“They work upon one, Dread Lord. But of that he could discover only that it was a ray of black light.” Where did these words come from? Ray wanted to put his hands to his lips, smother his own voice. But it was no longer his; it was being used by a brain outside him-and in him this awoke a new kind of fear. “The novice was detected and taken before he learned more. Your slave had only a small warning in time to flee-” “A ray of black light,” Magos repeated thoughtfully. a “You have heard of such? What is it?” Chronos demanded.
“I must search the records.” The priest was evasive. “What else do you have to tell us?” It was as if he greatly wished to switch Chronos’s attention from that particular subject.
“That Uighur wavers, Dread One,” Ray heard himself reporting. “She is not the loyal daughter, ready to leap to defense of the motherland, as Mu believes-”
“Good! Good!” Chronos made a whistling sound of satisfaction.
“You see.” He turned again to the priest. “Already the seed so carefully sown by our agents begins to sprout, and will speedily bear fruit. On the appointed day Mu shall call for allies, and there will be none to answer. Then she shall stand alone, ripe to ourplucking.”
“Tell me”-the priest now asked a question-“heard you, while in Mu, any story of a stranger lately come to high favor with the Re Mu? One who is not of Mu, but from afar, one having some strange powers?”
“There is such a tale.” Ray was still only the tool of that will which had sent him here. “To its veracity your slave cannot bear witness. The commoners say that the Re Mu and the Naacals have summoned to their need a power from outside-outside-” he repeated.
Chronos sat up abruptly and cushions cascaded to the floor.
“Can this thing be true?” Again he turned upon the Red Robe for his answer.
“Who can tell, Dread One? Rumor reports many things, but few such are founded in any scrap of truth. However, this much is logic-we have our aid, and it came not from the world we know. Mayhap the Naacals have also called in the same manner. That would account for the piercing of the curtain-they could use their called one in such a way.”
“Could such a summoned one prevail upon us?” persisted Chronos.
“We summon from the Dark; they from other forces-if that is what has happened. What man can say which is the stronger until they meet in some open battle? No matter what comes to stand under the banner of Mu, we have the Loving One and its kin strong for Atlantis. Know you no more of this matter?” he asked Ray.
“No, son of Ba-Al. Whispers in a city-and as you say, such whispers may not even be the thinnest shadow of truth.”
“But they are enough to prepare us. Man from Uighur, you have done well in our cause. Is that not so, Dread One?” Magos asked of the Poseidon.
He appeared to jar the ruler out of some depth of thought.
“Oh-oh, yes, yes. You are free to go. The officer without will show you the quarters prepared for you.”
Ray inched backward, still on his knees, not rising until he was at the door. When he glanced up, he saw that Poseidon and priest were whispering together, and he thought Magos was engaged in soothing his royal master.
– 12
RAY leaned across the wide sill of the window. In this upper story of the palace, the windows were more than the narrow slits of the lower rooms. Through the night outside, lights shone in the harbor, for he was high enough here to see beyond the walls to the docks.
Down there somewhere was the raider that had brought him here. He mused on Captain Taut’s pressing and unexpected suggestion that he might find refuge on board if there were need. Why had the captain gone out of his way to speak of that, not once but, several times?
The room behind him was bare, poorly furnished. The Poseidon did not treat his faithful servants from the outposts too well, it appeared. Four red walls, a dusty floor, a battered couch, and a bench-Even Ray’s clothing had been taken from him, and he wore the black metal-on- leather armor of a petty officer in Atlantean service. At least they had not locked him in, as he more than half expected that they would. Taking up his black crestless helmet, he went out into the silent corridor. In fact, the hall wore so deserted a look that Ray suspected this was a not-too-much-frequented portion of the sprawling palace, which suited him well.
Now he went down into a better lighted and busier lower corridor. Soldiers and petty officers lounged on benches at its far end. He could hear the drone of their talk, with now and then a laugh. But he had no desire to join their company. Then a few words caught his attention.
“-Murians. Yes, tonight. Rare sport within the audience chamber before the hour is spent.”
Murian prisoners! He must see them. This-this was another manifestation of the will which had taken over during his meeting with Chronos. There was no struggling against it.
A gong boomed hollowly, and the Atlanteans by the door snapped to attention, marched in answer. Recklessly Ray hurried to join the tail of the squad.
Here was the red hall he had seen during the dream journey, and once more Chronos occupied the gold throne. Ray lingered behind one of the pillars, assuming a guard’s stiff posture, trusting thus to pass unnoted. The Poseidon raised his scepter, that symbol of authority which had been granted by Mu to the first Atlantean lord ruling here in the east, a bronze trident. The murmur of sound died.
“Let the Twelve of the Law Giving stand forth!” Chronos’s voice was small and shrill in the mighty proportions of the hall, lacking the dignity he undoubtedly strove for. Twelve men moved out to take their places, six on either side of the throne.
“Hark you, men of Atlantis. This be the will of the Poseidon, the beloved of Ba-Al. On the third day of the month of slaying winds, twenty days from now, the. fleet of Atlantis shall set sail toward the falsely termed
`motherland.’ Mu, the oppressor, shall lie open to our fire and swords. So is it spoke, so let it be recorded-‘.,
The twelve raised their hands.
“Is this also your will, mouthpieces of the provinces?” asked Chronos.
“Dread One, it is,” they answered as one.
“Then it is so. And the word of the law may not be changed.”
All in the hall chanted in answer, “This be the law, and the word of the law may not be changed.”
Chronos leaned forward a little. His pale tongue: caressed his pouting lips, as if he prepared to savor: some new and delightful dainty.
“Bring out the Murian rats whom we have already caught in our nets!”
Ray watched a file of soldiers enter from the other side of the hall, ten men loaded with chains between; them. The prisoners kept their feet with difficulty..’ They were spotted and befouled with smears of green, slime, and they tottered, helping one another along. 5 But when they were brought to face Chronos, they gave him no salute and held their heads as proudly high as they could.
“It seems that you still have spirit. Perhaps our hospitality has been too generous!” Chronos tittered.
One of the prisoners answered rustily, as if hardships had sapped the vigor of his voice. “What do you want of us, false king?”
“Perhaps you are now ready to say your `false’ is _ true, to change allegiance-”
Ray knew that was no real offer, merely a cruel teasing. Already the Murian spokesman shook his head.
“We offer freedom and honor to any who join us.” Chronos continued to smile.
“Honor!” The Murian’s reply had whip-cut sharpness.
The Poseidon’s jowls went pasty white. “So.” And the evil in his voice was plain. He was silent for a long moment. Magos reached up to pluck at his sleeve. And Chronos nodded to the Red Robe.
“Ah, Magos. Yes, yes, I remember. You need more men for your laboratories, do you not?”
Ray heard a quickly stifled gasp that must have broken from one of the prisoners. But all else was silence.
“Magos and Ba-A1 need men, strong men. You may have these, Magos. It would seem they are strong, since they now have the will to stand before us so. Perhaps I shall come to watch your use of them. I have been told it is strangely diverting.”
Ray knew now why he had been sent here by that ruling will. But he-what could he—one man alone-do? For the present-watch and wait, be ready to seize any opportunity fortune might send. Was that his own thought or one sent by the will? To depend upon fortune was too risky