Now, oft had I heard tell, not only in that great city which occupied
the thousandth floor, but in others of the one thousand, three hundred
and twenty cities of the Pyramid, that there was somewhere out in the
desolation of the Night Lands a second Place of Refuge, where had
gathered, in another part of this dead world, some last millions of the
human race, to fight unto the end.
And this story I heard everywhere in my travels through the cities of
the Great Redoubt, which travels began when I came upon my seventeenth
year, and continued for three years and two hundred and twenty five
days, being even then but one day in each city, as was the custom in the
training of every child. And truly it was a great journey, and in it I met with many, whom to
know was to love; but whom never could I see again; for life has not
space enough; and each must to his duty to the security and well-being
of the Redoubt. Yet, for all that I have set down, we travelled much,
always; but there were so many millions, and so few years.
And, as I have said, everywhere I went there was the same story of this
other Place of Refuge; and in such of the Libraries of those cities as I
had time to search, there were great numbers of works upon the existence
of this other Refuge; and some, far back in the years, made assertion
with confidence that such a Place was in verity; and, indeed, no doubt
did there seem in those by-gone ages; but now these very Records were
read only by Scholars, who doubted, even whilst they read. And so is it
ever. But of the reality of this Refuge, I had never a sound doubt, from the
day of my hearing concerning it from our Master Monstruwacan, who with
all his assistants occupied the Tower of Observation in the apex of the
Pyramid.
And here let me tell that he and I had always an affinity and
close friendship one for the other; though he was full grown, and I but
a youth; yet so it was; and thus, when I had come to an age of
twenty-one years of life, he opened to me a post within the Tower of
Observation; and this was a most wondrous good fortune to me; for in all
the vast Redoubt, to be appointed to the Tower of Observation was the
most desired; for thereby, even as in these days doth Astronomy, was the
natural curiosity of Man eased somewhat, even while thwarted.