Through the Gates of the Silver Key: Review

In a gathering to determine the fate of Randolph Carter's estate, the enigmatic Swami Chandraputra reveals the ultimate destiny of Carter. According to the Swami, after using the ritualistic Silver Key, Carter was transported to the Outer Extension - a realm that transcends both space and time. This otherworldly journey began as Carter passed through the First Gate, a cosmic structure that led him to the Ancient Ones. These mystic beings, led by 'Umr at-Tawil, were warned of in the Necronomicon as creatures from which those who encountered them never returned. 'Umr at-Tawil presented Carter with an opportunity to delve even further into the cosmos, which he accepted. As a result, the Ancient Ones activated the Ultimate Gate, transporting Carter to an infinite void.

Now reduced to a mere fragment of himself, Carter's consciousness encounters Yog-Sothoth, an entity that explains the interconnectedness of all conscious beings. Carter himself, along with all entities existing in the universe, is a facet of the Supreme Archetype, a being comprised of the greatest thinkers across all dimensions. Yog-Sothoth, seemingly impressed by Carter's exploits, offers him a wish relating to the facets of a now-extinct race inhabiting the planet Yaddith. Intrigued by his recurrent dreams about Yaddith and the menacing Dholes that threaten it, Carter wishes to learn more about this ancient civilization. The Supreme Archetype grants his wish by transferring Carter's consciousness into the body of Zkauba the wizard, a facet of the race. However, before the transfer, Carter is instructed to memorize Zkauba's symbols and rites.

Carter soon realizes his wish was a grave mistake when he finds himself trapped in Zkauba's repugnant body. The two entities constantly vie for dominance within the shared vessel. After an endless period on Yaddith, Carter discovers a method to suppress the alien mind using drugs. He harnesses Yaddith's technology and, aided by the Silver Key, manages to return to Earth and the present. Carter, relieved to be back, retrieves his manuscript containing the symbols necessary to regain his original body. Upon his return, Carter contacts Swami Chandraputra, instructing him to inform the gathering that he will soon claim his estate. However, one of the witnesses, Aspinwall, accuses the Swami of being a fraud and attempting to steal the estate. Aspinwall violently exposes the Swami's disguise, revealing Carter's true form trapped in Zkauba's grotesque body. The shock causes Aspinwall to suffer a fatal heart attack, and in the chaos, Zkauba's consciousness reasserts itself. He enters a peculiar coffin-shaped clock - presumably a means of transportation to Earth - and disappears.

The tale concludes with a vague postscript, suggesting that the Swami may have been a criminal who used hypnosis to deceive the others. However, it is noted that certain details in the story hold an eerily accurate resemblance to the truth.