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early。 Their victim had long； white…blond hair； matched by a still…longer beard of the same color。 I remembered the battle we had seen before being captured and realized this man was the chieftain whose death we had witnessed。 Now he stood before the whip men； alive again。
I heard fire burst from another body； above； the slurping of the godly diner。 Janos leaned close and whispered； 〃They're not alive。 They're still dead。〃 I shook my head； what could he mean？ But this was not the place for a full answer。 He signaled to Maeen that it was time to withdraw； and we slipped out of the chamber。 'Mortacious doesn't bring the dead to life；〃 Janos said。 〃He mands the dead！ He told me so himself； when he said he had the power over men's souls。 What we just witnessed was his power at work。 He fed the souls of those poor devils to whatever it is he calls his Master。 In return； his Master feeds him the sorcerous powers he lacks； and it gives him the corpses as his slaves。〃 Far down the corridor； we heard another soul being sucked from its shell。 Janos shook his head。 Even in this city of horror； newly gained knowledge made him marvel。
〃Why； there has not been a person we've seen since we were captured who is alive。 They're all dead！ All of them； except Mortacious。〃
I suddenly remembered the gaping wound beneath the wizard's scarf and his pains to hide it。 There were no exceptions。 Everyone was dead； including Mortacious。 The beast in the chimney was the only master of the realm； with a dead wizard as his chief slave。 I told Janos this； and once again I saw the hungry gleam in his eyes as he added new secrets to his understanding。
〃But what of us？〃 Maeen said。 〃May the gods forgive us for ever ing to such a place； but how do we avoid the furnace？〃 The wizard's plan was obvious。 In the morning we would join the dead who populated this city as slaves。 We would be walking； laboring corpses； and I did not say it； but I wondered if that state were to be favored over what would bee of my soul？
〃The solution is back in that chamber；〃 Janos said after a few moments。 〃If we pass through that fire as living men； we will have stolen his sorcery。 It is only the souls of the dead that our Lord Mortacious can claim。〃 I quaked in horror of his logic； but fear of what I had seen drove me to accept his reasoning。 〃There is still one great danger remaining；〃 Janos said。 〃When all twenty of us pass through that fire and gather at the other side； Mortacious will know in an instant。 A few…the three of us； for instance…might escape unnoticed。 But all of us challenging him will be as loud a jangle to his senses as any bell that has ever been cast。〃
Once again I was confronted with one of Janos' peculiar hesitations。 I knew my friend's imagination had raced beyond this place and was set on the road to his obsession。 The Far Kingdoms were calling him again； a wanton song that tested all his bonds。 But this was no time for doubt's ungracious mewlings； whether his or mine。
〃The only way to get to that furnace is to kill the men who guard it；〃 I said； using reason as bait； instead of emotion。 〃It will take all of us to acplish it。〃
〃Even then；〃 Maeen broke in； 〃the odds are slender。 And they get more slender still once we reach the streets。〃
Janos nodded。 〃Let's do it then；〃 he said。 〃Besides； I am weary of this wizard。 He marched the twenty of us in like whipped dogs。 But now it's time for the twenty of us to go out； and we'll do it as fighting men 。。。 as soldiers。〃
We went back for the others。 It was difficult to reenter Mortacious' palace； even though once more we saw no guards。 Janos told the men what to expect； and I was amazed no one balked at the horror to e or questioned what we had seen。 Perhaps being in this city of dead souls inured us all to terror。 My courage revived somewhat when we stopped in the armory Maeen had found； where our confiscated weapons were held。 My sword's steel was reassuring； although I wondered how effective it would be against the already dead。
If panic is Fear's sister； it was she gave us strength that night； while her brother fired our blood lust。 We fell on them unawares； those poor soulless men with whips and short swords forged only to cut a pliant path for final release。 They were silent when we came howling into the chamber； and silent they remained during the furious fight。 We cut them down and pierced them where they fell。 But as we moved on to reap their brothers； they rose up and came at our backs。 We were killing men who were dead when we slew them； then killing them again； and again。 We cut off their limbs； but they still had teeth to bite； and the lopped…off arms； attached to hands that still gripped swords； snaked across the floor in blind search for us。 So we severed every joint； chopped off every head； and gutted the flopping trunks that rolled about to knock us from our feet。 We were twenty butchers； half…mad with fear； wading through a slaughterhouse of meat no man could eat； grappling with poor beasts who did not cry out when we maimed them； and fought with only the wizard's hate to hold them up。
