1
The Dark World
Henry Kuttner
1946
I. Fire in the Night
II. Call of the Red Witch
III. Locked Worlds
IV. Matholch -- and Medea
V. Scarlet Witch
VI. The Ride to Caer Secaire
VII. Men of the Forest
VIII. Freydis
IX. Realm of the Superconscious
X. Swords for the Coven
XI. In Ghast Rhymi's Tower
XII. Harp of Satan
XIII. War -- Red War!
XIV. Fire of Life
XV. Lair of Power
XVI. Self Against Self
XVII. Freedom at Last!
I. Fire in the Night
TO THE north thin smoke made a column against the darkening sky. Again I felt the unreasoning fear, the impulse toward nightmare flight that had been with me for a long time now. I knew it was without reason. There was only smoke, rising from the swamps of the tangled Limberlost country, not fifty miles from Chicago, where man has outlawed superstition with strong bonds of steel and concrete.
I knew it was only a camper's fire, yet I knew it was not. Something, far back in my mind, knew what the smoke rose from, and who stood about the fire, peering my way through the trees.
I looked away, my glance slipping around the crowded walls -- shelves bearing the random fruit of my uncle's magpie collector's instinct. Opium pipes of inlaid work and silver, golden chessmen from India, a sword...
Deep memories stirred within me -- deep panic. I was beneath the sword in two strides, tearing it from the wall, my fingers cramping hard around the hilt. Not fully aware of what I did, I found myself facing the window and the distant smoke again. The sword was in my fist, but feeling wrong, not reassuring, no