Bal-Simba and the others studied the page. Look at him once and you'd think he was fifteen or sixteen. Look closer and you'd see he was a couple of years younger, just tall for his age.

aWho are you?a aBrian, My Lord. The cook's son.a aDo those things in the fog hinder you?a The page shook his head. aThey sort of talk to you, but mostly they ignore you. You can walk right through them. It's cold and you can't see anything, but if you stay on the path you can follow it right down to the river and take one of the boats across.a aIt appears,a Dragon Leader said, athat this cub is a better scout than any of my riders.a aOr the thing is attracted by ridden dragons,a Arianne said, aand perhaps the magic you carry.a She looked back at the page. aDid you have any magic upon you?a The boy shook his head.

aBrian, do you think you can get back across the river?a asked Dragon Leader.

The boy nodded.

aYour plan?a Bal-Simba asked Dragon Leader.

aThe boy can go where my riders cannot. We must know more about this cloud and how far it extends.a aA dangerous mission for a child,a Arianne pointed out.

aI'm almost thirteen!a Brian said and then blushed again as the others looked at him.

aAlmost old enough for the apprentice squadron,a Dragon Leader said.

aIf he cannot carry magic, the boy cannot communicate with us once he is out there.a aI know,a Bal-Simba said. aIt will have to be in and out.a aI can do that, My Lord,a Brian said enthusiastically.

aVery well,a Bal-Simba said finally to Dragon Leader. aTake the cub, outfit him warmly and tell him what to look for. But no magic, mind!a Dragon Leader put his hand on the beaming page's arm and guided him from the chamber.

aThe shifts we are driven to!a Bal-Simba sighed when they were out the door.

Arianne laid her hand on the wizard's shoulder. aI believe you are the one who said we do what we must.a Bal-Simba reached up and patted her hand. aThat does not mean we have to like it.a

SEVEN - TROUBLE IN THE TUNNELS.

In spite of his concentration Wiz nearly ran into Malkin when the tall thief stopped suddenly. Almost instinctively the others cl.u.s.tered around her.

Malkin peered ahead intently. aI think there is a light at the end of this tunnel.a aDaylight?a Danny whispered.

aMore likely a gorilla with a flashlight,a Wiz whispered. The others looked at him oddly. aI mean, let's be careful about this.a Malkin in the lead they crept down the tunnel, with the rest of the party following in a tight knot. Before they had gone another twenty paces Wiz was sure there was light ahead. Another hundred and the glimmer had resolved itself into an eerie blue glow.

Malkin looked over her shoulder at Wiz and raised her eyebrows in silent question.

aI don't know,a he whispered. aI don't remember anything like this.a He turned to the others. aStay close and stay cool, people. And donat make any noise.a Cautiously the party crept up the tunnel toward the glow, Malkin flitting along without a whisper of sound and the others coming as quietly as their natures permitted. Wiz tried to watch where he put his feet, keep up with Malkin and not make any noise. He winced every time one of his companions made a sc.r.a.pe or dislodged a loose rock with a clatter.

There was no sign of life ahead, just the glow which gradually got stronger as they approached. It filled the tunnel with a soft cool radiance mat seemed to radiate evenly from the top third of the tunnel. There was no sound and not so much as a breath of air moving. But there was a smell that reminded Wiz somehow of the bas.e.m.e.nt of an old house, musty without being damp.

At last they stepped out into a section of tunnel with a flat floor and walls that looked as if the rock had been adzed smooth. At this distance they could detect irregularities in the glowing surface as if it had a somewhat lumpy undercoat. There was still no sign of life.

Wiz motioned Danny forward to take a reading with the magic detector.

The younger programmer came up beside him and swept his talisman over the glowing surface. aI'm not getting any magic from it,a Danny whispered.

Wiz reached out and touched the glow. It felt like dry wood pulp and some of the glow came off on his hand. aIt's fungus,a he said quietly. aNothing but fungus.a aHmmf!a said Glandurg, striding up and yanking off a large handful of the glowing material. The move filled the air around him with dust and he sneezed thunderously. aAll that over a little fox fire.a aQuiet,a Malkin hissed.

aBah!a the dwarf roared. aThere's nothing here but some fungus.a aAnd whatever planted it,a Malkin said quietly. aSomething has been bringing it wood to feed upon.a aAnd what,a demanded the dwarf,a do you suppose this oh-so-dangerous farmer of fungus might be?a Wiz saw indistinct shadows moving in the blueness ahead. aI think we're about to find out.a An ant! was Wiz's first thought. But it wasn't. It was insectile and proportioned something like an ant, with divided body and long, spindly legs. But ants don't walk erect. Nor are they six feet tall. True, some ants do have oversized heads with enormous pincers that open and close reflexively, but Wiz had never heard of an ant with polished steel blades riveted to its pincers.

