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disciple of Aldur, did fall upon my people and destroy them.
In the west did the sons of Algar bestride strange beasts, swift and
cruel, and harried my people back even unto the black mountains.
And to the north did the sons of Dras the thick-witted, eldest son of
Cherek, the thief, lie in wait and savagely ambush the brave
i
Nadraks I had sent and foully destroyed them - yea, so utterly that a
thousand years passed ere their numbers were restored. And call the
Angaraks this battle the Battle of the Grief-Place, and each year
upon the day of the Battle of the Grief-Place are a thousand 'Thullish
maidens sacrificed and a thousand Thullish young men also. And
also are sacrificed a hundred Murgo maidens and a hundred Murgo
warriors and ten Nadrak maidens and ten Nadrak champions and a
Grolim priestess and a new-born Grolim man-child, borne in her
arms. And this is done that my people not forget the Battle of the
Grief-Place and it will be so until CTHRAG-YASKA be returned
unto me or until the end of days.
And it came to pass that my brother Issa slept, and I knew of this
by reason of the counsel of Zedar,* a wise and just man who had
abjured the malice of Aldur and the evil dominion of the wicked
sorcerer Belgarath and had come unto me with offer of service and
respect.
* This passage establishes the apostasy of Belzedar. In actuality, Zedar is a
tragic hero.
When he originally went to Mallorea, he thought he was clever enough to deceive
Torak.
He was wrong, and, like Urvon and Ctuchik, he is more a slave than a disciple.
Now Zedar had been a Disciple of Aldur and was well-taught
in enchantments and sorceries, and after the fashion of sorcerers had
his name been called Belzedar. But he had abjured this unseemly
name upon the day when he had come into my service. And he
brought forth a vision, and behold, my brother Issa, ever sluggish
and indolent, had fallen into a deep slumber which had endured for
a hundred years, and his priests could not rouse him nor the queen
of his people either. And sent I Zedar unto the land of the snake
people who worship my brother Issa, and he spake unto their queen
and offered unto her wealth and power and Dominion over many
lands if she would fall down and worship me and do my bidding.
And behold, she consented to it, and in secret sent she her emissaries
unto a certain place and did break the power of CTHRAG-YASKA
which had by reason of the malice of Aldur and the sorceries of
Belgarath raised a barrier against me. And once the sons of Riva,
youngest son of Cherek, were no more, the enchantment was
broken, and then might I come against the kingdoms of the west and
demand the return of CTHRAG-YASKA that I might undo its evil
sorceries.
And now are my people made ready, and will we now come
against the kingdoms of the west which have hearkened unto the
counsel and beguilements of wicked Gods and evil sorcerers and
have sought to deny me that which is mine. And I will smite them