Isle Of The Dead   ::   Zelazny Roger

In fact I am only a few hundred feet from you, inthe direction in which you were heading. I am near the power-pull, though it can't help me now. I will call out when I hear you approaching_.

--_Why?_

--_The time is near. I will go to the land of death, and there my strength shall fail. I was hurt badly last night_.

--_What do you want me to do about it? I've got problems of my own_.

--_I want the last rite. You told me that you gave it to Dra Marling, so I know that you know the way. Also, you said that you had _glitten__--

--_I don't believe in that any more. Never did. I only did it for Marling because_--

--_You are a high priest. You bear the Name Shimbo of Darktree Tower, Shrugger of Thunders. You cannot refuse me_.

--_I have renounced the Name, and I do refuse you_.

--_You said once that if I helped you, you would intercede for me on Megapei. I _did_ help you_.

--_I know that, but now that you are dying it is too late_.

--_Then give me this thing instead_.

--_I will come to you and give you what aid and comfort I can, save for the last rite. I am finished with such things, after last night_.

--_Come to me, then_.

So I did. By the time I reached him, the rain had just about let up. Too bad. It had been doing a fair job of washing away his body fluids. He had propped himself back against a rock, and the whiteness of bone shone through flesh in four places that I could see.

"The vitality of a Pei'an is a fantastic thing," I said. "You got all that in that fall last night?"

He nodded, then --_It hurts to speak, so I must continue in this fashion. I knew you still lived, so I kept myself alive until I could reach you_.

I managed to get what was left of my pack off my back. Then I opened it.

"Here, take this. It is for pain. It works for five races. Yours is one."

He brushed it aside.

--_I do not wish to dull my mentality at this point_.

"Green, I am not going to give you the rite. I will give you the _glitten_ root and you can take it yourself if you wish. But that's all."

--_Even if I can give you that which you most desire in return?_

"What?"

--_All of them, back again, with no memory of what has happened here_.

"The tapes!"

--_Yes_.

"Where are they?"

--_A favor for a favor, _Dra_ Sandow_.

"Give them to me."

--_The rite_ ...

... A new Kathy, a Kathy who had never met Mike Shandon, my Kathy--and Nick, the breaker of noses.

"You drive a hard bargain, Pei'an.