"But you're a prophet-a true prophet, according to Althea; how could you not know what prophecy says if the prophecy exists?"

Nathan gauged him from behind intent azure eyes. "Try to understand what I will tell you. It's a concept that few people can grasp. Perhaps it can help you in your grief, for it is the point at which Althea found herself.»

Friedrich nodded. "Tell me, then."

"Prophecy and free will exist in tension. They exist in opposition. Yet, they interact. Prophecy is magic, and all magic needs balance. The balance to prophecy, the balance that allows prophecy to exist, is free will."

"That makes no sense. They would cancel each other."

"Ah, but they don't," the prophet said with a sly, knowing smile. "They are interdependent and yet they are antithetical. Just as Additive and Subtractive Magic are opposite forces, they both exist. They each serve to balance the other. Creation and destruction, life and death. Magic must have balance to function. Prophecy functions by the presence of its counter: free will."

"You're a prophet, and you're telling me that free will exists, making prophecy invalid?"

"Does death invalidate life? No, it defines it, and in so doing creates its value."

In the silence, none of it seemed to matter. It was too hard for Friedrich to fathom just then. Besides, it changed nothing for him. Death had come to take Althea's precious life. Her life was all the value he had had. His anguish poured back in to flood everything else. For Friedrich, it had already all ended. There was nothing ahead but blackness.

"I came for another reason," Wizard Rahl said in a quiet voice. "I must call upon you to help in this struggle."

Too tired to stand anymore, too grief-stricken to care, Friedrich sank back to the ground beside Althea's grave. "You have come to the wrong person.»

"Do you know where Lord Rahl is?"

Friedrich looked up, squinting against the bright sky. "Lord Rahl?"

"Yes, Lord Rahl. You are D'Haran. You should know."

"I guess I can feel the bond." Friedrich gestured off to the south. "He's that way. But it's weak. He must be a great distance. Greater than I've ever felt of a Lord Rahl in all my life."

" That's right," Nathan said. "He's in the Old World. You must go to him.»

Friedrich grunted. "I've no money for a j ourney. " It seemed the easiest reason.

Nathan tossed down a leather pouch. It hit the ground before Friedrich with a heavy muffled clunk. "I know. I'm a prophet, remember? This is more than was taken from you."

Friedrich tested the weight of the bag. It was indeed heavy. "Where did all this come from?"

"The palace. This is official business, so D'Hara will supply you with the money you will need."

Friedrich shook his head. "I thank you for coming and offering your sympathy. But I'm the wrong man. Send another."

"You are the man who is to go. Althea would have known it. She would have left you a letter, telling you that you are needed in this struggle. She would have asked you to accept when called upon. Lord Rahl needs you. I am calling upon you."

"You know of the letter?" Friedrich asked as he rose to his feet once more.

"It's one of the precious few things I know about in this matter. From prophecy, I know you are the one to go. But you must do so of your own free will. I am calling upon you to do so."

Friedrich shook his head, this time with more conviction. "I'm not the one to do this. You don't understand. I'm afraid that I just don't care anymore.»

Nathan drew something out from under his cloak. He held it out. Friedrich saw then that it was a small book.

"Take it," the wizard commanded, his voice suddenly full and rich with authority.

Friedrich did so, letting his fingers roam the ancient leather cover as he inspected words embossed with gold leaf. There were four words on the cover, but Friedrich had never seen the language before.

"This book is from the time of a great war, thousands of years ago," Nathan said. "I only just discovered it in the People's Palace after a frantic search among the thousands of tomes there. As soon as I located it, I rushed here. I haven't had time to translate it, so I don't even know what's written in it."

"It's all written in a different language."

Nathan nodded. "High D'Haran, a language I helped teach Richard. It's vitally important he get this book."

"Richard?"

"Lord Rahl."

The way he said those two words gave Friedrich a chill. "If you've not read it, how do you know it's the right book?"

"By the title, there, on the front."

Friedrich ran his fingers lightly over the mysterious words. The gilding was still good after all this time. "May I ask the book's title?"

"The Pillars of Creation.»