Thank you, yumichan808, for your review. I have to apologize. It's typical of me to presume that everyone else is on the same wave length as me. I guess that's why most writers have editors. Oh well. I realize that Poledra never actually died and that Blegarath was reunited with her at the end of Seeres of Kell, but for five thousand years he thought that she had died -and he always felt that loss, even after they were reunited. I think Belgarath had had enough of Garion's 'Why me,' and decided to put an end to it. Belgarath is always such a dramatist; I think he just went a little overboard in order to get Garion's attention.

Also, yes, Polgara said ruffly the same thing at the end of Queen of Sorcery. I thought I mentioned that.

Anyway, please keep reading. Things haven't even gotten started yet

Chapter Two

It came with no warning at all. A sudden renching, tearing sound filled the chamber. The water became instanly icy, and the air became dank and stale. The stones, although already grey, lost vibrancey, as if all its color had been sucked out and only a pale semblance ramained. Garion stuggled quickly to reach the the side of the bath and climb out. As soon as he was free of the pool, the water solidifeid, becomeing a single slab of ice. Quickly, Garion grabbed his cloak and threw it around him as he hurried to find Belgarath. As he turned the corner, he saw a guard heading off in a different direction. Garion started to hail him down to see if he knew whether Belgarath was still holed up in the library or not, but no sound came out when he opened his mouth. Alarmed, Garion decided to check for himself. As he got closer to the guard, Belgarion realized that the guard was frozen in mid stride. 'What's going on here? Why is everyone paralized? Am I the only one still mobile?' he thought, fear creeping over him as he realized that he was defenseless. Even if he were to draw in his will, mute as he was, he couldn't release it. He needed to find Belgarath . . . now!

Belgarion raced through empty corridors, heading for the library near the top of the Citadel. He passed several more palace staff on the way, each seemingly frozen in time like the first. As he raced pass the throne room, he noticed several Tolnedran dignitaries waiting in the anteroom for their attendence with him later that afternoon. Like the others he'd passed earlier, they all had a blank look on their faces and were as immoble as carved statues. On a whim, Belgarion doubled back to grab his sword from above the throne. The Orb at least was still awake, but somehow it was strangely subdued. He could sense its presense, yet it seemed to be far away. There would be time later to worry about this. If there was indeed another EVENT to take place, maybe this was a preemptive attack. And, if this was an attack, he needed something to defend himself with. Being unable to speak the Word had put him at a serious disadvantage, and he was going to need all the help he could get.

He climbed up the back of the throne and reached for his sword. Usually it would pop right of with a sort of 'click,' yet this time he had to throw all of his weight into it. The sword finally broke free with dull 'clang' sending Belgarion hurling back to fall in a heap on the floor in front of the Rivan Throne. 'It's a good thing everyone's frozen'' he thought wriley, looking around at the unconscience people who always filled the hall. The thud he made as he hit the floor was cut off suddenly - almost as if it had never happened. Belgarion bent to pick up the Sword of Riva. Usually it was as light as a feather in his hands with the orb attached. This time it was much heavier. Not as heavy as it would have been without the stone on the pomel, yet at least the weight of an average Arendish broadsword. 'I don't even want to think about how much this would weigh right now without the Orb attached,' Belgarion thought to himself as he grabbed the scabbard and threw it across his back.

Belgarion then turned and headed back out of the Hall of the Rivan King. Again, he raced down the long corridoors heading towards the royal library. He passed more and more stunned people on the way. Belgarion dimly wondered why he hadn't been affected like everyone else, yet he pushed the thought back down, 'There will be time for that later. Right now I have to find Belgarath.'

When he finally reached the library, he was out of breath. Because of the stale air, he was exhausted sooner than he should have been. He opened the door to find the library in utter chaos. There were books lying everywhere. Pages were torn out and strewn across the room. Several parchment rolls where on the floor halfway disintegrated, and others lay shredded to peices elsewhere.Then Belgarion saw him. He was lying face down with several books ontop of him moaning. "Grandfather!" Belgarion shouted, somewhat louder than he'd intended. Suddenly, Belgarion realized that he could talk again. He scrambled over and helped the old sorcerer up and into a seat. "What happened, Grandfather? Is it what you were afraid of?" He asked, somewhat willing that this was all some bad dream he would soon awaken from.

"Belgarion," Belgarath's voice was almost a whisper, "don't worry about me. There is something you must read before it is too late." Belgarath looked around for the book he had been reading before everything had stopped. "I was right," he said almost ruefully, "but what I was looking for wasn't in the Darine. It was in the Ashabine Oracles. Do you recall the message Torak left you before."

Belgarion nodded, not willing to speak. So it was one of those.

"Well, there's another one - although this isn't from Torak."

"Zandramas then?" Belgarion feared the worse. Was Zandramas somehow still here? Or her spirit at least. He'd seen her change; become the missing constellations.

