The sound of mighty conflict came as the mechanicos labored. The roar of steam engines and beating hammers offset the throaty growl of the river. Fast though the water flooded down upon them, the city walls rose faster. Great ditches drained off the river. The mechanicos would save Mechana. Raphael was appalled. The Sorcerer would win. He would never save Cassandra. The Sorcerer would destroy the living world. It was no use, he would go down to the plain and surrender, he would beg Mechanus for the life of his sister, he would exchange, give himself up. But what use would that be? The Sorcerer could now take them both. Raphael commanded the storm to cease. ‘I won’t give up! I won’t give up! I’ll make other plans.’ Raphael walked desperately up and down. ‘Gæa, Gæa,’ he muttered; ‘help me.’ Then an idea came to him. He would call upon the earthquake and the volcano, and so overturn the city. Raphael raised his right hand fiercely and called once more upon Gæa. Almost instantly plumes of smoke rose from the hills which circled the city of the Sorcerer and the whole earth shuddered. A light haze drifted lazily up from the city. Then with a sudden roar the top of the highest hill of all burst in a cloud of black smoke, and ashes began to fall silently, carried by the light breeze. They shrouded the sun, and twilight deepened into a thicker darkness. In the gloom, Raphael could see the mountain pouring out fire and smoke like a huge blast furnace. Raphael looked about. All the animals had deserted him save the eagles, who clustered behind him, feathers drooping. ‘This ought to destroy the city,’ he said to Empyrean. ‘We shall see,’ answered the bird. Everything was still. After the thunder, it seemed that the world was dead. No sound came from the city. The great machines were silent. In the half light ashes continued to fall swiftly like snow. ‘Look!’ suddenly screamed an eagle. Raphael looked. A great wall of black lava was spreading from the hills toward the city. It rolled down from the mountain as molasses rolls over a colony of ants. It oozed up from the bowels of the earth like sap welling from a frightful gash. The boy heard for the first time the awful hiss of steam. Slowly the lava struck the edge of the city and welled over it, wiping the great buildings from sight. Leveling, swallowing, drowning everything in its terrible path, it advanced toward the heart of the city. As though at a signal a terrible confusion of noise broke out in Mechana. Bells tolled, whistles blew, searchlights groped blindly through the falling ash. There was a frenzy of activity. An earthquake rippled over the plain which opened in livid fissures. Raphael heard the dull crash of masonry as it toppled and fell.