myth.conceptions-第12部分

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　〃From　the　beginning；〃　Aahz　instructed。
　〃From　the　beginning。〃　Tanda　pursed　her　lips　thoughtfully。　〃Well；　I　picked　him　up　in　a　singles　bar　。　。　。　he's　married；　but　I　didn't　know　that　till　later。〃
　〃What's　a　singles　bar？〃　I　interrupted。
　〃Shut　up；　kid；〃　Aahz　snarled。
　〃Well；　it　wasn't　actually　a　singles　bar；〃　Tanda　corrected。　〃It　was　more　of　？　tavern。　I　should　have　known　he　was　married。　I　mean；　nobody　that　young　is　that　bald　unless　he's　got　a　wife　at　home。〃
　〃Skip　the　philosophy；〃　Aahz　moaned。　〃Just　tell　us　the　story；　huh？〃
　Tanda　cocked　an　eyebrow　at　him。
　〃You　know；　Aahz；〃　she　accused；　〃for　someone　as　long…winded　as　you　are　when　it　es　to　telling　stories；　you're　awfully　impatient　when　it　es　to　listening　to　someone　else。〃
　〃She's　right；　you　know；〃　I　mented。
　〃Enough！〃　Aahz　bellowed。　〃The　story！〃
　〃Well；　one　of　the　things　Grimble　mentioned　while　he　was　trying　to　impress　me　with　how　important　his　job　was；　was　that　he　was　trying　to　find　a　court　magician。　He　said　he　had　convinced　the　king　to　hire　one；　but　now　he　couldn't　find　one　and　was　going　to　end　up　looking　like　an　idiot。〃
　〃And　when　he　mentioned　idiots；〃　I　supplied；　〃naturally　you　thought　of　us。〃
　〃Now；　don't　be　that　way；〃　Tanda　scolded。　〃I　thought　it　was　a　good　way　to　help　out　a　couple　of　friends。　I　knew　you　two　were　hanging　out　in　this　neck　of　the　woods　。　。　。　and　everybody　knows　what　a　cushy　job　being　a　court　magician　is。〃
　〃What　did　I　tell　you；　kid；〃　Aahz　mented。
　〃We　must　be　talking　about　different　jobs；〃　I　retorted。
　〃Hey；〃　Tanda　interrupted；　laying　a　soft　hand　on　my　arm。　〃When　I　gave　him　your　names；　I　didn't　know　about　the　invading　army。　Honest！〃
　My　anger　melted　away　at　her　touch。　Right　then；　she　could　have　told　me　she　had　sold　my　head　as　a　centerpiece　and　I　would　have　forgiven　her。
　〃Well　。　。　。〃　I　began；　but　she　persisted；　which　was　fine　by　me。
　〃As　soon　as　I　found　out　what　the　real　story　was；　I　knew　I　had　gotten　you　into　a　tight　spot；〃　she　said　with　soft　sincerity。　〃Like　I　said；　I　would　have　waited　at　Possiltum；　but　I　was　afraid　what　with　your　disguises　and　all；　that　you'd　recognize　me　before　I　spotted　you。　If　you　gave　me　the　kind　of　greeting　I've　grown　to　expect；　it　could　have　really　queered　the　deal。　Grimble's　a　jealous　twit；　and　if　he　thought　we　were　more　than　nodding　acquaintances；　he　would　have　held　back　whatever　support　he　might　normally　give。〃
　〃Big　deal；〃　Aahz　grumbled。　〃Five　whole　gold　pieces。〃
　〃That　much？〃　Tanda　sounded　honestly　surprised。　〃Which　arm　did　you　break？〃
　〃Aahz　always　gets　us　the　best　possible　deal；〃　I　said　proudly。　〃At　least；　monetarily。〃
　〃Well；〃　Tanda　concluded；　〃at　least　I　won't　dig　into　your　war　funds。　When　I　found　out　the　mess　I　had　gotten　you　into；　I　decided　I'd　work　this　one　for　free。　Since　I　got　you　into　it；　the　least　I　can　do　is　help　get　you　out。〃
　〃That's　terrific；〃　I　exclaimed。
　〃It　sure　is！〃　Aahz　agreed。
　Something　in　his　voice　annoyed　me。
　〃I　meant　that　she　was　helping　us；〃　I　snarled。　〃Not　that　she　was　doing　it　for　free。〃
　〃That's　what　I　meant；　too；　apprentice；〃　Aahz　glowered　back。　〃But　unlike　some；　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about！〃
　〃Boys；　boys；〃　Tanda　said；　separating　us　with　her　hands。　〃We're　on　the　same　side。　Remember？〃
　〃Gleep！〃　said　the　dragon；　siding　with　Tanda。
　As　I　have　said；　Gleep's　breath　is　powerful　enough　to　stop　any　conversation；　and　it　was　several　minutes　before　the　air　cleared　enough　for　us　to　continue。
