〃Now　the　Shining　One　has　its　limitations；　even　as　we。　　Over
  water　it　can　pass；　through　air　and　through　fire；　but　pass　it
  cannot；　through　rock　or　metal。　　So　it　sent　a　messagehow　I
  know　notto　the　_Taithu_　who　desired　it；　whispering　to　them
  the　secret　of　the　Portal。　　And　when　the　time　was　ripe　they
  opened　the　Portal　and　the　Shining　One　passed　through　it　to
  them；　nor　would　it　return　to　the　Three　though　they　com…
  manded；　and　when　they　would　have　forced　it　they　found
  that　it　had　hived　and　hidden　a　knowledge　that　they　could　not
  overcome。
  〃Yet　by　their　arts　the　Three　could　have　shattered　the
  seven　shining　orbs；　but　they　would　not　becausethey　loved；
  it！
  〃Those　to　whom　it　had　gone　built　for　it　that　place　I　have
  shown　you；　and　they　bowed　to　it　and　drew　wisdom　from　it。
  And　ever　they　turned　more　and　more　from　the　ways　in　which
  the　_Taithu_　had　walkedfor　it　seemed　that　which　came　to
  the　Shining　One　through　the　seven　orbs　had　less　and　less　of
  good　and　more　and　more　of　the　power　you　call　evil。　　Knowl…
  edge　it　gave　and　understanding；　yes；　but　not　that　which；　clear
  and　serene；　lights　the　paths　of　right　wisdom；　rather　were
  they　flares　pointing　the　dark　roads　that　lead　toto　the
  ultimate　evil！
  〃Not　all　of　the　race　of　the　Three　followed　the　counsel　of
  the　Shining　One。　　There　were　many；　many；　who　would　have
  none　of　it　nor　of　its　power。　　So　were　the　_Taithu_　split；　and　to
  this　place　where　there　had　been　none；　came　hatred；　fear　and
  suspicion。　　Those　who　pursued　the　ancient　ways　went　to　the
  Three　and　pleaded　with　them　to　destroy　their　workand
  they　would　not；　for　still　they　loved　it。
  〃Stronger　grew　the　Dweller　and　less　and　less　did　it　lay
  before　its　worshippersfor　now　so　they　had　becomethe
  fruits　of　its　knowledge；　and　it　grewrestlessturning　its
  gaze　upon　earth　face　even　as　it　had　turned　it　from　the　Three。
  It　whispered　to　the　_Taithu_　to　take　again　the　paths　and　look
  out　upon　the　world。　　Lo！　　above　them　was　a　great　fertile　land
  on　which　dwelt　an　unfamiliar　race；　skilled　in　arts；　seeking
  and　finding　wisdommankind！　　Mighty　builders　were　they；
  vast　were　their　cities　and　huge　their　temples　of　stone。
  〃They　called　their　lands　Muria　and　they　worshipped　a
  god　Thanaroa　whom　they　imagined　to　be　the　maker　of　all
  things；　dwelling　far　away。　　They　worshipped　as　closer　gods；
  not　indifferent　but　to　be　prayed　to　and　to　be　propitiated；　the
  moon　and　the　sun。　　Two　kings　they　had；　each　with　his　coun…
  cil　and　his　court。　　One　was　high　priest　to　the　moon　and　the
  other　high　priest　to　the　sun。
  〃The　mass　of　this　people　were　black…haired；　but　the　sun
  king　and　his　nobles　were　ruddy　with　hair　like　mine；　and
  the　moon　king　and　his　followers　were　like　Yolaraor
  Lugur。　　And　this；　the　Three　say；　Goodwin；　came　about　be…
  cause　for　time　upon　time　the　law　had　been　that　whenever　a
  ruddy…haired　or　ashen…tressed　child　was　born　of　the　black…
  haired　it　became　dedicated　at　once　to　either　sun　god　or　moon
  god；　later　wedding　and　bearing　children　only　to　their　own
  kind。　　Until　at　last　from　the　black…haired　came　no　more　of　the
  light…locked　ones；　but　the　ruddy　ones；　being　stronger；　still
  arose　from　them。〃
  CHAPTER　XXX
  The　Building　of　the　Moon　Pool
  SHE　PAUSED；　running　her　long　fingers　through　her　own
  bronze…flecked　ringlets。　　Selective　breeding　this；　with　a　ven…
  geance；　I　thought；　an　ancient　experiment　in　heredity　which
  of　course　would　in　time　result　in　the　stamping　out　of　the
  tendency　to　depart　from　type　that　lies　in　all　organisms；　re…
  sulting；　obviously；　at　last；　in　three　fixed　forms　of　black…haired；
  ruddy…haired；　and　silver…hairedbut　this；　with　a　shock　of
  realization　it　came　to　me；　was　also　an　accurate　description
  of　the　dark…polled　_ladala_；　their　fair…haired　rulers　and　of　the
  golden…brown　tressed　Lakla！
  Howquestions　began　to　stream　through　my　mind；　si…
  lenced　by　the　handmaiden's　voice。
  〃Above；　far；　far　above　the　abode　of　the　Shining　One；〃
  she　said；　〃was　their　greatest　temple；　holding　the　shrines　both
  of　sun　and　moon。　　All　about　it　were　other　temples　hidden
  behind　mighty　walls；　each　enclosing　its　own　space　and
  squared　and　ruled　and　standing　within　a　shallow　lake；　the
  sacred　city；　the　city　of　the　gods　of　this　land〃
  〃It　is　the　Nan…Matal　that　she　is　describing；〃　I　thought。
  〃Out　upon　all　this　looked　the　_Taithu_　who　were　now　but
  the　servants　of　the　Shining　One　as　it　had　been　the　messenger
  of　the　Three；〃　she　went　on。　　〃When　they　returned　the　Shin…
