rd Ylga murmur from behind, and the
old man in front of us did not move a step. Instead, he lifted up the
Symbol of our Lord the Sun, and launched his curse. "Your blasphemy
gives the reply I asked for. Hear me now make declaration of war on
behalf of Those against whom you have thrown your insults. You shall be
overthrown and sent to the nether Gods. At whatever cost the land shall
be purged of you and yours, and all the evil that has been done to it
whilst you have sullied the throne of its ancient kings. You will not
amend, neither will you yield tamely. You vaunt that you sit as firm on
your throne as this pyramid reposes on its base. See how little you
know of what the future carries. I say to you that, whilst you are yet
Empress, you shall see this royal pyramid which you have polluted
with your debaucheries torn tier from tier, and stone from stone, and
scattered as feathers spread before a wind."

"You may wreck the pyramid," said Phorenice contemptuously. "I myself
have some knowledge of the earth forces, as I have shown this night. But
though you crumble every stone above us now and grind it into grit and
dust, I shall still be Empress. What force can you crazy priests bring
against me that I cannot throw back and destroy?"

"We have a weapon that was forged in no mortal smithy," shrilled the
old man, "whereof the key is now lodged in the Ark of the Mysteries. But
that weapon can be used only as a last resource. The nature of it even
is too awful to be told in words. Our other powers will be launched
against you first, and for this poor country's sake I pray that they may
cause you to wince. Yet rest assured, Phorenice, that we shall not step
aside once we have put a hand to this matter. We shall carry it through,
even though the cost be a universal burning and destruction. For know
this, daughter of the swineherd, it is agreed amongst the most High Gods
that you are too full of sin to continue unchecked."

"Speak him fairly," Ylga urged from behind. "He has a power at which you
cannot even guess."

The Empress made to rise, but Ylga clung to her skirt. "For the sake of
your fame," she urged, "for the sake of your life, do not defy him." But
Phorenice struck her fiercely aside, and faced the old man in a tumult
of passion. "You dare call me a blasphemer, who blaspheme yourself? You
dare cast slurs upon my birth, who am come direct from the most high
Heaven? Old man, your craziness protects you in part, but