clearance.
They trotted down the long hall and turned left.
Cherjal had provided them with what was generally
known of the Quommate's floor plan, but no one
was certain of the location of the residential rooms
where Markus was likely to have his headquarters.
They'd have to find that themselves.
Everything went smoothly until Sasswise leaped
into the air grabbing at her backside. When she
came down she started haranguing the innocent Norgil.
"Will you watch wot you're doin' with that damn
sword!"
"Now, look 'ere, m'lady, I'm just keepin' it 'andy in
case we're attacked... if you don't mind." Norgil ges-
tured with the stubby but sharp offender. "Why
don't you give a body a little room to move about?'*
"Move about? I'll give you room to move about,
you fat slob. I'll move you...!"
"Quiet!" Memaw said sharply. "Be quiet, you twol"
Already too late, Jon-Tom saw despairingly. A pair
of halberd-wielding foxes had crossed their path a
safe distance down the corridor. The noise brought
them back to investigate. Now they were staring
straight at the tightly packed clutch of invaders.
"You there, where did you come from?" one
demanded to know.
"Cur's cockles!" Memaw muttered. She glanced
right, then left, and led them up a side corridor. Not
knowing what else to do, Jon-Tom followed. Shouts
and yells rang out behind them.
"So much for the element o* surprise," groused
Mudge.
THE MOMENT OF TOE MAGJCUN 233
"It'll be all right," Quoriy assured him. "You'll see.
We'll lose that pair of fools quick enough."
Mudge skidded to a stop. "Righty-ho, but wot
about this new lot o* fools?"
A whole platoon of soldiers had appeared in the
hall directly ahead and were now charging toward
them. The platoon was an interesting mix of species,
varying in size from armed rats and mice to two
great cats and one ape.
"Listen," Jon-Tom said innocently, "can't we talk
about this?" The ape stabbed at him and he jumped
aside, bringing down his staff on the other's spear.
Instead of listening to reason, the ape reversed his
weapon and tried to shove the butt end through
Jon-Tom's teeth.
He ducked and the blow passed over his head. A
swipe with the ramwood took the ape's legs out from
under him. The sound of fighting was deafening in
the narrow corridor. The otters found themselves at
a disadvantage in such confines, where they couldn't
make use of their quickness. But the guards' rein-
forcements couldn't get at their quarry and kept
bunching up against each other in the corridors.
Superior numbers couldn't be brought to bear against
the invaders, but neither could they escape.
Jen-Tom saw Mudge cut a tendon in a vizcacha's
leg, saw blood spun, and watched as the stripe-faced
soldier went down, too stunned to scream. Then
something whacked him on the back of his neck and
he staggered. He whirled, hunting for his assailant,
and saw nothing but stars before his eyes.
The stars grew brighter as he was hit again. He
blinked and shook his head. As he did so he leaned
slightly backward, and saw his attacker. An armored
possum hung by its tail from one of the rafters. Iron
weights were strapped to its waist and it was taking
its time picking out targets among the otters below.
Alaa Dean Foster
234
Nobody could reach him and Mudge was too busy
defending himself with his sword to unlimber his
bow.
The possum wasn't used to fighting someone as
tall as a human, however. Jon-Tom tried to knock
the dangling fighter loose with his ramwood staff but
couldn't quite reach him. For its part, the possum
decided to stop playing around. The next iron ball it
selected was lined with short, sharp spikes. It strug-
gled to draw a bead on Jon-Tom as he bobbed and
dodged below.
Jon-Tom thumbed the concealed switch set in the
staff, and the ramwood lengthened by six inches of
sharp steel. A sudden jab pierced the possum's throat.
from the ceiling, and then dropped like a stone.
The otters fought well, but no matter how many
they cut down, there were always more soldiers to
take the places of the fallen. By now the whole
complex must be alerted, Jon-Tom thought grimly.
Still, it was Memaw who finally called a halt to the
fighting when she saw the twisted form of poor
Norgil lying limp against the marble. The otter had
taken half a dozen sword thrusts and his life was
leaking out on the floor. Already blood made the
footing treacherous. That would take away the otters'
one advantage: their quickness.
So Memaw put up her sword and said, "Enough.
We surrender."
"Surrender? Wot's that mean, surrender?" said
Quorly, panting hard. Her fine clothing had been
shredded by sword cuts but otherwise she appeared
unharmed.
"No, Memaw's right, she is." Knorckle tossed his
sword aside. "Better to gather strength and wits in
jail than to perish here."
The guards moved among them, collecting knives
THE aSOMSHT OF THK MAQSCWI
236
and scimitars and searching briskly for any concealed
weapons. Jon-Tom prayed they might leave him his
duar, but they confiscated it also, along with his
backpack.