　〃Before　we　were　so　rudely　interrupted；〃　Tanda　gasped　at　last；　〃you　were　starting　to　say　something；　Aahz。　Have　you　got　a　plan？〃
　〃Now　I　do；〃　Aahz　smiled；　chucking　her　under　the　chin。　〃And　believe　me；　doing　it　without　you　would　have　been　rough。〃
　That　had　an　anxious　sound　to　it：　Tanda's　main　calling；　at　least　the　only　one　mentionable　in　polite　pany；　was　Assassin。
　〃C'mon；　Aahz；〃　I　chided。　〃Tanda's　good；　but　she's　not　good　enough　to　take　on　a　whole　army。〃
　〃Don't　bet　on　it；　handsome；〃　she　corrected；　winking　at　me。
　I　blushed　but　continued　with　my　argument。
　〃I　still　say　the　job's　too　big　for　one　person；　or　three　people　for　that　matter；〃　I　insisted。
　〃You're　right；　kid；〃　Aahz　said　solemnly。
　〃We　just　can't　。　。　。　what　did　you　say；　Aahz？〃
　〃I　said　you　were　right；〃　Aahz　repeated。
　〃I　thought　so；〃　I　marveled。　〃I　just　wanted　to　hear　it　again。〃
　〃You'd　hear　it　more　often　if　you　were　right　more　often；〃　Aahz　pointed　out。
　〃C'mon；　Aahz；〃　Tanda　interrupted。　〃What's　the　plan？〃
　〃Like　the　kid　says；〃　Aahz　said　loftily；　〃we　need　more　help。　We　need　an　army　of　our　own。〃
　〃But　Aahz；〃　I　reminded　him；　〃Badaxe　said…〃
　〃Who　said　anything　about　Badaxe？〃　Aahz　replied　innocently。　〃We're　supposed　to　win　this　war　with　magik；　aren't　we？　Well；　fine。　With　Tanda　on　our　team；　we've　got　a　couple　of　extra　skills　to　draw　on。　Remember？〃
　I　remembered。　I　remembered　Aahz　saying　he　wasn't　worried　about　Tanda　leaving　with　Isstvan　because　she　could　travel　the　dimensions　by　herself　if　things　got　rough。　The　light　began　to　dawn。
　〃You　mean。　。　。〃
　〃That's　right；　kid；〃　Aahz　smiled。　〃We're　going　back　to　Deva。　We're　going　to　recruit　a　little　invasionary　force　of　our　own！〃
　
　Chapter　Twelve
　〃This　is　no　game　for　old　men！　Send　in　the　boys
　…W。　HAYS
　
　I　don't　know　how　Tanda　transported　us　from　Klah　to　Deva。　If　I　did；　we　wouldn't　have　needed　her。　All　I　know　is　that　at　the　appropriate　time　she　menced　to　chant　and　shift　her　shoulders　（a　fascinating　process　in　itself）；　and　we　were　there。
　〃There；〃　in　this　case；　was　at　the　Bazaar　at　Deva。　That　phrase　alone；　however；　does　not　begin　to　describe　our　new　surroundings　as　they　came　into　focus。
　A　long　time　ago；　the　dimension　of　Deva　had　undergone　an　economic　collapse。　To　survive；　the　Deveels　（who　I　once　knew　as　devils）　used　their　ability　to　travel　the　dimensions　and　bee　merchants。　Through　the　process　of　natural　selection；　the　most　successful　Deveels　were　not　the　best　fighters；　but　the　best　traders。　Now；　after　countless　generations　of　this　process；　the　Deveels　were　acknowledged　as　the　best　merchants　in　all　the　dimensions。　They　were　also　acknowledged　as　being　the　shrewdest；　coldest；　most　profit…hungry　cheats　ever　to　e　down　the　pike。
　The　Bazaar　at　Deva　was　their　showcase。　It　was　an　all…day；　all…night；　year…round　fair　where　the　Deveels　met　to　haggle　with　each　other　over　the　wares　fetched　back　from　the　various　dimensions。　Though　it　was　originally　established　and　maintained　by　Deveels；　it　was　not　unusual　to　find　travelers　from　many　dimensions　shopping　the　endless　rows　of　displays　and　booths。　The　rule　of　thumb　was；　〃If　it's　to　be　found　anywhere；　you'll　find　it　at　the　Bazaar　at　Deva。〃
　I　had　been　here　once　before　with　Aahz。　At　the　time；　we　were　searching　for　a　surprise　weapon　to　use　against　Isstvan。　What　we　ended　up　with　was　Gleep　and　Tanda！　。　。　。　Distractions　abound　at　the　Bazaar。
