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aw 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now was a furred beast on two legs； as tall and large as the dragon had been； but otherwise much transformed。 Claws had been replaced by fingers； on hands of human shape。 There were still great fangs； but they were bonewhite now； and the head in which they were set no longer had anything in the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 to what else to say。
At last he went on。 〃John Omi