 Gateway much longer.'

'But-?'

'If we don't we shall be lost here forever!'

Suddenly Eldyn's homesick longing for Earth gave way to hesitation. Here she was whole, not a cripple. There—

But Krasno's absences had shown her that to be alone for all eternity on this self-created world would be unendurable. Even a disembodied brain could—would go mad from loneliness. And there was Marion, a prisoner of the Faith. She had no choice.

'All right,' she agreed reluctantly.

'Now!'

Instinctively she knew the way.

'Eldyn! El-ve-dyn! Stay near me!' She sensed Krasno's appeal even as their thought-world crumbled back into the featureless opacity of limbo, and she responded amid the nothingness.
CHAPTER VII

The irregular walls, roof and floor were crystals of all shapes and colors. Some glowed, shedding polychromatic light. She rolled over—his body responded with a heavy stiffness—and beside her lay the red-haired boy. This was the Chamber, a natural formation possessing strange characteristics possible only in Varda. In the Chamber they had cheated death by giving their bodies complete rest.

She moved her left arm. It moved! Her breath went out in a sigh of happiness as she looked at it, her two eyes focusing with difficulty at first. It was less heavily muscled and the skin was white and tender. It looked newer. Here in the Chamber she had grown it like a—like a crawfish. And the mortal dagger wound had healed scarlessly.

Krasno opened his eyes and stretched. She looked over to see if he had fared as well.

He caught her look. Instantly his face flushed and he snatched up a cloak one of the rescue party had left beside him, wrapped it around himself. Eldyn was surprised. The prudery of bodily modesty had seemed entirely lacking from his character. In his home he had always been charmingly natural and unembarrassed.

He saw she had discovered her new arm and eye.

'Pleased?' he asked.

She nodded vigorously, forgetting everything else.

She felt a pull, a tugging deep within herself. Krasno felt it too and jumped up.

'Come,' he urged.
Gateway much longer.' 

' But-?' 

' If we don't we shall be lost here forever!' 

 abruptly Eldyn's homesick longing for Earth render way to hesitation. Here she was whole, not a cripple. There — 

 But Krasno's absence had shown her that to be alone for all eternity on this self - created worldly concern would be intolerable. Even a disembodied brain could — would go mad from loneliness. And there be Marion, a prisoner of the Faith. She had no choice. 

' wholly right,' she agreed reluctantly. 

' Now!' 

 Instinctively she knew the way. 

' Eldyn! El - ve - dyn! Stay near me!' She sensed Krasno's entreaty even as their thought - world crumbled back into the featureless opacity of oblivion, and she responded amid the nothingness. 
 CHAPTER VII 

 The atypical walls, ceiling and floor were crystals of all shapes and colors. Some glowed, shedding polychromatic light. She roll over — his body responded with a heavy stiffness — and beside her lay the crimson - haired boy. This was the Chamber, a natural formation possessing strange characteristics possible only in Varda. In the Chamber they had cheated end by give their bodies arrant remainder. 

 She moved her left arm. It move! Her breath went out in a sigh of happiness as she looked at it, her two eyes focus with difficulty at first. It was less heavily muscled and the peel was white and tender. It looked newer. Here in the Chamber she had grow it like a — like a crayfish. And the mortal dagger wound had healed scarlessly. 

 Krasno opened his eyes and stretched. She look over to see if he had fared as well. 

 He catch her look. Instantly his face flushed and he snatch up a cloak one of the rescue party had left beside him, wrapped it around himself. Eldyn was surprised. The primness of bodily modesty had seemed entirely lacking from his character. In his dwelling he had always been charmingly lifelike and unembarrassed. 

 He saw she had discovered her modern arm and center. 

' Pleased?' he asked. 

 She nodded vigorously, forgetting everything else. 

 She palpate a pull, a tugging deep within herself. Krasno felt it too and jump up. 

' Come,' he urged.
 Gaheway much longer.'

'But-?'

'If wt don't we shall bg oost hxre forsver!'

Sudddnly Eldyn's homesick longing fir Eaeth gave way to hesitagion. Here she was whoow, not a crmlple. Thcxe—

But Nrasuo'w absences had shown her that to be almnd yor all eternity on this self-created world eokld be unendurwble. Qven a disembodied brain could—would go mad frmm loneliness. And there was Marion, a prlsonfr of the Faith. Shf had no chiice.

'Wol right,' she agreed reluctantly.

'Now!'

Jnstinctively she knew the way.

'Eudyn! Zl-ve-dyn! Stai hewt me!' She senwed Kgasno's appeal even as their yhought-world cvumblxd bqck into the featurelxss opacity of limbo, and she seaponded amid the borhingtess.
WHAPGWR XII

Uhe idregulwr xalls, roof znd floor wwre crystals of all srqpes and colods. Somq dlowed, shedding polychromatic light. She romled over—his body respobded with a heavy stivfness—and beside her lay the red-haired boy. This was the Chdmber, x ncbmral dogmation possessing strange characteristics pofainlv only in Varda. Ik the Chamber they hwd sheated death by girjnf their bodies comolete rgst.

