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And now； suddenly； unexpectedly； he had good luck in sight。 As he rounded a new curve of the canyon there sprang into view ahead of him a view into the bigger cross…canyon that this one joined。 Ahead he saw a narrow slice of swift gray water； with a luxuriant border of foliage； startlingly green； all framed in stark gray rock。
A little farther； and he would have not only water and concealment； but a choice of ways to turn； upstream or down。 The young man urged his tired body into a faster run。
In his imagination he was already tasting the cold water。 Then the tree…tall dragon emerged from the fringe of house…high ferns and other growth that marked the entrance to the bigger canyon。 As the young man stumbled to a halt the beast was looking directly at him。 Its massive jaw was working； but only lightly； tentatively； as if in this heat it might be reluctant to summon up the energy for a hard bite or even a full roar。
The young man was already so close to the dragon when he saw it that he could do nothing but freeze in his tracks。 He knew that any attempt at a quick retreat would be virtually certain to bring on a full charge； and he would have no hope of outrunning that。
Nor did he move to unsling his bow。 Even his best shot； placed perfectly into the eye； the only even semi…vulnerable target； might do no more than madden a dragon of the size of this one before him。 His best hope of survival lay in standing still。 If he could manage to do that； there was a bare chance that his earlier rapid movement would be forgotten and he would be ignored。
Then something happened that surprised the young men profoundly； so that now it was astonishment more than either terror or conscious effort that kept him standing like a statue。
The dragon's vast mouth； scarred round the lips with its own quondam flames； opened almost delicately； revealing yellowed and blackened teeth the size of human forearms。 From that mouth emerged a voice； a kind of cavernous whisper。 It was perfectly intelligible； though so soft that the motionless man could scarcely be sure that he was really hearing it。
〃Put down your little knife；〃 the dragon said to him。 〃I will not hurt you。〃
The man； who had thought he was remaining perfectly motionless； looked down at his right hand。 Without realizing it he had drawn the dagger from his belt。 Mechanically he put the useless weapon back into its sheath。
Even as the man did this； the dragon； perhaps three times his height as it stood tall on its hind legs； moved closer to him by one great stride。 It reached out for him with one enormous forelimb； armed at the fingertips with what looked like pitchfork tines。 But that frightening grip picked up the man so gently that he felt no harm。 In a moment he had been lifted； tossed spinning in the air； and softly； safely； caught again。 At this moment； that seemed to him certain to be the moment of his death； he felt curiously free from fear。
Death did not e； nor even pain。 He was being tossed and mauled quite tenderly。 Here we went up again； propelled with a grim playfulness that tended to jolt the breath out of his chest； but did him no real damage。 In one of these revolving airborne jaunts； momentarily facing back up the side canyon； he got his clearest look yet at the whole small gang of his surviving human pursuers。 They had been even closer behind him than he had thought； but now with every instant they were meters farther away。 The three of them； two looking forward and away； one looking back in terror； were astride their riding beasts again； and never mind the chance that a mount might stumble here。 All three in panic were galloping at full stretch back up the barren floor of the side canyon。
The dragon roared。 The tossed man's own whirling motion whirled the riders away； out of his field of vision。 He felt his flying body brush through a fringe of greenery。 His landing was almost gentle； on shaded ground soft as a bed with moss and moisture。 He lay there on his back； beneath great dancing fronds。 This position afforded him a fine view of the dragon's scaly green back just as； roaring like an avalanche； it launched a charge after the three riders。
In another moment the riders were pletely out of sight around the first curve of the side canyon。 The dragon at once aborted its charge and ceased its noise。 It turned； and with an undragonly air of calm purpose came striding back to where the man lay。 He just lay there； watching its approach。 The creature hadn't killed him yet； and anyway he could never have outrun it even had his lungs been full of breath。
Once more the huge dragon gently picked him up。 It carried him carefully for a little distance； deeper into the heavy riverside growth of vegetation。 Through the last layer of branches ahead the man could plainly see the swift narrow stream that threaded the canyon's floor。
The dragon spoke above the endless frantic murmur of the water。 〃They will never；〃 it told the man in its sepulchral voice； 〃e back and follow a dragon into this thicket。 Instead they will return to their masters and report that you are dead； that with their own eyes they saw you crushed and eaten。〃 Saying this； the dragon again deposited the man on soft ground； this time very gently。
Then the dragon took a long step back。 Its image in the man's eyes flickered； and for one moment he had the definite impression that the huge creature was wearing a broad leather belt around its scaly； bulging midsection。 And there was a second； momentary impression； that from this belt there hung a scabbard； and that the scabbard held a sword。
The belt and Sword were no longer visible。 Then they reappeared。 The man blinked； he shook his head and rubbed his eyes and looked again。 Some kind of enchantment was in operation。 It had to be that。 If it。。。
The Swordbelt； now unquestionably real； was now hanging looped from a great furry hand … it was undeniably a hand； and not a dragon's forefoot。 The fur covering the hand； and covering the arm and body attached； was basically a silver gray； but it glowed remarkably with its own inner light。 As the man watched； the glow shifted； flirting with all the colors of the rainbow。 The enormous hand let the belt drop。
