Before our cries could have reached her the cubes swerved; came to a halt beneath us. Through the hundred feet of space between I caught the brilliancy of the weird constellations in Norhala's great eyes--saw with a vague but no less dire foreboding that on her face dwelt a terrifying, a blasting wrath. As softly as though by the hand of a giant of cloud we were lifted out from the wall, and were set with no perceptible shock beside her on the back of the cubes. “Norhala--” I stopped. For this was no Norhala whom we had known. Gone was all calm, vanished every trace of unearthly tranquillity. It was a Norhala awakened at last--all human. Yet in the still rage that filled her I sensed a force, an intensity, more than human. Over the blazing eyes the brows were knit in a rigid, golden bar; the delicate nostrils were pinched; the sweet red mouth was white and merciless. It was as though in its long sleep her human self had gathered more than human strength, and that now, awakened and unleashed, the violence of its rage touched the vibrant zenith of that sphere of which her quiet had been the nadir. She was like an urn filled and flaming with the fires of the Gods of wrath. What was it that had awakened her--what in awakening had changed the inpouring human consciousness into this flood of fury? Foreboding gripped me. “Norhala!” My voice was shaking. “Those we left--” “They are gone!” The golden voice was octaves deeper, vibrant, throbbing with that muffled, menacing note that must have pulsed from the golden tambours that summoned to battle Timur's fierce hordes. “They were--taken.” “Taken!” I gasped. “Taken by what--these?” I swept my hands out toward the Metal Things milling around us. “No! THESE are mine. These are they who obey me.” The golden voice now shrilled with her passion. “Taken by--men!” Drake had read my face although he could not understand our words. “Ruth--” “Taken,” I said. “Both Ruth and Ventnor. Taken by the armored men--the men of Cherkis!” “Cherkis!” She had caught the word. “Yes--Cherkis! And now he and all his men--and all his women--and every living thing he rules shall pay. And fear not--you two. For I, Norhala, will bring back my own. “Woe, woe to you, Cherkis, and to all of yours! For I, Norhala, am awake, and I, Norhala, remember. Woe to you, Cherkis, woe--for now all ends for you! “Not by the gods of my mother who turned their strength against her do I promise this. I, Norhala, have no need for them--I, Norhala, who have strength greater than they. And would I could crush those gods as I shall crush you, Cherkis--and every living thing of yours! Yea--and every UNLIVING thing as well!” Not halting now was Norhala's speech; it poured from the ruthless lips--flamingly. “We go,” she cried. “And something of vengeance I have saved for you--as is your right.” She tossed her arms high; stamped upon the back of the Metal Thing that held us.