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Again； abruptly； the dragon charged at Golok； this time with a thundering full roar。 The subtle nets of control； woven of beast…master's lore； had given way totally at last。
Both Mark and Hubert； meanwhile； had maneuvered away from Ben； so that the dragon was charging more or less in their direction and they had a good shot at the roof of the open mouth。 Ben； scrambling forward as fast as he could toward the dragon's flank with Dragonslicer gripped in both hands； thought that even so the chance was small that the bowmen could hit the brain； and that even if you hit the brain your problems with a landwalker were not over necessarily。。。 Already Dragonslicer's powers had awakened； and Ben could feel the Sword； hear it； shrilling as he ran。
Golok had fallen； scrambling； near the brink。 Longbow shaft and crossbow bolt； simultaneously； entered the open mouth that loomed above him。 There was an explosion of fire that gutted the dragon's left cheek outwards； the jolt of liquid hell that was to have been projected at Golok went spewing and sizzling away instead； some of it over the cliff's edge； some to spill upon the nearby rocks。 One of the missiles had burst a firegland in the cheek。
Ariane was yelling bravely； and slinging stones at the dragon； whether accurately or not made no difference in the least。 The two wizards were sensibly lying low。
Drooling flame； and certainly now aware of pain； the monster turned toward the other people who beset it。 Doon； scrambling desperately over and around rocks； behind the enemy now； struck with Wayfinder at one of its hind legs； aiming for a spot where there should be a tendon beneath the scales。 The heavy； razor…edged blade rebounded like a toy sword from an anvil。 The dragon did not see or feel him。
It saw Ben though； and it heard him。 The Sword of Heroes was in his hands； making its shrill sound； and now he felt the more…than…human power of the weapon flow into his arms。
As always； the great damned beasts were unpredictable。 At the last moment the dragon turned again away from Ben； and bent to pick up the screaming Golok in its left forelimb。 Ben could see the youth's legs； still living； kicking wildly。 Ben yielded himself to Dragonslicer； letting the force of it in his hands pull him forward to the attack。 The blow struck by the Sword was almost too swift for his own thought to follow it； and it took off cleanly the dragon's right paw as it swiped at him。 The severed forelimb thudded like an armored body falling to the ground； the iridescent blood gushing out。
The Sword of Heroes shrieked。
Ben got one more close look at Golok's living face。
Dragonslicer thrust home for the heart； parting hand…thick scales as if they had been tender leaves。 The landwalker stumbled backward； leaving the Sword still keening in Ben's hand's。 The treetrunk legs kicked out in reflex； hurling stones and dust。 With a last roar that ended in eruptive bubbling； the beast went backward over the cliff； Golok still clutched to its scaly breast。
Ben had time to scramble forward to the brink and watch the ending of the fall。 The two bodies did not separate until they hit the water and the rocks。
Chapter 10
The monkbird screamed； on and on。 To Ben it seemed to have been screaming for days。 With the Sword of Heroes still dripping dragon's blood in his right hand； he clung to the cliff…edge rocks； looking down a hundred meters at the sullen surge and smash of waves below。 It was a fine day； and the sea wore delicate shadings of blue and green over most of its vast surface。 The fall on rocks had pulped the huge beast's body like a dropped fruit； but the waves were already sorting and sifting and dispersing the organic wreckage； on the way to acplishing a tidy disposal of it。 And Golok's body had already disappeared pletely。
Mark had e to Ben's side； had taken him by the left arm； was pulling him back from the brink。
Doon was frothing angry。 〃The bird； the demon…damned bird！〃 He looked up at Dart's small； frantic shape flying not far above his head； as if he were about to strike at it with his Sword。 Dart's voiceless keening mingled with the racket of a cloud of seabirds that had been startled up from the shoreline rocks。 〃How are we going to be able to use it now？〃
As if intentionally answering his question； it came down suddenly； down in an abrupt swoop to Ariane standing nearby。 Her left arm was extended in the traditional gesture of beast masters to their flying pets。 Now； with its fur dark brown against the coils of her red hair； the monkbird huddled on her shoulder； mourning almost silently for its dead master； clinging there with feet and wings like some half…human orphan。 Ariane whispered to it and stroked it。 When Mitspieler came to her to see if he could help； she sent him away with a gentle headshake； and continued to soothe the creature。
Doon observed this with visible relief。 〃Good job； Princess。 We may not have lost much here after all。〃 He took a quick glance at the sky。 〃They may think they've lost their dragon over the cliff by accident； chasing a rabbit or some such。 Anyway we'll have e and gone； if we do the job right； before the dragon's missed。 Let's move。〃
And he moved ahead himself； Wayfinder drawn。 Ben； having cleaned Dragonslicer as well as he could on prickly leaves； followed closely。 Mark was near Ben； and the others only a few steps behind。
Ben could still recognize no details of his surroundings； though it looked in general like the same landscape from which he had fled by night。 Now； in broad day； it held no sign anywhere of humanity or of human works； apart from the adventurers themselves。 The wasteland stretched away to north； west； and south； kilometer after kilometer； empty arid grimly beautiful。
〃Where's your local Blue Temple？〃 asked Mark； sticking his head up over a hillock beside Ben's； to scan the way ahead。
〃Somewhere inland； over there。 Kilometers away。 It took us half a day and half a night to get here from there； even riding part of the way。〃
And on impulse Ben turned his head to look back across the water。 On the other side of the fjord rose the opposite headland； emerging belatedly from the last of the morning's mists to warm itself in early summer's sun。 The meadow and the forest on its top were indistinguishable at this distance and in this light。 The cliffs； with this side of them just ing into sunshine now； were vaguely blue。
Did I really swim all that way； and climb those cliffs？ Ben asked himself。 Swimming through the tides at night； with no idea of where I was really going？ Someday； he thought； I'll tell my grandchildren all about it。 My grandchildren and Barbara's； in our fine house。 I saw the Emperor sitting there in his gray cloak； and he looked just like a man。。。 Ben had been on the way to forgetting the incident pletely until Hubert had startled him with his tale。 But no use worrying now about the real truth of it … there had been no demons in evidence； anyway。
He looked inland again； and moved on； following the others who were getting ahead of him。
Doon； with his Sword in his hands； led them steadily on across