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Updated: April 30, 2025
His duty was soon performed and the heavy door of our prison closed behind him we were alone for the night. I gave him time to return to his quarters, as Xodar said he probably would do, then I sprang to the grated window and surveyed the nearby waters.
At this point the door of our prison opened to admit Xodar. He smiled pleasantly at me, and when he smiled his expression was kindly anything but cruel or vindictive. "Since you cannot escape under any circumstances," he said, "I cannot see the necessity for keeping you confined below. I will cut your bonds and you may come on deck.
Tars Tarkas with his green warriors and Hor Vastus with the red men, guided by Xodar, were to land within the garden of Issus or the surrounding plains; while Carthoris, Kantos Kan, and I were to lead our smaller force from the sea of Omean through the pits beneath the temple, which Carthoris knew so well.
"So it behooves us to leave at the first moment that appears at all propitious." "I hope that you may find a propitious moment," he said, with a laugh, "for it is certain that in all my life I have never seen one in which a prisoner of the First Born might escape." "To-night will do as well as any," I replied. "It will soon be night," said Xodar. "How may I aid in the adventure?" "Can you swim?"
Xodar and the boy were stretched directly behind me, prone also that we might offer as little resistance to the air as possible. "Rise high," whispered Xodar. "They dare not fire their heavy guns toward the dome the fragments of the shells would drop back among their own craft. If we are high enough our keel plates will protect us from rifle fire." I did as he bade.
Soon the light from without increased and we came to a stop. Xodar entered the cabin with his men. "Come," he said, and we followed him through the hatchway which had been opened by one of the seamen. We found ourselves in a small subterranean vault, in the centre of which was the pool in which lay our submarine, floating as we had first seen her with only her black back showing.
Together we returned to the cell in which Xodar sat; descending to talk with him until the hour had passed.
Before us rose a golden temple wrought in the most wondrous and fanciful designs, inlaid with diamond, ruby, sapphire, turquoise, emerald, and the thousand nameless gems of Mars, which far transcend in loveliness and purity of ray the most priceless stones of Earth. "This way," cried Xodar, leading us toward the entrance to a tunnel which opened in the courtyard beside the temple.
"It was thus that one did escape the therns in bygone times; but none has ever escaped the First Born," said Xodar, with a touch of pride in his voice. We had now reached the southernmost extremity of the great ice barrier.
"For the disgrace you have brought upon the Immortal Race you shall be degraded to a rank below the lowest. No longer be you a Dator, but for evermore a slave of slaves, to fetch and carry for the lower orders that serve in the gardens of Issus. Remove his harness. Cowards and slaves wear no trappings." Xodar stood stiffly erect.
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