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〃Ah。〃 Radulescu thought a moment； then pointed。 〃You'll find them down that way。。。 if you should be planning to kill me when you have them； remember that I haven't shown you the way out yet。〃
Ben turned away without answering。 His two panions followed him； leaving Radulescu to the contemplation of his treasure。
His solitary munion with the crystal dancer did not last for long。 Presently he looked up again； to see the two surviving deserters from the garrison standing in the doorway gazing at him。 Their eyes were almost blank； and they had their swords in hand。
They didn't look at Radulescu for long； the surrounding roomful of treasure was obviously more to their liking。
〃e in； gentlemen； e in；〃 said the Colonel； stretching a point in the interests of harmony。 〃e in and help yourselves。 There's plenty here for us all。〃
Dmitry's eyes came back to Radulescu； then fell to what Radulescu was holding in his hands。 〃Give me that one；〃 Dmitry said。
〃No。〃 The officer backed up a step。 And noted； with hardly more than irritation； that the one called Willem was shifting his position as if to e at him from one side。 〃And if you're thinking of attacking me； remember。。。〃
But before he could get the next word out； Dmitry's drawn sword was thrusting at his chest。
Ben and Ariane and Mark were already a good distance away from the room of crystal statuary when the bubbling scream reached their ears。 They turned their heads at the sound； but no one thought of stopping； still less of going back。
Ariane spoke her first words in some time。 〃The seventh sealing。。。 we've reached it now。〃
The others looked at her。
〃The greed of robbers。。。 the old song hints at it。〃 Then she clenched her eyes shut； and walked leaning on Ben for guidance and support。 〃Gods and demons； but my head hurts。 It's bad。〃
〃I don't wonder。〃 And Ben kissed her softly as they kept walking； and wished that they could stop to let her rest。 But he knew better。
They passed more chambers filled with crystal； and long rooms occupied by one special rack after another； holding tapestries。 When they came to rooms of jewels； Ben detoured for a moment to grab up a handful and stuff a pocket with them。 Next was a hall lined with shelves filled with glass jars； containing unknown powders and liquids； all brilliantly lighted to allow for easy inspection by someone simply walking past。 There were labels on the jars and on the shelves； but written in a language or a code that was unreadable to Ben。
And now there was another lighted room ahead。 It was very near to the wall of living rock that formed one end of the treasure…cave。
They peered into the bright room through the partition that made one of its walls； arid was posed of racks of glittering weaponry。 Inside the room they gazed upon a mad variety of other weapons still。 These were not made； most of them； merely for use； gold again here； silver again； gems in profusion。 Ben thought he saw a poniard worked from a single emerald； and arrowheads of diamond。
Toward the far side of the room there stood a great tree…like wooden rack； no thing of art or value in itself； but good to hold display。 It had twelve wooden branches； and from each branch there hung a woven belt and sheath； each of the twelve a different color。 Nine of the tree's branches … Ben counted quickly … and nine of the sheaths were empty。
And three were weighted down with Swords； heavy fruit with only the black hilts visible。
Baron Doon was standing alone in the middle of the chamber of weapons； and holding one more Sword in his hands。 The hilt was concealed in his two…handed grip； but there was no mistaking the perfection of that blade； it could have e from nowhere but Vulcan's forge。
The Baron had his head bent low over the weapon； and seemed to be mumbling something to it。 He stood with feet braced wide apart； legs tensed； as if he wanted to be ready to strike instantly some prodigious blow。
Mark's hand had； gripped Ben's arm； enjoining silence。 Ben's eyes flicked up again to the three Swords that were still hanging on the tree； seeking the white symbols on the hilts。 Mark； he thought； probably knew what they all were … Dame Yoldi had taught him years ago … but Ben himself didn't recognize any of these。 One looked like a tiny white wedge； splitting a white block； a second was just a simple circle； a rounded line returning upon itself。 And the hilt of the third Sword was turned away； making it impossible for Ben to see its symbol； like the hilt itself； the sheath and belt that held that one were black。
Doon's mumbling voice suddenly rose louder； and for a moment Ben thought that the three of them watching through the rack of arms had been discovered。 But if Doon was aware of their presence there he did not care about it。 He went on mumbling … not to himself； Ben realized。 It was some ritual that he was chanting； the same few words over and over：
〃。。。 for thy heart； for thy heart； who hast wronged me！ For thy heart。。。 〃
Standing in the middle of the open floor； Doon bowed toward the one dark doorway of the room； a gesture apparently directed toward no one and nothing。 Then he turned； and in the same motion crouched； crouched down and in the same motion continued turning； so that in an instant he had bee a spinning dancer。 And now it was as if the Sword in his hands had somehow been activated； and it was dragging him around。 The blade； held out in his extended arms； turning ever more swiftly； became a blur。 Quickly the whine of its passage through the air acquired an unnatural timbre。 It swelled and hummed； the noise of some great flying insect。
Above this whine； the last words of Doon's grim chant came through： 〃…thy heart…who hast…wronged me！〃 And with that Doon released the Sword … or it； perhaps； let go of him。
He staggered and fell down in his tracks。 The great whine vanished abruptly from the air； as did the Sword itself。 At the speed with which it had leapt from Doon's hands； it must have struck one of the partitions or solid walls that formed the room； or whirred out through the open doorway。 But it had done neither。 It was simply gone。