Finally； we were done。 Our clothes were blood…drenched uniforms； our faces gory masks。 We turned away from the demons our slaughter had conjured。 All of us knew the blood would remain even if we bathed in whole rivers of pure water。 The shame was undeserved； but fairness is a great stranger to life。 There was nothing we could do but swallow ugly fate and get on with it。
The furnace waited； and above the furnace was the demon who fed on souls。 Janos stood by the moving belt that clanked across the unholy fires that roasted those souls to the demon's taste。 He urged us to hurry； and we shambled to him as if we were already one of Mortacious' slaves。 I looked across the great belt and saw the blue flames leaping through the grate； and I heard the demon's gnashing teeth above。 On the far side of that soul conveyer； Janos said； was rescued life； on this side； eternal slavery。 He said he would go first to prove his theory； and warned that we must follow quickly； for he sensed the wizard was wakening。 I would go last； he said； to make certain the pace did not slacken。
Then cold； cold Reason tapped me on the shoulder。 I turned； angered by his unsummoned presence； and asked what it was he wanted。 But I saw the answer in the hard mirrors of Reason's eyes。 Janos' plan was sound enough； but it must be turned from tail to head； for if Janos was wrong； and error plucked him from us； we would all be helpless before the wizard's wrath。 I must go first； Reason demanded； and Janos last。。。 if I survived。 Then the mirrors melted； and I found myself gazing into Halab's sad； knowing eyes。 He whispered words of courage and warmed Reason's chill message until it was easier to hold。 Halab stayed with me as I went to Janos and stopped him as he was about to mount the belt。 When I presented my logic； Halab grinned in encouragement。 Janos argued； but at last he admitted I was right。 Rare emotion nearly overcame him。 I saw tears well； and as he turned to hide them； saw the tremble of his beard。 Then he embraced me and whispered that I was the only one who had believed him from the beginning。 He called me friend and brother and thanked me for my faith。 I let him keep that lie as my gift； knowing that when he put it in the chest he kept to hold such treasures； my gift would find little pany。 For all the time I knew Janos； I never heard him call another man or woman friend。 I see now that Janos was a man who liked but never loved； save once； and his curse robbed that of any value。 So I let him believe the lie of my faith： but when he reached out； it was Halab's hand I grasped； and when he led me to the clacking belt； it was Halab； not Janos； who whispered my redheaded luck would confound the soul eater。 Finally it was Janos who stepped away； while Halab crouched beside me as the conveyer swept me toward the flames。
I was hurled into a heat that had form and substance。 It stole the air before I could breathe it； sapped my strength before I could gather it。 The heat was a hammer that cracked me like an egg with its first blow； with its second； it crushed me into a trembling mass that knew only pain and fear。 Fire spat and roared； and I was swept into a tunnel of blue…flamed serpents that struck from every side。 I felt my flesh peel away so the flames could attack naked nerve； and when they were ash； the wizard's furnace boiled off my blood and cracked my bones to sear the marrow。 Everything that made me； even my screams； was slowly consumed by that fire。 At last； all I had left were eyes to see the demon's twitching maw； ears to hear the clatter of its fangs； and a mind whose only thoughts were painful present and fearful future。 Then Halab leaned over； blocking the demon from view。 He sang a song； the song I favored most as a child； and banished all the sounds I dreaded。 He stroked my tormented body； and I felt bone and blood and flesh reform。 Then he told me there was only a little way to go 。。。 a small bit of pain to endure 。。。 and we were done。 I felt a great easing； and a familiar sense of self returned。 With that return I realized my soul had left me for a time。 We gave it a joyous wele； my body and I。 A moment later；