r all within the Circle; yet
came they not to mine aid.

And lo! in a moment I knew why that the Hundred Thousand did have held
off from me in mine extremity; for, behold! there did be monstrous Black
Mounds all along without of the Circle, and did rock and sway with a
force of strange life that did set an horror into my soul as I ran; for
truly they did be the visible signs of monstrous Forces of Evil. And did
any Human have ventured outward beyond the Circle, then had that man
been Destroyed in the Spirit, and lost utterly; so that none had dared
to come; neither had it been of use if any had made themselves to be a
sacrifice to aid me; for, truly, they to have been of no use, when dead,
as you shall say.

And there came a constant shouting from the Hundred Thousand to me, that
I haste, and indeed to haste. And truly I did haste with all my
strength. And I lookt unto the dear Circle of Holiness that did be above
us twain; and it to go steadfast over us; so that I saw we to be surely
saved.

And lo! I to be no more than an hundred paces now from the glowing of
the Circle. And behold! even in that instant, there must come brutal
things to destroy us; for there came an herd of squat and brutish men
all about me in a moment from the shadows, where they had been hid. And
they caught at me, and caught at the Maid to tear her from mine arm. And
truly, it did be as that they surely to have success; for I could nowise
in a moment free myself, and yet to guard the Maid and to use the
Diskos. And lo! I kickt with my metal boots, and gave from them, and
turned all ways in a moment, and wrenched free; and I leaped back; and
the herd of horrid brutes after me.

And now I to have space for the Diskos, and a grimness in my heart; and
I came round very sudden, and ran in among the men, smiting. And I hit
very swift both from the right and the left, and to and fro with a
constant quick circling. And the Diskos did spin and roar, and made a
strange light upon the faces of the men, and they to have tusks like to
the tusks of pigs. And surely I did rage through them, smiting. And they
to strike me a thousand times with great stones, so that mine armour
rang, and was all fresh burst, and I near to sicken under the blows and
new wounds; but they not to harm the Maid, for I carried her above their
squat and brutish reach.

And the brute-men to seem without end. But I made alway forward unto the
glowing of the Circle; and the night to b