The Night Land

Now, oft had I heard tell, not only in that great city which occupied

the thousandth floor, but in others of the one thousand, three hundred

and twenty cities of the Pyramid, that there was somewhere out in the

desolation of the Night Lands a second Place of Refuge, where had

gathered, in another part of this dead world, some last millions of the

human race, to fight unto the end.

And this story I heard everywhere in my travels through the cities of

the Great Redoubt, which travels began when I came upon my seventeenth

year, and continued for three years and two hundred and twenty five

days, being even then but one day in each city, as was the custom in the

training of every child. And truly it was a great journey, and in it I met with many, whom to

know was to love; but whom never could I see again; for life has not

space enough; and each must to his duty to the security and well-being

of the Redoubt. Yet, for all that I have set down, we travelled much,

always; but there were so many millions, and so few years.

And, as I have said, everywhere I went there was the same story of this

other Place of Refuge; and in such of the Libraries of those cities as I

had time to search, there were great numbers of works upon the existence

of this other Refuge; and some, far back in the years, made assertion

with confidence that such a Place was in verity; and, indeed, no doubt

did there seem in those by-gone ages; but now these very Records were

read only by Scholars, who doubted, even whilst they read. And so is it

ever. But of the reality of this Refuge, I had never a sound doubt, from the

day of my hearing concerning it from our Master Monstruwacan, who with

all his assistants occupied the Tower of Observation in the apex of the

Pyramid.

And here let me tell that he and I had always an affinity and

close friendship one for the other; though he was full grown, and I but

a youth; yet so it was; and thus, when I had come to an age of

twenty-one years of life, he opened to me a post within the Tower of

Observation; and this was a most wondrous good fortune to me; for in all

the vast Redoubt, to be appointed to the Tower of Observation was the

most desired; for thereby, even as in these days doth Astronomy, was the

natural curiosity of Man eased somewhat, even while thwarted.