"It didn't say anything about winning or losing, Belgarion," Beldin corrected him. "All it said was that the Orb is going to undo what it did to Torak when he used it to crack the world. It doesn't say anything about why."

"That's always been the trouble with the Prophecy," Belgarath observed. "It can mean any one of a dozen different things."

"Or all of them," Beldin added. "That's what makes it so difficult to understand sometimes. We tend to concentrate on just one thing, but Prophecy includes everything at the same time. I'll work on it and see if I can wring some sense out of it. If I come up with anything, I'll let you know. I'd better be getting back." He leaned slightly forward and curled his arms out in a vaguely winglike gesture. "Watch out for the Morindim," he told Belgarath. "You're a fair sorcerer, but magic's altogether different, and sometimes it gets away from you."

"I think I can handle it if I have to," Belgarath replied tartly.

"Maybe," Beldin said. "If you can manage to stay sober." He shimmered back into the form of the hawk, beat his wings twice, and spiraled up out of the clearing and into the sky. Garion watched him until he was only a circling speck.

"That was a strange visit," Silk said, rolling out of his blankets. "It looks as if quite a bit's been going on since we left."

"And none of it very good," Belgarath added sourly. "Let's get moving. We're really going to have to hurry now. If Anheg gets his fleet into the Sea of the East and starts sinking Mallorean troop ships, 'Zakath might decide to march north and come across the land bridge. If we don't get there first, it could get very crowded up there." The old man scowled darkly. "I'd like to put my hands on your uncle just about now," he added. "I'd sweat a few pounds off him."

They quickly saddled their horses and rode back along the edge of the sunlit forest toward the road leading north.

Despite the rather lame assurances of the two sorcerers, Garion rode slumped in despair. They were going to lose, and Torak was going to kill him.

"Stop feeling sa sorry for yourself, " the inner voice told him finally.

"Why did you get me into this?" Garion demanded bitterly.

"We've discussed that before. "

"He's going to kill me."

"What gives you that idea?"

"That's what the Prophecy said." Garion stopped abruptly as a thought occurred to him. "You said it yourself. You're the Prophecy, aren't you?"

"It's a misleading term-,and I didn't say anything about winning or losing. "

"Isn't that what it means?"

"No. It means exactly what it says."

"What else could it mean?"

"You're getting more stubborn every day. Stop worrying so much about meanings and just do what you have to do. You almost had it right, back there. "