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.