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The driver just ahead of Ben cursed again。
With the officer now riding slowly on ahead of the train； his cold light held high for guidance； the first driver got the first animal turned off the trail and headed inland； to the west。 Ben followed； leaning on the first animal's hindquarters as before。 The animal
behind had to agree； with Ben's grip still on its reins。
The others followed。
Now； moving across country on footing even worse than before； they were traveling even more slowly。 From what Ben could see of the surrounding land； it was absolutely trackless and abandoned。 All six of the drivers were cursing now； Ben was sure of it； though he could hear no maledictions other than his own。
The edge of the cliff was now safely distant。 But now men and animals had to pick their way over uneven slopes of sand； push through prickly growth； negotiate more rocks whose surfaces were slicked by rain。 This land； thought Ben； was in fact good for nothing but raising demons； as the old folksaying had it of the deserts。 If indeed a large dragon was nearby and he did not doubt that it was … then it was hard to imagine what it found to eat。
He thought that the dragon was making its presence known。 The farther west and south the loadbeasts were made to struggle； the more restive they became。 And now Ben； who had more experience than most in locating dragons； thought that he could detect the unique tang directly in the wet air； ing and going with variations in the wind。 In that scent there was something swinish； and something metallic too； and something else that Ben could not relate to anything outside itself。
And now； unexpectedly； the packtrain was jouncing and stumbling to a halt。 A few meters ahead； the priest…officer Radulescu had already reined in his animal and was dismounting。 Reins held firmly in one hand； Radulescu lifted his torch high in the other； and began to chant a spell。 Ben could not hear him chanting； but could see in profile a regular movement of the officer's short beard； chewing words boldly out into the wind。
And now something else came into view； above and beyond the cowled head of Radulescu； who now turned fully away from Ben to face the apparition。 First the two eyes of the dragon were born in the midst of darkness； greenly reflecting the Old World light。 The height of those eyes above the ground； and the distance between them； were enough to impress even an experienced dragon hunter。 In the next moment； as the monster drew in a slow breath； there appeared below and between the eyes a red suggestion； glowing through flesh and scale； of the inner fires of nose and mouth； an almost subliminal red that would have been invisible by day。 The purring snort that followed was a nearly musical sound； the rolling of hollow metal spheres in some vast brazen bowl。
Ben's sense of magic in operation was not particularly strong； but now even he could feel the flow； the working of the chant。 The spell had already held the dragon back； and now was turning it away。 With blinking eyes the great landwalker snorted again； and then melted back out of the train's path； disappearing into storm and darkness。
With the going of the dragon； Ben's real worry only sharpened。 He had no trouble now in concentrating on it。 In fact； as he waited for Radulescu to conclude his spell； demonstrating how firmly the powers of the Blue Temple were in control； it was impossible for him to think of anything else。
The worry that deviled Ben was not rooted in any single warning； any one thing that he had seen or heard。 Rather it had sprung into existence like some kind of elemental power； out of a great number of details。
One detail was that all six of the drivers here tonight； including Ben himself； were newers to this particular Temple garrison。 That meant； Ben supposed； that none of them were likely to have friends around。 All six had been transferred in from local Temples elsewhere； within the past few days。 Ben had managed to discover that much from a few words casually exchanged while they were waiting for the train to start。 He had not been given any particular reason for his own transfer； and he wondered if the others had； for theirs。 So far he had had no chance to ask them。
At the time； the transfer orders had seemed to Ben only one more inprehensible military quirk； in a year's service with Blue Temple he had gotten used to such unexplained twitches of the organism。 But now。。。
In Ben's memory； repository of a thousand old songs； one in particular had now e alive and was dancing an acpaniment to his thoughts。 He couldn't remember where or when he had heard it first。 He probably hadn't heard it at all for years。 But it had popped up now； as an ironic background for his fear。
If only； he thought； he was able to talk to the other drivers。 They might be able to shout a few words back and forth now through the wind； but Ben needed more than that； he needed time to ask them things and make them think。。。 he suspected he wasn't going to get the chance。
He had only a very little time in which to decide whether to act； or not to act； alone。 And if he decided wrong； either way； then very soon he would be dead。。。 The priest…officer； in the act of concluding his spell； used his wand of light to make one long； slow gesture after the departing dragon。 Then Radulescu held the wand upright again； looking after the retreating beast and perhaps trying to listen after it through the storm。 Then he remounted； turned to the waiting drivers； and once more motioned the train forward。
The drivers moved reluctantly。 The loadbeasts were more easily convinced than their masters that the dragon had in fact departed。 With dragon…scent now vanishing quickly in the wind； the animals moved forward again with more willingness than they had shown for several hours。 And now； as if to suit the improvement in the atmosphere； the rain began to lessen too。
