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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/30960-h.zip b/30960-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..689eabd --- /dev/null +++ b/30960-h.zip diff --git a/30960-h/30960-h.htm b/30960-h/30960-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a13e66 --- /dev/null +++ b/30960-h/30960-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2687 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The People of the Crater, by Andrew North + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2,h3,.center,.figc {text-align: center;} + h2,h3 {font-weight: normal; font-style: italic;} + h3 {margin-bottom: 2em;} + hr {width: 65%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + .tb {width: 45%;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .bq {margin: 2em 20% 4em;} + .figc {margin: 1em auto; width: 600px;} + .figr {float: right; clear: right; margin: 1em 0 1em 1em; padding: 0; width: 300px;} + img {border: none;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + .dcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 146px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .sp1 {font-size: 125%;} + .sp2 {font-size: smaller; font-style: normal;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The People of the Crater, by Andrew North + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The People of the Crater + +Author: Andrew North + +Illustrator: R. K. Murphy + Neil Austin + Charles McNutt + +Release Date: January 14, 2010 [EBook #30960] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEOPLE OF THE CRATER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figc"><img src="images/001.png" width="600" height="421" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<h1><span class="sp1">The PEOPLE of the CRATER</span></h1> + +<p class="center"><i>A COMPLETE NOVELETTE</i></p> + +<h2><span class="sp2">BY ANDREW NORTH</span></h2> + +<div class="bq"><p><i>"Send the Black Throne to dust; conquer the Black Ones, and bring the Daughter from the Caves of Darkness." These were +the tasks Garin must perform to fulfill the prophecy of the Ancient Ones—and establish his own destiny in this hidden land!</i></p></div> + +<h2>CHAPTER ONE</h2> + +<h3>Through the Blue Haze</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Six</span> months and three days after the Peace of +Shanghai was signed and the great War of 1965-1970 declared +at an end by an exhausted world, a young man huddled +on a park bench in New York, staring miserably at +the gravel beneath his badly worn shoes. He had been +trained to fill the pilot's seat in the control cabin of a fighting +plane and for nothing else. The search for a niche in +civilian life had cost him both health and ambition.</p> + +<p>A newcomer dropped down on the other end of the +bench. The flyer studied him bitterly. <i>He</i> had decent +shoes, a warm coat, and that air of satisfaction with the +world which is the result of economic security. Although +he was well into middle age, the man had a compact grace +of movement and an air of alertness.</p> + +<p>"Aren't you Captain Garin Featherstone?"</p> + +<p>Startled, the flyer nodded dumbly.</p> + +<p>From a plump billfold the man drew a clipping and +waved it toward his seat mate. Two years before, Captain +Garin Featherstone of the United Democratic Forces had +led a perilous bombing raid into the wilds of Siberia to wipe +out the vast expeditionary army secretly gathering there. +It had been a spectacular affair and had brought the survivors +some fleeting fame.</p> + +<p>"You're the sort of chap I've been looking for," the +stranger folded the clipping again, "a flyer with courage, +initiative and brains. The man who led that raid is worth +investing in."</p> + +<p>"What's the proposition?" asked Featherstone wearily. +He no longer believed in luck.</p> + +<p>"I'm Gregory Farson," the other returned as if that +should answer the question.</p> + +<p>"The Antarctic man!"</p> + +<p>"Just so. As you have probably heard, I was halted on +the eve of my last expedition by the sudden spread of war +to this country. Now I am preparing to sail south again."</p> + +<p>"But I don't see—"</p> + +<p>"How you can help me? Very simple, Captain Featherstone. +I need pilots. Unfortunately the war has disposed +of most of them. I'm lucky to contact one such as +yourself—"</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>And it was as simple as that. But Garin didn't really +believe that it was more than a dream until they touched +the glacial shores of the polar continent some months later. +As they brought ashore the three large planes, he began to +wonder at the driving motive behind Farson's vague plans.</p> + +<p>When the supply ship sailed, not to return for a year, +Farson called them together. Three of the company were +pilots, all war veterans, and two were engineers who spent +most of their waking hours engrossed in the maps Farson +produced.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>"Tomorrow," the leader glanced from face to face, "we +start inland. Here—" On a map spread before him he +indicated a line marked in purple.</p> + +<p>"Ten years ago I was a member of the Verdane expedition. +Once, when flying due south, our plane was caught +by some freakish air current and drawn off its course. +When we were totally off our map, we saw in the distance +a thick bluish haze. It seemed to rise in a straight line +from the ice plain to the sky. Unfortunately our fuel was +low and we dared not risk a closer investigation. So we +fought our way back to the base.</p> + +<p>"Verdane, however, had little interest in our report and +we did not investigate it. Three years ago that Kattack +expedition, hunting oil deposits by the order of the Dictator, +reported seeing the same haze. This time we are +going to explore it!"</p> + +<p>"Why," Garin asked curiously, "are you so eager to +penetrate this haze?—I gather that's what we're to do—"</p> + +<p>Farson hesitated before answering. "It has often been +suggested that beneath the ice sheeting of this continent +may be hidden mineral wealth. I believe that the haze is +caused by some form of volcanic activity, and perhaps a +break in the crust."</p> + +<p>Garin frowned at the map. He wasn't so sure about +that explanation, but Farson was paying the bills. The +flyer shrugged away his uneasiness. Much could be forgiven +a man who allowed one to eat regularly again.</p> + +<p>Four days later they set out. Helmly, one of the engineers, +Rawlson, a pilot, and Farson occupied the first +plane. The other engineer and pilot were in the second and +Garin, with the extra supplies, was alone in the third.</p> + +<p>He was content to be alone as they took off across the +blue-white waste. His ship, because of its load, was loggy, +so he did not attempt to follow the other two into the +higher lane. They were in communication by radio and +Garin, as he snapped on his earphones, remembered something +Farson had said that morning:</p> + +<p>"The haze affects radio. On our trip near it the static +was very bad. Almost," with a laugh, "like speech in +some foreign tongue."</p> + +<p>As they roared over the ice Garin wondered if it might +have been speech—from, perhaps, a secret enemy expedition, +such as the Kattack one.</p> + +<p>In his sealed cockpit he did not feel the bite of the frost +and the ship rode smoothly. With a little sigh of content +he settled back against the cushions, keeping to the course +set by the planes ahead and above him.</p> + +<p>Some five hours after they left the base, Garin caught +sight of a dark shadow far ahead. At the same time Farson's +voice chattered in his earphones.</p> + +<p>"That's it. Set course straight ahead."</p> + +<p>The shadow grew until it became a wall of purple-blue +from earth to sky. The first plane was quite close to it, +diving down into the vapor. Suddenly the ship rocked violently +and swung earthward as if out of control. Then it +straightened and turned back. Garin could hear Farson +demanding to know what was the matter. But from the +first plane there was no reply.</p> + +<p>As Farson's plane kept going Garin throttled down. The +actions of the first ship indicated trouble. What if that +haze were a toxic gas?</p> + +<p>"Close up, Featherstone!" barked Farson suddenly.</p> + +<p>He obediently drew ahead until they flew wing to wing. +The haze was just before them and now Garin could see +movement in it, oily, impenetrable billows. The motors bit +into it. There was clammy, foggy moisture on the windows.</p> + +<p>Abruptly Garin sensed that he was no longer alone. +Somewhere in the empty cabin behind him was another intelligence, +a measuring power. He fought furiously against +it—against the very idea of it. But, after a long, terrifying +moment while it seemed to study him, it took control. +His hands and feet still manipulated the ship, but <i>it</i> flew!</p> + +<p>On the ship hurtled through the thickening mist. He +lost sight of Farson's plane. And, though he was still +fighting against the will which over-rode his, his struggles +grew weaker. Then came the order to dive into the dark +heart of the purple mists.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>Down they whirled. Once, as the haze opened, Garin +caught a glimpse of tortured gray rock seamed with yellow. +Farson had been right: here the ice crust was broken.</p> + +<p>Down and down. If his instruments were correct the +plane was below sea level now. The haze thinned and was +gone. Below spread a plain cloaked in vivid green. Here +and there reared clumps of what might be trees. He saw, +too, the waters of a yellow stream.</p> + +<p>But there was something terrifyingly alien about that +landscape. Even as he circled above it, Garin wrested to +break the grip of the will that had brought him there. +There came a crackle of sound in his earphones and at that +moment the Presence withdrew.</p> + +<p>The nose of the plane went up in obedience to his own +desire. Frantically he climbed away from the green land. +Again the haze absorbed him. He watched the moisture +bead on the windows. Another hundred feet or so and he +would be free of it—and that unbelievable world beneath.</p> + +<p>Then, with an ominous sputter, the port engine conked +out. The plane lurched and slipped into a dive. Down it +whirled again into the steady light of the green land.</p> + +<p>Trees came out of the ground, huge fern-like plants with +crimson scaled trunks. Toward a clump of these the +plane swooped.</p> + +<p>Frantically Garin fought the controls. The ship steadied, +the dive became a fast glide. He looked for an open space +to land. Then he felt the landing gear scrape some surface. +Directly ahead loomed one of the fern trees. The plane +sped toward the long fronds. There came a ripping crash, +the splintering of metal and wood. The scarlet cloud gathering +before Garin's eyes turned black.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER TWO</h2> + +<h3>The Folk of Tav</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Garin</span> returned to consciousness through a red mist of +pain. He was pinned in the crumpled mass of metal which +had once been the cabin. Through a rent in the wall close +to his head thrust a long spike of green, shredded leaves +still clinging to it. He lay and watched it, not daring to +move lest the pain prove more than he could bear.</p> + +<p>It was then that he heard the pattering sound outside. +It seemed as if soft hands were pushing and pulling at the +wreck. The tree branch shook and a portion of the cabin +wall dropped away with a clang.</p> + +<p>Garin turned his head slowly. Through the aperture +was clambering a goblin figure.</p> + +<p>It stood about five feet tall, and it walked upon its hind +legs in human fashion, but the legs were short and stumpy, +ending in feet with five toes of equal length. Slender, +shapely arms possessed small hands with only four digits. +The creature had a high, well-rounded forehead but no +chin, the face being distinctly lizard-like in contour. The +skin was a dull black, with a velvety surface. About its +loins it wore a short kilt of metallic cloth, the garment being +supported by a jeweled belt of exquisite workmanship.</p> + +<p>For a long moment the apparition eyed Garin. And it +was those golden eyes, fixed unwinkingly on his, which banished +the flyer's fear. There was nothing but great pity +in their depths.</p> + +<p>The lizard-man stooped and brushed the sweat-dampened +hair from Garin's forehead. Then he fingered the bonds +of metal which held the flyer, as if estimating their +strength. Having done so, he turned to the opening and +apparently gave an order, returning again to squat by +Garin.</p> + +<p>Two more of his kind appeared to tear away the ruins +of the cockpit. Though they were very careful, Garin +fainted twice before they had freed him. He was placed +on a litter swung between two clumsy beasts which might +have been small elephants, except that they lacked trunks +and possessed four tusks each.</p> + +<p>They crossed the plain to the towering mouth of a huge +cavern where the litter was taken up by four of the lizard-folk. +The flyer lay staring up at the roof of the cavern. +In the black stone had been carved fronds and flowers in +bewildering profusion. Shining motes, giving off faint +light, sifted through the air. At times as they advanced, +these gathered in clusters and the light grew brighter.</p> + +<p>Midway down a long corridor the bearers halted while +their leader pulled upon a knob on the wall. An oval door +swung back and the party passed through.</p> + +<p>They came into a round room, the walls of which had +been fashioned of creamy quartz veined with violet. At +the highest point in the ceiling a large globe of the motes +hung, furnishing soft light below.</p> + +<p>Two lizard-men, clad in long robes, conferred with the +leader of the flyer's party before coming to stand over +Garin. One of the robed ones shook his head at the sight +of the flyer's twisted body and waved the litter on into an +inner chamber.</p> + +<p>Here the walls were dull blue and in the exact center was +a long block of quartz. By this the litter was put down +and the bearers disappeared. With sharp knives the robed +men cut away furs and leather to expose Garin's broken +body.</p> + +<p>They lifted him to the quartz table and there made him +fast with metal bonds. Then one of them went to the wall +and pulled a gleaming rod. From the dome of the roof +shot an eerie blue light to beat upon Garin's helpless body. +There followed a tingling through every muscle and joint, +a prickling sensation in his skin, but soon his pain vanished +as if it had never been.</p> + +<p>The light flashed off and the three lizard-men gathered +around him. He was wrapped in a soft robe and carried +to another room. This, too, was circular, shaped like the +half of a giant bubble. The floor sloped toward the center +where there was a depression filled with cushions. There +they laid Garin. At the top of the bubble, a pinkish cloud +formed. He watched it drowsily until he fell asleep.</p> + +<p>Something warm stirred against his bare shoulder. He +opened his eyes, for a moment unable to remember where +he was. Then there was a plucking at the robe twisted +about him and he looked down.</p> + +<div class="figr"><img src="images/002.png" width="300" height="402" alt="" title="" /></div> + +<p>If the lizard-folk had been goblin in their grotesqueness +this visitor was elfin. It was about three feet high, its monkey-like +body completely covered with silky white hair. +The tiny hands were human in shape and hairless, but its +feet were much like a cat's paws. From either side of the +small round head branched large fan-shaped ears. The +face was furred and boasted stiff cat whiskers on the upper +lip. These <i>Anas</i>, as Garin learned later, were happy little +creatures, each one choosing some mistress or master among +the Folk, as this one had come to him. They were +content to follow their big protector, speechless with delight +at trifling gifts. Loyal and brave, they could do +simple tasks or carry written messages for their chosen +friend, and they remained with him until death. They were +neither beast nor human, but rumored to be the result of +some experiment carried out eons ago by the Ancient Ones.</p> + +<p>After patting Garin's shoulder the Ana touched the +flyer's hair wonderingly, comparing the bronze lengths +with its own white fur. Since the Folk were hairless, hair +was a strange sight in the Caverns. With a contented +purr, it rubbed its head against his hand.</p> + +<p>With a sudden click a door in the wall opened. The Ana +got to its feet and ran to greet the newcomers. The chieftain +of the Folk, he who had first discovered Garin, entered, +followed by several of his fellows.</p> + +<p>The flyer sat up. Not only was the pain gone but he +felt stronger and younger than he had for weary months. +Exultingly, he stretched wide his arms and grinned at the +lizard-being who murmured happily in return.</p> + +<p>Lizard-men busied themselves about Garin, girding on +him the short kilt and jewel-set belt which were the only +clothing of the Caverns. When they were finished, the +chieftain took his hand and drew him to the door.</p> + +<p>They traversed a hallway whose walls were carved and +inlaid with glittering stones and metalwork, coming, at +last, into a huge cavern, the outer walls of which were hidden +by shadows. On a dais stood three tall thrones and +Garin was conducted to the foot of these.</p> + +<p>The highest throne was of rose crystal. On its right +was one of green jade, worn smooth by centuries of time. +At the left was the third, carved of a single block of jet. +The rose throne and that of jet were unoccupied, but in +the seat of jade reposed one of the Folk. He was taller +than his fellows, and in his eyes, as he stared at Garin, was +wisdom—and a brooding sadness.</p> + +<p>"It is well!" The words resounded in the flyer's head. +"We have chosen wisely. This youth is fit to mate with the +Daughter. But he will be tried, as fire tries metal. He +must win the Daughter forth and strive with Kepta—"</p> + +<p>A hissing murmur echoed through the hall. Garin guessed +that hundreds of the Folk must be gathered there.</p> + +<p>"Urg!" the being on the throne commanded.</p> + +<p>The chieftain moved a step toward the dais.</p> + +<p>"Do you take this youth and instruct him. And then +will I speak with him again. For—" sadness colored the +words now—"we would have the rose throne filled again +and the black one blasted into dust. Time moves swiftly."</p> + +<p>The Chieftain led a wondering Garin away.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER THREE</h2> + +<h3>Garin Hears of the Black Ones</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Urg</span> brought the flyer into one of the bubble-shaped +rooms which contained a low, cushioned bench facing a metal +screen—and here they seated themselves.</p> + +<p>What followed was a language lesson. On the screen +appeared objects which Urg would name, to have his sibilant +uttering repeated by Garin. As the American later +learned, the ray treatment he had undergone had quickened +his mental powers, and in an incredibly short time he +had a working vocabulary.</p> + +<p>Judging by the pictures the lizard folk were the rulers +of the crater world, although there were other forms of life +there. The elephant-like <i>Tand</i> was a beast of burden, the +squirrel-like <i>Eron</i> lived underground and carried on a crude +agriculture in small clearings, coming shyly twice a year +to exchange grain for a liquid rubber produced by the Folk.</p> + +<p>Then there was the <i>Gibi</i>, a monstrous bee, also friendly +to the lizard people. It supplied the cavern dwellers with +wax, and in return the Folk gave the Gibi colonies shelter +during the unhealthful times of the Great Mists.</p> + +<p>Highly civilized were the Folk. They did no work by +hand, except the finer kinds of jewel setting and carving. +Machines wove their metal cloth, machines prepared their +food, harvested their fields, hollowed out new dwellings.</p> + +<p>Freed from manual labor they had turned to acquiring +knowledge. Urg projected on the screen pictures of vast +laboratories and great libraries of scientific lore. But +all they knew in the beginning, they had learned from the +Ancient Ones, a race unlike themselves, which had preceded +them in sovereignty over <i>Tav</i>. Even the Folk themselves +were the result of constant forced evolution and experimentation +carried on by these Ancient Ones.</p> + +<p>All this wisdom was guarded most carefully, but against +what or whom, Urg could not tell, although he insisted +that the danger was very real. There was something within +the blue wall of the crater which disputed the Folk's rule.</p> + +<p>As Garin tried to probe further a gong sounded. Urg +arose.</p> + +<p>"It is the hour of eating," he announced. "Let us go."</p> + +<p>They came to a large room where a heavy table of white +stone stretched along three walls, benches before it. Urg +seated himself and pressed a knob on the table, motioning +Garin to do likewise. The wall facing them opened and +two trays slid out. There was a platter of hot meat covered +with rich sauce, a stone bowl of grain porridge and a +cluster of fruit, still fastened to a leafy branch. This the +Ana eyed so wistfully that Garin gave it to the creature.</p> + +<p>The Folk ate silently and arose quietly when they had +finished, their trays vanishing back through the wall. Garin +noticed only males in the room and recalled that he had, +as yet, seen no females among the Folk. He ventured a +question.</p> + +<p>Urg chuckled. "So, you think there are no women in +the Caverns? Well, we shall go to the Hall of Women +that you may see."</p> + +<p>To the Hall of Women they went. It was breath-taking +in its richness, stones worth a nation's ransom sparkling +from its domed roof and painted walls. Here were the +matrons and maidens of the Folk, their black forms veiled +in robes of silver net, each cross strand of which was set +with a tiny gem, so that they appeared to be wrapped in +glittering scales.</p> + +<p>There were not many of them—a hundred perhaps. And +a few led by the hand smaller editions of themselves, who +stared at Garin with round yellow eyes and chewed black +fingertips shyly.</p> + +<p>The women were intrusted with the finest jewel work, +and with pride they showed the stranger their handiwork. +At the far end of the hall was a wonderous thing in the +making. One of the silver nets, which were the foundations +of their robes, was fastened there and three of the +women were putting small rose jewels into each microscopic +setting. Here and there they had varied the pattern +with tiny emeralds or flaming opals, so that the finished +portion was a rainbow.