'Not really, friend!' Ferro jerked her head up. A man was striding quickly towards them across the battlefield, a tall pink in a ragged coat, a gnarled length of wood in one hand. He had an unkempt head of greasy hair, a long, matted beard. His eyes bulged bright and wild in a face carved with deep lines. Ferro stared at him, not sure how he could have come so close without her noticing.

The birds rose up from the bodies at the sound of his voice, but they did not scatter from him. They flew towards him, some settling on his shoulders, some flapping about his head and round him in wide circles. Ferro reached for her bow, snatching at an arrow, but Bayaz held out his arm. 'No.'

'Do you see this?' The tall pink pointed at the broken pillar, and the bird flapped from it and across onto his outstretched finger. 'A hundred-mile column! One hundred miles to Aulcus!' He dropped his arm and the bird hopped onto his shoulder, next to the others, and sat there, still and silent. 'You stand on the very-borders of the dead land! No animals come here that are not made to come!'

'How now, brother?' called Bayaz, and Ferro shoved her arrow unhappily away. Another Magus. She might have guessed. Whenever you put two of these old fools together there were sure to be a lot of lips flapping, a lot of words made.

And that meant a lot of lies.

'The Great Bayaz!' shouted the new arrival as he came closer. 'The First of the Magi! I heard tell you were coming from the birds of the air, the fish of the water, the beasts of the earth, and now I see with my own eyes, and yet still I scarcely believe. Can it be? That those blessed feet should touch this bloody ground?'

He planted his staff on the earth, and as he did the big black bird scrambled from his shoulder and grasped the tip with its claws, flapping its wings until it was settled. Ferro took a cautious step back, putting one hand on her knife. She did not intend to be shat on by one of those things.

'Zacharus,' said Bayaz, swinging down stiffly from his saddle, although it seemed to Ferro he said the name with little joy. 'You look in good health, brother.'

'I look tired. I look tired, and dirty, and mad, for that is what I am. You are difficult to find, Bayaz. I have been searching all across the plain and back.'

'We have been keeping out of sight. Chalul's allies are seeking for us also.' Bayaz' eyes twitched over the carnage. 'Is this your work?'