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Updated: June 15, 2025
The shimmering mists that had nimbused Norhala had vanished or merging into the wan gleaming had become one with it. I stared straight at her, striving to clarify in my own clouded thought what it was that I had sensed as inhuman never of OUR world or its peoples.
The sky was low and slaty gray; a fine rain was falling. I stepped out. The garden of Norhala was a wreckage of uprooted and splintered trees and torn masses of what had been blossoming verdure. The gateway of the precipices beyond which lay the Pit was hidden in the webs of the rain.
He peered down it, glancing imperturbably at the upraised, hammer-banded arms still threatening; examined again the breach. Then still with Kulun he strode over to the very edge of the broken battlement and stood, head thrust a little forward, studying us in silence. "Cherkis!" whispered Norhala the whisper was a hymn to Nemesis. I felt her body quiver from head to foot.
One was the wondrous Disk of jeweled fires I have called the Metal Emperor; the second was the sullen fired cruciform of the Keeper. The third was Norhala! She stood at the side of that weird master of hers or was it after all the servant?
Norhala's hand that had gone from my wrist dropped down again; the other fell upon Drake's. Kulun loosed his hood, let it fall about his shoulders. He stepped forward, held out his arms to Norhala. "A strong man!" she cried approvingly. "Hail my bridegroom! But stay stand back a moment. Stand beside that man for whom I came to Ruszark. I would see you together!" Kulun's face darkened.
"He is not dead," it was Norhala beside me; she lifted Ruth's face from Drake's breast. "He will not die. It may be he will walk again. They can not help," there was a shadow of apology in her tones. "They did not know. They thought it was the" she hesitated as though at loss for words "the the Fire Play." "The Fire Play?" I gasped. "Yes," she nodded. "You shall see it.
Caught by a passing draft, it eddied, slipped over the floor, vanished through the doorway. Motionless stood the blasting stars, contemplating us. Motionless stood Norhala, her wrath no whit abated by the ghastly sacrifice. And paralyzed by what we had beheld, motionless stood we. "Listen," she said. "You two who love the maid.
A lammergeier swooped down on wide funereal wings; it peered at us; darted away toward the cliffs. "There will be no carrion there for you, black eater of the dead, when I am through," I heard Norhala whisper, eyes again somber. Steadily grew the dawn light; from Norhala's lips came again the chanting.
Then she who had named herself Norhala thrust out a finger, touched the tear that hung upon Ruth's curled lashes, regarded it wonderingly. Something of recognition, of memory, seemed to awaken within her. "You are troubled?" she asked with that halting effort. Ruth shook her head. "THEY do not trouble you?" She pointed to the huddled heaps strewing the hollow.
At the callous cruelty I stood for an instant petrified; I heard Drake swear wildly, saw his pistol flash up. Norhala struck down his arm. "Your chance has passed," she said, "and not for THAT shall you slay him." And now Yuruk had cast that body upon the others; the pile was complete. "Mount!" commanded Norhala, and pointed. He cast himself at her feet, writhing, moaning, imploring.
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