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READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

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Tarzan on Mars<br />

Beneath their feet were the dead bodies of seven more<br />

red Tarnathian guardsmen. And behind this looming dozen<br />

massively proportioned cut-thoats were scores more of their<br />

number. He heard the muffled squealing of their thoats in the<br />

corridors of the palace, as well as the clash of sidearms and<br />

the guttural oaths and shouts of yet other green warriors<br />

beyond the throne room.<br />

At sight of him and his beautiful companion, they raised<br />

a triumphant shout and sprang up the dias to cut him down<br />

with their giant swords.<br />

But if the woman behind Kar Komak had expected him<br />

to turn and flee with her she was mistaken. Instead, both she<br />

and the Torquasians were momentarily puzzled by the grim<br />

and almost triumphant smile on his face as he drew his<br />

swords to meet their overwhelming charge.<br />

In the next instant, however, the reason for his smile<br />

became apparent. Out of that same passage through which<br />

Kar Komak had led his new found love, tall, white bowmen<br />

came running and shouting, throwing themselves at once into<br />

the battle. In the hands of some were battle axes which they<br />

wielded now with deadly effect. Others quickly loaded their<br />

bows and fired their arrows rapidly, with unerring precision.<br />

And still more crowded in behind them, shouting and eager<br />

for combat.<br />

While the advance green men fell back before this<br />

unexpected onslaught, and while Kar Komak, himself, led his<br />

phantom army against the foe with a victorious battle cry, a<br />

great commotion occurred at the opposite end of the throne<br />

room. Mingled with the shouts of the green men were the<br />

hideous, reverberating roars of banths.<br />

For the first time, the woman on the dais observed Barsoomian<br />

lions in action. There were a dozen of the beasts at<br />

the far end of the throne room, tearing into the ranks of the<br />

giant green men with terrible effect. Her eyes widened, not in<br />

fear, but in horrified astonishment, as she saw the giant beasts.<br />

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