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Now there were stumbling footsteps in the darkness； those of one person moving； careless of being heard。 And now Mitspieler had turned his headlamp on again； deliberately； as if he had decided or divined that the time for fighting was now over； or else that fighting had bee irrelevant。 The back reflection of his light revealed his own face； aged； untidily bearded as were the faces of all the men； and slack jawed now with fear or awe。
The wizard stood in the middle of the cave。 He was looking at the sealed doorway； the translucent barrier that he had himself erected。 Again he spoke； and yet again his voice was changed。
〃Wait。 This is no ruse。 The demon is gone。 Gone somewhere。。。 I don't know how far； but。。。 〃
Suddenly Mitspieler slumped to his knees； still staring at the fragile…looking barrier of magic。
Now Mark could hear a new kind of movement just outside； different from the demon's。 And there was a change in the faint light； a brightening out in the tunnel。 And now something appeared in the center of the barrier。 It was a hand； not armored； and quite human…looking； except that it was larger than the hand of any normal human being。 But it had neither the Whitehands' deformity nor the armor of the giant fist of the demon。 The hand； whomever it belonged to； brushed Mitspieler's blocking spells out of its way just as a man might have flicked aside a cobweb。
Now the owner of the hand entered the cave behind it； bringing with him his own kind of alteration。 A giant human figure； male； youthful…looking and lightly clad； wearing a Phrygian cap and carrying in one hand a staff。 Mark understood that for the first time in； his life he was looking at a god。 And in the next moment he recognized the god as Hermes。
Most of the cave was now not lighted so much as revealed； by Hermes' presence。 The beam of Mitspieler's headlamp had bee irrelevant。 Mark's own vision was now able to peer into the far recesses of the cave； and it seemed to him that he could almost see behind the rocks。 Hermes had e here seeking something； and in the face of that seeking any kind of human concealment seemed to have bee impossible。
None of the humans moved or spoke。 All of them remained sitting； crouching； kneeling； just as they had been。 Casually Hermes looked around。 Then； with the matter…of…fact movements of a strong man who had to interrupt some toddlers' squabble in the course of business of his own； Hermes approached Ben。
Ben was down on his backside； the Sword still in his right hand； quaking as the god approached him。 At the last moment he was unable to keep his eyes open； and had to raise one hand to hide his face。 When Hermes reached out and took Dragonslicer away from him； Ben's huge frame quaked in a spasm that might have been meant as resistance … but it came too late； and in any case would have been hopeless。
The god dropped something small into the sand in front of Ben … Mark caught the flash of gold。 Then Hermes turned away； already seating Dragonslicer in one of the empty scabbards at his belt。 Only now did Mark notice that Hermes was wearing perhaps a dozen empty sheaths in all； hanging like a fringe around his waist。
And now Mark found himself getting to his feet； he was not sure why。 He was standing straight up； even though his knees were shaking with the fear of it。
Hermes observed this movement。 The god paused in mid…stride； on his way back across the cave。 He turned his head and looked at Mark。 It was a brief look but expressive … even though Mark was not quite sure what it expressed。 Recognition … what； you here？ … seemed to be at the start of it； with unreadable plexities trailing off from there。
But the pause and the look were only momentary。 Hermes had e here on his own business； in pursuit of which he now approached the Baron。
Doon； finding himself in the path of this advance； made a great effort and struggled to his feet。 With both hands he raised Wayfinder to guard position。
Hermes halted in front of him； and spoke for the first time。 His voice was huge； remote； aloof。 〃Give it me。 That Sword that you are holding。〃
〃Never。 It is mine by right。〃 The words were barely understandable； but Doon managed to get them out。 He was shaking almost as badly as Ben had been； as Mark's knees still were。 Shaking with what must have been fear； pounded by anger and helplessness。
The deity deigned to speak to him once more。 〃I suppose you're going to argue that you've been using it properly； unlike some of the others。 In accordance with the game。 Well； perhaps you have。 But that no longer matters。〃 〃I am。 I have。 It's mine； it's mine。〃
The god reached out impatiently。 Doon struck at him。 The stroke would have been a killing blow against a human； but appeared now as no more than some child's petulant protest against authority。 Then the Sword was in the hand of Hermes Messenger； who with a flick of his staff； more a gesture than anything else； stretched Doon out on the floor of the cave。 The man lay there in agony； crying with pain and frustrated rage。
〃Unseemly pride；〃 the god remarked； sliding Wayfinder into a sheath。 〃In one as mortal as yourself。〃
The only human being standing now was Mark and why he should be standing was something that he hardly knew himself； though it was costing him a tremendous effort。 He could see that the great wizard Mitspieler was down on his face in the sand。 Doon sprawled； groaning。 Ariane was somewhere out of sight。 Ben was sitting up； but with his face still buried in his hands。 And Mark was thinking： This is what my father had to face； some small part of what he endured； when Vulcan took him to help create the Swords。 Always until now Mark had felt for his father some faint buried touch of shame； for the implied weakness； for Jord's letting himself be used； letting his right arm be taken。 But no more。 Now Mark had some idea； some appreciation of what Jord must have felt。
