Axis received the summons from Josia just as he was running down the stairs to find Georgdi, who was currently reviewing security in the lower reaches of Elcho Falling.

Axis moved to the nearest window. “Josia?”

Josia sat there in his window a few paces away, hovering in the clear air, as he had been the last time he had talked to Axis.

“Good news, Axis. Maximilian and Ishbel have succeeded. DarkGlass Mountain is destroyed. Gone. No more.”

“Ah, thank the stars!” Axis felt relief flood through him. Finally, good news! “They are well?”

“Yes. Both are well.”

Axis grinned, the day suddenly bright. “And the One?” “Gone. Dead, they say.”

“Is that possible? He drew on the power of Infinity itself.”

Josia shrugged disinterestedly. “It is what Maximilian told me to tell you.”

“Well, then, if Maxel said it was so, then it is so. I thank you, Josia. This is blessed news indeed. Are Maxel and Ishbel on their way home now?”

“Where else?”

Axis ran lightly down the stairs, whistling under his breath, all his other troubles forgotten in the face of this bright news. He saw Georgdi in the spacious foyer of Elcho Falling and stopped for a brief chat.

“DarkGlass Mountain is gone?” Georgdi said.

Axis was still grinning. “Aye, and Ishbel and Maxel safe. Georgdi, we need to send a boat to them. Do you have any means of contacting any boatmen, or ships? It should be such an easy thing, yet we are bottled up here in Elcho Falling with no means of communication with the outside world.”

“Not quite no means,” Georgdi said. “I have men roaming the Outlands. Give me a day or two and I can pass a message to a band of them and —”

“How?”

Georgdi gave a small shrug. “The sun. A small mirror. It can be done. They can contact a boatman in Margalit or one of the smaller ports south. Someone will be able to sail to pick them up.”

“Good.” Axis clapped Georgdi on the shoulder. They talked a few more minutes about security issues then Axis continued his way down the stairs.

He wanted to see what was happening with the Dark Spire now that DarkGlass Mountain was gone and the One with it.

With any luck the spire would have withered into the size and threat of a sausage left for eight weeks in the sun.

He reached a chamber just above the lowest basement which contained the Dark Spire. StarDrifter was there, conferring in close whispers with several other Enchanters.

StarDrifter turned and Axis was surprised to see deep worry in his face.

“Good news, StarDrifter,” Axis said. “DarkGlass Mountain is destroyed. The One with it. Maximilian and Ishbel are on their way home. How .” he paused, wondering why there was no expression of relief or joy on StarDrifter’s face. “How goes the Dark Spire?”

“Badly, Axis,” StarDrifter said. “In the past hour it has grown remarkably. None of us can enter the lowest basement level now, for the spire’s dark tentacles reach everywhere.”

He stepped aside, and indicated the floor. “Look. This happened just before you arrived.”

Axis looked to where StarDrifter pointed, and all his happiness faded.

There was a dark streak spreading across the floor.

A crack.

As he watched, the floor began to break wide open, and everyone hastened for the stairs.

The Dark Spire was ascending.