</p> + +<p>One of the workers smoothed the robe and glanced up +at Garin, a gentle teasing in her voice as she explained:</p> + +<p>"This is for the Daughter when she comes to her throne."</p> + +<p>The Daughter! What had the Lord of the Folk said? +"This youth is fit to mate with the Daughter." But Urg +had said that the Ancient Ones had gone from Tav.</p> + +<p>"Who is the Daughter?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>"Thrala of the Light."</p> + +<p>"Where is she?"</p> + +<p>The woman shivered and there was fear in her eyes. +"Thrala lies in the Caves of Darkness."</p> + +<p>"The Caves of Darkness!" Did she mean Thrala was +dead? Was he, Garin Featherstone, to be the victim of +some rite of sacrifice which was designed to unite him +with the dead?</p> + +<p>Urg touched his arm. "Not so. Thrala has not yet entered +the Place of Ancestors."</p> + +<p>"You know my thoughts?"</p> + +<p>Urg laughed. "Thoughts are easy to read. Thrala lives. +Sera served the Daughter as handmaiden while she was +yet among us. Sera, do you show us Thrala as she was."</p> + +<p>The woman crossed to a wall where there was a mirror +such as Urg had used for his language lesson. She gazed +into it and then beckoned the flyer to stand beside her.</p> + +<p>The mirror misted and then he was looking, as if through +a window, into a room with walls and ceiling of rose quartz. +On the floor were thick rugs of silver rose. And a great +heap of cushions made a low couch in the center.</p> + +<p>"The inner chamber of the Daughter," Sera announced.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>A circular panel in the wall opened and a woman slipped +through. She was very young, little more than a girl. +There were happy curves in her full crimson lips, joyous +lights in her violet eyes.</p> + +<p>She was human of shape, but her beauty was unearthly. +Her skin was pearl white and other colors seemed to play +faintly upon it, so that it reminded Garin of mother-of-pearl +with its lights and shadows. The hair, which veiled her +as a cloud, was blue-black and reached below her knees. +She was robed in the silver net of the Folk and there was a +heavy girdle of rose-shaded jewels about her slender waist.</p> + +<p>"That was Thrala before the Black Ones took her," said +Sera.</p> + +<p>Garin uttered a cry of disappointment as the picture +vanished. Urg laughed.</p> + +<p>"What care you for shadows when the Daughter herself +waits for you? You have but to bring her from the Caves +of Darkness—"</p> + +<p>"Where are these Caves—" Garin's question was interrupted +by the pealing of the Cavern gong. Sera cried out:</p> + +<p>"The Black Ones!"</p> + +<p>Urg shrugged. "When they spared not the Ancient Ones +how could we hope to escape? Come, we must go to the +Hall of Thrones."</p> + +<p>Before the jade throne of the Lord of the Folk stood a +small group of the lizard-men beside two litters. As Garin +entered the Lord spoke.</p> + +<p>"Let the outlander come hither that he may see the work +of the Black Ones."</p> + +<p>Garin advanced unwillingly, coming to stand by those +struggling things which gasped their message between +moans and screams of agony. They were men of the Folk +but their black skins were green with rot.</p> + +<p>The Lord leaned forward on his throne. "It is well," he +said. "You may depart."</p> + +<p>As if obeying his command, the tortured things let go of +the life to which they had clung and were still.</p> + +<p>"Look upon the work of the Black Ones," the ruler said +to Garin. "Jiv and Betv were captured while on a mission +to the Gibi of the Cliff. It seems that the Black Ones needed +material for their laboratories. They seek even to give +the Daughter to their workers of horror!"</p> + +<p>A terrible cry of hatred arose from the hall, and Garin's +jaw set. To give that fair vision he had just seen to such +a death as this—!</p> + +<p>"Jiv and Betv were imprisoned close to the Daughter +and they heard the threats of Kepta. Our brothers, stricken +with foul disease, were sent forth to carry the plague to +us, but they swam through the pool of boiling mud. They +have died, but the evil died with them. And I think that +while we breed such as they, the Black Ones shall not rest +easy. Listen now, outlander, to the story of the Black +Ones and the Caves of Darkness, of how the Ancient Ones +brought the Folk up from the slime of a long dried sea and +made them great, and of how the Ancient Ones at last went +down to their destruction."</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER FOUR</h2> + +<h3>The Defeat of the Ancient Ones</h3> + +<p>"<span class="dcap">In</span> the days before the lands of the outer world were +born of the sea, before even the Land of the Sun (Mu) +and the Land of the Sea (Atlantis) arose from molten rock +and sand, there was land here in the far south. A sere +land of rock plains, and swamps where slimy life mated, +lived and died.</p> + +<p>"Then came the Ancient Ones from beyond the stars. +Their race was already older than this earth. Their wise +men had watched its birth-rending from the sun. And +when their world perished, taking most of their blood into +nothingness, a handful fled hither.</p> + +<p>"But when they climbed from their space ship it was into +hell. For they had gained, in place of their loved home, +bare rock and stinking slime.</p> + +<p>"They blasted out this Tav and entered into it with the +treasures of their flying ships and also certain living creatures +captured in the swamps. From these, they produced +the Folk, the Gibi, the Tand, and the land-tending Eron.</p> + +<p>"Among these, the Folk were eager for wisdom and +climbed high. But still the learning of the Ancient Ones +remained beyond their grasp.</p> + +<p>"During the eons the Ancient Ones dwelt within their +protecting wall of haze the outer world changed. Cold +came to the north and south; the Land of Sun and the +Land of Sea arose to bear the foot of true man. On their +mirrors of seeing the Ancient Ones watched man-life spread +across the world. They had the power of prolonging life, +but still the race was dying. From without must come +new blood. So certain men were summoned from the +Land of the Sun. Then the race flourished for a space.</p> + +<p>"The Ancient Ones decided to leave Tav for the outer +world. But the sea swallowed the Land of Sun. Again, +in the time of the Land of Sea, the stock within Tav was +replenished and the Ancient Ones prepared for exodus; +again the sea cheated them.</p> + +<p>"Those men left in the outer world reverted to savagery. +Since the Ancient Ones would not mingle their blood with +that of almost beasts, they built the haze wall stronger and +remained. But a handful of them were attracted by the +forbidden, and secretly they summoned the beast men. +Of that monstrous mating came the Black Ones. They +live but for the evil they may do, and the power which they +acquired is debased and used to forward cruelty.</p> + +<p>"At first their sin was not discovered. When it was, the +others would have slain the offspring but for the law which +forbids them to kill. They must use their power for good +or it departs from them. So they drove the Black Ones +to the southern end of Tav and gave them the Caves of +Darkness. Never were the Black Ones to come north of +the River of Gold—nor were the Ancient Ones to go south +of it.</p> + +<p>"For perhaps two thousand years the Black Ones kept +the law. But they worked, building powers of destruction. +While matters rested thus, the Ancient Ones searched the +world, seeking men by whom they could renew the race. +Once there came men from an island far to the north. Six +lived to penetrate the mists and take wives among the +Daughters. Again, they called the yellow-haired men of +another breed, great sea rovers.</p> + +<p>"But the Black Ones called too. As the Ancient Ones +searched for the best, the Black Ones brought in great +workers of evil. And, at last, they succeeded in shutting +off the channels of sending thought so that the Ancient +Ones could call no more.</p> + +<p>"Then did the Black Ones cross the River of Gold and +enter the land of the Ancient Ones. Thran, Dweller in the +Light and Lord of the Caverns, summoned the Folk to him.</p> + +<p>"'There will come one to aid you,' he told us. 'Try the +summoning again after the Black Ones have seemed to win. +Thrala, Daughter of the Light, will not enter into the Room +of Pleasant Death with the rest of the women, but will give +herself into the hands of the Black Ones, that they may +think themselves truly victorious. You of the Folk withdraw +into the Place of Reptiles until the Black Ones are +gone. Nor will all the Ancient Ones perish—more will be +saved, but the manner of their preservation I dare not tell. +When the sun-haired youth comes from the outer world, +send him into the Caves of Darkness to rescue Thrala and +put an end to evil.'</p> + +<p>"And then the Lady Thrala arose and said softly, 'As +the Lord Thran has said, so let it be. I shall deliver myself +into the hands of the Black Ones that their doom may +come upon them.'</p> + +<p>"Lord Thran smiled upon her as he said: 'So will happiness +be your portion. After the Great Mists, does not light +come again?'</p> + +<p>"The women of the Ancient Ones then took their leave +and passed into the place of Pleasant Death while the men +made ready for battle with the Black Ones. For three +days they fought, but a new weapon of the Black Ones won +the day, and the chief of the Black Ones set up this throne +of jet as proof of his power. Since, however, the Black +Ones were not happy in the Caverns, longing for the darkness +of their caves, they soon withdrew and we, the Folk, +came forth again.</p> + +<p>"But now the time has come when the dark ones will +sacrifice the Daughter to their evil. If you can win her +free, outlander, they shall perish as if they had not been."</p> + +<p>"What of the Ancient Ones?" asked Garin—"those +others Thran said would be saved?"</p> + +<p>"Of those we know nothing save that when we bore the +bodies of the fallen to the Place of Ancestors there were +some missing. That you may see the truth of this story, +Urg will take you to the gallery above the Room of Pleasant +Death and you may look upon those who sleep there."</p> + +<p>Urg guiding, Garin climbed a steep ramp leading from the +Hall of Thrones. This led to a narrow balcony, one side of +which was clear crystal. Urg pointed down.</p> + +<p>They were above a long room whose walls were tinted +jade green. On the polished floor were scattered piles of +cushions. Each was occupied by a sleeping woman and +several of these clasped a child in their arms. Their long +hair rippled to the floor, their curved lashes made dark +shadows on pale faces.</p> + +<p>"But they are sleeping!" protested Garin.</p> + +<p>Urg shook his head. "It is the sleep of death. Twice +each ten hours vapors rise from the floor. Those breathing +them do not wake again, and if they are undisturbed +they will lie thus for a thousand years. Look there—"</p> + +<p>He pointed to the closed double doors of the room. +There lay the first men of the Ancient Ones Garin had seen. +They, too, seemed but asleep, their handsome heads pillowed +on their arms.</p> + +<p>"Thran ordered those who remained after the last battle +in the Hall of Thrones to enter the Room of Pleasant Death +that the Black Ones might not torture them for their +beastly pleasures. Thran himself remained behind to close +the door, and so died."</p> + +<p>There were no aged among the sleepers. None of the +men seemed to count more than thirty years and many of +them appeared younger. Garin remarked upon this.</p> + +<p>"The Ancient Ones appeared thus until the day of their +death, though many lived twice a hundred years. The +light rays kept them so. Even we of the Folk can hold +back age. But come now, our Lord Trar would speak with +you again."</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER FIVE</h2> + +<h3>Into the Caves of Darkness</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Again</span> Garin stood before the jade throne of Trar and +heard the stirring of the multitude of the Folk in the shadows. +Trar was turning a small rod of glittering, greenish +metal around in his soft hands.</p> + +<p>"Listen well, outlander," he began, "for little time remains +to us. Within seven days the Great Mists will be +upon us. Then no living thing may venture forth from +shelter and escape death. And before that time Thrala +must be out of the Caves. This rod will be your weapon; +the Black Ones have not its secret. Watch."</p> + +<p>Two of the Folk dragged an ingot of metal before him. +He touched it with the rod. Great flakes of rust appeared +to spread across the entire surface. It crumpled away +and one of the Folk trod upon the pile of dust where it +had been.</p> + +<p>"Thrala lies in the heart of the Caves but Kepta's men +have grown careless with the years. Enter boldly and +trust to fortune. They know nothing of your coming or of +Thran's words concerning you."</p> + +<p>Urg stood forward and held out his hands in appeal.</p> + +<p>"What would you, Urg?"</p> + +<p>"Lord, I would go with the outlander. He knows nothing +of the Forest of the Morgels or of the Pool of Mud. It is +easy to go astray in the woodland—"</p> + +<p>Trar shook his head. "That may not be. He must go +alone, even as Thran said."</p> + +<p>The Ana, which had followed in Garin's shadow all day, +whistled shrilly and stood on tiptoe to tug at his hand. +Trar smiled. "That one may go, its eyes may serve you +well. Urg will guide you to the outer portal of the Place +of Ancestors and set you upon the road to the Caves. Farewell, +outlander, and may the spirits of the Ancient Ones +be with you."</p> + +<p>Garin bowed to the ruler of the Folk and turned to follow +Urg. Near the door stood a small group of women. +Sera pressed forward from them, holding out a small bag.</p> + +<p>"Outlander," she said hurriedly, "when you look upon +the Daughter speak to her of Sera, for I have awaited her +many years."</p> + +<p>He smiled. "That I will."</p> + +<p>"If you remember, outlander. I am a great lady among +the Folk and have my share of suitors, yet I think I could +envy the Daughter. Nay, I shall not explain that," she +laughed mockingly. "You will understand in due time. +Here is a packet of food. Now go swiftly that we may +have you among us again before the Mists."</p> + +<p>So a woman's farewell sped them on their way. Urg +chose a ramp which led downward. At its foot was a niche +in the rock, above which a rose light burned dimly. Urg +reached within the hollow and drew out a pair of high +buskins which he aided Garin to lace on. They were a +good fit, having been fashioned for a man of the Ancient +Ones.</p> + +<p>The passage before them was narrow and crooked. +There was a thick carpet of dust underfoot, patterned by +the prints of the Folk. They rounded a corner and a tall +door loomed out of the gloom. Urg pressed the surface, +there was a click and the stone rolled back.</p> + +<div class="figc"><img src="images/003.png" width="600" height="391" alt="" title="" /> +<small><b><i>With the Ana perched on his shoulder and the green rod of destruction in his hand, Garin strode into the gloom of Tav—pledged +to bring the Daughter out of the Caves of Darkness....</i></b></small></div> + +<p>"This is the Place of Ancestors," he announced as he +stepped within.</p> + +<p>They were at the end of a colossal hall whose domed +roof disappeared into shadows. Thick pillars of gleaming +crystal divided it into aisles, all leading inward to a raised +dais of oval shape. Filling the aisles were couches and +each soft nest held its sleeper. Near to the door lay the +men and women of the Folk, but closer to the dais were +the Ancient Ones. Here and there a couch bore a double +burden, upon the shoulder of a man was pillowed the drooping +head of a woman. Urg stopped beside such a one.</p> + +<p>"See, outlander, here was one who was called from your +world. Marena of the House of Light looked with favor +upon him and their days of happiness were many."</p> + +<p>The man on the couch had red-gold hair and on his +upper arm was a heavy band of gold whose mate Garin +had once seen in a museum. A son of pre-Norman Ireland. +Urg traced with a crooked finger the archaic lettering +carved upon the stone base of the couch.</p> + +<p>"Lovers in the Light sleep sweetly. The Light returns +on the appointed day."</p> + +<p>"Who lies there?" Garin motioned to the dais.</p> + +<p>"The first Ancient Ones. Come, look upon those who +made this Tav."</p> + +<p>On the dais the couches were arranged in two rows and +between them, in the center, was a single couch raised above +the others. Fifty men and women lay as if but resting +for the hour, smiles on their peaceful faces but weary +shadows beneath their eyes. There was an un-human +quality about them which was lacking in their descendents.</p> + +<p>Urg advanced to the high couch and beckoned Garin to +join him. A man and a woman lay there, the woman's +head upon the man's breast. There was that in their faces +which made Garin turn away. He felt as if he had intruded +roughly where no man should go.</p> + +<p>"Here lies Thran, Son of Light, first Lord of the Caverns, +and his lady Thrala, Dweller in the Light. So have +they lain a thousand thousand years, and so will they lie +until this planet rots to dust beneath them. They led the +Folk out of the slime and made Tav. Such as they we +shall never see again."</p> + +<p>They passed silently down the aisles of the dead. Once +Garin caught sight of another fair-haired man, perhaps +another outlander, since the Ancient Ones were all dark +of hair. Urg paused once more before they left the hall. +He stood by the couch of a man, wrapped in a long robe, +whose face was ravaged with marks of agony.</p> + +<p>Urg spoke a single name: "Thran."</p> + +<p>So this was the last Lord of the Caverns. Garin leaned +closer to study the dead face but Urg seemed to have lost +his patience. He hurried his charge on to a panel door.</p> + +<p>"This is the southern portal of the Caverns," he explained. +"Trust to the Ana to guide you and beware of the boiling +mud. Should the morgels scent you, kill quickly, they +are the servants of the Black Ones. May fortune favor +you, outlander."</p> + +<p>The door was open and Garin looked out upon Tav. The +soft blue light was as strong as it had been when he had +first seen it. With the Ana perched on his shoulder, the +green rod and the bag of food in his hands, he stepped +out onto the moss sod.</p> + +<p>Urg raised his hand in salute and the door clicked into +place. Garin stood alone, pledged to bring the Daughter +out of the Caves of Darkness.</p> + +<p>There is no night or day in Tav since the blue light is +steady. But the Folk divide their time by artificial means. +However Garin, being newly come from the rays of healing, +felt no fatigue. As he hesitated, the Ana chattered +and pointed confidently ahead.</p> + +<p>Before them was a dense wood of fern trees. It was +quiet in the forest as Garin made his way into its gloom +and for the first time he noted a peculiarity of Tav. There +were no birds.</p> + +<p>The portion of the woodland they had to traverse was +but a spur of the forest to the west. After an hour of +travel they came out upon the bank of a sluggish river. +The turbid waters of the stream were a dull saffron color. +This, thought Garin, must be the River of Gold, the boundary +of the lands of the Black Ones.</p> + +<p>He rounded a bend to come upon a bridge, so old that +time itself had worn its stone angles into curves. The +bridge gave on a wide plain where tall grass grew sere and +yellow. To the left was a hissing and bubbling, and a huge +wave of boiling mud arose in the air. Garin choked in a +wind, thick with chemicals, which blew from it. He smelled +and tasted the sulphur-tainted air all across the plain.</p> + +<p>And he was glad enough to plunge into a small fern +grove which half-concealed a spring. There he bathed +his head and arms while the Ana pulled open Sera's food +bag.</p> + +<p>Together they ate the cakes of grain and the dried fruit. +When they were done the Ana tugged at Garin's hand +and pointed on.</p> + +<p>Cautiously Garin wormed his way through the thick underbrush +until, at last, he looked out into a clearing and +at its edge the entrance of the Black Ones' Caves. Two +tall pillars, carved into the likeness of foul monsters, guarded +a rough-edged hole. A fine greenish mist whirled and +danced in its mouth.</p> + +<p>The flyer studied the entrance. There was no life to be +seen. He gripped the destroying rod and inched forward. +Before the green mist he braced himself and then stepped +within.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER SIX</h2> + +<h3>Kepta's Second Prisoner</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">The</span> green mist enveloped Garin. He drew into his lungs +hot moist air faintly tinged with a scent of sickly sweetness, +as from some hidden corruption. Green motes in the air +gave forth little light and seemed to cling to the intruder.</p> + +<p>With the Ana pattering before him, the American started +down a steep ramp, the soft soles of his buskins making +no sound. At regular intervals along the wall, niches held +small statues. And about each perverted figure was a +crown of green motes.</p> + +<p>The Ana stopped, its large ears outspread as if to catch +the faintest murmur of sound. From somewhere under +the earth came the howls of a maddened dog. The Ana +shivered, creeping closer to Garin.</p> + +<p>Down led the ramp, growing narrower and steeper. And +louder sounded the insane, coughing howls of the dog. +Then the passage was abruptly barred by a grill of black +stone. Garin peered through its bars at a flight of stairs +leading down into a pit. From the pit arose snarling +laughter.</p> + +<p>Padding back and forth were things which might have +been conceived by demons. They were sleek, rat-like creatures, +hairless, and large as ponies. Red saliva dripped +from the corners of their sharp jaws. But in the eyes, +which they raised now and then toward the grill, there was +intelligence. These were the morgels, watchdogs and +slaves of the Black Ones.</p> + +<p>From a second pair of stairs directly across the pit arose +a moaning call. A door opened and two men came down +the steps. The morgels surged forward, but fell back when +whips were cracked over their heads.</p> + +<p>The masters of the morgels were human in appearance. +Black loin cloths were twisted about them and long, wing-shaped +cloaks hung from their shoulders. On their heads, +completely masking their hair, were cloth caps which bore +ragged crests not unlike cockscombs. As far as Garin +could see they were unarmed except for their whips.