Faun and Games by Piers Anthony Page A

to fear.
     
    He tried again, and was balked again.   There was nothing to fear except
    fear itself!   He couldn't enter that chamber.
     
    He pondered.   The chamber itself must be imbued with fear, so that
    anyone who entered it was terrified.   But then why wasn't the lost angel
    afraid too'?   Was there some secret way to nullify the fear?   No,
    probably there was a special anti-fear spell on LA, so that he was
    immune.   It wouldn't make sense to have the folk helping the Good
    Magician be afraid to do their duties.
     
    In each case before there had been a barrier or threat of some kind, and
    a person of some type, and the person had been the key to the solution.
    Could this be the case again?   He thought it would make more sense to
    have something entirely different, but he wasn't the Good Magician, and
    didn't know how the old man thought.   So maybe there was a pattern, and
    the person would have the answer.   But not anything obvious.
     
    What would a lost angel have to do with fear?   Maybe angels were beyond
    fear, so that was how he was able to be in that dread chamber. But
    Forrest was no angel, so he needed something else.   Still, maybe he
    could talk to LA and learn something, as he had with the other two.
     
    He looked in.   LA was just sitting there, completely at ease.   "I gather
    that there is a way for me to eliminate my fear, and that you know of
    it, but won't tell me," he said.
     
    LA nodded.   "You seem reasonably smart, for a faun."
     
    "Not everyone considers me so," Forrest said.   "I met a damsel and a
    dragon, and I think the damsel liked me, but thought I was a bit dull."
     
    "Beauty is often in the eye of the beholder."
     
    "She was extremely beautiful, so I must have been dull in contrast."
    Forrest considered how to proceed.   "Do you have a magic talent?"
     
    "Why yes.   I can change one kind of wood to another kind of wood.
    Unfortunately there is no wood here, so I can't show you."
     
    Something nagged at Forrest's mind, but he couldn't place it.   So he
    talked some more, hoping to learn something useful.   "You came to ask
    the Good Magician a Question, and he gave you his Answer, and now you
    are serving your years's Service for him?"
     
    "Exactly."
     
    "If it is not too personal, what was your Question?"
     
    "It's not personal at all.   It wasn't a Question, it was a request.   I
    asked that a significant village be named after me.   He told me that one
    already was, but that it was in Mundania.   I suppose that's better than
    nothing."
     
    "And for this you are glad to serve for a year?"
     
    "It does seem inadequate.   But that's what I get for wanting something
    stupid.   I am learning a whole lot during this Service, and will depart
    here a much wiser creature.   If I had known how it would be, I would
    have dispensed with the Question, and simply come for the Service."
     
    That surprised Forrest.   "Is it the same with Dot, and the
    psychologist?"
     
    "Certainly.   And for the mer-dragon too.   And maybe for you, if you
    manage to get through."
     
    "The damsel said he would not require a Service of me."
     
    Now LA was surprised.   "I find that hard to believe.   He always requires
    a Service.   It's his way of discouraging folk who aren't serious, just
    as is this business of three Challenges.   Why should you be an
    exception?"
     
    "I have no idea.   Maybe it's not true."
     
    "Who was this damsel?"
     
    "She called herself Chlorine.   She said her talent was poisoning water.
    She rode a funny looking dragon."
     
    "Ah, the dragon ass.   I have heard of him.   They are an odd couple.
    Well, maybe they know what they are doing.   I have heard that good
    things tend to happen when they are around, as if they somehow reverse
    the normal perversity of fate."
     
    Reverse perversity?   Then, for no reason, Forrest got a notion.   Reverse
    wood!   Could that reverse the fright spell on the chamber?   Of course he
    d'Idn't