“Balcy had left the City and could not re-enter. The City was
no longer his; the Caves of Steel were alien. This had to be; and
it would be so for others and Earth would be bom again and reach
outwards.

His heart beat madly and the noise of life about him sank to an
unheard murmur.

He remembered his dream on Solaria and he understood it at
last. He lifted his head and he could see through all the steel and
concrete and humanity above him. He could see the beacon set in
space to lure men outwards. He could see it shining down — the
naked sun.”