“Incidentally,” spoke Xido, “the custom in this nd is to keep ones breasts covered. Yes, I know, it is barbaric but so it is.”

  Na looked up from her breakfast, making a most sour face.

  Ah, my audience, you would not ugh so at the way a powerful sorceress might attire herself, were the Lady Na here!

  Im followed the god’s statement to a conclusion. “Custom? Then there are people here.”

  “There are. Not your people. We are on the other side of the world from where your ancestors lived, and somewhat north. Their home was near the equator.”

  “What’s an equator?” asked Im. Na looked like she might have wanted to ask too, but was not so eager to dispy her ignorance.

  “Hmm, I think all of that had best be another lesson. In fact, many of your race still reside there, or have mixed with their neighbors. Those were the, ah, ordinary folk for the most part, the ones not quite so long lived, not so inclined to magical powers. They resented those like you.” The dark deity paused. “No, they hated those like you. When Hurasu died — some five thousand years old, by the way — many fled the great valley where they dwelt, seeking new homes. A few went through a gate and built Hirstel.”

  “You mean had demons build it,” Na pointed out.

  Xido chuckled. “That is true. Others went elsewhere, wandering to all parts of this world. The rgest migration settled, um, over that way.” He pointed toward the west. “Across a wide sea from here. They built a mighty empire and ruled from their city of Tesra. Maybe they still do; I haven’t checked on them for a while.”

  “They are sorcerers?” asked Im.

  “Some. It is not so common among them but most are quite long lived.”

  The boy eyed the demon, standing motionless nearby. “Could Qu’orthseth take us there?”

  Xido turned to the red monster. “Ho, Akorzef! Can you fly in this world?”

  “Not well, Lord Xido,” it replied. “A short distance, maybe.”

  “Well, there you go,” said Xido, turning back to his companions. “It can’t carry you across the sea. Tesra might have been a good pce for you.” He shrugged. “Or not. I suspect their trading ships come to the shores on this side of the sea occasionally. We can ask.” A chuckle. “I can ask. You will need to learn the nguage here. An Ildin dialect, most likely.”

  Although neither Na nor Im had ever heard a human speak any nguage other than their own, they knew — as did all Hirstelites — something of the various tongues of demons. “Ill-done?” asked Na. “Are they like you? I mean, um, bck all over?” She really meant his hair, as she and Im were nearly as dark as the god.

  “There are people who look like me in this world, mostly further south. We might run into some. Not the Ildin. They look like neither you nor me. You’ll see.”

  “Which way?” asked Qu’orthseth.

  “Any!” ughed Xido. “It’s been some time since I was around this part of this world and I’ve no idea where any cities might be found.” He gazed toward the east. “Mountains over there. I know that. And sea both south and west. Up that way,” he continued, turning north, “is a great river. Only wandering hunters lived there the st time I visited.” He pondered. “But that has been a century or two.”

  “West would take us toward our own people, wouldn’t it?” Im asked.

  “It would, and the shores of the Great Sea. But it’s not a good way to travel, due west from here. Swamp nd, much of it.” From their expressions, the god immediately surmised neither mortal knew what a swamp was. “Land that is too wet to pass easily. Like one of the vats of slime in your city!”

  “Then south,” said Na.

  “Probably the best choice,” Xido agreed. He looked the woman over. “Your parasol.” He held out a hand.

  The sorceress was puzzled but gave it over. In a few seconds, Xido had removed the material, discarding the frame. The result was a sort of poncho. “Flimsy stuff,” he commented, “but it must do. Slip this on.”

  Na reluctantly did so. “I look ridiculous, don’t I?” she demanded to know.

  Im knew better than to answer, and even Qu’orthseth, but Xido honestly told her, “Quite ridiculous, my dy. But you won’t offend anyone. Let’s go.” They started south through a trackless nd of low hills and scrubby forest.

  “The Ildin are a notably hospitable people,” Xido told them as they walked. “We are fortunate to be in their neighborhood.”

  “If they are still here,” rumbled Qu’orthseth.

  “Indeed. We should have a better chance of meeting them south of these hills we are crossing.”

  The demon lifted its head, turning it side to side. “I sense someone up ahead.” A minute ter, two tall figures — more than just tall — could be seen approaching. They looked quite like Qu’orthseth except both having shiny blue-green skins. “The cops,” it muttered.

  “You can’t take me,” it bellowed at them. “I am still bound here!” This was in the nguage of its home world of demons, naturally. Xido could follow it, and Na, to some extent. Poor Im was in the dark.

  “Only one thing holds you here, Qu’orthseth,” said one. It turned its featureless face toward Im. “We can remove him and take you back.”

  It is to be noted that it did not actually call the demon Qu’orthseth but used a completely unpronounceable name in their own nguage. It was not a nguage humans should hear too much of for it might damage both ears and mind.

  Gods are another matter. “You will not harm the boy,” stated Xido. “He is in my protection.”

  A ugh rumbled from one of them. It was difficult to say which. “You speak our nguage well, Great Lizard.”

  “But with an atrocious accent,” spoke the other. “We will not confront a god.” Its head turned toward Im. “But you can’t watch the mortal at all times.” With that, both turned and walked back the direction from which they had come — and then, of a sudden, disappeared.

  “Back to their own world,” said Na.

  “For now.” Xido looked to young Im. “You understood none of that.”

  “Not the words, but it wasn’t hard to figure out what that pair was thinking.” He regarded their demon companion. “Now, you are supposed to kill me, eventually. You are bound by the geas pced by Piras Tindeval to do this, and then you pop back home automatically. Right?”

  Qu’orthseth solemnly nodded.

  “But what if these constables we just met off me instead? Does that mean you haven’t done your duty and face some other penalty?”

  “Not so long as I intend to sy you, young wizard. Or cim that I do.” It shrugged. “Accidents do happen and a poor demon will not be held responsible.”

  “In other words,” said Na, “it makes no difference.”

  Xido agreed. “Either way, it’s back to prison for Akorzef. Let’s get moving.”

  They headed south again, knowing not what y ahead, but now finding and following a road through the hills. “If I can keep you alive for a millennium, Master Im,” rumbled Qu’orthseth as they trudged along, “I’ll be a quite old demon myself. You might even outst me. I would not mind spending the rest of my life in this world.” It looked about at the sunlit ndscape. It is likely it found it more attractive than did its human companions who were bewildered by much they saw.

  “A thousand years is asking a lot,” noted Na. “Tindeval is said to be near that but I can think of no others.”

  “He has used magic to prolong his years. We can do the same.”

  “Won’t you miss your kind?” the boy asked.

  “One sentient being is as good as another. And some are better. Ho, Lord Xido,” it called, “am I likely to frighten the people around here?”

  “Undoubtedly,” the god told it.

  “Ah, then I’d best duck aside for those are surely humans approaching!”