At last the skies began to lighten behind Kasimarra. I got up, took the torch, and hurried along the ascent. The way became very steep, the ridge turned suddenly to the right, and Kasimarra and the temple place were directly in front of me. Below, the town already showed signs of life: torches moved along the roads, and the lower door to the temple blazed suddenly with light. Above me, at the end of my road, the temple waited, silent and serene.

My torchlight showed that the ridge had become narrow with near-vertical sides, in places no wider than the path itself. I felt as if I walked a knife’s edge. The wind was very strong, and whistled across my path and tore at the flames in my torch. I held my hood down low over my brand, and walked on I was close to the temple now, and could see the Firelord’s door. I hesitated a moment, swept by the wind, by fear of the dizzy height, by terror of the enormity of what I was about to do. I said a prayer, took a deep breath, and entered the temple.

I had expected a grand entrance, but my torchlight showed a tunnel. Shaking with fear, I pulled the Firelord’s hood low over my face, drew the sleeves down over my hands, gripped the torch and the knife in its scabbard on my waist, and went in. The tunnel was not long, but smelled damp, and the air was stale. I remembered that it was used only by the Firelord once a year.

Guards stood at the end of the tunnel, barring it with swords crossed. As I drew near, the swords parted, were lifted upright. I gripped my knife, futile against those blades, and went in. The temple was vast, and dim with candlelight and shadows. I dared not look at the guards. I bent my head low, feeling the heavy hood covering my face and my pale hair, and went straight on past, across polished firelit floors, crimson carpets, and on until I came to two doors. They were pure gold, beaten into beautiful designs of strange birds and beasts, wide wilderness places, and foreign cities. In the centre of the door, divided by their opening, was the Firelord’s sacred sign: the diviner’s eye.