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Up at the unpeopled borderland of cloudy heaven； where unending wind drove eternal snow between and over high gray rocks； the gods and goddesses were gathering。
In the grayness just before dawn； their tall forms came like smoke out of the gray and smoking wind； to take on solidity and detail。 Unperturbed by wind or weather； their garments flapping in the shrieking howl of air； they stood upon the rooftop of the world and waited as their numbers grew。 Steadily more powers streaked across the sky； bringing reinforcement。
The shortest of the standing figures was taller than humanity； but from the shortest to tallest； all were indisputably of human shape。 The dress of most members of the assembly displayed a more than mortal elegance； running to crowns and jewels and snow…white furs； the attire of a few was； by human standards； almost ordinary； that of many was bizarre。
By an unspoken agreement amounting to tradition the deities stood in a rough circle； symbol of a rude equality。 It was a mutually enforced equality； meaning only that none of their number was willing to concede pride of place to any other。 When graybearded Zeus； a laurel wreath embracing his massive head； moved forward majestically as if after all he intended to occupy the center of the circle； a muttering at once began around him。 The sound grew louder； and it did not subside until the Graybearded One； with a frown； had converted his forward movement into a mere circular pacing； that soon brought him back to his old place in the large circle。 There he stopped。 And only when he stopped did the muttering die down pletely。
And still with each passing moment the shape of another god or goddess materialized out of the restless air。 By now two dozen or more tall forms were in place around the circle。 They eyed one another suspiciously； and exchanged cautious nods and signs of greeting。 Neighbor to neighbor they muttered in near…whispers through the wind； trading warily in warnings and backbitings about those who were more distant in the circle； or still absent。 The more of them that gathered； the more their diversity was evident。 They were dark or fair； old…looking or young…looking。 Handsome … as gods … or beautiful … as goddesses … or ugly； as only certain gods and goddesses could be。
Twice more Zeus opened his mouth as if he intended to address them all。 Twice more he seemed on the verge of stepping forward； taking the center of the circle； and trying to mand the meeting。 Each time he did so that warning murmur swelled up into the frozen air； through the blasting wind； giving notice that no such attempt was going to be tolerated。 Zeus remained silently at his own station in the ring； stamping his feet now and then and scowling his impatience。
At last the individual gossipings around the ring began to fade toward quiet； give way to silent waiting。 There was some general agreement； tacitly attained； that now a quorum had been reached。 There was no use trying to wait until all the gods and goddesses were here； all of them never attended a meeting at the same time。 Never had they been able to agree unanimously on anything at all； not even on a place or an agenda for their arguments。
But now the assembly was large enough。
It was Mars； spear…armed and helmeted； who broke the silence； Mars speaking in a voice that smoldered and rumbled with old anger。 The tones of it were like the sounds of displaced boulders rolling down a glacier。
Mars banged his spear upon his shield to get the attention of the assembly。 Then he said to them： 〃There is news now of the Mindsword。 The man that other humans call the Dark King has it。 He is； of course； going to use it to try to get the whole world into his hands。 What effect this will have on our own Game is something that we must evaluate for ourselves； each according to his or her own position。〃
It was not this news he had just announced to the assembly that was really angering Mars。 Rather it was something else； something that he wanted to keep secret in his own thoughts； that made him almost choke on rage。 Mars did not conceal his feelings well。 As he finished speaking he used a savage gesture； a blow that almost split the air； simply to signify the fact that he was ready now to relinquish the floor to someone else。
Next to speak was Vulcan … Vulcan the Smith with the twisted leg； the armorer and Sword…forger to the gods。
〃I am sorry；〃 began Vulcan； slyly； 〃that my so … worthy colleague is unable to continue at the moment。 Perhaps he is brooding too much about a certain setback … one might even call it a defeat that he suffered at the hands … or should one say the paws … of a certain mortal opponent； some eight or nine years past？〃
The response of Mars to this was more sullen； angry rumbling。 There also was a murmuring around the circle； some of it laughter at Mars； some a denunciation of Vulcan for this obvious attempt to start an argument。
Aphrodite asked softly； 〃Is this what we have e here for； to have another quarrel？〃 Her tall body； all curves； all essence of the female； was wrapped in nothing but a diaphanous veil that seemed always on the verge of blowing away in the fierce wind but never did。 She like the other deities was perfectly indifferent to the arctic cold。
Near her； Apollo's taller form appeared emphasized for a moment in a lone ray of light from the newly risen sun。 The Sun's bright lance steadily pierced the scudding clouds for just as long as it took the god to speak； and held his body in its light。 Apollo demanded； 〃I take it that we are all agreed upon one thing at least？〃
Someone else was cooperative enough to ask Apollo： 〃What？〃
The tall god replied； 〃That Hermes has not e back from his mission to gather up the Swords again。 That he is never going to e back。〃
〃That's two things；〃 another member of the group objected。
Apollo took no notice of such carping。 〃That our divine Messenger； who no doubt thought himself as secure in his immortality as most of us still think we are in ours； has now been for four years dead！〃
