The Thing that carried us trembled--the sound died away.

The Thing quieted; it began its steady, effortless striding through the crowding trees--but now with none of that speed with which it had come, spurred forward by Norhala's awakened hate.
Ventnor stirred; broke the silence.

And now I saw how wasted was his body, how sharpened his face; almost ethereal; purged not only by suffering but by, it came to me, some strange knowledge.
"No use, Drake," he said dreamily.

"All this is now on the knees of the gods.

And whether those gods are humanity's or whether they are--Gods of Metal--I do not know.
"But this I do know--only one way or another can the balance fall; and if it be one way, then you and we shall have Ruth back.