The advance guard reached the slave block. Then, with deafening abruptness, the drummers crossed their sticks and the pipers ceased, and there was utter silence in the square. It lasted for almost a minute, and then from every barbarian throat the name of Kynon roared out until the stones of the city echoed with it. A man leaped from the back of his mount to the block, standing at its outer edge where all could see, his hands flung up. "I greet you, my brothers!" And the cheering went on. Stark studied Kynon, surprised that he was so young. He had expected a gray-bearded prophet, and instead, here was a brawny-shouldered man of war standing as tall as himself. Kynon's eyes were a bright, compelling blue, and his face was the face of a young eagle. His voice had deep music in it--the kind of voice that can sway crowds to madness. Stark looked from him to the rapt faces of the people--even the Valkisians had caught the mood--and thought that Kynon was the most dangerous man he had ever seen. This tawny-haired barbarian in his kilt of bronze-bossed leather was already half a god. Kynon shouted to the captain of his warriors, "Bring the captive and the old man!" Then he turned again to the crowd, urging them to silence. When at last the square was still, his voice rang challengingly across it. "There are still those who doubt me. Therefore I have come to Valkis, and this day--now!--I will show proof that I have not lied!" A roar and a mutter from the crowd. Kynon's men were lifting to the block a tottering ancient so bowed with years that he could barely stand, and a youth of Terran stock. The boy was in chains. The old man's eyes burned, and he looked at the boy beside him with a terrible joy. Stark settled down to watch. The litter with the curtains of crimson silk was now beside the block. A girl, a Valkisian, stood beside it, looking up. It seemed to Stark that her green eyes rested on Kynon with a smouldering anger. He glanced away from the serving girl, and saw that the curtains were partly open. A woman lay on the cushions within. He could not see much of her, except that her hair was like dark flame and she was smiling, looking at the old man and the naked boy. Then her glance, very dark in the shadows of the litter, shifted away and Stark followed it and saw Delgaun. Every muscle of Delgaun's body was drawn taut, and he seemed unable to look away from the woman in the litter. Stark smiled, very slightly. The outlanders were cynically absorbed in what was going on. The crowd had settled again to that silent, breathless tension. The sun blazed down out of the empty sky. The dust blew, and the wind was sharp with the smell of living flesh. The old man reached out and touched the boy's smooth shoulder, and his gums showed bluish as he laughed. Kynon was speaking again.