The thing came on, stopping every couple of steps, to swing its head this way and that as if testing the air. Wiz and Malkin began to creep backwards, one slow step at a time. The ones behind them backed up as well, to the end of the smoothed part of the tunnel and then into the unworked portion.

It was then that Glandurg's undwarf-like clumsiness betrayed him. He put his root down on a loose rock, which went scooting out from under him, taking his foot and leg with it. Glandurg went down with a crash and a curse and the ant-thing lowered its head, opened its pincers and charged.

aDrop!a Wiz yelled to Malkin and hurled a lightning bolt at the attacker. The bolt struck home and the creature shriveled and blackened under the impact. The fungus-impregnated wood pulp around it began to smolder, releasing clouds of noxious black smoke. Malkin rolled past Wiz and bounced to her feet, rapier and dagger ready. Beyond her the light from the tunnel was blocked off as a ma.s.s of ant-things swarmed toward the intruders.

aLet's get out of here,a Wiz shouted.

No one needed a second invitation. They turned and ran with Wiz bringing up the rear and throwing lightning bolts to slow down pursuit.

Another ant-thing appeared out of a side tunnel. It barely had time to open its jaws before Danny dropped it with a fireball. Two others poked their armored heads out of side crevices as the party fled past. Wiz struck one with a spell and Malkin cut the forelegs out from under the other with a deft stroke of her rapier. The thing stumbled, rebalanced itself on its remaining legs and came on after them.

Wiz cast his anti-friction spell on the tunnel. The creatures slipped and slid, but they were more nimble than a dragon and they kept coming, skating down the tunnel toward their fleeing prey.

Wiz stopped dead in the middle of the tunnel and took a deep breath.

aAre you mad?a Malkin yelled. aCome on!a But Wiz ignored her, raised his staff and began to chant.

There was a rumble and a shiver and the loose rocks began to move. At first they shook where they were, as if the earth was quaking. Then they began to move. Gradually at first and then faster and faster the rocks flew down the tunnel like a reverse explosion. Two boulders tried to get through a s.p.a.ce not quite big enough and caught. Three other smaller pieces piled up against them and then a host of rocks from pebbles to boulders jammed against them blocking the tunnel solid.

aCute,a Malkin said, admiring Wiz's handiwork.

aIt's a variation on Jerrys rubble-moving spell, which we used the last time we were in the City of Night,a Wiz explained. aNow let's get out of here before they get the tunnel unblocked.a He looked around. 'There aren't enough loose rocks here to do that trick again.a aNow what?a the thief asked as they hurried along.

aNow we find a place where the roof and walls are solid rock and cave in this whole section of the runnel. We can't do it here because the ceiling is too unstable. We'd probably get caught in the landslide.a aHey,a Danny yelled from up ahead. 'There's a door here.a As Wiz came puffing up he saw that there was indeed another door of iron-bound oak set in the solid rock wall aCan you get us through that?a Wiz asked Malkin. aIt looks like the rock is solid enough on the other side to let me use my cave-in spell.a Malkin bent and examined the door, running her fingertips over it.

aHmm,a she said. aAh, yes. Yes indeed.a aCan you open it?a aOf course.a aHow long will it take?a Malkin looked at him as if he were simple. aAs long as it takes, of course.a Behind them they could hear a faint scrabbling and shirting as the bugs worked to clear the tunnel.

aWe may not have that long. We're gonna have to cut our way through this one.a aStand aside, Wizard,a Glandurg said. aIt is time for Blind Fury to sing.a That wasn't what Wiz had in mind, but Glandurg had already unsheathed the gleaming blade and was waving it above his head. Obviously somethinga"or someonea" was about to get cut and on quick reflection Wiz decided it would be better for everyone if it was the door. He motioned the others back and stepped well clear himself.

Malkin indicated a spot on the wall to the right of the door. aAim here.a Then she joined the group well behind the dwarf and out of range.

