
Transcriber's notes.
On the black terrace of the forgotten mountain retreat of Asti, Varta, the last of the virgin Maidens, stands beside a strange, scaled companion. The shattered city of Memphir smolders behind her, its cries still echoing in the wind, while barbarian hordes press against the ancient shrine. Charged with a solemn duty to the enigmatic god‑like ruler of worlds, she prepares to leave the ruined temple and follow a rite that has not been performed for centuries.
Inside the austere sanctuary, stone pillars frame a colossal, robed figure whose outstretched hand once held a miniature sun and its orbiting worlds. By touching the hand, Varta awakens the tiny celestial sphere, a luminous diadem that guides her deeper into hidden chambers. She must decipher old records and manipulate forgotten mechanisms, venturing through a secret passage that leads far beneath the mountain toward the heart of the world itself.
Language
en
Duration
~34 minutes (33K characters)
Series
Produced from Fantasy Book Vol. 1, No. 3 1948.
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Geetu Melwani and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2006-08-11
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1912–2005
A trailblazing force in science fiction and fantasy, this prolific storyteller helped open the genre to generations of young readers. Best known for adventure-rich novels and the beloved Witch World books, she built a career that stretched across more than seven decades.
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