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At the side of the woman was a smaller globe whose roseate gleam was tempered by quivering waves of blue. "Enter Rador with the strangers!" a clear, sweet voice called. Rador bowed deeply and stood aside, motioning us to pass. We entered, the green dwarf behind us, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the doorway fade as abruptly as it had appeared and again the dense shadow fill its place.
It had neither substance nor texture; it was not matter and yet it suggested solidity; an entire cessation, a complete absorption of light; an ebon veil at once immaterial and palpable. I stretched, involuntarily, my hand out toward it, and felt it quickly drawn back. "Do you seek your end so soon?" whispered Rador. "But I forget you do not know," he added.
Rador jumped to his feet; walked to the whispering globe. He bent over its base; did something with its mechanism; beckoned to us. The globe swam rapidly, faster than ever I had seen it before. A low humming arose, changed into a murmur, and then from it I heard Lugur's voice clearly. "It is to be war then?" There was a chorus of assent from the Council, I thought.
Dragon Worm and Moss Death For a small eternity to me at least we waited. Then as silent as ever the green dwarf returned. "It is well," he said, some of the strain gone from his voice. "Grip hands again, and follow." "Wait a bit, Rador," this was Larry. "Does Lugur know this side entrance? If he does, why not let Olaf and me go back to the opening and pick them off as they come in?
"There is to be a feast. You, Larree, you Goodwin, are to come. I remain here with Olaf." "No harm to him!" broke in O'Keefe sharply. Rador touched his heart, his eyes. "By the Ancient Ones, and by my love for you, and by what you twain did before the Shining One I swear it!" he whispered. Rador clapped palms; a soldier came round the path, in his grip a long flat box of polished wood.
"Not at all, Larry!" answered the handmaiden serenely. "Yolara went through the Portal. She was very, very angry " "She was all the devil's woman that she is!" rumbled Olaf. "Rador met the messenger," went on the Golden Girl calmly. "The ladala are ready to rise when Lugur and Yolara lead their hosts against us. They will strike at those left behind.
The green dwarf gripped my arm again. "Quick!" he cried again. "The handmaiden has passed!" At the right of the Portal ran a low wall of shattered rock. Over this we raced like rabbits. Hidden behind it was a narrow path. Crouching, Rador in the lead, we sped along it; three hundred, four hundred yards we raced and the path ended in a cul de sac! To our ears was borne a louder shouting.
We looked down upon him; nor did Lakla, nor Larry, nor I try to hide our tears. And as we stood the Akka brought to us that other mighty fighter, Rador; but in him there was life, and we attended to him there as best we could. Then Lakla spoke. "We will bear him into the castle where we may give him greater care," she said.
A sound came to us, reaching out like the first faint susurrus of the incoming tide; sighing, sighing, growing stronger now its mournful whispering quivered all about us, shook us then passing like a Presence, died away in far distances. "The Portal!" said Rador. "Lugur has entered!" He, too, parted the fronds and peered back along our path.
"Well," said Larry, "you and I, uncle," he turned to Rador, "and Olaf here had better decide just what part of the battle we'll lead " "Lead!" the handmaiden was appalled. "You lead, Larry? Why you are to stay with Goodwin and with me up there, there we can watch." "Heart's beloved," O'Keefe was stern indeed. "A thousand times I've looked Death straight in the face, peered into his eyes.
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