“If I could get rid of this—you could help me?”
“We could give you our power, to use against the Aesir. But we do not know how to remove the cloak.”
“I don’t either,” Stuart growled, and paused as a movement caught his eye. The muscular Earthman near him was stirring.
He turned slowly. Beyond him the Martian girl swayed her feathery-crested head and lifted supple, slender arms. And the others—all about Stuart they were wakening to motion.
But no life showed in their dull eyes. No understanding. Only a blind, empty withdrawal.
They turned, trooped toward the wall of the pit … toward an arched opening that was gaping suddenly.
“The Long Orbit,” said the voice in Stuart’s mind.
“What’s that?”
“Death. As the Aesir feed. They feed on the life-force of living organisms.”
“Is that the only way out?”
“The only way open to you. Yes.”
Stuart went slowly after the others. They had crossed the threshold now, and were pacing along a tunnel, lit with cold blue brilliance, that curved very gradually toward the left. Behind him a panel closed.
The cloak swayed like a great bloodstain behind him, moving in a motion not entirely caused by Stuart’s movements. He tried again to unfasten it, but the clasp at his throat only drew tighter. And the tingling sensation increased along his spine.
An artificial synapse … blocking his nerve-ends so that he could not draw upon the Protectors’ power. …
At his left was an alcove in the tunnel wall. It was filled with coagulated light … bright with glaring flames … flame-hot. Within that white curtain stirred swift movement, like the leaping of fires. Above the recess a symbol was embossed in the stone. The sign of Mercury.
“Mercury,” said the voice in Stuart’s mind. “The Servant of the Sun. The Swift Messenger. Mercury, that drinks the Sun’s fires and blazes like a star in the sky’s abyss. First in the Long Orbit—Mercury.”
The crowd of prisoners, dull-eyed, swayed to and fro, a ripple of excitement rustling through them. Abruptly the Martian girl darted forward—
Was engulfed in the milky flames.
Stood there, while curdled opalescence veiled her. On her face sheer horror, as—
“The Aesir feed,” the voice whispered. “They drink the cup of her life … to its last dregs.”
The captives were moving again. Silently Stuart followed them along the tunnel. Now another recess showed in the wall.
Blue … blue, this time, as hazy seas of enchantment … misted with fog, with slow shifting movement within it. …
“The sign of Venus,” said the voice. “The Clouded World. Planet of life and womb of creation. Ruler of mists and seas—Venus!”
The Earthman was drawn into the alcove. Stood there, while azure seas washed higher and higher about him. Through that glassy veil his face glared, stiff with alien fear. …
The sacrifices went on.
There was no alcove, no symbol for Earth. The Aesir had forgotten the world that had been their place of birth.
“Mars! Red star of madness! Ruler of man’s passion, lord of the bloody seas! Where scarlet sands run through Time’s hourglass—Mars, third in the Long Orbit!”
The crimson glow of a dusty ruby … the face of a Venusian, strained, twisted in agony … the hunger of the Aesir. …
“The Little Worlds! The Great Belt that girdles the Inner System! The Broken Planet—”
Tiny goblin lights, dancing and flickering, blue and sapphire and dull orange, wine-red and dawn-yellow—
The hunger of the Aesir.
“Jupiter! Titan! Colossus of the Spaceroads! Jupiter, whose mighty hands seize the ships of man and drag them to his boiling heart! The Great One-fifth in the Long Orbit!”
The hunger of the Aesir.
“Ringed Saturn light-crowned! Guardian of the outer skies! Saturn—”
Uranus … Neptune. …
Pluto.
The hunger of the Aesir. …
Beyond Pluto, dark worlds Stuart had not known. Until finally he was alone. The last of his companions had been drawn into one of the vampire alcoves of the Long Orbit.
He went on.
There was another recess in the wall at his left. It was filled with night. Jet blackness, cold and horrible, brimmed it.
Something like an invisible current dragged him forward, though he fought with all his strength to resist. Instinctively he sent out a desperate call to the Protectors.
“We cannot aid you. We must leave you … you will die instantly.”
“Wait! Don’t—don’t give up yet! Give me your power—”
“We cannot. While you wear the cloak.”
The edge of blackness touched Stuart with a frigid impact. He felt something, avid with horrible hunger, strain forward from of the alcove, reaching for him. The cloak billowed out—
Sweat stood out on Stuart’s face. For, suddenly, he had seen the way. It might mean death, it would certainly mean frightful agony—but he could go down fighting. If the cloak could not be removed in any other way—perhaps it could be ripped off! He gripped the half-living fabric at its bottom, brought his arm behind him—and tore the horror from him!
Stark, abysmal nerve-shock poured like a current of fire up his spine and into his brain. It was like tearing off his own skin. Sick, blind, gasping dry-throated sobs, Stuart stumbled away from the black alcove, tearing at the cloak. It tried to cling to him—
He ripped it away—hurled it from him. And as it fell—it screamed!
But he was free.
For an instant sheer weakness overwhelmed him. Then into him poured a racing, jubilant torrent of strength, of mighty, intoxicating power that seemed to heal his wounds and revivify him instantly.
Into him surged the power of the Protectors!
From the alcove a finger of darkness tendrilled out. He was borne away from it … along the passage. Dimly, through drifting mists, he sensed that he was moving up a ramp … through a wall that seemed to grow intangible as he approached it … up and up. …
He was in the hall of the Aesir.
Above him the cyclopean pillars towered, dwarfing the thrones set between them. Before him hung the shifting wall of light.
He was carried toward it—through it.
He stood on a black dais. Facing him was the cloaked, cowled figure he had last seen with Kari.
And beside the Aesir stood Kari!
The creature lifted its arm … a red flame spouted toward Stuart. Sudden, mocking laughter