When this was done, a massively muscled jaguar
shoved his way to the fore. His leather armor was
streaked with sword cuts.
"Explain this outrageous intrusion," he growled.
~ Jen-Torn stepped forward and growled right back
at him. "Outrageous is the word for it. Here we
arrive on time for our appointment and instead of
receiving a courteous greeting, we are brutally attacked.
What kind of troops do you station in here, anyways?
. Cutthroats and murderers!"
The jaguar's eyes narrowed and he stroked his
-„ chin. "An appointment, you say. With whom?"
"Markus the Ineluctable," Jon-Tom told him
defiantly. "And is he going to be pissed when he
/ clears how we've been treated."
"Markus, you say?" The officer pushed his helmet
back off his ears. He looked tired. "Next I expect
you're going to tell me that this is all a misunder-
standing and that it'll easily be straightened out as
soon as I take you to the advisor?"
"~ "Of course." Jen-Torn replied easily.
The jaguar seemed to consider. "The master is
sleeping and would not wish to be disturbed. This
casts something of a shadow over your story, tall
man. It may be that the appointment you seek will be
"' with the Chamber of Official Torments... but that is
not for rne to decide. The G
reat Markus will do
;. that"
"Fine with us. If you'll just take us to him, I
imagine he forgot all about our visit tonight. He'll
straighten this out fast." Jon-Tom glared at the sol-
^ diers bunched together behind the officer. "When
^ he learns what's happened, heads will roll."
Aim Dean Foster
336
"I prefer to bounce them myself," said'the jaguar
evenly. "As a point of interest, some bounce nicely
for a while, while others just go smash. I wonder
which yours would do." '
Jen-Torn went slightly weak in the knees, but didn't
let k show. "Why not ask Markus?"
"Why not, indeed?" replied the officer surprisingly.
"As I said, only he will know the truth of your words.
If you'll be so kind as to follow me?" He gestured
with a paw.
"That's more like it." Jon-Tom strode confidently
past the jaguar, continuing to glare at the guards.
They descended several levels until the air began
to grow thick and moist. They were below lake level,
and moisture seeped relentlessly through ancient
stonework.
"Markus the Ineluctable lives down here?" he asked
their guide.
"No," rumbled the jaguar. "As I told you, he sleeps
and would not wish to be disturbed. I will notify him
of your arrival. As he's expecting you, I'm sure he'll
be right down. Meanwhile, I thought you would
enjoy explaining yourselves to the leading members
of our government, who are at this moment awaiting
your presence in their new conference chamber."
"We've heard that some members of the Quorum
weren't getting along too well with their new advisor."
"Is that so? A vicious, unfounded rumor. So much
gossip in the city marketplaces these days. You really
shouldn't pay attention to such idle chatter. Ah, the
Quorum doorman. You there!" he roared at a doz-
ing javelina. "Visitors for the Quorum!"
Tusks flashing in the dim torchlight, the javelina
roused himself and led them forward. Jon-Tom balked
at the sight of the iron grille, but there was nothing
to be done about it now. They were herded toward
the open cell.
THE MOUKHT OF TBK UAOICSAS
237
"There you go. Enjoy your conference," the officer
said smoothly as the cursing, complaining otters were
shoved through the opening. The javelina locked it
from the outside.
Jon-Tom glared through the bars. "You're a real
smart-ass, aren't you, fuzz-brain?"
"My, my, such language from those who are friends
of the Great Markus," the jaguar said mockingly. "I
will inform him of your arrival. Meanwhile, do make
yourselves comfortable. I must see to the prepara-
tions for your evening meal. Swill is served in a
couple of hours." He turned and stalked off toward
the stairway, laughing uproariously at his subtle wit.
His soldiers clustered tightly around him.
Turning, the otters found themselves sharing the
cell with half a dozen surprised and rudely awakened
elders. Here were those members of the Quorum
who'd refused to countenance Markus's bid for
power... and one other. The robed salamander
stepped forward and introduced himself.
"I greet you, fellow sufferers. I am Opiode the Sly,
former chief advisor in matters arcane and mystic to
the legitimate Quorum of Quasequa and now chief
advisor in those same arts to the deposed Quorum of
Quasequa."
Jon-Tom wasn't ready for conversation with Opiode
or anyone else. Failing to Find an empty comer, he
sat down in the center of the floor.
"My fault, dragging all of you into this. I should've
come by myself."
"Let's not 'ave none o' that, Jonny-Tom," said
Quorly.
"Right." Drortch put a consoling paw on his shoul-
der. "You didn't 'ave no choice in the matter. You
couldn't 'ave made us stay behind if you'd tried."
"Right... that's so... better believe it..." agreed a
chorus of otterish voices.
Alan Dean Porter
238
"'Ow come nobody ever asks me wot I wants to
do?" Mudge found a section of empty floor to sulk
on.
