The Great Clock of Tarth
T
he Plains of Ofrid on the Tarth and as as the reach, a of soft, knee-high where of wild and bright-hued in with the sun.
From the dark Abarian Forests to the Ice Fields of Nadia, the plain for the tall, tower in its exact center and it was toward this tower that groups of Tarthans were now moving.
Every nation on the was in or number. The slim, Nadians in their flat-bottomed air that in space or the surface of the at a thousand an hour. The grim-faced Abarians, tall and on their powerful stads, their the of the heavens. The Utalians, those men of Tarth, their skins now the exact color of the across which they rode, thus their to appear and unguided.
All the nations of Tarth were represented, toward the tower by a century-old legend, a which Retoc the Abarian as he at the of his own proud group.
He a hand, the plain and spoke to Hultax, his second in command, saying, "Little would one think that this flat, empty land was once the site of a and powerful nation. One of the upon all Tarth!" A of and played upon his as he the plain.
"Aye," Hultax replied. "The of the Ofridians. Truly they were a great nation."
"But we Abarians were greater," Retoc snapped. "We not only them but we their land until not one upon another."
"All save the tower," Hultax said. "No so much as its surface."
A new voice cut in. "Quite true. Portox's scientific skill was too great for you." Both Abarians to at the newcomer, Bontarc of Nadia, who had close in his one-man car and was by their side.
Retoc's hand moved toward the of his long whip-like sword, there by the look of in Bontarc's eyes. But Retoc hesitated. A of Bontarc's Nadian men and the Abarian had no taste for a in which the were close to even.
"We the Ofridians fairly," he said.
"And them fairly? Cut the men and and children until the entire nation was obliterated?"
The had taken place a century when Bontarc had been but a child and Retoc a man. Karnod, Retoc's father, now dead, had planned the that the Ofridians, his card having been in the of Evalla, Queen of Ofrid. Karnod had been the last and had to his son the of the Ofridians and their nation. This task, Retoc with relish, for himself the of Queen Evalla. Details of the to which Retoc the Evalla were over the and it was said the Retoc had taken of the Queen in her to in later years.
It had been the scientific ability of Portox of Ofrid that had the Abarian and in the place. Portox used his science for the good of all on the Tarth, but when Karnod, Lord of Abaria, struck, no other nation came to Ofrid's aid. Then it was too late, Abaria's might as a result of the Ofridian and only an of all other nations have them.
Ironically, Portox had been captured.
Now as the tall tower came into view, Bontarc's mind was with of Portox, the Ofridian wizard. It was said that Portox had been able to travel through space to other that were to exist, that he had left Tarth and safety across space, his tower which would be destroyed; that a great clock it was off one hundred years—the time on the Tarth of an infant's into manhood—and that at the end of that the clock would and there would come a man to the of the Ofridians.
Bontarc upon the Retoc. "Tell me," he said, "is there any truth to the that the clock in the tower will the end of one hundred years?"
"None whatever," the Abarian snapped. "A passed from the of one old woman to another."
Bontarc smiled. "Then why are you here? The hundred years are up today."
Retoc's hand moved toward his whip-sword. "Are you calling me a liar?"
Bontarc as the came from its scabbard. "If we we may miss the of the clock," he said evenly.
With an oath, Retoc pushed the into its and put to his stad's flanks. The animal and ahead. Bontarc and his car toward his own group.
And now they were assembled and waiting, the of the Tarth. Would the clock as it was Portox had said? Would an come to challenge Retoc and his Abarian hordes?
There was not much time left. Swiftly the clock off the moments and the end of one hundred years was at hand. Silence settled over the assembled Tarthans.
Then a great over the plains; a single that rose into the air, across the empty land that once had been the site of a thriving, nation. The part of the had been fulfilled.
Then, suddenly, reigned. With a great that the ground upon which they stood, the tower in glory; a great of red fire the assembled Tarthans to the ground where they in stupor.
The report across the plain ten thousand times louder than the of the clock. But from the shock, no Tarthan was the power rose upward.
There was an of mute wonder on Bontarc's face. And he thought: We have not the end of this. It is only the beginning. But the of what? Only Portox have known. And Portox was—where?
Bontarc started his car and moved across the plain events but not knowing....
Not that the of the clock had gone with more than the speed of light across the void, had been arrow-straight to a in the of a thick upon another planet; to the door of a in the the mansion.
That now the lock of this door had to the and the was slowly open.
