MY DEPARTURE FROM THE PALACE OF TANJE.
The week of grace allowed me to leave Atvatabar had already expired
ere it had seriously occurred to me to actually leave the palace. The
commotion in the nation consequent on the publication of the manifesto
of king and goddess was so great, and the necessity of advising Lyone
in the crisis so urgent, that I did not take leave of her until the
time for my departure was exhausted. One thing that made me somewhat
careless of arousing the royal danger was that the _Polar King_ with
her terrorite guns could command Kioram in spite of the royal fleet,
although it numbered one hundred vessels. Fortunately the royal fleet
had not yet learned the use of gunpowder, their guns being discharged
with compressed air.
A despatch from Captain Wallace stated that the ship was lying in the
outer harbor, well equipped either for a long voyage or probable
hostilities.
With the view of allaying the excitement of the people, the king
published a statement that the alien commander and his retinue had
been ordered to leave forthwith. As for Lyone, the crisis had in no
wise terrified her; she felt assured, however, that "the beginning of
the end had come."
"Are you not afraid of lifelong imprisonment or death in case your
cause has no supporters?" I asked.
"They can do me no harm," she replied, "for the entire priesthood of
Egyplosis, the Art Palace of Gnaphisthasia, and thousands of
sympathizers among the people themselves, will rally to my flag when
the hour of danger comes."
"You can depend on my operations at sea," said I, "in your behalf.
Although I have but a single vessel, I will fight the entire fleet of
Atvatabar. One shell of terrorite has more power than a thousand of
their guns. I will destroy Kioram, if need be, to bring the king to
submission."
Before leaving Lyone, I drew up a plan of campaign for the coming
struggle. Hushnoly, the high priest, although conservative as regards
the affairs of the priesthood, was really a trusty friend of the
goddess, and would assist the grand sorcerer in commanding a wing of
the sacred army.
The liberated priests and priestesses would fight like lions for the
cause for which they had been imprisoned. The palace of Gnaphisthasia
would also furnish its battalions, led by Yermoul, lord of art. Then,
among the fifty millions of people there were perhaps twenty millions
in favor of reform, who would contribute a large army in support of
Lyone.
"It is by no means certain that a civil war will take place, even to
secure the proposed reform," said Lyone. "The people may leave it to
the Borodemy and the law to settle the matter."
"And what would be the result in such a case?" I inquired.
"Well, if I persisted in my demands, and no insurrection took place,"
said Lyone, "the king might put me to death as the simplest way of
ending the matter, and appoint another goddess in Egyplosis."
"They will never hurt a hair of your head while I live: I swear it!"
said I, with considerable emphasis.
Lyone smiled at my enthusiasm, and refused to permit me to linger
longer with her. We understood each other perfectly. I saw that when
Lyone had once made up her mind on a certain course, there could be no
retreat. She cared not any longer for a dead throne, for even the
worship of the multitude could not feed her famished heart. She must
have a beloved soul, consecrated to herself alone, between whom would
vibrate the music of great thoughts and tender emotions.
Lyone had declared war upon hopeless love. This was a necessary
consequence of her altered position. Egyplosis, founded on a brilliant
theory, had in practice become a prison, and she must open the doors
to let its prisoners free.
Just as I was leaving the palace I received a message from Hushnoly
stating that the king had secretly ordered my arrest, and to be
circumspect if I wished to reach Kioram free.
Attended by a guard of bockhockids faithful to Lyone I set out for
Kioram, taking a circuitous road to avoid Calnogor. I had been
informed by Hushnoly that mobs of excited and bloodthirsty wayleals
were flying about the metropolis, shouting "Death to the foreigners!"
Mounted on a magnificent, majestic steed of great power, I led my
little band at a furious pace. The bockhockids with each stride of the
leg covered a distance of sixty feet, and could travel easily seventy
miles an hour without appearing to run very quickly.
