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as prepared for it； however。 Instead of holding his breath； he drew the stench of his Father's rot deep into his lungs； defying its pungency。 There was another shout from behind him； but this time it wasn't one of Jackeen's friends； it was the Maestro himself； his voice colored more by wonder than alarm。 Its tone piqued Gentle's curiosity； and he glanced back over his shoulder to seek Jackeen out； but the nullity had e between them。 Unwilling to be delayed； Gentle forged on； a purpose in his stride he didn't prehend。 His enfeebled legs had found strength from somewhere； his heart was urgent in his chest。
Ahead； the blinding murk was stirring； the first vague forms of the First's terrain emerging。 And from behind； Jackeen again。
〃Maestro？ Maestro！ Where are you？〃
Without slowing his stride； Gentle returned the call。
〃Here！〃
〃Wait for me！〃 Jackeen gasped。 〃Wait！〃 He emerged from the void to lay his hand on Gentle's shoulder。
〃What is it？〃 Gentle said； looking around at Jackeen； who as if in bliss had dropped the toll of years and was once again a young man； sweaty with awe at the way of feits。
〃The waters；〃 he said。
〃What about them？〃
〃They've followed you； Maestro。 They've followed you！〃
And as he spoke； they came。 Oh； how they came！ They ran to Gentle's feet in glittering rills that broke against his ankles and his shins and leapt like silver snakes towards his hands…or； rather； towards the stone he held in his hands。 And seeing their elation and their zeal； he heard Huzzah's laughter and felt again her tiny fingers brushing his arm as she passed the blue egg on to him。 He didn't doubt for a moment that she'd known what would e of the gift。 So； most likely； had Jude。 He'd bee their agent at the last； just as he'd bee his mother's； and the thought of that sweet service brought an echo of the child's laughter to his lips。
From above； the egg was calling down a drizzle to swell the waters swirling underfoot； and in the space of seconds the patter became a roar； and a deluge descended； violent enough to sluice the murk of the Erasure out of the air。 After a few moments； light began to break around the Maestros； the first light this terrain had seen since Hapexamendios had drawn the void over his Dominion。 By it； Gentle saw that Jackeen's exhilaration was rapidly turning to panic。
〃We're going to drown！〃 he yelled； fighting to stay on his feet as the water deepened。
Gentle didn't retreat。 He knew where his duty lay。 As the surf broke against their backs； the tide threatening to drag them under； he raised Huzzah's gift to his lips and kissed it； just as she had done。 Then he mustered all his strength and threw the stone out； over the landscape that was being uncovered before them。 The egg went from his hand with a momentum that was not his sinews' work but its own ambition； and instantly the waters went in pursuit of it； dividing around the Maestros and taking their tides off into the wasteland of the First。
It would take the waters weeks； perhaps even months； to cover the Dominion from end to end； and most of that work would go unwitnessed。 But in the next few hours； standing at their vantage point where the City of God had once begun； the Maestros were granted a glimpse of their labor。 The clouds above the First； which had been as inert as the landscape beneath； now began to churn and roil and shed their anguish in stupendous storms； which in turn swelled the rivers that were driving their cleansing way across the rot。
Hapexamendios' remains were not despised。 With the purpose of the Goddesses fueling their every drop； the waters turned the slaughterhouse over and over and over； scouring the matter of its poisons and sweeping it up into mounds； which the exhilarated air festooned with vapors。
The first ground that appeared from this tumult was close to the feet of the Maestros and rapidly became a ragged peninsula that stretched fully a mile into the Dominion。 The waters broke against it constantly； bringing with every wave another freight of Hapexamendios' clay to increase its flanks。 Gentle was patient for a time and stayed at the border。 But he could not resist the invitation forever； and finally； ignoring Jackeen's words of caution； he set off down the spine of land to better see the spectacle visible from the far end。 The waters were still draining from the new earth； and here and there lightning still ran on the slopes； but the ground was solid enough； and there were seedlings everywhere； carried； he presumed； from Yzordderrex。 If so； there would be abundant life here in a little while。
By the time he'd reached the end of the peninsula the clouds overhead were begining to clear somewhat； lighter for their furies。 Farther off； of course； the process he'd been privileged to witness was just beginning； as the storms spread in all directions from their point of origin。 By their blazes he glimpsed the snaking rivers； going about their work with undiminished ambition。 Here on the promontory； however； there was a more benign light。 The First Dominion had a sun； it seemed； and though it wasn't yet warm； Gentle didn't wait for balmier weather to begin his last labors； but took his album and his pen from his jacket and sat down on the marshy headland to work。 He still had the map of the desert between the gates of Yzordderrex and the Erasure to set down； and though these pages would doubtless be the barest in the album； they had to be drawn all the more carefully for that fact： he wanted their very spareness to have a beauty of its own。
After perhaps an hour of concentrated work he heard Jackeen behind him。 First a footfall； then a question：
〃Speaking in tongues； Maestro？〃
Gentle hadn't even been aware of the inventory he was rattling off until his attention was drawn to it： a seamless list of names that must have been inprehensible to anyone other than himself； the stopping places of his pilgrimage； as familiar to his tongue as his many names。
〃Are you sketching the new world？〃 Jackeen asked him； hesitating to e too close to the artist while he worked。
〃No； no；〃 said Gentle； 〃I'm finishing a map。〃 He paused； then corrected himself。 〃No； not finishing。 Starting。〃
〃May I look？〃
〃If you like。〃
Jackeen went down on his haunches behind Gentle and peered over his shoulder。 The pages that depicted the desert were as plete as Gentle could make them。 He was now attempting to delineate the peninsula he was sitting on； and something of the scene in front of him。 It would be little more than a line or two； but it was a beginning。
〃I wonder； would you fetch Monday for me？〃
〃Is there something you need？〃
〃Yes； I want him to take these maps back into the Fifth with him and give them to Clem。〃
〃Who's Clem？〃
〃An angel。〃
〃Ah。〃
〃Would you bring him here？〃
〃Now？〃
〃If you would；〃 Gentle said。 〃I'm almost done。〃
Ever dutiful； Jackeen stood up and started back towards the Second； leaving Gentle to work on。 There was very little left to do。 He finished making his crude rendering of the promontory； then he added a line of dots along it to mark his path and at the headland placed a small cross at the spot where he was sitting。 That done； he went back through the album； to be certain that the pages were in proper order。 It occurred to him as he did so that he'd fashioned a self…portrait。 Like its maker； the map was flawed but； he hoped； redeemable： a rudimentary thing that might see finer versions in the fullness of time； be made and remade and made again； perhaps forever。
He was about to set the album down beside the pen when he heard a hint of coherence in the surf that was beating against the slope below。 Unable to quite make sense of the sound； he ventured to the edge。 The ground was too newly made to be solid and threatened to crumble away beneath his weight； but he peered over as far as he could； and what he saw and what he heard were enough to make him retreat from the edge； kneel down in the dirt； and with trembling hands start scribbling a message to acpany the maps。
It was necessarily brief。 He could hear the words clearly now； rising from the surge of waves。 They distracted him with promises。
〃Nisi Nirvana；〃 they said； 〃Nisi Nirvana；。。。〃
By t