</p> + +<p>A second party was coming down the steps. Between +two of the Black Ones struggled a prisoner. He made a +desperate and hopeless fight of it, but they dragged him +to the edge of the pit before they halted. The morgels, +intent upon their promised prey, crouched before them.</p> + +<p>Five steps above were two figures to whom the guards +looked for instructions. One was a man of their race, of +slender, handsome body and evil, beautiful face. His hand +lay possessively upon the arm of his companion.</p> + +<p>It was Thrala who stood beside him, her head proudly +erect. The laughter curves were gone from her lips; there +was only sorrow and resignation to be read there now. But +her spirit burned like a white flame in her eyes.</p> + +<p>"Look!" her warder ordered. "Does not Kepta keep his +promises? Shall we give Dandtan into the jaws of our +slaves, or will you unsay certain words of yours, Lady +Thrala?"</p> + +<p>The prisoner answered for her. "Kepta, son of vileness, +Thrala is not for you. Remember, beloved one," he spoke +to the Daughter, "the day of deliverance is at hand—"</p> + +<p>Garin felt a sudden emptiness. The prisoner had called +Thrala "beloved" with the ease of one who had the right.</p> + +<p>"I await Thrala's answer," Kepta returned evenly. And +her answer he got.</p> + +<p>"Beast among beasts, you may send Dandtan to his +death, you may heap all manner of insult and evil upon me, +but still I say the Daughter is not for your touch. Rather +will I cut the line of life with my own hands, taking upon +me the punishment of the Elder Ones. To Dandtan," she +smiled down upon the prisoner, "I say farewell. We shall +meet again beyond the Curtain of Time." She held out +her hands to him.</p> + +<p>"Thrala, dear one—!" One of his guards slapped a hand +over the prisoner's mouth putting an end to his words.</p> + +<p>But now Thrala was looking beyond him, straight at the +grill which sheltered Garin. Kepta pulled at her arm to +gain her attention. "Watch! Thus do my enemies die. +To the pit with him!"</p> + +<p>The guards twisted their prisoner around and the morgels +crept closer, their eyes fixed upon that young, writhing +body. Garin knew that he must take a hand in the game. +The Ana was tugging him to the right, and there was an +open archway leading to a balcony running around the +side of the pit.</p> + +<p>Those below were too entranced by the coming sport to +notice the invader. But Thrala glanced up and Garin +thought that she sighted him. Something in her attitude +attracted Kepta, he too looked up. For a moment he +stared in stark amazement, and then he thrust the Daughter +through the door behind him.</p> + +<p>"Ho, outlander! Welcome to the Caves. So the Folk +have meddled—"</p> + +<p>"Greeting, Kepta." Garin hardly knew whence came the +words which fell so easily from his tongue. "I have come +as was promised, to remain until the Black Throne +is no more."</p> + +<p>"Not even the morgels boast before their prey lies limp +in their jaws," flashed Kepta. "What manner of beast +are you?"</p> + +<p>"A clean beast, Kepta, which you are not. Bid your two-legged +morgels loose the youth, lest I grow impatient." +The flyer swung the green rod into view.</p> + +<p>Kepta's eyes narrowed but his smile did not fade. "I have +heard of old that the Ancient Ones do not destroy—"</p> + +<p>"As an outlander I am not bound by their limits," returned +Garin, "as you will learn if you do not call off your +stinking pack."</p> + +<p>The master of the Caves laughed. "You are as the Tand, +a fool without a brain. Never shall you see the Caverns +again—"</p> + +<p>"You shall own me master yet, Kepta."</p> + +<p>The Black Chief seemed to consider. Then he waved to +his men. "Release him," he ordered. "Outlander, you +are braver than I thought. We might bargain—"</p> + +<p>"Thrala goes forth from the Caves and the black throne +is dust, those are the terms of the Caverns."</p> + +<p>"And if we do not accept?"</p> + +<p>"Then Thrala goes forth, the throne is dust and Tav shall +have a day of judging such as it has never seen before."</p> + +<p>"You challenge me?"</p> + +<p>Again words, which seemed to Garin to have their origin +elsewhere, came to him. "As in Yu-Lac, I shall take—"</p> + +<p>Before Kepta could reply there was trouble in the pit. +Dandtan, freed by his guards, was crossing the floor in running +leaps. Garin threw himself belly down on the balcony +and dropped the jeweled strap of his belt over the lip.</p> + +<p>A moment later it snapped taut and he stiffened to an +upward pull. Already Dandtan's heels were above the snapping +jaws of a morgel. The flyer caught the youth around +the shoulders and heaved. They rolled together against +the wall.</p> + +<p>"They are gone! All of them!" Dandtan cried, as he regained +his feet. He was right; the morgels howled below, +but Kepta and his men had vanished.</p> + +<p>"Thrala!" Garin exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Dandtan nodded. "They have taken her back to the +cells. They believe her safe there."</p> + +<p>"Then they think wrong." Garin stooped to pick up the +green rod. His companion laughed.</p> + +<p>"We'd best start before they get prepared for us."</p> + +<p>Garin picked up the Ana. "Which way?"</p> + +<p>Dandtan showed him a passage leading from behind the +other door. Then he dodged into a side chamber to return +with two of the wing cloaks and cloth hoods, so that they +might pass as Black Ones.</p> + +<p>They went by the mouths of three side tunnels, all deserted. +None disputed their going. All the Black Ones had +withdrawn from this part of the Caves.</p> + +<p>Dandtan sniffed uneasily. "All is not well. I fear a trap."</p> + +<p>"While we can pass, let us."</p> + +<p>The passage curved to the right and they came into an +oval room. Again Dandtan shook his head but ventured +no protest. Instead he flung open a door and hurried +down a short hall.</p> + +<p>It seemed to Garin that there were strange rustlings and +squeakings in the dark corners. Then Dandtan stopped so +short that the flyer ran into him.</p> + +<p>"Here is the guard room—and it is empty!"</p> + +<p>Garin looked over his shoulder into a large room. Racks +of strange weapons hung on the walls and the sleeping pallets +of the guards were stacked evenly, but the men were +nowhere to be seen.</p> + +<p>They crossed the room and passed beneath an archway.</p> + +<p>"Even the bars are not down," observed Dandtan. He +pointed overhead. There hung a portcullis of stone. Garin +studied it apprehensively. But Dandtan drew him on into +a narrow corridor where were barred doors.</p> + +<p>"The cells," he explained, and withdrew a bar across one +door. The portal swung back and they pushed within.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER SEVEN</h2> + +<h3>Kepta's Trap</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Thrala</span> arose to face them. Forgetting the disguise he +wore, Garin drew back, chilled by her icy demeanor. But +Dandtan sprang forward and caught her in his arms. She +struggled madly until she saw the face beneath her captor's +hood, and then she gave a cry of delight and her arms +were about his neck.</p> + +<p>"Dandtan!"</p> + +<p>He smiled. "Even so. But it is the outlander's doing."</p> + +<p>She came to the American, studying his face. "Outlander? +So cold a name is not for you, when you have served +us so." She offered him her hands and he raised them to +his lips.</p> + +<p>"And how are you named?"</p> + +<p>Dandtan laughed. "Thus the eternal curiosity of women!"</p> + +<p>"Garin."</p> + +<p>"Garin," she repeated. "How like—" A faint rose +glowed beneath her pearl flesh.</p> + +<p>Dandtan's hand fell lightly upon his rescuer's shoulder. +"Indeed he is like him. From this day let him bear that +other's name. Garan, Son of Light."</p> + +<p>"Why not?" she returned calmly. "After all—"</p> + +<p>"The reward which might have been Garan's may be his? +Tell him the story of his namesake when we are again +in the Caverns—"</p> + +<p>Dandtan was interrupted by a frightened squeak from +the Ana. Then came a mocking voice.</p> + +<p>"So the prey has entered the trap of its own will. How +many hunters may boast the same?"</p> + +<p>Kepta leaned against the door, the light of vicious mischief +dancing in his eyes. Garin dropped his cloak to the +floor, but Dandtan must have read what was in the flyer's +mind, for he caught him by the arm.</p> + +<p>"On your life, touch him not!"</p> + +<p>"So you have learned that much wisdom while you have +dwelt among us, Dandtan? Would that Thrala had done +the same. But fair women find me weak." He eyed her +proud body in a way that would have sent Garin at his +throat had Dandtan not held him. "So shall Thrala have +a second chance. How would you like to see these men in +the Room of Instruments, Lady?"</p> + +<p>"I do not fear you," she returned. "Thran once made a +prophecy, and he never spoke idly. We shall win free—"</p> + +<p>"That will be as fate would have it. Meanwhile, I leave +you to each other." He whipped around the door and +slammed it behind him. They heard the grating of the bar +he slid into place. Then his footsteps died away.</p> + +<p>"There goes evil," murmured Thrala softly. "Perhaps +it would have been better if Garin had killed him as he +thought to do. We must get away...."</p> + +<p>Garin drew the rod from his belt. The green light-motes +gathered and clung about its polished length.</p> + +<p>"Touch not the door," Thrala advised; "only its hinges."</p> + +<p>Beneath the tip of the rod the stone became spongy and +flaked away. Dandtan and the flyer caught the door and +eased it to the floor. With one quick movement Thrala +caught up Garin's cloak and swirled it about her, hiding +the glitter of her gem-encrusted robe.</p> + +<p>There was a curious cold lifelessness about the air of the +corridor, the light-bearing motes vanishing as if blown out.</p> + +<p>"Hurry!" the Daughter urged. "Kepta is withdrawing +the living light, so that we will have to wander in the dark."</p> + +<p>When they reached the end of the hall the light was +quite gone, and Garin bruised his hands against the stone +portcullis which had been lowered. From somewhere on +the other side of the barrier came rippling laughter.</p> + +<p>"Oh, outlander," called Kepta mockingly, "you will get +through easily enough when you remember your weapon. +But the dark you can not conquer so easily, nor that which +runs the halls."</p> + +<p>Garin was already busy with the rod. Within five minutes +their way was clear again. But Thrala stopped them +when they would have gone through. "Kepta has loosed +the hunters."</p> + +<p>"The hunters?"</p> + +<p>"The morgels and—others," explained Dandtan. "The +Black Ones have withdrawn and only death comes this +way. And the morgels see in the dark...."</p> + +<p>"So does the Ana."</p> + +<p>"Well thought of," agreed the son of the Ancient Ones.</p> + +<p>"It will lead us out."</p> + +<p>As if in answer, there came a tug at Garin's belt. Reaching +back, he caught Thrala's hand and knew that she had +taken Dandtan's. So linked they crossed the guard room. +Then the Ana paused for a long time, as if listening. There +was nothing to see but the darkness which hung about +them like the smothering folds of a curtain.</p> + +<p>"Something follows us," whispered Dandtan.</p> + +<p>"Nothing to fear," stated Thrala. "It dare not attack. +It is, I think, of Kepta's fashioning. And that which has +not true life dreads death above all things. It is going—"</p> + +<p>There came sounds of something crawling slowly away.</p> + +<p>"Kepta will not try that again," continued the Daughter, +disdainfully. "He knew that his monstrosities would not +attack. Only in the light are they to be dreaded—and then +only because of the horror of their forms."</p> + +<p>Again the Ana tugged at its master's belt. They shuffled +into the narrow passage beyond. But there remained the +sense of things about them in the dark, things which Thrala +continued to insist were harmless and yet which filled +Garin with loathing.</p> + +<p>Then they entered the far corridor into which led the +three halls and which ended in the morgel pit. Here, Garin +believed, was the greatest danger from the morgels.</p> + +<p>The Ana stopped short, dropping back against Garin's +thigh. In the blackness appeared two yellow disks, sparks +of saffron in their depths. Garin thrust the rod into +Thrala's hands.</p> + +<p>"What do you?" she demanded.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to clear the way. It's too dark to use the rod +against moving creatures...." He flung the words over +his shoulder as he moved toward the unwinking eyes.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER EIGHT</h2> + +<h3>Escape from the Caves</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Keeping</span> his eyes upon those soulless yellow disks, Garin +snatched off his hood, wadding it into a ball. Then he +sprang. His fingers slipped on smooth hide, sharp fangs +ripped his forearm, blunt nails scraped his ribs. A foul +breath puffed into his face and warm slaver trickled down +his neck and chest. But his plan succeeded.</p> + +<p>The cap was wedged into the morgel's throat and the +beast was slowly choking. Blood dripped from the flyer's +torn flesh, but he held on grimly until he saw the light fade +from those yellow eyes. The dying morgel made a last +mad plunge for freedom, dragging his attacker along the +rock floor. Then Garin felt the heaving body rest limply +against his own. He staggered against the wall, panting.</p> + +<p>"Garin!" cried Thrala. Her questing hand touched his +shoulder and crept to his face. "It is well with you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," he panted, "let us go on."</p> + +<p>Thrala's fingers had lingered on his arm and now she +walked beside him, her cloak making whispering sounds as +it brushed against the wall and floor.</p> + +<p>"Wait," she cautioned suddenly. "The morgel pit...."</p> + +<p>Dandtan slipped by them. "I will try the door."</p> + +<p>In a moment he was back. "It is open," he whispered.</p> + +<p>"Kepta believes," mused Thrala, "that we will keep to +the safety of the gallery. Therefore let us go through the +pit. The morgels will be gone to better hunting grounds."</p> + +<p>Through the pit they went. A choking stench arose +from underfoot and they trod very carefully. They climbed +the stairs on the far side unchallenged, Dandtan leading.</p> + +<p>"The rod here, Garin," he called; "this door is barred."</p> + +<p>Garin pressed the weapon into the other's hand and +leaned against the rock. He was sick and dizzy. The long, +deep wounds on his arm and shoulder were stiffening and +ached with a biting throb.</p> + +<p>When they went on he panted with effort. They still +moved in darkness and his distress passed unnoticed.</p> + +<p>"This is wrong," he muttered, half to himself. "We go +too easily—"</p> + +<p>And he was answered out of the blackness. "Well noted, +outlander. But you go free for the moment, as does Thrala +and Dandtan. Our full accounting is not yet. And now, +farewell, until we meet again in the Hall of Thrones. I +could find it in me to applaud your courage, outlander. +Perhaps you will come to serve me yet."</p> + +<p>Garin turned and threw himself toward the voice, bringing +up with bruising force against rock wall. Kepta laughed.</p> + +<p>"Not with the skill of the bull Tand will you capture me."</p> + +<p>His second laugh was cut cleanly off, as if a door had +been closed. In silence the three hurried up the ramp. +Then, as through a curtain, they came into the light of Tav.</p> + +<p>Thrala let fall her drab cloak, stood with arms outstretched +in the crater land. Her sparkling robe sheathed +her in glory and she sang softly, rapt in her own delight. +Then Dandtan put his arm about her; she clung to him, +staring about as might a beauty-bewildered child.</p> + +<p>Garin wondered dully how he would be able to make the +journey back to the Caverns when his arm and shoulder +were eaten with a consuming fire. The Ana crept closer +to him, peering into his white face.</p> + +<p>They were aroused by a howl from the Caves. Thrala +cried out and Dandtan answered her unspoken question. +"They have set the morgels on our trail!"</p> + +<p>The howl from the Caves was echoed from the forest. +Morgels before and behind them! Garin might set himself +against one, Dandtan another, and Thrala could defend herself +with the rod, but in the end the pack would kill them.</p> + +<p>"We shall claim protection from the Gibi of the cliff. By +the law they must give us aid," said Thrala, as, turning up +her long robe, she began to run lightly. Garin picked up +her cloak and drew it across his shoulder to hide his welts. +When he could no longer hold her pace she must not guess +the reason for his falling behind.</p> + +<p>Of that flight through the forest the flyer afterward remembered +little. At last the gurgle of water broke upon +his pounding ears, as he stumbled along a good ten lengths +behind his companions. They had come to the edge of the +wood along the banks of the river.</p> + +<p>Without hesitation Thrala and Dandtan plunged into the +oily flood, swimming easily for the other side. Garin dropped +the cloak, wondering if, once he stepped into the yellow +stream, he would ever be able to struggle out again. Already +the Ana was in, paddling in circles near the shore +and pleading with him to follow. Wearily Garin waded out.</p> + +<p>The water, which washed the blood and sweat from his +aching body, was faintly brackish and stung his wounds to +life. He could not fight the sluggish current and it bore +him downstream, well away from where the others landed.</p> + +<p>But at last he managed to win free, crawling out near +where a smaller stream joined the river. There he lay +panting, face down upon the moss. And there they found +him, water dripping from his bedraggled finery, the Ana +stroking his muddied hair. Thrala cried out with concern +and pillowed his head on her knees while Dandtan examined +his wounds.</p> + +<p>"Why did you not tell us?" demanded Thrala.</p> + +<p>He did not try to answer, content to lie there, her arms +supporting him. Dandtan disappeared into the forest, returning +soon, his hands filled with a mass of crushed leaves. +With these he plastered Garin's wounds.</p> + +<p>"You'd better go on," Garin warned.</p> + +<p>Dandtan shook his head. "The morgels can not swim. +If they cross, they must go to the bridge, and that is half +the crater away."</p> + +<p>The Ana dropped into their midst, its small hands filled +with clusters of purple fruit. And so they feasted, Garin +at ease on a fern couch, accepting food from Thrala's hand.</p> + +<p>There seemed to be some virtue in Dandtan's leaf plaster +for, after a short rest, Garin was able to get to his feet +with no more than a twinge or two in his wounds. But +they started on at a more sober pace. Through mossy +glens and sunlit glades where strange flowers made perfume, +the trail led. The stream they followed branched +twice before, on the edge of meadow land, they struck away +from the guiding water toward the crater wall.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Thrala threw back her head and gave a shrill, +sweet whistle. Out of the air dropped a yellow and black +insect, as large as a hawk. Twice it circled her head and +then perched itself on her outstretched wrist.</p> + +<p>Its swollen body was jet black, its curving legs, three to a +side, chrome yellow. The round head ended in a sharp +beak and it had large, many-faceted eyes. The wings, which +lazily tested the air, were black and touched with gold.</p> + +<p>Thrala rubbed the round head while the insect nuzzled +affectionately at her cheek. Then she held out her wrist +again and it was gone.</p> + +<p>"We shall be expected now and may pass unmolested."</p> + +<p>Shortly they became aware of a murmuring sound. The +crater wall loomed ahead, dwarfing the trees at its base.</p> + +<p>"There is the city of the Gibi," remarked Dandtan.</p> + +<p>Clinging to the rock were the towers and turrets of many +eight-sided cells.</p> + +<p>"They are preparing for the Mists," observed Thrala. +"We shall have company on our journey to the Caverns."</p> + +<p>They passed the trees and reached the foot of the wax +skyscrapers which towered dizzily above their heads. A +great cloud of the Gibi hovered about them. Garin felt the +soft brush of their wings against his body. And they crowded +each other jealously to be near Thrala.</p> + +<p>The soft <i>hush-hush</i> of their wings filled the clearing as +one large Gibi of outstanding beauty approached. The +commoners fluttered off and Thrala greeted the Queen of +the cells as an equal. Then she turned to her companions +with the information the Gibi Queen had to offer.</p> + +<p>"We are just in time. Tomorrow the Gibi leave. The +morgels have crossed the river and are out of control. Instead +of hunting us they have gone to ravage the forest +lands. All Tav has been warned against them. But they +may be caught by the Mist and so destroyed. We are to +rest in the cliff hollows, and one shall come for us when it +is time to leave."</p> + +<p>The Gibi withdrew to the cell-combs after conducting +their guests to the rock-hollows.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER NINE</h2> + +<h3>Days of Preparation</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Garin</span> was awakened by a loud murmuring. Dandtan +knelt beside him.</p> + +<p>"We must go. Even now the Gibi seal the last of the cells."</p> + +<p>They ate hurriedly of cakes of grain and honey, and, as +they feasted, the Queen again visited them. The first of +the swarm were already winging eastward.</p> + +<p>With the Gibi nation hanging like a storm cloud above +them, the three started off across the meadow. The purple-blue +haze was thickening and, here and there, curious +formations, like the dust devils of the desert, arose and +danced and disappeared again. The tropic heat of Tav +increased; it was as if the ground itself were steaming.</p> + +<p>"The Mists draw close; we must hurry," panted Dandtan.</p> + +<p>They traversed the tongue of forest which bordered the +meadow and came to the central plain of Tav. There was +a brooding stillness there. The Ana, perched on Garin's +shoulder, shivered.</p> + +<p>Their walk became a trot; the Gibi bunched together. +Once Thrala caught her breath in a half sob.</p> + +<p>"They are flying slowly because of us. And it's so far—"</p> + +<p>"Look!" Dandtan pointed at the plain. "The morgels!"