Within the darkness there were little flashes; glimmerings of light began to come and go--like little awakenings of eyes of soft, jeweled flames, like giant gorgeous fireflies; flashes of cloudy amber, gleam of rose, sparkles of diamonds and of opals, of emeralds and of rubies--blinking, gleaming.
A shimmering mist drew down around them--a swift and swirling mist.
It thickened, was shot with slender shuttled threads like cobweb, coruscating strands of light.
The shining threads grew thicker, pulsed, were spangled with tiny vivid sparklings.

They ran together, condensed--and all this in an instant, in a tenth of the time it takes me to write it.
From fiery mist and gemmed flashes came bolt upon bolt of lightning.

The cliff face leaped out, a cataract of green flame.

The fissures widened, the monoliths trembled, fell.
In the wake of that dazzling brilliancy came utter blackness.

I opened my blinded eyes; slowly the flecks of green fire cleared.