Memaw laid a maternal paw on Jon-Tom's head.
"Norgil's time had come, that's all, my friend. Per-
haps time for all of us. We have no regrets."
"But 1 do, damn it! You shouldn't be here with
me"
"Damn right, mate," snapped Mudge. Memaw
wagged a warning Finger in his direction.
"Now, Mudge -.."
"Don't 'Mudge' me, water-elder," the otter snapped
back. "I've earned the right to 'ave me say, I 'ave.
You've only 'ad to deal with this spellsingin' shit'ead
for a few days. Me, I've 'ad to put up with 'is sorceral
muddlin's for months. All I want is to live an ordi-
nary life. An ordinary life, mind. And 'e keeps
yankin' me off to join 'im on 'is bloody bloomin'
bleedin' inexplicable quests and wotever. Well, I'm
sick of it." He spat the words in Jon-Tom's direction.
"You 'ear me, mate? Sick of it!"
Quorly stared at him in disbelief. "Mudge! I'm
surprised at you."
" 'Ell, luv, I'm surprised at me, too. Surprised I'm
'ere, but not surprised at 'ow this 'as turned out.
Twas only a matter o' time, it were. That senile old
turtle went and spun the wheel o* fate one time too
many, and now the odds 'ave finally caught up with
us. Only thing that's surprised me is that I've sur-
vived 'is rotten company as long as I 'ave." He turned
bis back on them all.
"Turtle?" The elderly salamander wiped at his face.
"Can it be that you are the help the great Clothahump
has sent to us?'^
"Not us," Memaw corrected him. "We are son of
along for the swim." She indicated jon-Tom. "You
need to talk to the young gentleman."
239
THE MOMBJVT Of THE MACTCIAJT
Opiode turned an amphibious eye on the uncom-
fortable Jon-Tom while one'of the deposed Quorum
members voiced the thought that was in all their
minds.
"Just him? Him, and the noisy otter? They're our
salvation? They are the strength Clothahump sends
to us?"
"I fear it may be so." Opiode hesitated as he spoke
to Jon-Tom. "Unless you and the otter are simply the
advance scouts. That's it, isn't it? Clothahump and
his mystic army are encamped not far away, awaiting
your report, aren't they?"
Jon-Tom sighed as he turned to face the advisor.
"Sorry. I'm afraid we're it. Me, Mudge, and our
recently acquired friends. We're your help, and we
haven't done a very good job of it so far. My plan
was for us to slip in here quiet-like so that I could
have a face-to-face meeting with Markus before any-
one got excited. We didn't quite manage it"
"Now, there's a snappy news bulletin," Mudge
muttered from his corner.
'An interesting stratagem," Opiode murmured, "but
what good would it have done had you succeeded?
You would still have ended up down here with the
rest of us who oppose his bid for absolute power."
Jon-Tom tried to summon up some of his battered
confidence. "Not necessarily. If he didn't listen to
reason, I was prepared to fight him. I'm a spellsinger,
and a pretty good one."
Opiode slumped. "A spellsinger? Is that all?"
"Hey, now, wait a minute. I've accomplished some
pretty impressive things with my spellsinging"
"You do not understand. I do not mean to impugn
your modest talents. But you must know that I am a
wizard of no small stature, yet I was unable to
counter the magic of this Markus. It is as unpredict-
able and peculiar as it is effective. No mere spellsinger,
Aim Deaa Porter
240
however voluble, can hope to deal with that." The
salamander strained to see behind Jon-Tom.
"Besides which, you have no instrument to accom-
pany you."
"They confiscated it along with our weapons and
supplies."
"It does not matter," said Newmadeen sadly. "It's
obvious this one wouldn't stand a chance against
Markus anyway."
"I'd hoped to find a little more support here,"
Jon-Tom told them. He was starting to get a little
peeved by all the criticism. "None of you have any
idea of my capabilities. You don't know what I can
do."
"Perhaps." The elderly squirrel who spoke was
clad in rags. The bandage around his forehead indi-
cated he hadn't accepted his deposition and subse-
quent incarceration gracefully. Several pieces of his
tail were missing.
"But we do know what you can't do, and that's get
in to see Markus. No one sees him anymore except
his closest associates—Kindore and Asmouelie and
the other traitors- And that dim-witted mountain of
a bodyguard of his, Prugg."
"I have to see him. We have to meet. It's the only
way to resolve things."
"Things will be resolved soon enough, as soon as
he has consolidated his power," said the squirrel,
whose name was Selryndi. "Markus will resolve his
embarrassments by having them skewered, weighted,
and dumped in a deep part of the lakes." He looked
bitter. "We are at fault. We ought never to have
allowed him to compete for the post of advisor."
"It was the law," said Opiode.
"Aye, but you warned us against him afterward