</p> + +<p>The morgel pack, driven by fear, ran in leaping bounds. +They passed within a hundred yards of the three, yet did +not turn from their course, though several snarled at them.</p> + +<p>"They are already dead," observed Dandtan. "There is +no time for them to reach the shelter of the Caves."</p> + +<p>Splashing through a shallow brook, the three began to +run. For the first time Thrala faltered and broke pace. +Garin thrust the Ana into Dandtan's arms and, before she +could protest, swept the girl into his arms.</p> + +<p>The haze was denser now, settling upon them as a curtain. +Black hair, finer than silk, whipped across Garin's +throat. Thrala's head was on his shoulder, her heaving +breasts arched as she gasped the sultry air.</p> + +<p>"They—keep—watch...!" shouted Dandtan.</p> + +<p>Piercing the gloom were pin-points of light. A dark +shape grazed Garin's head—one of the Gibi Queen's guards.</p> + +<p>Then abruptly they stumbled into a throng of the Folk, +one of whom reached for Thrala with a crooning cry. It +was Sera welcoming her mistress.</p> + +<p>Thrala was borne away by the women, leaving Garin with +a feeling of desolation.</p> + +<p>"The Mists, Outlander." It was Urg, pointing toward +the Cavern mouth. Two of the Folk swung their weight +on a lever. Across the opening a sheet of crystal clicked +into place. The Caverns were sealed.</p> + +<p>The haze was now inky black outside and billows of it +beat against the protecting barrier. It might have been +midnight of the blackest, starless night.</p> + +<p>"So will it be for forty days. What is without—dies," +said Urg.</p> + +<p>"Then we have forty days in which to prepare," Garin +spoke his thought aloud. Dandtan's keen face lightened.</p> + +<p>"Well said, Garin. Forty days before Kepta may seek +us. And we have much to do. But first, our respects to +the Lord of the Folk."</p> + +<p>Together they went to the Hall of Thrones where, when +he saw Dandtan, Trar arose and held out his jade-tipped +rod of office. The son of the Ancient Ones touched it.</p> + +<p>"Hail! Dweller in the Light, and Outlander who has fulfilled +the promise of Thran. Thrala is once more within +the Caverns. Now send you to dust this black throne...."</p> + +<p>Garin, nothing loath, drew the destroying rod from his +belt, but Dandtan shook his head. "The time is not yet, +Trar. Kepta must finish the pattern he began. Forty +days have we and then the Black Ones come."</p> + +<p>Trar considered thoughtfully. "So that be the way of +it. Thran did not see another war...."</p> + +<p>"But he saw an end to Kepta!"</p> + +<p>Trar straightened as if some burden had rolled from his +thin shoulders. "Well do you speak, Lord. When there is +one to sit upon the Rose Throne, what have we to fear? +Listen, O ye Folk, the Light has returned to the Caverns!"</p> + +<p>His cry was echoed by the gathering of the Folk.</p> + +<p>"And now, Lord—" he turned to Dandtan with deference—"what +are your commands?"</p> + +<p>"For the space of one sleep I shall enter the Chamber of +Renewing with this outlander, who is no longer an outlander +but one, Garin, accepted by the Daughter according +to the Law. And while we rest let all be made ready...."</p> + +<p>"The Dweller in the Light has spoken!" Trar himself +escorted them from the Hall.</p> + +<p>They came, through many winding passages, to a deep +pool of water, in the depths of which lurked odd purple +shadows. Dandtan stripped and plunged in, Garin following +his example. The water was tinglingly alive and they did +not linger in it long. From it they went to a bubble room +such as the one Garin had rested in after the bath of light +rays, and on the cushions in its center stretched their tired +bodies.</p> + +<p>When Garin awoke he experienced the same exultation +he had felt before. Dandtan regarded him with a smile. +"Now to work," he said, as he reached out to press a knob +set in the wall.</p> + +<p>Two of the Folk appeared, bringing with them clean +trappings. After they dressed and broke their fast, Dandtan +started for the laboratories. Garin would have gone +with him, but Sera intercepted them.</p> + +<p>"There is one would speak with Lord Garin...."</p> + +<p>Dandtan laughed. "Go," he ordered the American. +"Thrala's commands may not be slighted."</p> + +<p>The Hall of Women was deserted. And the corridor beyond, +roofed and walled with slabs of rose-shot crystal, +was as empty. Sera drew aside a golden curtain and they +were in the audience chamber of the Daughter.</p> + +<p>A semi-circular dais of the clearest crystal, heaped with +rose and gold cushions, faced them. Before it, a fountain, +in the form of a flower nodding on a curved stem, sent a +spray of water into a shallow basin. The walls of the +room were divided into alcoves by marble pillars, each one +curved in semblance of a fern frond.</p> + +<p>From the domed ceiling, on chains of twisted gold, seven +lamps, each wrought from a single yellow sapphire, gave +soft light. The floor was a mosaic of gold and crystal.</p> + +<p>Two small Anas, who had been playing among the cushions, +pattered up to exchange greetings with Garin's. But of +the mistress of the chamber there was no sign. Garin turned +to Sera, but before he could phrase his question, she +asked mockingly:</p> + +<p>"Who is the Lord Garin that he can not wait with patience?" +But she left in search of the Daughter.</p> + +<p>Garin glanced uneasily about the room. This jeweled +chamber was no place for him. He had started toward the +door when Thrala stepped within.</p> + +<p>"Greetings to the Daughter." His voice sounded formal +and cold, even to himself.</p> + +<p>Her hands, which had been outheld in welcome, dropped +to her sides. A ghost of a frown dimmed her beauty.</p> + +<p>"Greetings, Garin," she returned slowly.</p> + +<p>"You sent for me—" he prompted, eager to escape from +this jewel box and the unattainable treasure it held.</p> + +<p>"Yes," the coldness of her tone was an order of exile. "I +would know how you fared and whether your wounds yet +troubled you."</p> + +<p>He looked down at his own smooth flesh, cleanly healed +by the wisdom of the Folk. "I am myself again and eager +to be at such work as Dandtan can find for me...."</p> + +<p>Her robe seemed to hiss across the floor as she turned +upon him. "Then go!" she ordered. "Go quickly!"</p> + +<p>And blindly he obeyed. She had spoken as if to a servant, +one whom she could summon and dismiss by whim. Even +if Dandtan held her love, she might have extended him her +friendship. But he knew within him that friendship would +be a poor crumb beside the feast his pulses pounded for.</p> + +<p>There was a pattering of feet behind him. So, she would +call him back! His pride sent him on. But it was Sera. +Her head thrust forward until she truly resembled a reptile.</p> + +<p>"Fool! Morgel!" she spat. "Even the Black Ones did +not treat her so. Get you out of the Place of Women lest +they divide your skin among them!"</p> + +<p>Garin broke free, not heeding her torrent of reproach. +Then he seized upon one of the Folk as a guide and sought +the laboratories. Far beneath the surface of Tav, where +the light-motes shone ghostly in the gloom, they came into +a place of ceaseless activity, where there were tables crowded +with instruments, coils of glass and metal tubing, and +other equipment and supplies. These were the focusing +point for ceaseless streams of the Folk. On a platform at +the far end, Garin saw the tall son of the Ancient Ones +working on a framework of metal and shining crystal.</p> + +<p>He glanced up as Garin joined him. "You are late," he +accused. "But your excuse is a good one. Now get you +to work. Hold this here—and here—while I fasten these +clamps."</p> + +<p>So Garin became extra hands and feet for Dandtan, and +they worked feverishly to build against the lifting of the +Mists. There was no day or night in the laboratories. They +worked steadily without rest, and without feeling fatigue.</p> + +<p>Twice they went to the Chamber of Renewing, but except +for these trips to the upper ways they were not out of +the laboratories through all those days. Of Thrala there +was no sign, nor did any one speak of her.</p> + +<p>The Cavern dwellers were depending upon two defenses: +an evil green liquid, to be thrown in frail glass globes, and +a screen charged with energy. Shortly before the lifting +of the Mists, these arms were transported to the entrance +and installed there. Dandtan and Garin made a last inspection.</p> + +<p>"Kepta makes the mistake of under-rating his enemies," +Dandtan reflected, feeling the edge of the screen caressingly. +"When I was captured, on the day my people died, I +was sent to the Black Ones' laboratories so that their seekers +after knowledge might learn the secrets of the Ancient +Ones. But I proved a better pupil than teacher and I discovered +the defense against the Black Fire. After I had +learned that, Kepta grew impatient with my supposed stupidity +and tried to use me to force Thrala to his will. For +that, as for other things, shall he pay—and the paying will +not be in coin of his own striking. Let us think of that...." +He turned to greet Urg and Trar and the other leaders of +the Folk, who had approached unnoticed.</p> + +<p>Among them stood Thrala, her gaze fixed upon the crystal +wall between them and the thinning Mist. She noticed +Garin no more than she did the Anas playing with her train +and the women whispering behind her. But Garin stepped +back into the shadows—and what he saw was not weapons +of war, but cloudy black hair and graceful white limbs veiled +in splendor.</p> + +<p>Urg and one of the other chieftains bore down upon the +door lever. With a protesting squeak, the glass wall disappeared +into the rock. The green of Tav beckoned them +out to walk in its freshness; it was renewed with lusty life. +But in all that expanse of meadow and forest there was a +strange stillness.</p> + +<p>"Post sentries," ordered Dandtan. "The Black Ones +will come soon."</p> + +<p>He beckoned Garin forward as he spoke to Thrala:</p> + +<p>"Let us go to the Hall of Thrones."</p> + +<p>But the Daughter did not answer his smile. "It is not +meet that we should spend time in idle talk. Let us go instead +to call upon the help of those who have gone before +us." So speaking, she darted a glance at Garin as chill as +the arctic lands beyond the lip of Tav, and then swept away +with Sera bearing her train.</p> + +<p>Dandtan stared at Garin. "What has happened between +you two?"</p> + +<p>The flyer shook his head. "I don't know. No man is +born with an understanding of women—"</p> + +<p>"But she is angered with you. What has happened?"</p> + +<p>For a moment Garin was tempted to tell the truth: that +he dared not break any barrier she chose to raise, lest he +seize what in honor was none of his. But he shook his +head mutely. Neither of them saw Thrala again until +Death entered the Caverns.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER TEN</h2> + +<h3>Battle and Victory</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Garin</span> stood with Dandtan looking out into the plain of +Tav. Some distance away were two slender, steel-tipped +towers, which were, in reality, but hollow tubes filled with +the Black Fire. Before these dark-clad figures were busy.</p> + +<p>"They seem to believe us already defeated. Let them +think so," commented Dandtan, touching the screen they +had erected before the Cavern entrance.</p> + +<p>As he spoke Kepta swaggered through the tall grass to +call a greeting:</p> + +<p>"Ho, rock dweller, I would speak with you—"</p> + +<p>Dandtan edged around the screen, Garin a pace behind.</p> + +<p>"I see you, Kepta."</p> + +<p>"Good. I trust that your ears will serve you as well as +your eyes. These are my terms: Give Thrala to me to +dwell in my chamber and the outlander to provide sport +for my captains. Make no resistance but throw open the +Caverns so that I may take my rightful place in the Hall of +Thrones. Do this and we shall be at peace...."</p> + +<p>"And this is our reply:"—Dandtan stood unmovingly before +the screen—"Return to the Caves; break down the +bridge between your land and ours. Let no Black One +come hither again, ever...."</p> + +<p>Kepta laughed. "So, that be the way of it! Then this +shall we do: take Thrala, to be mine for a space, and then +to go to my captains—"</p> + +<p>Garin hurled himself forward, felt Kepta's lips mash beneath +his fist; his fingers were closing about the other's +throat as Dandtan, who was trying to pull him away from +his prey, shouted a warning: "Watch out!"</p> + +<p>A morgel had leaped from the grass, its teeth snapping +about Garin's wrist, forcing him to drop Kepta. Then +Dandtan laid it senseless by a sharp blow with his belt.</p> + +<p>On hands and knees Kepta crawled back to his men. +The lower part of his face was a red and dripping smear. +He screamed an order with savage fury.</p> + +<p>Dandtan drew the still raging flyer behind the screen. +"Be a little prudent," he panted. "Kepta can be dealt with +in other ways than with bare hands."</p> + +<p>The towers were swinging their tips toward the entrance. +Dandtan ordered the screen wedged tightly into place.</p> + +<p>Outside, the morgel Dandtan had stunned got groggily +to its feet. When it had limped half the distance back to +its master, Kepta gave the order to fire. The broad beam +of black light from the tip of the nearest tower caught the +beast head on. There was a chilling scream of agony, and +where the morgel had stood gray ashes drifted on the wind.</p> + +<p>A hideous crackling arose as the black beam struck the +screen. Green grass beneath seared away, leaving only +parched earth and naked blue soil. Those within the Cavern +crouched behind their frail protection, half blinded by +the light from the seared grass, coughing from the chemical-ridden +fumes which curled about the cracks of the rock.</p> + +<p>Then the beam faded out. Thin smoke plumed from the +tips of the towers, steam arose from the blackened ground. +Dandtan drew a deep breath.</p> + +<p>"It held!" he cried, betraying at last the fear which had +ridden him.</p> + +<p>Men of the Folk dragged engines of tubing before the +screen, while others brought forth the globes of green +liquid. Dandtan stood aside, as if this matter were the +business of the Folk alone, and Garin recalled that the Ancient +Ones were opposed to the taking of life.</p> + +<p>Trar was in command now. At his orders the globes +were posed on spoon-shaped holders. Loopholes in the +screen clicked open. Trar brought down his hand in signal. +The globes arose lazily, sliding through the loopholes +and floating out toward the towers.</p> + +<p>One, aimed short, struck the ground where the fire had +burned it bare, and broke. The liquid came forth, sluggishly, +forming a gray-green gas as the air struck it. Another +spiral of gas arose almost at the foot of one of the +towers—and then another ... and another.</p> + +<p>There quickly followed a tortured screaming, which soon +dwindled to a weak yammering. They could see shapes, +no longer human or animal, staggering about in the fog.</p> + +<p>Dandtan turned away, his face white with horror. Garin's +hands were over his ears to shut out that crying.</p> + +<p>At last it was quiet; there was no more movement by the +towers. Urg placed a sphere of rosy light upon the nearest +machine and flipped it out into the camp of the enemy. As +if it were a magnet it drew the green tendrils of gas, to +leave the air clear. Here and there lay shrunken, livid +shapes, the towers brooding over them.</p> + +<p>One of the Folk burst into their midst, a woman of +Thrala's following.</p> + +<p>"Haste!" She clawed at Garin. "Kepta takes Thrala!"</p> + +<p>She ran wildly back the way she had come, with the +American pounding at her heels. They burst into the Hall +of Thrones and saw a struggling group before the dais.</p> + +<p>Garin heard someone howl like an animal, became aware +the sound came from his own throat. For the second time +his fist found its mark on Kepta's face. With a shriek of +rage the Black One threw Thrala from him and sprang at +Garin, his nails tearing gashes in the flyer's face. Twice +the American twisted free and sent bone-crushing blows +into the other's ribs. Then he got the grip he wanted, and +his fingers closed around Kepta's throat. In spite of the +Black One's struggles he held on until a limp body rolled +beneath him.</p> + +<p>Panting, the American pulled himself up from the blood-stained +floor and grabbed the arm of the Jade Throne for +support.</p> + +<p>"Garin!" Thrala's arms were about him, her pitying +fingers on his wounds. And in that moment he forgot +Dandtan, forgot everything he had steeled himself to remember. +She was in his arms and his mouth sought hers +possessively. Nor was she unresponsive, but yielded, as +a flower yields to the wind.</p> + +<p>"Garin!" she whispered softly. Then, almost shyly, she +broke from his hold.</p> + +<p>Beyond her stood Dandtan, his face white, his mouth +tight. Garin remembered. And, a little mad with pain +and longing, he dropped his eyes, trying not to see the loveliness +which was Thrala.</p> + +<p>"So, Outlander, Thrala flies to your arms—"</p> + +<p>Garin whirled about. Kepta was hunched on the broad +seat of the jet throne.</p> + +<p>"No, I am not dead, Outlander—nor shall you kill me, +as you think to do. I go now, but I shall return. We have +met and hated, fought and died before—you and I. You +were a certain Garan, Marshall of the air fleet of Yu-Lac on +a vanished world, and I was Lord of Koom. That was in the +days before the Ancient Ones pioneered space. You and I +and Thrala, we are bound together and even fate can not +break those bonds. Farewell, Garin. And do you, Thrala, +remember the ending of that other Garan. It was not an +easy one."</p> + +<p>With a last malicious chuckle, he leaned back in the +throne. His battered body slumped. Then the sharp lines +of the throne blurred; it shimmered in the light. Abruptly +then both it and its occupant were gone. They were staring +at empty space, above which loomed the rose throne of +the Ancient Ones.</p> + +<p>"He spoke true," murmured Thrala. "We have had other +lives, other meetings—so will we meet again. But for the +present he returns to the darkness which sent him forth. +It is finished."</p> + +<p>Without warning, a low rumbling filled the Cavern; the +walls rocked and swayed. Lizard and human, they huddled +together until the swaying stopped. Finally a runner appeared +with news that one of the Gibi had ventured forth +and discovered that the Caves of Darkness had been sealed +by an underground quake. The menace of the Black Ones +was definitely at an end.</p> + +<hr /> +<h2>CHAPTER ELEVEN</h2> + +<h3>Thrala's Mate</h3> + +<p><span class="dcap">Although</span> there were falls of rock within the Caverns +and some of the passages were closed, few of the Folk suffered +injury. Gibi scouts reported that the land about the +entrance to the Caves had sunk, and that the River of Gold, +thrown out of its bed, was fast filling this basin to form a +lake.</p> + +<p>As far as they could discover, none of the Black Ones had +survived the battle and the sealing of the Caves. But they +could not be sure that there was not a handful of outlaws +somewhere within the confines of Tav.</p> + +<p>The Crater itself was changed. A series of raw hills +had appeared in the central plain. The pool of boiling mud +had vanished and trees in the forest lay flat, as if cut by a +giant scythe.</p> + +<p>Upon their return to the cliff city, the Gibi found most +of their wax skyscrapers in ruins, but they set about rebuilding +without complaint. The squirrel farmers emerged +from their burrows and were again busy in the fields.</p> + +<p>Garin felt out of place in all the activity that filled the +Caverns. More than ever he was the outlander with no +true roots in Tav. Restlessly, he explored the Caverns, +spending many hours in the Place of Ancestors, where he +studied those men of the outer world who had preceded +him into this weird land.</p> + +<p>One night when he came back to his chamber he found +Dandtan and Trar awaiting him there. There was a curious +hardness in Dandtan's attitude, a somber sobriety in +Trar's carriage.</p> + +<p>"Have you sought the Hall of Women since the battle?" +demanded the son of the Ancient Ones abruptly.</p> + +<p>"No," retorted Garin shortly. Did Dandtan accuse him +of double dealing?</p> + +<p>"Have you sent a message to Thrala?"</p> + +<p>Garin held back his rising temper. "I have not ventured +where I can not."</p> + +<p>Dandtan nodded to Trar as if his suspicions had been +confirmed. "You see how it stands, Trar."</p> + +<p>Trar shook his head slowly. "But never has the summoning +been at fault—"</p> + +<p>"You forget," Dandtan reminded him sharply. "It was +once—and the penalty was exacted. So shall it be again."</p> + +<p>Garin looked from one to the other, confused. Dandtan +seemed possessed of a certain ruthless anger, but Trar +was manifestly unhappy.</p> + +<p>"It must come after council, the Daughter willing," the +Lord of the Folk said.</p> + +<p>Dandtan strode toward the door. "Thrala is not to +know. Assemble the Council tonight. Meanwhile, see that +he," he jerked his thumb toward Garin, "does not leave +this room."</p> + +<p>Thus Garin became a prisoner under the guard of the +Folk, unable to discover of what Dandtan accused him, or +how he had aroused the hatred of the Cavern ruler. Unless +Dandtan's jealousy had been aroused and he was determined +to rid himself of a rival.</p> + +<p>Believing this, the flyer went willingly to the chamber +where the judges waited. Dandtan sat at the head of a +long table, Trar at his right hand and lesser nobles of the +Folk beyond.</p> + +<p>"You know the charge," Dandtan's words were tipped +with venom as Garin came to stand before him. "Out of +his own mouth has this outlander condemned himself. +Therefore I ask that you decree for him the fate of that +outlander of the second calling who rebelled against the +summoning."</p> + +<p>"The outlander has admitted his fault?" questioned one +of the Folk.</p> + +<p>Trar inclined his head sadly. "He did."</p> + +<p>As Garin opened his mouth to demand a stating of the +charge against him, Dandtan spoke again:</p> + +<p>"What say you, Lords?"</p> + +<p>For a long moment they sat in silence and then they bobbed +their lizard heads in assent. "Do as you desire, Dweller +in the Light."</p> + +<p>Dandtan smiled without mirth. "Look, outlander." He +passed his hand over the glass of the seeing mirror set in +the table top. "This is the fate of him who rebels—"</p> + +<p>In the shining surface Garin saw pictured a break in +Tav's wall. At its foot stood a group of men of the Ancient +Ones, and in their midst struggled a prisoner. They +were forcing him to climb the crater wall. Garin watched +him reach the lip and crawl over, to stagger across the +steaming rock, dodging the scalding vapor of hot springs, +until he pitched face down in the slimy mud.