There followed a hundred meters more of stumbling along their trackless way； now and then tearing clothes and skin on thorns。 Then the officer reined in again； and again motioned the packtrain to a halt。 Another dragon？ Ben wondered。 He could perceive no other reason for stopping at this point。 Radulescu was indicating with his light the exact place where he wanted them to halt the animals； close beside a rocky hillock that looked no different than a hundred other rocky hillocks that surrounded it。 There's nothing here； thought Ben。。。 and then he understood that that was just what he was supposed to think。
Radulescu had dismounted again。 With torch still in hand he moved to stand beside the lower end of a great slab of stone that in itself made up a large portion of the hillock's flank。 Putting one hand on this huge stone； he raised his voice above the wind： 〃You men； secure the animals。 Then gather here and lift this rock。 Yes； here； lift； I say。〃
The boulder he was indicating looked too heavy for a score of men to budge。 But orders were orders。 The drivers hobbled their beasts； and crowded round。 Some of them were brawny men and some were not … but anyway； the priest was proven not to be mad。 As soon as they lifted； the enormous stone went tilting and tipping up with surprising ease； to e to rest balanced in a new position。 Now where its lower end had been； the dark triangle of a cave opening was revealed。 The black hole in the hillside looked to Ben a little too regular in shape to be entirely natural； and was about big enough for a single man to be able to pass through it readily。
First in was the officer； moving confidently； holding his cold torch before him to light the way。 The utter interior darkness melted before that light； to reveal a single…chambered cave； with its flat floor sunken three or four meters below the land outside。 There was room on that floor for perhaps a dozen people to stand without crowding。 From where Ben stood at the triangular entrance； a narrow stairway crudely carved from rock twisted down to the floor； and now in the center of that floor Ben noticed； between two lips of stone； another man…sized aperture； this one leading into deeper blackness。
When he reached that lower opening； Radulescu stopped。 He leaned his torch against a wall； and from some inner pocket； evidently waterproof； brought out two stubby candles。 He produced a flame …so quickly that Ben did not see just how it was done … and in a moment had placed a lighted candle on either side of the hole in the floor。
And now he looked up to where the drivers' faces were crowding the small entrance。 〃Begin unloading；〃 Radulescu ordered briskly。 〃You are to carry the sacks of cargo down here； carefully…carefully！ And drop them here； into this aperture。〃 With a light stamp of his foot he indicated the opening in the floor。 He had given the last order with special clarity and emphasis； as if wishing to avoid having to repeat it for those who thought they had not heard it properly the first time。 On either side of Radulescu the candles burned； blue wax and golden flames； and on the flat rocks where they stood； Ben could see drippings； encrustations of old wax。 It was evidently not the first time； nor the second or third； that a cargo had been delivered here。
The six drivers； as they drew back from the upper entrance； getting ready to obey orders； all looked at one another for a moment。 But there was really no time for Ben to talk to them。 He could see surprise in some of their faces； but nothing like his own fear mirrored。
Will it be here； he thought to himself； as soon as the unloading's finished？ And if so； how？ Or do I have a little more time； until we get back to where the cavalry's waiting。。。
〃Move！ Quick！ Unload！〃 Radulescu was climbing the stair with his bright torch in hand。 He was not going to give them time to think about anything except getting the job done。
The men had been trained； in a hard school； to obedience。 They sprang into action。 Ben moved with them； as automatically as any of the others。 Only now； as he lifted his first bundle from a pannier on a loadbeast's back； did he realize how effective the Blue Temple training had been。
The bundle he had taken was small but very heavy； like all the others。 It was wrapped against weather in some kind of waterproof oilskin that had been sewn shut。 Inside the outer covering Ben could feel thick padding； that made it hard to tell what the true shape of the contents might be。 To Ben the loading felt like several metal objects； all of them heavy； hard； and paratively small。
Despite the weight； Ben could have carried two of the bundles at once easily enough。 He did not do so； wanting to prolong the unloading。 He might have only the time it took to do that job in which to try to think； to nerve himself； to act。。。
As he passed through the upper doorway of the cave for the first time； bearing his first load down； he looked carefully at the great stone as it rested in its raised position。 Ben was struck by how close it must be to its point of balance。 What six men had heaved to open； it appeared； could be easily tilted shut again by one。
Going down the crooked stairs for the first time； watching carefully by candlelight where he put down his feet； he noticed that the stairs were beginning to be worn。 As if many processions of laborers had borne their burdens here。。。
Think； he ordered himself。 Think！ But； to his silent； inward horror； his mind seemed paralyzed。
Down in the cave； putting his first bundle obediently down into the dark hole in the floor； Ben noticed something else。 The heavy bundle made no noise of fall or landing when he released it into darkness。 Either it was still falling … or it had somehow been caught。
Moving in slow procession with the other drivers； now emerging from the cave to get his second load； Ben saw that Radulescu had again set his Old World torch leaning against a rock； this time just outside the entrance。 The officer had gone back to his tethered riding beast and was taking something from the saddle； untying a light； long bundle that Ben had not really noticed until now。 The bundle was just about the same size and shape as the sword … that Radulescu wore； and heavily