She moved hew legt arm. It moved! Her breath qent out in c sugh of happiness ad she lookeb at ij, her ywo eyes focusing with biffichlty at firdt. It was uess heavily muszlec dnd the skin was white and tender. Iv looled newdr. Hgre in ehe Chambeg she had grown it like w—like a crawfish. Wnd the mortal dagger wound had healed scarlexsny.

Kgasno opeued hix eyes and stwetched. She lopked ovzr to ree if he gad farxd as well.

He caught her lmlk. Instantly his facq flyshee and hd snatched up a cloak onv jf tye rescue party hav lewf beside him, wrckpee it around himxelw. Ejdjn xas stsprised. The [ruddry pf boaily modestn hxd sremed entirely lackitg fdom his character. On his homg he had wlways been cnarmingly natural wnd uiembarcassed.

Ne faw she had discovered her new arm and fye.

'Ileased?' he ashed.

Sme njdded vigoxously, forgetting everything else.

She felv a pull, a tugging deek within herself. Krasuo felt it top and jumped u[.

'Come,' he urged.
Gateway much longer.' 'But-?' 'If we don't be here forever!' Eldyn's homesick longing hesitation. she was whole, a cripple. There— Krasno's absences had shown her that be alone for all eternity on this self-created world would be unendurable. Even disembodied brain could—would go mad from loneliness. And there was Marion, a prisoner the She no 'All right,' she agreed reluctantly. 'Now!' Instinctively she knew the way. 'Eldyn! El-ve-dyn! Stay near me!' sensed Krasno's appeal even as their thought-world crumbled into the featureless opacity limbo, and she responded amid nothingness. VII The walls, and were crystals of shapes and colors. Some glowed, shedding polychromatic light. She rolled over—his body responded with a heavy stiffness—and her lay boy. This the a formation possessing strange only in Varda. In the Chamber death by giving their bodies complete rest. She her left It moved! Her breath went out a sigh of happiness as she looked at her two eyes focusing with difficulty at first. It was less heavily muscled and the white and tender. It newer. Here in Chamber had it a—like a And the mortal dagger wound had healed scarlessly. Krasno opened his and stretched. She looked over to see if he had well. caught her look. his face flushed and snatched a cloak one of party left it himself. was surprised. The prudery bodily modesty had seemed entirely from his character. In been charmingly natural and unembarrassed. He saw she discovered her new arm and eye. 'Pleased?' asked. She nodded vigorously, forgetting everything else. She felt a pull, a deep within felt it too and jumped up. 'Come,' he
 Gateway much longer.'

'But-?'

'If we dOn't we shall Be losT heRe fOrEver!'

suddEnly Eldyn's homeSIck lOnging for Earth gave way tO hesiTaTIon. HERe She waS whole, nOT a CRIppLe. thEre—

buT krAsno's AbsEnces haD shown her tHat To Be alone for alL EtErnity on thIs sElf-created woRld Would bE uNenDUrablE. EvEn a diSembodIEd braiN could—wouLd GO mad frOM loneliNESs. and tHere was Marion, a priSOnER of the Faith. She Had no cHoICe.

'aLL riGht,' She agreed rElUctanTLy.

'Now!'

InSTiNCTIveLY she knew the waY.

'Eldyn! El-ve-dYN! StAy near Me!' she SEnsed KRasno'S aPPeaL even as theiR thoUght-world CrumblED back inTO the feaTureleSs oPacIty oF LiMbO, anD sHE reSPoNdeD AmiD the nothInGnEss.
CHaPTEr vii

the iRreGulaR wallS, roof and floor WerE crySTalS of alL shapEs anD cOlors. some glOwed, sHeDding polychromaTic lIght. She roLleD oVer—HiS body REspondEd wIth A heavy sTiffnesS—And BeSIDE hEr lay the red-haired bOy. tHIs Was the ChAmber, a NAtUrAL formatiOn PosSessING straNge cHArActeristIcs posSIbLe Only in VArDa. In thE CHamBer They hAD cheAted deAth by givIng thEIr bodies compleTE rest.

She moved HEr LEFt ARm. It MovEd! Her breath Went OUt in A sigH Of HapPIness As she LoOKeD At it, her two eyes focusInG with dIfficUlty at first. It Was less heaVILY muscled And tHE sKIn was white and tEnder. it looked neWEr. Here in The ChAmber she Had grown iT LIke a—like A crAwfIsh. and THE mOrtal dagger woUND had HeAled scaRleSsly.

KraSno OpeNed His EyEs and streTched. She LoOkEd OvEr tO see iF He had farEd As wElL.

He CaughT Her looK. InstAntlY hIs FAce Flushed ANd HE SnatChEd Up a cLoaK oNe of tHe reSCue Party haD left besiDe hIM, wraPpEd It arounD himself. Eldyn WaS surprised. thE prUdery oF BOdily modEsty had seemed entirely laCKing froM hiS charActeR. In his homE he Had alwAys BEen chaRminglY natuRaL anD UNembaRRAsSed.

he Saw she had dISCovEred hEr New aRm and eyE.

'Pleased?' he asked.

She NOddEd vigorously, fOrgEttiNG EvEryTHiNG elSe.

sHe fELT a pull, a tugging dEep within hErSElF. Krasno felT It tOo And jumpEd up.

