Part 64 (1/2)

For an instant nothing happened. The light from Palodad's domain outwelled into the blackness. Astron could

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see the hem of Nimbia's tunic and behind her the rest of the prince's machine. He began to get dizzy from all of the churning impulses in his brain. He felt his thoughts begin to slow. His grip on the pollen grain loosened as Palodad scrambled to rip it free.

But as consciousness finally faded, Astron noted that the size of the hole into the realm of daemon began to shrink. He watched it close to the diameter of Palodad's metal ball, then to a coin in the realm of men. With a satisfying final rush, the rip vanished altogether and the : realm was whole.

Almost absently Astron turned his attention to Palo- ' dad, frantically clawing away at what he possessed. For ' a second, the two demons wrestled with the sphere that i no longer burned. Then with a final burst of energy As- . tron steadied himself against the outer surface of the realm and heaved the pollen grain as hard as he could 1 deeper into the fathomless depths of the void.*

Unable to surrender his most precious treasure, Palo- -s dad held his grip on the orb as it sailed away. He opened his mouth to scream a protest and no sounds came forth. In a spew of blood and foam, the prince arched into the nothingness and out of sight.

For a second Astron watched him go. Then he collapsed into a ball as he also began to drift away. He was ready to surrender to his fate; his job was finally done.

He had done it! Nimbia, the realm of daemon, all of existence, everything had been saved!

Only dimly was he aware of the transformation taking place around him, the formation of what looked like solid rock, shelves, a small pile of bones, pen and ink, a lock of hair, and three books and other artifacts from the realm of men.

The stembrain, he mused in misty incoherence-it was right even to the last conjecture, the slender chance that convinced him to take the risk. And she must have had deep feelings for him after all. For a mere subject, she would not have paid so much attention to the detail.

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”And so Astron gambled that Nimbia would be able to construct a new realm for him in time to save his life,” Kestrel explained to the wizards who had a.s.sembled in the presentation hall of the archimage. Over a dozen score were there, sitting in precise lines and following each of his words with frowning concentration. The archimage sat in the first row, with his consort Aeriel robed in the deep green of the ministry of Procolon at his side. Crowded about the periphery behind them, scribes busily squeaked their quills across thick parchments, mingling with emissaries from Arcadia across the sea and other masters of the five arts. The setting sun cast long shadows through the high windows, and serious-faced pages began to light the sconces that would continue the meeting far into the night.

Kestrel glanced at the demon next to him on the dais, shyly clasping the hillsovereign's hand, and smiled. Behind the four of them, the fire that had brought them back to the realm of men flickered silently. ”If her feelings had not been sufficiently strong, she might not have succeeded,” Kestrel said. ”But, as you can see, Nimbia was able to create a safe haven out of the void just in the nick of time.”

”Astron's mind was never besotted by my-my external attributes.” Nimbia's hand squeezed the one she held. ”He alone judged me for my inner worth. Once I realized that, I knew that the quest that I had pursued almost unknowingly for so long was finally over.”

”Then with Palodad out of the way, it was a relatively simple matter for the hillsovereign and me to bring the demons in his lair under our control,” Phoebe said. ”We dispatched scores to all corners of the realm to announce the answer to the riddle and to explain that it was Elezar who had won the contest. All the other princes stopped their struggle against him and, with the prince of lightning djinns himself defeated, brought Caspar's minions under control. Now they all defer to Elezar's leaders.h.i.+p-in fear if nothing else, so close was there almost disaster for all.”

”So the golden one is back in command and I am still his master.” Alodar rose from his chair. ”The realm of men is safe once again.” Holding a scarlet ribbon that pierced a

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large circle of gold, he stepped onto the dais. He cleared his throat and placed the medallion about Phoebe's neck. ”The council of councils is unanimous in their vote,” the archimage said. ”Wear the logo of flame proudly, wizard. You have been accepted by all, the equal of any man,”