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"Goriarath replied with a respectful bow, "Yad ho, Groja UL" Then they crossed the arath and the old man clasped each other's arms warmly

"It's been a few years, hasn't it?" the sorcerer said "How are you bearing up?"

"I feel al has found my successor I can at last see the end of arath asked quizzically

"It a "We had our disagreements, didn't we,toward the saer to realize it, Holy Gori replied wryly "I'm a bit more stubborn than most men Sometimes I'm amazed that UL didn't lose patience with o to my wife and son I've been many days away from them" He turned and went quickly back across the causeway

Belgarath grinned " A rereed

"Are you sure that their child is the chosen one?"

The Gorim nodded "UL has confir rather than a daughter of Ulgo, but UL's voice silenced the, I've noticed You wanted to see estured toward his pyraency we need to discuss"

Errand followed along behind the two old hted by a glowing crystal globe hanging on a chain fro, and there was a table with low stone benches They sat at the table, and the old Goriarath "We are not like the people who live above in the light of the sun, my friend," he said "For the strea Here in our caves, however, we hear only the sounds of the earth herself"

Belgarath nodded

"The earth and the rocks speak to the people of Ulgo in peculiar ways," the Gorim continued "A sound can come to us fro in the rocks for so louder andested "So?"

"I don't believe so, reed "The sound we hear is not the shifting of the restless earth It is a sound caused by the awakening of a single stone"

"I'

"The stone we hear is alive, Belgarath"

The old sorcerer looked at his friend "There's only one living stone, Gorim"

"I had always believed so myself I have heard the sound of Aldur's Orb as it moves about the world, and this new sound is also the sound of a living stone It awakens, Belgarath, and it feels its power It is evil, ht"

"How long has this sound been co after the death of accursed Torak"

Belgarath pursed his lips "We've known that so around over in Mallorea," he said "We didn't knoas quite this serious, however Can you tellmore about this stone?"