He’d taken it for granted that they would still be underground. Now before him stretched a lush valley, ringed by towering cliffs that formed a very wide cone shape, opened, far above. The valley was so enclosed by the cliffs that the only entry seemed to be from the wide circle of sky above. Through that opening the sun poured so brightly that Proteus had to look away, because his eyes were still so accustomed to the dimness of the underground corridors.

“Welcome,” Window said, and though he had seemed vital enough before, now he seemed to come truly alive, snap into focus, be himself, in a way that took Proteus completely by surprise. The same transformation came over Story. She smiled at him fully, as she hadn’t earlier, her whole pose expressing a deep satisfaction. It was obvious that Story and Window had come home.

Proteus didn’t have time to wonder further about the change in his companions. Too much competed for his attention. Everywhere there were tall green trees, grass, flowers, buildings of the oddest designs and all in the richest of colors. Yet in the distance ruins were clearly apparent, in various stages of reconstruction. Piles of rock glittered in the sun. Bright shoots of green licked at them like green flames.

At first Proteus didn’t notice the people. Then he saw the figures moving around the ruins, and at the same time men and women began to emerge from the buildings. They came in twos and threes, small groups from the multicolored triangular structures that were arranged in a semicircle around what seemed to be a general square.

It was only then that Proteus thought of turning around. Directly behind him was a pyramid—through which they must have just emerged! “But at the last, we came up,” Proteus said. “How can that be?”

Window smiled. “We’ll explain it all later. For now, meet the Tellers.”

“How long has this place been here? Why hasn’t it been discovered?” Proteus was so filled with questions that he was in a daze for the next few hours in which several hundred people surrounded them, greeted Window and Story with great warmth, and listened to Window’s explanation of Proteus’ presence.

Proteus himself began to feel as if he’d also returned “home.” Everything seemed new and unbelievable, yet familiar. It was twilight—twilight on Earth as Proteus had never seen it before, except in his dreams. How sterile and insignificant the floating city seemed by contrast, he thought, remembering the artificial trees and plastic grass. He and Window strolled past the buildings as Window pointed out the sights.