</p> + +<p>"Such was his ending, and so will you end—"</p> + +<p>The calm brutality of that statement aroused Garin's +anger. "Rather would I die that way than linger in this +den," he cried hotly. "You, who owe your life to me, would +send me to such a death without even telling me of what I +am accused. Little is there to choose between you and +Kepta, after all—except that he was an open enemy!"</p> + +<p>Dandtan sprang to his feet, but Trar caught his arm.</p> + +<p>"He speaks fairly. Ask him why he will not fulfill the +summoning."</p> + +<p>While Dandtan hesitated, Garin leaned across the table, +flinging his words, weapon-like, straight into that cold face.</p> + +<p>"I'll admit that I love Thrala—have loved her since that +moment when I saw her on the steps of the morgel pit in +the caves. Since when has it become a crime to love that +which may not be yours—if you do not try to take it?"</p> + +<p>Trar released Dandtan, his golden eyes gleaming.</p> + +<p>"If you love her, claim her. It is your right."</p> + +<p>"Do I not know," Garin turned to him, "that she is +Dandtan's. Thran had no idea of Dandtan's survival when +he laid his will upon her. Shall I stoop to holding her to +an unwelcome bargain? Let her go to the one she loves...."</p> + +<p>Dandtan's face was livid, and his hands, resting on the +table, trembled. One by one the lords of the Folk slipped +away, leaving the two face-to-face.</p> + +<p>"And I thought to order you to your death." Dandtan's +whisper was husky as it emerged between dry lips. "Garin, +we thought you knew—and, knowing, had refused her."</p> + +<p>"Knew what?"</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>"That I am Thran's son—and Thrala's brother."</p> + +<p>The floor swung beneath Garin's unsteady feet. Dandtan's +hands were warm on his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"I am a fool," said the American slowly.</p> + +<p>Dandtan smiled. "A very honorable fool! Now get you +to Thrala, who deserves to hear the full of this tangle."</p> + +<p>So it was that, with Dandtan by his side, Garin walked +for the second time down that hallway, to pass the golden +curtains and stand in the presence of the Daughter. She +came straight from her cushions into his arms when she +read what was in his face. They needed no words.</p> + +<p>And in that hour began Garin's life in Tav.</p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/004-2.jpg"><img src="images/004-1.jpg" width="146" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><big><b>Transcriber's Note:</b></big></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>Fantasy Book</i> Vol. 1 number 1 (1947). +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The People of the Crater, by Andrew North + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEOPLE OF THE CRATER *** + +***** This file should be named 30960-h.htm or 30960-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/9/6/30960/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The People of the Crater + +Author: Andrew North + +Illustrator: R. K. Murphy + Neil Austin + Charles McNutt + +Release Date: January 14, 2010 [EBook #30960] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEOPLE OF THE CRATER *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + + The PEOPLE of the CRATER + + _A COMPLETE NOVELETTE_ + + BY ANDREW NORTH + + + _"Send the Black Throne to dust; conquer the Black Ones, and bring + the Daughter from the Caves of Darkness." These were the tasks Garin + must perform to fulfill the prophecy of the Ancient Ones--and + establish his own destiny in this hidden land!_ + + + + +_CHAPTER ONE_ + +_Through the Blue Haze_ + + +Six months and three days after the Peace of Shanghai was signed and the +great War of 1965-1970 declared at an end by an exhausted world, a young +man huddled on a park bench in New York, staring miserably at the gravel +beneath his badly worn shoes. He had been trained to fill the pilot's +seat in the control cabin of a fighting plane and for nothing else. The +search for a niche in civilian life had cost him both health and +ambition. + +A newcomer dropped down on the other end of the bench. The flyer studied +him bitterly. _He_ had decent shoes, a warm coat, and that air of +satisfaction with the world which is the result of economic security. +Although he was well into middle age, the man had a compact grace of +movement and an air of alertness. + +"Aren't you Captain Garin Featherstone?" + +Startled, the flyer nodded dumbly. + +From a plump billfold the man drew a clipping and waved it toward his +seat mate. Two years before, Captain Garin Featherstone of the United +Democratic Forces had led a perilous bombing raid into the wilds of +Siberia to wipe out the vast expeditionary army secretly gathering +there. It had been a spectacular affair and had brought the survivors +some fleeting fame. + +"You're the sort of chap I've been looking for," the stranger folded the +clipping again, "a flyer with courage, initiative and brains. The man +who led that raid is worth investing in." + +"What's the proposition?" asked Featherstone wearily. He no longer +believed in luck. + +"I'm Gregory Farson," the other returned as if that should answer the +question. + +"The Antarctic man!" + +"Just so. As you have probably heard, I was halted on the eve of my last +expedition by the sudden spread of war to this country. Now I am +preparing to sail south again." + +"But I don't see--" + +"How you can help me? Very simple, Captain Featherstone. I need pilots. +Unfortunately the war has disposed of most of them. I'm lucky to contact +one such as yourself--" + + * * * * * + +And it was as simple as that. But Garin didn't really believe that it +was more than a dream until they touched the glacial shores of the polar +continent some months later. As they brought ashore the three large +planes, he began to wonder at the driving motive behind Farson's vague +plans. + +When the supply ship sailed, not to return for a year, Farson called +them together. Three of the company were pilots, all war veterans, and +two were engineers who spent most of their waking hours engrossed in the +maps Farson produced. + + * * * * * + +"Tomorrow," the leader glanced from face to face, "we start inland. +Here--" On a map spread before him he indicated a line marked in purple. + +"Ten years ago I was a member of the Verdane expedition. Once, when +flying due south, our plane was caught by some freakish air current and +drawn off its course. When we were totally off our map, we saw in the +distance a thick bluish haze. It seemed to rise in a straight line from +the ice plain to the sky. Unfortunately our fuel was low and we dared +not risk a closer investigation. So we fought our way back to the base. + +"Verdane, however, had little interest in our report and we did not +investigate it. Three years ago that Kattack expedition, hunting oil +deposits by the order of the Dictator, reported seeing the same haze. +This time we are going to explore it!" + +"Why," Garin asked curiously, "are you so eager to penetrate this +haze?--I gather that's what we're to do--" + +Farson hesitated before answering. "It has often been suggested that +beneath the ice sheeting of this continent may be hidden mineral wealth. +I believe that the haze is caused by some form of volcanic activity, and +perhaps a break in the crust." + +Garin frowned at the map. He wasn't so sure about that explanation, but +Farson was paying the bills. The flyer shrugged away his uneasiness. +Much could be forgiven a man who allowed one to eat regularly again. + +Four days later they set out. Helmly, one of the engineers, Rawlson, a +pilot, and Farson occupied the first plane. The other engineer and pilot +were in the second and Garin, with the extra supplies, was alone in the +third. + +He was content to be alone as they took off across the blue-white waste. +His ship, because of its load, was loggy, so he did not attempt to +follow the other two into the higher lane. They were in communication by +radio and Garin, as he snapped on his earphones, remembered something +Farson had said that morning: + +"The haze affects radio. On our trip near it the static was very bad. +Almost," with a laugh, "like speech in some foreign tongue." + +As they roared over the ice Garin wondered if it might have been +speech--from, perhaps, a secret enemy expedition, such as the Kattack +one. + +In his sealed cockpit he did not feel the bite of the frost and the ship +rode smoothly. With a little sigh of content he settled back against the +cushions, keeping to the course set by the planes ahead and above him. + +Some five hours after they left the base, Garin caught sight of a dark +shadow far ahead. At the same time Farson's voice chattered in his +earphones. + +"That's it. Set course straight ahead." + +The shadow grew until it became a wall of purple-blue from earth to sky. +The first plane was quite close to it, diving down into the vapor. +Suddenly the ship rocked violently and swung earthward as if out of +control. Then it straightened and turned back. Garin could hear Farson +demanding to know what was the matter. But from the first plane there +was no reply. + +As Farson's plane kept going Garin throttled down. The actions of the +first ship indicated trouble. What if that haze were a toxic gas? + +"Close up, Featherstone!" barked Farson suddenly. + +He obediently drew ahead until they flew wing to wing. The haze was just +before them and now Garin could see movement in it, oily, impenetrable +billows. The motors bit into it. There was clammy, foggy moisture on the +windows. + +Abruptly Garin sensed that he was no longer alone. Somewhere in the +empty cabin behind him was another intelligence, a measuring power. He +fought furiously against it--against the very idea of it. But, after a +long, terrifying moment while it seemed to study him, it took control. +His hands and feet still manipulated the ship, but _it_ flew! + +On the ship hurtled through the thickening mist. He lost sight of +Farson's plane. And, though he was still fighting against the will which +over-rode his, his struggles grew weaker. Then came the order to dive +into the dark heart of the purple mists. + + * * * * * + +Down they whirled. Once, as the haze opened, Garin caught a glimpse of +tortured gray rock seamed with yellow. Farson had been right: here the +ice crust was broken. + +Down and down. If his instruments were correct the plane was below sea +level now. The haze thinned and was gone. Below spread a plain cloaked +in vivid green. Here and there reared clumps of what might be trees. He +saw, too, the waters of a yellow stream. + +But there was something terrifyingly alien about that landscape. Even as +he circled above it, Garin wrested to break the grip of the will that +had brought him there. There came a crackle of sound in his earphones +and at that moment the Presence withdrew. + +The nose of the plane went up in obedience to his own desire. +Frantically he climbed away from the green land. Again the haze absorbed +him. He watched the moisture bead on the windows. Another hundred feet +or so and he would be free of it--and that unbelievable world beneath. + +Then, with an ominous sputter, the port engine conked out. The plane +lurched and slipped into a dive. Down it whirled again into the steady +light of the green land. + +Trees came out of the ground, huge fern-like plants with crimson scaled +trunks. Toward a clump of these the plane swooped. + +Frantically Garin fought the controls. The ship steadied, the dive +became a fast glide. He looked for an open space to land. Then he felt +the landing gear scrape some surface. Directly ahead loomed one of the +fern trees. The plane sped toward the long fronds. There came a ripping +crash, the splintering of metal and wood. The scarlet cloud gathering +before Garin's eyes turned black. + + + + +_CHAPTER TWO_ + +_The Folk of Tav_ + + +Garin returned to consciousness through a red mist of pain. He was +pinned in the crumpled mass of metal which had once been the cabin. +Through a rent in the wall close to his head thrust a long spike of +green, shredded leaves still clinging to it. He lay and watched it, not +daring to move lest the pain prove more than he could bear. + +It was then that he heard the pattering sound outside. It seemed as if +soft hands were pushing and pulling at the wreck. The tree branch shook +and a portion of the cabin wall dropped away with a clang. + +Garin turned his head slowly. Through the aperture was clambering a +goblin figure. + +It stood about five feet tall, and it walked upon its hind legs in human +fashion, but the legs were short and stumpy, ending in feet with five +toes of equal length. Slender, shapely arms possessed small hands with +only four digits. The creature had a high, well-rounded forehead but no +chin, the face being distinctly lizard-like in contour. The skin was a +dull black, with a velvety surface. About its loins it wore a short kilt +of metallic cloth, the garment being supported by a jeweled belt of +exquisite workmanship. + +For a long moment the apparition eyed Garin. And it was those golden +eyes, fixed unwinkingly on his, which banished the flyer's fear. There +was nothing but great pity in their depths. + +The lizard-man stooped and brushed the sweat-dampened hair from Garin's +forehead. Then he fingered the bonds of metal which held the flyer, as +if estimating their strength. Having done so, he turned to the opening +and apparently gave an order, returning again to squat by Garin. + +Two more of his kind appeared to tear away the ruins of the cockpit. +Though they were very careful, Garin fainted twice before they had freed +him. He was placed on a litter swung between two clumsy beasts which +might have been small elephants, except that they lacked trunks and +possessed four tusks each. + +They crossed the plain to the towering mouth of a huge cavern where the +litter was taken up by four of the lizard-folk. The flyer lay staring up +at the roof of the cavern. In the black stone had been carved fronds and +flowers in bewildering profusion. Shining motes, giving off faint light, +sifted through the air. At times as they advanced, these gathered in +clusters and the light grew brighter. + +Midway down a long corridor the bearers halted while their leader pulled +upon a knob on the wall. An oval door swung back and the party passed +through. + +They came into a round room, the walls of which had been fashioned of +creamy quartz veined with violet. At the highest point in the ceiling a +large globe of the motes hung, furnishing soft light below. + +Two lizard-men, clad in long robes, conferred with the leader of the +flyer's party before coming to stand over Garin. One of the robed ones +shook his head at the sight of the flyer's twisted body and waved the +litter on into an inner chamber. + +Here the walls were dull blue and in the exact center was a long block +of quartz. By this the litter was put down and the bearers disappeared. +With sharp knives the robed men cut away furs and leather to expose +Garin's broken body. + +They lifted him to the quartz table and there made him fast with metal +bonds. Then one of them went to the wall and pulled a gleaming rod. From +the dome of the roof shot an eerie blue light to beat upon Garin's +helpless body. There followed a tingling through every muscle and joint, +a prickling sensation in his skin, but soon his pain vanished as if it +had never been. + +The light flashed off and the three lizard-men gathered around him. He +was wrapped in a soft robe and carried to another room. This, too, was +circular, shaped like the half of a giant bubble. The floor sloped +toward the center where there was a depression filled with cushions. +There they laid Garin. At the top of the bubble, a pinkish cloud formed. +He watched it drowsily until he fell asleep. + +Something warm stirred against his bare shoulder. He opened his eyes, +for a moment unable to remember where he was. Then there was a plucking +at the robe twisted about him and he looked down. + +[Illustration] + +If the lizard-folk had been goblin in their grotesqueness this visitor +was elfin. It was about three feet high, its monkey-like body completely +covered with silky white hair. The tiny hands were human in shape and +hairless, but its feet were much like a cat's paws. From either side of +the small round head branched large fan-shaped ears. The face was furred +and boasted stiff cat whiskers on the upper lip. These _Anas_, as Garin +learned later, were happy little creatures, each one choosing some +mistress or master among the Folk, as this one had come to him. They +were content to follow their big protector, speechless with delight at +trifling gifts. Loyal and brave, they could do simple tasks or carry +written messages for their chosen friend, and they remained with him +until death. They were neither beast nor human, but rumored to be the +result of some experiment carried out eons ago by the Ancient Ones. + +After patting Garin's shoulder the Ana touched the flyer's hair +wonderingly, comparing the bronze lengths with its own white fur. Since +the Folk were hairless, hair was a strange sight in the Caverns. With a +contented purr, it rubbed its head against his hand. + +With a sudden click a door in the wall opened. The Ana got to its feet +and ran to greet the newcomers. The chieftain of the Folk, he who had +first discovered Garin, entered, followed by several of his fellows. + +The flyer sat up. Not only was the pain gone but he felt stronger and +younger than he had for weary months. Exultingly, he stretched wide his +arms and grinned at the lizard-being who murmured happily in return. + +Lizard-men busied themselves about Garin, girding on him the short kilt +and jewel-set belt which were the only clothing of the Caverns. When +they were finished, the chieftain took his hand and drew him to the +door. + +They traversed a hallway whose walls were carved and inlaid with +glittering stones and metalwork, coming, at last, into a huge cavern, +the outer walls of which were hidden by shadows. On a dais stood three +tall thrones and Garin was conducted to the foot of these. + +The highest throne was of rose crystal. On its right was one of green +jade, worn smooth by centuries of time. At the left was the third, +carved of a single block of jet. The rose throne and that of jet were +unoccupied, but in the seat of jade reposed one of the Folk. He was +taller than his fellows, and in his eyes, as he stared at Garin, was +wisdom--and a brooding sadness. + +"It is well!" The words resounded in the flyer's head. "We have chosen +wisely. This youth is fit to mate with the Daughter. But he will be +tried, as fire tries metal. He must win the Daughter forth and strive +with Kepta--" + +A hissing murmur echoed through the hall. Garin guessed that hundreds of +the Folk must be gathered there. + +"Urg!" the being on the throne commanded. + +The chieftain moved a step toward the dais. + +"Do you take this youth and instruct him. And then will I speak with him +again. For--" sadness colored the words now--"we would have the rose +throne filled again and the black one blasted into dust. Time moves +swiftly." + +The Chieftain led a wondering Garin away. + + + + +_CHAPTER THREE_ + +_Garin Hears of the Black Ones_ + + +Urg brought the flyer into one of the bubble-shaped rooms which +contained a low, cushioned bench facing a metal screen--and here they +seated themselves. + +What followed was a language lesson. On the screen appeared objects +which Urg would name, to have his sibilant uttering repeated by Garin. +As the American later learned, the ray treatment he had undergone had +quickened his mental powers, and in an incredibly short time he had a +working vocabulary. + +Judging by the pictures the lizard folk were the rulers of the crater +world, although there were other forms of life there. The elephant-like +_Tand_ was a beast of burden, the squirrel-like _Eron_ lived underground +and carried on a crude agriculture in small clearings, coming shyly +twice a year to exchange grain for a liquid rubber produced by the Folk. + +Then there was the _Gibi_, a monstrous bee, also friendly to the lizard +people. It supplied the cavern dwellers with wax, and in return the Folk +gave the Gibi colonies shelter during the unhealthful times of the Great +Mists. + +Highly civilized were the Folk. They did no work by hand, except the +finer kinds of jewel setting and carving. Machines wove their metal +cloth, machines prepared their food, harvested their fields, hollowed +out new dwellings. + +Freed from manual labor they had turned to acquiring knowledge. Urg +projected on the screen pictures of vast laboratories and great +libraries of scientific lore. But all they knew in the beginning, they +had learned from the Ancient Ones, a race unlike themselves, which had +preceded them in sovereignty over _Tav_. Even the Folk themselves were +the result of constant forced evolution and experimentation carried on +by these Ancient Ones. + +All this wisdom was guarded most carefully, but against what or whom, +Urg could not tell, although he insisted that the danger was very real. +There was something within the blue wall of the crater which disputed +the Folk's rule. + +As Garin tried to probe further a gong sounded. Urg arose. + +"It is the hour of eating," he announced. "Let us go." + +They came to a large room where a heavy table of white stone stretched +along three walls, benches before it. Urg seated himself and pressed a +knob on the table, motioning Garin to do likewise. The wall facing them +opened and two trays slid out. There was a platter of hot meat covered +with rich sauce, a stone bowl of grain porridge and a cluster of fruit, +still fastened to a leafy branch. This the Ana eyed so wistfully that +Garin gave it to the creature. + +The Folk ate silently and arose quietly when they had finished, their +trays vanishing back through the wall. Garin noticed only males in the +room and recalled that he had, as yet, seen no females among the Folk. +He ventured a question. + +Urg chuckled. "So, you think there are no women in the Caverns? Well, we +shall go to the Hall of Women that you may see." + +To the Hall of Women they went. It was breath-taking in its richness, +stones worth a nation's ransom sparkling from its domed roof and painted +walls. Here were the matrons and maidens of the Folk, their black forms +veiled in robes of silver net, each cross strand of which was set with a +tiny gem, so that they appeared