tohrm's tunic； hauled the Hearthrall to his feet。 Into Tohrm's broken face； he shouted； 〃Gravelingas！ Remember who you are！ You are the Hearthrall of Lord's Keep。〃
〃I am nothing！〃 Tohrm wept。 〃Ah！ the Earth…！〃
〃You are Hearthrall and Gravelingas！ Hear me…I； High Lord Mhoram； mand you。 Study this attack…learn to know it。 The inner gates must not fall。 The rhadhamaerl must preserve Revelstone's inner gates！〃
He felt the change in the attack。 Satansfist's Stone now threw bolts against the gates。 Amatin tried to resist； but the Raver brushed her efforts aside as if they were nothing。 Yet Mhoram stayed with Tohrm； focused his strength on the Hearthrall until Tohrm met the demand of his eyes and hands。
〃Who will mourn the stone if I do not？〃 Tohrm moaned。
Mhoram controlled his desire to yell。 〃No harm will receive its due grief if we do not survive。〃
The next instant； he forgot Tohrm； forgot everything except the silent screams that detonated through him from the base of the tower。 Over Trell's shrill rage and the vehemence of Trevor's fire； the gates shrieked in agony。
A shattering concussion convulsed the stone。 The people atop the tower fell； tumbled across the floor。 Huge thunder like a howl of victory crashed somewhere between earth and sky； as if the very firmament of existence had been rent asunder。
The gates split inward。
Torrents of dead stone flooded into the tunnel under the tower。
Mhoram was shouting at Quaan and Amatin； 〃Defend the tower！〃 The shaking subsided； and he staggered erect。 Pulling Tohrm with him； he yelled； 〃e！ Rally the Gravelingases！ The inner gates must not fall。〃 Though the tower was still trembling； he started toward the stairs。
But before he could descend； he heard a rush of cries； human cries。 An anguish like rage lashed through the roiling throng of his emotions。 〃Quaan！〃 he roared； though the old Warmark had almost caught up with him。 〃The warriors attack！〃 Quaan nodded bitterly as he reached Mhoram's side。 〃Stop them！ They cannot fight these dead。 Swords will not avail。〃
With Tohrm and Quaan； the High Lord raced down the stairs； leaving Amatin to wield her fire from the edge of the parapet。
Quaan went straight down through the tower； but Mhoram took Tohrm out over the courtyard between the tower and the Keep on the highest crosswalk。 From there； he saw that Trell and Lord Trevor had already been driven back out of the tunnel。 They were fighting for their lives against the slow； blind march of the dead。 Trevor exerted an extreme force like nothing Mhoram had ever seen in him before； battering the foremost attackers； breaking them rapidly； continuously； into sand。 And Trell wielded in both hands a massive fragment of one gate。 He used the fragment like a club with such ferocious strength that even shapes vaguely resembling horses and Giants went down under his blows。
But the two men had no chance。 Swords and spears and arrows had no effect on the marching shapes； scores of warriors who leaped into the tunnel and the courtyard were simply crushed underfoot； and the cries of the crushed were fearful to hear。 While Mhoram watched； the dead pushed Trell and Trevor back past the old Gilden tree toward the closed inner gates。
Mhoram shouted to the warriors on the battlements below him； manding them to stay out of the courtyard。 Then he ran across to the Keep and dashed down the stairways toward the lower levels。 With Tohrm behind him； he reached the first abutment over the inner gates in time to see Cavewights spill through the tunnel； squirming their way among the dead to attack the side doors which provided the only access to the tower。
Some of them fell at once with arrows in their throats and bellies； and others were cut down by the few warriors in the court who had avoided being crushed。 But their thick； heavy jerkins protected them from most of the shafts and swords。 With their great strength and their knowledge of stone； they threw themselves at the doors。 And soon the gangrel creatures were swarming through the tunnel in large numbers。 The High Lord saw that the warriors alone could not keep samadhi's creatures out of the tower。
For a harsh moment； he pushed Trevor and Trell； Cavewights； warriors； animated dead earth from his mind； and faced the decision he had to make。 If Revelstone were to retain any viable defense； either the tower or the inner gates must be preserved。 Without the gates； the tower might still restrict Satansfist's approach enough to keep Revelstone alive； without the tower； the gates could still seal out Satansfist。 Without one or the other； Revelstone was defeated。 But Mhoram could not fight for both； could not be in both places at once。 He had to choose where to concentrate the Keep's defense。
He chose the gates。
At once； he sent Tohrm to gather the Gravelingases。 Then he turned to the battle of the courtyard。 He ignored the Cavewights； focused instead on the shambling dead as they trampled the Gilden tree and pushed Trell and Trevor back against the walls。 Shouting to the warriors around him for dingor； he hurled his Lords…fire down at the faceless shapes； battered them into sand。 Together； he and Trevor cleared a space in which the trapped men could make their escape。
Almost immediately； the sentries brought two tough dingor lines； anchored them； tossed them down to Trevor and Trell。 But in the brief delay； a new wave of Cavewights rode into the courtyard on the shoulders of the dead and joined the assault on the doors。 With a nauseating sound like the breaking of bones； they tore the doors off the hinges； tossed the stone slabs aside； and charged roaring into the tower。 They were met instantly by staunch； dour…handed warriors； but the momentum and strength of the Cavewights carried them inward。
When he saw the doors broken； Trell gave a cry of outrage； and tried to attack the Cavewights。 Slapping aside the clingor line； he rushed the dead as if he believed he could fight his way through them to join the defense of the tower。 For a moment； his granite club and his rhadhamaerl lore broke passage for him； and he advanced a few steps across the court。 But then even his club snapped。 He went down under the prodigious weight of the dead。
Trevor sprang after him。 Aided by Mhoram's fire； the Lord reached Trell。 One of the dead stamped a glancing blow along his ankle； but he ignored the pain； took hold of Trell's shoulders； dragged him back。
As soon as he was able to regai