He may not have chosen for the parade ground, Axis thought, but he has chosen well.

He twisted about on Sal's back, looking behind him.

There was nothing but league after league of frozen tundra, and league after league of the refugee line from Sanctuary.

No Urbeth, and neither of her daughters.

Axis turned back, frowning slightly, then urged Sal forward to join up with Zared.

They ran through one of the palace complexes, and then finally stumbled into an orchard that lay on the road to Sanctuary's entrance.

"No air!" Xanon gasped, almost falling as she lurched onto the road.

Adamon, the other five close behind him, took his wife's elbow. "No matter," he said. "We'll be dead soon enough, anyway."

Xanon lifted her beautiful eyes and looked at Adamon with more love than she'd ever felt for him before. Ever since the Demons had broken through the Star Gate, sapping and destroying all their power, the Star Gods had felt worse than useless. They had alleviated and they had advised, but they had managed to do nothing to help.

And they were supposed to be Gods, curse it!

Now, they were doing something to help.

It was evident as the Demons broke through into Sanctuary that Axis, and the column containing all the life that was left of Tencendor, were going to need all the assistance they could garner to escape in time.

The Demons must not be allowed to catch them before they'd escaped, or be allowed to follow them through whatever doorway Urbeth had created.

The Star Gods' decision had been silent, and unanimous. They could surely delay the Demons those critical minutes Axis and Urbeth needed to get the column to safety.

That they would die in the attempt, none of the Star Gods had any doubt.

But they would help.

They would make a contribution.

And they would save many, many lives.

Xanon leaned on her husband, and the seven stumbled further down the road towards Sanctuary's entrance.

A blackness swelled to meet them.

Sheol saw them first, and she laughed. "The first of our feeding makes a willing offering of itself," she said, and the other Demons howled with her.

Adamon lifted his head, gasping so badly for air he could barely see.

Something loathsome oozed its way down the road towards him. It appeared one complete mass, although once he'd peered closer, Adamon could see that there were distinct shapes within the single entity.

As he rubbed his eyes, bending over to haul in as much of the thinning air as he could, the Demons separated yet further.

Qeteb led them, striding down the road in the form of a man made completely of blackness. Behind him came the other five Demons, scampering and skipping, wearing the forms of plump, bright-eyed children.

"Why," said Qeteb as he came to a halt a few paces before the huddled, panting group, "if it isn't the Star Gods! What do you here, Gods? A welcoming committee, perhaps? Come to present us with the freedom of Sanctuary? Here to offer your services as —"

"We come with greetings," Adamon began.

"How kind!" said Qeteb.

"And a message," Adamon finished.

The five chubby children capered and clapped their hands, and Qeteb raised the eyebrows of his ebony face. "Do say! And what might that be?"

Now Xanon raised her face. She smiled, and her smile was full of love.

Qeteb, as the other Demons, took a step back.

"Our power has gone," Xanon said, her voice utterly sweet, "and our skills in warfare are negligible.

Thus we do not come to fight you, only to deliver you our final will and testament."

Qeteb's eyes narrowed. He did not like the joy he felt emanating from the group. What was wrong with them?

"For tens of thousands of years," said Flulia, her arm about Silton's waist, "we had imbibed the music and the magic of the Star Dance."

"Much good that it does you now," Mot sneered.

"Its power has gone from us," Silton said, as Flulia choked on a desperate gasp for air, "but its love and message has not gone."

Xanon continued: "The Star Dance spoke to us of many things, and there was one thing it told us above all other things."

"And this," said Pors, "is what we must now tell you."

"What?" Qeteb snapped.

Adamon spoke for all of them, and as he spoke, all seven of the Star Gods raised themselves straight and tall, and they smiled, their eyes gleaming with emotion.

"Never underestimate the power of Love," Adamon said, "and the choices it drives you to."

There was silence. The Demons stared at the Star Gods, loathing their calmness, their assurance, and, above all, their serenity.

Barzula growled, deep and low and utterly incongruously in his child's throat.

And then, in less than the space of a breath, the Demons surged forwards, once again assuming the form of a single entity of blackness that rolled over the Star Gods with the inevitability of a tidal wave.

The Star Gods stepped forward and embraced both Demons and Death.

Xanon blinked and opened her eyes to stars and to music.

She slowly turned and behind her she saw Adamon, and then Pors and Zest and Silton, Narcisand Flulia close behind.

They were drifting free among the stars.