The animal's screaming became squealing. Slowly the head went back, the short, almost non-existent neck strained, the beady eyes darted. Then there was a loud snapping sound and the boar squealed once and fell over on its side with a broken neck. Bram Forest, panting, the muscles of his legs quivering, stood clear. Bylanus touched his great golden head to the ground. Ylia ran to Bram Forest and flung her arms about his neck. "I was afraid," she said. "I was so afraid you would be hurt." Bram Forest kissed her. She clung to him, sobbing his name when their lips parted. Finally Bram Forest disengaged himself and said: "The poem, Ylia. We've seen an ape, a boar, a stallion. This world is the 'land beyond the stars.' But was the boar also the raging beast?" Ylia shrugged. Bylanus stood up and told Bram Forest, "The Golden Apes are ready to serve you in any way you wish." Three worlds, Bram Forest thought. One which Portox had saved from doom, one which had been the haven in which Bram Forest had grown to manhood, and one in which all their destinies soon would be written. "Then Tarth thanks you," Bram Forest told the Golden Ape Bylanus. "Assemble your fighters. We're going back up the River of Ice." "To Nadia City?" Ylia asked. Bram Forest nodded grimly. "To Nadia City--and Retoc." * * * * * Bontarc, King of Nadia, asked his royal guest, "You like the Games so far?" They sat, with Princess Volna, in the box of honor at the Amphitheater of Nadia. "Aye, I like them," Retoc said slowly. "But sire, I would like them much better if they were not to commemorate the passing of your noble brother, the Prince Jlomec." Bontarc nodded his head in gratitude. "That was well-spoken, Retoc," he said. Retoc went on: "Have you any idea who killed him so treacherously? Jlomec was not a fighting man." "None," Bontarc admitted. He missed entirely the smile which passed between Retoc and Princess Volna. "Well," Bontarc said after a while, "if you will excuse me, I must go down below to prepare for the dueling. Under the circumstances I'm hardly inclined to participate in the Games, but my people expect it of me." "Yes, brother," Volna said softly. "They do. Oh, they do." And Bontarc went. Retoc looked at Volna. "I'd best get ready myself," he said. Volna nodded her lovely head. A blood-lusting animal cry welled up from a hundred thousand throats as the gladiators of Nadia marched out across the sands of the amphitheater to do battle with the fierce snow-sloths of the Plains of Ice. While several jeks from the Gates of Ice, Retoc's legions waited.... * * * * * "Wait here," Bram Forest told Bylanus, who had led them safely, along with the vanguard of the Golden Apes, back up the River of Ice. "What will you do, Bram Forest?" "According to Ylia, we can trust Bontarc of Nadia. He's a fighting man, but he craves peace for all Tarth."