"The Norns spin close to the end of this web," he rumbled.

"_Ja!_ And the threads of Lugur and the Heks woman are between their fingers for the breaking! Thor will be with me, and I have fashioned me a hammer in glory of Thor." In his hand was an enormous mace of black metal, fully five feet long, crowned with a massive head.
I pass to the twelve hours' closing.
At the end of the _coria_ road where the giant fernland met the edge of the cavern's ruby floor, hundreds of the _Akka_ were stationed in ambush, armed with their spears tipped with the rotting death and their nail-studded, metal-headed clubs.

These were to attack when the Murians debauched from the _corials_.

We had little hope of doing more here than effect some attrition of Yolara's hosts, for at this place the captains of the Shining One could wield the _Keth_ and their other uncanny weapons freely.

We had learned, too, that every forge and artisan had been put to work to make an armour Marakinoff had devised to withstand the natural battle equipment of the frog-people--and both Larry and I had a disquieting faith in the Russian's ingenuity.
At any rate the numbers against us would be lessened.
Next, under the direction of the frog-king, levies commanded by subsidiary chieftains had completed rows of rough walls along the probable route of the Murians through the cavern.