d girl. There
was a look of fear on her face. She seemed to be crying out for help.

An abyss yawned before his feet, before his very soul. He longed
despite himself to plunge into the abyss, whatever the fearful
consequences might be. He lurched back, fighting the longing. Yet he
knew he wouldn't win. He took a step forward....

"Give it to me!"

The voice, urgent, distant, beckoned him back to reality. It seemed a
great distance off, but it was something to which he could hold.

"Give me that disc!"

He felt himself dragged roughly back, saw the abyss retreating. The
rustling of the wind between the worlds became distant, a sound
imagined rather than heard.

"Give it to me!"

* * * * *

He blinked. The nausea had washed over him. He felt weak, drained,
exhausted. But the substantial reality of the prison office surrounded
him.

The young giant stood before him, strapping the bracelet which held
the disc on his powerful arm. A look of intense concentration was on
his face. His skin was bathed with sweat although it was cool in the
room.

"What did you do to the guard?" Dr. Slonamn asked, wondering if the
prisoner would slay him.

"He'll be all right. I only hit him. I'm sorry. It was necessary." The
giant spoke in haste. His eyes were clouded, dreamy, as if he had
taken an overdose of barbituates.

"What are you going to do?"

"You saw? In the disc?"

"Yes," said Dr. Slonamn.

"I'm going. It's my home."

The giant took a step forward, then began to stagger.

"Your home?" Dr. Slonamn gasped. "Your _home_?"

The giant, who had given his name to the prison authorities as Bram
Forest, did not answer. Dr. Slonamn reached out, as if to grab him.
Bram Forest stood there, a smile and the acceptance of pain fighting
for mastery of his face.

Dr. Slonamn staggered back as if struck. _His hand had passed through
Bram Forest's body._

Staggering, trembling, Dr. Slonamn leaned for support on the desk. He
could see through Bram Forest now. See through him entirely.

A cold fierce wind, like no wind ever felt on Earth, touched him. He
shuddered.

When he looked again, Bram Forest was gone....

* * * * *

"Retoc the Abarian!" the seneschal's voice proclaimed.

An uneasy stir passed through the crowd of mourning courtiers in the
palace chamber. Retoc, ruler of Abaria, did not often visit Nadia. A
state of armed tension existed between Abar