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"Yes, I heard you'd settled down" said Cohen, dipping the ladle into the stew and tasting it "Married an innkeeper, didn't you? Hung up your sword, had kids "

"Grandchildren," said Mrs McGarry proudly But then the proud smile faded "One of them's taken over the inn, but the other's a paper-ood trade," said Cohen "But there's notin wholesale stationery A paper cut's just not the sairl"

"It's funny," said Vena "I never knew I had the talent, but people will coe there, then, said Truckle the Uncivil "Hur, hur hur"

"Truckle," said Cohen, "remember when you told me to tell you when you were bein' too uncivil?"

"Yeah?"

"That was one of those ti sweetly at the blushing Truckle "I was sitting around after Charlie died, and I thought, well, is this it? I've just got to wait for the Grim Reaper? And thenthere was this scroll"

"What scroll?" said Cohen and Evil Harry together Then they stared at one another "Y'see," said Cohen, reaching into his pack "I found this old scroll, showing a et to the Mountains and all the little tricks for getting past-"

"Me too," said Harry "You never told me!"

"I'm a Dark Lord Cohen," said Evil Harry patiently "I'm not supposed to be Captain Helpful"

"Tell me where you found it, at least"

"Oh, in some ancient sealed tomb as despoilin'"

"I found mine in an old storeroom back in the Empire," said Cohen "Mine was left in my inn by a traveller all in black," said Mrs McGarry In the silence, the minstrel said, "Uether "Is it justhere?"

"Like what?" deet to the mountain, a perilous trek that no one has ever survived?"

"Yes? So?"

"Souods, passing the tioddess of the afternoon, Offler the Crocodile-Headed Flatulus (God of the winds), Fate Urika (Goddess of saunas, snow and theatrical performances for fewer than 120 people) Blind Io (chief of the Gods, and general Thundering) Libertina (Goddess of the sea, apple pie, certain types of ice crea), The Lady (don't even ask), Bibulous (god of wine and things on sticks) Patina (back, goddess of wisdoreat ideas that you forgot to write down and will never re" is "god" spelled backwards and think this is in sos left on the doorstep or half-digested under the bed), and Nuggan (a local god, but also in charge of paperclips, correct things in the right place in small desk stationery-sets, and unnecessary paperwork) Offler the Crocodile looked up froht, who doth he belong to?" he lisped "We've got a clever one here" There was a general craning of necks a the assembled deities, and then one put up his hand "And you are?" said Offler "The Alravia The young aniteth believe in?"