Мор - ученик смерти

           ’Comeon.I’vegotabadfeelingaboutthenextone,andwehaven’tmuchtime.’

           AlbertmaterialisedinthecentreofUnseenUniversity,inthesameplace,infact,fromwhichhehaddepartedtheworldsometwothousandyearsbefore.

           Hegruntedwithsatisfactionandbrushedafewspecksofdustoffhisrobe.

           Hebecameawarethathewasbeingwatched;onlookingup,hediscoveredthathehadflashedintoexistenceunderthesternmarblegazeofhimself.

           Headjustedhisspectaclesandpeereddisapprovinglyatthebronzeplaquescrewedtohispedestal.Itsaid:

           ’AlbertoMalich,FounderofThisUniversity.AM1,222-1,289."WeWillNotSeeHisLikeAgain".’

           Somuchforprediction,hethought.Andiftheythoughtsomuchofhimtheycouldatleasthavehiredadecentsculptor.Itwasdisgraceful.Thenosewasallwrong.Callthataleg?Peoplehadbeencarvingtheirnamesonit,too.Hewouldn’tbeseendeadinahatlikethat,either.Ofcourse,ifhecouldhelpit,hewouldn’tbeseendeadatall.

           Albertaimedanoctarinethunderboltattheghastlythingandgrinnedevillyasitexplodedintodust.

           ’Right,’hesaidtotheDiscatlarge,’I’mback.’Thetinglefromthemagiccoursedallthewayuphisarmandstartedawarmglowinhismind.Howhe’dmissedit,alltheseyears.

           Wizardscamehurryingthroughthebigdoubledoorsatthesoundoftheexplosionandclearedthewrongconclusionfromastandingstart.

           Therewasthepedestal,empty.Therewasacloudofmarbledustovereverything.