　I　mention　this　in　part　to　explain　why；　as　unusual　as　our　foursome　must　have　appeared；　no　one　paid　us　the　slightest　attention　as　we　stood　watching　the　kaleidoscope　of　activity　whirling　about　us。
　Gleep　pressed　against　me　for　reassurance；　momentarily　taken　aback　at　the　sudden　change　of　surroundings。　I　ignored　him。　My　first　visit　to　this　place　had　been　far　too　brief　for　my　satisfaction。　As　such；　I　was　rubbernecking　madly；　trying　to　see　as　much　as　possible　as　fast　as　possible。
　Tanda　was　more　businesslike。
　〃Now　that　we're　here；　Aahz；〃　she　drawled；　〃do　you　know　where　we're　going？〃
　〃No；〃　Aahz　admitted。　〃But　I'll　find　out　right　now。〃
　Without　further　warning；　he　casually　reached　out　and　grabbed　the　arm　of　the　nearest　passerby；　a　short；　ugly　fellow　with　tusks。　Spinning　his　chosen　victim　around；　Aahz　bent　to　scowl　in　his　face。
　〃You！〃　he　snarled。　〃Do　you　like　to　fight？〃
　For　a　moment　my　heart　stopped。　All　we　needed　now　was　to　get　into　a　brawl。
　Fortunately；　instead　of　producing　a　weapon；　the　tusker　gave　ground　a　step　and　eyed　our　party　suspiciously。
　〃Not　with　a　Pervert　backed　by　a　dragon；　I　don't；〃　he　retorted　cautiously。
　〃Good！〃　Aahz　smiled。　〃Then　if　you　wanted　to　hire　someone　to　do　your　fighting　for　you；　where　would　you　go？〃
　〃To　the　Bazaar　at　Deva；〃　the　tusker　shrugged。
　〃I　know　that！〃　Aahz　snarled。　〃But　where　at　the　Bazaar？〃
　〃Oh；〃　the　tusker　exclaimed　with　sudden　understanding。　〃About　twenty　rows　in　that　direction；　then　turn　right　for　another　thirty　or　so。　That's　where　the　mercenaries　hang　out。〃
　〃Twenty；　then　up　thirty；〃　Aahz　repeated　carefully。　〃Thanks。〃
　〃A　finder's　fee　would　be　appreciated　more　than　any　thanks；〃　the　tusker　smiled；　extending　a　palm。
　〃You're　right！〃　Aahz　agreed；　and　turned　his　back　on　our　benefactor。
　The　tusker　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　shrugged　and　continued　on　his　way。　I　could　have　told　him　that　Perverts　in　general　and　Aahz　specifically　are　not　noted　for　their　generosity。　〃We　go　twenty　rows　that　way；　then　up　thirty；〃　Aahz　informed　us。
　〃Yeah；　we　heard；〃　Tanda　grimaced。　〃Why　didn't　you　just　ask　him　flat　out？〃
　〃My　way　is　quicker；〃　Aahz　replied　smugly。
　〃Is　it？〃　I　asked　skeptically。
　〃Look　kid；〃　Aahz　scowled。　〃Do　you　want　to　lead　us　through　this　zoo？〃
　〃Well。　。　。〃　I　hesitated。
　〃Then　shut　up　and　let　me　do　it；　okay？〃
　Actually；　I　was　more　than　willing　to　let　Aahz　lead　the　way　to　wherever　it　was　we　were　going。　For　one　thing；　it　kept　him　busy　navigating　a　path　through　the　crowd。　For　another；　it　left　me　with　next　to　nothing　to　do　except　marvel　at　the　sights　of　the　Bazaar　as　I　followed　along　in　his　wake。
　Try　as　I　might；　though；　there　was　just　too　much　for　one　set　of　eyes　to　see。
　In　one　booth；　two　Deveels　argued　with　an　elephant…headed　being　over　a　skull；　at　least；　I　think　it　was　a　skull。　In　another；　a　Deveel　was　putting　on　a　demonstration　for　a　mixed　group　of　shoppers；　summoning　clouds　of　floating　green　bubbles　from　a　tiny　wooden　box。
　At　one　point；　our　path　was　all　but　blocked　by　a　booth　selling　rings　which　shot　bolts　of　lightning。　Between　the　salesman's　demonstrations　and　the　customers　trying　out　their　purchases；　the　way　was　virtually　impassable。
　Aahz　and　Tanda　never　broke　stride；　however；　confidently　maintaining　their　pace　as　they　walked　through　the　thick　of　the　bolts。　Miraculously；　they　passed　through　unscathed。
　Gritting　my　teeth；　I　seized　one　of　Gleep's　ears　and　followed　in　their　footsteps。　Again；　the　bolts　of　energy　failed　to　find　us。　Apparently　no　Deveel　would　bring　inj