"In a word—yes. Now. It was not always so, but you havedestroyed the mechanisms of evolution. The balance is now redressedby those others of us, from the morning land—we, who have never trulybeen endangered. We return, in our time."

"And you—whatever you are, Tlingel—you say that humanity is nowendangered?"

"Very much so. But there is nothing that you can do about it, isthere? Let us get on with the game."

The sphinx flew off. Martin took a sip of beer and captured thePawn.

"Who," he asked then, "are to be our successors?"

"Modesty almost forbids," Tlingel replied. "In the case of aspecies as prominent as your own, it naturally has to be theloveliest, most intelligent, most important of us all."

"And what are you? Is there any way that I can have a look?"

"Well—yes. If I exert myself a trifle."

The beer can rose, was drained, fell to the floor. There followeda series of rapid rattling sounds retreating from the table. The airbegan to flicker over a large area opposite Martin, darkening withinthe glowing framework. The outline continued to brighten, itsinterior growing jet black. The form moved, prancing about thesaloon, multitudes of tiny, cloven hoofprints scoring and cracking thefloorboards. With a final, hear-blinding flash it came into full viewand Martin gasped to behold it.

A black unicorn with mocking, yellow eyes sported before him,rising for a moment onto its hind legs to strike a heraldic pose. Thefires flared about it a second longer, then vanished.

Martin had drawn back, raising one hand defensively.

"regard me!" Tlingel announced. "Ancient symbol of wisdom, valorand beauty, I stand before you!"

"I thought your typical unicorn was white," Martin finally said.

"I am archetypical," Tlingel responded, dropping to all fours, "And