to be wrapped in glittering scales. + +There were not many of them--a hundred perhaps. And a few led by the +hand smaller editions of themselves, who stared at Garin with round +yellow eyes and chewed black fingertips shyly. + +The women were intrusted with the finest jewel work, and with pride they +showed the stranger their handiwork. At the far end of the hall was a +wonderous thing in the making. One of the silver nets, which were the +foundations of their robes, was fastened there and three of the women +were putting small rose jewels into each microscopic setting. Here and +there they had varied the pattern with tiny emeralds or flaming opals, +so that the finished portion was a rainbow. + +One of the workers smoothed the robe and glanced up at Garin, a gentle +teasing in her voice as she explained: + +"This is for the Daughter when she comes to her throne." + +The Daughter! What had the Lord of the Folk said? "This youth is fit to +mate with the Daughter." But Urg had said that the Ancient Ones had gone +from Tav. + +"Who is the Daughter?" he demanded. + +"Thrala of the Light." + +"Where is she?" + +The woman shivered and there was fear in her eyes. "Thrala lies in the +Caves of Darkness." + +"The Caves of Darkness!" Did she mean Thrala was dead? Was he, Garin +Featherstone, to be the victim of some rite of sacrifice which was +designed to unite him with the dead? + +Urg touched his arm. "Not so. Thrala has not yet entered the Place of +Ancestors." + +"You know my thoughts?" + +Urg laughed. "Thoughts are easy to read. Thrala lives. Sera served the +Daughter as handmaiden while she was yet among us. Sera, do you show us +Thrala as she was." + +The woman crossed to a wall where there was a mirror such as Urg had +used for his language lesson. She gazed into it and then beckoned the +flyer to stand beside her. + +The mirror misted and then he was looking, as if through a window, into +a room with walls and ceiling of rose quartz. On the floor were thick +rugs of silver rose. And a great heap of cushions made a low couch in +the center. + +"The inner chamber of the Daughter," Sera announced. + + * * * * * + +A circular panel in the wall opened and a woman slipped through. She was +very young, little more than a girl. There were happy curves in her full +crimson lips, joyous lights in her violet eyes. + +She was human of shape, but her beauty was unearthly. Her skin was pearl +white and other colors seemed to play faintly upon it, so that it +reminded Garin of mother-of-pearl with its lights and shadows. The hair, +which veiled her as a cloud, was blue-black and reached below her knees. +She was robed in the silver net of the Folk and there was a heavy girdle +of rose-shaded jewels about her slender waist. + +"That was Thrala before the Black Ones took her," said Sera. + +Garin uttered a cry of disappointment as the picture vanished. Urg +laughed. + +"What care you for shadows when the Daughter herself waits for you? You +have but to bring her from the Caves of Darkness--" + +"Where are these Caves--" Garin's question was interrupted by the +pealing of the Cavern gong. Sera cried out: + +"The Black Ones!" + +Urg shrugged. "When they spared not the Ancient Ones how could we hope +to escape? Come, we must go to the Hall of Thrones." + +Before the jade throne of the Lord of the Folk stood a small group of +the lizard-men beside two litters. As Garin entered the Lord spoke. + +"Let the outlander come hither that he may see the work of the Black +Ones." + +Garin advanced unwillingly, coming to stand by those struggling things +which gasped their message between moans and screams of agony. They were +men of the Folk but their black skins were green with rot. + +The Lord leaned forward on his throne. "It is well," he said. "You may +depart." + +As if obeying his command, the tortured things let go of the life to +which they had clung and were still. + +"Look upon the work of the Black Ones," the ruler said to Garin. "Jiv +and Betv were captured while on a mission to the Gibi of the Cliff. It +seems that the Black Ones needed material for their laboratories. They +seek even to give the Daughter to their workers of horror!" + +A terrible cry of hatred arose from the hall, and Garin's jaw set. To +give that fair vision he had just seen to such a death as this--! + +"Jiv and Betv were imprisoned close to the Daughter and they heard the +threats of Kepta. Our brothers, stricken with foul disease, were sent +forth to carry the plague to us, but they swam through the pool of +boiling mud. They have died, but the evil died with them. And I think +that while we breed such as they, the Black Ones shall not rest easy. +Listen now, outlander, to the story of the Black Ones and the Caves of +Darkness, of how the Ancient Ones brought the Folk up from the slime of +a long dried sea and made them great, and of how the Ancient Ones at +last went down to their destruction." + + + + +_CHAPTER FOUR_ + +_The Defeat of the Ancient Ones_ + + +"In the days before the lands of the outer world were born of the sea, +before even the Land of the Sun (Mu) and the Land of the Sea (Atlantis) +arose from molten rock and sand, there was land here in the far south. A +sere land of rock plains, and swamps where slimy life mated, lived and +died. + +"Then came the Ancient Ones from beyond the stars. Their race was +already older than this earth. Their wise men had watched its +birth-rending from the sun. And when their world perished, taking most +of their blood into nothingness, a handful fled hither. + +"But when they climbed from their space ship it was into hell. For they +had gained, in place of their loved home, bare rock and stinking slime. + +"They blasted out this Tav and entered into it with the treasures of +their flying ships and also certain living creatures captured in the +swamps. From these, they produced the Folk, the Gibi, the Tand, and the +land-tending Eron. + +"Among these, the Folk were eager for wisdom and climbed high. But still +the learning of the Ancient Ones remained beyond their grasp. + +"During the eons the Ancient Ones dwelt within their protecting wall of +haze the outer world changed. Cold came to the north and south; the Land +of Sun and the Land of Sea arose to bear the foot of true man. On their +mirrors of seeing the Ancient Ones watched man-life spread across the +world. They had the power of prolonging life, but still the race was +dying. From without must come new blood. So certain men were summoned +from the Land of the Sun. Then the race flourished for a space. + +"The Ancient Ones decided to leave Tav for the outer world. But the sea +swallowed the Land of Sun. Again, in the time of the Land of Sea, the +stock within Tav was replenished and the Ancient Ones prepared for +exodus; again the sea cheated them. + +"Those men left in the outer world reverted to savagery. Since the +Ancient Ones would not mingle their blood with that of almost beasts, +they built the haze wall stronger and remained. But a handful of them +were attracted by the forbidden, and secretly they summoned the beast +men. Of that monstrous mating came the Black Ones. They live but for the +evil they may do, and the power which they acquired is debased and used +to forward cruelty. + +"At first their sin was not discovered. When it was, the others would +have slain the offspring but for the law which forbids them to kill. +They must use their power for good or it departs from them. So they +drove the Black Ones to the southern end of Tav and gave them the Caves +of Darkness. Never were the Black Ones to come north of the River of +Gold--nor were the Ancient Ones to go south of it. + +"For perhaps two thousand years the Black Ones kept the law. But they +worked, building powers of destruction. While matters rested thus, the +Ancient Ones searched the world, seeking men by whom they could renew +the race. Once there came men from an island far to the north. Six lived +to penetrate the mists and take wives among the Daughters. Again, they +called the yellow-haired men of another breed, great sea rovers. + +"But the Black Ones called too. As the Ancient Ones searched for the +best, the Black Ones brought in great workers of evil. And, at last, +they succeeded in shutting off the channels of sending thought so that +the Ancient Ones could call no more. + +"Then did the Black Ones cross the River of Gold and enter the land of +the Ancient Ones. Thran, Dweller in the Light and Lord of the Caverns, +summoned the Folk to him. + +"'There will come one to aid you,' he told us. 'Try the summoning again +after the Black Ones have seemed to win. Thrala, Daughter of the Light, +will not enter into the Room of Pleasant Death with the rest of the +women, but will give herself into the hands of the Black Ones, that they +may think themselves truly victorious. You of the Folk withdraw into the +Place of Reptiles until the Black Ones are gone. Nor will all the +Ancient Ones perish--more will be saved, but the manner of their +preservation I dare not tell. When the sun-haired youth comes from the +outer world, send him into the Caves of Darkness to rescue Thrala and +put an end to evil.' + +"And then the Lady Thrala arose and said softly, 'As the Lord Thran has +said, so let it be. I shall deliver myself into the hands of the Black +Ones that their doom may come upon them.' + +"Lord Thran smiled upon her as he said: 'So will happiness be your +portion. After the Great Mists, does not light come again?' + +"The women of the Ancient Ones then took their leave and passed into the +place of Pleasant Death while the men made ready for battle with the +Black Ones. For three days they fought, but a new weapon of the Black +Ones won the day, and the chief of the Black Ones set up this throne of +jet as proof of his power. Since, however, the Black Ones were not happy +in the Caverns, longing for the darkness of their caves, they soon +withdrew and we, the Folk, came forth again. + +"But now the time has come when the dark ones will sacrifice the +Daughter to their evil. If you can win her free, outlander, they shall +perish as if they had not been." + +"What of the Ancient Ones?" asked Garin--"those others Thran said would +be saved?" + +"Of those we know nothing save that when we bore the bodies of the +fallen to the Place of Ancestors there were some missing. That you may +see the truth of this story, Urg will take you to the gallery above the +Room of Pleasant Death and you may look upon those who sleep there." + +Urg guiding, Garin climbed a steep ramp leading from the Hall of +Thrones. This led to a narrow balcony, one side of which was clear +crystal. Urg pointed down. + +They were above a long room whose walls were tinted jade green. On the +polished floor were scattered piles of cushions. Each was occupied by a +sleeping woman and several of these clasped a child in their arms. Their +long hair rippled to the floor, their curved lashes made dark shadows on +pale faces. + +"But they are sleeping!" protested Garin. + +Urg shook his head. "It is the sleep of death. Twice each ten hours +vapors rise from the floor. Those breathing them do not wake again, and +if they are undisturbed they will lie thus for a thousand years. Look +there--" + +He pointed to the closed double doors of the room. There lay the first +men of the Ancient Ones Garin had seen. They, too, seemed but asleep, +their handsome heads pillowed on their arms. + +"Thran ordered those who remained after the last battle in the Hall of +Thrones to enter the Room of Pleasant Death that the Black Ones might +not torture them for their beastly pleasures. Thran himself remained +behind to close the door, and so died." + +There were no aged among the sleepers. None of the men seemed to count +more than thirty years and many of them appeared younger. Garin remarked +upon this. + +"The Ancient Ones appeared thus until the day of their death, though +many lived twice a hundred years. The light rays kept them so. Even we +of the Folk can hold back age. But come now, our Lord Trar would speak +with you again." + + + + +_CHAPTER FIVE_ + +_Into the Caves of Darkness_ + + +Again Garin stood before the jade throne of Trar and heard the stirring +of the multitude of the Folk in the shadows. Trar was turning a small +rod of glittering, greenish metal around in his soft hands. + +"Listen well, outlander," he began, "for little time remains to us. +Within seven days the Great Mists will be upon us. Then no living thing +may venture forth from shelter and escape death. And before that time +Thrala must be out of the Caves. This rod will be your weapon; the Black +Ones have not its secret. Watch." + +Two of the Folk dragged an ingot of metal before him. He touched it with +the rod. Great flakes of rust appeared to spread across the entire +surface. It crumpled away and one of the Folk trod upon the pile of dust +where it had been. + +"Thrala lies in the heart of the Caves but Kepta's men have grown +careless with the years. Enter boldly and trust to fortune. They know +nothing of your coming or of Thran's words concerning you." + +Urg stood forward and held out his hands in appeal. + +"What would you, Urg?" + +"Lord, I would go with the outlander. He knows nothing of the Forest of +the Morgels or of the Pool of Mud. It is easy to go astray in the +woodland--" + +Trar shook his head. "That may not be. He must go alone, even as Thran +said." + +The Ana, which had followed in Garin's shadow all day, whistled shrilly +and stood on tiptoe to tug at his hand. Trar smiled. "That one may go, +its eyes may serve you well. Urg will guide you to the outer portal of +the Place of Ancestors and set you upon the road to the Caves. Farewell, +outlander, and may the spirits of the Ancient Ones be with you." + +Garin bowed to the ruler of the Folk and turned to follow Urg. Near the +door stood a small group of women. Sera pressed forward from them, +holding out a small bag. + +"Outlander," she said hurriedly, "when you look upon the Daughter speak +to her of Sera, for I have awaited her many years." + +He smiled. "That I will." + +"If you remember, outlander. I am a great lady among the Folk and have +my share of suitors, yet I think I could envy the Daughter. Nay, I shall +not explain that," she laughed mockingly. "You will understand in due +time. Here is a packet of food. Now go swiftly that we may have you +among us again before the Mists." + +So a woman's farewell sped them on their way. Urg chose a ramp which led +downward. At its foot was a niche in the rock, above which a rose light +burned dimly. Urg reached within the hollow and drew out a pair of high +buskins which he aided Garin to lace on. They were a good fit, having +been fashioned for a man of the Ancient Ones. + +The passage before them was narrow and crooked. There was a thick carpet +of dust underfoot, patterned by the prints of the Folk. They rounded a +corner and a tall door loomed out of the gloom. Urg pressed the surface, +there was a click and the stone rolled back. + +[Illustration: _With the Ana perched on his shoulder and the green rod +of destruction in his hand, Garin strode into the gloom of Tav--pledged +to bring the Daughter out of the Caves of Darkness...._] + +"This is the Place of Ancestors," he announced as he stepped within. + +They were at the end of a colossal hall whose domed roof disappeared +into shadows. Thick pillars of gleaming crystal divided it into aisles, +all leading inward to a raised dais of oval shape. Filling the aisles +were couches and each soft nest held its sleeper. Near to the door lay +the men and women of the Folk, but closer to the dais were the Ancient +Ones. Here and there a couch bore a double burden, upon the shoulder of +a man was pillowed the drooping head of a woman. Urg stopped beside such +a one. + +"See, outlander, here was one who was called from your world. Marena of +the House of Light looked with favor upon him and their days of +happiness were many." + +The man on the couch had red-gold hair and on his upper arm was a heavy +band of gold whose mate Garin had once seen in a museum. A son of +pre-Norman Ireland. Urg traced with a crooked finger the archaic +lettering carved upon the stone base of the couch. + +"Lovers in the Light sleep sweetly. The Light returns on the appointed +day." + +"Who lies there?" Garin motioned to the dais. + +"The first Ancient Ones. Come, look upon those who made this Tav." + +On the dais the couches were arranged in two rows and between them, in +the center, was a single couch raised above the others. Fifty men and +women lay as if but resting for the hour, smiles on their peaceful faces +but weary shadows beneath their eyes. There was an un-human quality +about them which was lacking in their descendents. + +Urg advanced to the high couch and beckoned Garin to join him. A man and +a woman lay there, the woman's head upon the man's breast. There was +that in their faces which made Garin turn away. He felt as if he had +intruded roughly where no man should go. + +"Here lies Thran, Son of Light, first Lord of the Caverns, and his lady +Thrala, Dweller in the Light. So have they lain a thousand thousand +years, and so will they lie until this planet rots to dust beneath them. +They led the Folk out of the slime and made Tav. Such as they we shall +never see again." + +They passed silently down the aisles of the dead. Once Garin caught +sight of another fair-haired man, perhaps another outlander, since the +Ancient Ones were all dark of hair. Urg paused once more before they +left the hall. He stood by the couch of a man, wrapped in a long robe, +whose face was ravaged with marks of agony. + +Urg spoke a single name: "Thran." + +So this was the last Lord of the Caverns. Garin leaned closer to study +the dead face but Urg seemed to have lost his patience. He hurried his +charge on to a panel door. + +"This is the southern portal of the Caverns," he explained. "Trust to +the Ana to guide you and beware of the boiling mud. Should the morgels +scent you, kill quickly, they are the servants of the Black Ones. May +fortune favor you, outlander." + +The door was open and Garin looked out upon Tav. The soft blue light was +as strong as it had been when he had first seen it. With the Ana perched +on his shoulder, the green rod and the bag of food in his hands, he +stepped out onto the moss sod. + +Urg raised his hand in salute and the door clicked into place. Garin +stood alone, pledged to bring the Daughter out of the Caves of Darkness. + +There is no night or day in Tav since the blue light is steady. But the +Folk divide their time by artificial means. However Garin, being newly +come from the rays of healing, felt no fatigue. As he hesitated, the Ana +chattered and pointed confidently ahead. + +Before them was a dense wood of fern trees. It was quiet in the forest +as Garin made his way into its gloom and for the first time he noted a +peculiarity of Tav. There were no birds. + +The portion of the woodland they had to traverse was but a spur of the +forest to the west. After an hour of travel they came out upon the bank +of a sluggish river. The turbid waters of the stream were a dull saffron +color. This, thought Garin, must be the River of Gold, the boundary of +the lands of the Black Ones. + +He rounded a bend to come upon a bridge, so old that time itself had +worn its stone angles into curves. The bridge gave on a wide plain +where tall grass grew sere and yellow. To the left was a hissing and +bubbling, and a huge wave of boiling mud arose in the air. Garin choked +in a wind, thick with chemicals, which blew from it. He smelled and +tasted the sulphur-tainted air all across the plain. + +And he was glad enough to plunge into a small fern grove which +half-concealed a spring. There he bathed his head and arms while the Ana +pulled open Sera's food bag. + +Together they ate the cakes of grain and the dried fruit. When they were +done the Ana tugged at Garin's hand and pointed on. + +Cautiously Garin wormed his way through the thick underbrush until, at +last, he looked out into a clearing and at its edge the entrance of the +Black Ones' Caves. Two tall pillars, carved into the likeness of foul +monsters, guarded a rough-edged hole. A fine greenish mist whirled and +danced in its mouth. + +The flyer studied the entrance. There was no life to be seen. He gripped +the destroying rod and inched forward. Before the green mist he braced +himself and then stepped within. + + + + +_CHAPTER SIX_ + +_Kepta's Second Prisoner_ + + +The green mist enveloped Garin. He drew into his lungs hot moist air +faintly tinged with a scent of sickly sweetness, as from some hidden +corruption. Green motes in the air gave forth little light and seemed to +cling to the intruder. + +With the Ana pattering before him, the American started down a steep +ramp, the soft soles of his buskins making no sound. At regular +intervals along the wall, niches held small statues. And about each +perverted figure was a crown of green motes. + +The Ana stopped, its large ears outspread as if to catch the faintest +murmur of sound. From somewhere under the earth came the howls of a +maddened dog. The Ana shivered, creeping closer to Garin. + +Down led the ramp, growing narrower and steeper. And louder sounded the +insane, coughing howls of the dog. Then the passage was abruptly barred +by a grill of black stone. Garin peered through its bars at a flight of +stairs leading down into a pit. From the pit arose snarling laughter. + +Padding back and forth were things which might have been conceived by +demons. They were sleek, rat-like creatures, hairless, and large as +ponies. Red saliva dripped from the corners of their sharp jaws. But in +the eyes, which they raised now and then toward the grill, there was +intelligence. These were the morgels, watchdogs and slaves of the Black +Ones. + +From a second pair of stairs directly across the pit arose a moaning +call. A door opened and two men came down the steps. The morgels surged +forward, but fell back when whips were cracked over their heads. + +The masters of the morgels were human in appearance. Black loin cloths +were twisted about them and long, wing-shaped cloaks hung from their +shoulders. On their heads, completely masking their hair, were cloth +caps which bore ragged crests not unlike cockscombs. As far as Garin +could see they were unarmed except for their whips. + +A second party was coming down the steps. Between two of the Black Ones +struggled a prisoner. He made a desperate and hopeless fight of it, but +they dragged him to the edge of the pit before they halted. The morgels, +intent upon their promised prey, crouched before them. + +Five steps above were two figures to whom the guards looked for +instructions. One was a man of their race, of slender, handsome body and +evil, beautiful face. His hand lay