It split in two.

It burst in flame, and fell.

The swordsman laughed. “Love it quickly, Ansond, for there is little left to love.”

Ansond dropped his sword and rushed to grasp the pieces of the broken globe. He could not let them go. He thrust the bleeding half-worlds underneath his cloak and smothered the flame. His cape was fouled by smoke and blood.

He placed the broken halves together and carried them reverently to the small translucent plane before the Crystal Chair.

One by one the actors lowered their eyes and passed before the grimy ball. They cried in one lament:

“Love is done. Hate has won.

Earthmaker’s light is gone.

The Night-skies Queen is slain.

Hate has entered Lifeland and

Murdered at the throne of love.”

Ansond wept and all of Lifeland with him.

In crushing suddenness the sword of the Black Knight pierced Ansond’s armor and sent him sprawling on the floor.

While the Golden Knight’s attention was on the injured sphere, the black actor had advanced and swung his heavy blade into the golden shoulderguards. The plate had given way.

Ansond reeled and drew his sword.

“Come, Lord of Hate. Come to the Blade of Truth!” He spoke to his dark foe.

Dreamer suddenly recognized the evil face of the Lord of Hate. The Prince of Mirrors!

In fury then the titans met.

The lightning flashed each time the huge swords fell. Twice Ansond fell beneath the Black Knight’s blows. Each time he quickly rose as the evil actor approached the small translucent plane to abuse the wounded world. Ansond defended it.

Gradually the black actor weakened, and Ansond delivered a heavy blow to his helmet. A second strike fell soundly on the breastplate of the Lord of Hate.

It split away.

The Black Knight cried out in his nakedness. The other actors broke into applause and shouts of joy.

When Ansond saw his enemy unprotected, he drew back his blade to plunge it in the heart of universal hate. But the Black Knight flung himself over the battlements and was lost among the stars.

Ansond collapsed, fatigued in victory. He knew the World Hater had plunged to Terra furious in defeat.

He knew that he must follow when his hands were healed and his wounded shoulder well enough to bear the agony of battles yet to come.

The charade was nearly over and the Phoenix came again:

“Now is the drama ended

As once it was begun.

The same hate wounds

The Golden Knight

That mauled Earthmaker’s son.

Rejoice the War of Fire is won

For Terra rolls across the void

And tumbles into sun.

The Singer comes!”

The Singer came. He picked the broken world from off the shelf and held it high and shouted out:

“Behold, the old is gone.

The new alone remains.

“The spirit zephyrs drive a healing flame.

No world is ever wounded unto death.

Now shall this little globe receive her atmosphere,

The Father Spirit’s living breath.”

Incandescence flashed about his hand. And when the light had died away, the world was blue again.