The Night Land

And all the millions of the Mighty Pyramid stood in their cities about

certain of the Main Lifts, and watched those thousands go downwards, all

in their armour of grey metal, and each one armed with the Diskos, which

was that same very terrible weapon, which all had training to.

And I doubt not but that the Young Men of the Pyramid looked, with

longing in their hearts, that they might have been among those that went

forth to succour. Yet, the older men had graver thoughts in their

hearts; for the blood ran more soberly in them, and they had knowledge

and memory of the Peril. And by this, I would make clear that I speak

less of the peril of the body, which is common to every state of life;

but of the peril of the spirit. And it may be thought by those of this age, that it was most strange

that they of that, having all the knowledge of eternity to aid them, had

no weapon by which to shoot, and kill at a distance.

But, indeed, this had not been so in the past; as our Histories did

show; for some wondrous weapons there had been, that might slay without

sound or flash at a full score miles and more; and some we had whole

within the Great Museum; and of others but the parts in decay; for they

had been foolish things, and reckless to use; for we of that Great

Pyramid, wanted not to kill a few of the Monsters that lay at a great

distance; but only those which came nigh, to harm us.

And concerning those same weapons that killed silently at a great

distance, we had now little knowledge, save that they did waste the

Earth-Current; and no practice had we concerning their workings; for it

was, maybe, an hundred thousand years gone that they had been used, and

found to be of no great worth in a close attack, and harmful otherwise

to the peace, in that they angered, unneedful, the Forces of that land,

slaying wantonly those monsters which did no more than beset the Mighty

Redoubt at a great distance. For, as may be seen by a little thought, we

did very gladly keep a reasonable quietness, and refrained from aught

that should wake that Land; for we were born to the custom of that

strange life, and lived and died in peace, for the most part; and were

very content to have security, and to be neutral in all things that did

not overbear us; but, as it were, always armed, and ready.

But concerning the great and Evil Forces that were abroad in the Night

Land, these we had no power to harm; nor could we hope for more than

that we had security from them, which indeed we had; but the hugeness of

their power was about us, and we dared not to wake it; save through such

extremity as had come to pass by this folly of the Youths; though, even

now, we had no thought to attack aught; but only to succour those

wounded ones.