[littlemanpoet]

"Got it," replied Anakron to the voice in his ear.

Panakeia stood near, her eyes wet and staining her face, a look of disbelief and unremitting joy on her face. About me? How unlikely. But if so, why, I could get used to this. Such were Anakron's thoughts. He smiled warmly and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"And now to business," he whispered and winked. She nodded.

Anakron turned. "Mardil! Come near! It is time to review your performance in the Tests!"

Mardil, now in human form again, looking as confident and self-possessed as ever, his stride a little more jaunty than usual (perhaps he recalled from his werewolf state the odd admixture of panic and passion in Alli).

"How do you think you did, Mardil?"

"I think I performed admirably, Grand Anakronist."

"I would expect no other response. Let us see what the results show. The first test saw you arrive at the appointed goal on time to say the least, despite a run-in with a decidedly belligerent Balrog: 10 points. For the second test, you took one of the vehicles offered, and through singular ingenuity, not to mention the use of another of the Offending Party according to your wishes, you drove a hard bargain and got yourself a very find vehicle indeed, and found clever solutions to all the problems of the road. There were a few things that were overlooked by you as well as all the others, and thus you received 6 points. For the third test, you wheedled the plot of the upcoming novel out of J.K. Rowling, which was indeed the most precious thing to her at that time: 10 points. In the werewolf village, you were instrumental in the death of one innocent only: 9 points. For the University of Mordor, you passed your psychological exam with flying colors: 10 points; your course work in the same manner: 10 points. Unfortunately, the formerly late Dr. Hookbill-" At this, said formerly late individual waved from the gathered crowd. "-failed to start, let alone complete, your physical exam and subsequent surgery. However, the Blue Istari performed a physical and surgery by means of certain biological and chemical experiments, which were quite life-threatening in their lycanthropic nature; however, you survived that as well and now stand before me in perfect health: 10 points. And now for the character by which you carried yourself during the entirety of this challenge. You were peerless. You were constantly ingenious, clever, eloquent, and capable in the face of each challenge, as needed: 30 points. Your total score is therefore 95 points out of a possible 100. You are free to-"

"Hold!" cried a pair of persuasive voices, standing between two raised staves. The Blue Istari.

Now what? Anakron wondered, and everybody else understandably did as well.

"This young man," said the slightly less tall Alatar, "was too capable. He did too well. He functioned in ways more appropriate to the time period from which these anakronisms come than our own time, especially outside Mordor."

"Therefore, we have decided," continued Pallando, "that Mardil's reward is not to leave Mordor and return to Gondor, but to be banished to the future."

"But, but, but-" Anakron began while the two wizards raised their staves and spoke in a sudden staccato chant that was over in a moment. Mardil disappeared.

Anakron's face blackened with rage. He threw down his staff. "Sirs, you have flagrantly violated the character of our agreement! Therefore, I am finished with you! Find yourselves another Anakronist!"

"Nonsense," murmured Alatar. "He was too dangerous to be the next Emperor of Gondor. No way to control him. He had to be taken out of the picture."

"How do you expect him to survive in the future?" Anakron asked. "It's a different world."

"He has proven his ability to function quite ably," Pallando replied. "Do not fear. Those who come from that time would have more to fear from him that we would were he Emperor; but that is no concern of ours."

"So you will not allow me to retire?" Anakron growled.

"Don't be silly," Alatar smirked.

Anakron looked around the crowd. Here and there, sprinkled amongst them were the Offending Party members and all those with whom they had dealt over the last few weeks. They all looked shocked, to the last of them. Alli's eyes were wide as saucers. He could just about imagine how the gears were grinding behind that brow.

Anakron shook his head and turned to Panakeia. "I am sorry. This is not how it was meant to be. I hope you understand that." Anakron looked into her eyes, wondering what she thought.