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Updated: May 23, 2025
They had reached the tower now, and as they entered it from the subterranean corridor a backward glance revealed the van of their pursuers hideous kaldanes mounted upon swift and powerful rykors. As rapidly as might be the three ascended the stairways leading to the ground level, but after them, even more rapidly, came the minions of Luud.
The banths came and drove me to the safety of a tree, and then your people caught me as I was trying to leave the valley. I do not know why they took me. I was doing no harm. All I ask is that you let me go my way in peace." "None who enters Bantoom ever leaves," replied Luud. "But my people are not at war with yours.
"I bring to Luud a creature that I captured in the fields above." The others crowded about to examine Tara of Helium. One of them whistled, whereupon the girl learned something of the smaller openings in the walls, for almost immediately there crawled from them, like giant spiders, a score or more of the hideous heads. Each sought one of the recumbent bodies and fastened itself in place.
From each nostril a band of white and one of scarlet extended outward horizontally the width of the face. No one spoke or moved. The creature crawled to the prostrate body and affixed itself to the neck. Then the two rose as one and approached the girl. He looked at her and then he spoke to her captor. "You are the third foreman of the fields of Luud?" he asked. "Yes, Luud; I am called Ghek."
"And you?" asked Gahan, still fearful of treachery. "My rykor is powerful," replied the kaldane. "I shall accompany you and fight at your side. As well die thus as in torture later at the will of Luud. Come!" But Gahan had already crossed the room and entered the chamber beyond. Upon the opposite side of the room was a circular opening guarded by two warriors.
She did not reply and after a time he spoke again. "Sing to me," he said. It was while she was singing that four warriors came to take her to Luud. They told Ghek that he was to remain where he was. "Why?" asked Ghek. "You have displeased Luud," replied one of the warriors. "How?" demanded Ghek. "You have demonstrated a lack of uncontaminated reasoning power.
"I seek the woman, Tara of Helium. Where is she? If you value your life speak quickly and speak the truth." If he valued his life! It was a truth that Ghek had but just learned. He thought quickly. After all, a great brain is not without its uses. Perhaps here lay escape from the sentence of Luud. "You are of her kind?" he asked. "You come to rescue her?" "Yes." "Listen, then.
Gloomy were the thoughts that filled the mind of Tara of Helium as she awaited the summons from Luud the summons that could mean for her but one thing; death. She guessed why he had sent for her and she knew that she must find the means for self-destruction before the night was over; but still she clung to hope and to life. She would not give up until there was no other way.
He is larger and more gorgeously marked; but otherwise he and I are identical, and why not? Did not Luud produce the egg from which I hatched?" "What?" queried the girl; "I do not understand you." "Yes," explained Ghek, "all of us are from Luud's eggs, just as all the swarm of Moak are from Moak's eggs."
His concern was prompted by repeated inquiries on the part of Luud and finally resulted in suggesting to Tara of Helium a plan whereby she might find a new opportunity of escape. "I am accustomed to walking in the fresh air and the sunlight," she told Ghek. "I cannot become as I was before if I am to be always shut away in this one chamber, breathing poor air and getting no proper exercise.
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