"You overgrown bully-swordsman," he taunted. "An ounce of my brain can
defeat a ton of your big lumpy muscles."
"Explode the mine," I said. "It will take us both. You can't retreat
out of both my reach and the explosion's."
"Can't I?"
He held up his cylinder. "Here's the fuse. By remote control it can set
off all, or any part I select. Understand before you die, Barak. I'll
blow up a small area, and you with it, as soon as you set foot where I
want."
His broad face sniggered. "Oh, you've played into my hands from the
first! You tried to disrupt--you only gave me an excuse to wipe out the
rest of that Council, and take all power for myself. Now I'll kill you.
Will you come on? Or retreat, and die as you flee? Or just stand there,
like a captive statue?"
I continued my advance upon him. "You're lying," I said, but my heart
told me that for once he was not.
"Your life is in my hands," he said. "You don't know what moment will
see your own feet carrying you to your death. Come, pursue me, brave
Barak, stupid Barak. Let your last thought be this--your death helps me
immeasurably."
"You're lying," I said again, and he laughed again.
"Reflect. Let your thick skull filter these facts. I shall destroy you.
To my followers I will be a hero. Your own Newcomers will pause and
wonder. I can re-order my defenses, and most of the planted mines will
remain to check any advance--"
Forgetting all caution, all planning, I charged him. He turned and ran
like Dondromogon's outer winds.
But I had taken no more than half a dozen steps in pursuit when all the
thunders and lightnings of the universe seemed to burst around me.