  ing　One　spoke　to　them；　promising　them　dominion　over　all
  that　they　had　seen；　yea；　UNDER　IT　dominion　of　all　earth　itself
  and　later　perhaps　of　other　earths！
  〃In　the　Shining　One　had　grown　craft；　cunning；　knowledge
  to　gain　that　which　it　desired。　　Therefore　it　told　its　_Taithu_
  and　mayhap　told　them　truththat　not　yet　was　it　time　for
  THEM　to　go　forth；　that　slowly　must　they　pass　into　that　outer
  world；　for　they　had　sprung　from　heart　of　earth　and　even　it
  lacked　power　to　swirl　unaided　into　and　through　the　above。
  Then　it　counselled　them；　instructing　them　what　to　do。　　They
  hollowed　the　chamber　wherein　first　I　saw　you；　cutting　their
  way　to　it　that　path　down　which　from　it　you　sped。
  〃It　revealed　to　them　that　the　force　that　is　within　moon
  flame　is　kin　to　the　force　that　is　within　it；　for　the　chamber　of
  its　birth　was　the　chamber　too　of　moon　birth　and　into　it　went
  the　subtle　essence　and　powers　that　flow　in　that　earth　child：
  and　it　taught　them　how　to　make　that　which　fills　what　you　call
  the　Moon　Pool　whose　opening　is　close　behind　its　Veil　hang…
  ing　upon　the　gleaming　cliffs。
  〃When　this　was　done　it　taught　them　how　to　make　and　how
  to　place　the　seven　lights　through　which　moon　flame　streams
  into　Moon　Poolthe　seven　lights　that　are　kin　to　its　own
  seven　orbs　even　as　its　fires　are　kin　to　moon　firesand　which
  would　open　for　it　a　path　that　it　could　tread。　　And　all　this　the
  _Taithu_　did；　working　so　secretly　that　neither　those　of　their
  race　whose　faces　were　set　against　the　Shining　One　nor　the
  busy　men　above　know　aught　of　it。
  〃When　it　was　done　they　moved　up　the　path；　clustering
  within　the　Moon　Pool　Chamber。　　Moon　flame　streamed
  through　the　seven　globes；　poured　down　upon　the　pool；　they
  saw　mists　arise；　embrace；　and　become　one　with　the　moon
  flameand　then　up　through　Moon　Pool；　shaping　itself　within
  the　mists　of　light；　whirling；　radiantthe　Shining　One！
  〃Almost　free；　almost　loosed　upon　the　world　it　coveted！
  〃Again　it　counselled　them；　and　they　pierced　the　passage
  whose　portal　you　found　first；　set　the　fires　within　its　stones；
  and　revealing　themselves　to　the　moon　king　and　his　priests
  spake　to　them　even　as　the　Shining　One　had　instructed。
  〃Now　was　the　moon　king　filled　with　fear　when　he　looked
  upon　the　_Taithu_；　shrouded　with　protecting　mists　of　light　in
  Moon　Pool　Chamber；　and　heard　their　words。　　Yet；　being
  crafty；　he　thought　of　the　power　that　would　be　his　if　he
  heeded　and　how　quickly　the　strength　of　the　sun　king　would
  dwindle。　　So　he　and　his　made　a　pact　with　the　Shining　One's
  messengers。
  〃When　next　the　moon　was　round　and　poured　its　flames
  down　upon　Moon　Pool；　the　_Taithu_　gathered　there　again；
  watched　the　child　of　the　Three　take　shape　within　the　pillars；
  speed　awayand　out！　　They　heard　a　mighty　shouting；　a
  tumult　of　terror；　of　awe　and　of　worship；　a　silence；　a　vast
  sighingand　they　waited；　wrapped　in　their　mists　of　light；
  for　they　feared　to　follow　nor　were　they　near　the　paths　that
  would　have　enabled　them　to　look　without。
  〃Another　tumultand　back　came　the　Shining　One；　mur…
  muring　with　joy；　pulsing；　triumphant；　and　clasped　within　its
  vapours　a　man　and　woman；　ruddy…haired；　golden…eyed；　in
  whose　faces　rapture　and　horror　lay　side　by　sidegloriously；
  hideously。　　And　still　holding　them　it　danced　above　the　Moon
  Pool　andsank！
  〃Now　must　I　be　brief。　_Lat_　after　_lat_　the　Shining　One　went
  forth；　returning　with　its　sacrifices。　　And　stronger　after　each
  it　grewand　gayer　and　more　cruel。　　Ever　when　it　passed
  with　its　prey　toward　the　pool；　the　_Taithu_　who　watched　felt
  a　swift；　strong　intoxication；　a　drunkenness　of　spirit；　stream…
  ing　from　it　to　them。　　And　the　Shining　One　forgot　what　it　had
  promised　them　of　dominionand　in　this　new　evil　delight
  they　too　forgot。
  〃The　outer　land　was　torn　with　hatred　and　open　strife。
  The　moon　king　and　his　kind；　through　the　guidance　of　the
  evil　_Taithu_　and　the　favour　of　the　Shining　One；　had　become
  powerful　and　the　sun　king　and　his　were　darkened。　　And　the
  moon　priests　preached　that　the　child　of　the　Three　was　the
  moon　god　itself　come　to　dwell　with　them。
  〃Now　vast　tides　arose　and　when　they　withdrew　they　took
  with　them　great　portions　of　this　country。　　And　the　land　itself
  began　to　sink。　　Then　said　the　moon　king　that　the　moon　had
  called　to　ocean　to　destroy　because　wroth　that　another　than
  he　was　worshipped。　　The　people　believed　and　there　was
  slaughter。　　When　it　was　over　there　was　no　more　a　sun　king
  nor　any　of　the　ruddy…haired　folk；　s