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.Fortunately for himself, Vilkata had never been forced to depend entirely on the Mindsword when dealing with Arridu's race.He had taken care to establish an independent magical control over his demonic cadre.Even after the Mindsword's influence had faded, the vicious creatures would still be constrained to serve him, as many another mighty member of their race had been in the past.The Dark King thought that, of course, the difference between demons in an ordinary tamed condition and those under the Mindsword's bondage was that in Page 85ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthe former case it was not totally unthinkable that the foul creatures should turn treacherous.In fact it was almost certain that, sooner or later, one of Arridu's strength would make the attempt to do so.Vilkata's thin lips smiled faintly.He, the Dark King, if anyone, knew how to manage demons.file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%2.%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbre akers%20Story.txt (75 of 113) [2/4/03 9:58:54 PM]file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20Fred%20-%20Lost%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbreakers%20Story.txtAnd he judged that an opportunity had now arrived for him to satisfy at least in part his curiosity about the Swords.The fact was that Arridu, until very recently a stranger to the Swords, was still not totally convinced of just how incomparably strong those weapons were.In fact Arridu, going along with his Master's wish to rid the world of most of them, announced that he could manage that."You? Are you saying that you by your own powers can break a Sword that was forged by the gods themselves?"Arridu, projecting an image of serene power, was quietly self-assured."I see no gods about me now.""They have been vanquished.Exterminated.""But I have not." Truly it seemed that the great demon did not believe that any mere artifact of metal and magic, whether forged by a god or not, could resist his strength.The Dark King, staring at his most powerful vassal, nodded slowly.He was in a mood to accept this challenge.He thought he could be certain of the outcome.Vilkata considered that there had always been difficulties, certainly, in the way of any plan to destroy all the Swords.Not the least of these obstacles being that the only known means of permanently eliminating any Sword, the only method by which any had yet been demolished, was by bringing the Blade of lesser strength into violent opposition with Shieldbreaker.At least that was the consensus of knowledgeable opinion.Vilkata, wavering somewhat in his assurance, questioned on the point by the confident demon, had to admit that he wasn't at all sure how often Sword-smashing had seriously been tried.* * *Descending into the airy cellars of the Tasavaltan armory to try it now, Vilkata gave Arridu full permission, nay, commanded him, to do his best to obliterate or at least damage Stonecutter.To swing a heavy blacksmith's hammer right at the keen edge, with superhuman strength.For the purpose of this test, Vilkata ordered the Sword of Siege to be set up in a vise on a handy workbench, under an Old World light.Arridu selected a hammer, the biggest and hardest available from the armorers' shop in an adjoining room, and, after warning his Master to take cover, wielded the tool with all his strength.This effort produced impressive pyrotechnics, a stunning blast and a ruined hammer, but no detectable damage to the Sword.Arridu in baffled rage, and his Master in restored confidence, inspected the result carefully.Not the finest chip or nick marred even the very thinnest edge of Blade."Let it stay there, in the clamps." And Vilkata raised Shield-breaker, whose muttering drumbeat swelled.In another moment, Stonecutter had perished, in a blast whose flying fragments left theDark King totally unscathed.In the course of their subsequent discussion about the surviving Swords, Arridu calmly assured his master that he knew where the Tyrant's Blade was to be found.Vilkata became very still, staring at the great demon, who had now assumed the Page 86ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmllikeness of an elder sorceress.Pitmedden buzzed like a great fly beside the wizard's head.Vilkata demanded:"Soulcutter? Do you know what you are saying?""Oh, indeed, Master, indeed I do.Now that you have taught me about the Swords, Master, I can understand certain events on the Moon which for the past twenty years have puzzled me.""And what events were these?""Those surrounding the visit, to a site near our place of imprisonment, of a man whom I can nowfile:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%2.%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbre akers%20Story.txt (76 of 113) [2/4/03 9:58:54 PM]file:///F|/rah/Fred%20Saberhagen/Saberhagen,%20Fred%20-%20Lost%20Swords%208%20-%20Shieldbreakers%20Story.txt identify.It was he who is called the Emperor, and he brought with him a certain object, and he caused that object to be there buried, deep, deep in lunar rock, where once volcanoes flowed; and he sealed the burial with mighty spells and other sealings."Vilkata demanded more details, and Arridu was ready to provide them.Though, of course, the demon could not answer every question, Soulcutter, it indeed appeared, had somehow been carried to the Moon.Piecing together what Arridu now told him with certain facts he had long known, Vilkata decided that the deadly toy must have been put away there by the Emperor some twenty years ago.Still Vilkata had scarcely moved since Arridu's claim, and promise, first fell upon his ears.The human wizard mused: "Aye, that would have been like him-the Great Clown, the matchless hypocrite.Saving Despair to use it, for his own advantage, later." Vilkata chewed his pale lower lip.The speech of the elegant, gray-haired lady's image was soft, utterly reassuring."And I know where it is, great Master.Say the word, and that weapon shall be yours."The Dark King thought for some time [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]