That word； of all words； had power to jolt them all。 Many faced it bravely。 Some tried to pretend that it had not been spoken； or if spoken certainly not heard。 But there was a long moment in which even the wind was voiceless。 No other word； surely； could have brought the same quality and duration of silence to this assembly。
It was the relentless voice of Apollo that entered into this new silence and destroyed it； repeating： 〃For four years dead。〃
The repetition provoked not more silence； but the beginning of an uproar of protest； still the voice of Apollo overrode the tumult even as it swelled。
〃Dead！〃 he roared。 〃And if Hermes Messenger can be slain by one of the Swords； why so can we。 And what have we done about it； during these past four years？ Nothing！ Nothing at all！ Wrangled among ourselves； as always … no more than that！〃
When Apollo paused； Mars seized the chance to speak。 〃And there is the one who forged those Swords！〃 The God of War pointed with his long war…spear； and aimed an angry stare at the crippled Smith。 〃I tell you； we must make him melt them down again。 I've said all along that the Swords are going to destroy us all； unless we are able to destroy them first！〃
Leaning awkwardly on his lame leg； Vulcan turned at bay。 〃Don't blame me！〃 Wind whipped at his fur garments； his ornaments of dragon…scale clashing and fluttering in the gale。 But his words ate through the windstorm plainly； suffering no interference from mere physical air。 〃The blunder； if there was one； was not mine。 These very faces that I see all about me now spoke urging me； manding me； to forge the Swords。〃
He turned accusingly from one to another of his peers。 〃We needed the Swords； we had to have them； you all told me； for the Game。 The Game was going to be a great delight； something we hadn't tried before。 You said the Swords must be distributed among the humans； who in the Game would be our pawns。 Now what kind of pawns have they turned into？ But no； you all insisted on it； no matter how I warned you。。。〃
Again an uproar of protest was breaking out； and this time it was too loud for any one voice to overe。 Objectors were shouting that； on the contrary； they had been the ones against the whole idea of the Swords and the Game from the very start。
Naturally this provoked a strong counterreaction from others present。 〃What you mean is； you've been against the Game ever since you started losing in it！ As long as you thought that you were winning； it was a great idea！〃
One of the graybeard elder gods； not Zeus； put in： 〃Let's get back to our immediate problem。 You say that the man they call the Dark King has the Mindsword now。 Well； that may be good or bad news for some of us in terms of the Game； but does it matter beyond that？ The Game is only a game； and what real difference does it make？〃 〃You fool！ Are you incapable of understanding？ This Game； that you're so proud of winning … It got out of hand long ago。 Haven't you been listening？ Did you hear nothing that Apollo just said about the death of Hermes？〃
〃All right。 All right。 Let's talk about Hermes Messenger。 He had supposedly gone to collect all the Swords again； to get them out of human hands； because some of us were getting worried。 But do you think he would really have destroyed the Swords； once he had them all collected？ I don't think so。〃
That suggestion was greeted by a thoughtful pause； a general silence。
And that silence broken by a slow and thoughtful voice： 〃Besides； are we really sure that Hermes is dead？ What solid evidence do we have？〃
Now even Apollo the reasoner felt pelled to howl his rage at such thickheadedness。 〃One of the Swords killed Hermes！ Farslayer； hurled from the hands of a mere human！〃
Apollo got a venomous retort。 〃How can we be sure that that's what really happened？ Has anyone seen the Sword Farslayer since then？ Did any one of us see Hermes fall？〃
At this moment； Zeus once more stepped forward。 He conveyed the impression of one who had been waiting for the exactly proper instant to take action。 And it seemed that he had at last timed an attempt correctly； because for once he was not howled down before he could begin to speak。
〃Wisdom es with experience；〃 Zeus intoned； 〃and experience with age。 To learn from the past is the surest way to secure the future。 In peace and wisdom there is strength。 In strength and wisdom there is peace。 In wisdom and。。。〃
No one howled him down this time； but after the first dozen words hardly any of his fellow deities were still listening。 Instead they resumed their separate conversations around the circle； taking time out from the general debate while they waited for Zeus to be finished。 This treatment was even deadlier than the other。 Zeus soon realized what was happening。 He retreated again to his own place in the ring； and there withdrew into a total； sulky silence。
Now … at another place along the ring there was a stirring and a swirling movement among the snow and rocks。 Attention became focused on this spot； just as a new member joined the pany there。 Rather than ing out of the sky as the others had； this god emerged up out of the Earth。 The form of Hades was indistinct； all dimness and darkness； a difficult object even for the faculties of another deity to prehend。
Hades in his formless voice said that yes； Hermes was certainly dead。 No； he； Hades； hadn't actually seen the Messenger fall； or die。 But he had been with Hermes shortly before what must have been the moment of that death； when Hermes was engaged in taking some Swords away from some humans。 It was Hades' opinion that Hermes had been acting in good faith in his attempt to collect the Blades； though unfortunately they had been lost again。
Now another side discussion was developing。 What about that offending human； the one that had apparently thrown Farslayer at Hermes and brought him down？ The awful hubris that could strike a god； any god； to earth cried out to heaven for vengeance。 What punishment had been dealt to the culprit？ Surely someone had already seen to it that some special and eternal retaliation had been inflicted？
The same thought had already occurred； long ago； to certain other members of the group。 Alas； they had to report now t