For a long moment there was only silence in the cave。 Then。。。
The cry； when it came； even muffled by great distance and by walls of rock； was truly unlike anything that Ben in his whole life had ever heard before。 For a moment he could think only that the earth itself must be in torment。 Or that the gods were fighting again among themselves； and some landquake was ing to bring the whole headland crumbling down； carrying all the caves and creatures and treasure inside it into the sea。 The cry went on and on； beyond the capacity of any human lungs to have sustained it。
Then silence fell again。
Then Doon was laughing。
He sat there in the center of the floor； just as the Sword had dropped him； with his legs crumpled awkwardly underneath his body； and he laughed。 His mirth was loud； and hideous； and to Ben it sounded at least half mad。 And yet it was also the most human sound that he had uttered since he had faced Hermes。
Mark moved at last。 He was into the weapons room； and past Doon； and standing beside the tree of Swords； before the Baron took notice of the fact that he was no longer alone。
Doon did not appear to care much。 〃Not many men；〃 he began to say … and then his laughter burst up again； and he had to pause to conquer it before he could continue。 〃Not many men … have ever slain a god。 Hey； am I right？〃 He looked at Mark； and then at Ben and Ariane； who now stood in the doorway of the room。 〃But here was Farslayer … here； waiting for me。 Even the gods must be subject to the tricks of Fate〃
〃Farslayer；〃 Mark echoed； in a voice that held wonder； and concern。
The Baron got to his feet； his eyes glittering； and turned toward Mark。 〃The Sword of Vengeance；〃 said Doon。 〃You who know the Swords will know what has just happened。〃
It was at that moment that Ariane collapsed； quite softly and without fuss。 Ben； who was standing right at her side； was only just in time to catch her。 He lowered her gently to the floor； and bent over her in anguish。
A girl's fainting or dying was of no consequence to Doon。 〃One god is dead；〃 he said。 〃I'll be my own god now； with these。〃 He took a determined step toward the tree of Swords； and stopped just as suddenly as he had moved。 One of the three Swords that hung there had e sighing out of its black sheath into the hands of Mark； and Mark now stood confronting him。 〃All three of these are going to Sir Andrew。〃 〃Oh？ Ah？〃
〃Yes。。。 if you're willing to e with them； he needs good fighting men； as much or more than he needs any metal。〃
The Baron squinted at him。 Then asked； almost happily： 〃Which one do you have there in your hands； young man？ I took no plete inventory when I came in； not after I had seen the one I needed。〃
〃I have the one that I need now；〃 said Mark。 And the Sword in his hands had e to some kind of life； for it was throbbing faintly。 Ben could hear it； though it was almost too low to hear： the tap tap tapping as of some distant but determined hammer； working at the hardest metal。
〃So？〃 Doon raised an eyebrow； considering this。 〃It seems that you do。 But we'll see。 I've never yet given up on a fight … even against a god … nor lost one； when I had to win。〃
And with marvelous sudden speed he feinted a movement toward the tree； then； when Mark moved to block him from it； he spun away to reach for another rack of elegant weaponry upon another wall。 From this he snatched down a small battle axe and a matching shield； both of beautiful workmanship； embossed with silver and ivory and gold。
〃Ben；〃 called Mark； 〃stay out there。 I'm all right。 Stay with her。〃
And in his hands Mark could feel the faint； cold hammering vibration of the Sword he held。 This was not Townsaver with its impressive scream； but perhaps equally powerful； perhaps more so。。。 in his mind's eye Mark again saw； his father dead； his brother too； who had held that other Sword； that had saved nothing。。。
Doon said to him considerately： 〃You should first drop your bow and quiver； lad。 They'll hinder you。 Go ahead； I'll wait。〃
Mark made a little shrugging motion； meaning： it will make no difference。 Doon seeing his shoulders move perhaps thought that Mark had been distracted； that his grip on the hilt was poor； that the ruse had worked。 For the Baron brought up his axe and shield； and closed with a rush。
Mark expected the axe to e at him from one direction； and realized too late that it was swinging from another。 His arms unaided could never have parried it with any weapon。
But the weapon he was holding was no longer subject to his control。 Shieldbreaker only emphasized two notes amid the almost hypnotic streaming rhythm of its sound。 Its movement on the two beats drew Mark's arms with it unhurriedly； melding him into its own power and speed。 The parry caught the flashing battle axe in midstroke； ripped it from Doon's grasp and hurled it like a missile across the room； where it smashed into a jeweled breastplate and set a whole rack of fancy armor toppling； a crash that seemed to go on endlessly。
The backstroke of the Sword of Force came at Doon himself； but he was able to catch it on his shield。 The steel buckler was ripped almost in half； the strips of its precious metal inlays torn loose and sent flying。 Doon was knocked down； but he scrambled back to his feet almost at once； ridding his numbed left arm of the useless twisted metal。 He darted to another rack of weapons； grabbed up a javelin with a jeweled point； and hurled it with all his strength at Mark。 Shieldbreaker flashed to shatter the weapon in midair； the pieces flying like slung stones。
Mark； breathing only a little harder than normal； held the Sword easily in his two hands … rather； he stood there letting it hold him。 He could not now have let go the hilt if he had wanted to。 〃Ben。 Move her back a little farther。 Out of the way。〃
But； just then； Ben's wordless； helpless cry went up。 Mark understood； without taking his eyes from Doon； that Ariane was dead。
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