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day； I don't suppose I ever really believed that gods existed。〃
〃And which god did you meet that day； and how？〃 The huge voice was patient and interested； willing to gossip about gods if that was what Nestor wanted。 Above the folded arms； the immense face was inhuman。 It was impossible for Nestor to read expression in it。
Nestor hesitated； thought； and then answered as clearly as he could； and not as he would have responded to questions put by any human interrogator。 Instead； he felt himself to be speaking as simply as a child； without trying to calculate where his answers might be going to lead him。
〃It was Hermes Messenger that I encountered。 He came plete with his staff and his winged boots。 I was living alone then； in a small hut； away from people … and Hermes came to my door and woke me one morning at dawn。 Just like that。 He was carrying in one hand a sword； the like of which I'd never seen before； and he handed it over to me … just like that。 Because； as he said； I would know how to use it。 I was already in the dragon…hunting trade。 He told me that the sword had been for far too long in the possession of people who were never going to use it； who were too afraid of it to try； though they had some idea of its powers。 Therefore had Hermes taken it from them； and brought it to me instead。 It was called the Sword of Heroes； he told me； and also known as Dragonslicer。 He said that it would kill any dragon handily。
〃Well； I soon had the opportunity to put Dragonslicer to the test； and I found that what Hermes had told me was the truth。 The blade pierced the scales of any dragon that I met like so much cloth。 It chopped up their bones like twigs； it found their hearts unerringly。 Hermes had told me that it had been forged by Vulcan； and when I saw what it could do I at last believed him on that point also。〃
〃And what else did Hermes say to you？〃
Trying to meet his questioner's eyes was giving Nestor trouble。 Staring at the giant's legs； he marked how their fur still glowed on the border of vision； even now when direct sunlight was pletely gone。 Night's shadows； rising from the swamp； had by now crept pletely across the cleared courtyard and were climbing the front of the enormous； ruined temple。
〃What else did he say？ Well； when I thought he was about to turn away and leave me with the sword； I asked him again： 'Why are you giving this to me？' And Hermes answered： 'The gods grow impatient； for their great game to begin。〃' 〃'Great game'？〃 The giant's voice rumbled down to Nestor from above。 〃Do you know what he meant by that？〃
〃No； though I have thought about it often。〃 Nestor forced himself to raise his head and look the other in the eye。 〃Do you know what he meant？〃
〃To guess what the gods mean by what they say is more than I can manage； most of the time。 And is this sword here at our feet the same that Hermes gave to you？〃
〃I thought so； when I tried to kill the flying dragon with it。 But； now that I think back。。。 〃 Nestor bent quickly and picked up the sword； examining its hilt closely in the fading light。 〃No； it is not； though this one is very like it。 A boy I met； traveling； was carrying this one。 There was a fight。 There was confusion。 And Duke Fraktin's soldiers probably have my sword by now。〃 Nestor uttered a small； fierce sound。
〃Explain yourself。〃 The huge dark eyes of his questioner were still unreadable； above titanic folded arms。
〃All right。〃 Nestor's sudden bitter anger over the loss of his own sword helped suppress timidity。 And the longer he spoke with the giant； the less afraid of him he felt。 Briefly considering his own reactions； Nestor decided that his childlike forthrightness resulted from knowing himself； like a child； pletely dependent on some benevolent other。 〃I'll explain what I can。 But is there any reason why you cannot answer a question or two for me as well？〃
〃I may answer them； or not。 What are these questions？〃
The mildness of this reply； as Nestor considered it； encouraged his boldness； and anyway； with him boldness was a lifelong habit； now beginning to reassert itself。 〃Will you tell me your name； to begin with？ You have not spoken it yet。 Or asked for mine。〃
There was a brief pause before the bass rumble of the answer drifted down。 〃Your name I know already； slayer of dragons。 And if I tell you my name now； you are almost certain to misunderstand。 Perhaps later。〃
Nestor nodded。 〃Next； some questions about the creature that brought me here。 I have never seen anything like it before； and I have some experience。 It flew straight here to you as if it were acting on your orders； under your control。 Is it truly a dragon； or some thing of magic？ Did you create it？ Did you send it after me？〃
〃It is a dragon； and I did send it。 I am sorry that you were injured； for I meant you no harm。 But I took the risk of harming you； for the sake of certain information I felt I had to have。 Rumors had reached me； through the dragons； of a man who killed their kind with a new magical power that was embodied in a sword。 And other word had reached me； through other means； of other swords that were said to have been made by the gods。。。 I have good reason to want to know about these things。〃
Nestor thought that possibly he was being used to the burden of that dark gaze。 Now he could meet it once again。 〃You are a friend of dragons； then； and talk to them。〃
The giant hesitated。 〃'Friend' is perhaps not the right word for it。 But in some sense I talk to them； and they to me。 I talk with everything that lives。 Now； I would ask you to answer a few more questions for me； in turn。〃
〃I'll try。〃 〃Good。 There is an old prophecy。。。 what do you know of the Gray Horde？〃
Nestor looked back blankly。 〃What should I know？ I have never heard the words before。 What do they mean？〃
His interrogator considered。 〃e with me and I will show you a little of their meaning。〃 With that； the towering figure turned and paced away toward the temple。 Nestor followed； sword in hand。 He smiled briefly； faintly； at the enormous furred back moving before him； the other had not thought twice about turning his back on a strange man with a drawn sword。 Not that Nestor was going to think even once about making a treacherous attack。 Even if he'd had something to gain by it； he would as soon have contemplated taking a volcano by surprise。
The front entrance of the temple was high enough for the giant to walk into it without stooping。 Now； once inside； Nestor observed that the building had indeed been constructed of some hardened and preserved wood … traces of the grain pattern were still visible。 He thought that it must be very old。 Much of the roof had fallen in； but the ceiling was still intact in some of the rooms。 So it was in the high chamber where Nestor's guide now stopped。 Here it was already quite dark inside。 As Nestor's eyes adapted to the gloom； the fantastic carvings that filled the walls seemed to materialize out of the darkness like ghosts。
The giant； his body outlined in the night by his own faintly luminous fur； had halted beside a large open tank that was built into the center of