possessively upon the arm of his +companion. + +It was Thrala who stood beside him, her head proudly erect. The laughter +curves were gone from her lips; there was only sorrow and resignation to +be read there now. But her spirit burned like a white flame in her eyes. + +"Look!" her warder ordered. "Does not Kepta keep his promises? Shall we +give Dandtan into the jaws of our slaves, or will you unsay certain +words of yours, Lady Thrala?" + +The prisoner answered for her. "Kepta, son of vileness, Thrala is not +for you. Remember, beloved one," he spoke to the Daughter, "the day of +deliverance is at hand--" + +Garin felt a sudden emptiness. The prisoner had called Thrala "beloved" +with the ease of one who had the right. + +"I await Thrala's answer," Kepta returned evenly. And her answer he got. + +"Beast among beasts, you may send Dandtan to his death, you may heap all +manner of insult and evil upon me, but still I say the Daughter is not +for your touch. Rather will I cut the line of life with my own hands, +taking upon me the punishment of the Elder Ones. To Dandtan," she smiled +down upon the prisoner, "I say farewell. We shall meet again beyond the +Curtain of Time." She held out her hands to him. + +"Thrala, dear one--!" One of his guards slapped a hand over the +prisoner's mouth putting an end to his words. + +But now Thrala was looking beyond him, straight at the grill which +sheltered Garin. Kepta pulled at her arm to gain her attention. "Watch! +Thus do my enemies die. To the pit with him!" + +The guards twisted their prisoner around and the morgels crept closer, +their eyes fixed upon that young, writhing body. Garin knew that he must +take a hand in the game. The Ana was tugging him to the right, and there +was an open archway leading to a balcony running around the side of the +pit. + +Those below were too entranced by the coming sport to notice the +invader. But Thrala glanced up and Garin thought that she sighted him. +Something in her attitude attracted Kepta, he too looked up. For a +moment he stared in stark amazement, and then he thrust the Daughter +through the door behind him. + +"Ho, outlander! Welcome to the Caves. So the Folk have meddled--" + +"Greeting, Kepta." Garin hardly knew whence came the words which fell so +easily from his tongue. "I have come as was promised, to remain until +the Black Throne is no more." + +"Not even the morgels boast before their prey lies limp in their jaws," +flashed Kepta. "What manner of beast are you?" + +"A clean beast, Kepta, which you are not. Bid your two-legged morgels +loose the youth, lest I grow impatient." The flyer swung the green rod +into view. + +Kepta's eyes narrowed but his smile did not fade. "I have heard of old +that the Ancient Ones do not destroy--" + +"As an outlander I am not bound by their limits," returned Garin, "as +you will learn if you do not call off your stinking pack." + +The master of the Caves laughed. "You are as the Tand, a fool without a +brain. Never shall you see the Caverns again--" + +"You shall own me master yet, Kepta." + +The Black Chief seemed to consider. Then he waved to his men. "Release +him," he ordered. "Outlander, you are braver than I thought. We might +bargain--" + +"Thrala goes forth from the Caves and the black throne is dust, those +are the terms of the Caverns." + +"And if we do not accept?" + +"Then Thrala goes forth, the throne is dust and Tav shall have a day of +judging such as it has never seen before." + +"You challenge me?" + +Again words, which seemed to Garin to have their origin elsewhere, came +to him. "As in Yu-Lac, I shall take--" + +Before Kepta could reply there was trouble in the pit. Dandtan, freed by +his guards, was crossing the floor in running leaps. Garin threw himself +belly down on the balcony and dropped the jeweled strap of his belt over +the lip. + +A moment later it snapped taut and he stiffened to an upward pull. +Already Dandtan's heels were above the snapping jaws of a morgel. The +flyer caught the youth around the shoulders and heaved. They rolled +together against the wall. + +"They are gone! All of them!" Dandtan cried, as he regained his feet. He +was right; the morgels howled below, but Kepta and his men had vanished. + +"Thrala!" Garin exclaimed. + +Dandtan nodded. "They have taken her back to the cells. They believe her +safe there." + +"Then they think wrong." Garin stooped to pick up the green rod. His +companion laughed. + +"We'd best start before they get prepared for us." + +Garin picked up the Ana. "Which way?" + +Dandtan showed him a passage leading from behind the other door. Then he +dodged into a side chamber to return with two of the wing cloaks and +cloth hoods, so that they might pass as Black Ones. + +They went by the mouths of three side tunnels, all deserted. None +disputed their going. All the Black Ones had withdrawn from this part of +the Caves. + +Dandtan sniffed uneasily. "All is not well. I fear a trap." + +"While we can pass, let us." + +The passage curved to the right and they came into an oval room. Again +Dandtan shook his head but ventured no protest. Instead he flung open a +door and hurried down a short hall. + +It seemed to Garin that there were strange rustlings and squeakings in +the dark corners. Then Dandtan stopped so short that the flyer ran into +him. + +"Here is the guard room--and it is empty!" + +Garin looked over his shoulder into a large room. Racks of strange +weapons hung on the walls and the sleeping pallets of the guards were +stacked evenly, but the men were nowhere to be seen. + +They crossed the room and passed beneath an archway. + +"Even the bars are not down," observed Dandtan. He pointed overhead. +There hung a portcullis of stone. Garin studied it apprehensively. But +Dandtan drew him on into a narrow corridor where were barred doors. + +"The cells," he explained, and withdrew a bar across one door. The +portal swung back and they pushed within. + + + + +_CHAPTER SEVEN_ + +_Kepta's Trap_ + + +Thrala arose to face them. Forgetting the disguise he wore, Garin drew +back, chilled by her icy demeanor. But Dandtan sprang forward and caught +her in his arms. She struggled madly until she saw the face beneath her +captor's hood, and then she gave a cry of delight and her arms were +about his neck. + +"Dandtan!" + +He smiled. "Even so. But it is the outlander's doing." + +She came to the American, studying his face. "Outlander? So cold a name +is not for you, when you have served us so." She offered him her hands +and he raised them to his lips. + +"And how are you named?" + +Dandtan laughed. "Thus the eternal curiosity of women!" + +"Garin." + +"Garin," she repeated. "How like--" A faint rose glowed beneath her +pearl flesh. + +Dandtan's hand fell lightly upon his rescuer's shoulder. "Indeed he is +like him. From this day let him bear that other's name. Garan, Son of +Light." + +"Why not?" she returned calmly. "After all--" + +"The reward which might have been Garan's may be his? Tell him the story +of his namesake when we are again in the Caverns--" + +Dandtan was interrupted by a frightened squeak from the Ana. Then came a +mocking voice. + +"So the prey has entered the trap of its own will. How many hunters may +boast the same?" + +Kepta leaned against the door, the light of vicious mischief dancing in +his eyes. Garin dropped his cloak to the floor, but Dandtan must have +read what was in the flyer's mind, for he caught him by the arm. + +"On your life, touch him not!" + +"So you have learned that much wisdom while you have dwelt among us, +Dandtan? Would that Thrala had done the same. But fair women find me +weak." He eyed her proud body in a way that would have sent Garin at his +throat had Dandtan not held him. "So shall Thrala have a second chance. +How would you like to see these men in the Room of Instruments, Lady?" + +"I do not fear you," she returned. "Thran once made a prophecy, and he +never spoke idly. We shall win free--" + +"That will be as fate would have it. Meanwhile, I leave you to each +other." He whipped around the door and slammed it behind him. They heard +the grating of the bar he slid into place. Then his footsteps died away. + +"There goes evil," murmured Thrala softly. "Perhaps it would have been +better if Garin had killed him as he thought to do. We must get +away...." + +Garin drew the rod from his belt. The green light-motes gathered and +clung about its polished length. + +"Touch not the door," Thrala advised; "only its hinges." + +Beneath the tip of the rod the stone became spongy and flaked away. +Dandtan and the flyer caught the door and eased it to the floor. With +one quick movement Thrala caught up Garin's cloak and swirled it about +her, hiding the glitter of her gem-encrusted robe. + +There was a curious cold lifelessness about the air of the corridor, the +light-bearing motes vanishing as if blown out. + +"Hurry!" the Daughter urged. "Kepta is withdrawing the living light, so +that we will have to wander in the dark." + +When they reached the end of the hall the light was quite gone, and +Garin bruised his hands against the stone portcullis which had been +lowered. From somewhere on the other side of the barrier came rippling +laughter. + +"Oh, outlander," called Kepta mockingly, "you will get through easily +enough when you remember your weapon. But the dark you can not conquer +so easily, nor that which runs the halls." + +Garin was already busy with the rod. Within five minutes their way was +clear again. But Thrala stopped them when they would have gone through. +"Kepta has loosed the hunters." + +"The hunters?" + +"The morgels and--others," explained Dandtan. "The Black Ones have +withdrawn and only death comes this way. And the morgels see in the +dark...." + +"So does the Ana." + +"Well thought of," agreed the son of the Ancient Ones. + +"It will lead us out." + +As if in answer, there came a tug at Garin's belt. Reaching back, he +caught Thrala's hand and knew that she had taken Dandtan's. So linked +they crossed the guard room. Then the Ana paused for a long time, as if +listening. There was nothing to see but the darkness which hung about +them like the smothering folds of a curtain. + +"Something follows us," whispered Dandtan. + +"Nothing to fear," stated Thrala. "It dare not attack. It is, I think, +of Kepta's fashioning. And that which has not true life dreads death +above all things. It is going--" + +There came sounds of something crawling slowly away. + +"Kepta will not try that again," continued the Daughter, disdainfully. +"He knew that his monstrosities would not attack. Only in the light are +they to be dreaded--and then only because of the horror of their forms." + +Again the Ana tugged at its master's belt. They shuffled into the narrow +passage beyond. But there remained the sense of things about them in the +dark, things which Thrala continued to insist were harmless and yet +which filled Garin with loathing. + +Then they entered the far corridor into which led the three halls and +which ended in the morgel pit. Here, Garin believed, was the greatest +danger from the morgels. + +The Ana stopped short, dropping back against Garin's thigh. In the +blackness appeared two yellow disks, sparks of saffron in their depths. +Garin thrust the rod into Thrala's hands. + +"What do you?" she demanded. + +"I'm going to clear the way. It's too dark to use the rod against moving +creatures...." He flung the words over his shoulder as he moved toward +the unwinking eyes. + + + + +_CHAPTER EIGHT_ + +_Escape from the Caves_ + + +Keeping his eyes upon those soulless yellow disks, Garin snatched off +his hood, wadding it into a ball. Then he sprang. His fingers slipped on +smooth hide, sharp fangs ripped his forearm, blunt nails scraped his +ribs. A foul breath puffed into his face and warm slaver trickled down +his neck and chest. But his plan succeeded. + +The cap was wedged into the morgel's throat and the beast was slowly +choking. Blood dripped from the flyer's torn flesh, but he held on +grimly until he saw the light fade from those yellow eyes. The dying +morgel made a last mad plunge for freedom, dragging his attacker along +the rock floor. Then Garin felt the heaving body rest limply against his +own. He staggered against the wall, panting. + +"Garin!" cried Thrala. Her questing hand touched his shoulder and crept +to his face. "It is well with you?" + +"Yes," he panted, "let us go on." + +Thrala's fingers had lingered on his arm and now she walked beside him, +her cloak making whispering sounds as it brushed against the wall and +floor. + +"Wait," she cautioned suddenly. "The morgel pit...." + +Dandtan slipped by them. "I will try the door." + +In a moment he was back. "It is open," he whispered. + +"Kepta believes," mused Thrala, "that we will keep to the safety of the +gallery. Therefore let us go through the pit. The morgels will be gone +to better hunting grounds." + +Through the pit they went. A choking stench arose from underfoot and +they trod very carefully. They climbed the stairs on the far side +unchallenged, Dandtan leading. + +"The rod here, Garin," he called; "this door is barred." + +Garin pressed the weapon into the other's hand and leaned against the +rock. He was sick and dizzy. The long, deep wounds on his arm and +shoulder were stiffening and ached with a biting throb. + +When they went on he panted with effort. They still moved in darkness +and his distress passed unnoticed. + +"This is wrong," he muttered, half to himself. "We go too easily--" + +And he was answered out of the blackness. "Well noted, outlander. But +you go free for the moment, as does Thrala and Dandtan. Our full +accounting is not yet. And now, farewell, until we meet again in the +Hall of Thrones. I could find it in me to applaud your courage, +outlander. Perhaps you will come to serve me yet." + +Garin turned and threw himself toward the voice, bringing up with +bruising force against rock wall. Kepta laughed. + +"Not with the skill of the bull Tand will you capture me." + +His second laugh was cut cleanly off, as if a door had been closed. In +silence the three hurried up the ramp. Then, as through a curtain, they +came into the light of Tav. + +Thrala let fall her drab cloak, stood with arms outstretched in the +crater land. Her sparkling robe sheathed her in glory and she sang +softly, rapt in her own delight. Then Dandtan put his arm about her; she +clung to him, staring about as might a beauty-bewildered child. + +Garin wondered dully how he would be able to make the journey back to +the Caverns when his arm and shoulder were eaten with a consuming fire. +The Ana crept closer to him, peering into his white face. + +They were aroused by a howl from the Caves. Thrala cried out and Dandtan +answered her unspoken question. "They have set the morgels on our +trail!" + +The howl from the Caves was echoed from the forest. Morgels before and +behind them! Garin might set himself against one, Dandtan another, and +Thrala could defend herself with the rod, but in the end the pack would +kill them. + +"We shall claim protection from the Gibi of the cliff. By the law they +must give us aid," said Thrala, as, turning up her long robe, she began +to run lightly. Garin picked up her cloak and drew it across his +shoulder to hide his welts. When he could no longer hold her pace she +must not guess the reason for his falling behind. + +Of that flight through the forest the flyer afterward remembered little. +At last the gurgle of water broke upon his pounding ears, as he stumbled +along a good ten lengths behind his companions. They had come to the +edge of the wood along the banks of the river. + +Without hesitation Thrala and Dandtan plunged into the oily flood, +swimming easily for the other side. Garin dropped the cloak, wondering +if, once he stepped into the yellow stream, he would ever be able to +struggle out again. Already the Ana was in, paddling in circles near the +shore and pleading with him to follow. Wearily Garin waded out. + +The water, which washed the blood and sweat from his aching body, was +faintly brackish and stung his wounds to life. He could not fight the +sluggish current and it bore him downstream, well away from where the +others landed. + +But at last he managed to win free, crawling out near where a smaller +stream joined the river. There he lay panting, face down upon the moss. +And there they found him, water dripping from his bedraggled finery, the +Ana stroking his muddied hair. Thrala cried out with concern and +pillowed his head on her knees while Dandtan examined his wounds. + +"Why did you not tell us?" demanded Thrala. + +He did not try to answer, content to lie there, her arms supporting him. +Dandtan disappeared into the forest, returning soon, his hands filled +with a mass of crushed leaves. With these he plastered Garin's wounds. + +"You'd better go on," Garin warned. + +Dandtan shook his head. "The morgels can not swim. If they cross, they +must go to the bridge, and that is half the crater away." + +The Ana dropped into their midst, its small hands filled with clusters +of purple fruit. And so they feasted, Garin at ease on a fern couch, +accepting food from Thrala's hand. + +There seemed to be some virtue in Dandtan's leaf plaster for, after a +short rest, Garin was able to get to his feet with no more than a twinge +or two in his wounds. But they started on at a more sober pace. Through +mossy glens and sunlit glades where strange flowers made perfume, the +trail led. The stream they followed branched twice before, on the edge +of meadow land, they struck away from the guiding water toward the +crater wall. + +Suddenly Thrala threw back her head and gave a shrill, sweet whistle. +Out of the air dropped a yellow and black insect, as large as a hawk. +Twice it circled her head and then perched itself on her outstretched +wrist. + +Its swollen body was jet black, its curving legs, three to a side, +chrome yellow. The round head ended in a sharp beak and it had large, +many-faceted eyes. The wings, which lazily tested the air, were black +and touched with gold. + +Thrala rubbed the round head while the insect nuzzled affectionately at +her cheek. Then she held out her wrist again and it was gone. + +"We shall be expected now and may pass unmolested." + +Shortly they became aware of a murmuring sound. The crater wall loomed +ahead, dwarfing the trees at its base. + +"There is the city of the Gibi," remarked Dandtan. + +Clinging to the rock were the towers and turrets of many eight-sided +cells. + +"They are preparing for the Mists," observed Thrala. "We shall have +company on our journey to the Caverns." + +They passed the trees and reached the foot of the wax skyscrapers which +towered dizzily above their heads. A great cloud of the Gibi hovered +about them. Garin felt the soft brush of their wings against his body. +And they crowded each other jealously to be near Thrala. + +The soft _hush-hush_ of their wings filled the clearing as one large +Gibi of outstanding beauty approached. The commoners fluttered off and +Thrala greeted the Queen of the cells as an equal. Then she turned to +her companions with the information the Gibi Queen had to offer. + +"We are just in time. Tomorrow the Gibi leave. The morgels have crossed +the river and are out of control. Instead of hunting us they have gone +to ravage the forest lands. All Tav has been warned against them. But +they may be caught by the Mist and so destroyed. We are to rest in the +cliff hollows, and one shall come for us when it is time to leave." + +The Gibi withdrew to the cell-combs after conducting their guests to the +rock-hollows. + + + + +_CHAPTER NINE_ + +_Days of Preparation_ + + +Garin was awakened by a loud murmuring. Dandtan knelt beside him. + +"We must go. Even now the Gibi seal the last of the cells." + +They ate hurriedly of cakes of grain and honey, and, as they feasted, +the Queen again visited them. The first of the swarm were already +winging eastward. + +With the Gibi nation hanging like a storm cloud above them, the three +started off across the meadow. The purple-blue haze was thickening and, +here and there, curious formations, like the dust devils of the desert, +arose and danced and disappeared again. The tropic heat of Tav +increased; it was as if the ground itself were steaming. + +"The Mists draw close; we must hurry," panted Dandtan. + +They traversed the tongue of forest which bordered the meadow and came +to the central plain of Tav. There was a brooding stillness there. The +Ana, perched on Garin's shoulder, shivered. + +Their walk became a trot; the Gibi bunched together. Once Thrala caught +her breath in a half sob. + +"They are flying slowly because of us. And it's so far--" + +"Look!" Dandtan pointed at the plain. "The morgels!" + +The morgel pack, driven by fear, ran in leaping bounds. They passed +within a hundred yards of the three, yet did not turn from their course, +though several snarled at them. + +"They are already dead," observed Dandtan. "There is no time for them to +reach the shelter of the Caves." + +Splashing through a shallow brook, the three began to run. For the first +time Thrala faltered and broke pace. Garin thrust the Ana into Dandtan's +arms and, before she could protest, swept the girl into his arms. + +The haze was denser now, settling upon them as a curtain. Black hair, +finer than silk, whipped across Garin's throat. Thrala's head was on his +shoulder, her heaving breasts arched as she gasped the sultry air. + +"They--keep--watch...!" shouted Dandtan. + +Piercing the gloom were pin-points of light. A dark shape grazed Garin's +head--one of the Gibi Queen's guards. + +Then abruptly they stumbled into a throng of the Folk, one of whom +reached for Thrala with a crooning cry. It was Sera welcoming her +mistress. + +Thrala was borne away by the women, leaving Garin with a feeling of +desolation. + +"The Mists, Outlander." It was Urg, pointing toward the Cavern mouth. +Two of the Folk swung their weight on a lever. Across the opening a +sheet of crystal clicked into place. The Caverns were sealed. + +The haze was now inky black outside and billows of it beat against the +protecting barrier. It might have been midnight of the blackest, +starless night. + +"So will it be for forty days. What is without--dies," said Urg. + +"Then we have forty days in which to prepare," Garin spoke his thought +aloud. Dandtan's keen face lightened. + +"Well said, Garin. Forty days before Kepta may seek us. And we have much +to do. But first, our respects to the Lord of the Folk." + +Together they went to the Hall of Thrones where, when he saw Dandtan, +Trar arose and held out his jade-tipped rod of office. The son of the +Ancient Ones touched it. + +"Hail! Dweller in the Light, and Outlander who has fulfilled the promise +of Thran. Thrala is once more within the Caverns. Now