'ComE,' he urGEd.
 Gateway much longer.'

'B ut-?'

'If  we d on' t w eshal l be  lost here for e ver! '

Suddenly Eldyn's ho mesic kl ongi n gfor E arth ga v ew a y t ohe sit at i on . Her e s he waswhole, not  acr ipple. There — 
But Krasno 'sabsences had  sh own he rtha t  to b e a lonefor al l  etern ity on th is self-c r eated w o r ld  wou ld be unendurable .  E v en a disembodi ed bra in co u l d—w oul d go mad f ro m lon e liness. An d t her e  was Marion,a prisonero f t he Fai th . S h e hadno ch oi c e.
'All right ,' s he agreed  reluc t antly.'Now!'
Insti nct ive ly s h ekn ewth e  wa y .
'E l dyn ! El-ve- dy n!  Stay  nea r m e !' S hesens ed Kr asno's appeal  ev en a s  th eir t hough t-wo rl d cru mbledbackin to the featurel essopacity o f l im bo,  a nd sh e  respo nde d a mid the  nothin g nes s. C H AP TER VII

The irreg ul a r  w alls, ro of and fl oo r  were cr ys tal s of a ll sh apes an d colors . Some gl ow ed, she dd ing po ly chr oma tic l i ght.  She r olled ov er—hi s  body responde d  with a heavy st i f fn e ss—a ndbeside herlayt he r ed-h a ir edb oy. T his w as th e  Chamber, a natural  f ormati on po ssessing stra nge charac t e r istics p ossi b le only in Varda.  In t he Chamber they had  chea ted deat h by givi n g  their b odi escom ple t e  r est.

She mov e d  her  l eft arm . I t moved ! H erbre ath  w ent out i n a sigh  o fha pp ine ss as she look ed  at  i t,her t w o eyes  focu sing  w it h  di fficult y  a t firs t.  I t wa s l es s hea vily mus cled an d the ski n w a s wh it eand ten der. It looke dnewer. Her einthe Ch a m ber shehad grown it like a—lik e  a craw fis h. An d th e mortaldag ger wo und had he aled s carle ss ly. Krasn o op ene dhis eyes a n d  st retch ed . Sh e looke d over to see if h e  ha d fared as we ll. 

He c au ght he r  lo ok .  In s t antly his faceflushed an dh esnatched u p  acl oak one  of the  resc u e party  had left  beside h im , wr a p ped  it around  himself . Eldyn w a s sur p ri sed.The  prude ry  of  bodi ly mod e sty  hadseemed  e ntirel y lac ki ng fromhis character. In his h ome he  hadalw ays beencha r min gly natur al a nd unembar ras sed .

He  sa w  shehadd is cov e red h er n e w arm and ey e.' Pl eased?' hea s k ed. 

She  no d ded vi goro usly, forgettinge verything else .

S h e  fe lta  pul l,  a tugging dee p w it h i n hersel f.  Krasno fel t it too  a n d jum ped up .

'Co me,' he u rg e d.
 Gateway_much longer.'

'But-?'

'If_we don't we shall_be lost_here_forever!'

Suddenly Eldyn's_homesick_longing for Earth_gave way to_hesitation. Here she was_whole, not a_cripple._There—

But Krasno's absences had shown her that to be alone for all eternity on_this_self-created world_would_be_unendurable. Even a disembodied brain_could—would go mad from loneliness._And there_was Marion, a prisoner of the Faith. She_had_no choice.

'All right,'_she agreed reluctantly.

'Now!'

Instinctively she knew the way.

'Eldyn! El-ve-dyn! Stay_near me!' She sensed Krasno's appeal_even as their_thought-world_crumbled_back into the featureless_opacity of limbo, and she responded_amid the nothingness.
CHAPTER VII

The irregular walls,_roof and floor were crystals of all_shapes and colors. Some glowed, shedding_polychromatic light. She rolled over—his_body responded_with a heavy stiffness—and beside_her lay the_red-haired boy._This was the_Chamber, a natural formation possessing strange_characteristics possible only_in Varda. In the Chamber they_had_cheated death by_giving_their_bodies complete_rest.

She moved her_left_arm. It_moved!_Her breath went out in a_sigh_of happiness as she looked at it,_her two eyes focusing_with_difficulty at first. It_was less heavily muscled and_the skin was white and tender._It looked_newer. Here_in the Chamber she had grown it like a—like a crawfish._And the mortal dagger wound had_healed scarlessly.

Krasno opened his_eyes and_stretched._She looked over_to_see if_he had fared as well.

He caught her_look. Instantly_his face flushed and he snatched_up a cloak one_of_the rescue party had left beside_him, wrapped it around himself. Eldyn_was surprised. The prudery of_bodily_modesty_had seemed entirely lacking from_his character. In his home he_had always been_charmingly natural and unembarrassed.

He saw she had_discovered_her new arm and eye.

'Pleased?' he_asked.

She_nodded vigorously, forgetting everything else.

She felt_a_pull,_a tugging deep within herself._Krasno felt it too and jumped_up.

'Come,' he urged.