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When the magicians had finished their treatment of the rock； Doon summoned Ben to pull it down and close the door。 It felt to Ben as if the mass of the stone were now greatly diminished； when he tried； he was able to catch it falling； halfway closed； and push it up again very easily。 One after another； all the members of the party now tried lifting it open from inside； and all could manage it。
With everyone inside the cave at last； and the outer door closed； Doon gathered his party around the large slot in the lower floor。
〃This is where we put the treasure down；〃 said Ben。 〃And where I saw the Whitehands reach for it。〃
The wizard Indosuaros smiled； as if he were now determined to be reassuring。 〃They e this close to the surface only to receive treasure； as they did on the night when you were here。〃
〃How do you know？〃
Ben's answer was an arrogant look； that said the sources of the wizard's knowledge were doubtless beyond Ben's grasp； and were not really any of his business anyway。
〃It would be a neat trick；〃 offered Hubert； 〃if we could capture one of those to serve us as a guide。 They must know a quick way to the treasure。 Trust those who have to carry it to know the shortest way。〃
〃If we meet one of them；〃 muttered Doon abstractedly； 〃we'll ask him。〃 The Baron had braced his body directly above the aperture； and was looking intently down into it with the aid of a beam from his headlamp。 〃There are steps carved into the side here；〃 he announced。 〃And it doesn't look far down。 I don't think I'll need a rope … but let me have one； just in case。 Two of you hold it up here。〃
Mark and Ben gripped one of the thin； supple coils； and paid out an end。 Doon sheathed Wayfinder and in a moment had vanished； sliding down。
The line went slack in their hands almost at once。 〃I'm down；〃 the Baron's voice called up to them softly。 〃e ahead。〃 Ben； looking down through the aperture； could see the Baron's headlamp moving about just a short distance below。 In the augmented light； the series of niches for steps and grips； carved in the side of the short shaft； stood out plainly。 One side of the shaft joined with a wall of the chamber below； and the steps went down nearly to that lower floor。
Ben followed his leader； and soon the whole party was down。 The chamber in which they now found themselves was about the same size and shape as the one they had just descended from； and again there was a single lower exit。 This time； though； the exit was a tunnel mouth； cut in the side of the cave approximately opposite the entrance shaft。 The tunnel was narrow； and just about high enough for a moderately tall man to walk into it erect。 Ben expected that Mark would have to watch his head。
Again Doon led the way； the others following necessarily in single file。 After first twisting to the right； the tunnel bent back to the left； while continuously and ever more steeply descending。 As the steepness increased； carved grips and steps appeared again in sides and floor。
They had followed this passage for no more than a few score meters； when Doon stopped； calling softly back to the others that the tunnel ahead turned into a perfectly vertical shaft。
The Baron refused the suggestion of a rope； and simply continued to work his way lower； by means of the plentiful niches provided in the shaft's sides。 Ben followed cautiously。 Above and behind him； Indosuaros looked down and ahead with eyes half…closed； as if he were groping his way along by the use of senses beyond the normal。 After Indosuaros was Ariane； the monkbird riding unhooded on her shoulder； clinging tightly to her shirt。 Hubert was next； then Mark； with Mitspieler bringing up the rear。
Again there was an easy egress from the lower end of the shaft。 It ended a little more than a meter above a circular dais that was two or three meters wide； and raised perhaps a meter above the floor of the surrounding room。
The lower end of the shaft was finished in what looked like ancient masonry； with hairline gaps showing between blocks； so that Ben marveled as he let go of the last grip that it had not all e crashing down with his weight on it。
But soon all seven members of the expedition were safely down out of the shaft； and standing round the dais。 They were in a squat cylinder of a room； perhaps ten meters across； larger than either of the two rooms above。 Here the stone wall； floor； and ceiling were all carved quite smoothly into a regular shape。 Twelve dark doorways were more or less regularly spaced round the circumference of the circular wall。 From near the center of the room it was not possible to throw a beam of light very far into any of the twelve apertures； as the passages beyond all curved sharply after a few meters； turning down or sideways or both。 Each tunnel； at the start at least； was wide enough for only one person to enter it fortably at a time。
〃We have reached the third sealing；〃 said Doon。 And he raised his Sword in a salute； as if to a worthy foe。
Chapter 11
Doon was standing near the round wheel…hub of the dais； turning his body slowly； aiming Wayfinder to determine which of the dark tunnels they ought to follow。 Mark； watching the Baron's face； saw him for once frowning at what his guide told him。
Indosuaros； gazing over Doon's shoulder； prodded。 〃There seems no doubt about it； does there？ The Sword says that's the one to take。〃 And the magician pointed with a long； gnarled forefinger at a tunnel。
All the more irritated by this advice； Doon moved the Sword。 〃But first； a moment ago； it indicated this other passage； over here。 I'm sure of it。 And now it doesn't。〃
〃It certainly does not；〃 Indosuaros agreed。 He paused； then added： 〃Your hand may have been shaking； man。 Or perhaps the light was unsteady for a moment。〃
〃My hand did not shake！ And I really don't need any light to feel the vibration in the blade。〃
Ben chimed in： 〃There could be a smaller amount of treasure at the end of the passage where it first pointed； and a larger at the end of this one。 Anyway； I'd read the augury so。〃
