The Progenitor was before me. As soon as I pushed through the last of the passage and stood upon an apron of smooth stone I saw her on a level several meters below me. She lay on her back, motionless. Beyond her the stone broke off and the great arena opened up. It was a vast sphere of airy space within this rock massif. Now it was still and unillumined yet spiked with tense charges of brokenness and the awkward harsh buildup of imbalance.          When I had 1st seen it the arena had been the globe where the source lines interacted. It was an infinitely changing sphere of brilliant colors as the electromagnetic and additional forces of the lines communicated, tested, danced with 1 another and changed all and kept all as it was.

the Progenitor

I descended to the Progenitor. It did not matter whether she was alive or dead. I would have to remove her. Completely. I could not leave her in the passage but must take her out of the stone before I could work.          Grimly I stood over her regarding her still, set, strong face, the bold black brows, the lips, the straight nose. The strong hands. Strong body. She would be heavy for me and unpleasantly difficult to work through the crack. It wearied me to the point of wordlessness merely to think of it. But there was nothing else to be done.          Grunting I got her across my shoulder and struggled up to the apron. Then letting her down again I stepped into the crack and pulled her after me.