But at Sasso's warning she spun about. A shrill sound of pure rage issued from her throat as she threw herself upon him. She was a harpy, an animal, her teeth and pointed fingernails punishing weapons. In silent fury she clawed and bit, trying to break his hold on Sasso's destined victim. And Eldon was too fully occupied to protect himself in any way. Wor started up the platform, sword in hand, but Sin paused to wave him back. "No!" she commanded. "At your controls! _Sasso comes!_" Puzzled, his slow thoughts in confusion at the sudden shift in events, Wor obeyed. Margaret too joined the fight, scrambling to the platform which would be the focus of Sasso's power. She had picked up Victor's jeweled dagger and with it she now lunged at Sin's back. But not to save Eldon. To save herself from Sin's vengeance and become ruler of Varda. For the Power would descend upon whomever Of the Faith occupied the platform. The blade sank home to the hilt. Sin opened her mouth, but if she screamed it was lost in the swelling roar of Sasso's coming. The impetus of Margaret's rush carried the Black Priestess' body forward--toward the Vat. Her body crashed against Eldon and his overstrained body gave way. His toes slipped from the platform's edge, and he and Krasna once more swung out over the Vat--while Sin's white form plummeted on down. There was a dull splash--and Sin, Beloved of Sasso, was no more. _Nothing_ settled through the evil lavender depths. The temple of Sasso was now in an uproar. Eldon and Krasna hung in slow-swinging arcs, and Margaret stood paralyzed, fingers taloned and shoulders raised. Through the tumult she and Eldon's eyes met--and held. In what seemed to them both an age, their thoughts took concrete form. Margaret somehow realized that he was her sole obstacle now. Eldon would have to be removed before she could fill Sin's place. Eldon, too--in this split-second that seemed eternity--had made his decision. From the Gateway came a sound that stopped the blood in his veins. Sin herself had furnished the final needed burst of life energy. Sasso was _coming through_! Margaret was evil. But Sasso was the greater evil. With all his Thin World knowledge, Eldon knew that the instant of balance was at hand, the time to strike and disrupt that balance of bound charges. Margaret leaped forward as his swing carried Eldon and Krasna back toward the platform. She slashed with Victor's knife, slashed at Eldon's fingers. [Illustration: _Margaret leaped forward and slashed at Eldon's fingers._] The thrust was true. The edge bit into bone and severed cleanly. Eldon's mutilated hand slipped from the chains. And he and Krasna fell toward the Vat. But even as he fell Eldon's hand drove down--what was left of it--and snatched the blast rod Margaret had placed in his belt. Falling, he aimed at the lurid flaming _thing_ that was Sasso.