EVIL EARTHS, page 27
The eyes flickered over him, swung to the girl. Light
flared within them. The monster's loose, slobbering mouth
twitched. It mouthed unintelligible sounds. The thick arms
swung up. It pranced forward.
"Stay behind me," Mason said curtly. The dagger's hilt
was cold in his hand. He lifted the weapon.
The centaur hesitated, looking down on the man. It
seemed to sink down, crouching. And then it leaped.
It bounded forward, front hoofs flying, bellowing rage.
As that gigantic mountain of flesh crashed down Mason
thrust up desperately with the dagger. Whether his blow
found a mark he did not know; a hoof smashed against
his head, a glancing blow that sent him hurtling back,
stunned. He fell in a limp heap on the straw.
Blackness surged up. Frantically he fought it back. His
head was a blinding, throbbing ache of red agony, and
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when he forced open his eyes, he could not focus them
properly.
Alasa's scream brought Mason back to full consciousness.
Unable to move, his muscles water-weak, he lay staring
at the horror before him. The man-beast had gripped the
girl in its hairy arms. The shallow eyes glared at her. One
taloned hand swept out, snatched Alasa's garment, ripped
it brutally away.
Frantically Mason battled his overpowering weakness,
the sickening dizziness that nauseated him. The centaur
bellowed mad laughter.
And again the scream of Alasa cameterrified, hopeless!
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CHAPTER V
Madness of the Centaur
The centaur's monstrous head bent; watery orbs avidly
dwelt on the girl's nudity. She struck out vainly, her nails
ripping at the creature's face. Though blood came, the
centaur paid no attention to its wounds.
Mason managed to crawl dizzily to his feet, The dagger
lay glinting in the straw near him. He bent, picked
it up. He turned toward the man-beast[
Alasa lay pale and motionless in the centaur's arms.
The monster had no other thought than the girl. Its eyes
were glaring and bloodshot. Spittle drooled from the sagging
mouth. It did not see Mason as he crept forward.
The man had but one chance, and he knew it. Silently
he stole up behind the beast. At the last moment the
centaur sensed danger, started to whirl, roaring menace.
Mason's arm slashed down. The dagger ripped into
the centaur's throat, slicing through skin and flesh and
cartilage. A great gout of blood burst out, spattering the
nude girl with scarlet.
With a deafening scream of agony the centaur
dropped Alasa. Its hands clawed up to the ruined throat.
It plunged at Mason.
He managed to dodge, though flying hoofs grazed his
side. As the creature lunged past Mason put aH his
strength into a desperate leap. He felt iron-hard flesh
under him, came down on the centaur's back, his arms
locked about the monster's throat. The dagger was still
in his hand.
The beast-man went beserk. Screaming, it flung back
its hands, seeking its prey.
The taloned fingers sought Mason's eye.
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The man ripped out blindly with the dagger. He felt
himself flung through the air, fell heavily on his side,
rolling over and over. Clashing hoofs thundered past.
Swaying, Mason sprang up--and halted, staring.
The centaur was blind. The dagger's chance stroke
had ripped across its eyeballs, slashing them open. The
beastfaee was veiled with blood. And if the monster had
been enraged before--now it was a demon incarnate!
Blind and dying, it shrieked mad rage and murder-lust.
Hoofs grinding down viciously on the straw, great arms
winging, the centaur drive around the den, hunting the
man who had slain it. Mason saw Alasa lying near by.
He dashed toward her, lifted her nude body in his arms.
He staggered into a corner, and the centaur flashed past
him like a Juggernaut.
It was a mad, fantastic game they played there, with
the dying monster blindly seeking prey, and with Mason,
carrying the girl, dodging and waiting alternately, his
breath a raw, singeing flame in his throat. All at once the
centaur grew still, its bloody arms hanging laxly, blind
head lifted questingly as it listened.
The creature stiffened as the girl in Mason's arms
moaned and stirred. Guided by the sound, it sprang forward
And dropped--dead! It rolled in a gory, shapeless huddle
over and over on the straw, the great wound in the
throat ceasiag to bleed as the mighty beast-heart slowed
and stopped. It lay quiescent, its dreadful life ended for
ever.
