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"Stay put!" Belgarath ordered, catching Silk's are, and Nahaz won't be able to refuse it"

Another of those flickering disturbances appeared in the air above the upper end of the gorge, and another towering form appeared out of its center Garion could not see its face, a fact for which he was profoundly grateful, but it, too, had snaky ar in profusion from its vast shoulders "Thou darest to face me, Mordja?" it roared in a voice which shook the nearby mountains

"I do not fear thee, Nahaz," Mordja bellowed back

"Our enmity hath endured for a thousand thousand years

Let it end here I shall carry word of thy death back to the King of Hell and bear thy head with me as proof oflaugh "Come and take it--if thou canst"

"And thou wouldst bestow the stone of power on the mad Disciple of maimed Torak?" Mordja sneered

"Thy sojourn in the land of the Morindim hath bereft thee of thy wits, Mordja The stone of power shall be mine, and I shall rule these ants that creep upon the face of this world I will raise theer ‘'

"Hoilt thou feed, Nahaz--without thy head? It is I ill rule and feed here, for the stone of power shall lie in my hand"

"That ill soon discover, Mordja Come Let us contend for a head and for the stone we both desire" Suddenly Nahaz spun about, his baleful eyes searching the top of the cliff where Garion and his friends lay hidden A volcanic hiss burst froht!" he roared "Praise the naht him within my reach I will rend him asunder and seize the stone which he carries Thou art doo" With hideous speed the Demon Lord Nahaz clambered over the tumbled rocks at the foot of the cliff and reached out with his dozens of clawed hands at the sheer rock face His vast shoulders heaved

"He's cliled voice "Let's get out of here!"

The Derin, then he, too, ran forward and began to claw his way up the face of the cliff

Garion rose to his feet, looking down at the two vastup the sheer rock He felt a peculiar detachment as he reached back over his shoulder and drew his sword He untied the leather sleeve covering the hilt and slipped it off The Orb glowed, and when he took the sword in both hands, the familiar blue flame ran up the blade