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.But at what price was he willing to pursue his quest? The robe of the masterwas supposed to bring the respect of peers and followers a proof that he, too,was a man.Would it be there, if won by treachery and guile? If the265order of all things were destroyed in the process? If he were the lackey ofone so cold and strange? Jemidon drew his lips into a firm line.He wanted therobe, but not if he lost everything else in exchange."No," he said quietly, his voice as soft as Melizar's own."I have changed mymind.It is too much power.The laws were not meant to be altered.""Whence I came, the laws were not meant to stay the same." Melizar steppedforward."But no matter.By one means or another, you will serve.Seize him,Drandor.If he chooses not to offer his mind and muscle to me, then themanipulants will enjoy his marrow."Jemidon stepped back, wishing that he had a weapon.As he did, he saw the implight about Melizar's head brighten to a fiery incandescence.Too late, hetried to dodge a handful of dust that Melizar splashed into his face.He feltthe beginning of a numbing torpor.Then nothing.CHAPTER FIFTEENDoor into ElsewhereJEMIDONfelt a gentle touch on his forehead and forced open his eyelids.Abouncing glow of reddish light and strands of golden hair filled his view."Delia!" he said thickly."It was you whom 1 came to rescue.""With about as much forethought as when we raced into the presentation hall."Delia pulled away to give him room."And your discussion with Melizar seemedto focus on other things.Even though bound by the animation, I recall most ofwhat was said."Jemidon rose to sitting.He felt stiff and sore.His mouth was dry and thetaste rancid, as if he had been awakened266from the middle of a drunken sleep.Hovering a few feet from his head was alarge, glowing sprite, its bony arms crossed in front of a shallow chest andits legs coiled into a knot.The forehead bulged with bumps and mounds.Tuftsof coarse hair protruded from tiny ears.The nose lay smashed across a broadand pockmarked face.Except for the whine of rapidly beating wings, it seemedlike the well-preserved remains of a grotesque child.Jemidon ran his hands over his leather vest, touching the reassuringsmoothness of the coin about his neck and the lump of Benedict's changerunderneath.He placed his palms down at his sides and felt a tingling from asurface that was glassy-smooth.As his senses returned, he detected the samevibration through his thighs.He looked around inthe sprite light and saw rock everywhere.He and Delia were enclosed in aperfect sphere, centered on the small demon and showing no seam or exit.As iffrom the polished face stone of some great palace, specks of quartz and micacast back pale reflections of the flickering luminescence."A rockbubbler," Delia said."It can maintain a void several arm spans aboutitself in all directions, even at the greatest depths.One of the score or soPage 150 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthat keep open a pit under Drandor's tent.And apparently I have some degreeof control over this one.He responds to my bidding, as long as it does notconflict with his other instructions."'The Law of Dichotomy," a small, squeaky voice radiated from the gentiybobbing devil."One of the two upon which wizardry is based.'Dominance orsubmission/ There is no other choice." One small eye cocked to the side andstared at Delia."I have a master and I must obey.I fulfill your requestbecause it does not contradict and it is my choice.""By whateverjustification, the end result is the same," Delia said."Iinstructed him how to trick two others of his kind with which he had a pettyfeud.And now he has kept his sphere just tangent to the others so that theman-ipulants could not find you, Jemidon, before you awoke." Delia stopped andshuddered."Although with the fighting267that will eventually happen above, they will have many from whom to pick.""What has happened?" Jemidon shook his hands at arm's length to restore thecirculation.Any excitement from being with Delia was muted by the remains ofa deep lethargy."Where are we? The last I clearly remember is Melizar castingsome powder in my face.""Torpordust," Delia said."Something that can be made with the new magic.Heuses it to slow prisoners for the manipulants.""I thought it might have been a freezing
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