Glandurg nodded, raised the sword over his head and brought it down with a mighty blow. Naturally he missed completely. Instead of striking the rock wall, he hit the door along the hinge line, shearing wood and hinges from shoulder height to floor. The door, not made to withstand such an attack, simply collapsed into a pile of boards.

aMissed,a the dwarf said sheepishly.

'That's all right,a Wiz told him as Malkin winked at him over Glandurg's head. Then she stepped through the doorway and into the room beyond. As soon as they were through a couple of quick blasts from Wiz's staff collapsed a hundred yards of tunnel.

Danny was looking down the tunnel after the dwarf. Then he caught Wiz's arm as Wiz came past. aWiz,a he whispered, ayou're sure he's on our side, right? I mean you checked out his credentials and everything?a aHe thinks he's on our side,a Wiz whispered back. Then he hurried on, leaving Danny puzzled in his wake.

Even a small dragon was an uncomfortable fit in the Watchers' chamber. The sunken floor was crammed with stations for those who used their scrying skills to see far beyond the borders of the Capital or to communicate across the length and breadth of the lands of mortals. The tables were wood, the men and women sitting one or two to a table wore the robes of wizards and they stared at crystals or bowls. There was barely s.p.a.ce between them for humans to move, much less a dragon. Nor was the raised platform that ran around three sides of the room really large enough for a beast the size of Moira's new body to be comfortable.

Moira grimly ignored that, even when a hurrying Watcher tripped over her tail. She and Bal-Simba had come for a more important purpose.

aAnd they still have not reported in?a Bal-Simba asked the Chief Watcher.

aAs I said, My Lord.a aHave you tried to contact them?a aI felt it was best to ask your advice before doing so.a Then do so now. Tell them to return. We can still bring them back along the Wizard's Way, but if this thing continues to grow we will not be able to do so for much longer.a The Chief Watcher spoke a spell and two dozen demons appeared in the air before him. He spoke again and the demons began to speak, each but a fraction of a syllable before the next took up the message.

There is nothing, Lord.a Bal-Simba frowned mightily. aPerhaps the new crystals are not working,a Moira said.

aPerhaps,a the Watcher said neutrally.

Try to reach them,a the wizard commanded. aSee if you can get a reply. If you cannot reach them on the special crystal, try other means. If you cannot reach them, convene a coven of wizards and pull them back unawares.a The Watcher nodded and turned back to his work, trying to ignore the scaly nose thrust over his shoulder.

The Watcher was still bent over the crystal when Bronwyn came hurrying into the Watch chamber.

aMy Lord, My Lady, you had best come. Jerry is stirring. I think he may be awake.a Jerry Andrews was tossing restlessly on the infirmary pallet when they arrived. Two of Bronwyn's apprentices were beside him, bathing his brow and keeping him from falling out. They looked up and withdrew slightly as Bronwyn led the others in.

aHe has become increasingly agitated in the last day-tenth,a the chief healer explained. 'That usually means the subject is returning to his body.a aWill he be all right?a Moira asked.

aAsk me after he awakens.a She cast a professional eye at her patient. aI do not think that will be long.a aJerry,a Moira called. Then more loudly. aJerry, wake up!a aWhaaa It was a mumble rather than a word, but the apprentice healers brightened at the sound.

aMy Lord, can you hear me?a Bal-Simba didn't shout, but the timbre of his voice carried to the very bones of the hearers.

aAhh, okay, yeah.a Jerry seemed to relax into the bed then his eyes flickered and opened.

aWelcome back, My Lord,a Bronwyn said warmly. She motioned and one of the apprentices handed her a bowl. aDrink this.a She held it to Jerry's lips. Jerry swallowed, gulped, wrinkled his nose and sneezed. From where she stood, Moira's dragon sense of smell caught a whiff of the bowl's contents. She could not blame him at all.

aGahh!'s awful.a aIt will help you recover,a Bronwyn told him, handing the bowl back to the apprentice.

aWhere am I?a He turned his head. aInfirmary, right?a aJust so,a Bal-Simba told him.

aHow long?a aWere you gone? About three days.a aWiz?a Jerry slurred. aMalkin?a aNot here,a Bal-Simba told him.

aWhere are they? Are they all right?a They are safe and well. But they have gone on a mission.a aWhere?a aTo the City of Night to face the thing that did this.a aNo!a Jerry struggled to sit up, paled and sank back into the pillows. aWon't work,a he gasped. aCan't do it that way.a aThey do not intend to confront our enemy,a Bal-Simba said. aThey only go to scout, to bring us back a better picture of what it is we are fighting.a Jerry clutched at his arm. aYou don't understand. The thing absorbs. If Wiz and Danny get too close it will suck them in, make them part or it. That's nearly what happened to me.a aWiz drove the things off before they could finish,a Moira told him.