〃Or；〃 suggested Ariane； 〃one treasure that's being moved about； even as you attempt to get a bearing on it？〃 There was something like enjoyment in her voice； that did not fade even when Doon glared at her。
〃I doubt we're very near to any treasure yet；〃 the Baron growled。
And the magician again： 〃Either trust your Sword or not； is all I can advise you。 If you're going to trust it no longer； then I'll start to try to find our way by other means。〃 Why； he's jealous of the Sword； thought Mark。
The Baron evidently thought the same。 〃You'll start to try？ Why no； I think we'll trust this god…forged metal yet awhile。 And we'll take the way it showed me first。〃 The two men stared at each other for a moment。
〃Some of us could try one way and some another；〃 Hubert offered； though not as if he really thought it was a good idea。
Doon gave him a brief glare too。 〃No； I'll not divide my forces。 Not yet anyway。 We'll take the way Wayfinder showed me first。〃
Mark； having some experience of using Coinspinner for guidance； thought that the point called for more discussion。 But that too would have its dangers； and he kept quiet； and read agreement in Ben's eyes。 Mark met Ariane's gaze too； and thought he saw the beginning there of a realistic concern。 And in her eyes as well were other things less easy to interpret。
The party entered the tunnel that Doon had chosen。 They were moving in single file as before； and once more Mark found himself next to last； just in front of the silent Mitspieler； and behind Hubert。 Mark had to stoop his back or bend his neck almost continuously to keep his headlamp from scraping on the roof of the passage as he moved。 If this goes on for very long； he thought； I'll have to take the lamp off and carry it in my hand。 Or depend on others' lights while we're in here … this passage was at least a little wider than the last one； though it still lacked room for two to go fortably abreast。
The tunnel curved sharply from left to right and back again； while constantly descending。 But here the slope of the descent never became as steep as it had in the previous tunnel； and the rough floor here was enough to provide secure footing。 It occurred to Mark to look at the ceiling for torch…smoke stains as he scraped his way along beneath it。 Surely not all of the Blue Temple people who had e through this maze to reach the treasure would have used Old World lights； and generations of traffic ought to have left stains along the proper route。 Indeed Mark thought that he could see some blackening； though on the dark rock it was difficult to be sure。
〃Look at that；〃 said Ben's voice； quietly； from a few meters ahead。 The procession did not stop。 A few more steps and Mark saw what Ben had meant。 They were passing what had once been the mouth of an intersecting passage； its opening now pletely blocked by a cave…in； filled with jumbled slabs and fragments fallen from overhead。 From this mass； down near the floor； there protruded a pair of dead skeletal hands。 Mark found himself taking note that they were of no more than normal human size。 Somehow the mute warning seemed all the more impressive because it had no look of having been planned as a deterrent to intruders。
Mark saw Ariane look down at the bones as she walked past。 The girl showed no sign of shock or fright。 What kind of a growing…up must she have had？ Mark wondered to himself。 Could it have been as strange as my own； or even stranger？ Maybe her powers； if she truly has any； knew me as her brother in that much at least。
There were no more branching passages。 Having no real choice now of which way to go； Doon was not consulting Wayfinder。 Now they had reached a paratively straight stretch of the tunnel； where Mark could see Doon's light bobbing at the head of the procession； revealing the tunnel walls
Which now ended； not far ahead； in a simple circle of darkness。 It was as if the passage here debouched into some vast cave。 As they grew closer with their lights； vague distant forms as of jagged rock appeared in the opening。
〃What's this； by all the demons？〃
The tunnel widened somewhat at its mouth； and the intruders crowded together there as best they could to see what kind of a place they had reached。 There was indeed a large cave in front of them now； and it looked virtually impassable。 The floor of it； if it could be called a floor； was at some distance below the one on which they stood； and it bristled with spiny projections of rock； that gleamed here and there with flecks of brightness but were also heavily stained and coated with what looked in the lamps' beams like some kind of fungus。
And again； behind a sharp outcropping； Mark saw the startling white of human bone。 Some kind of bones； at least； these were jumbled and broken； and Mark could not be sure that they were human。
This deadly looking chamber was some twenty or thirty meters deep； and without any other visible entrance or exit。 On right and left it extended for only a few meters before its side walls closed in to e close to the wall from which the tunnel emerged； on each side the space between was far too small to admit a hope that people might be able to squeeze themselves through it。 Mark； looking upward as best he could out of the tunnel's mouth； could see only the smooth slight bulge of the rounded wall from which the tunnel emerged； and above that； a jagged rocky roof some meters out of reach。 Looking down； the prospect was even more discouraging； upjutting corners of stone waited amid shadows at an intimidating distance below。 In no direction could he see anything that looked like a practical continuation of their path。
At Doon's urging； Ariane now prevailed upon the monkbird to try a short scouting flight into the cave ahead。 The beams of headlamps lit its way； but still it fluttered about uncertainly and had to be encouraged。 At last it flew out for some distance； and was near a far unpromising shelf of rock when there came a sudden popping noise from the fungi near it； and a cloud of dust burst up around the flying creature。 The mo