Reaction shook Mason. Dizzily he lowered the girl to
the ground, relaxed beside her, weak and sick. But after
a moment he rallied his strength and turned to Alasa.
She was still and white as a marble statue, her pale body
splotched with the centaur's blood. Mason's throat was
suddenly dry. Was she even alive?
Swiftly he chafed her arms, striving to bring her back
to consciousness. And at last the girl's lashes lifted;
golden eyes looked into Mason's, wide and feaul. With
a shuddering little cry Alasa clung to the man, no longer
the queen of a mighty city, but a gil, frightened and
thoroughly human. Involuntarily Mason bent his head,
kissed the soft hollow of. her throat, her rounded shoulders.
A flush turned Alasa's face rosy. She drew away, freed
herself.
"There ought to be a way out of here," Mason said
abruptly, unsteadily. "The Master depended on the centaur's
killing his victims. There'd be no need to make this
place a real prison. I--I'll look around."
In a corner Mason found a tiny stream that emerged
from a hole in the wall and ran along a channel to disappear
into a drain. Where the stream emerged there
was a tube that slanted up into the darkness. It did not
look inviting, but after a careful search of the den Mason
realized that it was the only means of egress.
"Want to try it, Alasa?" he asked. The girl had been
watching him, and now she nodded and came to his side.
'Tll go first," Mason offered. "If I can get through you'll
be able to."
He 'fell on hand and knees, crept into the hole. The
water was not deep. It rilled beneath him, icy-cold and
murmuring softly.
Mason was in a tunnel, a tube barely wider than the
width of his shoulders, so smooth that at times he almost
lost his footing, ff the slope grew much steeper,
he knew, it would be impossible to mount it. Behind him
he heard the girl, her breathing soft and uneven.
The faint light that filtered from behind them grew dim
and died away entirely. They clambered through utter
darkness.
Interminable lourney through the hidden heart of Al
Bekr! More than once Mason felt chill despair touch
him, but he knew that to retrace his steps would be useless,
probably fatal. In the den of the centaur they would
be at the mercy of Nirvor and ,the Master, but here they
had at least a chance, though a slim one.
The tube grew level again. Fumbling in the dark, Mason
felt emptiness beside him. The sound of falling water
came. He realized that the tunnel branched here, forking
into two tubes up one of which they had climbed. He
›ailed, "Not too fast, Alasa! Take hold of my foot "
Slowly they edged past the unseen abyss. Then forward
again, on hands and knees that were raw and
bleed
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ing--on and on interminably. Until, at last, a faint
greenish glow heartened Mason. He increased his pace.
A mesh grating was set in the tube above him. He
fumbled with it vainly. It was fast. With a word to the
girl, Mason braced himself, thrusting his back against
the barrier. Veins bulged in his forehead as he strained
to lift it.
There was a faint creaking, but the grating did not
give. Mason rested, and then tried again. This time he
managed to burst open the grated metal.
Warily he lifted his head through the gap, peering
around. They were in a room, green-lit and vacant, filled
with water-tubes, pumps, unfamiliar machinery. Mason
wriggled out through the gap he had made, helped Alasa
climb free. Both of them were drenched and shuddering
with cold.
"So far, so good," Mason said grimly. "Know where
we are?"
The girl shook her head. Dark hair clung damply to
her bare shouders. "This city is strange to me also. I
don't know how we can escatm---or where we can
hide."
"Well, we can't stay here," Mason grunted. "Come
along." He led the way to a tunnel-mouth in the wall.
Warily they hurried along it. Al Bekr was still sleeping
--but it would awaken soon, Mason thought. Moreover,
if they encountered one of the robot guards, they no
longer had Murdach's paralysis-weapon.
Twice they saw robots in the distance, but managed
to evade them. It seemed hours later when, hurrying
along a green-lit corridor, Mason heard footsteps approaching.
He stopped short.
Alasa's face was white. She whispered, "What "
"We passed a door a minute ago," Mason said softly.
"Come on!"
They ran back swiftly. The door was unlocked; Mason
swung it open, revealing a tiny closet bristling with
switches and apparatus. "In we go," he commanded.