Jerry looked at the dragon. aHallucinating?a he mumbled.

There was an accident,a Moira told him. aOr perhaps intentional action.a aThe Enemy has taken her body,a Bal-Simba said. aThat is why Wiz and the others have gone there.a aThey can't do it!a He broke off in a fit of coughing. aGet them back,a he said hoa.r.s.ely.

Bronwyn moved to the head of the bed. aMy Lord, unless you have pressing questions you had best let him rest. He is still very weak and somewhat disoriented.a Bal-Simba nodded and touched the dragon's shoulder. aVery well.a He nodded to Jerry. aWe will talk later.a aGet them back,a the programmer entreated to then-retreating backs. aCall them off.a Arianne was waiting for them in the corridor beyond the sickroom.

aMore news from the Watchers?a Bal-Simba asked as soon as the door was closed.

aThere is another complication, My Lord. We have not only lost contact with Wiz's party, we cannot reach them along the Wizard's Way. We can still penetrate the things attacking the castle, but apparently the Enemy found their entry and blocked it. The Watchers are still trying but so far they cannot reach them by any means.a Moira drew back her scaly neck and hissed like a berserk tea kettle. aA trap! The whole d.a.m.ned thing is a trap!a aSo it would appear,a Bal-Simba said grimly. aOur enemy seems to have a special fondness for traps.a aIf we do not find them and get them backa"or at least warn themaa The thought hung unfinished.

aThen we will just have to bring them back or warn thema"somehow.a

EIGHT - UNDER SIEGE.

aMy Lord?a Arianne asked.

aHhhmpf?a Bal-Simba refocused his eyes and looked at his a.s.sistant.

aI asked if you were ready for luncheon.a aI am sorry. I was thinking. Piecing together what we know and what we do not.a Arianne recognized the tone and saw that lunch would be delayed for a bit aOur attackers magic is of a type which is unknown to us, although it appears to be based on the new magic. Juvian and Agricolus have done much good work on that So far his primary weapon appears to be this fog, which is attracted to magic, which seems to explain why it dings so close to the castle.a aWhich we know it does thanks to the page Brian,a Arianne added. aHe went out no less than three times yesterday. Now we are using dismounted dragon riders to survey the fog's extent. He will be serving us for a while, by the way, part of his reward.a Bal-Simba nodded.

aBut most of this we knew as of this morning,a Arianne added. aFrom your manner I suspect you have discovered something more.a The wizards brow furrowed. aNot discovered, exactly, but I did have a thought. Obviously our adversary has access to the Sparrows new magic. Perhaps that would be a fruitful line of inquiry.a aLord, the new magic is fairly widespread by now,a Arianne pointed out aThe Sparrow and his friends have been teaching it to any who would learn and they in turn have been teaching it to others.a aTrue, but whoever is behind this has unusual abilities with it. Perhaps it would be well to make inquiries, delicately, as to the activities of the especially apt pupils.a aYes,a the blond woman said slowly. aIf done quietly it costs us little enough and may perhaps offer a clue.a Her expression changed.

aA thought of your own?a Bal-Simba asked.

aPerhaps,a Arianne said slowly. aIt was unwise of them to step into the Enemy's jaws unknowing.a aLet us hope it was merely unwise,a the big wizard said to his a.s.sistant. aYou may have noticed mat prudence is a characteristic notably lacking in Wiz and his friends. Their magic is powerful, but their method of training does not teach them the value of patience and caution in great matters.a aI have noticed. So, apparently, has the Enemy. My Lord, has it occurred to you that this is a trap which would not work against most wizards? Only against Wiz and his friends?a aI had not thought of that, but you are quite right.a aAnd that, in turn, implies a knowledge not only of the new magic but of the wizards of Wiz's world.a aI take your point.a aIn fact,a Arianne went on, athere is one such here within our walls who might bear examination on both accounts.a aMikey? But he has the mind of a child.a Arianne made a graceful gesture.

aYou are right, of course.a He struck a crystal bell on his work table and Brian appeared in the doorway.

aGo find the chief healer and have her examine the foreign wizard we hold prisoner,a he told the page. aThen have her report to me.a Brian bowed and dashed off down the corridor.

