The Night Land

Then, in a time, the fight ceased; for of those seven and twenty Giant

Brutes there remained none; only that there cumbered the ground seven

and twenty lumbering hillocks, dreadful and grim. For the lesser dead we

could not see proper.

And we that were within the Pyramid saw the Youths sorted together by

their leaders, all in the dim twilight of that place; and with the Great

Spy-Glass I made a rough count, and found that there lived of them,

three hundred; and by this shall you know the power of those few

monstrous things, which had slain full two hundred, though each youth

was armed with so wondrous a weapon. And I set the word through the

Pyramid, that all might have some knowledge of the number that had

died; for it was better to know, than to be in doubt. And no spy-glass

had the power of The Great Spy-Glass.

After this fight, the youths spent a time having a care to their bodies

and wounds; and some were made separate from the others, and of these I

counted upon fifty; and whilst the others made to continue their march

towards the Road Where The Silent Ones Walk, these were constrained by

one who was the Leader, to return to the Pyramid. And in a little, I saw

that they came towards us, wearily and with many a halt, as that they

suffered great wounds and harm of the fight.

But those others (maybe two hundred and fifty Youths) went onwards into

the Night Land; and though we sorrowed at this thing; yet was there come

a huge pride into our hearts that those raw ones, who yesterday were but

children, had so held themselves in the battle, and done a great deed

that day. And I wot that whilst their mothers wept, easeless, their

fathers' hearts swelled within them, and held somewhat of their Pain

away from them for a time.

And all this while, those wounded Youths came slowly, and rested, and

came on again, the better helping the worse; and a great excitement and

trouble there was in all the Mighty Pyramid, to learn which were they

that came, and they that went, and who lay out there quietly among the

slain. But none might say anything with surety; for, even with that

great spy-glass in the Tower of Observation, they were not overplain;

save when some light from the fires of the Land flared high, and lit

them. For they stood not up into the glare of the fires, as had the

Giants. And though I saw them with clearness, yet I knew them not; for

there was so mighty a multitude in that Vast Redoubt, that none might

ever know the half even of their rulers.