The effect on his body was terrifying.

Immediately he went deaf. His legs and hips became numb, and his eyes reflected coruscating pinwheels of brilliance.

Thought: The Essence-Stealer has screamed, and you have fallen!

The rope tightened and Kettridge felt himself being drawn back into the cave.

“No!” he protested desperately. The pressure eased. “No, Lad-nar. That was the Essence-Stealer’s scream. Now I shall make my power felt. Let me show you, Lad-nar!”

Kettridge seized on the lightning blast for his own purpose. “See, Lad-nar! The Essence-Stealer has struck me, but I am still whole. I will rise and walk again.”

Everywhere the lightning burned and crashed. The whole world seemed filled with the noise of crashing trees and screaming elements.

He arose shakily to his knees. His legs were weak and numb. But his eyes were starting to focus again. At least he could see now. He half rose, sank back to one knee, and rose again. His head felt terribly heavy and unanchored.

Finally he stood erect.

And he walked.

The storm raged about him. Lightning struck and struck again, but his courage did not desert him.

Soon he came back to the cave.

Thought: You are a god! This I believe. But the Lord of the Heaven has sent his Essence-Stealers. They, too, are mighty, and Lad-nar will lose his Essence if he walks there.

“No, Lad-nar. I will show you how to protect yourself.” Kettridge was sweating and weak from his walk, and the numbness extended through his entire body. He could hear nothing, but the words came clearly to him.

Very deliberately he began to unseal the form-fitting suit. In a few minutes he had it off, and it had shrunk back to a pocket-sized replica of the full-sized garment. The storm had lowered the temperature almost to freezing point.