About an hour's travelling brought us abreast of Calnogor, and soon
afterward I heard shots fired and the noise of a conflict. Making an
aerial _detour_, I discovered a combat between a dozen wayleals on the
one side and a crowd of wayleals on the other. I noticed that as fast
as the individuals of the larger body were fired at by a weapon in the
hands of the smaller company they at once became lifeless, either
falling to the ground or hanging limp in the air supported by their
still vibrating wings. Being intensely curious to see the wayleals
using revolvers, I ventured with my men nearer the _melee_, and coming
near the flying warriors, I discovered to my surprise and horror that
the smaller band of flying men was a company of my own sailors, led by
Flathootly, fighting back to back a swarming mass of wayleals.
The brave fellows fought like lions. No sooner did a wayleal approach
a sailor with his deadly spear than he was shot. My men, fighting such
fearful odds, for the enemy numbered several hundreds, could not long
maintain so unequal a combat, notwithstanding the superiority of their
weapons. It was only a question of time when their ammunition would be
exhausted, and their spears would then be their only weapon, and I had
evidently arrived in time to relieve them. Flathootly was shouting to
the enemy, "Shtand back, or Oi'll shoot yez!" when I approached. The
sailors cheered to see me flying to their relief, and at that moment
the enemy, recognizing in me the very man they wanted, swarmed around
to prevent my escape. My bockhockids drew their spears, and the
sailors used their revolvers freely, and forming a flying ring,
effectually protected me from the onslaught of the king's wayleals. I
rallied my entire company, who received the rush of the wayleals with
a discharge of revolvers and magnic spears, by means of which we
killed several. Again and again the enemy fell upon us with renewed
fury, shouting their war-cry of "Bhoolmakar!" They evidently meant to
harass us until re-enforced by a detachment of the royal troops strong
enough to capture us.
A wayleal, in an unguarded moment, struck me on the shoulder,
fortunately with only one point of his spear, drawing blood.
Flathootly, who saw the blow, emptied his revolver in his breast, and
he fell to earth a dead man. I was surprised that the enemy had not
already annihilated my men, for, notwithstanding their fear of the
sailors' revolvers, three of the sailors had been killed. It was
terrible news to think of my brave fellows being slaughtered, but I
was determined to have revenge. I singled out Gossody, the leader of
the wayleals, and rushing forward on my bockhockid, aimed at his head
with my revolver, and instantly killed him. The death of their leader
paralyzed the wayleals for a time. Before they could recover from
their surprise, we killed a number of them. The enemy, once more
rallying, made a fresh attack. They hoped to either kill or capture us
by sheer force of superior numbers. We killed dozens of them, but at a
fearful cost. Six of the bockhockids and three more of our own sailors
bit the dust. It was quite evident that it would be only a question of
time before we would be completely annihilated. I saw that it was
necessary for us to reach Kioram without further fighting. We could
not afford to risk the life of another man, even to gain a complete
victory. I therefore ordered a flying retreat. The bockhockids were
arranged in a circle, in the midst of which flew our sailors. We
struck out for Kioram with the speed of the wind, pursued by an
ever-increasing horde of wayleals thirsting for our blood. Such was
our speed of motion that the thrusts of the enemy were ineffectual. It
was a magnificent sight to see the giant machines, like flying cranes,
devouring distance with their wings, each ridden by a winged warrior.
Wearied and exhausted with our fight, and still longer period of
flight, it was a welcome sight to see beneath us the city of Kioram,
and the _Polar King_ riding at anchor in the outer harbor, beyond
which lay the royal navy of Atvatabar.
When within sight of the city the enemy unexpectedly gave up the
chase, and did not follow us further. We soon gained the ship, and in
a short time our bockhockids decorated the masts and rigging. The
story of my imprisonment and the massacre of the six sailors of the
force sent to escort me to Kioram was soon told, and a more determined
crew never trod the deck of ship of war. We would teach Bhoolmakar a
lesson he would never forget!