“Would you have paid any attention ? Listen carefully, Garion. My opposite has agreed that we should leave the matter in Cyradis' hands. Zandramas, however, has made no such commitment. She's very likely to make one last attempt. Put yourself between her and the Sardion. No matter what you have to do, don't let her reach that stone. "

“All right,” Garion said bleakly. He reasoned that attempting to edge into position inch by inch would not deceive the Sorceress of Darshiva as to his intent. Instead, quite calmly and deliberately, he simply stepped in front of the altar, drew his sword, and set its point on the floor of the grotto in front of him with his crossed hands resting on the pommel.

"What art thou about?" Zandramas demanded in a harsh, suspicious tone of voice.

"You know exactly what I'm doing, Zandramas," Garion replied. "The two spirits have agreed to let Cyradis decide between them. I haven't heard you agree yet. Do you still think you can avoid the Choice?"

Her light-speckled face twisted with hatred. "Thou wilt pay for this, Belgarion," she answered. "All that thou art and all that thou lovest will perish here.”

"That's for Cyradis to decide, not you. In the meantime, nobody's going to touch the Sardion until after Cyradis makes her choice."

Zandramas ground her teeth in sudden, impotent fury.

And then Poledra came closer, her tawny hair stained by the light of the Sardion. "Very well done, young wolf," she said to Garion.

"Thou no longer hast the power, Poledra." The strangely abstracted words came from Zandramas' unmoving mouth.

"Point." The familiar dry voice spoke through Poledra's lips.

"I perceive no point."

"That's because you've always discarded your instruments when you were finished with them. Poledra was the Child of Light at Vo Mimbre. She was even able to defeat Torak there if only temporarily. Once that power is bestowed, it can never be wholly taken away. Did not her control over the Demon Lord prove that to you?"

Garion was almost staggered by that. Poledra? The Child of Light during that dreadful battle five hundred years ago?

The voice went on. "Do you acknowledge the point?" it asked its opposite.

"What difference can it make? The game will be played out soon."

"I claim point. Our rules required that you acknowledge it."

"Very well. I acknowledge the point. You've really become quite childish about this, you know."

"A rule is a rule, and the game isn't finished yet."

Garion went back to watching Zandramas very closely so that he might meet any sudden move she made toward the Sardion.

"When is the time, Cyradis?" Belgarath quietly asked the Seeress of Kell.

"Soon," she replied. "Very soon."

"We're all here," Silk said, nervously looking up-at the ceiling. "Why don't we get on with it?"