The Sphere Of All Time toured that pit. Working abjectly at cutting and gathering moss, or hopeless slaves in the dens pocking the pit's perimeter, were hundreds of Kosanna girls.
Fear and rage tore through Toka. Yet even with the tremendous strength that came surging from his depths he could not move or speak!
The Sphere Of All Time dulled. The taut thrumming and chill faded. The blackness changed swiftly to golden light. Kolano and the Old Ones centered their silvery eyes on Toka. The spell dropped from him.
Toka whirled to leave—but in that instant he could not move! The Old Ones' silvery eyes on him, Toka heard Kolano's contralto echo in the vast court. "As divinely ordained, Great Prince Toka shall listen."
Though he strained mightily, he could not do otherwise.
"When the Dragon Women bore only males and so became extinct," Kolano's contralto echoed calmly, "the men of Ophid exacted tribute from Kosanna. Yet Kosanna girls gave birth only to Dragon Men. Thus, even though Kosanna grows ever less, ten girls still are sacrificed each night—lest Ophid come and destroy all Kosanna and take all our girls."
Toka's voice was his to make an angry demand. "Why were Roya and Elees included last night!"
Kolano smiled calmly. "As ordained by the Sphere Of All Time, Great Prince Toka must have that incentive to destroy Ophid."
Toka blazed his request. "Then restore my fellow warriors and me at once—that we may attack Ophid!"