"Hope we don't electrocute ourselves."
The footsteps were louder. The two tumbled into the
closet, and Mason drew the door shut. He had intended
to leave a tiny crack for vision, but the panel swung
190
closed with a click. In the darkness Mason fumbled for
a latch. There was none.
The steps grew louder, hesitated, and faded in the
distance. Mason could feel Alasa's warm breath on his
cheek. He said quietly, "We can't get out. We're locked
The girl said nothing for a moment, and then came into
his arms, shuddering with cold and fear, clinging to him.
The touch of her cool flesh dried Mason's throat. He resisted
for briefly--and then a flame of passion swept
away his caution. His hands touched silken curves; he
felt Alasa's soft lips. Their touch was like fire.
He drew the girl close. With a little sob she put slim
arms about Mason's neck. Their lips merged, and a trembling
shudder shook Alasa's body as she strained toward
, hil.
The fo0tstes came again--and another sound that
electrified Masofi. Soft, furious oaths--in a, voice he knew.
The VOice of Erechl
The girl had heard it too. She drew away, unseen in
the darkness. Mason called with quiet urgency:
"Erechl Erech!"
Silence. Then the Sumerian's low tones.
"Eh? Who's that?"
"Mason. And Alasa. In here "
The door swung open. Erech stood wide-eyed, his
mouth open. His cloak was ribboned, his swarthy chest
bleeding in a dozen places.
"I've found you--El-Iii be praised I've been searching
all Al Bekr "
He whipped off his cloak, gave it to the girl. She
nodded gratefully, wrapping it around her nude form.
"INe no cloak for you, Ma-zhonmbut you'll be back in
your apartment in a moment. What happened to you?"
Mason told him. The Sumerian whispered an oath.
"That she-devilmNirvorl You saved my life, Ma-zhon,
when you cried out for me to use Murdach's weapon. It
gave me enough light to beat off the leopard. I didn't kill
it--but ! gave the beast some wounds to lick." He grinned
unpleasantly.
"Now listen, Ma-zhon-and you, Alasa. I went to Mur-dach.
I told him what had happened. He said there would
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')e no time for him to talk to you now. A1 Bekr will
twaken soon. If you livedmhe saidmgive you this mes-iage.
Alasa I will hide safely. You, Ma-zhon, must pretend
to obey the Master. Work with him as he wishes. Try
:o learn his secrets. Murdach knows something of them,
ut not enough. Later Murdach will join his knowledge
to yours, and the two of you--with my aidmmay defeat
Greddar Klon."
Mason nodded. "Okay. I mean--it is well, Erech. You
say Alasa will be safe?"
"For a time. I know the hidden places of Al Bekr. We
must hurry, Ma-zhon "The Sumerian gave Mason
explicit directions for returning to his apartment. "Go now.
Swiftly. Obey the Master till you hear from me."
Alasa ran to the archeologist, her golden eyes anxious.
"And you will guard yourselffor my sake?" She lifted
her pale face, and
Mason kissed her again. He heard the Sumerian whistle,
shrill with astonishment. The girl turned to Erech, said
imperiously, "Let us go. Now?'
Shrugging, Erech led Alasa along the corridor. His lips
still fragrant with the honey-musk of the girl's kiss, Mason
went in the opposite direction, smiling a little.
And soon he found his apartment. The robot guard
still stood before the door, unmoving as Mason slipped
within. He cleansed and bathed his wounds as well as he
could, donned a cloak that would hide them from the
Master's suspicious eyes. Then he relaxed on the mound
of furs.
He slept, but not for long. The robot was beside him,
gently gripping his arm, urging him to his feet. A little
thrill of fear shook Mason. Had the Master discovered
what had happened? Had Nirvor spoken?
No--the Silver Priestess would be silent, for her own
sake. Reason told Mason that the Master would be merciless
if he knew Nirvor had tried to kill the man Greddar
Klon needed to aid him. With an assumption of nonchalance
the archeologist accompanied the robot to the
room of the green monoliths.
The Master was reclining on furs. He thrust a flask at
Mason. "Drink," the shrill voice piped. "It is not a drug.
