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place. Here we two may converse, and none hear us. Wherefore you may answer as you please, without consideration to my position here.'
    `You know there's no one I hold in higher esteem,' Crow answered without hesitation. 'What could you ask me that I could refuse, or to which I might answer no?'
    `Perceptive, aye!' Kthanid nodded. 'Indeed the seed of Eld runs strong in you. As to what it is I must ask of you -' and he paused.
    During that pause, however brief a moment, Crow took the opportunity to look fully upon this great alien scientist, truly a Great Old One, and marvelled at what he saw. There had been a time when such a sight had almost unmanned him, but now he could look at Kthanid and ignore his monstrousness. For indeed beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, and knowing what Crow knew, Kthanid was beautiful.
    That itself was an incredible thought, for this might well be Cthulhu himself, this mountain of semi-plastic flesh, this pulsing Kraken. But where Cthulhu's eyes were leaden and lustful, Kthanid's were golden and wise beyond wisdom; and where Cthulhu's thoughts were creeping hypnotic poison, Kthanid's were the very breath of life, Beneficence in the fullest meaning of the word. Oh, kin to the Lord of R'lyeh, that blight on universal fife and sanity, this Being most certainly was; cl ose kin at that. The folded-back wings, the great head with its proliferation of face-tentacles, the clawed feet all told of their kinship. But where Cthulhu was mad and corrupt, Kthanid was the very soul of goodness and mercy, and his compassion enveloped all.
    His compassion, yes, which even now worked against him like an acid, betraying him in what he must do, filling him with - guilt! Crow felt it flowing out from him, and was astonished. `Kthanid, what is it? Why have you brought me here? What is it you want me to do, which at the last you can't tell me face to face?'
    `What I want you to do? Nothing. It is what I must do, for which I need your permission!'
    Impossible! Crow's mind itself must be deceiving him. Kthanid needed his permission before he could perform some act?
    `Titus, in your homeworld you had a friend, the man de Marigny. A good man; I myself sent him questing after you and Tiania when you were trapped in the lands of Earth's dreams. Aye, and I promised him a welcome in Elysia, even as a son, if only he return you both alive and sane to me from your travails.'
    Crow nodded. 'He did those things. More, we purged the dreamlands of certain evils - though in the end that was as much your victory as ours.'
    Kthanid gave a mental groan and turned his great head away. 'You cannot know the pain your words bring me .
    `What?' Crow was at first bemused - then mortally afraid. The blood drained from him in a moment. 'Henri?' he whispered, 'Something has happened to Henri?'
    `No, no,' the great Being was quick to answer. ' Be at ease over his well-being. He is well, I promise you. Indeed, soon I shall ask you to ride a Great Thought to him, in Borea on the rim of the bitter ether winds.'
    Crow relaxed a little, allowed himself a sigh of relief. `Then you intend to keep your promise, bring him here? Whatever it is that threatens Elysia, I can assure you that de Marigny will be a useful force against it!'
    `Useful, yes,' again Kthanid nodded. And: 'Bring him here? Use him? Ah! and indeed I intend to use him - but in such a way! And that is why I need your permission.'
    Crow frowned, shook his head. `Kthanid, I don't think I fully -'
    'Let me remind you,' Kthanid broke in, 'of things-you know well enow but perhaps have forgotten - or at least put to the back of your mind-during your time in Elysia.'
    And then the great Being used a skill of his to throw into Crow's mind a mass of detail, a host of memories revived, and all so thick and fast that even the mind of Titus Crow reeled at this assault on his senses; at the assault itself, and in the face of the evils it conjured.
    He was reminded of the ongoing struggle between the