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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 that when they first heard of the offending human he was already beyond the reach of even divine revenge。
〃Then we must exact some sort of retribution from humanity in general。〃
〃Aha； now we e to it！ Just which part of humanity do you propose to strike at？ Those who are your pawns in the Game； or those I claim as mine？〃
Apollo's disgust at this argument was beyond all measure。 〃How can you fools still talk of pawns； and games？ Do you not see。。？〃 But words failed him for the moment。
Hades spoke up again； this time with his own suggestion for the permanent disposal of the Swords。 If all those god…forged weapons could somehow be collected； and delivered to him； he would see to their burial。 All the other deities present could permanently cease to worry。
〃We might cease doing a lot of things permanently； once you had all the Swords！ Of course you'd be willing to accept twelve for yourself … and incidentally to win the Game by doing so！ Where would that leave us？ What kind of fools do you take us for？〃
Hades was； or at least pretended to be； affronted by this attitude。 〃What do I care now about a game？ Now； when our very existence is at stake。 Haven't you been listening to Apollo？〃
〃Our very existence； bah！ Tell that stuff to someone who'll believe it。 Gods are immortal。 We all know that。 Hermes is playing dead； hiding out somewhere。 It's part of a ploy to win the Game。 Well； I don't intend to lose； whatever happens。 Not to Hermes； and not to Apollo； and particularly not to you！〃
Aphrodite； murmuring softly； announced to all who would listen that she could think up her own ideas for getting back the Swords。 Those who had the Swords； or most of them anyway； were only mere men； were they not？
Apollo spoke again。 This time he prefaced his remarks by waving his bow； a gesture that gained him notably greater attention。 He said that if the Swords could be regathered； they should then be turned over to him； as the most logical and trustworthy of gods。 He would then put an end to the threat the weapons posed； by the simple expedient of shooting them； like so many arrows； clean off the