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Mark wondered aloud if their lights were going to be noticed。
Doon sniffed。 〃No need to worry about that； I'd say。 Anything that's here already knows that we're here too。〃
They examined Indosuaros again； and as far as any of them could tell； the wizard was sleeping almost normally； though he looked ill。 By general agreement it was decided to let him sleep until morning … no one voiced any doubt that morning was going to e。
Night in the forest deepened further； to an utter blackness that would have been unnatural in the world above。 The headlamps were adjusted to throw a diffuse illumination and set on the ground spaced around the party； so that they provided light on the surrounding woods while leaving their owners in partial shadow。 The circle included Indosuaros； as well as the four wakeful people who took turns talking and dozing through the night。
It was a long night； and for a long time in the middle of it Ben found himself awake； with Ariane's hand closed tightly in his。 The two of them were lying chastely side by side； and her eyes would watch his for a while and then close in rest or slumber。 Doon and Mark both dozed； on either side of them； and Indosuaros nearby faintly snored。 Ben's right hand kept the girl's right hand enfolded。 Her hand was large and strong； and he could feel the calluses here and there on it that testified she had not been brought up in a palace。 Most of the time he was not thinking consciously of anything； but was only conscious of her hand； and all the strange miracle of life that flowed inside it。 He was glad that she could sleep； and after a long time he slept himself。
When he woke； the air felt a little cooler； and Mark was crawling here and there and turning off the lights。 Dawn； or some analogue of it； was once more brightening the sky above the trees。
Presently Doon was sitting up too； and Ariane。 In the morning light； swiftly brightening now； they all looked haggard； the men's beards growing untrimmed and unkempt。 Indosuaros looked catastrophic。 The others took turns trying to rouse him； first gently and then vigorously； but he could not be made to open his eyes or utter anything but moans。
Doon shook him brutally； and slapped his face。 〃What's the trouble with you； man？ What can we do？〃
There was only an incoherent mumble in reply。
Doon； more to himself than to the others； muttered： 〃I don't know whether to leave him here or not。〃 Ariane protested。 〃You can't do that。〃 〃We may have to。 Do you think we can carry him？〃 〃And what about Mitspieler？〃
〃If he's not back by now； I don't think he's ing back。〃
〃The next question；〃 said Mark； 〃is which way are we going when we do move？ Are we still trying to find the treasure； or are we going to turn around and try。。。〃
Doon cut him off。 〃We are going to find the treasure。 We are going to help ourselves to it； and then we are going to find the way out again。 I say so； and the Sword is mine； and in my hands。 Anyone who says otherwise is going to have to fight me。〃 He glared at them each in turn； and Wayfinder had e into his hands； so quickly and naturally that it seemed to have been there all along。
Ben asked： 〃And will you fight all of us at once？〃
The Baron looked at them； one after another； a long moment for each。 〃I will fight none of you unless I have to；〃 he said then； in a reasoning voice。 〃Look here； lads； and you； girl； it's madness for us to talk of fighting each other now。 But I think it would be equal madness to split up； or to try to turn back now that we've e this far。 For all we know； there may be some easier exit up ahead。〃
He paused for a few moments； taking counsel with the Sword again； and with himself。 Then he said： 〃The three of you wait here a little longer； with Indosuaros。 I'll go alone and scout ahead a little … I have a hunch we may be almost at the end of this damned woods。〃
〃You just said that we should not split up。〃
〃The separation will be very brief。 I'll not go more than a hundred paces before I turn back … see； the Sword now directs me right along the bed of the stream； it hasn't done that before。 So； wait for me unless you prefer to leave the wizard where he lies； and e along。〃
The others looked at one another。 〃We'll wait； then；〃 said Mark。
Ben added： 〃At least for a reasonable time。〃
〃Wait。 I'll not go far； and I'll be back。〃 And Doon splashed away downstream； the Sword evidently guiding him； as he had claimed； right along the current's curving course。 When he had gone about forty meters the density of the intervening forest hid him from their eyes； and the endless murmur of the stream drowned the sound made by his splashing feet。
The others gathered once more around Indosuaros。 〃We've got to wake him；〃 Ariane declared。 〃Or else we really will be forced to leave him here。〃
The magician's frame inside his robes now looked incredibly wasted； but when they tried to move him he felt abnormally heavy。 His breathing was now barely perceptible； his face was wizened and shrunken； and his eyelids as well as his lips had the look of being pinched together by invisible clamps。
Ben turned round suddenly； crouching； motioning the others to be silent。 〃Someone's ing。。。 or something；〃 he whispered。 〃From upstream。 Look out。〃
They grasped their weapons and waited motionless； concealed in such cover as was immediately available。 In another moment； Doon's unmistakable figure had e into view； Sword held out before him like a challenge to the world； splashing toward them from upstream。
The Baron was if anything more surprised than they were。 〃What is this？ What made you e here？〃
〃We've not moved a centimeter； Doon。 Look … the wizard is resting under the same tree as before。〃
At first； Doon could not believe it。 〃But … I've kept going downstream ever since I left you。〃 And for a moment Ben thought that the little man might fling his Sword away。
