This time no lightning
played along the mountain ridges and the blaze of the sun was so bright
and clear that one could hardly believe in the fantastic happenings of
that swamp clearing where men had fought with weapons not made by hands.
The three from the _Queen_ moved away from the parapet to meet the Chief
Ranger as he came down the stairs.
"A messenger has just arrived. The hunter was hunted indeed, and his
going was witnessed by many--though they did not see those which hunted
him. Lumbrilo is dead; he came to his end by the Great River."
Jellico started. "But that is almost fifty miles from the swamp, on this
side of the mountain!"
"He was hunted and he fled--as you promised," Asaki said to Tau. "You
made strong magic, off-world man."
The medic shook his head slowly. "I but turned his own methods against
him. Because he believed in his power, that same power, reflected back,
broke him. Had I been facing one who did not believe...." He shrugged.
"Our first meeting set the pattern. From that moment he feared a little
that I could match him, and his uncertainty pierced a hole in his
armor.
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