thought that it was only in the Safrak Islands that the eyes of a dog are a favored delicacy. But, while Safrak does use the dog the fullest, the same gastronomical quirk is found also in Chi'ash-lan.
'You find me informed, do you?' said the therapist smugly.
'Well, I make it my business to be informed. And I don't believe for a moment that you're here as tourists. Why did you come here?
The truth!'
'The truth,' said Sken-Pitilkin, prevaricating, and wishing that Zozimus would say something to help him out.
'Yes, yes, the truth,' said Schoptomov. 'Truth, the highest virtue!'
'We had business with one Wazir Sin,' said Sken-Pitilkin, since nobody else had courage or wit sufficient to help bluff the monster.
'Ah, Sin, Sin,' said the therapist. 'A delightful man by all accounts. A man very much after my own tastes. He was doing so very well, too. It is most unfortunate.'
'You mean he's dead?' said Guest Gulkan.
'Several years dead,' said the therapist.
'Then who rules Untunchilamon?' said Guest.
'I do,' said the therapist.
'You braggarting liar!' said Guest, still in his mode of wrath. 'You are not a ruler! You are just a species of vermin, a species of rat!'
This speech caused Sken-Pitilkin great pain, for had not the venerable wizard Skatzabratzumon labored for years in an effort to teach Guest Gulkan the arts of diplomacy? All useless, useless, wasted effort – for once a Yarglat barbarian, always a Yarglat barbarian!
'The therapist,' said Sken-Pitilkin, seeking to remedy the damage which had surely been done, 'is of such sophistication that the rule of Untunchilamon is surely not beyond its capabilities.'
'You are right,' said the therapist, not bothering to disguise its amused delight, for it had been a long time since anyone had flattered it. 'I also have the capacity to kill you.'
'Who are you?' said Guest. 'And what?'
'I have told you my name already,' said the therapist Schoptomov. 'If you have forgotten it, then it is fear which is doing the forgetting. As for my function, why, I have told you that, too. I am a therapist.'
'A therapist?' said Guest.
'I administer therapy,' said Schoptomov. 'Algetic therapy.'
'What mean you by that?' said Guest Gulkan, puzzled.
'It's a torturer,' said Zozimus. 'That's what it means.'
'You sound as if you despise the Art,' said Schoptomov.
'Well, my friend, you will despise it less hereafter.'
At this threat, Guest Gulkan suddenly bethought himself of the heaviness of the amulet which hung as a pendant from the necklace he wore always at his throat. Paraban Senk, the disembodied entity which had ruled Cap Foz Para Lash in the city of Dalar ken Halvar, had not wanted him to depart with that amulet. Later, the demon Icaria Scaria Iva-Italis had immediately recognized that amulet for what it was.
But what was it? Guest felt the amulet start to beat in time with his very heart, and, inspired by that beating, knew – he had the gift of Knowing, did he not? – that this amulet was a device which would be proof against the power of the monster which now confronted them.
So Guest seized his amulet, and drew it forth from its concealment, lifting the necklace clear of his head and brandishing its pendant on high as he cried:
'Behold, the mazadath!'
In response…
In response, the therapist laughed. Which angered Guest intensely, for he was profoundly tired of things laughing at him.
'Why, a mazadath!' said the therapist. 'A pretty trinket, but one useless for the concerns of the moment.'
In demonstration of this, the therapist swatted Guest with a lazy tentacle, knocking the mazadath from his grasp and sending it skittling across the floor. At which Zozimus said to Sken-Pitilkin:
'Can you?'Sken-Pitilkin knew what this question meant. It meant: can you lift this therapist? Ordinarily, Sken- Pitilkin would have answered: no. For the therapist was huge. Its weight was surely greater than that of the demons of Safrak, Chi'ash-lan and Obooloo put together. By trying to lift it, Sken-Pitilkin might kill himself.
But Sken-Pitilkin said, without hesitation:
'I will need a moment's distraction, cousin.'
'Then you shall have it,' said Zozimus.
Then Pelagius Zozimus animated those corpses which lay about the therapist. In creaking swarms they attacked, flesh falling away as they stormed around the therapist, trying to attack the brute's tentacles and chelae.
What good could this do?
None whatsoever!
For the therapist was too much of a brute to be harmed by the belaboring of a few dozen rotting corpses.
Nevertheless, the therapist was momentarily taken by surprise at this attack. In alarm, it flailed at the corpses with its tentacles. The tentacle which had gripped Pelagius Zozimus came free, whipping itself into the battle against the corpses.
'Now!' said Zozimus.
Then Hostaja Torsen Sken-Pitilkin exerted all his power, and wrenched the therapist – tore it loose from its foundations, heaved it into the air then dumped it down.
Hard.
The therapist screamed. Pipes ruptured. Flailing steam gouted into the air. Bursts of lightning crackled. Guest Gulkan seized Sken-Pitilkin – who had quite fainted away on account of the monstrous nature of his exertions – then led the retreat at the sprint.
Pelagius Zozimus grabbed the country crook which had fallen from Sken-Pitilkin's grasp, and sprinted alongside Guest Gulkan. Thayer Levant lagged a footstep in the rear – and was soon lagging even further, for he paused momentarily to scoop up Guest's fallen mazadath.
The therapist lashed at Levant with a tentacle.
Almost caught him!
But Levant gained the safety of the corridor to which his fellows had fled, leaving the therapist behind him. The wounded monstrosity bellowed in a fury close to madness. In the heat of its rage, it forgot which languages the adventurers had used, and swore at them in some uncouth tongue from its monstrous past.
'Gods!' said Guest, coming to a panting halt, and letting Sken-Pitilkin slip unconscious to the floor. 'He's heavy. And he's hot!'
Pelagius Zozimus touched Sken-Pitilkin's skin. It was hot, hot as if in a fever. The venerable wizard of Skatzabratzumon seemed to be positively burning up. Zozimus shuddered.
'What is it?' said Guest.
'We are lucky he is only hot,' said Zozimus. 'That is what it is!'Guest did not rightly understand the import of this remark, but, sensing it might be something he was better off not understand, he asked no more about it. Instead, he reclaimed his mazadath from Thayer Levant, slung the chained amulet around his neck, and declared himself ready to go on a reconnaissance mission to find some ice.
By the time Guest had returned with some ice – quite a long time, as it happened – Sken-Pitilkin was conscious again. The wizard of Skatzabratzumon proved strong enough to suck on some ice, though it was a long while before he was strong enough to speak, and longer yet before he was capable of walking.
But at last the adventurers got underway again, and a long and weary journey they had before they at last found their way to the daylight.
When at last the travelers did escape to the outer air, they found the fair city of Injiltaprajura to be in a state of uncommon disorder. For the eminent Wazir Sin had indeed been overthrown, and overthrown something close to seven years earlier, a fact which had escaped the notice of everyone from Hostaja Sken-Pitilkin to Plandruk
