Thislast was said as his hands suddenly flew to his throat and beganchoking him violently. "Glaak… eak… urk…."

Hefell back on the stairs and began rolling frantically back and forth.

"Isstvan,"Higgens began hesitantly, "normally I wouldn't interfere, butdon't you think you should hear what he has to say, first? "

"ButI'm not doing anything!" Isstvan blinked with hurt innocence.

Myeyes flashed to the other end of the mezzanine. Tanda was crouchedthere, her eyes closed. She seemed to be choking an invisible personon the floor in front of her. With dawning realization, I began toappreciate more and more the subtleties of a trained assassin.

"Youaren't doing anything?" Higgens shrilled, "Well, then dosomething! He's dying!" "

Ithought for a moment that the ludicrous statement would set Isstvanto laughing again, but riot this time.

"Oh,"he sighed. "This is all so confusing. Yes, I guess you'reright."

Heclicked his fingers and Brockhurst stopped thrashing about and beganbreathing again in long, ragged breaths.

"Here,old boy," said Aahz. "Have some wine."

Heoffered Brockhurst a brimming flagon which the Imp began to gulpgratefully.

"Aahz,"Isstvan said sternly. "I don't think you've been honest withus."

"Me?"Aahz asked innocently.

"Evenyou couldn't have caused this much havoc without assistance. Nowwhere is it coming from?"

Heclosed his eyes and turned his face toward the ceiling for a moment.

"Aah!"he suddenly proclaimed. "Here it is."

Therewas a squawk from the other end of the mezzanine and Tanda wassuddenly lifted into view by unseen hands.

"Higgens!"exclaimed Isstvan, "Another one! Well, well, the day is full ofsurprises."

Tandaheld her silence as she was floated down to a chair on a level withthe others.

"Nowlet's see." Isstvan mumbled to himself. "Have we missedanybody?"

Ifelt the sudden pressure of invisible forces and realized I was next.I tried desperately to think of a disguise, but the only thing thatcame to mind was Gleep… so I tried it.

"Adragon!" cried Brockhurst as I floated into view.

"Gleep!"I said, rolling my eyes desperately.

"Ohnow that's too much," Isstvan pouted. "I want to see whoI'm dealing with."

Hegave a vacant wave of his hand, and the disguises disappeared…all of them. I was me, Quigley was Quigley, Tanda was Tanda, the Impswere Imps, and the Deveel was a Deveel. Aahz, of course, was Aahz.Apparently a moratorium had been declared on disguises… by amajority of one… Isstvan.

Icame drifting down to join the others, but my entrance was generallyignored in the other proceedings.

"Tanda!"Isstvan cried enthusiastically. "Well, well. This is a reunion,isn't it?"

"Barkat the moon, Isstvan," Tanda snarled defiantly.

Quigleywas looking at everyone else with such speed I thought his head wouldfall off.

"Idon't understand!" he whimpered plaintively.

"Shutup, Quigley," Aahz growled. "We'll explain later."

"That'sassuming there is a later," Frumple sneered.

Itended to agree with Frumple. The atmosphere, in the room no longerhad even the semblance of joviality. It was over. We had lost. Wewere all exposed and captured, and Isstvan was as strong as ever.Whatever Aahz's secret weapon was, it apparently hadn't worked.

"Well,I'm afraid all good things must come to an end," Isstvan sighed,draining his flagon. "Now I'm afraid I'll have to dispose ofyou."

Hesounded genuinely sad, but somehow I couldn't muster any sympathy forhis plight.

"Justone question before we begin, Aahz," he asked in surprisinglysane tones.

"What'sthat?" Aahz responded.

"Whydid you do it? I mean, with as feeble a team as this, how did youpossibly hope to beat me?"

Isstvansounded genuinely sincere.

"Well,Isstvan," Aahz drawled, "that's a matter of opinion."

"What'sthat supposed to mean?" Isstvan asked suspiciously.

"Idon't 'hope' we can beat you," Aahz smiled. "I know wecan."

"Really?"Isstvan chuckled. "And upon what are you basing your logic?"

"Why,I'm basing it on the fact that we've already won," Aahz blinkedinnocently. "It's all over, Isstvan, whether you realize it ornot."

"AAHZ,"Isstvan said sternly, "there comes a time when even your humorwears a little thin."

"I'mnot kidding, Isstvan," Aahz assured him. "You've lost yourpowers. Go ahead, try something. Anything!"

Isstvanhesitated. He closed his eyes.

Nothinghappened.

"Yousee?" Aahz shrugged. "You've lost your powers. All of them.And don't look to your associates for help. They're all in the sameboat."

"Youmean we've really won?" I blurted out, the full impact of whatwas transpiring finally starting to sink in.

"That'sright, kid."

Aahzsuddenly leaned forward and clapped Frumple on the shoulder.

"Congratulations,Frumple," he exclaimed. "I've got to admit I didn't thinkyou could do it."

"What?"blinked the Deveel.

"I'mjust glad this squares our debt with you," Aahz continuedwithout pause. "You won't try to back out on it now, will you?"

"Frumple!"Isstvan's voice was dark with menace. "Did you do this to us?"

"I…I…." Frumple stammered.

"Goahead, Frumple. Gloat!" Aahz encouraged. "He can't doanything to you now. Besides, you can teleport out of here anytimeyou want."

"No,he can't!" snarled Higgens, and his arm flashed forward.

Icaught a glimpse of a small ball flying through the air before itexploded against Frumple's forehead in a cloud of purple dust.

"But…."began Frumple, but it was too late. In mid-gesture his limbs becamerigid and his face froze. We had another statue on our hands. "Goodmove, Higgens," applauded Aahz. "If it wouldn't be too muchtrouble, Aahz," interrupted Isstvan. "Could you explainwhat's going on here?"

"Aah!"said Aahz, "therein lies the story."

"Thissounds familiar," Quigley mumbled. I poked him in the ribs withmy elbow. We weren't out of this yet.

"Itseems that Frumple learned about your plans from Throckwoddle.Apparently he was afraid that if you succeeded in taking over thedimensions, you would implement price controls, thereby putting himout of business as a merchant. You know how those Deveels are."

TheImps snorted. Isstvan nodded thoughtfully. "Anyway, he decidedto try to stop you. To accomplish this, he blackmailed the four of usinto assisting him. We were to create a diversion while he effectedthe actual attack."

"Well,what did he do?" prompted Higgens. "He drugged the wine!"explained Aahz. "Don't you remember?"

"When?"asked Brockhurst.

"Whenhe dropped that phony crystal into the jug. remember?"

"Buthe drank from the jug, too!" exclaimed Higgens.

"That'sright, but he had taken an antidote in advance," Aahz finishedwith a flourish.

"Sowe're stuck here!" Brockhurst spat in disgust.

"Youknow, Aahz," Isstvan said slowly. "It occurs to me thateven if everything happened exactly as you described it, you and yourfriends here played a fairly large part in the plot."

"You'reright, Isstvan," Aahz admitted, "but I'm prepared to offeryou a bargain."

"Whatkind of a bargain?" Isstvan asked suspiciously.

"It'sin two parts. First, to clear Tanda and myself from having opposedyou in your last bid for power, I can offer transportation for youand your allies out of this dimension."

"Hmm…."said Isstvan. "And the second part?"

"Forthe second part, I can give you the ultimate vengeance to visit onFrumple here. In exchange, I want your promise you'll bear no grudgeagainst the four of us for our part in today's misfortune."