them?" Enphilistor asked. "Such action
would be distasteful in the extreme, of course--almost impossible--but
even I can perceive...." He paused, overcome by his thought.

"That which you perceive, youth, is but a very small fraction of the
whole. We did not attempt to slay them because we could not have done
so. Not because of squeamishness, as you intimate, but from sheer
inability. The Eddorian tenacity of life is a thing far beyond your
present understanding; to have attempted to kill them would have
rendered it impossible to make them forget us. We must have time ...
cycles and cycles of time." The fusion broke off, pondered for minutes,
then addressed the group as a whole:

"We, the Elder Thinkers, have not shared fully with you our
visualization of the Cosmic All, because until the Eddorians actually
appeared there was always the possibility that our findings might have
been in error. Now, however, there is no doubt. The Civilization which
has been pictured as developing peacefully upon all the teeming planets
of two galaxies will not now of itself come into being. We of Arisia
should be able to bring it eventually to full fruition, but the task
will be long and difficult.

"The Eddorians' minds are of tremendous latent power. Were they to know
of us now, it is practically certain that they would be able to develop
powers and mechanisms by the use of which they would negate our every
effort--they would hurl us out of this, our native space and time. We
must have time ... given time, we shall succeed. There shall be Lenses
... and entities of Civilization worthy in every respect to wear them.
But we of Arisia alone will never be able to conquer the Eddorians.
Indeed, while this is not yet certain, the probability is exceedingly
great that despite our utmost efforts at self-development our
descendants will have to breed, from some people to evolve upon a planet
not yet in existence, an entirely new race--a race tremendously more
capable than ours--to succeed us as Guardians of Civilization."

* * * * *

_Centuries passed. Millenia. Cosmic and geologic ages. Planets cooled to
solidity and stability. Life formed and grew and developed. And as life
evolved it was subjected to, and strongly if subtly affected by, the
diametrically opposed forces of Arisia and Eddore._

CHAPTER 2

THE FALL OF ATLANTIS

1. EDDORE

"Members of the innermost circle, wherever you are and wha