send you to dust +this black throne...." + +Garin, nothing loath, drew the destroying rod from his belt, but Dandtan +shook his head. "The time is not yet, Trar. Kepta must finish the +pattern he began. Forty days have we and then the Black Ones come." + +Trar considered thoughtfully. "So that be the way of it. Thran did not +see another war...." + +"But he saw an end to Kepta!" + +Trar straightened as if some burden had rolled from his thin shoulders. +"Well do you speak, Lord. When there is one to sit upon the Rose Throne, +what have we to fear? Listen, O ye Folk, the Light has returned to the +Caverns!" + +His cry was echoed by the gathering of the Folk. + +"And now, Lord--" he turned to Dandtan with deference--"what are your +commands?" + +"For the space of one sleep I shall enter the Chamber of Renewing with +this outlander, who is no longer an outlander but one, Garin, accepted +by the Daughter according to the Law. And while we rest let all be made +ready...." + +"The Dweller in the Light has spoken!" Trar himself escorted them from +the Hall. + +They came, through many winding passages, to a deep pool of water, in +the depths of which lurked odd purple shadows. Dandtan stripped and +plunged in, Garin following his example. The water was tinglingly alive +and they did not linger in it long. From it they went to a bubble room +such as the one Garin had rested in after the bath of light rays, and on +the cushions in its center stretched their tired bodies. + +When Garin awoke he experienced the same exultation he had felt before. +Dandtan regarded him with a smile. "Now to work," he said, as he reached +out to press a knob set in the wall. + +Two of the Folk appeared, bringing with them clean trappings. After they +dressed and broke their fast, Dandtan started for the laboratories. +Garin would have gone with him, but Sera intercepted them. + +"There is one would speak with Lord Garin...." + +Dandtan laughed. "Go," he ordered the American. "Thrala's commands may +not be slighted." + +The Hall of Women was deserted. And the corridor beyond, roofed and +walled with slabs of rose-shot crystal, was as empty. Sera drew aside a +golden curtain and they were in the audience chamber of the Daughter. + +A semi-circular dais of the clearest crystal, heaped with rose and gold +cushions, faced them. Before it, a fountain, in the form of a flower +nodding on a curved stem, sent a spray of water into a shallow basin. +The walls of the room were divided into alcoves by marble pillars, each +one curved in semblance of a fern frond. + +From the domed ceiling, on chains of twisted gold, seven lamps, each +wrought from a single yellow sapphire, gave soft light. The floor was a +mosaic of gold and crystal. + +Two small Anas, who had been playing among the cushions, pattered up to +exchange greetings with Garin's. But of the mistress of the chamber +there was no sign. Garin turned to Sera, but before he could phrase his +question, she asked mockingly: + +"Who is the Lord Garin that he can not wait with patience?" But she left +in search of the Daughter. + +Garin glanced uneasily about the room. This jeweled chamber was no place +for him. He had started toward the door when Thrala stepped within. + +"Greetings to the Daughter." His voice sounded formal and cold, even to +himself. + +Her hands, which had been outheld in welcome, dropped to her sides. A +ghost of a frown dimmed her beauty. + +"Greetings, Garin," she returned slowly. + +"You sent for me--" he prompted, eager to escape from this jewel box and +the unattainable treasure it held. + +"Yes," the coldness of her tone was an order of exile. "I would know how +you fared and whether your wounds yet troubled you." + +He looked down at his own smooth flesh, cleanly healed by the wisdom of +the Folk. "I am myself again and eager to be at such work as Dandtan can +find for me...." + +Her robe seemed to hiss across the floor as she turned upon him. "Then +go!" she ordered. "Go quickly!" + +And blindly he obeyed. She had spoken as if to a servant, one whom she +could summon and dismiss by whim. Even if Dandtan held her love, she +might have extended him her friendship. But he knew within him that +friendship would be a poor crumb beside the feast his pulses pounded +for. + +There was a pattering of feet behind him. So, she would call him back! +His pride sent him on. But it was Sera. Her head thrust forward until +she truly resembled a reptile. + +"Fool! Morgel!" she spat. "Even the Black Ones did not treat her so. Get +you out of the Place of Women lest they divide your skin among them!" + +Garin broke free, not heeding her torrent of reproach. Then he seized +upon one of the Folk as a guide and sought the laboratories. Far beneath +the surface of Tav, where the light-motes shone ghostly in the gloom, +they came into a place of ceaseless activity, where there were tables +crowded with instruments, coils of glass and metal tubing, and other +equipment and supplies. These were the focusing point for ceaseless +streams of the Folk. On a platform at the far end, Garin saw the tall +son of the Ancient Ones working on a framework of metal and shining +crystal. + +He glanced up as Garin joined him. "You are late," he accused. "But your +excuse is a good one. Now get you to work. Hold this here--and +here--while I fasten these clamps." + +So Garin became extra hands and feet for Dandtan, and they worked +feverishly to build against the lifting of the Mists. There was no day +or night in the laboratories. They worked steadily without rest, and +without feeling fatigue. + +Twice they went to the Chamber of Renewing, but except for these trips +to the upper ways they were not out of the laboratories through all +those days. Of Thrala there was no sign, nor did any one speak of her. + +The Cavern dwellers were depending upon two defenses: an evil green +liquid, to be thrown in frail glass globes, and a screen charged with +energy. Shortly before the lifting of the Mists, these arms were +transported to the entrance and installed there. Dandtan and Garin made +a last inspection. + +"Kepta makes the mistake of under-rating his enemies," Dandtan +reflected, feeling the edge of the screen caressingly. "When I was +captured, on the day my people died, I was sent to the Black Ones' +laboratories so that their seekers after knowledge might learn the +secrets of the Ancient Ones. But I proved a better pupil than teacher +and I discovered the defense against the Black Fire. After I had learned +that, Kepta grew impatient with my supposed stupidity and tried to use +me to force Thrala to his will. For that, as for other things, shall he +pay--and the paying will not be in coin of his own striking. Let us +think of that...." He turned to greet Urg and Trar and the other leaders +of the Folk, who had approached unnoticed. + +Among them stood Thrala, her gaze fixed upon the crystal wall between +them and the thinning Mist. She noticed Garin no more than she did the +Anas playing with her train and the women whispering behind her. But +Garin stepped back into the shadows--and what he saw was not weapons of +war, but cloudy black hair and graceful white limbs veiled in splendor. + +Urg and one of the other chieftains bore down upon the door lever. With +a protesting squeak, the glass wall disappeared into the rock. The green +of Tav beckoned them out to walk in its freshness; it was renewed with +lusty life. But in all that expanse of meadow and forest there was a +strange stillness. + +"Post sentries," ordered Dandtan. "The Black Ones will come soon." + +He beckoned Garin forward as he spoke to Thrala: + +"Let us go to the Hall of Thrones." + +But the Daughter did not answer his smile. "It is not meet that we +should spend time in idle talk. Let us go instead to call upon the help +of those who have gone before us." So speaking, she darted a glance at +Garin as chill as the arctic lands beyond the lip of Tav, and then swept +away with Sera bearing her train. + +Dandtan stared at Garin. "What has happened between you two?" + +The flyer shook his head. "I don't know. No man is born with an +understanding of women--" + +"But she is angered with you. What has happened?" + +For a moment Garin was tempted to tell the truth: that he dared not +break any barrier she chose to raise, lest he seize what in honor was +none of his. But he shook his head mutely. Neither of them saw Thrala +again until Death entered the Caverns. + + + + +_CHAPTER TEN_ + +_Battle and Victory_ + + +Garin stood with Dandtan looking out into the plain of Tav. Some +distance away were two slender, steel-tipped towers, which were, in +reality, but hollow tubes filled with the Black Fire. Before these +dark-clad figures were busy. + +"They seem to believe us already defeated. Let them think so," commented +Dandtan, touching the screen they had erected before the Cavern +entrance. + +As he spoke Kepta swaggered through the tall grass to call a greeting: + +"Ho, rock dweller, I would speak with you--" + +Dandtan edged around the screen, Garin a pace behind. + +"I see you, Kepta." + +"Good. I trust that your ears will serve you as well as your eyes. These +are my terms: Give Thrala to me to dwell in my chamber and the outlander +to provide sport for my captains. Make no resistance but throw open the +Caverns so that I may take my rightful place in the Hall of Thrones. Do +this and we shall be at peace...." + +"And this is our reply:"--Dandtan stood unmovingly before the +screen--"Return to the Caves; break down the bridge between your land +and ours. Let no Black One come hither again, ever...." + +Kepta laughed. "So, that be the way of it! Then this shall we do: take +Thrala, to be mine for a space, and then to go to my captains--" + +Garin hurled himself forward, felt Kepta's lips mash beneath his fist; +his fingers were closing about the other's throat as Dandtan, who was +trying to pull him away from his prey, shouted a warning: "Watch out!" + +A morgel had leaped from the grass, its teeth snapping about Garin's +wrist, forcing him to drop Kepta. Then Dandtan laid it senseless by a +sharp blow with his belt. + +On hands and knees Kepta crawled back to his men. The lower part of his +face was a red and dripping smear. He screamed an order with savage +fury. + +Dandtan drew the still raging flyer behind the screen. "Be a little +prudent," he panted. "Kepta can be dealt with in other ways than with +bare hands." + +The towers were swinging their tips toward the entrance. Dandtan ordered +the screen wedged tightly into place. + +Outside, the morgel Dandtan had stunned got groggily to its feet. When +it had limped half the distance back to its master, Kepta gave the order +to fire. The broad beam of black light from the tip of the nearest tower +caught the beast head on. There was a chilling scream of agony, and +where the morgel had stood gray ashes drifted on the wind. + +A hideous crackling arose as the black beam struck the screen. Green +grass beneath seared away, leaving only parched earth and naked blue +soil. Those within the Cavern crouched behind their frail protection, +half blinded by the light from the seared grass, coughing from the +chemical-ridden fumes which curled about the cracks of the rock. + +Then the beam faded out. Thin smoke plumed from the tips of the towers, +steam arose from the blackened ground. Dandtan drew a deep breath. + +"It held!" he cried, betraying at last the fear which had ridden him. + +Men of the Folk dragged engines of tubing before the screen, while +others brought forth the globes of green liquid. Dandtan stood aside, as +if this matter were the business of the Folk alone, and Garin recalled +that the Ancient Ones were opposed to the taking of life. + +Trar was in command now. At his orders the globes were posed on +spoon-shaped holders. Loopholes in the screen clicked open. Trar brought +down his hand in signal. The globes arose lazily, sliding through the +loopholes and floating out toward the towers. + +One, aimed short, struck the ground where the fire had burned it bare, +and broke. The liquid came forth, sluggishly, forming a gray-green gas +as the air struck it. Another spiral of gas arose almost at the foot of +one of the towers--and then another ... and another. + +There quickly followed a tortured screaming, which soon dwindled to a +weak yammering. They could see shapes, no longer human or animal, +staggering about in the fog. + +Dandtan turned away, his face white with horror. Garin's hands were over +his ears to shut out that crying. + +At last it was quiet; there was no more movement by the towers. Urg +placed a sphere of rosy light upon the nearest machine and flipped it +out into the camp of the enemy. As if it were a magnet it drew the green +tendrils of gas, to leave the air clear. Here and there lay shrunken, +livid shapes, the towers brooding over them. + +One of the Folk burst into their midst, a woman of Thrala's following. + +"Haste!" She clawed at Garin. "Kepta takes Thrala!" + +She ran wildly back the way she had come, with the American pounding at +her heels. They burst into the Hall of Thrones and saw a struggling +group before the dais. + +Garin heard someone howl like an animal, became aware the sound came +from his own throat. For the second time his fist found its mark on +Kepta's face. With a shriek of rage the Black One threw Thrala from him +and sprang at Garin, his nails tearing gashes in the flyer's face. Twice +the American twisted free and sent bone-crushing blows into the other's +ribs. Then he got the grip he wanted, and his fingers closed around +Kepta's throat. In spite of the Black One's struggles he held on until a +limp body rolled beneath him. + +Panting, the American pulled himself up from the blood-stained floor and +grabbed the arm of the Jade Throne for support. + +"Garin!" Thrala's arms were about him, her pitying fingers on his +wounds. And in that moment he forgot Dandtan, forgot everything he had +steeled himself to remember. She was in his arms and his mouth sought +hers possessively. Nor was she unresponsive, but yielded, as a flower +yields to the wind. + +"Garin!" she whispered softly. Then, almost shyly, she broke from his +hold. + +Beyond her stood Dandtan, his face white, his mouth tight. Garin +remembered. And, a little mad with pain and longing, he dropped his +eyes, trying not to see the loveliness which was Thrala. + +"So, Outlander, Thrala flies to your arms--" + +Garin whirled about. Kepta was hunched on the broad seat of the jet +throne. + +"No, I am not dead, Outlander--nor shall you kill me, as you think to +do. I go now, but I shall return. We have met and hated, fought and died +before--you and I. You were a certain Garan, Marshall of the air fleet +of Yu-Lac on a vanished world, and I was Lord of Koom. That was in the +days before the Ancient Ones pioneered space. You and I and Thrala, we +are bound together and even fate can not break those bonds. Farewell, +Garin. And do you, Thrala, remember the ending of that other Garan. It +was not an easy one." + +With a last malicious chuckle, he leaned back in the throne. His +battered body slumped. Then the sharp lines of the throne blurred; it +shimmered in the light. Abruptly then both it and its occupant were +gone. They were staring at empty space, above which loomed the rose +throne of the Ancient Ones. + +"He spoke true," murmured Thrala. "We have had other lives, other +meetings--so will we meet again. But for the present he returns to the +darkness which sent him forth. It is finished." + +Without warning, a low rumbling filled the Cavern; the walls rocked and +swayed. Lizard and human, they huddled together until the swaying +stopped. Finally a runner appeared with news that one of the Gibi had +ventured forth and discovered that the Caves of Darkness had been sealed +by an underground quake. The menace of the Black Ones was definitely at +an end. + + + + +_CHAPTER ELEVEN_ + +_Thrala's Mate_ + + +Although there were falls of rock within the Caverns and some of the +passages were closed, few of the Folk suffered injury. Gibi scouts +reported that the land about the entrance to the Caves had sunk, and +that the River of Gold, thrown out of its bed, was fast filling this +basin to form a lake. + +As far as they could discover, none of the Black Ones had survived the +battle and the sealing of the Caves. But they could not be sure that +there was not a handful of outlaws somewhere within the confines of Tav. + +The Crater itself was changed. A series of raw hills had appeared in the +central plain. The pool of boiling mud had vanished and trees in the +forest lay flat, as if cut by a giant scythe. + +Upon their return to the cliff city, the Gibi found most of their wax +skyscrapers in ruins, but they set about rebuilding without complaint. +The squirrel farmers emerged from their burrows and were again busy in +the fields. + +Garin felt out of place in all the activity that filled the Caverns. +More than ever he was the outlander with no true roots in Tav. +Restlessly, he explored the Caverns, spending many hours in the Place of +Ancestors, where he studied those men of the outer world who had +preceded him into this weird land. + +One night when he came back to his chamber he found Dandtan and Trar +awaiting him there. There was a curious hardness in Dandtan's attitude, +a somber sobriety in Trar's carriage. + +"Have you sought the Hall of Women since the battle?" demanded the son +of the Ancient Ones abruptly. + +"No," retorted Garin shortly. Did Dandtan accuse him of double dealing? + +"Have you sent a message to Thrala?" + +Garin held back his rising temper. "I have not ventured where I can +not." + +Dandtan nodded to Trar as if his suspicions had been confirmed. "You see +how it stands, Trar." + +Trar shook his head slowly. "But never has the summoning been at +fault--" + +"You forget," Dandtan reminded him sharply. "It was once--and the +penalty was exacted. So shall it be again." + +Garin looked from one to the other, confused. Dandtan seemed possessed +of a certain ruthless anger, but Trar was manifestly unhappy. + +"It must come after council, the Daughter willing," the Lord of the Folk +said. + +Dandtan strode toward the door. "Thrala is not to know. Assemble the +Council tonight. Meanwhile, see that he," he jerked his thumb toward +Garin, "does not leave this room." + +Thus Garin became a prisoner under the guard of the Folk, unable to +discover of what Dandtan accused him, or how he had aroused the hatred +of the Cavern ruler. Unless Dandtan's jealousy had been aroused and he +was determined to rid himself of a rival. + +Believing this, the flyer went willingly to the chamber where the judges +waited. Dandtan sat at the head of a long table, Trar at his right hand +and lesser nobles of the Folk beyond. + +"You know the charge," Dandtan's words were tipped with venom as Garin +came to stand before him. "Out of his own mouth has this outlander +condemned himself. Therefore I ask that you decree for him the fate of +that outlander of the second calling who rebelled against the +summoning." + +"The outlander has admitted his fault?" questioned one of the Folk. + +Trar inclined his head sadly. "He did." + +As Garin opened his mouth to demand a stating of the charge against him, +Dandtan spoke again: + +"What say you, Lords?" + +For a long moment they sat in silence and then they bobbed their lizard +heads in assent. "Do as you desire, Dweller in the Light." + +Dandtan smiled without mirth. "Look, outlander." He passed his hand over +the glass of the seeing mirror set in the table top. "This is the fate +of him who rebels--" + +In the shining surface Garin saw pictured a break in Tav's wall. At its +foot stood a group of men of the Ancient Ones, and in their midst +struggled a prisoner. They were forcing him to climb the crater wall. +Garin watched him reach the lip and crawl over, to stagger across the +steaming rock, dodging the scalding vapor of hot springs, until he +pitched face down in the slimy mud. + +"Such was his ending, and so will you end--" + +The calm brutality of that statement aroused Garin's anger. "Rather +would I die that way than linger in this den," he cried hotly. "You, who +owe your life to me, would send me to such a death without even telling +me of what I am accused. Little is there to choose between you and +Kepta, after all--except that he was an open enemy!" + +Dandtan sprang to his feet, but Trar caught his arm. + +"He speaks fairly. Ask him why he will not fulfill the summoning." + +While Dandtan hesitated, Garin leaned across the table, flinging his +words, weapon-like, straight into that cold face. + +"I'll admit that I love Thrala--have loved her since that moment when I +saw her on the steps of the morgel pit in the caves. Since when has it +become a crime to love that which may not be yours--if you do not try to +take it?" + +Trar released Dandtan, his golden eyes gleaming. + +"If you love her, claim her. It is your right." + +"Do I not know," Garin turned to him, "that she is Dandtan's. Thran had +no idea of Dandtan's survival when he laid his will upon her. Shall I +stoop to holding her to an unwelcome bargain? Let her go to the one she +loves...." + +Dandtan's face was livid, and his hands, resting on the table, trembled. +One by one the lords of the Folk slipped away, leaving the two +face-to-face. + +"And I thought to order you to your death." Dandtan's whisper was husky +as it emerged between dry lips. "Garin, we thought you knew--and, +knowing, had refused her." + +"Knew what?" + + * * * * * + +"That I am Thran's son--and Thrala's brother." + +The floor swung beneath Garin's unsteady feet. Dandtan's hands were warm +on his shoulders. + +"I am a fool," said the American slowly. + +Dandtan smiled. "A very honorable fool! Now get you to Thrala, who +deserves to hear the full of this tangle." + +So it was that, with Dandtan by his side, Garin walked for the second +time down that hallway, to pass the golden curtains and stand in the +presence of the Daughter. She came straight from her cushions into his +arms when she read what was in his face. They needed no words. + +And in that hour began Garin's life in Tav. + + + + +Transcriber's Note: + + This etext was produced from _Fantasy Book_ Vol. 1 number 1 (1947). + Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. + copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and + typographical errors have been corrected without note. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The People of the Crater, by Andrew North + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PEOPLE OF THE CRATER *** + +***** This file should be named 30960.txt or 30960.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/9/6/30960/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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