"No, this is worse; I beleive it's from the dark Neccesity himself. The essense of the Child of Dark. I can't read it myself, but for some reason, I seem to know it's what we're looking for. And, I know it's for you. Here read this," Belgarath slid over a book with a black, almost oily cover. Inside was a grutesque, spidery script. Belgarion could actually feel the malice eminating out of it. It was if all the evil in the universe where concentrated in that one book, and it was all directed at him.

"I'm afraid to, Grandfather," Belgarion responded warily, "I'd rather not."

"To be honest with you, I am too. You still need to read it," Belgarath persisted.

"Why do you want me to read this so bad? Why's it so important to you, old man?" Garion couldn't believe that this decrepit man would have the audacity to force him, Belgarion of Riva, the Godslayer, to read such an abominable writing.

"You spoiled brat!" the antique man spat."If you don't read this I'll . . . I'll . . ." Immediatly he stopped. "Belgarion," he said quietly, "listen to the sound of the Orb."

Belgarion shook his head, it as if there was wool in it. When it cleared he said, "It's the book isn't it?"

"Yes," Belgarath agreed, "It's a fairly old trick the Grolims like. It's not very useful, especially once you've broken the spell, but it's still powerful. Most likely, if the Orb wasn't here we would have ended up strangling each other."

"But we're okay now, right?"

"Yes, but if you start feel irational, think about the Orb. I'm not sure who put this curse here, since it is obvious that the Dark Neccesity wanted you to read it. Most likely Torak or Zandramas. The very idea that they weren't invincible was abominable to them. More likely than not, they added this on their own. Against the orders of their master."

"Well, what does it say? You know I can't read Old Angarak."

"Actually it's not in Old Angarak. In fact, it's not in any language that I've ever seen or heard of. It could be a secret language within the Grolim Hierarchy, but I doubt it. Either way, somehow, I know you can still read it. After all, it's writen too you. Whatever it is that's tampering with my comprehension wants you to read it."

Belgarion reached for the accursed text. Again the feeling of malevolence washed over him. He forced the feeling away and gazed at the words before him. At first all he saw was the now familiar spidery script that anounced Old Angarak. Then, he began to notice another, more blocky writing. Just as Belgarath had said, this was nothing he'd ever seen before. Yet, for some idea, he felt like he could understand it. And then it hit him. It wasn't an ancient text at all. It was if someone was talking to him now. Here. "Hail, Belgarion," the voice sounded. It was comeing from the text.

"Who are you?" Belgarion asked, almost not wanting an answer.

"You know me." the dry voice answered, "you've always known me."

"Your the Dark Neccesity aren't you?" Belgarion accused.

The text had an almost humored sound to it, "No, Belgarion, I'm the Voice of the Prophesy which you serve. I've hidden myself in this text, because the last place my counterpart would look would be here."

"How do I know that you are who you say you are?" Belgarion countered.

"Pick up the Darine Codex, or the Mrin. I'm there, too now. It's like a key. The Dark Neccesity is too proud to look in his own words to find me, so that's where I hid until I was needed again. Once someone finds me in here, I'm there too."

Belgarion was still not convinced, "If the Dark Neccesity didn't know you were here, then why was there a curse on the text?"

"That was to keep the Grolims from intercepting. I their own power against them. Remember when you realized the true nature of darkness, Belgarion? It's merely the absense of light. In truth, As long as there is light, there will always be darkness. It's but a shadow of truth, It's a lie. If I were indeed of darkness, could I so easily admit the truth?"

Still not thoroughly assured, Belgarion needed a bit more proof, "The people here, why are they frozen? Was that your doing? And if so, why are we not frozen in here?"

"Belgarion, you still have a task before you. It is not here though. There are many worlds out there; this is but one of them. My counterpart broke the rules, so I have a certain liberty myself. At the begining, when the Accident occured, it was agreed that we could not meet face to face lest we destroy the universe. So it was decided that on this world the final decision would be made. When the light of the explosion reached this world, then a CHOICE would be made by one agreed upon by us both. That CHOICE was to be final, and we were to abide by it. My counterpart, chose to forsake it. He fled a split second before the choice was made and went to another world. By not abiding by Cyradis' Choice, he has endangered all creation. It is my Neccesity, therefore, to follow him, and force him into annihilation. Since we still cannot meet face to face, I must use a vessle as before, and I don't have the time to teach another. He has broken the rules, so I must do the same. I need you Belgarion. I stopped time in everywhere but here. I needed Belgarath to find the text in which I hid, so I left this room 'awake.' Yet, only you can come with me. Zandrams is through, he must find another to posses. I cannot force you, you must choose, Belgarion. But choose wisely, and choose quickly, for we have not a moment to waste."

Belgarion looked at his grandfather, then back at the text, "Will I ever return?"

The text took a somber tone, "If we succeed, you will return to where you were before time stopped, knowing none the wiser. If you fail, there will be nowhere to return to."

"This is who I am," Belgarion said at last, "I must go."

"One last thing; when you arrive, look for the Spear of Glory to guide you on your way" the voice of Neccesity said. "Now come."

Then suddenly, everything went black. But just before he slipped into unconsciousness, he herd a bell sound, and a triumphant voice say, "Done!"