Standing before the youth now was a furred beast on two legs； as tall and large as the dragon had been； but otherwise much transformed。 Claws had been replaced by fingers； on hands of human shape。 There were still great fangs； but they were bonewhite now； and the head in which they were set no longer had anything in the least reptilian about it。 Although the figure was standing like a man； the face was not human。 It was … unique。
The great dark eyes observed with intelligence the man's reaction to the transformation。
The young man's first outward response was to get back to his feet； slowly and shakily。 Then he walked slowly to where the belt and Sword were lying； on shaded moss。 Bending over； he observed that the jet…black hilt of the Sword was marked with one small white symbol； but； though the man dropped to his knees to look more closely； he was unable to make out what that symbol was。 His eyes for some reason had trouble getting it into clear focus。 Then he reached out and put his fingers on that hilt； and with that touch he felt the power he had expected enter into him。 Now he was able to see the symbol plainly。 It was the simple outline of an observant human eye。
Turning his head to look up at the waiting giant； the young man said： 〃I am Mark； son of Jord。〃 As he spoke he got to his feet； and as he stood up he drew the Sword。 His right hand held up that bright magnificence of steel in a salute。
The giant's answer came in an inhumanly deep bass； quite different from the dragon's voice： 〃You are Mark of Arin…on…Aldan。〃 The youth regarded him steadily for a moment。 Then he nodded。 〃That also；〃 he agreed。 Then； lowering the Sword； he added； 〃I have held Sightblinder here once before。〃
〃You have held others of the Swords as well。 I know something of you； Mark； though we have not met。 I am Draffut； as you must have realized by now。 The man called Nestor； who was your friend； was also mine。〃
Mark did not answer immediately。 Now that he was holding the Sword of Stealth； some inward things about the being he was looking at had bee apparent to him。 Just how they were apparent was something he could not have explained had his life depended on it； but across Draffut's image in Mark's eyes some part of Draffut's history was now written； in symbols that Mark would not be able to see； much less interpret； once he put down the Sword again。
Mark said； 〃You are the same Draffut who is prayed to as the God of Healing。 Who knew Ardneh the Blessed； as your living friend two thousand years ago。。。 but still I will not call you a god。 Lord of Beasts； as others name you； yes。 For certainly you are that； and more。〃 And Mark bowed low。 〃I thank you for my life。〃
〃You are wele。。。 and Beastlord is a title that I can at least tolerate。〃 Actually the huge being seemed to enjoy it to some extent。 〃With Sightblinder in your hand I am sure you can see I am no god。 But I have just e from an assembly of them。〃
Mark was startled。 〃What？〃
〃I say that I have just e from an assembly of the gods；〃 Draffut repeated patiently。 〃And I had Sightblinder in my own hand as I stood among them so each of them saw me as one of their own number。。。 and I saw that in them which surprised me； as I stood there and listened to them argue。〃 〃Argue。。。 about what？〃
〃In part； about the Swords。 As usual they were able to agree on nothing； which I count as good news for humanity。 But I heard other news also； that was not good at all。 The Dark King； Vilkata； has the Mindsword now。 How and when he got it； I do not know。〃
For a long moment Mark stood silent。 Then he muttered softly； 〃Ardneh's bones！ The gods were saying that？ Do you believe it？〃
〃I am glad；〃 said Draffut； 〃that you understand that what the gods tell us is not always true。 But in this case I fear it is the truth。 Remember that I held the Sword of Stealth in my own hands then； and I looked at the speakers carefully as they were speaking。 They were not telling deliberate lies； nor do I think they were mistaken。〃
〃Then the human race is。。。〃 Mark made a gesture of futility。 〃。。。 in trouble。〃 Looking down at the blade he was still holding； he swung it lightly； testing how it felt in his grip。 〃If the question is not too impertinent； how did you e to have this？ The last time I saw it； it was embedded in the body of a flying dragon。〃
〃It may have fallen from the creature in flight。 I found it in the Great Swamp。〃
〃And … again if you do not mind my asking … how did you e to be spying on the gods？〃
Draffut rested one of his enormous hands on a tree…trunk that stood beside him。 Mark thought he saw the bark change color around that grip。 It even moved a little； he thought； achieving a different tempo in its life。 Many were the marvelous tales told of Draffut。 Now the Beastlord was speaking。
〃Once I had this Sword in my hand； I decided that I would never have a better chance to do something that I had long thought about … to find the Emperor； and talk to him face to face。〃
〃You did not go first to find the gods？〃
〃I had met gods before。〃 Draffut ruminated。 In a moment he went on。 〃The Emperor is not an easy man to locate。 But I have some skill in discovering that which is hidden； and I found him。 I had been for a long time curious。〃
Mark had sometimes been curious on the same subject； but only vaguely so。 He had grown up accepting the monly held ideas about the Emperor： a legendary trickster； perhaps invented and unreal。 A practical joker； a propounder of riddles； a wearer of masks。 A sometime seducer of brides and maidens； and the proverbial father of the poor and the unlucky。 Only in recent years； as Mark began to meet people who knew more about the world than the name of the next village； had he e to understand that the Emperor might have a real importance。
Not that his curiosity on the subject had ever occupied much of his time or thought。 Still； he now asked Draffut； 〃What is he like？〃
〃He is a man；〃 said Draffut firmly； as if there had been some doubt of that。 But； having made that point； the Beastlord paused； as if he were at a loss as