Before any further debate could begin； another approaching figure was sighted。 Everyone seemed to discover it at almost the same time。 When first seen； in the distance； it appeared to flit and jump among the trees； as if it were part of a mirage。 As it drew closer； it could be seen first to be human； and then to be a man； and next to bear in one hand some kind of sword； with which it groped about as if for guidance。 And lastly； as it came near； it could be recognized as Mitspieler； walking simply and normally。
Before any one else could say anything； Indosuaros had roused himself； and propped himself up on one elbow。 With a faint； glad cry he turned toward the approaching man。 〃Master！〃
Mitspieler's wiry； graying form was unchanged； except that now he wore something that Ben had never seen before； an ornate belted scabbard。 At close range it was easy to see that the weapon in Mitspieler's hand was one of the Twelve Swords； but with his grip upon the hilt there was no way to tell which one it was。
As he approached he ignored the first burst of questions directed at him； and at once bent down over Indosuaros； who had fallen back again and was flat on the ground。
A long moment later Mitspieler straightened up again。 〃I fear there is nothing I can do for you now；〃 he told the supine man； who did not react and might not have heard。
〃What Sword is that you carry？〃 demanded Doon。 His voice was suddenly suspicious。 An instant later the Baron's hand grabbed for the weapon at his own side； but that vanished even as he grasped the hilt； turned to nothingness right before Ben's watching eyes。
For a moment Doon stared blankly at the empty claw of his right hand。 Then he would have sprung to the attack； with his dagger or barehanded； but for the fact that the Sword； in Mitspieler's suddenly capablelooking fist； was pointing straight at him。
〃Do not lunge upon the point； Baron。 I may not be able to heal you if you do。 Hear me！〃 And the voice of the graying man boomed out with a sudden authority。 〃Yes； I have the Sword of Wisdom here。 I hope that it will be back in your hand before we leave this sealing； so you can use it when we reach the next … but before I give it back； I require that you hear me。〃
Doon mastered himself。 〃Then speak on； and quickly。〃
〃I borrowed Wayfinder a short time ago； under the pretext of testing it。 To replace it in your scabbard I left a phantom sword of my own creation … of course the phantom could not really guide you anywhere。 But I needed the real Sword to go ahead on my own reconnaissance； and I foresaw that you would not lend it to me willingly。〃
Doon nodded grim agreement。 〃In that you read the future well。。。 what is your real name？〃
〃Mitspieler will still do。 And his name〃 … the speaker threw a moment's glance to one side and down … 〃is really Indosuaros。。。 now listen to me； all of you。 The god whose presence brushed us yesterday was really Hades。 I have just been trying to look for him； to see where he has gone； but I was unsuccessful。 I think that he has left the caves pletely now。 In any case； the way ahead now seems clear for us to go on。。。 I take it you are all still ready to go on？〃
〃We are ready；〃 the Baron told him。 〃Give me the Sword。〃
〃There is one thing more。〃
〃I thought there might be。 Well； speak。〃
〃The treasure I seek；〃 Mitspieler said； 〃is not gold or jewels； and it is not with the gold in the vaults below the demon…sealing； but only on the next level down from this one。 I want you to swear； Baron； on your honor and on your hope of wealth； that you will help me get it。 I； in my turn； swear now most solemnly and on my oaths of magic； that if you help me I will then go with you and help you however I can； to reach the last level and to prosper there。〃 He swung his gaze away from Doon； to let it rest on Mark and Ben and Ariane in turn。 〃I swear the same to each of you； if you will help me first。〃
Doon was shaking his head in doubt。 He squinted at Mitspieler as if the man were hard to see。 The Baron said： 〃You and I are now to trust each other's pledges？ Now； after you've stolen my Sword？ After you've lied to us all along； about。。。〃 and he gestured sharply toward the fallen form of Indosuaros。
〃I borrowed your Sword； no more than that。 Because I had to have it； nothing less would serve。 And yes； I'll trust your pledge； if you will swear it as I've said。 You are a man of honor； Baron Doon。 Swear now； and your blade es back to you at once。 I'll even swear over to you now my share of whatever treasure there may be on the bottom level。〃
Doon appeared to be impressed in spite of himself by this last offer。 〃No need to talk of sharing that treasure； man。 There's so much。。。〃
〃Don't say that until you've seen it。。。 as I have； though only in tranced visions。 There are certain morsels choicer than the rest。。。 Well？〃
Doon made up his mind … perhaps； thought Ben； a shade too quickly。 〃Very well； you have my word to help you on the level below this one； as long as it does not prevent my reaching my own goal。〃
〃Have I your solemn oath； just as I said it should be given？〃
There was a pause。 〃You have。〃
And Wayfinder； tossed hilt upward； came leaping toward Doon； so that his right hand had no trouble to pluck it safely from the air。
〃Master。。。 〃 The cry was an almost vanishingly faint moan； and it came from the fallen husk of Indosuaros。 Ariane was squatting beside him again； she was holding a much shriveled hand； from whose fingers some of the ornate rings had already fallen off。
〃There's nothing to be done for him now； girl。〃 Mitspieler； looking down； appeared saddened； but not greatly； he might perhaps have been watching the death of his second favorite pet animal。 〃Could he have finished this journey； it would have served as his … what is the word that other guilds and professions sometimes use？ … his masterpiece。 His passport to the upper ranks of magic。。。 but he will never be a master now。 He simply was not strong enough。〃
〃But what's wrong with him？ What is he。。。 dying of？〃
〃You who are not magicians can pass through this sealing freely … provided you can find the way to pass through it at all。 But we of the profess