The figure of a mighty warrior robot, a metal giant that loomed like a monstrous, man-made nightmare against the clear blue of the morning sky.
Jarl rocked—incredulous, unbelieving. His club-arm sagged down to his side.
With every fleeting second, the metal monster towered still larger, closer. Its massive legs swung out in wallowing, league-long strides, closing the gap between them.
Ylana cried out again. She darted to Jarl; clung close against him, shaking like a slim reed in a wind.
He tore free from his shell of shock and frozen-fascination. Sweeping the girl up, he raced for the nearest outcropping of jagged rock.
The giant from beyond the void stalked nearer. The clanking of the great joints rolled down on them like distant thunder.
Ylana sobbed, "My father—he must have found that I was gone—"
Jarl did not answer. Drawing her down behind the rocks, he waited, as for the Juggernaut of fate itself.
The monster thundered closer, great feet grinding stones to powder with every stride. The rising sun's rays transformed the mighty, gleaming torso to a living statue carved in orange-gold fire.
Ylana shook with a new wave of paroxysmal panic. It took every ounce of Jarl's control to hold himself from leaping up and running—tearing his heart apart in one last frantic, desperate flight.