"A word with you, Belgarath?" Belmakor said when we reached the foot of our Master's tower.

"Of course."

"I really don't think we should leave the Master alone," he suggested gravely.

"You think Torak might come back and hit him again?"

"I rather doubt it, and I'm fairly certain that the Master could take care of himself if that happened."

"He didn't the last time," I replied bleakly.

"That was probably because Torak took him by surprise.  You don't normally expect a brother to hit you."

"Why all this concern, then?"

"Didn't you feel the Master's grief?  And I'm not just talking about the loss of the Orb.  Torak betrayed him and hit him, and now there's going to be a war.  I think a couple of us should stay here to comfort the Master and to care for him."

"Do you want to stay?"

"Not me, old boy.  I'm at least as angry about this as you are.  Right now I'm so angry that I could bite rocks and spit sand."

I considered it.  There were seven of us, and we had to reach only five Gods, so we could certainly afford to leave a couple behind.  "How about the twins, then?" I suggested.  "Neither one of them could function if we separated them anyway, and they don't have the temperament to deal with any confrontations that might turn up."

"Excellent suggestion, old boy," he approved.  "Of course, that means that someone else will have to go north to speak with Belar."

"I'll do that," I volunteered.  "I think I can probably deal with the Aloms."

"I'll go to Nedra, then.  I've met him before, and I know how to get his attention.  I'll bribe him if I have to."

"Bribe?  He's a God, Belmakor."

"You've never met him, I gather.  The Tolnedrans come by their peculiarities honestly."

"Take Belzedar with you," I suggested.  "He's obsessed with the Orb, so I don't think we should just turn him loose.  He might decide to go after Torak on his own.  When you get to the lands of the Tolnedrans, send him up into Arendland to talk with Chaldan.  If he tries to argue with you, tell him that I ordered him to do it.  I'm the eldest, so that might carry some weight with him.  Don't let him go south.  I don't want him getting himself killed.  Our Master's got enough grief to deal with already."

He nodded gravely.  "I'll take the others along as well.  We'll split up once we reach the Tolnedrans.  Belsambar can go talk with Mara, and Beldin should be able to find Issa."

"That's probably the best plan.  Warn Beldin and Belsambar about Belzedar.  Let's all keep an eye on him.  Sometimes he's a little impulsive."

"Do we want to involve the Dals or the Melcenes?"

I squinted up at the sky.  The summer storm had blown off, and only a few puffy white clouds remained.  "The Master didn't mention them," I replied a little dubiously.  "You might want to warn them, though.  They probably wouldn't care to participate in a religious war - considering the fact that they don't have a God - but you should probably suggest that they stay out of the way."

He shrugged.  "Whatever you think best.  Will you talk with the twins?"

"Why don't you do that?  I've got a long way to go, and the Aloms are spread out all over the north.  It might take me quite a little while to find Belar."

"Good hunting," he said with a faint smile.

"Very funny, Belmakor," I replied dryly.