aAre there any from the Wizards' Keep who have learned the new magic whom we cannot account for?a Bal-Simba asked.

aI will have to check but, off hand, I cannot think of any. One or two have died, of course, buta No, wait! There was one several years ago, the apprentice Pryddian who disappeared about the time Wiz was kidnapped by the remnants of the Dark League. His whereabouts were never discovered.a Bal-Simba snorted. aI remember that one all too well. As I recall his skill was in stirring up discord, not magic. Still,a he went on, athere was a suspicion he had rifled the Sparrow's desk and taken some ma.n.u.scripts with him.a He sighed. aA sum lead, My Lady.a aWe have few better, My Lord.a aI thinkaa Bal-Simba began slowly, but he was interrupted by a strong knock on the door. It was Bronwyn, tile councils chief Healer, tight-lipped and white-faced. aMy Lord, I think you had better come look at this.a Bal-Simba hesitated. aNow.a With Bal-Simba and Arianne in tow, Bronwyn led them up the winding stone stairs to the door of Mikey's cell. The door was open and the two guards outside were clearly uneasy.

Once Mikey had been a skilled programmer and, as aPanda,a one of the best system breakers in Silicon Valley. But the shock of his final battle against Wiz and his elven allies had left him with the mind of a four-year-old. Now he spent his days playing with blocks and toy soldiers in a prison-cell-c.u.m-playroom in one of the Keeps towers. He was fed, cared for and guarded, but otherwise ignored.

Now he was slumped in the corner, surrounded by a scattering of blocks. His eyes were closed, his head sunk on his chest and his breathing deep and regular.

Bronwyn knelt and pulled open an eyelid. Mikey did not stir. She looked up at Bal-Simba. aAn empty sh.e.l.l, Lord. There is nothing left here at all.a aWhen did this happen?a aSometime in the last two days. He sat in a corner all that time, but that was not unusual for him. The guards were becoming worried because he had not eaten.a She rose and looked down at him. aBefore, he had the mind of a child. Now he hasa"nothing.a Bal-Simba frowned aDid he still have his knowledge? Before this happened, I mean.a Bronwyn shrugged. aSince we never knew just what was wrong with him I cannot tell you. Certainly he did not have the mind to use it. But as to the knowledge itselfaa She shrugged again.

aI think we can a.s.sume he still had at least some of it.a Bal-Simba rubbed his chin.

aAnd now we can a.s.sume the Enemy has that knowledge,a Arianne added.

Bal-Simba nodded and looked down at the not-quite-human thing at his feet. aCome, Lady, we have work to do.a aAnd him?a Arianne asked.

aI will make him comfortable,a Bronwyn said grimly. aHe will not last long like that.a Malkin stopped and touched Wiz's arm. aIt's getting light up ahead again,a she whispered.

Wiz strained to see beyond the magic light's glow. aMore bugs?a The thief shook her head. aThe light's not as blue and the shadows are sharper.a Now what? Wiz thought. He looked over at Danny. The younger programmer checked his magic detector. aA lot of magic, but it's not immediately dangerous.a It wasn't the most rea.s.suring report Wiz had ever heard but he motioned the group on and they crept down the tunnel.

Ahead of them the tunnel grew brighter and the air around them grew warmer. Suddenly they turned the corner and found themselves staring into the mouth of h.e.l.l.

The very walls of the tunnel glowed incandescent. Orange and red, yellow and white, churned and roiled on every side. Instinctively the party flinched back as if from a blast furnace and retreated around the corner.

aNo heat,a Wiz said wonderingly as soon as they were back around the corner. He stuck his hand around to make sure. aThere's no heat.a aIt's magically blocked,a Danny said, checking his magic detector. aThat tunnel must run right through the heart of the volcano, but magic keeps the heat away.a He looked at the magic detector again. aTunnels, I mean. There's a whole pile of them out there.a aAnother maze.a aA hotter-than-h.e.l.l maze,a Danny agreed.

aWell, we've got an answer to that,a Wiz said as he fished in his pouch. aI have here the granddaddy of all maze solvers.a He held up a demon that looked remarkably like a white rat.

aPut that away,a Malkin said firmly.

Wiz frowned. Malkin had her faults, including kleptomania, but squeamishness wasn't one of them.

aIt's not a real rat,a he explained, ait just looks that way becauseaa aI know what it is,a the tall thief said. There is a trap here and that thing may trigger it.a aWhat kind of trap?a aMagical. Beyond thataa She shrugged.