TO KILL THE WORLD! When the Sea Riders descend beneath Lamentation Mountain in Meriden, they are forewarned that all of them will die. Beneath the ruins of his old house, Robin discovers an armoury, and an ancient sword. When he grips it, words rise of themselves in his head as he claims it for his own. It is the SWord of the Gardun-Houldu. Ancient, few, long-lived, the fay-race of golden-haired was driven from the world ages ago by the sorceries of Men, the hated Morku. But they left behind them Eleven Rings, and the Sword. The blood of the Heir of the Rings also remained, diluted among Men, descended into that very family of O'Connell of which Robin is youngest. When they go beneath the earth, in the ruins of the ancient Fortress entombed in lava under the mountain, they encounter the Black Guardian, and in battling him the use of the Sword burns Robin pure, transforming him into full Gardun-Houldu, burning out all human blood. More ominously, it produces a complete emotional disconnect from his human self as well, so that his old self is dead. He is Eldarendar. And he hates Men. The Sea Riders aid him in recovering the Rings, for the sake of who he was, but as they do, they cannot help but wonder what will the Eldarendar do with these Rings, when he gets them. Wondering if, by helping Robin, they are helping him to end the world. The Morku must be destroyed.