Taylor was slowly driving Norden back toward the door of the casting room. A tentacle of flame reached out from the monster by the metal pot, but it only circled the men. Apparently it was afraid to strike, for fear of destroying friend as well as enemy.
Norden's knee came up. Taylor dodged in time to avoid a crippling blow, but the leg caught him on the thigh, sending him back and upsetting him on the floor.
With a cry of triumph, Norden dived toward his foe. But Taylor rolled on his back, doubled his legs and met the hurtling body with a two-footed kick.
Norden grunted with pain. He staggered back, straight toward the sphere by the metal pot.
A whistled warning had no effect. The momentum carried Norden crashing into the orange nucleus of energy. There was a blinding flash.
A small pile of glowing ashes appeared on the floor.
The whistle of the sphere stopped. It pulsed once. A feeble ray of heat lashed out toward Taylor, but the bolt halted in mid-air.
A plop cracked in Taylor's ear. The sphere disappeared like a bursting soap bubble.
"Cap! Are you all right!"
Masters appeared in the doorway behind Taylor.