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〃They've gone by。 Father！〃 Hugh swaggered in； with his men； grinning。 〃They're a half…mile away； and no sign of…〃 He broke off； staring at the giant。
DeCade lifted his head with a curled smile。
Hugh fell to the floor on one knee。 〃Hail； Grandmaster DeCade！〃 His men followed his example； but only stared； dumbfounded。
DeCade stood looking at him a moment； then smiled； amused； at Dirk。 〃It seems to be catching。〃 And； to Hugh：
〃Rise； man。 Rise； all of you！ You must be done with one man kneeling to another！〃 He riveted his gaze on Hugh； half…amused。 〃You know me； eh？〃
Hugh scrambled to his feet。 〃You are DeCade； returned to us as the Wizard foretold！〃
DeCade nodded heavily； still half…smiling。 〃And who are you？〃
Hugh squared his shoulders proudly。 〃I am Hugh； a captain of the forest outlaws； Grandmaster。〃
〃Be done with that title； I like it not；〃 DeCade said sharply。 〃I am DeCade…nothing more。〃 He lapsed into silence； eyes boring into Hugh。 When he spoke； Dirk could hear the eagerness suppressed under his words。 〃You are chief of the forest men； then？〃
〃One of them； but our true chief is Lapin。〃 Hugh grinned。 〃We are waiting and eager to do your bidding； DeCade…armed； drilled； and primed； awaiting only your word。〃
DeCade nodded slowly； thoughtfully； eyes glinting。 He turned to Father Fletcher。 〃And you； Father？〃
〃I am only a poor hedge…priest； called Father Fletcher…and； of course； a courier between the outlaws and the Guildsmen。 They； too； stand ready； DeCade。 Ready； and biding in patience。 If you say to do it； they shall raze the town。〃
〃No； I think I shall not ask it；〃 DeCade smiled。 〃We want something left when all this is past。 And you； lady？〃
〃Madelon； DeCade。 I carry word between the Guild and the country folk； and the girls in the brothels。〃
〃The country folk； yes。〃 DeCade's head hadn't moved； but Dirk could feel the sudden piercing intensity in his words。 〃At the last； it all depends on them…the Farmers on the land； for they are the overpowering weight How stand these churls？〃
They are ready； DeCade…ready； and craving your word。〃 Father Pletcher nodded。 〃Each courier knows his route； each churl has weapons buried away； wrapped in oiled cloth。〃
DeCade nodded slowly； eyes burning。 〃It is with them that it rests。。。。 Ships！〃 He frowned suddenly。 〃The Wizard promised me those…mighty ships； tall towers falling down upon the land！〃
〃They are ready。〃 Dirk stepped forward； with an eldritch； unreal feeling prickling his skin。 〃They ride at your order； DeCade。〃
Father Fletcher and Hugh stared at him； startled。 With a wrench of irony； Dirk came back down to earth； 〃off…worlder〃 or no； they hadn't quite realized he could bring down the Far Towers。 〃I am Dirk Dulain； DeCade。 I speak for the sky…men。〃
DeCade squinted in pain； pressing fingertips to his forehead。 〃Yes。。。。 I remember now； you had told 。 。 。 this body。 They sent you to seek out the churls' leader。〃
Dirk nodded。 〃I have found him。 Twenty tall tower…ships ride waiting behind the moon。 At your word； they drop down； with fire…cannon ready。〃
DeCade winced again。 〃Yes。。。 laser cannon is their true name。 There is pain； in this mingling of memories。。。。〃
His head came up sharply； eyes burning into Dirk。 〃And the firesticks； laser pistols？ The Wizard promised those； too！〃
Dirk nodded。 〃They are ready； hidden throughout the land。 At your word； we unearth them； tell the churls where they are。 And when me Towers drop down； they'll bring more。〃
DeCade nodded tightly； with a gleeful smile。 〃All is indeed ready； then。 You have done well； very well。 How long has this taken。 How long have I slept？〃
The cavern was still。 Then。 〃Five hundred years；〃 Madelon murmured。
For a moment； DeCade blanched。 Then he began to smile again； with building warmth。 〃Aye； so the Wizard told me； he warned it might be centuries。 But it is worth it； after all； and things could not have changed so much that I cannot hold to his plan。 No； they could not change much。 Not in Melange。〃
〃Scarcely at all；〃 Dirk grunted。 He'd seen the records。 〃If ever there was a fossilized culture； this is it。 The Lords are dinosaurs； and their Triassic is ending。〃
DeCade nodded； gloating； then he threw back his shouldersa； grinning like a wolf。 〃Send the word throughout the land： in five days； we ring the Bell。 All is ready！〃
〃Well； not quite。〃 Dirk said it quickly； before the cheer could start。
DeCade turned to him； frowning。 〃What lacks？〃
Dirk hesitated； but his obstinate skepticism won out； 〃The Wizard。 The prophecy said he'd e back； too。〃
〃But he has！〃 Madelon cried。
〃Churls have seen him。〃 Hugh bellowed。 〃The word runs abroad！〃
〃Only rumors。〃 But a strange dread trickled down Dirk's spine； because DeCade was just leaning on his staff； watching him； amused。 He waited for the shouting to die； then said quietly； 〃Only that？ e； friend Dulain！ He is here； this body remembers it。 It has seen him。〃
Dirk stared。
And before he could ask the next question； DeCade was striding toward the archway。 〃e！。 Enough of skulking in hiding！ Raise the cry！〃
The whole crew fell in behind him with a shout of joy； what could Dirk do but follow？
As they stepped out into the sunlight； DeCade grinned back over his shoulder at Dirk。 〃You are worried； do not be。 The same weakness that makes so many of our people go mad will give them victory。 Your eyes shall see it： our madness is our strength。〃
〃Indeed it is；〃 said a coldly amused voice。
DeCade wheeled about； and Dirk's eyes snapped toward。 A ring of steel…clad men encircled the mouth of the cave。 In the center； a few paces in front of the others； stood Lord Core。
Hugh and his band streamed out behind DeCade and Dirk； joking and laughing。 They looked forward and froze。
〃What an elegant pany you make；〃 Core murmured。 〃And so many of you decked in my livery； too。 My faith！ Quite a pliment！〃 He turned his eyes to DeCade。 〃I had some notion that truth in this tale of your madness was somewhat limited。〃
DeCade's lips curved into a sardonic smile。 〃So？ And who do you think I am？〃
Core frowned； faintly disturbed by the change in the giant's manner。 〃You are the outworider who called himself Magnus d'Armand； and the slight one beside you is your henchman。〃
Dirk stiffened。 Slight？ Admittedly； he wasn't exactly a wrestler； but still。。。
DeCade's eyelids drooped sleepily。 〃Have you not gone to a great deal of trouble for two insignificant outworlders？〃
Core's face relaxed in a smile of contempt。 〃e； sir！ You know I cannot ignore any outworider abroad in this society。〃
〃Am I so much a threat； then？ Is your world so delicately balanced？〃
Core's face tightened as though he'd been slapped。 He stepped forward。 〃e； enough of this！ You see I have the advantage of you ten times…a hundred of my iron Soldiers against poor ten of you。 Surrender to me now； or meet your death…you and all your pany； Magnus d'Armand。〃
〃Why； so I might；〃 DeCade said reasonably； 〃were I Magnus d'Armand still。〃
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