Only a moment had passed since Hermes had last spoken。 But something else was happening now； a new presence was announcing itself。 Just as light had spread throughout the cave upon Hermes' entrance； so now it was with shade。 The wizard Mitspieler； sensing the new presence； raised his head； and the beam from his headlamp was engulfed and blotted out by the intensity of shadow gathering inside the unguarded door。
Mark； still on his feet； could see the dim form of the newer； roughly human； standing within the pall of blackness。 The voice issuing from the shadowed manlike face was strangely reverberant； it seemed to swell up out of the rocks； out of the earth itself。
〃The underworld is my domain。 What are you doing here； Hermes Messenger？ What is there in my world that you seek to change？〃
Hermes Messenger did not appear to be disturbed。 〃I am collecting Swords … as you ought to realize； Hades。 I am going about the business of the gods。〃
〃What gods？〃
〃Why； all of us。 You too。 All of us who know what's going on； at least。 I only carry out the gods' collective will。〃
〃Hah！〃 The sound was more like a stony impact than a syllable of speech。 〃Since when have all of us agreed to that extent on anything？ Say rather that you are determined to cheat in the game。 That's how I interpret your behavior。〃
Hermes stood up very tall。 It seemed to Mark that the ceiling of the cave must be bending a little to make room for his head。 〃The game has been suspended。 At least for the time being。 There are certain dangers in it that at first were not fully appreciated：〃
〃Oh； has it； indeed？ By whose decision？〃
Now both gods； as if by mon agreement； were starting to move toward the low cave exit； as if their argument would be better carried out elsewhere。 Hades was already stooping his tall figure to go out。
But Hermes paused； arrested by the sight of Doon still moaning at his feet。 He prodded the helpless form with the end of his great staff。
〃Well； man； what treatment shall I give your pride before I go？ Perhaps I'll give you a loadbeast's head to wear from now on。 What say you to that idea？ Hey？ Answer me！〃
Hades at the doorway was bored by this distraction； and stood waiting for it to be over。
〃No…no； don't。 Spare me。。。 please。〃 Doon's voice was almost inaudible； and almost unrecognizable； too。
Hades in his impatience grumbled something； in a bass voice pitched too low for Mark to understand。 Hermes on hearing it forgot his human toy； and both gods went on out of the cave。 Just as they emerged into the corridor outside； Mark heard the sound of the demon out there again。 Hades spoke again； and then did something； and Dactylartha fled； yapping and bounding like a kicked cur。
And with that the gods were gone。 Inside the cave the humans were stirring； shakily； as if each and all of them were trying to recover from an illness。
Even as others were getting to their feet； Mark sat down； his knees suddenly shakier than before。 Why； he realized； I have just looked upon the face of Pluto himself。。。 and here I am。 Mitspieler； or Indosuaros； one of them； told us once that no man can do that and live。 And here I am。。。 Mechanically he picked up his quiver and slung it on his back。 He picked up his bow What was he going to do with it now？
When Doon sat up； the first thing he did was to look around him suspiciously； to see who might have been a witness to his weakness。 Mark noticed this vaguely but his own thoughts were elsewhere。 Dmitry had emerged from hiding； and was calling out all demons and gods to witness that Daghur was dead。
〃Look at that； a rock got him； it looks like。 Who uses a sling？〃 All Mark could see of Daghur was a limp arm as Dmitry raised it。
Ben was calling out too； calling for help； from where he stood bending over Ariane。 Mark rushed to them。 The girl was sitting up； but blood from a head injury was streaking down one side of her； face。 Either a stone from the other side had hit her； or she had fallen during the scrambling in the dark。
And now Mitspieler was on his feet。 He pointed； with a shaking arm； to where the doorway of the cave yawned unprotected。 〃The demon！〃 he choked out the words。 〃。。。 is stunned。 Run！ Run for it now！〃
Ben scooped up Ariane； disdaining any help from Mark。 With Mark running as a rear guard； the big man hurried out of the cave。 He moved quickly but the others were already gone ahead of him。 Outside； they could see headlamps bobbing on the downward path。 Doon's Sword might have been taken from him； but his determination was not yet dead。 And if he had had any thought of running back instead toward the upper levels of the cave； it had probably been squelched by the sound of human yells that now came drifting down from that direction。 The alarms were louder and closer than before。
The demon had retreated or fallen into the chasm of the ravine。 Mark could see multicolored lights flash up from those dark depths； and could feel the waves of hatred； as distinct as spoken curses。
Doon was running in the lead； gaining with every stride。 After him came Mitspieler； who looked back to find his son； then increased his pace again as both Dmitry and Willem rushed past him at top speed。 Radulescu； who supposedly knew better than anyone else the best place to seek safety； was running in the same direction。 Ben with Ariane in his arms pounded in the same direction with surprising fleetness； Mark keeping right behind them。
They passed the curve of the path where the demon had first sent them dashing back。 Mark had a quick look at the body of the first warbeast to die。 It was draped limply over the low wall beside the path； dropped there like a chewed fruit…rind； shrunken； still steaming or smoking。
Just as animals that were natural enemies might flee together from some disaster； so did the humans overtake and pass each other on the path； taking no more notice than did strangers in a crowded city。
Ariane had partially regained consciousness； and was struggling to get Ben to put her down。
And now the demon had recovered； from whatever the gods had done to it in passing。 The lights of it again spun and flickered in the air； the noise and sickness of it came tr